In the 17th year of Chengguo, Kui Bei, Ying Duo City.
Deafening firecrackers resounded throughout the ten-mile-long Huabao Road, where the Xie Mansion, located at the end of Huabao Road, was adorned with lanterns and decorations.
A magnificent black car honked its way through, followed by a grand procession of cars.
Common people stood on both sides of Huabao Road, tiptoeing to catch a glimpse of this rare spectacle that occurred only once in a millennium.
In the past, it was customary for the groom to ride a tall white horse, while the bride sat in a large red bridal sedan chair. The procession was accompanied by the lively sound of suona horns. But had anyone ever seen such a line of Western-style wedding cars, with such grandeur and splendor?
The procession of cars made its way to the solemn and grand Han Baiwa Xie Mansion.
The groom stepped out of the car first, opening the door, followed by a bride dressed in a white wedding gown with a transparent white veil on her head. The dazzling diamond rings on her neck, wrists, and fingers drew admiration from the surrounding crowd.
Under the gaze of the envious or astonished onlookers, Shao Yingying, with a slight smile on her lips, hooked her arm with the groom's. She raised her fair and noble neck, resembling a queen returning to her castle, and walked with the man she had admired since her youth into the Xie Mansion along the red carpet laid out in advance.
Who said destiny couldn't be defied? So what if Ye Huaran was a consort to the emperor?
At this moment, she was being trampled underfoot by her, treated as a lowly concubine, sneaked into the Xie Mansion without even the qualifications to enter through the main gate? Her third brother was hers! The position of the Third Lady of the Xie Mansion was also hers!
Shao Yingying couldn't help but feel a surge of satisfaction in her heart at the thought of Ye Huaran, the noble consort, being brought down from her lofty position, which was revered by the people as the number one consort of Chengguo, and becoming the Third Lady of the Xie Mansion, married openly by the Third Master of the Xie Mansion!
The firecrackers sounded again, densely packed this time.
Shao Yingying was so absorbed in her thoughts that she was startled by the sudden sound of the firecrackers. She exclaimed in panic, clutching her husband's arm tightly, her complexion pale as she leaned into Xie Fangqin's embrace.
The surrounding crowd burst into laughter.
Shao Yingying's face turned blue with anger! These rude and vulgar commoners!
Constrained by the presence of other celebrities, as well as reporters and media attending the wedding, Shao Yingying could only force a smile, while silently remembering the loudest and most shameless faces from earlier.
After the wedding, she would have to catch these lowly commoners and beat them up to vent her anger!
The fleeting fierceness in Shao Yingying's eyes did not escape Xie Fangqin's gaze, and a look of disdain and disgust flashed across his face.
As he held the beautiful and charming Shao Yingying in his arms, Xie Fangqin couldn't help but think of his childhood sweetheart, Ye Huaran.
If it had been Dongzhu (Huaran's childhood name) accompanying him down the red carpet, she would never have been startled by the firecrackers. Even Dongzhu wouldn't allow herself to be disturbed by the firecrackers. She wouldn't have screamed so ungracefully.
If his men had not yet found any trace of Zhou Fushi, Shao Yingying's brother who knew too many of his secrets, and eliminated him, how could he have made such a sacrifice, forced to marry Shao Yingying, a narrow-minded, greedy, and vain woman, as his legal wife to please her and draw out Zhou Fushi, thereby eliminating any future troubles?
The red carpet symbolizing happiness was walked by this couple with their own concerns.
As the couple walked the red carpet, lively and cheerful Western orchestral music played.
Western-style weddings did not follow the traditional customs of paying respects in a hall, nor did the bride sit dryly on the bed waiting to be lifted by the groom under a red cover.
This was Chengguo now, where men and women were equal. Since it was the union of both parties, why should the bride be ashamed?
After the wedding ceremony, Shao Yingying changed into a dress for entertaining guests and, amidst the various gazes of the guests, accompanied Xie Fangqin to socialize with the guests, accepting the scrutiny of various eyes with pride and self-importance.
Male and female guests danced in the ballroom, and romantic waltzes were sung one after another. When the mood struck, Shao Yingying, as the bride, even pulled Xie Fangqin into a dance, earning applause from the enthusiastic guests.
This unique wedding reception continued from noon until evening, and the guests dispersed with lingering reluctance.
The groom went to see off the guests, and the bride, who usually liked to show off, was somewhat intoxicated from drinking and didn't insist on following him.
Assisted by the maid, the bride who went to the bridal chamber first did not notice the sudden change in the groom's demeanor as she turned and left.
...
As the sky darkened, the Xie Mansion was gradually engulfed by the night.
A black car quietly entered through the side gate of the Xie Mansion.
On the car, a bride dressed in a white wedding gown stepped out from the car.
However, there was no considerate groom to assist her, no common people lining the streets to watch the excitement, and no crowded guests. The only person walking beside the bride was a maid with large round eyes. The maid only carried a simple box in her hand.
Seeing this, the servants of the Xie Mansion, who already looked down upon the newcomers welcomed through the side gate, looked down even more upon this new bride and her maid after seeing their shabby "dowry."
The woman in charge of receiving the two newcomers was also very negligent, not even giving the new mistress a proper look. After leading them to the bridal chamber, she uttered a few auspicious words about giving birth to noble sons, and arrogantly left after extorting a considerable sum of money. It was as if the new bride and her little maid were servants, and she was the mistress of the Xie Mansion.
"Too much bullying! The servants of the Xie Mansion have no manners at all! How dare they ask us for money proactively, and when they feel that it's not enough, they even directly show their displeasure! It's outrageous, absolutely outrageous! If you ask me, the most hateful person is our master! In order to please that Shao Yingying, he not only chose to marry you on the same day as that wolf-hearted Shao Yingying, but also treated the bride like a concubine from the past, allowing the bride's wedding car to enter the Xie Mansion through the side gate with the dowry maidservant! Has the master forgotten? If it weren't for you, in the dispute between the eldest and third young masters of the Xie family, choosing the third young master, how could the third young master have..."
Dismissed the arrogant maid, Biyuan lifted the curtain, her pretty face flushing red, limping into the room angrily to report to her mistress.
Biyuan's leg was originally fine.
Biyuan was lively by nature. When she was young, she was the most active in the Wang Mansion's courtyard, often jumping around. Punished several times by the matriarch, she never learned her lesson. Sometimes, when the old maid wanted to hit her with a broom, she could always run away in the blink of an eye. Her legs could run so fast they kicked up dust.
It was all for her...
Because of her blindness, because of her foolishness, Biyuan protected her, which resulted in an assassin shooting her and breaking her leg with a bullet. Even the marriage that had already been arranged was canceled.
Midway through her speech, Biyuan caught sight of her mistress's suddenly pale lips and panicked.
She's so foolish!
What's the point of bringing up all these past grudges and grievances?
"Mistress, Biyuan spoke out of turn, Biyuan deserves punishment! Biyuan deserves punishment!"
As she covered her own mouth with her hand, Biyuan hurriedly apologized.
Before Biyuan's hand could touch her cheek, Ye Huaran, sitting on the wedding bed, raised her hand in time to stop her, "You silly girl, what are you doing? Didn't I tell you a long time ago? The emperor uncle has been forced to abdicate, and Da Yan Country has forever become history. There's no mistress anymore. I'm not your master either. We abide by the democracy and equality of the new country, we don't follow the old feudal master-servant system, we don't slap people for no reason. We are equals, understand?"
Confusion filled Biyuan's big eyes. "Mistress, Biyuan is dull. I don't understand what you mean by democracy, equality, and freedom. Biyuan only knows that I belong to you in life and in death! I misspoke just now, forgive me, Mistress, for not punishing me. It's your generosity, Mistress!"
Finishing her words, she knelt in front of Ye Huaran, banging her head three times, making her forehead red.
"You fool."
Ye Huaran, feeling sorry, wiped the blood from Biyuan's forehead with a handkerchief, looking helpless.
Because of their different education and environment, it was difficult for an uneducated maid like Biyuan to understand concepts like democracy, equality, and freedom.
Ye Huaran opened the simple box they had brought with them and took out a promissory note. In Biyuan's puzzled eyes, she walked over to her. "Biyuan, this is the contract my mother handed me when we fled the mansion, your indenture."
Biyuan's eyes widened.
Was this her indenture?
When Biyuan was very young, because her family was poor and she was a girl, she was sold to the Wang Mansion and became the youngest maidservant of Duke Wang's family, serving as a close attendant to the ninth mistress, Dongzhu.
The Duke cherished this daughter very much. From a young age, he hired a tutor for her enlightenment, and even invited Western missionaries as Ye Huaran's foreign language teachers. Influenced by Western culture, Ye Huaran was open-minded and democratic, never hitting or scolding her servants, treating Biyuan, the maid, like a sister.
The mansion provided them with food, drink, and clothing, and the mistress was even more sympathetic to the servants, often giving them valuable rewards. It was much better than being called and beaten by her siblings at home. Biyuan had made a vow in her heart to serve the mistress until old age. Therefore, unlike others who were overjoyed and excited when they saw their indenture, Biyuan felt only confusion and curiosity, not understanding why her mistress suddenly took out her indenture for no reason.
The dynasty was falling, and the country was changing.
When Ye Huaran fled with her retinue, the Duchess handed the maidservant's indenture to her daughter, for obvious reasons.
When Biyuan was sold to the mansion, she signed an indenture for life, which could never be redeemed.
The Duchess handed Biyuan's indenture to her daughter in order to ensure that Ye Huaran could control Biyuan, her personal maid, for life. The Duchess was worried that her daughter would be left without even one trusted attendant once she left the mansion's protection.
In front of Biyuan, Ye Huaran tore up the indenture, threw it into the burning brazier in the room.
Biyuan was shocked, quickly rushing forward to stop her mistress's actions, "Mistress! Stop it! What are you doing?! Don't you want Biyuan anymore? Mistress, please stop, quickly stop!"
The torn scraps of paper fell into the brazier and burned into ashes in an instant.
The fire illuminated the faces of the mistress and servant in front of the brazier. Ye Huaran raised her head, smiled gently at Biyuan's limping back, and waved her hand.
The door with the double happiness character was closed.
The wedding dress fell to the ground, replaced by a worn-out and inconspicuous old dress.
With delicately painted hands, she took out a dagger from the bottom of the box and tucked it into her sleeve.
The flickering candlelight reflected on Ye Huaran's exquisite face, casting a shadow.
She pushed open the door and walked out.
(End of this chapter)