Chapter Fifty-six: Radiant Splendor

"Why would I lie to you?" Gu Qingyun pouted. "Are you going or not?"

"I'll go! Is that enough for you?" Gu Weiyu tapped his forehead.

"Then let's hurry up!" Seeing her agree, Gu Qingyun impatiently pulled her toward the outside.

"I want to go with Ninth Sister." Gu Weiyu, displeased by Gu Qingyun's restlessness, glanced at him and walked over to Gu Weihuan, linking arms to walk side by side.

Gu Qingyun could only slow his pace, and the three proceeded together toward Shifei Garden.

Before even reaching Shifei Garden, the sounds of lively chatter could be heard—it was indeed bustling.

Inside Shifei Garden, one wedding gift after another was arranged neatly in the courtyard, filling the garden to the brim. Servants moved among them, inspecting the gifts, while others, like Gu Weiyu and her companions, had come purely out of curiosity to see the excitement.

There were luxurious silks, exquisite ceramics and jadeware, and unique antiques of every kind—it was all there. Most eye-catching of all was the pair of giant wooden cages containing spirit geese, their feathers sleek and smooth, their loud calls echoing through the courtyard.

A crowd of children had already gathered around the cages to marvel at the spectacle. Gu Weiyu and her two companions headed straight for the spirit geese.

"Cousin Xingyun treats Tenth Aunt so well. I heard he went deep into Qin Mountain to catch these spirit geese as wedding gifts," Gu Weifang said, her face full of envy. She was just at the age when dreams of love were most vivid.

"Wow, these spirit geese are so beautiful," Fourteenth Brother exclaimed, unable to look away from the geese, his mouth full of praise.

"Shall we go in and see Tenth Aunt?" Gu Weihuan, after watching for a while, felt her interest waning and pointed toward the house. The spirit geese, she thought, weren't as lovely as the colorful pheasants she'd seen before.

Gu Qingyun was still engrossed, unwilling to leave, but Gu Weihuan replied cheerfully, "Alright, I'd like to see Tenth Aunt too."

The two linked arms and entered the house, which was just as lively. The young ladies and wives of the Gu family crowded inside, teasing Gu Qing, who blushed bright red in embarrassment.

Gu Weiyu stood at the edge of the crowd, watching Tenth Aunt. She was seated on a chaise lounge, beside which a tall vase held a single branch of peach blossom, in full, delicate bloom.

Her fair face was framed by the vibrant peach blossom, making Gu Qing appear even more beautiful than the flower itself.

"Tenth Aunt is so beautiful today," Gu Weihuan murmured standing beside her.

Gu Weiyu returned to herself and smiled, "Ninth Sister, they say a woman is most beautiful when she becomes a bride."

"Eleventh Sister, aren't you embarrassed?" Gu Weihuan scolded, unable to resist when she heard her speak so directly about weddings.

---

Gu Weiyu made a face at her. "Ninth Sister, it's you who wants to be a bride, isn't it?"

"You keep saying that..." Gu Weihuan's cheeks flushed, her heart pounding, as she reached out to tickle her.

Gu Weiyu laughed and quickly ran away.

After the engagement, came the auspicious date, and soon would be the actual wedding.

Gu Weiyu, immersed daily in her cultivation, hadn't paid much attention, but Crescent was always chattering in her ear, so she knew well that Tenth Aunt's wedding date was set for the third day of the third month.

The third day of the third month—spring bright and fair, gentle winds, perfect for marriage—a truly beautiful day.

Because Tenth Aunt was marrying, Yanqi Hall would also be closed that day, letting the children join in the festivities.

"Miss, you've never seen a cultivator's wedding, have you? Let me tell you, it's very different from ours. I've only seen it once..."

What was different, exactly? Hearing Crescent's words, Gu Weiyu found herself looking forward to the upcoming day.

Second day of the second month, the dragon lifts its head; third day of the third month, the old is shed.

On the morning of the wedding, Shifei Garden was ablaze with light and activity.

Double happiness characters in bright red were pasted on the windows and doors, with lanterns bearing dragons and phoenixes hanging beneath the eaves.

Red silk draped from the ceiling, thick and soft carpets covered the floor, and all the wedding gifts had been adorned with red, making the whole courtyard festive and joyful.

Gu Weiyu was dazzled by the sea of red when she entered Shifei Garden.

In Green Mountain Village, she had once seen the wedding of Uncle Ah Wu's cousin, but theirs was simple—just a few red characters in the bridal chamber and on the gifts. Nothing so grand as this.

"Eleventh Sister, shall we go in and have a look?" Gu Weihuan urged when she saw Gu Weiyu stop in her tracks.

"Alright!" Gu Weiyu replied, and the two entered the house hand in hand.

It was still early, and inside were only the woman hired to apply makeup for Gu Qing, the matchmaker, and Gu Qing's personal maid.

"Tenth Aunt—" Gu Weiyu and Gu Weihuan called out together as they entered.

Gu Qing was already dressed in her heavy, splendid wedding robes, having her hair arranged by the makeup woman. She turned instinctively at their voices and, seeing them, smiled, "Little Nine, Little Eleven, it's you!"

Gu Weihuan thought that Gu Qing, dressed in her bridal attire, looked even more beautiful than on the day of the engagement. She remembered what Gu Weiyu had said before.

Indeed, a woman marrying the one she loves is at her most beautiful!

She couldn't help but exclaim, "Tenth Aunt, you are stunning!"

---

Gu Qing's eyes crinkled in a smile, and everyone else in the room laughed with her.

"Miss Nine has such elegance at a young age—surely she will be a beauty to rival all others!" The makeup woman, having seen many people, couldn't help but praise Gu Weihuan's looks.

Gu Qing and Gu Weiyu both wore expressions of pride—of course, their Little Nine was a true beauty!

Gu Weihuan blushed, but fortunately, more guests arrived to see the bride, and the focus shifted away from her.

With more people crowding the room, Gu Weiyu said, "Ninth Sister, shall we go out to the courtyard?"

"Good idea," Gu Weihuan agreed, finding the room too stuffy.

Out in the courtyard, surrounded by a riot of colors, both felt refreshed.

"Eleventh Sister, look—" Gu Weihuan suddenly pointed upward, peach blossom eyes alight with a red figure.

Gu Weiyu looked up:

The sky was a clear blue, and a man dressed in red wedding robes stood before an antique carriage that was floating in the air—a magical artifact, clearly.

Beside him, four handsome youths dressed in colorful robes stood on bright red paper boats, carrying delicate bamboo baskets, descending gracefully from the sky.

Such spectacle—this was nothing like any wedding she had ever seen!

"Look, the groom is here!" someone called out in the courtyard, and all those who had crowded inside to see the bride rushed out, eager to catch a glimpse of the groom.

"Cousin Xingyun is so handsome!"

"We can't call him cousin anymore—from now on, it's Tenth Uncle!"

...