The preparations for this wedding had begun before New Year's. Coupled with the Fang Family's wealth, none of it looked rushed.
The Fang Family had cut off almost all contact with their relatives, and Miss Jun was an orphan. So though there were no relatives there to congratulate them, the Fang Family would not stand for the ceremony to be cold.
They invited all the populace of the city to celebrate the marriage and would host a running water banquet [1] in front of the entrance.
And so, this wedding was extremely lively.
But there was a weird atmosphere because of Young Master Fang's condition.
Someone said it was not like a wedding, but a funeral.
Everyone agreed with this sentiment. When they saw the Fang Family's magnificent courtyard, there was sympathy, mockery, and indifference.
Miss Jun looked at herself in the mirror. It could be said that this was the first time she had seriously looked at Jun Zhenzhen's face.
This girl looked delicate, and because of her willfulness, she seemed somewhat naive. At the moment, her thoroughly applied make-up gave her a special elegance.
Miss Jun touched this face.
She didn't remember her own appearance very clearly.
She had married before, but at that time, her parents' funeral had only been a year prior, so there was no desire to be over jubilant. That marriage had been much more low-key.
Right now, she rejoiced that the marriage had been much more subdued and simple. Otherwise she would have been even more aggrieved.
Miss Jun turned away from the mirror. Servant girls on either side of her helped her into her wedding robes.
"Young Miss, Young Miss, can that cripple personally do the formal ceremony? Or will he use a rooster?" Liu'er asked next to her.
The surrounding servants lowered their heads, and Miss Jun fixed her with a look.
Liu'er stuck out her tongue.
"Oh fine, Young Master Fang," she corrected herself. "Young Master Fang's body has been well these past few days. Can he perform the formal ceremony himself?"
When they heard this, the surrounding people lowered their heads even more, their expressions complicated.
The day when Fang Jinxiu had called Miss Jun shameless in Young Master Fang's quarters had already been spread around.
Although those two only had time to call each other shameless before they were separated by Old Lady Fang and Lady Fang and didn't have a chance to meet again, the things Fang Jinxiu had said in Lady Fang's rooms had already been spread around.
"Did you change Chengyu's medicine?"
"Is Chengyu this spirited because of the change in medicine?"
"Do you want Chengyu to marry that absolute disgrace to give birth to a child?"
Third Young Miss Fang Jinxiu's three questions had been dismissed by Lady Fang as utter nonsense, but the people who heard them had a sudden realization.
That's right, no wonder they felt something was not right. When the crippled young master had come out for the Lantern Festival, he looked to be in much better health. It was indeed strange. Some people guessed it was because of the reflection of the light shining on him, and some people said it was because of the marriage used to drive away bad luck.
Right now, it looked like it was all because of the medicine.
The crippled young man's fate was already set in stone, but the Fang Family could not give up. Now that there was not even a year left of the young master's life, Old Lady Fang and Lady Fang needed to come up with ideas.
This idea seemed to obviously be to let the crippled young master leave one behind.
This, along with the word of the Fang Family's large running water banquet, spread.
"Why are they having a wedding? Why are they having such a big wedding? Haven't they lost enough face?"
Fang Jinxiu angrily swept off the cups on the the table.
There was a mess on the ground, but no servant dared to come pick it up.
Fang Jinxiu was forbidden from going out, as well as taking part in the marriage ceremony.
"What have the rumors come to? They want Chengyu to personally perform the formal ceremony for everyone to see, see a, a...a pig up for slaughter?"
Fang Yunxiu frowned embarrassedly.
"You speak too harshly," she rebuked her.
"Reality is much too ugly," Fang Jinxiu replied angrily. "Little Brother has not done anything wrong but is being humiliated like this."
"Actually, this is not humiliation," said Fang Yuxiu finally. "This is actually what should be done."
For the Fang Family, these girls had worked hard in their studies, foregoing all play in order to keep the Fang Family's business alive. Moreover, these girls didn't want to marry out, but to get someone to marry into their family in order to continue the Fang Family's line of descent.
These girls were like this, so for the male heir Fang Chengyu to want to marry someone to carry on the bloodline was even more normal.
"So should he be manipulated to do these things with medicine?" Fang Jinxiu's eyes were full of sorrow. "Second Sister, his last name may be Fang, but firstly, he is a human."
Fang Yunxiu sighed but did not say anything. Fang Yuxiu also fell silent for a moment.
"I think that it might not be the case," she said suddenly.
Her words came out of the blue. Fang Jinxiu and Fang Yunxiu looked at her without comprehension.
"I just think that Grandmother and Mother would not just let this rumor get exaggerated to a unmanageable level," Fang Yuxiu said. "So we should talk about this after seeing what happens."
"See what?" Fang Jinxiu asked stiffly.
Fang Yuxiu laughed and stood up.
"Let's go see the formal ceremony," she said, changing the topic.
The hall was festive.
As she watched the newlyweds wearing their wedding clothes perform the worship ritual, Old Lady Fang's expression was calm. Seated next to her, Lady Fang couldn't help but wipe away her tears with her handkerchief.
Although it was fake, being able to see her son wear his wedding clothes was something she had never even dare to dream of.
"Husband and wife honor each other."
Announced the MC loudly, causing the people outside to rise up.
That crippled young master was actually personally participating in the marriage ceremony. And he seemed to be more vigorous than at the Lantern Festival.
The young man wearing the bridegrooms clothes sat in his wheelchair. Underneath the colorful lights, his face seemed to be white as snow, dazzling the onlookers.
Young Master Fang's expression was wooden as he honored his veiled new bride.
"Good, good. Now everyone let the newlyweds go into the bridal chamber. We wouldn't want to delay the fun times in there," teased the managers' wives.
At other weddings, such words would make everyone back away, well aware of the coming happiness, but now, the felt it awkward.
Bridal chamber.
Was this dying, handicapped person truly capable of the bridal chamber?
Could it be that Old Lady Fang had prepared such a powerful aphrodisiac so that the cripple could leave behind an heir for the Fang Family?
Everyone winked at each other as they left, all smiles.
He had managed to finish the formal ceremony, but the bridal chamber was a whole 'nother story.
Everybody understood this very well. After all, Young Master Fang was in such a condition. Being able to perform the formal ceremony was pretty good. He might die if they disturbed the bridal chamber [2].
No one followed after them. They all went to noisily eat and drink at the feast the Fang Family had prepared, free of charge.
"Okay, okay. You can all go now. From now on, Young Master Fang will be taken care of by my family's Young Miss."
Liu'er's voice filtered in from outside, sounding very arrogant.
The servants outside hesitated.
Young Master Fang could not take care of himself because of his paralysis. Since he was young, he had to be looked after by others; it was not easy to look after such a person.
Could Miss Jun even do it?
The servants' faces belayed their concern, but Old Lady and Lady had instructed them to listen to Young Lady Fang from now on.
"What are you doing? Why haven't you left? Don't bother our young miss' rest." Liu'er glared impatiently. "Are you deaf?"
Young Miss had said that now the ceremony was over, her status was fixed. No need to pretend to be helpless. They could show their power.
Liu'er, in front of the newlyweds' chamber, was wielding her big stick.
The servants in the courtyard retreated like flowing water.
Liu'er nodded in satisfaction, then turned to knock on the door.
"Young Miss, I told them to bring bathwater into the bathroom," she said, then paused. "Do you need my help?"
"No, " came Miss Jun's voice from within. "Just guard the door well."
From now on, Young Miss was the Fang Family's Young Lady, a member of the Fang Family. So she really was guarding the door of Young Miss's place.
Liu'er inhaled deeply and made a loud sound of agreement.
Hearing the footsteps go far away and the return of silence, Miss Jun, who had already taken off her hairpins and wedding clothes, was standing in front of Fang Chengyu, who was sitting in the wheelchair.
Without other people's help, of course his wedding clothes hadn't been taken off. He hadn't taken off his hat either. He was like a doll in these festive wedding chambers.
Miss Jun reached out to loosen his wedding clothes.
Fang Chengyu smiled slightly.
"Miss Jun, you don't really want to do things with me?" he asked.
[1] Running water banquet: a non-stop feast
[2] Disturbing the bridal chamber: Chinese tradition of bantering and pranking newlyweds