Nine Women Wed Together

Ya Fei hurriedly added a line to the list: Zi Yan, leave room for wings in the ceremonial dress; hold the wedding ceremony outdoors.

Cai'er sat on the cushioned couch with Xuan Yao in her arms.

The child had only just turned one month old. When she slept, the faint Purple Gold Mark on her forehead was nearly invisible.

She glanced down at it, then looked back up.

"I don't need a ceremonial dress."

"Why not?" Ya Fei asked.

"I just gave birth. It wouldn't be comfortable to wear one." Cai'er was blunt. "Any red dress will do."

"That won't do."

Cao Ying immediately set down her pastry.

"Yours needs to be made extra wide, with a cinched sash at the waist and another layer over it. It'll be comfortable and still look proper. Make a little one for Xuan Yao too—red, embroidered with snake patterns."

Cai'er looked up at her.

"Why snake patterns?"

"You're a Nine-Colored Sky Swallowing Python." Cao Ying blinked. "Should we embroider flowers instead?"

Cai'er fell silent for a moment.

"Mm. Snake patterns."

Qing Lin crouched amid the bolts of fabric, silently stroking a piece of pale green cloth.

"Qing Lin." Ya Fei called to her.

"Here!" Qing Lin sprang to her feet, banging her knee against the corner of a chest. "I... I'm fine with anything. I'll take whatever's left after my sisters choose."

"There won't be anything left over."

Ya Fei pushed a bolt embroidered with silver snake-scale patterns toward her.

"This one was set aside for you."

Qing Lin lowered her head and softly said, "Thank you, Sister Ya Fei."

"Thank the young master," Ya Fei said. "He picked it out a few days ago."

Huo Zhi had been standing by the doorway the whole time, her face still veiled by that thin