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  In the attic of Antai Temple, there is a stone bell. Every time it strikes four o'clock, the maid in the small kitchen will take out the stone mallet wrapped in red cloth and strike the stone drum. When Old Lady Zhu hears the sound inside the house, she gets up to recite scriptures. This rule has been established since the death of Old Master Hou, not a single day has gone wrong.

  Ming Xuan was not the first time she stayed at her grandmother's house, and when she heard the sound of the stone clock, she knew it was time to get up. She moved slightly and saw that Zhu Lao Furen on the outside of the bed also sat up, and she hurriedly asked with a smile, "Grandmother, did you sleep well last night?"

  She roughly flipped through those embarrassing albums and listened to her grandmother's teachings for half the night. In the end, her grandmother fell asleep, but she couldn't sleep until the watchman's drumbeat sounded at midnight.

  Even if she were reborn, it would still be her first time as a new bride. To say that she wasn't nervous and uneasy would be a lie.

  Madam Zhu nodded kindly and gently stroked Ming Xuan's hair, smiling as she asked, "Did our Xuan sister sleep well? If you didn't rest well last night, it wouldn't be too late to sleep in until dawn. Today is the big wedding, which is exhausting and draining. If you appear tired and sluggish in front of people, you'll become a laughingstock!"

  The auspicious hour calculated by the Observatory is at 3 o'clock in the afternoon, and the groom will arrive soon after. As long as he pays his respects to the ancestors' tablets before 5 pm, greets the elders at home, and gets dressed up, everything will be ready.

  Today is the big wedding of Xiang Jie, due to the death of San Fang, originally it was only a family gathering with relatives from their household, and there weren't many external guests. Naturally, no one would have much to criticize either.

  Ming Xuan shook her head, "Grandma is being too kind, the granddaughters all remember, they slept well last night and don't feel tired now, it's time to get up, go to Ci'an Hall early to pay respects to our ancestors. It's also good that we won't delay Uncle and Aunt's important matters."

  According to the Zhou Dynasty customs, in a large family or clan, the eldest daughter who is recorded in the genealogy would go to the ancestral temple or hall on her wedding day to kowtow to her ancestors. This was done for two reasons: one was to inform them of the good news of her upcoming marriage and the other was to seek their blessings and a good omen.

  After finishing this step, we should go to pay respects to the elders in the family and listen to their teachings and instructions. Only then can it be considered as having completed the etiquette of visiting one's maternal home.

  The night before, the wife of the young master had already sent someone to inform her, and after waiting until noon, she came in person to take Ming Xuan to Ciren Hall, where Young Master Yuan Hua led her in to pay respects. After finishing the kneeling ceremony, Young Master and his wife took Ming Xuan to the main hall of the Hou Mansion, Xiangyutang, to ask for blessings from the elders and bid farewell.

  Ming Xuan smiled and helped her grandmother put on her outer garment. She turned her head and called out towards the outside of the house, "The old lady is up, everyone come in!"

  Guizhi and Hongtao quietly entered to serve, Danhong also brought over the new clothes that Mingxuan was going to wear to attend to her, once the grandmother and granddaughter were properly dressed, the young maids had already neatly presented the jade basins for rinsing their mouths and the hand basins for washing their faces on either side. The old lady had Guizhi to help her with her toilette and hairdressing.

  Ming Xuan had Dan Hong braid a small bun and simply pin up a palace flower.

  She went to Ci'an Hall to pay respects to her ancestors and then to Xianju Hall in the front yard to greet her paternal uncles and aunts. After receiving their blessings and red envelopes, she still had to return to Antai Yard to dress up as a bride, wear festive clothes, and put on a golden headdress. At this moment, if she was dressed up, the procedures would become more complicated.

  After finishing breakfast, Princess Cai personally came to invite Ming Xuan to go to Ci'an Hall.

  On the bluestone path, Cai said apologetically, "Mother is not feeling well and cannot rush back from the South Villa. Today is Xuan's big wedding, and to be honest, it's my first time handling such a big event. If there's anything that's not done well, Xuan, please forgive me."

  Ming Xuan smiled at her with gratitude, "Elder sister is too modest, you have always been prudent and thoughtful in your actions, everyone in the household knows about it, even grandmother often praises you, how could you do anything wrong? On the contrary, I will have to rely on elder sister this time!"

  Cai listened to these few sentences of praise, feeling very pleased in her heart. She smiled and held onto Ming Xuan's hand, saying a few congratulatory words. When they arrived at Ci An Hall, Shizi Yuan Hua was already waiting at the door. She then hurriedly comforted, "I won't send you in anymore, Xuan Jie, follow Big Brother inside, I'll wait here."

  Ci'an Hall, where the ancestral tablets are worshipped, is a place that women from outside families can only enter when they come to pay respects to their ancestors after marriage. Afterwards, they cannot enter again. Even if she is a legitimate daughter of the Gu family recorded in the genealogy, she can only catch a glimpse of the interior on her wedding day. The ancestral hall, in the patriarchal Zhou Dynasty, is forever a mysterious and solemn place.

  Ming Xuan followed behind Gu Yuanhao into the main hall. Although she had already mentally prepared herself, when she really saw the large number of black memorial tablets that seemed to stretch on forever like a dark cloud, she still couldn't help but jump in surprise. On this bright and sunny June day, what was originally a bright and spacious room suddenly felt chillingly eerie due to these somber and solemn memorial tablets.

  Gu Yuanhao led Mingxuan to the left and stopped, "Xuan sister, this is where Grandfather's and Third Uncle's and Third Aunt's memorial tablets are."

  Ming Xuan busily kowtowed on the couch, knocking her head three times with a thud. Then, in her heart, she silently recited, "Although I have taken over Ming Xuan's body, I am determined to continue living as her. Her grandfather is my grandfather, and her parents are my parents. I will find her fourth brother Yuan Jing for her, and I will be extremely filial to Grandmother. I pray that the spirits in heaven will bless and protect us."

  She finished the grand ceremony and then went up to burn incense. Then she followed Gu Yuanhao out of Ci'an Hall, accompanied by Shi Zhi's wife, to Xianju Hall, where she kowtowed to her great uncle Gu Changqi, second uncle Gu Changming, second aunt Jian Shi, fourth uncle Gu Chang'an and fourth aunt Xue Shi, and also received their red envelopes and blessings.

  After the ceremony was over, Mrs. Cai went to attend to the wedding, while the two madams Jian and Xue accompanied Ming Huan to the An Tai Institute's old lady's house. At that time, Dan Hong and Su Wan had already moved all the prepared phoenix crowns, cloud hairpins, and makeup boxes into the east wing. Hairpins, needles, and various cosmetics were all ready on the dressing table.

  Ming Xuan had just sat down when a little maid came in to report, "The wife of the Auxiliary King and the old princess of Dongping have arrived."

  Madam Zhu went out to greet them, smiling and saying, "I invited my aunt to come over and help with the dressing, and Old Lady Tai heard about it and insisted on coming over to assist as well. Xiang, when you see her and the other two, be sure to kowtow and pay your respects heavily."

  Ming Xuan hastily nodded, "Granddaughter understands."

  The husband of Madame Fu is still alive, and the couple have been loving and harmonious for a lifetime. All their children are born to them, and they lived to be almost sixty years old. Now they have a full house with grandchildren, all of whom are successful. She is content with her fate, enjoying the happiness of four generations living together under one roof. In terms of good fortune, it would be hard to find anyone in the entire Zhou dynasty who surpasses her; she can truly be called a person blessed with five kinds of good fortune.

  The second lady heard this, and pouted her mouth. In her heart, she thought that when He sister got married, she had wanted to ask the wife of the auxiliary country public to dress up for He sister, but at that time, the wife of the auxiliary country public was having a severe stomachache and couldn't get out of bed. She had no choice but to ask someone else, and didn't expect that this time Xuan sister would pick up such a good opportunity.

  The agate bead curtain was lifted, and the auxiliary country lady and the old princess of Dongping entered with a smile. Following them were several ladies from the Zhu family. The people in the room greeted each other, and soon it became lively.

  The lady of the auxiliary country helped Ming Xuan to dress her hair, and personally applied a thick and heavy makeup for her. She exclaimed, "Our family's Xuan sister with such rich makeup, doesn't look half a bit clumsy, but instead becomes more delicate and lovely, truly a beauty!"

  Dongping Old Lady nodded, "Young girls shouldn't be so plain and simple. Xuan sister, after you marry into the Pei family and become a new daughter-in-law, don't dress up like before, this face can hold up to thick and heavy makeup."

  She felt embarrassed to accept such praise directly, but if she didn't respond, it would seem impolite. She was momentarily at a loss and could only murmur a vague response.

  The lady of the auxiliary country smiled, "Old princess, don't tease the child anymore. Look at our Xiang sister, her face is as red as if she had applied rouge. If I had known you would do this, I wouldn't have put makeup on the child."

  She said, directing Dan Hong to help Ming Xuan change into the wedding dress, and personally putting the golden crown on her head from the tray. The heavy phoenix crown fell down, and only then was she considered dressed up.

  Madam Zhu was very satisfied, and also had a few points of self-satisfaction. She carefully examined Ming Hua from head to toe, with a smile of relief and praise on her face. Since there were two other daughters-in-law present, she didn't dare say too many words of praise, so she buried those words deep in her heart.

  She smiled and said, "All the guests have arrived. Second sister-in-law, fourth sister-in-law, let's go to the front together to help Yuanhao's wife entertain the guests."

  In front is the two-story building behind Xianju Hall, with two flower halls. Male guests are arranged to drink and dine in the east flower hall, while female guests are in the west flower hall. In between is a garden and two high walls, which are excellent in terms of scenery and safety. The Jinxiu Hall where the prince's wife lives is not far from the West Flower Hall, so all the female guests rest there, except for a few close families who are not invited to enter the inner courtyard.

  Madam Zhu and her entourage left in a grand manner, leaving only Ming Xuan and her personal attendants in the east wing of An Tai Yuan.

  Before long, the sound of silk and bamboo came from outside, Ming Xuan knew that it was time to start the banquet. She suddenly felt a little hungry in her stomach, so she quickly turned around and said to Yan Niangniang, "Niangniang, I'm hungry, is it not good to eat now?"

  Yan's mother smiled and said, "What rules are there? The old lady has already ordered some refreshments to be prepared. I'll have someone bring them over, Miss can fill her stomach, don't go hungry, when we arrive at the Pei residence, that's when you really won't be able to eat."

  Ming Xuan asked while using her needlework, "Later on, will big brother carry me to the sedan chair?"

  Yan's aunt nodded, "Originally, it should be the biological brother who carries the bride on his back to get into the sedan chair, but since Fourth Master is not here, Eldest Master is the eldest brother, so he will take his place. Miss, don't worry, Eldest Master is a steady and honest person, he carrying you will also be very proper."

  Ming Xuan wasn't doubting Shi Zi's suitability, she just felt a little regretful. "If I were to get married, it would be better if Fourth Brother was around."

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