Chapter 156: The Tang Family Spreads the Bedclothes with Joy and Festivity

The small boat glided across the water, accompanied by the splashing ripples and the cheerful chatter of the passengers, creating a rare and lively warmth amid the serene surroundings.

Du Yun sat on the gunwale, gazing at the vast expanse of lush green reeds in the distance and the lotos blossoms swaying gently in the breeze. Feeling the refreshing wind, her spirits lifted considerably. Cradling a bright red bundle in her arms, the corners of her pink lips slowly curved upward.

Xiao Yi sat not far from Du Yun on the side of the boat. Looking at the youthful girl, he found that amidst the vivid backdrop of emerald green and bright red, her fair cheeks and tender pink lips somehow appeared all the more striking and vibrant.

In fact, ever since Du Yun had blurted out Xiao Yi's name back at the Tang household, Xiao Yi had developed a certain interest in her and began inquiring about her background.

He gradually learned that this bright-eyed girl, who seemed to possess an inexhaustible well of energy, was the younger sister of his good buddy's future bride. At fifteen years of age, she was a rare and accomplished student in the village.

Xiao Yi had originally thought that half a month without seeing her would cause his impression of her to gradually blur. To his surprise, the very moment she appeared in the courtyard just now, his gaze seemed to have been fitted with a rifle scope, instantly locking onto her. Moreover, the instinctive impulse that compelled him to shield her made him pay even closer attention to this lively girl.

Once Du Yun's emotions settled, the keen observational skills and spiritual perception she had honed in the apocalyptic wasteland rebooted. In the next instant, Xiao Yi's actions fell entirely into her field of vision.

It was only then that Du Yun resignedly accepted the reality that Xiao Yi was not Xiao Yi. Although the two men looked alike and shared a similar aura, their temperaments were vastly different.

While Xiao Yi resembled an unsheathed treasured sword—sharp, unyielding, and carrying the murderous intent forged in iron and blood—Xiao Yi was more akin to a military treatise, steeped in scholarly elegance, warm and approachable.

Though both of their domains were the battlefield, one embodied the frontline edge of combat while the other represented the relaxed composure of the command tent behind the scenes. Neither could be called good or bad, but the distinction was immediately recognizable.

"I shouldn't make that mistake again," Du Yun told herself, tightening her fists in resolve. She then set aside her thoughts about Xiao Yi and devoted her full attention to her elder sister's bedding arrangement.

The boat soon arrived at Hexi Village. Because Uncle Tang was doing the rowing, the craft docked directly at the riverbank alongside the Tang family's property.

The passengers lively jumped ashore to unload their cargo, including bedding rolls wrapped in red cloth, which immediately attracted a crowd of villagers eager to catch the spectacle.

"My, is the Tang family's new bride's family here to arrange the bridal bed?" asked an older woman carrying a woven basket, her eyes gleaming as she stared at the thick rolls of bedding with intense curiosity.

"Indeed, the new bride's mother is here to make the bed!" Uncle Tang replied with a smile. Upon hearing this, the people gathered on the bank broke into a buzz of animated conversation. Whether they looked on with envy or jealousy, for the Tang family as the hosts, having a bustling crowd and a lively atmosphere was always a good thing.

"Well now, wasn't it said that the new bride's family was poor? I see several bedding rolls there—could there be four mattresses and four quilts?" another middle-aged woman asked, her eyes fixed intently on the bundles. For ease of transportation, the quilts and mattresses had been rolled up tightly. There were three or four rolls as thick as a water vat, something an ordinary family could hardly afford to provide as a dowry.

"Four mattresses and four quilts? They've actually provided six mattresses and six quilts!" exclaimed someone who had come along to deliver the goods, holding up a hand to gesture the number six with a triumphant look on his face, as if he were a member of the bride's own family.

"Goodness! Six mattresses and six quilts! Even a warlord's daughter wouldn't have more than that. The old Tang family has secured a fine bride!" Upon hearing this, the onlookers gathered near the Tang residence began to chatter excitedly. They had originally assumed the Tang family was marrying a destitute bride, only to find that this scrawny hen had laid a golden egg!

"Move along now, let the auspicious bedding enter the courtyard gate, may the couple stay hand in hand for a lifetime! Let the auspicious bedding enter the chamber door, may wealth and glory follow right behind!" The person hired to sing wedding chants saw the lively scene and hurriedly directed everyone to pick up the bedding rolls and head into the Tang courtyard, reciting auspicious rhymes in a sing-song voice all the way.

Xiao Yi was one of those carrying the bedding rolls. While others struggled in pairs to haul the bulky bundles, he effortlessly hoisted one up with a single large hand, dangling it as easily as if it were a little chick, appearing entirely without strain.

Carrying the bright red bundle in her arms, Du Yun walked beside her mother and eldest brother. Seeing Tang Jun greeting them from afar, a look of mild satisfaction crossed her face. Father Tang and Mother Tang stood at the front gate with beaming smiles, welcoming them warmly into the house and engaging in another round of polite greetings.

Leaving the pleasantries to the adults, Du Yun took the auspicious woman responsible for making the bed and headed straight into the bridal chamber.

Ordinarily, an unmarried young maiden like Du Yun would not be permitted near the bridal bed; the task was typically undertaken by a happily married woman whose parents, parents-in-law, and children were all living, and who enjoyed close ties to the family. In particular, rural women who favored sons over daughters and had many male offspring were especially favored for the role.

However, no one knew better than Du Yun how Du Zhi's bedding was meant to be arranged and styled. Consequently, Du Yun assumed the role of supervisor in the new room, directing every detail—how the mattress was laid, which quilt should be used—flitting about the room in circles like a little sparrow.

Once the auspicious matron finished making the bed, Du Yun carefully inspected every detail. Finding nothing amiss, she had a pair of bare-bottomed little children crawl a circle across the bedding, a ritual symbolizing future fertility and a bountiful household of sons and daughters.

Looking around the brightly lit, festive bridal chamber adorned with red quilt covers and double-happiness characters, Du Yun smiled and retrieved a generous amount of dates and peanuts from her portable parcel.

Representing the blessing of early descendants, the four varieties of dried fruits—dates, peanuts, longans, and lotus seeds—were stuffed by Du Yun in handfuls beneath the wedding quilt. Ancient coins symbolizing wealth were likewise tucked into every nook and cranny.

In Lotus River, this ritual was known as scattering the bed. The finer and more abundant the fruits scattered upon the bed, the greater the number of children the young couple would bear and the more wealth they would accumulate.

To ensure the scattering fruits were of the finest quality and complete in variety, Du Yun had gone to great lengths, having Du Song bring back four or five catties of each dried fruit from the county town, from which she carefully selected the largest and finest pieces.

Mother Tang entered the room from outside and, upon seeing the lavish display of dried fruits scattered across the bed, her smile widened even further. As newcomers to the village with a small family, expanding their lineage and seeing their branches flourish was her greatest hope in life.

Du Yun shared that exact hope. Gazing at the glowing red bridal chamber, she ardently wished that Du Zhi would find her true happiness here, bearing children and watching her family thrive.