Thirteenth Lady's Comback: Her Everyday Life as a Bystander-Chapter 210 - 5: Wedding Preparations in Full Swing

Hong Sheng’s time in the Capital was limited. Even with grace from the Emperor, it was merely an extension of two months, coinciding with Susu’s coming-of-age ceremony. So, Hong Sheng quickly invited the official matchmaker and Nanny Wei to visit, discussing the wedding date with Old Madam Song.

He would have liked to marry the young lady the next day, so he wouldn’t be alone during the New Year. But he dared not say this; not only would Susu object, Old Madam Song wouldn’t agree either. Eventually, they settled on the sixteenth day of the first lunar month for the betrothal, which is the formal delivery of gifts.

Susu was not in a position to get involved in these matters. After her washing ceremony, she returned to the estate, as she would soon be moving to the house given to her as a dowry by the Old Madam. This residence, located in the Capital, was far more convenient for her visits to the mansion and for Hong Sheng’s delivery of betrothal gifts than being at the estate. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

Most importantly, this winter was extremely cold. Several northern cities experienced snow disasters, and refugees were flocking to the Capital. Upon receiving this news, the Old Madam insisted Susu must not stay at the estate.

Susu originally planned to have the house cleaned up, sending the servants she disliked to watch over it. Now it was simpler; she moved in, and had others directly oversee the estate.

So, before the end of the year, Susu moved house, inviting the Old Madam and several Song Family ladies and Yang Liu for a housewarming banquet. Hong Sheng also sent housewarming gifts. Previously, his gifts had startled Susu; besides opulent jewelry and gemstones, there were several scrolls of valuable calligraphy and paintings, a box of ancient book remnants. Even the wealthy Song Family seldom saw such items. Susu dared not appraise them and urged him to take them back.

But Hong Sheng was apparently unconcerned, saying, "These are loot from the past two years. Those soldiers only know that gold and silver are good; even if someone had some knowledge, these items are hard to sell in the Northwest and won’t fetch much value. I chose them because I knew you liked them. I can’t preserve them, and some books have even begun to mold."

Upon hearing this, Susu set aside her reservations and quickly opened the box to inspect, relieved to find them only slightly damp. Looking up to see Hong Sheng smiling at her, Susu blushed and said, "These are unique copies, impossible to obtain elsewhere; just leaving a box of them for descendants will be more than enough to ensure they never want for anything."

Upon hearing this, Hong Sheng seemed lost in thought about something indescribable, a slight blush appearing on his face, though not apparent due to his dark complexion.

Finally, Susu had her own home, hers alone, situated in the expensive soil of the Capital, within the Fourth Ring. In later times, even a three-entry house in the Capital extending to the Tenth Ring would have been unthinkable for Susu.

Foreigners wouldn’t understand the Chinese people’s obsession with housing; those with homes wouldn’t comprehend the sorrow of those without, especially someone like Susu, an outsider in a foreign land. Even if it were just a straw hut to shelter from the elements, as long as it belonged to her, she would be extremely happy.

When living at the estate, Susu didn’t feel this way. But moving into her new home, she felt she had finally rooted herself in Great Chu. Therefore, when the New Year arrived, Susu politely declined the Old Madam’s offer to return to the mansion for the celebrations, spending New Year’s Eve at her own home with her servants. Especially as the pocket watch neared the stroke of midnight, Hong Sheng appeared amid the wind and snow.

At midnight, magnificent fireworks illuminated the sky above the Imperial Palace, lasting for half an hour. Susu and Hong Sheng stood quietly in the snowy night, watching the dazzling fireworks explode in the sky, listening to the big clock above the city gates toll the first chime of the new year. Neither of them spoke.

But at that moment, Hong Sheng quietly held Susu’s hand, and Susu did not refuse. In her heart, Susu made her first wish of the year to the gods and spirits in the sky: May there be love that transcends three lifetimes amidst boundless blossoms...

Haha, what kind of chaos was mixed in here? Wrong, let’s reset: May the years pass in tranquility, true to life.

After the New Year, could the sixteenth day of the first lunar month be far off? It certainly arrived quickly.

Susu had no parents or elders in the family; all the wedding arrangements and rituals were managed by the Old Madam acting as the family head. On that day, the Old Madam, as expected, arrived early at the Su Mansion with maids and matrons.

Past ten o’clock in the morning, Hong Sheng led the way, followed by a group of Northwest Soldiers who had not yet returned. It was they who carried the betrothal gifts, arriving grandly amid the sound of drums and music.