Marriage

Four days passed in the blink of an eye.

The first day of the fifth lunar month.

On this day, Jin Province City remained as peaceful as ever, its people bustling about all day for their livelihoods.

Only Huai Pawnshop was brimming with celebration today.

Everywhere was festooned with lanterns and decorations, rows of red floral lanterns hanging along both sides of the street.

The doors of Huai Pawnshop were covered in rabbit-shaped paper cuttings, brimming with auspiciousness and good fortune.

"The pawnshop young master is finally getting married!"

"May Young Master Zhao soon be blessed with sons!"

"May the shopkeeper and his wife grow old together!"

A crowd surged before the pawnshop gates. Men, women, old, and young packed both sides of the street, smiles on their faces as countless blessings rang out from their mouths toward Zhao Huai at the entrance.

"Thank you all for coming to support me!"

Zhao Huai clasped his hands slightly and smiled as he thanked everyone.

He wore a crimson robe, with a Red Embroidered Ball hanging upon his chest. A Jade Belt and Silver Red Crown complemented his tall, upright frame, making him look exceptionally valiant.

Ever since that night, the soon-to-be husband and wife had talked for a long time. After discussing it, both had wanted to keep things simple and hold the wedding as soon as possible.

They were both free-spirited people, so once they decided on it, they went ahead and did it.

Since none of the elders from either his or Yu Qinghan's Household could attend the wedding, he could only invite the neighbors and friends with whom he was usually close to take part.

"The bride is here! The bride is here!"

"I heard she's as beautiful as a celestial maiden!"

"Shopkeeper Zhao truly has good fortune!"

As a red sedan chair came into view, many adorable children with double-bun hairstyles ran back and forth through the street, shouting in their childish voices.

They were not idle either. Carrying bags filled with red dates, peanuts, wedding candies, and other treats, they handed them out to the pedestrians on both sides of the road.

These children had been hired by Zhao Huai to enhance the wedding's atmosphere.

For this wedding, Zhao Huai had waved his hand and spent quite a bit of money, all so he could make it grand and glorious.

In his previous life, he had remained unmarried until nearly thirty, rushing through a muddled and busy life. Who would have thought that in this life, he would be getting married just after turning twenty-three?

Soon, Yu Qinghan, draped in a red bridal veil, was helped down from the sedan chair by two lovely maidservants.

She wore layered red skirts, Jade Hairpins and Earrings, and such lavish adornments that she was as delicate as spring blossoms. Not even brush and ink could capture one ten-thousandth of her beauty; she was both breathtakingly beautiful and dignified.

After completing the Entering the Gate Ceremony, Yu Qinghan slowly entered the inner hall.

The inner hall had originally been meant to host a banquet for both families' relatives, but given how unusual the two of them were, Zhao Huai could only invite the neighborhood residents to bear witness.

Not only that, even the wedding rites had to be simplified.

They should have first bowed in the hall, then bowed to Heaven and Earth, afterward bowed to their ancestors, and finally bowed three times to their elders. Now, they could only bow to Heaven, Earth, and their ancestors.

Zhao Huai and Yu Qinghan sat facing one another, the man to the west and the woman to the east, thus bringing yin and yang together.

In truth, weddings in this ancient era were not festive. The Book of Rites—Jiao Te Xing—said: "No music is used in wedding rites, for they embody the meaning of hidden yin. Wedding rites receive no congratulations, for they establish the order of humankind."

The Book of Rites—Zeng Zi Wen—said: "The Household taking a wife does not raise music for three days."

Yet marriage was, after all, "a great auspicious occasion, an extraordinary auspicious occasion."

By later generations, as rites and music crumbled and chaotic times rose anew, many ceremonial rules were abolished, and weddings gradually became livelier.

"Bride and groom, bow to each other!"

Zhao Huai and Yu Qinghan bowed toward one another.

At this moment, young attendants brought up clear water for them to wash their hands. Another attendant poured wine. The two exchanged cups, then before drinking, used scissors to cut off a lock of each other's hair and bind them together as a sign of united hearts. This was called Binding Hair.

"Binding hair as husband and wife, loving each other without doubt."

After drinking the cross-cupped wine, their hands clasped tightly together, symbolizing holding your hand and growing old with you, never betraying one another in this life.

With that, the formal wedding rites were complete, and the bride and groom should have gone out to receive their guests.

During this part, many men repeatedly toasted Yu Qinghan. Calling it a toast was merely an excuse to glimpse the bride's face. How could Zhao Huai tolerate that? He blocked every one of them.

Naturally, this immediately stirred up the crowd's wrath, drawing a whole pack of drinkers into competing with him and forcing wine upon him, shouting that they would not leave until they were drunk.

But how could ordinary mortals compare to Zhao Huai, who was already halfway to being a cultivator? He could dispel intoxication, so he remained steady after a thousand cups. Even after downing several stone-measures of wine, he showed no sign of drunkenness and remained full of spirit.

There were more than ten tables at the wedding feast, each laden with a full imperial banquet. Zhao Huai kept the guests company without a moment to spare, and time passed swiftly.

"Doctor Yan has arrived!"

A lean, middle-aged man in green robes entered quickly with a smile on his face.

"Well now! Isn't this Jin Province's famed miracle doctor, Better than Yama?"

The moment Zhao Huai saw him, he was overjoyed, though his tone carried a hint of teasing.

Yan Jing was Jin Province's renowned physician, a doctor famous for saving the dying and healing the wounded. His medical skill was extraordinary, and no difficult or unusual ailment could stump him. He enjoyed unanimous praise among the common people. It was said that as long as someone was not completely dead, he could save them.

His fees were quite fair, unlike those unscrupulous quacks who charged several times the price and still failed to cure their patients.

His surname was Yan, which sounded the same as Yama, so his nickname was Better than Yama. The common people often joked that he played finger-guessing games with Yama and challenged immortals to a contest.

When Zhao Huai had first arrived in Jin Province, the situation had still been extremely turbulent, and a terrible plague had broken out at the worst possible time.

Back then, no matter how capable Yan Jing was, he could not stop the large-scale spread. Later, Zhao Huai found him and proposed many methods for preventing infectious diseases, as well as treatment measures. Only then was the plague's continued outbreak brought under control.

Thus, the two came to know each other and became good friends.

More importantly, Yan Jing was also a hidden cultivator. Although his cultivation was not as high as Zhao Huai's, it could not be denied that when Zhao Huai's realm had still been low, he had sought Yan Jing's advice on cultivation more than once.

"You brat, you finally got married. I thought you planned to stay single for life, just like me!"

Yan Jing raised a cup of wine and laughed as he scolded Zhao Huai.

"Your bride doesn't look ordinary at all."

Yan Jing took a sip of wine and laughed heartily.

"Beautiful, isn't she? That's because I have good taste."

Zhao Huai curled his lips and said proudly.

"You're still showing off in front of me? Be careful, or one day I'll blow your pawnshop sky-high!"

"Go ahead and try. You're no match for me now."

"Fine. You brat have soared into the sky in a single leap now. You don't even put your old brother in your eyes anymore."

The two chatted for quite a while. Then Yan Jing's expression abruptly turned solemn as he said seriously:

"Brother Zhao, you may have a big deal coming your way in the next couple of days. You'd better seize it."

"Oh?"

Zhao Huai raised a brow, somewhat surprised.

Besides being friends, he and Yan Jing were also business partners.

The pawnshop's business usually came through Yan Jing's recommendations. The other man's underground information network in Great Xia was absolutely first-rate.

"I received word from Yan City. A dishonest merchant secretly transported a cartload of stolen goods. He went to many pawnshops, but none dared buy them. It's all very mysterious, and no one knows what's inside. I dare say that in all of Jin Province, you are the only one with the eye to appraise them."

"If this deal goes through, you won't need to work for half a year."

"But I'm not interested." Zhao Huai smiled faintly.

"White silver shining in plain sight—how could you not be interested?"

Yan Jing smiled as well.

"I've earned enough money. I'm financially free." Zhao Huai shrugged.

"Fine, do as you please."

Since Zhao Huai did not care, Yan Jing did not press the matter and instead mentioned another piece of news. "The Technique Auction you asked about begins tomorrow afternoon. Don't forget."

"Got it."

Zhao Huai nodded. This news was very important to him.

Since he had obtained the Heavenly Heart Wisdom Eye fate, he could not let it go to waste. Naturally, he needed to acquire a few more techniques to study.