Chapter 336: The Three-Bow Ceremony

Chapter 336: Chapter 336: The Three-Bow Ceremony

With all eyes on the door, Hu Dacheng was the first to emerge.

Seeing the large crowd that had gathered, he froze for a moment, a look of complete bewilderment on his face as he glanced back over his shoulder.

The person behind him, apparently oblivious to his panic, stepped out with a calm and unhurried gait.

As Guan Shan stepped fully out of the room, standing tall and imposing in the sunlight, a moment of silence was instantly shattered by a wave of chatter.

"Well now! That build, that height... he looks pretty good..."

"More than just ’pretty good’..."

"His limbs... they’re really healed..."

Just as the crowd was grappling with this surprise, something even more astonishing happened—someone saw his face.

It was reminiscent of Ji Liantang’s wedding day. When Du Caizhu had emerged from her sedan chair, quite a few people had fallen right off the walls they were perched on.

That scene replayed itself today, and if anything, even more people fell.

Those who were already in the courtyard and standing close were hit the worst. Upon seeing Guan Shan’s face up close, they let out a cry of "Oh my god!" and scrambled to get out.

The others, not understanding the commotion, followed their gazes and were likewise left stunned and horrified.

"Look! H-His face!"

A chorus of gasps and screams erupted. The gazes of shock, fear, and speculation were so intense that Ji Huan could feel them clearly, even through her thick wedding veil. ℯℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

A pang of regret hit Ji Huan.

’Guan Shan said he didn’t care what others thought, but could he truly be indifferent?’

’He might not care about one or two, but faced with so many strange looks and so much gossip, could he really endure it?’

’Putting herself in his shoes, she knew she couldn’t.’

’Maybe... maybe they shouldn’t have had this wedding...’

’That’s it, I’m stopping this right now! To hell with the rules, and to hell with what anyone else says...’

Just as Ji Huan was about to lift her veil and send the guests away, a hand closed around hers.

Without her realizing, Guan Shan had come to her side.

"It’s okay," he said, his voice so low only she could hear the two words.

His large hand enveloped hers, conveying his resolve with unmistakable clarity. Then, he led her forward.

His steps, like his voice, were firm and powerful.

Ji Huan let him lead her, stunned. The tightness in her chest slowly began to ease.

"Hey? The red silk sash..."

Aunt Wang was holding a length of red silk. She was supposed to give one end to Ji Huan so that Guan Shan could lead her with the other, but she was a step too slow. The two were already holding hands.

Just as Aunt Wang was about to rush after them, Ji Xuelan tugged her back, smiling. "Isn’t this just as good?"

The man was tall and broad, the woman slender and delicate. Walking side by side, they were indeed a sight to behold.

Still, the thought of their hands clasped together, hidden beneath wide sleeves... It simply wasn’t proper.

Before Aunt Wang could dwell on it, the bride and groom had already stopped walking.

They turned in unison to face the altar.

On the altar, incense smoke curled and red candles burned brightly. In the center stood the spirit tablets of Ji Liansong and Mrs. Wei.

As for the people who had been crowded around the altar, most had either walked away or fled. Only the most intensely curious remained, and even they had retreated to a safe distance, nearly outside the main gate.

Guan Shan and Ji Huan seemed to be standing in a vacuum, making them all the more conspicuous.

"Let’s begin."

The man’s voice was too unfamiliar, his commanding tone too self-assured. For a moment, Village Chief Meng didn’t even realize the words were directed at him.

It wasn’t until Hu Liang whispered a reminder from behind him that he snapped back to his senses.

"Ah! Right, ahem! Let’s begin. Yes, we’ll begin now."

According to protocol, the groom was to invite the bride to take her place before the altar, all under his guidance as the master of ceremonies.

He had been distracted by the crowd’s reaction and had failed to act. Guan Shan, however, had remained perfectly composed and simply led Ji Huan to the altar himself, which made him, the master of ceremonies, look rather useless.

Village Chief Meng cleared his throat, composed himself, and shouted for the firecrackers.

Hu Liang had already run to the main gate and was waiting. The moment the village chief’s voice faded, the firecrackers went off.

Amidst the CRACKLE and POP of the explosions, the murmurs of the crowd were drowned out.

Guan Shan still held her hand. ’I really want to lift my veil and look at him right now,’ Ji Huan thought. ’Then again, maybe he’s the one who should be wearing it.’

’But that would be a form of disrespect to him, wouldn’t it?’

’I should trust him.’

At that thought, the hand enveloped in his stirred, and she gave his palm a gentle squeeze in a gesture of comfort and encouragement.

’He should be able to feel that,’ she hoped.

Guan Shan felt her small movement. He turned his head slightly, his gaze falling upon her.

Of course, Ji Huan couldn’t see this. She only felt his grip on her hand tighten, so much that it almost hurt, before it relaxed slightly.

When the firecrackers stopped, Village Chief Meng began to officiate.

The first part of the ceremony was for the bride and groom to offer incense to the spirit tablets on the altar.

Ji Mingfang handed over the lit incense sticks from the side. Guan Shan accepted them, separated three for Ji Huan to hold, and then guided her forward by the arm.

It had always been Ji Huan taking care of Guan Shan. Now that their roles were suddenly reversed, with him looking after her every move, she felt a little awkward.

She wanted to tell him that even though the veil obscured her vision, she could still see the ground beneath her feet and wouldn’t fall.

But now was clearly not the time to say so. Besides, his intentions were good, so she simply accepted his help.

Ji Huan followed his lead, and with his help, successfully placed the incense sticks into the censer.

They returned to their spots for the next part of the wedding: the traditional three bows, which Ji Huan was familiar with.

Seizing the opportunity, Aunt Wang finally managed to press the two ends of the red silk sash into their hands.

"First bow, to Heaven and Earth!"

After Village Chief Meng’s cry, Guan Shan and Ji Huan turned in unison, their backs to the altar, facing the main gate.

Kneeling cushions had already been placed at their feet. They knelt and bowed low.

When the bow was complete, Guan Shan rose first and then offered a hand to help Ji Huan to her feet.

Widow Xie, watching from a distance, took in this scene, and her opinion of Guan Shan began to change.

From the moment he’d stepped out of the east wing and walked calmly toward Ji Huan through the pointing and murmuring, his eyes had never left her.

He hadn’t spared the onlookers a single glance, and he’d completely ignored their hurtful words as if he couldn’t hear them.

He guided Ji Huan forward, attentive to her every move. He seemed... like a man who knew how to care for someone.

Besides, a person’s eyes don’t lie. Though Guan Shan’s face remained largely expressionless, the look in his eyes when he gazed at Ji Huan was something else entirely.

Widow Xie was finally convinced. The two of them must have genuinely fallen for each other over time.

’Oh, well,’ she thought. ’No matter how handsome a man is, it’s all for nothing if he doesn’t treat Ji Huan well. It’s much more practical to find a man who’s attentive to her needs.’

"Second bow, to the parents!"

Ji Huan and Guan Shan turned back to face the altar and bowed just as they had before.

Once they were standing again, Village Chief Meng called out the third and final command: "Bow to each other!"

This bow didn’t require kneeling. The bride and groom simply had to stand facing one another and bow.

Guan Shan turned to face Ji Huan.

Ji Huan turned to face Guan Shan.

The first two bows had been fine, but for some reason, Ji Huan felt a flutter of nerves as she prepared for this one.

She slowed her breathing, telling herself it was just a simple gesture.

But this simple gesture seemed to hold a kind of rustic sincerity, as if this one bow would truly, irrevocably bind them as husband and wife.

And she could feel Guan Shan’s gaze on her, an intense focus that penetrated right through her veil.

’Don’t overthink it,’ Ji Huan told herself. ’This is just an act. But he’s taking it so seriously, so I can’t just go through the motions.’

At the call of "Bow," she felt a slight tug on her end of the red sash and bent at the waist.

"Rise—The ceremony is complete!"

With those words, the wedding ceremony was officially over.

What followed were the entry into the bridal chamber, the cross-cupped wine, the customary teasing of the newlyweds, the banquet, and the greeting of guests. There were no more complicated rituals after this.

At a normal wedding, after the master of ceremonies announced the couple’s entry into the bridal chamber, the onlookers would have surged forward to heckle, tease, and symbolically block the path before letting the groom lead his bride away.

But today, several moments after Village Chief Meng finished speaking, the courtyard remained silent.

The few remaining spectators were all standing far off. No one dared to approach.

Seeing that this wouldn’t do, Ji Xuelan exchanged a look with Hu Liang and Ji Mingfang. The three of them were just about to step forward when they stopped in their tracks.

Once again forgoing the red sash, Guan Shan took Ji Huan’s hand and led her toward the main hall, whispering a soft reminder as they crossed the threshold.

Then, they walked straight into the east room.

The courtyard remained deathly still, utterly silent, until the door to the east room closed behind them.