Chapter 101: The Ceremony

At the hour of the Dragon (7-9 AM), the wedding procession arrived promptly at the Xiangjiang River.

After completing a series of rituals, Li Xunshan, adorned with a bright red flower, stepped onto the high platform and carried the bride onto the decorated red bridal sedan chair.

By this time, the sky was completely clear, with not a trace of the earlier dark clouds—replaced instead by boundless blue skies and brilliant sunshine.

Soon, the wedding procession began its journey back. Patriarch Ren and Madam Ren walked alongside the procession, whispering to each other.

“Husband, wasn’t the earlier weather an undeniable sign that Xunshan and Yue’er are a match made in heaven?”

“I watched carefully. The dark clouds dispersed bit by bit, following the procession and parting to either side.”

“It was almost as if someone had deliberately split them down the middle,” Madam Ren said, her voice filled with delight.

Patriarch Ren chuckled in response. “I’m not so sure. Didn’t you see Mr. Gu playing a tune on that green leaf just now?”

“Amidst all the noise from gongs, firecrackers, and suonas, his melody still lingered clearly in my ears. That alone shows the tune was extraordinary.”

“Moreover, I asked around. The moment the clouds began to disperse was exactly when Mr. Gu started playing.”

Hearing this, Madam Ren covered her mouth in astonishment. “To alter the weather—that’s not something even the spiritual masters you’ve spoken of can do, is it?”

“A tune that scatters the clouds and winds—surely, that’s the work of an immortal!” Patriarch Ren said, raising his brows knowingly. “I suspect Mr. Gu is a celestial being sent down to the mortal realm…”

“First bow to heaven and earth!” The officiant’s voice rang out loudly and clearly. As his words fell, Li Xunshan and Ren Yue bowed deeply toward heaven and earth.

“Second bow to the elders!” The officiant raised his tone again.

On the dais sat four people: Wei Hai and Wen Songmo on the left, Patriarch Ren and Madam Ren on the right.

Traditionally, this bow is directed to the groom’s parents. However, as Li Xunshan was an orphan with no living relatives, Wei Hai and Wen Songmo, as his “groomsmen,” half-heartedly took the place of the groom’s family.

“Bow to each other as husband and wife!”

Li Xunshan and Ren Yue faced each other and bowed.

“Ceremony complete!” The officiant drew out the words ceremoniously.

In that instant, the hall erupted in cheers. Words of blessing and congratulations filled the air, creating a lively atmosphere that lasted for quite some time before gradually subsiding.

Li Xunshan looked around and finally spotted a familiar figure in a corner of the wedding hall—the man in green robes.

“Yue’er, I see Mr. Gu,” Li Xunshan said with a smile.

Ren Yue nodded gently. “Lead me to him. We should offer tea to Mr. Gu.”

Hearing this, Li Xunshan took Ren Yue’s hand and led her across the room toward Gu Ning’an.

Gu Ning’an, though fond of lively scenes, preferred not to mingle with unfamiliar crowds.

Thus, he had politely declined Patriarch Ren’s invitation to sit at the main table, instead finding a quieter spot with fewer people.

Everyone seated in the wedding hall was a prominent figure from Jiangling Prefecture. Despite the exquisite dishes served at the banquet, most of them only took a couple of bites before setting their chopsticks aside.

The table Gu Ning’an chose was mostly occupied by jewelry merchants, who, seeing his scholarly demeanor, guessed there wasn’t much common ground for conversation. Aside from a polite nod when they first sat down, they left him to his own devices.

This suited Gu Ning’an perfectly—he had the entire table of untouched dishes to himself, making for an excellent dining experience.

“Mr. Gu!” Li Xunshan called out as he and Ren Yue arrived at the table. Their accompanying maidservant handed each of them a teacup.

Gu Ning’an set down his chopsticks and smiled. “What’s the point of walking all this way? I don’t care about formalities like these.”

Before Li Xunshan could respond, Ren Yue, still veiled in red, stepped forward slightly, bowed, and said with a gentle smile, “Mr. Gu, though we haven’t interacted much, I know that this day, which feels like a dream come true for Xunshan and me, wouldn’t have been possible without your help.”

She stepped closer, holding the teacup with both hands, and bowed deeply toward Gu Ning’an. “Thank you, sir!”

Li Xunshan also bowed, offering a teacup with a solemn expression. “Thank you, sir!”

As Gu Ning’an looked at the two cups of tea before him and reached out to take them, a sudden heat spread through his palm. Two intertwined strands of Worldly Qi appeared faintly.

Without hesitation, he absorbed the Worldly Qi and then accepted the tea cups. After taking a sip from each, he placed the cups back on the table.

With a flourish of his sleeve, Gu Ning’an reached into it and retrieved a scroll. Handing it to the couple, he said, “I didn’t bring any cash for the wedding gift, so let this calligraphy be my congratulatory present to you both.”

Li Xunshan accepted the scroll with both hands, nodding firmly. “Thank you for the gift, sir!”

“Alright, I’ve given my gift. You two go do what you need to; don’t let me keep you from your duties.” With a lighthearted laugh, Gu Ning’an sat back down, picked up his chopsticks, and resumed eating, unconcerned by the lively crowd around him.

At the banquet, the bride and groom naturally drew everyone’s attention. But after the ceremony, instead of heading straight to the bridal chamber, the bride had gone to a corner of the hall to serve tea.

Moreover, the person they served tea to wasn’t sitting at the main table but at a secluded corner?

Who could be so significant that Ren Yue, the daughter of the Ren family, would go to such lengths to show respect?

Curious whispers rippled through the hall as people quietly inquired about the identity of the man in green robes. Yet, no one seemed to know who he was, leaving many frustrated with curiosity.

Meanwhile, the jewelry merchants sharing Gu Ning’an’s table exchanged glances, then began probing him with indirect questions about his background.

Gu Ning’an, however, casually brushed them off with a single sentence: “I’m a relative of the groom’s family. It’s perfectly normal for the newlyweds to serve me tea.”

Naturally, no one believed him. But since he didn’t want to elaborate, they didn’t press further, not wanting to risk offending him and causing trouble—especially on such an important day for the Ren family.

After all, most of the guests were businessmen, and none dared risk ruining Patriarch Ren’s grand celebration.

“Hey! Why aren’t you heading to the bridal chamber yet?”

“A moment of spring night is worth a thousand gold coins—don’t waste it!”

Seeing Li Xunshan, his face flushed from drinking, still lingering in the hall, Wei Hai, equally tipsy, bellowed a teasing remark.

“Today’s been amazing!” Li Xunshan shouted, leaning heavily on Wei Hai’s shoulder.

Wei Hai smiled helplessly and turned to Gu Ning’an and the others, chuckling. “This fool’s had too much to drink.”

“I’m not drunk!” Li Xunshan waved his hand emphatically. “I’m just happy!”

Gu Ning’an, sipping tea nearby, handed over a cup with a smile. “Let him have some tea to sober up.”

Wei Hai took the cup without hesitation, pinched Li Xunshan’s mouth open, and poured the tea down his throat. As he did so, he muttered, “Patriarch Ren really doesn’t treat us as outsiders—he’s off sleeping after getting drunk himself, leaving us to deal with the guests and even his son-in-law!”

Wen Songmo rolled his eyes. “What, did you think receiving the newlyweds’ bow earlier was just for show?”

“If you don’t put in some effort, how could you live up to your role as family to the groom?”