Chapter 13

With music playing and the atmosphere lively, it seemed as if everyone was very happy.

But as one of the main figures of today's celebration, the bride in her wedding attire was filled with deep fear.

Gan Tian hadn't even figured it out yet when someone shouted, "Grandma's here!"

As the words fell, a young woman emerged from the rear of the main hall, surrounded by many maidservants. She wore a head full of pearls and jade, and her silks and satins shone splendidly, making her appearance extraordinarily grand.

Though this woman's looks were not bad—her fair, delicate skin alone would make her stand out—the flaw lay in her eyes, which were too small; while small eyes can be attractive, hers were not.

However, what truly ruined her appearance was not her small eyes but her demeanor. As the saying goes, "appearance reflects the heart"; one's inner nature can affect outward looks, and she seemed to exemplify that.

Although she was not bad‑looking, her stern face and the hostility in her eyes made people afraid at first glance, so much so that her looks were hard to notice.

"Grandma, take your seat!" shouted the male master of ceremonies, and then the woman sat in the place of honor above the main hall.

At that moment a maidservant brought hot tea, and the master of ceremonies quickly said, "Aunt Grandma, hold the tea for Grandma!"

The bride trembled as she knelt before the woman, while a maidservant placed the hot tea beside her. When she reached for it, with a "pop" the teacup fell to the ground.

"Peace year after year! Peace year after year!" the matchmaker who had come with the bride hurried out to smooth things over.

The woman immediately sneered, "I had no idea my family's status had sunk so low that someone who can't even hold a teacup could be let in; I don't think we need to drink this cup of tea today!"

"That spilled cup of tea was too hot," Wang Sanlang reminded Gan Tian again in her ear.

"You notice things so carefully..." Gan Tian felt she had met a remarkably capable peer.

"Actually, there's nothing special; if you pay a bit more attention you can see it too." Though he said that, while striving to appear ordinary, the slight uptick of Wang Sanlang's lips betrayed his good mood. His talent for reading people's hearts had always been intimidating... but talent is talent, and for a child his age it surely comes with a desire to show off and gain approval.

The woman seemed intent on rejecting this bride, which frightened those who had brought her.

At that moment the master of ceremonies beside her furrowed his brows, as if reminding her: "Grandma... the newcomer hasn't even entered the door yet, and the master hasn't seen the bride; later he'll be angry with you."

The woman gave a cold snort: "Do you think I'm still afraid of him?"

Though she said that, she sat back down. A maidservant behind her glared at the one who had brought the tea and said, "What are you standing there for? Go fetch another cup of tea!"

It was another cup of hot tea, presumably still scalding. Because of Wang Sanlang's reminder, Gan Tian kept watching the bride's hand as she held the tea. Although the bride tried hard to control herself, the unsteadiness was still very obvious. If it were merely trembling from fear, it would be different from this.

Meanwhile, "Grandma" seated in the place of honor was unaffected, holding the teacup steady with ease.

She didn't drink the tea, merely letting her lips touch the rim.

Seeing "Grandma" drink the tea, everyone breathed a sigh of relief, and the previous incident was clearly deliberately shoved to the back of their minds.

Then the master of ceremonies announced the start of the wedding feast; everyone found a seat and sat down, waiting for the dishes to be served.

Gan Tian and Wang Sanlang chose a secluded spot that still allowed them to take in the whole scene, and on the surface they ate just like everyone else.

When the banquet was nearly over, the master of ceremonies who had spoken earlier suddenly said, "The master is coming!"

Everyone reacted strongly to those words; the guests who had been dining together at the same table all dropped to their knees. Gan Tian and Wang Sanlang didn't want to stand out, so they followed the crowd and knelt as well.

Entering from outside was a young man in a red cloak, quite handsome, wearing a purple-gold cap, resembling a noble's son. Yet compared to those so‑called nobles, he possessed an indescribable aura that could overwhelm people.

The young man removed his red cloak and smiled, saying, "Today is a great joy; there's no need for you to be so ceremonious."

After those words, everyone rose to their feet.

The young man had intended to enter the main hall, but he glanced back... feeling that something had been odd about the crowd's kneeling just moments before. However, by now everyone had risen, and that feeling vanished.

"You've worked hard today, Grandma!" the young man laughed, offering a flattering "Grandma," then turned to the bride standing nearby: "Is this the aunt‑grandma sent from Cocoon Town?"

"Exactly so, and you certainly have good fortune," "Grandma" replied sourly.

The young man laughed loudly: "Indeed I have good fortune; otherwise how could I have married Grandma? Don't compare Grandma to a concubine—being jealous over this is hardly worth it!"

"Don't say nice things now; I'm the sort who can't tolerate a speck of sand in the eye!" Saying this, "Grandma" rose to her feet, stared at the bride for a while, then said: "Since you've been sent here, you should know that not just anyone can be an aunt‑grandma in our household. I drank your tea merely to save face for the master, but whether you can stand firm in this house depends on yourself."

Hearing "Grandma" say this, the young man furrowed his brows: "Grandma, your tricks for making things hard on the aunt‑grandma are too cunning... why bother?"

"Grandma's" eyebrows shot up and her face flared: "How am I being cunning? After drinking a bowl of entry‑tea, I can't even be an aunt‑grandma? If that's the case, let's just part! Without you, could I not find a husband? You can have three wives and four concubines today; I don't lack anything from you, and I could also have more than one husband!"

To ordinary people this sounded shockingly outrageous, but the speaker obviously didn't think so. As for the young man, he wasn't angry either; he spoke gently: "Grandma, why say such things? I've never stopped you from managing the rear courtyard—I was just speaking casually..."

Speaking, he glanced at the bride, his eyes showing a hint of regret, then added: "Since it's so, why not thank Grandma? She's gone to trouble for you!"

The bride seemed to realize her fate; her thick wedding makeup could not hide her grim face, as if her breath were being choked. She could only stiffly kneel like a puppet, knocking her head twice with "thud thud," and spoke numbly: "Thank you, Grandma..."

Gan Tian's ears were sharp; she heard the guest at the same table sigh deeply: "Another 'difficult bride'—the Mao family's maiden, like the previous ones, is simply unlucky."

Gan Tian didn't understand the meaning and hadn't even thought about it when she saw the servants come to clear away the banquet. Those who had been eating hadn't waited for the host to see them off; it was neither proper to leave nor to stay—many seemed to sense what was coming and didn't want to linger as spectators.

After the banquet was cleared, a maidservant brought two rocking chairs and invited "Grandma" and "the master" to sit. "Grandma" fixed her gaze on the bride as if she were a lamb awaiting slaughter, then shifted her eyes to her own long fingernails and said casually: "Since you know the household rules, I need say no more; with all your fellow villagers present, this also serves as a witness... I always keep my word, so as long as you are good in every way, I have no need to make things difficult for you."

"Yes..." the bride replied softly, yet she remained fearful and felt no relief from those words.

"Grandma" took a sip of the tea brought by a maidservant, was about to say something, then suddenly scanned the bride up and down and asked, "How tall are you?"

The bride stumbled over her words and instinctively replied, "Five, five feet."

Before "Grandma" could say anything, the maidservant beside her snapped, "How could that be acceptable? The side chambers can never be higher than the main hall; an aunt‑grandma being taller than Grandma is simply unacceptable!"

As soon as she finished speaking, two sturdy women came forward to hold the bride down, and then another woman stepped forward wielding a knife and axe. Facing the bride's fearful gaze, she said, "Aunt‑grandma, tell us yourself—should we trim a bit from the top or from the bottom? As an aunt‑grandma you can't possibly surpass Grandma; you ought to know this principle, right?"

Gan Tian and the other guests retreated to the sides, eyes wide with fright... Was this going to be a foot‑cutting or a beheading?

At first the bride seemed stunned silly, but when the axe‑wielding woman pressed her again, she began to struggle.

The sturdy woman holding her down laughed and said, "Aunt‑grandma, please calm down!"

"No, no! I'm not an aunt‑grandma, I'm not an aunt‑grandma!" the bride cried, struggling harder, yet still unable to break free.

"Grandma" rose to her feet, her face twisted: "You can't talk nonsense; if you're not an aunt‑grandma, how did you end up here? Could it be that all your fellow villagers are mistaken? The master is usually good‑natured, but he too cannot be deceived!"

This remark clearly drew the guests' attention; they all widened their eyes, showing a panicked expression.

The matchmaker immediately stood up: "No, no, Grandma, the Mao family's maiden is indeed the appointed aunt‑grandma... she's just talking nonsense, spouting rubbish!"

"No!" the bride pointed aside and said, "That over there is today's aunt‑grandma!"

"It's not the villagers lying; it's the fact—the master wants to take the finest maiden from Cocoon Town, and I originally was that; sending me here was naturally fine. But when the master looks at this maiden, isn't she far superior to me? Moreover, she isn't even from Cocoon Town, yet today she happens to have come to the master's house, to this wedding feast—this is a marriage made in heaven!"

In the direst moment, she seemed to unleash all her survival potential, grasping at any hope... even if it would push another person back into her original situation.

Gan Tian let out a soft "eh" in her heart, noticing that everyone's gaze had turned to her. Feeling a bit embarrassed, she scratched her cheek: "I was just passing through with my brother, saw the lively wedding, and stopped by for a cup of drink..."

"One's misfortune is another's gain," the bride seemed to have dragged her into it.

※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※

Thanks to the little angels who voted for me as overlord or poured nutrient solution for me during the period from 2020-04-17 08:30:26 to 2020-04-18 09:14:59~

Thanks to the little angels who poured nutrient solution: Qiqi, FengHuangHuaYouKai 1 bottle;

Thank you very much for everyone's support; I will continue to work hard!