Chapter 552: The Essence of Rites

Inside the Lu Residence.

Lv Zhongtang was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan, pacing back and forth in the hall.

He had just gone to the deep valley to look for Lv Qingzhu, but Lv Qingzhu was not in the Cave Abode.

Sitting in the hall was also an old man with gray hair and beard. The old man took a sip of tea, his expression also anxious as he looked toward the door.

This person was named Xiao Dezao, an old History Supervisor from the Inner History Department who was deeply versed in Ancient Rites; he had come to the Lu Residence this time originally to teach Lv Qingzhu the ceremonial procedures for tomorrow's Engagement Ceremony.

Xiao Dezao wore an old moon-white robe and, looking at Lv Zhongtang, said, "Lord Lv, perhaps I should return to Cuiwei Peak first. There is a pile of matters there waiting for me to handle as well. This booklet contains the detailed ceremonial protocols for the Engagement Ceremony. Once Miss Qingzhu returns, Lord, you may urge her to study this booklet carefully."

Lv Zhongtang's expression shifted; he still hoped Xiao Dezao could stay and personally instruct Lv Qingzhu, so as to avoid any mistakes during the ceremony tomorrow that might invite ridicule from the dignitaries of the two sects.

However, seeing that Lv Qingzhu was not there, he found it difficult to ask Xiao Dezao to wait here idly.

Just as Lv Zhongtang was hesitating over how to phrase a request for Xiao Dezao to wait a while longer, Li Baoyue ran into the hall from outside and said, "Qingzhu is here!"

Lv Zhongtang's expression brightened, and he asked, "Where is she?"

His voice had barely faded when Lv Qingzhu had already walked in from behind Li Baoyue.

Lv Qingzhu stood in the hall, bowed respectfully to Lv Zhongtang, and called out, "Father!"

Lv Zhongtang smiled and said, "Qingzhu, this is the old History Supervisor from the Inner History Department, Mr. Xiao Dezao! He has come to teach you the ceremonial protocols for tomorrow."

Lv Qingzhu looked at Xiao Dezao, also performed a bow, and said, "I have troubled you, sir!"

Xiao Dezao scrutinized Lv Qingzhu, stroked his beard, and said, "Miss Qingzhu is bright and pure, truly a beauty of the ages!"

After finishing, Xiao Dezao coughed, picked up a booklet, and said, "Ancient Rites are the foundation of the world! The section on the engagement in this booklet records the ceremonial details in full; I will instruct you, Miss, according to this booklet. I hope you will apply yourself!"

Following this, Xiao Dezao began teaching Lv Qingzhu the rites in the hall, with Lv Zhongtang also keeping them company on the side.

Xiao Dezao was deeply versed in Ancient Rites, and once he began teaching, he was very meticulous; he often made Lv Qingzhu repeat a single movement several times until it was completely flawless.

As he spoke, he unconsciously began to talk with great eloquence, and his cup of tea was finished before much time had passed.

Xiao Dezao taught Lv Qingzhu in the hall for a full two hours. He taught with great enthusiasm, and Lv Qingzhu was very cooperative; there was not a trace of impatience on her face, and she learned and followed every delicate movement very earnestly.

She knew she was learning the rites for the Engagement Ceremony, but an engagement was the prototype for the Great Wedding Ceremony, and many details were quite similar; as she learned with such dedication, what she was thinking of in her heart was the Great Wedding Ceremony that evening!

Xiao Dezao finally finished explaining the last part of the rites. He stroked his beard, looked at Lv Qingzhu with satisfaction, and nodded, saying, "Miss Qingzhu is indeed of the Lu Clan bloodline; these sets of rituals were performed with such dignity and grace, you have already grasped the essence of the Ancient Rites!"

Lv Qingzhu bowed and said, "It is because you taught me well, sir! Qingzhu is dull-witted and has troubled you, sir!"

Xiao Dezao laughed, "Miss Qingzhu is as clever as ice and snow, and of noble character! It is my great fortune to be able to teach you, Miss!"

Lv Zhongtang stood up and said, "Mr. Xiao has taught her well! It is already noon, and a banquet has been prepared in the flower hall; please, Mr. Xiao, join us for the meal!"

Xiao Dezao immediately said, "I am grateful for your generous invitation, Lord, and I should not refuse your kindness. But the matter is truly urgent; tomorrow is the day of the Engagement Ceremony, and there is still a pile of things to handle on Cuiwei Peak!"

Lv Zhongtang also knew that this Engagement Ceremony had been full of twists and turns, and Li Ruozhou had only been suddenly captured and brought back by Li Ku that morning; those in charge were, after all, in a state of chaos.

Lv Zhongtang said, "Since that is the case! This is a major event, so I shall not force you to stay, Mr. Xiao."

Xiao Dezao cupped his hands and said, "I appreciate your understanding, Lord!"

Just as Xiao Dezao was about to leave, Lv Qingzhu suddenly said, "Mr. Xiao, could you leave that booklet of rites behind so that I may study and observe it further?"

Xiao Dezao said happily, "Miss Qingzhu is truly eager to learn!"

"This booklet was meant for you, Miss, in the first place!" As Xiao Dezao spoke, he handed the booklet into Lv Qingzhu's hands, and Lv Qingzhu accepted it respectfully.

Lv Zhongtang personally saw Xiao Dezao out of the residence.

After seeing Xiao Dezao off, Lv Zhongtang returned to the hall, only to see that Lv Qingzhu was already sitting there, looking at the booklet with a focused expression.

Lv Zhongtang did not disturb her; he quietly lifted the foot he had just stepped in with and headed toward the flower hall in the Back Courtyard.

If he had walked closer quietly, he would have discovered that the ritual booklet Lv Qingzhu was looking at was actually opened to the section on the Great Wedding Ceremony.

Lv Qingzhu sat in the hall for a full hour before her aunt, Li Baoyue, brought over some ginseng tea and said softly, "Qingzhu, drink some ginseng tea before you continue reading."

Lv Qingzhu nodded. She turned her head to look at Li Baoyue and said, "Today is a good day for me! Aunt, please comb my hair for me."

Li Baoyue's expression froze.

According to the customs of this realm, when a daughter marries, her mother must comb her hair. Lv Qingzhu asking Li Baoyue to comb her hair meant she regarded her as her own mother.

Li Baoyue's eyes could not help but turn red; she pulled Lv Qingzhu up and said, "Qingzhu, come, follow your aunt! Aunt will comb your hair!"

Lv Qingzhu took the booklet and followed Li Baoyue to the Back Courtyard.

Sitting before Li Baoyue's vanity, Lv Qingzhu looked at herself in the Copper Mirror, her face as beautiful as a flower, and could not help but ask, "Aunt, do I look pretty?"

"You do. Our Qingzhu is a great beauty!" Li Baoyue said.

"Is that so?" Lv Qingzhu smiled and said, "Then Aunt, please comb my hair well! Let Qingzhu be beautiful when she gets married!"

"Mm~" Li Baoyue wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes and smiled, "Aunt will certainly comb Qingzhu's hair to be beautiful."

Xiao Dezao returned to Cuiwei Peak and first went to the Longyu Hall to inspect the arrangements there. Many places were not yet ready, and Xiao Dezao pointed at the nose of the History Supervisor Qin who was in charge of this matter and gave him a thorough scolding.

History Supervisor Qin wiped the cold sweat from his forehead while nodding and bowing, saying, "Rest assured, Xiao Lao, everything will be finished tonight!"

Xiao Dezao said, "You had better not have any more slip-ups!"

"I won't! I won't!"

Xiao Dezao walked out of the Longyu Hall in a huff and headed toward the Separate Courtyard at the foot of the mountain.

That Separate Courtyard also needed to be decorated; Lv Qingzhu would enter the Separate Courtyard tonight, put on her wedding dress, and cover her head with a veil. Tomorrow morning, once the auspicious time arrived, a ceremonial procession would take her to the Longyu Hall to complete the ceremony.

After inspecting the arrangements at the Separate Courtyard, Xiao Dezao was quite satisfied and found almost no flaws.

"Jiang Yaozhang, this lad, is not bad; he is, after all, someone I personally trained!"

Xiao Dezao walked out of the hall and glanced at the sundial standing by the door, noticing that it was already the end of the Shen hour, and dusk was approaching.

He looked at the Attendant standing at the door and said, "Go, call Jiang Yaozhang over; I have something to instruct him."

Upon hearing this, the Attendant slipped into a Corridor like a wisp of smoke, and before long, he brought over a young man with a square face and fair complexion.

This young man was only in his early twenties, but his appearance and temperament were quite mature. As soon as he exited the Corridor, he saw Xiao Dezao from afar, immediately hurried over, knelt down, and said, "Greetings, Master!"

Jiang Yaozhang had been studying Ancient Rites under Xiao Dezao for three years; he could be said to be quite diligent and was deeply valued by Xiao Dezao. Yet, the more this was the case, the more respectfully he behaved toward Xiao Dezao, not daring to overstep his bounds by even half a step.

Xiao Dezao said, "Yaozhang, rise. The arrangements here at the Separate Courtyard are good; there are no slip-ups. With time so tight, to still have no errors—this is what is called grasping the essence of the Ancient Rites."

When Li Ruozhou was suddenly caught and brought back by Li Ku, the Separate Courtyard was also in a flurry of activity, but while the activity at Longyu Hall was riddled with errors, large and small, everything here in the Separate Courtyard, down to the smallest detail, conformed to the rites; this was the difference.

Jiang Yaozhang said, "This disciple would not dare! Having received instruction from my mentor for three years, I have only just begun to grasp the fringes of it."

Xiao Dezao nodded; he was very fond of Jiang Yaozhang's humble, magnanimous, and calm demeanor. "The time is nearly upon us. Take some men to the Lu Residence's Separate Courtyard and bring Miss Lv Qingzhu over."

"Yes, Mentor. This disciple will go at once!"

After Jiang Yaozhang performed a salute, he retreated with quick steps.

No sooner had Jiang Yaozhang left than an Attendant hurried in from outside the Separate Courtyard and reported to Xiao Dezao, who was standing there, "Xiao Lao, Lord Duan is outside and says he wishes to see you!"

"Lord Duan?" Xiao Dezao's eyebrows arched. "Which Lord Duan?"

The Attendant said, "Lord Duan Rong!"

Xiao Dezao said, "Invite him in quickly!"

Just as the Attendant was about to turn, Xiao Dezao suddenly added, "No, I will go myself!"

Xiao Dezao held a position of great status regarding the Ancient Rites of the Inner History Department, and even Zhu He usually treated him with great courtesy. However, he was also very clear about the weight Duan Rong currently carried with Zhu He and the Sect Ancestor.

Because the Separate Courtyard was being decorated for the ceremony, unauthorized persons were not allowed inside, so when Duan Rong arrived, he could only wait outside the gate.

Xiao Dezao hurried out the gate, cupped his hands toward Duan Rong, and smiled, "Lord Duan, my apologies, my apologies! These underlings have no eyes and actually blocked you outside."

Duan Rong smiled, "It is Duan who has come at such a time to add to Xiao Lao's troubles. It is somewhat inappropriate!"

Xiao Dezao said, "Lord Duan, please do not say such things! Lord, please come inside!"

Xiao Dezao had already heard that there was more to Duan Rong's words and that he had a matter to discuss, so he immediately invited Duan Rong into the Separate Courtyard.

The two took their seats in the hall, where red candles and festive decorations could be seen everywhere.

Duan Rong naturally knew that this was set up for tomorrow's Engagement Ceremony.

Xiao Dezao looked at Duan Rong and said, "Lord Duan, have you come for a specific matter?"

Duan Rong's expression was solemn as he said, "Xiao Lao, Duan wishes to take a concubine. The auspicious time is set for this very evening. For this Great Wedding Ceremony, Duan wishes to conduct it according to the Ancient Rites."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Dezao gave Duan Rong a strange look.

The Ancient Rites were cumbersome and had basically fallen into disuse; only for important festivals and ceremonies were they ever performed. People of the present age did not necessarily even use the Ancient Rites for taking a primary wife, so for this Lord to want to use them for a concubine was quite rare.

What was even stranger was that the auspicious time was tonight, yet he had only come to find him now; the timing was far too rushed.

Xiao Dezao said, "Lord Duan, it is not that Xiao wishes to decline! The auspicious time is tonight, but it is already dusk. To arrange the Ancient Rites at this hour, is it not a bit too hurried?"

Duan Rong said, "It was decided on the spur of the moment. It is indeed rushed, and I hope Xiao Lao will grant this favor!"

Xiao Dezao looked at Duan Rong and said, "Tomorrow is the Engagement Ceremony, and this old man cannot spare himself here. How about this! Lord Duan, I have a disciple named Jiang Yaozhang. Your matter shall be entrusted to him."

"This..." Duan Rong hesitated slightly.

Xiao Dezao said, "Lord Duan, rest assured. This lad has been with me for three years and has already grasped the essence of the Ancient Rites. He will certainly be able to help you complete this ceremony to Consummation."

Seeing that Xiao Dezao spoke with confidence, and knowing that tomorrow was the Engagement Ceremony and that Xiao Dezao truly could not be spared, Duan Rong said, "If Xiao Lao recommends him, he must be a capable person. Might I ask where Mr. Jiang is?"

Xiao Dezao said, "I sent him out to handle some business; he will be back in a moment!"

In the valley, Jiang Yaozhang, accompanied by several Guards in ceremonial dress, carried a sedan chair as they traveled through the misty clouds.

The group arrived at the gate of the Lu Residence.

Jiang Yaozhang presented the Sect Cloud Token to the Guard standing at the gate.

Seeing the intricately carved sedan chair and the Guards in ceremonial dress, the Guard had already guessed the purpose; upon seeing the Sect Cloud Token, he immediately led Jiang Yaozhang into the residence.

The sedan chair entered the residence and stopped at the front hall.

Jiang Yaozhang followed the steward toward the Back Courtyard.

Jiang Yaozhang waited there, and after a short while, the curtain of a room was lifted, and a woman of peerless beauty walked out slowly.

Li Baoyue supported Lv Qingzhu as they walked to a spot not far from Jiang Yaozhang.

Jiang Yaozhang glanced at Lv Qingzhu's headpiece and praised in his heart, "Truly a fine headpiece!"

Jiang Yaozhang cupped his hands toward Lv Qingzhu and said, "Jiang has come to escort Miss Qingzhu to the Separate Courtyard to prepare for tomorrow's grand ceremony!"

Lv Qingzhu said, "I have troubled you, Mr. Jiang!"

Jiang Yaozhang said, "Not at all! Miss, please follow me!"

Li Baoyue and Lv Qingzhu followed Jiang Yaozhang to the front hall.

When they arrived, Lv Zhongtang was already waiting there.

When the father and daughter met at this moment, they were unexpectedly speechless.

After waiting for a while, Lv Qingzhu performed a squatting salute and said, "Father, your daughter is leaving!"

Lv Zhongtang suddenly felt a sense of sorrow, but he still kept a cold face and said, "Be careful with the rites; do not let any errors occur during the ceremony."

Lv Qingzhu felt a sting in her heart and said, "Yes."

When that word "yes" was uttered, for some reason, Lv Zhongtang's shoulders trembled slightly.

After performing the salute, Lv Qingzhu looked at Li Baoyue and smiled, "Auntie, thank you for combing my hair. Qingzhu is leaving."

After finishing her words, Lv Qingzhu turned and ducked into the sedan chair.

Li Baoyue covered her face and wept; then, with a flash of the sedan curtain, Lv Qingzhu's shadow was gone.

Jiang Yaozhang bowed deeply to Lv Zhongtang and Li Baoyue, then turned and led the sedan chair out of the residence, flying into the misty clouds toward Cuiwei Peak.

Li Baoyue ran out of the gate and stood there watching the shadow of the sedan disappear into the depths of the clouds; she could not help but be overcome by grief and could not restrain herself. "Qingzhu, it is Auntie who did not take good care of you... letting you suffer such grievances..."

Jiang Yaozhang brought the honor guard and escorted Lv Qingzhu back to the Separate Courtyard; no sooner had he walked into the courtyard than a young Attendant came over and whispered in his ear for a moment.

His expression shifted, and he instructed two trusted Attendants to settle Lv Qingzhu in, while he himself hurried toward the front hall with quick steps.

(End of chapter)