At the second watch of the night, I seek a touch of pink.
***......*****
Wang Youheng saw Lian Manman standing outside the door and walked over.
"Manman." Wang Youheng waved to Lian Manman.
The doorkeeping servants, busy with respect, quickly made way to one side. Lian Manman, dragging Xiao Qi with her left hand and supporting Lian Yeye with her right, walked up to Wang Youheng.
"Brother Youheng," they greeted him together.
Wang Youheng smiled and nodded, then raised his hand to pat Xiao Qi’s head.
"What brings you here?" Wang Youheng asked.
"Just here to join in the fun," Lian Manman said with a smile.
"If you want to see the excitent, co with ." Wang Youheng led the way, taking them into the inner courtyard, through a hall, then turning right along a veranda for a while before reaching a Moon Gate. Passing through the Moon Gate, there was a narrow path about three feet wide.
"Brother Youheng, you’re dressed up like a groom today," Xiao Qi couldn’t help but say to Wang Youheng.
Wang Youheng gently slapped Xiao Qi’s head.
"Nonsense."
Today was his cousin Wang Youheng’s wedding day, and for the celebration, he too wore a red robe, though his was vermilion, while the groom and the bride would be dressed in bright red.
"Brother Youheng, you do look quite dashing today," Lian Manman also said with a smile.
Usually, Wang Youheng dressed quite plainly. Today was the first ti they saw him in a gold-threaded garnt. Indeed, clothes make the man, and this was also the first ti Lian Manman realized that the household of Imperial Doctor Wang was not just a typical doctor’s household; Youheng himself was a scion of a Prestigious Family.
Wang Youheng was always amiable, never flaunting extravagant clothes or accessories, and often lived in the town, all of which made people overlook his family background.
"Oh," this ti, Wang Youheng didn’t say Lian Manman was talking nonsense, rely responding with a light tone.
"Brother Youheng, since you’ve brought us to enjoy the festivities, will we get to see the bride?" Lian Manman asked again. Her curiosity was as strong as anyone else’s.
"Well..." Wang Youheng seed a bit troubled since even he would not see the bride that day.
"Brother Youheng, I was just joking, don’t take it seriously," Lian Manman said quickly. She was just teasing, and if Wang Youheng took it as sothing serious, she would feel embarrassed.
"Manman likes to watch the bride, huh?" Wang Youheng said with a light laugh.
"Who doesn’t? I like it too," Xiao Qi chid in eagerly.
"Let’s go ho later, and I’ll tell Mom to find you a little wife to watch," Lian Manman teased Xiao Qi with a laugh.
Xiao Qi’s chubby face turned a bit red, and he puffed up his cheeks without speaking. In truth, at his age, he didn’t really understand what a little wife actually was, but it still made him blush.
After walking about the distance of an arrow’s flight, the sound of music and drums grew louder.
Exiting the narrow path, they entered a garden. A stage had already been set up inside the garden, and opposite the stage was a hall with seven or eight tables inside. The tables were occupied by teenagers and children of all ages, from a few years old to about fourteen or fifteen at most.
Wang Youheng led the three children into the hall, where a steward ca over to pay her respects to Wang Youheng.
Wang Youheng spoke a few words with the steward and then had Lian Manman and the others seated at a table.
"You can eat here and watch the play. There will be plenty of opportunities to see the bride... I will have soone go back to tell your mother not to worry," Wang Youheng said to Lian Manman.
eting Wang Youheng not only allowed them to have seats but also to enjoy a play; truly a fortunate event.
"Brother Youheng, we’re sitting here, but where will you sit?" Lian Manman asked.
"I’ll be in the front yard..."
Wang Youheng had just begun to respond when a steward rushed over.
"Oh dear, Seventh Young Master, we’ve been looking for you for a long ti. Why are you here? Co with quickly; they are waiting for you up front," the steward said to Wang Youheng, bowing.
As the cousin of the groom, Wang Youheng had more to do today than simply sit and drink; he was also helping with the wedding preparations.
Wang Youheng quickly instructed another steward to take care of Lian Manman and the others before he hurried off with the one who had co to fetch him.
"This is my first ti sitting at a feast," Lian Manman whispered to Lian Yeye and Xiao Qi.
" too," Lian Yeye said.
"I rember grandpa took to a feast once, just once," Xiao Qi held up a plump finger as he spoke.
In tenant farr households, during events such as weddings or funerals, all the connected households would give and receive gifts. Normally, if a household gave a gift, only one person would attend the feast. Before the separation of their household, the person who went to feasts was always Old Master Lian. For wedding celebrations or when giving dowry, it was common for an adult to bring a child along to the feast. For instance, if a table was set for ten people, that referred to adults, with children not being counted.
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