latelenovela Chapter 255 The Mad Couple 19
Chapter 255 The Mad Couple 19
Suddenly, a commotion arose outside the courtyard. A middle-aged eunuch dressed in bright palace robes, holding a bright yellow imperial edict, strode into the courtyard surrounded by a group of guards.
The eunuch stood solemnly with his head held high, while the guards behind him were all tall and imposing.
Ji Xiaosong, Ji Xiaohua, Ji Dan, Xiao He, and the others were all taken aback upon seeing this.
Ji Xiaosong was the first to react. She quickly stood up, straightened her clothes, and although there was a hint of surprise in her expression, she was more dignified and composed.
Ji Xiaohua and Ji Dan also quickly got up, while Xiao He stepped aside and stood with her head down.
The eunuch cleared his throat, his voice sharp and loud, and began to read the imperial edict:
"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: It is now known that Wu Chufeng, Vice Minister of War, is a young and promising official who has repeatedly distinguished himself in battle and is a pillar of our dynasty. Lady Ji, Xiaosong, is gentle, virtuous, well-educated, and reasonable, and is a perfect match for Wu Chufeng. I hereby bestow upon them a marriage contract, and they shall be married on an auspicious day to make it a beautiful story. I hope that after their marriage, they will live in harmony and be a model for the court, bringing blessings to the nation. So be it!"
After the imperial edict was read aloud, the eunuch held it with both hands, leaned forward slightly, and waited for the person who would receive it.
Ji Xiaosong moved gracefully forward a few steps and came to the eunuch.
She slightly bent her knees and performed a standard, graceful bow, her movements fluid and natural, displaying the elegance of a lady from a distinguished family.
Then, she straightened up, slowly raised her hands, palms facing upward, and respectfully extended them toward the imperial edict.
The moment she received the imperial edict, Ji Xiaosong bowed again, her voice clear and melodious, filled with gratitude:
"This humble woman, Ji Xiaosong, kowtows to express her gratitude for Your Majesty's great favor. May Your Majesty live ten thousand years!"
After saying this, she gently placed the imperial edict on the table beside her and straightened her sleeves.
Immediately afterwards, Ji Xiaosong winked at Xiao He behind her.
Xiaohe understood immediately and quickly took out an exquisite purse from the inner room. The purse was embroidered with auspicious peony patterns, and the silk threads shimmered in the sunlight.
Ji Xiaosong took the purse, a perfectly timed smile on her face. She walked back to the eunuch, slightly turned to the side, gently handed the purse to him, and said softly:
"Father-in-law, you must be tired from your journey. I hope you will accept this small token of my appreciation."
The eunuch was slightly taken aback, then a smile appeared on his face. He put the purse into his sleeve, nodded slightly, and spoke with a hint of appreciation in his tone:
“Miss Ji is indeed well-mannered, I will remember that. Now that Miss Ji is about to marry into the Wu family, Her Majesty the Empress is worried that Miss Ji will have many difficulties adapting, so she prepared two nannies to teach Miss Ji etiquette and manners. But after seeing it today, I think there is no need for Miss Ji to learn these manners.”
Upon hearing this, Ji Xiaosong's smile deepened, her eyes filled with gratitude. She bowed again, her posture graceful, and said respectfully:
"Thank you for your praise, Eunuch, and even more so for Your Majesty's concern. I am humbled. Your Majesty's kindness will surely live up to my expectations. I will be careful in my words and deeds in the future, to bring honor to my family and glory to the royal family."
After saying that, Ji Xiaosong gave Ji Dan a wink.
Ji Dan understood immediately, turned around, and walked quickly with Xiao He toward the storeroom.
Before long, the two returned in haste with several bolts of finely colored and beautifully patterned silk.
Ji Xiaosong accepted the silk with both hands, walked to the eunuch again, slightly bent her knees, presented the silk, and spoke earnestly:
"Your Excellency, these silks are a small token of my appreciation. I hope you will accept them with a smile. I also ask that you put in a good word for me before the Empress."
The eunuch looked at the bolts of silk, a hint of satisfaction flashing in his eyes. He reached out and took them, nodding and smiling.
"Miss Ji, you are too kind. We will certainly report back to Your Majesty truthfully."
Ji Xiaosong turned slightly to the side, gesturing for him to enter, her voice gentle yet polite:
"Father-in-law, you must be tired from your long journey. I will not stay any longer and will see you off now."
After speaking, she led Ji Xiaohua, Ji Dan, and Xiao He to bow respectfully.
The eunuch and his guards turned and left. Ji Xiaosong waited until the eunuch and his entourage disappeared outside the courtyard gate before slowly straightening up and letting out a long sigh.
She had expected Wu Chufeng to treat her with some dignity, but she never imagined he would actually ask for an imperial decree.
Before long, Wu Chufeng's betrothal procession entered the city in a grand procession, attracting crowds of onlookers to stop and watch.
A procession of servants dressed in neat uniforms carried heavy chests, each adorned with red ribbons, creating a festive atmosphere.
Boxes piled up one after another, seemingly without end, and the line stretched for an entire street.
"My goodness, whose betrothal gifts are these? Why are there so many boxes?" A middle-aged woman exclaimed in surprise, her eyes wide.
"Haven't you heard? This is Wu Chufeng, the eldest son of General Wu's family, who has come to present betrothal gifts to the Ji family!" A young man next to him said excitedly, his eyes full of envy.
"The Ji family? Which Ji family? I've never heard of them." Another woman asked in confusion.
"It's that Ji family from the countryside! I heard their eldest daughter, Ji Xiaosong, is quite an extraordinary person; even the eldest son of General Wu's mansion is head over heels for her!" the young man explained, his tone tinged with gossipy excitement.
"Tsk tsk, the Ji family is really lucky! So much betrothal gifts, they'll probably live on for generations!" The middle-aged woman exclaimed in amazement, her eyes full of envy.
“That’s right! Look at those boxes, they’re so heavy, they must be full of gold and silver jewelry!” another man chimed in, his eyes gleaming with greed.
"Hey, what do you think is so special about the eldest daughter of the Ji family that makes the eldest son of General Wu's mansion value her so much?" a young woman asked curiously.
"I heard that she is not only incredibly beautiful, but also very intelligent. Even the Empress speaks highly of her!" the young man said mysteriously, as if he had seen her with his own eyes.
"Really? Even the Empress praised her?" The middle-aged woman's eyes widened, her face full of disbelief.
"Of course it's true! Just now, a eunuch from the palace came to read out the imperial edict, bestowing the marriage upon them!" the young man said smugly, as if he were the eunuch who delivered the edict.
"My goodness, the Ji family must be incredibly lucky!" the middle-aged woman exclaimed, her eyes filled with envy.
"That's right! The Ji family has truly risen to prominence!" another man chimed in, his tone tinged with a hint of sourness.
"Hey, do you think the eldest daughter of the Ji family might have used some kind of trick to make General Wu's eldest son value her so much?" a young woman muttered, a hint of jealousy flashing in her eyes.
"Shh, don't talk nonsense! If this gets to General Wu's ears, it'll be terrible!" The middle-aged woman quickly covered her mouth and warned her in a low voice.
“That’s right, that’s right, you can’t just say things like that!” the young man quickly chimed in, a hint of nervousness flashing in his eyes.
"Hey, look! Those boxes look like they're made of mahogany, and they're even carved with flowers on them!" a sharp-eyed man exclaimed excitedly, pointing at the boxes.
"Indeed! General Wu's mansion is truly extravagant!" the middle-aged woman exclaimed, her eyes filled with envy.