The sixth day of the sixth lunar month, in the twenty-second year of the Yongzhao reign. It was an auspicious day—the day of the grand wedding for Prince Qing Zhao Yi, the Eighth Prince of Dayong.
Zhao Yi rose early. The number of maids serving him was even greater than on a normal day, and Lin Yurou was among them. Once he had freshened up, he was helped by the attendants into his formal wedding robes. Clad in the ceremonial attire, Zhao Yi looked tall and imposing, an air of aloof nobility radiating from his person. Lin Yurou and the other maids could not help but admire him in secret, though they knew full well that such a man was far beyond their reach.
Following the established protocol, Zhao Yi first had to enter the Imperial Palace to pay his respects to the Emperor and Empress, before proceeding to the Pei Estate to collect his bride. After a light meal, and prompted by the master of ceremonies, he set off. When a prince marries, every aspect of the ritual and every vessel used is subject to strict specifications—in short, it was nothing if not extravagant. Zhao Yi climbed into the carriage designated for the wedding procession, and upon a loud command from the master of ceremonies, the retinue departed for the palace.
Chapter 257