TTTQF Chapter 98

Farewell

Crackle, crackle... crackle, crackle...

The deafening sound of firecrackers echoes continuously from one end of the street to the other. The common folk cover their ears and huddle under the eaves, watching with excitement as the red fragments burst into the air and flutter down, carpeting the ground like a red carpet.

After the firecrackers come the sound of lively music. The people smile joyfully, the festive tunes announcing that a grand wedding banquet is about to take place.

Pei Che rides a horse adorned with a red silk ribbon on its head, dressed in a magnificent red outfit. This attire has been painstakingly embroidered by the seamstresses of the household over a long period. Every detail—from the cut to the stitching and the intricate embroidery—exudes luxury and grandeur.

As the saying goes, "A joyous event brings high spirits." Pei Che, already strikingly handsome, seems to radiate even more brilliance in his red attire.

Behind him, four horses, carrying the groomsmen accompanying him to collect the bride, ride in unison. The riders are either elegant, proud, stern, or approachable, each possessing their own unique charm. Together, they provide a visual spectacle like no other.

The people of Liangjing excitedly watch the scene unfold, pointing and whispering their opinions about the long procession passing by. Only when the parade moves on do they sigh with disappointment.

Suddenly, a voice from the crowd says, "I just realized... I didn’t see a bridal sedan chair."

"Yeah, I didn’t see it either!" someone else exclaims. Without a sedan chair, how are they going to fetch the bride?

"Maybe they are in such a rush that they forgot to bring it out?" someone speculates.

"Impossible! How could the Duke’s household be so careless? No, they must have left it out on purpose. After all, Young Master Pei is marrying a male bride."

The crowd suddenly understands. Of course, he is marrying a man, a man who even owns a shop on the main street. Many of them have paid thirty coins to catch a glimpse of this male bride back in the day. By now, almost everyone in the western part of the city knows him. There really isn’t a need for him to ride in a sedan chair.

In truth, Jiang Miao doesn’t mind not making a public appearance. He simply doesn’t want to ride in the sedan chair—it is too small and narrow, and being carried while swaying up and down would surely make him nauseous in no time.

Pei Che decides between using a carriage or a horse to fetch his bride. He wants Jiang Miao to ride a horse alongside him, so that when the people of Liangjing remember this day, they will recall the image of the two riding together.

In preparation, Jiang Miao practices mounting and dismounting gracefully, hoping to appear more dashing. As for actually riding, there will be a stableman leading the horse, so all he has to do is sit steadily.

Now, Jiang Miao sits on the bed, dressed in the same red outfit as Pei Che, with his hair tied up high and wearing the same jade crown. When Jiang Miao first sees himself in the mirror, he can’t help but feel a sense of unreality. He squeezes his eyes shut and then opens them quickly. The unchanging reflection staring back at him makes him finally resign himself to fate—today, there is no escaping this marriage.

To be honest, Jiang Miao has once imagined what his wedding day might be like, but none of his scenarios have ever been as outrageous as today’s. Sometimes, Jiang Miao feels like exclaiming about the unpredictability of life—without a script, no one knows what will happen next.

"The groom is here!"

Excited shouts come from outside, a mix of adult and children’s voices creating a lively scene. Jiang Miao wants to go out and watch the commotion—since arriving in ancient times, he hasn’t had the chance to witness a wedding up close.

Outside, people are giving the groom and his party a hard time with challenges, but judging by the waves of cheers, they are handling it with ease.

The noise grows closer and closer. The final gatekeeper is Xiao Shitou, the child standing at the door. Though small, he is Jiang Miao’s closest blood relative in this world and Pei Che’s legitimate brother-in-law.

The crowd outside is so loud that Jiang Miao can’t hear what Xiao Shitou and Pei Che are saying. Just as he is about to sneak to the door to eavesdrop, he hears the creak of the door opening. Startled, he rushes back to sit on the bed.

The door swings open, and even though Jiang Miao has become somewhat immune to Pei Che’s face, he still can’t help but be struck by a wave of beauty. He stares at Pei Che, lost in thought, and Pei Che, looking at him, seems equally entranced.

Jiang Miao, dressed in red with a jade crown tying up his hair, looks even sharper than usual, adding a layer of intensity to his sunny and handsome face. His eyes, filled with joy and a hint of shyness, meet Pei Che’s gaze.

“Ah Che!” He Chen, standing behind Pei Che, gently reminds him. Pei Che snaps out of his daze, takes a few steps forward, and reaches out his hand to Jiang Miao, saying, “Ah Miao, I’m here.” His voice trembles slightly, carrying a complex mix of emotions.

Jiang Miao comes back to his senses as well, smiles at Pei Che, and places his hand in Pei Che’s, using his strength to stand up.

Seeing that the newlyweds are about to walk out hand in hand, the matchmaker quickly grabs the red silk from the tray and stuffs both ends into their hands, ensuring they hold it as they exit together.

When the procession arrives at the main hall, Uncle Jiang and Aunt Jiang are already seated in the place of honor. Jiang Miao’s parents passed away early, and Uncle and Aunt Jiang raised him, so they sit as his elders.

The two sit there with complex expressions, watching as Pei Che and Jiang Miao kneel down together to offer their thanks.

"In the future... just live your lives well," Uncle Jiang says. In his heart, whether it is a man and woman marrying or two men, the most important thing is living a good life together.

Both of them nod solemnly. Faced with this advice from an elder who doesn’t fully understand the situation, they don’t know how else to respond but to agree.

Aunt Jiang wipes away a tear. Compared to men, women tend to be more emotional. She advises Jiang Miao to be filial to Pei Che’s family, reminding him that he can’t behave as freely in someone else’s home as he does in his own.

Jiang Miao can’t help but find it amusing. Why does this sound like the advice given to a newlywed bride? And yet, all he can do is agree.

After bidding farewell to his relatives, Jiang Miao is led step by step outside by Pei Che. Xiao Shitou walks alongside them, following closely. He stares at Pei Che for a long time with an inscrutable expression before finally speaking as they leave the courtyard, “Big Brother Pei, you have to treat my brother well from now on.”

His tone is low and mature, as if in the blink of an eye, Xiao Shitou has grown up, becoming a man ready to take on responsibility for the household.

“I will treat your brother well,” Pei Che promises.

Xiao Shitou studies his expression carefully, trying to determine if he is being sincere. Once he is convinced, he turns to Jiang Miao and motions for him to kneel down.

Jiang Miao is a bit confused but kneels. Xiao Shitou throws himself into his brother’s arms, whispering in his ear, “Brother, if Big Brother Pei doesn’t treat you well, you tell me! I’ll come get you back! When I grow up, I’ll go teach him a lesson.”

Jiang Miao wants to laugh but is also deeply touched. He had originally treated this wedding as just a task to complete, but hearing Xiao Shitou’s innocent promise gives him a genuine sense of leaving home for the first time.

To hide his emotions, Jiang Miao lightly flicks Xiao Shitou’s forehead. “What are you saying? I’m only leaving for a day. Tomorrow, I’ll come pick you up.”

Xiao Shitou blinks his reddened eyes and nods with a thick nasal tone, “Mm.”

Pei Che steps forward, pulling Jiang Miao up, and says to Xiao Shitou, “Tomorrow, I’ll bring Mu’er and your brother to pick you up. I promise, we’ll live just like before.”

Xiao Shitou nods firmly, and as Jiang Miao mounts the horse, Xiao Shitou can’t hold back his tears any longer and begins to cry.

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