At the first quarter of the You hour, beneath the flying eaves of Taiye Pavilion, the lanterns of a hundred descendants were lit one after another, their warm red glow blending the evening glow across the sky into the color of honey. Jiang Wan held Lu Jingyuan's arm, her toes lightly touching the red-carpeted steps. The East Pearl phoenix crown in her hair swayed gently with her steps, and the twelve strings of pearl tassels brushed against her temples, reflecting sparkling golden light in the eyes of the guests filling the hall. The traces of clashing swords and flashing blades from three days ago had been covered by brand-new red silk, and only the fresh, un-dried double-happiness paper-cuts on the pillars still exuded a faint scent of paste, bearing witness to the perfection of this hard-won survival.
"The auspicious hour has arrived—"
Ren Yao's announcement pierced through the carved wooden screen, three pitches higher than a matchmaker's usual tune, the tail of her voice still carrying the crispness unique to Prince Zhenbei's Estate. Today she had unbuckled her soft whip, but she still wore the embroidered gold matchmaker's robe, the gilded wine flagon at her waist swaying with her movements and casting fine, shimmering light. "First bow to Heaven and Earth!"
Chapter 258