Chapter 7: The Foolish Way to Cheer Her Up

Tomorrow and the day after, when people come to add to the dowry, the carefully selected gifts would surely be given to Fu Junyao first, while hers would be last-minute substitutes! Moreover, the family’s chosen “complete fortune” attendants would undoubtedly prioritize Fu Junyao! And the one to carry her into the bridal sedan chair her eldest brother rushing back would be Fu Junyao! Then who would carry her? Selected from among those useless cousins?

Ah! Ah! Ah! The thought that her wedding would be patched together with makeshift arrangements drove her mad!

She struggled to control her expression, careful not to reveal any inappropriate emotions, afraid that Fu Junyao might accuse her of being dissatisfied with the imperial decree of marriage.

As she was lost in thought, she saw Old Madam Cheng beckoning her two daughters-in-law to carry over a chest. Holding Fu Junyao’s hand, Old Madam Cheng smiled affectionately and said, “This is the wedding dress A Lang had the Imperial Costume Bureau embroider three years ago, and the Phoenix coronet personally crafted by Master Yu of the Directorate of Craftsmen. Today, I’ve bought the finest embroiderer from the Imperial Costume Bureau. Try it on, and if anything doesn’t fit, we’ll make adjustments right away.”

Three years ago? Fu Junyao glanced at Cheng Honglang in surprise.

So, Brother Lang had been preparing to marry three years ago? Why hadn’t she heard any news about it all this time? She had thought someone as stern and unapproachable as him wouldn’t even consider taking a wife.

Cheng Honglang nervously glanced at the wedding dress, then looked deeply at Fu Junyao.

Fu Junyao’s eyes were fixed on the Phoenix coronet, specifically on the string of pearls held in the golden phoenix’s beak. They weren’t ordinary Eastern pearls, but small beads carved from a single piece of high-quality mutton fat jade, each one as smooth and lustrous as congealed fat, warm to the touch. She couldn’t resist reaching out to touch them.

How strange is it to go through such trouble to carve beads from mutton fat jade instead of using readily available Eastern pearls for the coronet?

Cheng Honglang followed her gaze and saw her staring intently at the string of pearls. He couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief.

This girl was incredibly particular. Thankfully, he had instructed Master Yu not to use ordinary Eastern pearls but mutton fat jade instead.

He had no idea why she was so fond of mutton fat jade.

He remembered clearly: when she was ten, her brother had just started taking over the family business and spent his first earnings entirely on a piece of mutton fat jade for her. She adored it, wearing it prominently on her chest every day.

Later, when that piece of jade went missing, she cried for a long timebursting into tears whenever she remembered it. Every time he saw her, she wiped her eyes.

Unable to bear it any longer, he had craftsmen search for mutton fat jade and carve an identical pendant based on his memory, then placed it under the apricot tree in her courtyard.

Sure enough, she found the nearly identical jade and stopped crying. Happily, she wore it on the most visible part of her chest again.

Cheng Honglang lost himself in thought. When she was little, she really could cry endlessly. And he, clumsy with words, never knew how to comfort her.

He thought that since she loved it so much, she might lose it again someday and cry all over again. So, he simply had the craftsmen carve several extra pieces.

Sure enough, within a year, the girl lost her jade again.

Seeing her tears, he hurriedly placed another identical piece of jade in the same spot under the apricot tree.

She found the jade piece and, as expected, stopped crying again.

Somehow, though, she could tell that this new piece wasn’t the same as the one she had lost, and she went to ask her elder brother about it. Under the pressure of his stern gaze, her brother scratched his head and reluctantly admitted that he had placed it there.

It was unclear whether she believed him or not, but without another word, she left.

After that, she never lost the jade again. That piece still hangs on her waist today.

Cheng Honglang glanced at the jade pendant at her waist and couldn’t help but smile at himself. Back at his home, there were still six identical pieces, all of which had never been used again.

“Don’t just stand there staring. Grandmother will take you to try it on,” Old Madam Cheng urged Fu Junyao with a smile when she noticed the girl had been motionless for quite some time.

Seeing that the wedding dress in the chest was even more exquisite than the one sent by the Duke’s Estate, Fu Xiao said to Fu Junyao with a smile, “Since you have this one, the dress from the Duke’s Estate can go to your younger sister. It’s perfect you can both try them on and see if any alterations are needed.”

Fu Junyao glanced at Fu Qingqing, whose face had turned pale, and nodded calmly. “Of course. As for the betrothal gifts from the Duke’s Estate, Father should have someone take inventory and hand them over to my sister as well.”

Fu Junyao’s wedding dress and Phoenix coronet fit her perfectly, as if they had been tailor-made for her. The design of the gown was modern, the embroidery exquisite, and the materials luxurious. Even the gold brocade hidden in the most discreet parts of the sleeves was embroidered beautifully.

When Fu Junyao appeared in the wedding dress, everyone in the courtyard stared in awe. Even Cheng Honglang, who usually wore an expressionless face, couldn’t hide the clear admiration in his eyes.

Fu Junyao had never seen such a vivid expression on his face before. She couldn’t resist raising her sleeves to cover her face, lowering her head to hide a smile.

Everyone assumed she was simply shy from all the attention. No one noticed her quiet amusement.

Surprisingly, the wedding dress on Fu Qingqing also fit well, but in comparison, it looked far too ordinary. Fu Qingqing glared resentfully at the gown Fu Junyao wore, twisting her handkerchief so tightly it nearly frayed.

“Who would have thought? Although the Third Young Lady and the Second Young Lady have different figures, the wedding dress fits both perfectly,” remarked an embroiderer who had no further adjustments to make.

All eyes turned toward Fu Junyao.

The wedding dress sent by the Duke’s Estate for her… fit her younger sister perfectly! How strange was that?

“It’s just a coincidence, nothing more,” Fu Qingqing insisted with a forced smile, quickly trying to divert everyone’s attention. She shot a reproachful look at Fu Junyao and pouted, complaining, “Sister, the Duke’s estate sent this wedding dress almost a month ago. Didn’t you even try it on? Why wasn’t it altered if it didn’t fit? If not for this situation, would you have really planned to wear an ill-fitting dress on your wedding day?”

A cold smile tugged at Fu Junyao’s lips as she cast another indifferent glance at the gown Fu Qingqing wore. “From the moment this dress arrived, I felt it wasn’t meant for me. Whether I tried it on or not made no difference. And it turns out I was right.”

Watching the sisters exchange veiled barbs, Fu Xiao couldn’t help but take a long, thoughtful look at Fu Qingqing.

Yao Yao had suspected Qingqing from the start. He had held onto a sliver of hope, but when he pieced everything together, it was clear that Qingqing stood to gain the most from all of this.

His heart sank uncontrollably. If this matter was truly Qing Qing’s doing, and he had even helped facilitate it, how devastated Yao Yao would be. Would she ever forgive him?

He had already sent people to investigate thoroughly. However, it seemed as if someone was deliberately covering something uphe hadn’t found any clues at all.

After completing the formalities, the Cheng family left promptly and decisively.

Before departing, Cheng Honglang turned back and cast a deep, lingering glance at Fu Junyao.

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Zephyr Yizelle

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