The Country Maiden: Fields and Leisure
Chapter 645 - 643: Getting Married 2

Chapter 645: Chapter 643: Getting Married 2

Old Granny Zhang and Wang Laozhu looked at the young couple kneeling before them, smiles appearing on their faces.

Wang Laozhu’s lips trembled, and it took him a while to squeeze out a sentence, "You must take good care of each other and live a good life!"

Song Chongjin nodded, "Father, rest assured that I will take care of Yongzhu! As long as I have a bowl of rice, I will make sure Yongzhu eats first."

For a peasant family, this was more solid than any flowery words.

Wang Laozhu nodded and fell silent.

Old Granny Zhang naturally felt happy inside. Her most beloved daughter, whom she had raised with hard work, was getting married to a good man—how could she not be delighted?

Furthermore, she felt a mother’s pride seeing her daughter grown up and established.

She looked at Song Chongjin and Wang Yongzhu with the warmest and most loving eyes, "After you two are married, you will be one family. You must think together and work together, that’s how your days will prosper! If there’s anything, I hope you two can discuss and decide together. Respect me, and I’ll respect you, and that’s how your life will be long-lasting!"

Wang Yongzhu and Song Chongjin both bowed their heads in agreement, then kowtowed three times before standing up.

The hour had come; it was time to depart.

Traditionally, the bride should be carried out by her brothers to board the wedding sedan.

Wang Yonggui and Wang Yongping had been ready for some time, having assigned their tasks. Today, the two brothers had one to carry their sister out and the other to carry their father out.

But before Wang Yongping had the chance to approach, Song Chongjin bent down, picked up Wang Yongzhu in his arms, and walked straight out of the courtyard.

This act stunned Wang Yongping, who had just squat down ready to carry his sister; he hadn’t expected Song Chongjin to be such a man!

Old Granny Zhang, however, found it amusing; she hadn’t expected Song Chongjin to have such moments.

Seeing Laosi still foolishly squatting, she immediately laughed and scolded, "What are you dazed for? Aren’t you going to get things ready and carry your father, so we can send your sister off?"

Only then did Wang Yongping come to his senses, hurriedly went up and carried Wang Laozhu on his back, while the rest of the luggage was held by Wang Yonggui and Jinhoo.

The family followed behind Song Chongjin to the doorway of the inn.

At the door, the suona band kept vigorously playing the festive tunes, and a red, festively adorned sedan chair was placed at the entrance of the inn, with a horse carriage behind it.

A few men, seeing the party emerging, busily came forward to help, settling Wang Laozhu and the Wang family into the carriage behind.

In the front, Song Chongjin escorted Wang Yongzhu into the sedan, and before withdrawing, he couldn’t resist squeezing her hand. He then stepped back two paces and let down the sedan curtain.

His usually expressionless face softened a bit due to the wedding; his eyes especially, unable to suppress his happiness and joy, made him appear even more handsome and vibrant.

The bill at the inn had been settled by Wang Yongzhu the day before.

Because of Wang Yongzhu’s forthrightness, after the sedan set off, the innkeeper even specially instructed the servant to set off a string of firecrackers at the entrance, as a gesture of good wishes and fortune.

Onlookers who had gathered couldn’t help but come closer to ask, "Whose young man is this, looking so handsome? Why didn’t he find a wife in our county town, instead choosing someone from outside, and facilitating the wedding in an inn?"

The servant at the inn, having received quite a few tips from Wang Yongzhu over the past few days, said nothing even without the tips; he wouldn’t casually reveal his guest’s information.

He simply laughed off the inquiries with a smooth talk and slipped back into the inn.

On Song Chongjin’s side, all the way there was merry music and loud celebrations along the street, attracting many onlookers.

Especially the children, who followed beside the wedding procession, laughing and playing, begging for sweets to eat.

Song Chongjin got what he wished for and was naturally happy.

His subordinates were also capable, and the wedding sweets had been prepared early on. Seeing the children come up to ask for them, they generously scattered them around.

The children were overjoyed, and they all shrieked and laughed as they scrambled for the sweets, enlivening the whole street.

Many adults looked on with envy and stretched out their hands to catch the wedding sweets as well.

Old Granny Zhang sat in the carriage, watching this scene with great satisfaction.

As per the old custom, the livelier the wedding procession and the more people scrambling for the sweets, the more prosperous the couple’s future was believed to be.

There was great excitement on this side.

Meanwhile, Jinchai, after boarding the sedan chair with her bundle, found her mind almost entirely blank.

When she finally came to her senses a bit and lifted the sedan curtain to look outside, an old woman standing by her side slapped the curtain down with a "whack" and leisurely, in a strange, mocking tone, reminded her: "Concubine, please be mindful of your status. Things are different now. In the future, try to refrain from such impolite behavior. Otherwise, if you lose face for my master and Madam, you will have to endure the family’s discipline."

Jinchai shuddered all over. Family discipline?

She opened her mouth to ask what exactly the rules were in the backyard of the County Magistrate’s residence, but being younger and less bold, she opened her mouth several times without daring to ask out loud.

The old woman outside, seeing this new concubine so young and timid, immediately revealed a contemptuous smile. Such a person was truly nothing new in their residence.

Jinchai, having received this slight intimidation from the old woman, just sat silently in the sedan chair.

She felt the sedan chair bearers walk for a while and then stop. She heard the old woman attending her seemingly say something to someone nearby.

The sedan chair was lifted again, and after not too long, it came to a complete stop.

The old woman lifted the curtain: "New concubine, please alight from the sedan!"

Jinchai timidly clutched her bundle and crawled out of the sedan chair, only to find that the sedan had stopped in front of a courtyard.

On the gate of the courtyard were two red paper ’happiness’ characters affixed as a token gesture. Apart from that, there was no other red to be seen.

The courtyard gate was open. A glance inside revealed a small yard with just a few modest rooms.

The old woman stepped forward and took Jinchai by the arm: "Concubine, please come inside with me! From now on, this will be your courtyard! If the master comes tonight, you must serve him well, so you can pay your respects to Madam with tea tomorrow morning."

"If the master doesn’t come tonight, just stay inside the room and don’t wander around. Understand?"

Jinchai nodded hastily; upon entering the courtyard, she was taken aback at first sight.

The houses within the County Yamen were all made of green bricks with large tiles, as was the backyard naturally.

The walls were constructed of green bricks, the doors painted in vermilion, and the ground laid with green tiles that shone like a mirror.

Not to mention that there were also a few trees and a couple of bushes in the courtyard. Although it was small and secluded, within the grounds of the County Yamen,

for Jinchai, it was already too wonderful.

The initial resistance she felt dissipated almost entirely upon seeing the small courtyard.

The old woman led Jinchai inside the house. Hearing the noise, people in the house had already come out to greet her—two girls around ten years old, about the same age as Jinchai.

Upon seeing Jinchai, they bowed first: "Hong Hua, Qing Ye pay their respects to the concubine."