"First, bow to heaven and earth!"
"Second, bow to your elders!"
"Bride and groom, bow to each other!"
"The ceremony is complete! Escort them to the bridal chamber!"
As the jubilant cry rang out,
the bustling crowd, led by Xia Wanwan, gathered around the newlyweds and followed them off to make merry in the bridal chamber.
Consort Ling sat in the place of honor, her eyes brimming with tears.
The adopted son she had lovingly raised for years and her closest friend's most beloved niece
were finally married.
She had waited more than ten years for this wedding.
So had Heng'er.
Consort Ling turned to glance at the empty seat of honor beside her, her voice choked with emotion. "Susu, did you see that?"
Now, Heng'er and I, you and Wan'er-we've finally become a true family.
The feast began at the Ninth Prince's Residence.
Everyone of any standing in the capital had come.
Imperial relatives, princes, and princesses-not one was absent.
Only the emperor was missing.
The Empress Dowager knew full well that the nation could not go a single day without its sovereign.
So she had agreed with the emperor that neither of them would attend.
That had made the emperor feel much better.
And now,
the Empress Dowager sat at the same table as Xia Wanwan, smiling as she held Xia Zhao's baby daughter.
She had secretly slipped out of the palace in disguise.
Ha-ha.
She said to Wanwan,
"By the way, sweetheart, that big brother Zi Xing of yours is quite an oddball. Bring him into the palace to play sometime."
She smiled at Xia Wanwan.
Xia Wanwan tucked into the feast while stealing glances at big brother Zi Xing.
Who knew what Zi Xing was thinking? He seemed a little distracted.
Only after Zi Mu nudged