All Hail Cousin Brother - Chapter 1079
Chapter 1079: Cooperation
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Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Yu Youyao blushed on the spot. She was so angry that she wanted to hit him.
There had to be a limit to fooling around.
She was so embarrassed that she wanted to throw her face into history books.
However, she couldn’t help but savor it carefully in her heart. “Guan Ju” was a gentleman’s pursuit of a lady, while “Tao Tian” was a congratulatory gift for a bride, and “Chou Mou” revealed lingering love.
With the personality of the ministers in the court, it was impossible for them to use such a song used by ordinary families to welcome the bride.
It seemed that these songs had also been carefully arranged by Yin Huaixi.
The Hall of Supreme Harmony was far away, and the entire hall was filled with Yin Huaixi’s down-to-earth singing. The officials stood in rows on both sides of the hall. All of them looked down. Even if they wanted to laugh, they had to hold it in. All of them were about to suffer internal injuries. They wished they could take a cotton ball and cover their ears.
It was the season where winter turned into spring, so the sky turned dark early.
The eunuchs lit up the lighthouse along the way. The palace maids held lamps and led the way. Under the candlelight, the Hall of Supreme Harmony was filled with mist. It was as beautiful as a poem or a painting, but it also looked heavy and elegant.
Yin Huaixi held Yu Youyao’s hand and walked to the front of the Hall of Supreme Harmony.
A table was set up in front of the hall.
The Minister of Rites read out the praise. “Marriage is the foundation of human relationships, and they’re valued by all generations. Those who are etiquette-minded will have a good marriage. They will serve their ancestors and the later generations. They’ll eat and drink together. The world will be the witness, and the sun and moon will be proof. From now on, they’ll never leave each other…”
The Zhou wedding etiquette was solemn and elegant, not as festive and lively as later on. All the etiquette was completed under the witness of the heavens and the earth, making it seem solemn. It was not a lively and noisy thing. It emphasized that yang and yin were compatible, and men and women were equal. What mattered was the righteousness of the couple and the grace of mating. It seemed to be heavy, but this heaviness carried firm and deep feelings between the newcomers.
Yu Youyao couldn’t help but turn to look at him.
He was wearing a black wedding suit that had red among black, making him look dignified and solemn. However, the dazzling red flower on his chest ruined this elegance and gave off a comical and festive feeling.
Yin Huaixi’s eyes lit up. This was the first time Yu Youyao had looked at him openly since entering the Hall of Supreme Harmony.
The dragon and phoenix crown was covered with a red veil that covered her face. The veil was like a cicada’s wings, reflecting her beautiful face like a burning peach blossom that bloomed in spring.
Before spring arrived, his heart was already filled with spring wind and peach blossoms.
After hearing the praise, the etiquette official stepped forward to offer incense.
The ceremonial officer brought over some water and served the Empress for the hand-washing ceremony.
In all important etiquette occasions, the hand-washing ceremony was an indispensable part. “Cleanliness” meant respect for the world.
After cleaning her hands and face, Yu Youyao was about to put her hand back on her knees when Yin Huaixi grabbed her hand. Her smooth little hand was held in his rough palm, making his heart heat up slightly.
When the etiquette official noticed the new emperor’s actions, he paused for a moment and pretended not to see it. He sprinkled water on the Empress with a willow branch and chanted.
“Burn incense and cleanse their bodies. Receive etiquette from the heavens and the ground. As husband and wife, the world is huge…”
The hand-washing ceremony was completed.
They carried out the “sitting together ceremony”. The etiquette official recited, “Based on etiquette, boys and girls sit separately from the age of seven. Lovers sit together and lie on the same bed. This is called sitting together.”
Yin Huaixi couldn’t bear to let go of her hand and stood up to bow to Yu Youyao.
Yu Youyao lowered her eyes and bowed in return. When Yin Huaixi looked up, he could see her slender eyebrows.
They both sat opposite each other.
In the Zhou wedding etiquette, the “sitting together ceremony” meant that they were husband and wife and would always be loving. However, in later generations, there were many people who believed that the south was respected. When men sat in the south and faced the north, it meant that men respected women.
However, in fact, in the most ancient Chinese civilization, there was no such thing as men being superior to women.
It wasn’t justified to be polygamous.
Marriage was also called binding one’s hair in Chinese. The kindness of husband and wife were bound.
Husband and wife were one.
The etiquette official carried out the eating together ceremony. “Based on etiquette, at the age of seven, boys and girls do not eat together. Lovers eat and drink together. They eat from the same plate of food and the same pot of rice. They’re a family who share their comforts and hardships.”
The ceremonial officer brought over some sake and food. The Empress drank some wine to clear her mouth.
Yin Huaixi picked up a piece of coarse grain cake mixed with wheat bran with his bamboo chopsticks and placed it on the plate in front of Yu Youyao. “The coarse grain cake will stick to your throat. Eat slowly.”
Yu Youyao rolled up her sleeves and also picked up a piece of coarse grain cake for Yin Huaixi. “Have some too.”
The two of them smiled at each other.
Yu Youyao’s fair face was covered in pink smoke. Under the candlelight in the hall, her face shone brightly, and Yin Huaixi’s throat tightened.
This etiquette had to be repeated three times.
After drinking three glasses of fine wine and eating three mouthfuls of food on the plate, it was completed successfully.
A plate of stir-fried vegetables was brought during the second round. There was no grease, and the taste was bitter. It was really difficult to swallow. Yu Youyao forced herself to take a bite, and her stomach churned.
Next, two pieces of fried mutton that were slightly larger than a finger were brought over. It was eaten in one bite and nothing was wasted.
After completing the etiquette three times, it was time for the most important ceremony, the wine drinking ceremony.
The ceremonial official drank some wine with a cup. “Calabash is bitter. It’s also called the bottle gourd. It’s divided into two halves. A calabash produces two ‘ladles’. There’s a red string on the ladle, which represents the ‘marriage line’. The marriage line leads to love and leads to the handle of the ladle. The couple is connected as one. When the ladle is filled with wine, it’s also called the ‘nuptial wine cup’, or the ‘cup of love’. A couple will drink the wine together. This is also called the wedding wine. By drinking the wine together, the husband and wife will have a strong relationship. By drinking the wine together, the husband and wife are willing to share their comforts and struggles. By drinking the wedding wine together, the husband and wife are willing to suffer together. With the wedding wine, the husband and wife are equal. They are harmonious and respect the world.”
The ceremonial official brought over the wine. Yu Youyao took a look and thought inappropriately that this was a water ladle made of old gourds at home!
It was just that the sizes were different.
“Greetings!” As the etiquette official finished speaking, Yu Youyao picked up her wine and drank half of it.
After that, she exchanged cups with Yin Huaixi.
They drank a glass of wine together.
It was completely different from drinking wine while their arms were crossed.
After the ceremony, the etiquette official said, “Let’s proceed with the tassel untying and hair tying ceremony.”
The wedding consisted of a lot of etiquette.
Yu Youyao was stunned for a long time. The red tassel rope on her head had been tied by her grandmother early this morning.
Yin Huaixi was excited. He got up and went to Yu Youyao’s side. He untied the red tassel rope that she had given him to get married. This was untying the tassel.
After that, the ceremonial official brought over the golden scissors. The two of them each cut a strand of hair and placed it on the ceremonial plate. The etiquette official tied their hair with the red tassel and placed them in a brocade bag. This was the hair tying ceremony.
From now on!
Yin Huaixi looked at Yu Youyao and said, “We’ll be husband and wife. We’ll be loving.”
Yu Youyao frowned slightly, looking shy. “We share the same heart in this life!”
Then, the etiquette official said, “Greet each other.”
This greeting was formal and serious etiquette. The two of them stood at opposite ends. After cupping their hands, Yin Huaixi took a step forward and held Yu Youyao’s hand. The two of them stood side by side and looked down at the ministers.
The ceremonial official shouted, “It’s a heavenly gift. Praise and honor.”
The civil and military officials slowly knelt down and bowed.
“Long live our emperor.”
“The Empress is blessed with eternal happiness.”
