Chapter 98: The Tea Ceremony

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“Prime Minister Zhong, I heard that the young lady has obtained the original version of Li Xintian’s Haofu. Perhaps I, Wang, could have a look sometime.”
Wang Jinping cupped his fists and bowed, showing no respect whatsoever to Zhong Yuanzheng. Then he turned to Wang Hongzhi and said, “Minister of Rites, you really have prestige, inviting Prime Minister Zhong to grace your occasion.”
After speaking, Wang Jinping burst into loud laughter.
Zhong Yuanzheng ignored Wang Jinping entirely.
“That Wang fellow is really annoying!”
Hu Xiaocui, hidden beneath her red bridal veil, caught the meaning behind Wang Jinping’s words—it was clear he intended to cause trouble.
“Please, Lord Wang, have a seat!”
Wang Hongzhi took the two stars of fortune and prosperity with a smile, showing a friendly face despite himself.
“Ha ha, thank you.”
Wang Jinping was inwardly delighted, laughing as he walked to an empty seat and sat down.
“The bride and groom, please pay your respects!”
The matchmaker helped the bride back to her place and called out.
After sitting down, Wang Jinping picked up a cup of tea, secretly pleased. Just as he was about to sip, the chair suddenly collapsed beneath him, sending him sprawling backward. He groaned in pain, spilling the hot tea all over himself, grimacing from the burn.
Hu Xiaocui, still veiled, stifled a laugh. She had just snapped her fingers and wielded her supernatural power to loosen the chair.
Everyone nearby was startled, staring at Wang Jinping in shock.
Two servants rushed over to help the wailing Wang Jinping to his feet.
“Wang Hongzhi! You’ll pay for this!”
Fuming, Wang Jinping pointed at Wang Hongzhi before being helped away by the servants, still groaning as he left the Ministry of Rites’ mansion.
“Now, let us pay respects to Heaven and Earth.”
Zhong Yuanzheng spoke after Wang Jinping had departed.
“Very well, very well, let us pay respects to Heaven and Earth.”
“One bow to Heaven and Earth!”
Wang Yuanfeng and Hu Xiaocui turned toward the door and bowed.
“Two bows to the elders!”
They bowed to Wang Hongzhi, Madam Wang, and then to Zhong Yuanzheng before bowing to each other as husband and wife.
“Not yet, not yet, later tonight.”
Man Xiang, seeing Wang Yuanfeng about to lift Hu Xiaocui’s red veil, lightly tapped his hand to stop him.
“Are you hungry?”
Hu Xiaocui had initially wanted to check if there was any food, but soon heard many people arriving outside. Unexpectedly, Wang Yuanfeng entered quickly, without lifting the veil, and began eating heartily at the table.
“A bit hungry, actually.”
Wang Yuanfeng quickly dropped the flower cakes he was holding and approached Hu Xiaocui.
“Wife!”
He lifted Hu Xiaocui’s veil and called out.
“Fairy sister.”
“How come it’s you, you fool?”
Both spoke in unison.
“Ha ha, fairy sister is my wife!”
Wang Yuanfeng clapped his hands happily, repeating joyfully, “Fairy sister is my wife.”
“Quiet, quiet, shut up and don’t call me ‘my lady!’”
Hu Xiaocui, upon seeing Wang Yuanfeng, realized she had already been sold to the Wang household by Hu Yuji.
“Yes, yes, my father said, do more and talk less. The first step is to lift the veil, what’s the second step…”
Wang Yuanfeng pondered the morning’s advice from Wang Hongzhi.
“The first is to shut your mouth; the second is to close your eyes.”
Hu Xiaocui tried to interrupt Wang Yuanfeng’s thoughts.
“No, no, no, I remember now—the second step is to embrace the… wife!”
Wang Yuanfeng said, then reached to hug Hu Xiaocui.
She easily dodged.
“Stop, what are you doing?”
Hu Xiaocui raised her hand to halt Wang Yuanfeng.
“Entering the bridal chamber.”
Without hesitation, Wang Yuanfeng said.
“Bridal chamber? I think you’d better go dig tunnels with the mice first!”
Hu Xiaocui lowered her hand.
“I don’t want to be a mouse! Father says I’m like an ox; I don’t want to dig tunnels.”
Wang Yuanfeng said foolishly.
“Fine, alright, I understand. Then you should just go to sleep first.”
Hu Xiaocui sighed in helplessness—indeed, communicating with a fool was truly difficult.

Outside the wedding chamber.
“Do you think Yuanfeng will be able to manage the bridal chamber?”
Wang Hongzhi looked toward Madam Wang.
“Are you suggesting, my lord…”
Madam Wang, clever and perceptive, guessed Wang Hongzhi’s thoughts.
“Perhaps…”
Wang Hongzhi nodded.
“That’s exactly what I was thinking.”
Madam Wang smiled in agreement.
“Alright, alright.”
Wang Hongzhi nodded with a smile, then gestured toward the bridal chamber.
The two quietly crept to the door and listened closely.
“What’s the matter? Didn’t we agree? You sleep below, I sleep above.”
Hu Xiaocui’s voice came from inside.
This made Wang Hongzhi and Madam Wang blush deeply and exchange glances, then continue listening intently.
“No, I want to be above, you sleep below.”
Wang Yuanfeng’s voice was heard as well.
Wang Hongzhi and Madam Wang nodded approvingly. Wang Hongzhi was pleased that this morning’s advice had taken effect and smiled with satisfaction.
“I won’t do it.”
Hu Xiaocui’s voice echoed.
“No, I want to be above.”
Wang Yuanfeng’s persistence made Wang Hongzhi nod again.
“I am your wife now; you must listen to me in all things.”
Hu Xiaocui said firmly, her voice clearly heard by Wang Hongzhi and Madam Wang.
“Madam, did you hear that? Looks like Yuanfeng isn’t so foolish after all.”
Wang Hongzhi took Madam Wang’s arm as they left the bridal chamber.
“This daughter-in-law is impressive; finally, someone will keep our son in check.”
Madam Wang nodded.
“Let’s go, let’s rest now.”
Wang Hongzhi smiled contentedly.

Inside the room.
“Hey, you’re so annoying. I’ll sleep above, you sleep below.”
Hu Xiaocui sat on the bed.
“I don’t want to sleep below! I want to sleep above.”
Wang Yuanfeng sat on the floor mattress, kicking his feet around in frustration.
“Aren’t you annoying? Can anyone get any sleep?”
“How about this: I sleep above the first half of the night, then you take over the upper bed the second half. How about that?”
Hu Xiaocui suggested, thinking since Wang Yuanfeng was a fool, he would surely agree.
“Okay, but you have to wake me up the second half.”
Wang Yuanfeng pouted but agreed.
“Enough now, go to sleep, stop making noise.”
Hu Xiaocui arranged the pillow.
“You must remember to wake me up.”
Wang Yuanfeng was about to lie down on the floor mattress.
“Are you annoying or not? Go to sleep, I know.”
Hu Xiaocui rolled her eyes and lay down.
Wang Yuanfeng slept soundly, muttering about delicious food.
Hu Xiaocui couldn’t sleep at all. Married to a fool like Wang Yuanfeng, she quietly got out of bed, hoping to leave. Suddenly, she recalled Hu Yuji’s words—that Wang Hongzhi had saved Hu Yuji’s life.
“My mother knew Wang Hongzhi’s son was a fool and forced me to marry you. She tricked me, but I can still slip away.”
Hu Xiaocui thought to herself and moved to open the door. Then she remembered how Madam Wang had treated her these past days, more kindly than her own mother.
“You have no relatives here, but if you have any troubles, come to me. I only have one son, and my daughter-in-law is like my own daughter.”
“Should I go? My own mother is so harsh, but Madam Wang is truly kind. Staying here is better than the Bamboo Grove.”
Hu Xiaocui reluctantly returned to bed.

The next day.
“Young master, young mistress, please come to the main hall to pay respects to the master and madam!”
Man Xiang’s voice came in.
“Married?”
Hu Xiaocui woke up, realizing the situation.
“All right, coming.”
Hu Xiaocui hurried to respond.
Wang Yuanfeng was still fast asleep, clutching a pillow, drool at the corner of his mouth.
“Fool, get up quickly, it’s time to pay respects.”
“Hey, get up, get up, it’s time to pay respects.”
Hu Xiaocui shook Wang Yuanfeng, calling out.
“Get up, get up, time to pay respects.”
Wang Yuanfeng mumbled, “I don’t want to pay respects.”
“Get up, no one asked you to drink tea, it’s paying respects—get up, get up, get up.”
Hu Xiaocui had to pinch Wang Yuanfeng’s ear—he was sleeping like a pig.
“Ouch, I’m getting up.”
Wang Yuanfeng didn’t open his eyes.
“You pighead, fine, you forced me.”
Hu Xiaocui let go, but Wang Yuanfeng fell back asleep.
Hu Xiaocui conjured her supernatural power, creating the sound of a gong.
Hearing the gong, Wang Yuanfeng clapped his hands over his ears and shouted, “No thunder, save me!”
“Get up now, or I’ll spank you.”
Hu Xiaocui pulled Wang Yuanfeng up.
“You lied! You promised to wake me up the second half of the night. I’m supposed to sleep below, and you above. Why am I still sleeping below?”
Wang Yuanfeng rubbed his eyes, seeing himself still on the floor mattress, and complained to Hu Xiaocui.
“Who said I didn’t wake you up? I called you up the second half of the night and then called you back down before dawn.”
Hu Xiaocui flicked Wang Yuanfeng’s forehead with her finger.
“You’re talking nonsense. There’s no way; I’m hard to wake up.”
“I just used the gong to wake you!”
“Alright, hurry up, get dressed, time to pay respects!”
Hu Xiaocui tossed the gong onto the floor mattress.
Wang Yuanfeng scratched his head, bewildered.
“Pfft, you fool.”
Hu Xiaocui chuckled inwardly.
“Xiaocui, get up quickly. This is for you.”
After the tea ceremony, Madam Wang approached and handed Hu Xiaocui a red envelope.
“Son, this is for you.”
Wang Hongzhi also gave Wang Yuanfeng a red envelope.
“Ha ha, thank you, Father.”
Wang Yuanfeng’s happiest moment was receiving red envelopes.
“Yuanfeng, don’t open it now.”
Seeing Wang Yuanfeng about to tear open the envelope, Wang Hongzhi hurried to stop him.
“Oh.”
Wang Yuanfeng obediently kept it tucked away.
“Xiaocui, did you sleep well last night?”
Madam Wang asked with concern.
“Madam, I slept very well.”
Hu Xiaocui smiled.
“Father, I didn’t sleep well. Last night, you said the bridal chamber night was a good thing, but my wife insisted on sleeping above, and I was uncomfortable sleeping below!”
Hearing this, Wang Hongzhi’s face flushed, and he quickly stopped Wang Yuanfeng from continuing.