Chapter 148: A Difficult Problem

A sarcastic remark traded for a sincere request.

The slight displeasure in Madam Liu's heart had long since vanished, replaced by a newfound respect for Xu Ruojin.

Had she been a young lady from an ordinary household, she would likely have been driven to tears by those two barbs. Yet, she had calmly accepted the rumors of her poor reputation and even turned them into self-deprecating humor.

For a girl of her age, possessing such a broad and magnanimous mind was truly rare. Even she, a woman of many years, felt a touch of shame.

"Since Miss Xu trusts me so, I will gladly take on this task."

Madam Liu smiled as she looked at the other matrons and young ladies in the courtyard. "The girls at home are young and have never experienced such affairs. Let her gain some practice now, so she will have the experience for the future."

With that, Madam Liu burst into a hearty laugh.

It was merely a pretext, but it also clearly indicated her attitude toward Xu Ruojin.

Since Madam Liu had lowered her stance, how could any of the other matrons be so blind as to pick faults? They immediately nodded in praise.

"Alright, alright, it is time for me, a woman blessed with completeness, to do my work."

Madam Liu signaled for Xu Ruojin to hurry inside and put on the bright red wedding gown.

Xu Ruojin did not delay any further. She quickly stepped inside, dressed in the scarlet wedding attire from top to bottom, and then sat before the dressing table, waiting for Madam Liu to perform the threading ritual.

Two fine silk threads intertwined, sweeping away the peach fuzz from Xu Ruojin's forehead.

Even though Madam Liu's hands were light, it still hurt.

Xu Ruojin let out a soft hiss, then immediately bit back her pain. Madam Liu's hands moved swiftly, clearly showing this was not her first time performing such a task.

Once her forehead and both cheeks were done, Madam Liu placed the silk threads into an embroidered pouch, picked up a pair of delicate little scissors, and neatly trimmed the wisps of hair at Xu Ruojin's temples.

The trimmed hairs were likewise placed into the embroidered pouch, tied tightly, and stored away in a box.

Xu Ruojin offered her soft thanks, and Madam Liu accepted her courtesy with composure.

"Go sit on the bed and wait for the wedding procession to arrive. If anyone comes to tease or ask questions, let your trusted mamasan and maidservants answer. You must not speak again."

Madam Liu instructed with meticulous care, and Xu Ruojin nodded instantly.

"Is there anything else I should pay attention to? Please enlighten me. I truly know nothing of these matters and am terrified of making a fool of yourself—ah, of myself."

"Oh, you child, you really chose the wrong time for this."

Madam Liu patted her shoulder. "With no mistress of the house present, there won't be too many people nitpicking you. Just wait patiently."

"Thank you so much."

Xu Ruojin stood up to express her gratitude, but Madam Liu pointed at her feet. "Sit back on the bed. Your feet must not touch the floor."

"Yes, yes, yes."

Seeing that the maidservants had packed up all the items, Madam Liu turned and walked out.

Xu Ruojin had Chuncao accompany Madam Liu out, then sat down on the edge of the bed and let out a long breath of relief.

At long last, a matron was willing to step forward and help, ensuring her marriage would not be overly crude and disgraceful.

Hongxing felt a flicker of indignation. "The Second Young Miss is truly too forgiving. She mocked you so, yet you treated her with such deference. Even when she helps, she doesn't deserve your gratitude."

"In that, you lack the Second Young Miss's breadth of mind."

Mother Huang saw the situation clearly from the side. "She is a matron of noble birth after all; they know best how to recognize respect from others. The more you respect them, the more they tend to feel in the wrong. That was precisely the case with Madam Liu just now, which is why she was willing to grant the Second Young Miss's request and help entertain the guests."

Hongxing pursed her lips and remained silent, well aware of how dark and ruthless Mother Huang's heart could be.

Even if she had changed now, who knew what she had transformed into?

It was best to keep her distance whenever possible. She sought no revenge, only self-preservation.

Left hanging in the air, Mother Huang could only offer an awkward, self-conscious smile.

In the past, she would have harbored a deep grudge and waited for an opportunity to properly teach Hongxing a lesson.

But now...

Now, her standing with the Second Young Miss was far below Hongxing's; such petty thoughts were truly no longer affordable.

Besides, Mother Huang's earlier words were merely a reflection of her own past experiences.

If only the mistress had understood this principle earlier...

Mother Huang shook her head and stopped pondering further. She had turned those words over in her mind countless times, but there was no medicine for regret in this world. The debts one owed would eventually have to be repaid.

Having accepted Xu Ruojin's request, Madam Liu handled the matter with exceptional ease.

Whether guests came to present gifts or partake in the wedding banquet, she managed the receptions smoothly, mobilizing the servants of the Xu household until their feet barely touched the ground.

A short while later, the faint sound of drums and music drifted in from afar.

Before the maidservants could run in to report, Xu Zimo came barreling through the outer doors, panting heavily. "Second Sister! Second Sister, the wedding procession is here!"

"Third Young Master, do not rush. Run slowly, and sit down to drink a cup of tea first."

Seeing that Xu Zimo's forehead was covered in sweat, Hongxing smiled and said,

"On such a freezing day, Third Young Master managed to run up a sweat. That just shows what a joyous day today is!"

"How can I not be in a hurry!"

Xu Zimo grinned from ear to ear. "I have a mission today—I'm the one who gets to carry Second Sister onto the bridal sedan chair."

"I just thought of something."

Xu Ruojin stuck out her tongue playfully. "Will you even be able to carry my weight?"

"Second Sister's words wound my heart. No matter how incapable I am, surely I can't even carry you?" Xu Zimo thumped his chest. "No problem!"

Xu Ruojin could not help but laugh.

Her pearly white teeth, crimson lips, and the joyful flush rising on her cheeks made her entire appearance exceptionally captivating and moving.

Xu Zimo clicked his tongue. "Brother-in-law is truly blessed."

Madam Liu walked in from outside and began arranging for the maidservants to block the doors and demand red envelopes.

"Writing poems and matching couplets—you girls are no good at that, so you must guard the innermost door tightly. When the chief groomsman enters, the more you demand, the more auspicious energy you bring! He is here to escort the bride, not your husband, so there is no need to be polite!"

The chief groomsman referred to the best man, leading a team carrying various wedding paraphernalia...

"Who is leading the chief groomsman's party?" Yangtao could not help asking.

"It is Jiang Jiashao, Young Master Jiang Biwu."

Hongxing rolled up her sleeves first and rushed smilingly toward the door. "This is a prime opportunity to grab red envelopes! Young Master Jiang is generous, so his red packets certainly won't be small. Girls, come quickly!"

Laughter is the most infectious thing. Whether they were maidservants of the Xu household or not, they all rushed forward in a swarm, sending the matrons into fits of laughter as they waited to watch the upcoming spectacle.

Today, even Xiao Jiao—no, Liang Xiao—wore a rare smile.

His handsome face was neatly groomed today; his stubble had been cleanly shaved off, and draped in a bright red wedding robe, he looked all the more spirited and overwhelmingly dashing, prompting many young maidens to cast endless stolen glances his way.

It was the first time they had seen him dressed with such heroic elegance, rousing a sense of envious resentment toward Xu Ruojin.

Liang Xiao remained completely oblivious to this.

A man must establish a household and a career. Although he had encountered setbacks in his official path, Xu Ruojin was, after all, a bride he had chosen himself.

Through their previous interactions, he had grown to understand this girl's temperament.

He would only ever be a bridegroom once in his lifetime, and he was quite happy...

Yet welcoming the bride was no simple matter; merely presenting gifts was useless, for he still had to clear the hurdles set by the bride's family.

The first obstacle was Xu Yaohui, acting as the father. However, he merely had Liang Xiao write a scroll of calligraphy on the spot before letting him pass.

Liang Xiao had once practiced martial arts; had he been tested on poetry and prose, it truly would have been too harsh.

Yet Liang Xiao had practiced calligraphy since childhood—his strokes were powerful and vigorous, his cursive script flying wildly with exceptional dominance.

The onlookers praised it repeatedly, prompting Jiang Biwu to smile and say,

"With this hurdle cleared, it's time to storm the bride's courtyard!"

"Wait a moment, there is a second hurdle."

Everyone looked over, only to find the speaker was Yan Hongwen, who had been watching quietly from the side.

Yan Hongwen smiled warmly at Liang Xiao. "I wonder if Young Master Liang dares to take on the challenge of this second hurdle?"

The crowd turned as one to look at Liang Xiao. Xu Yaohui immediately thought to himself that this was bad!

It had been previously agreed upon that Yan Hongwen would not cause complications; why was he suddenly going back on his word?

The smile on Liang Xiao's face receded slightly. Tall and broad-shouldered, he lowered his head slightly to look at Yan Hongwen, his deep, resonant voice sounding earnestly: "Name the challenge."