0p0 Chapter 268 Xiao Siyuan's Wedding
Chapter 268 Xiao Siyuan's Wedding
After saying goodbye to Zhou Qingran, Xiao Siyue and her group went home to wait for Xiao Sizhe to return from his stroll.
That evening, the Xiao family celebrated in a lively manner, and the next day, Old Master Xiao sent the good news back to Xiao Family Village.
The next morning, Xiao Sizhe and Xiao Qinian went to the morning court together. As is customary, the purpose of today's morning court was to confer official titles upon the successful candidates in the imperial examination.
The rest of the Xiao family waited patiently at home. Although it didn't matter to them what official position Xiao Sizhe was given this time, they still hoped that Xiao Sizhe could stay in the capital.
However, this time their wish came true. After the two returned from the morning court, they were told that Xiao Sizhe had been appointed as a censor, a sixth-rank official position, which was a very high starting point.
Generally, newly appointed officials are at the seventh or eighth rank. Even Xiao Qinian was only a seventh-rank county magistrate at the time, but he got the position himself.
The position of censor in the court is very important, but it is also easy to offend people. It seems that Xiao Sizhe still has a lot to learn from his superiors.
As Xiao Siyue had predicted, not long after Xiao Sizhe took office, people from the Xiao family began to inquire about the marriage of this rising star.
However, Xiao Sizhe rejected them all in the end, citing that he had just started a new job and was not yet stable. Although Aunt Xiao was anxious, she did not say anything.
The day of Xiao Siyuan and Xi Ningzhi's wedding arrived quickly.
The Xi family doted on their daughter Xi Ningzhi, and her dowry alone consisted of eighty-eight tiers, which were carried all the way from the Xi family to the Xiao family, truly a ten-mile-long procession of red bridal procession.
Xiao Siyuan, dressed in a red wedding gown and carrying a tall horse, never stopped smiling. From this day forward, the woman he had loved for several years would become his wife. Xiao Siyuan was overjoyed and couldn't help but glance at the bridal sedan chair behind him.
Xi Ningzhi, inside the sedan chair, seemed to sense Xiao Siyuan's affectionate gaze through the curtain, and smiled slightly. This day had finally arrived.
Xi Ningzhi thought about their first meeting and their subsequent relationship, feeling as sweet as if she had eaten honey. It is so rare to meet someone you love who also loves you in your lifetime. She is lucky. In this era, so many women marry the people chosen by their parents and have no rights of their own.
The wedding procession arrived at the Xiao family's gate in a grand procession. Xiao Siyuan dismounted and went to the sedan chair to receive the red silk that the matchmaker had sent him. He took one end and handed the other end to Xi Ningzhi.
"Ningzhi, let me help you down from the sedan chair." Xiao Siyuan took over the maid's job and extended his hand.
Xi Ningzhi didn't speak, but a slender hand reached out, which Xiao Siyuan grabbed and helped her out of the sedan chair.
Mr. and Mrs. Xiao sat at the head of the table. Although one of their sons had already gotten married, they couldn't help but be happy and would occasionally look outside. When they saw the newlyweds coming hand in hand, Mrs. Xiao immediately showed a bright smile.
After the newlyweds paid their respects to heaven and earth and their parents, they were led to their bridal chamber.
Xiao Siyue followed along the whole time. She had a good relationship with her third sister-in-law, Xi Ningzhi, so when Xiao Siyuan went out to entertain guests, she was arranged to accompany her sister-in-law.
Looking at the stunningly beautiful Xi Ningzhi, Xiao Siyue couldn't help but tease, "Third sister-in-law, you look so beautiful today, you're sure to be mesmerizing my third brother."
"You little rascal, teasing me like that." She was already a bit embarrassed when she heard Xiao Siyue call her "Third Sister-in-law," since Xiao Siyue had always called her "Sister."
Hearing Xiao Siyue's words afterwards made Xi Ningzhi blush with embarrassment.
"Oh my, I'm telling the truth. You have no idea how much my third brother's eyes were practically glued to you back then." Xiao Siyue sat down on the stool and spoke to Xi Ningzhi.
"You naughty girl, where is it?" Xi Ningzhi gently flicked Xiao Siyue's pretty nose.
"Hehe, I haven't congratulated Third Sister-in-law yet. I'd like to congratulate Third Brother and Third Sister-in-law on their happy marriage. May your life be harmonious and beautiful from now on. I wish you a long and loving marriage." Xiao Siyue said solemnly, and also prepared a wedding gift for the two of them.
"Why are you giving us gifts again? This is too much of a waste." Actually, Xiao Siyue had already given us gifts before.
"Isn't this the same? The gift I gave before was as a friend of Ningzhi, and this one is a wedding gift for you two."
"Alright, alright, I'll accept it then, thank you, little sister." Xi Ningzhi smiled indulgently and told Xiao Bing to put it away.
"Yes, Third Sister-in-law, I've already sent someone to bring you some food. Please have a little something." Xiao Siyue felt that this wedding was really too difficult for the bride. Everyone outside was eating delicious food, but the bride hadn't been able to eat anything since she got up in the morning.
"Is this... alright?" Xi Ningzhi hesitated, because according to etiquette, she couldn't eat it for the time being.
"It's okay, we don't care about these things in our family."
"Alright then." Xi Ningzhi stopped arguing; she was indeed hungry.
Xiao Siyue stayed with Xi Ningzhi for a while, and then left after the banquet outside had ended, as her fourth brother and the others had already helped her third brother in.
"Is he drunk?" Xiao Siyue wondered. She remembered that her third brother should have a good alcohol tolerance. How much must he have drunk?
"That's right. Several people kept trying to get Third Brother drunk, and he ended up getting drunk. I had to help him back." Xiao Sibo helped Xiao Siyuan to the bedside.
"Third Sister-in-law, I'm entrusting Third Brother to you." Xiao Sibo looked at Xi Ningzhi with some guilt. It was all his fault for not keeping a good eye on Third Brother. Today was Third Brother's wedding night, but Third Brother was now drunk and unconscious.
"Okay, fourth brother, you go ahead with your work. I'll take care of your third brother." Xi Ningzhi quickly helped Xiao Siyuan lie down on the bed.
After the others left, Xi Ningzhi asked Xiao Bing to fetch a basin of water, then wet a handkerchief and sat on the edge of the bed to carefully wipe Xiao Siyuan's face and hands.
Suddenly, her other hand was grabbed. Xi Ningzhi looked down and saw that Xi Ji was propped up on the bed with her hand being held by Xiao Siyuan.
Xiao Siyuan opened his eyes and glanced at her. Xi Ningzhi understood perfectly well that Xiao Siyuan was faking being drunk.
"Xiao Bing, take the water downstairs," Xi Ningzhi said, putting down the handkerchief.
"Yes, ma'am."
After Xiao Bing left, only Xiao Siyuan and Xi Ningzhi remained in the room. Xiao Siyuan stopped pretending, sat up from the bed, and pulled Xi Ningzhi into his arms.
"Ningzhi, Zhizhi." Xiao Siyuan nuzzled Xi Ningzhi's neck like a little puppy.
Xi Ningzhi found it somewhat amusing, but still hugged Xiao Siyuan tightly.
“You were faking being drunk just now,” Xi Ningzhi said with certainty.
"Today is our wedding night, how can I get drunk?" Xiao Siyuan said with a smile as he released Xi Ningzhi, making Xi Ningzhi's face turn red.