Allure of a Country Maiden
Chapter 560 - 558

Chapter 560: 558

The Second Prince’s grand wedding, nearly every household in the Imperial City’s main street hung up red lanterns outside their doors for luck and celebration.

The residence of the Lord of Shuntian Mansion was even more lavishly decorated with lanterns and festoons.

Although it was not yet dawn, the streets were already bustling.

The wedding procession, blowing horns, marched towards the Ruan Mansion.

The wedding of the prince involved complicated rituals. The Imperial Observatory chose the auspicious time for receiving the bride to be before dawn, allowing ample time for the completion of various ceremonies.

"They’re coming, they’re coming, the Second Prince’s wedding party is here!" A maid ran in to pass the message.

Xiao’er quickly ordered the doors of the room to be closed.

"Ladies, we won’t open the door unless each of us gets 100 taels!"

"Lady Rui’an, you’re definitely a spy sent by the Second Prince! 100 taels are not enough! We need 1,000 taels! Ladies, don’t open the door until each of us gets 1,000 taels, understood?"

In her heart, Xiao’er silently mourned for Shangguan Xuanhao. Taking 1,000 taels per person from Shangguan Xuanhao―a man who focused more on researching herbs than on managing large funds―would probably leave him penniless!

The Second Prince led the procession, followed by a troop of handsome and talented young men, making a grand entrance.

"The groom is here, open the door quickly to not miss the auspicious time!" Shangguan Xuanjun stepped forward and knocked on the door.

"Not until we see 9,999,999 taels of silver!" Shangguan Wanru announced.

9,999,999 taels of silver? Shangguan Xuanhao choked on his spit after hearing this. He guessed he wouldn’t get a wife today!

No, he figured he wouldn’t be able to get a wife in this lifetime! He had never even seen what 9,999,999 taels of silver looked like!

Zhao Youwei brought out a ten-tael gold ingot and knocked on the door: "Gold ingot is here, open the door quickly."

Xiao’er cracked open the door a bit, revealing half of her face. She quickly snatched the gold ingot from Zhao Youwei’s hand and swiftly slammed the door shut.

Zhao Youwei was caught off guard. He thought Shangguan Wanru would open the door, but it was the woman he secretly loved who did so. He was stunned, and the gold was snatched away, the door closing right before his eyes.

That was way too fast.

Zhao Youwei’s brother’s finger had just touched the door when it was closed.

"Youwei, you have to hold the gold ingot tighter!"

"Yes! Save some silver for drinks!"

"Wanru, open the door quickly. Later, big brother will let the Second Prince privately give you 1,000 taels of silver!" Shangguan Ruixi said.

"Crown Prince, you don’t need to waste your breath. We have no traitors here. The Second Prince thinks he can bring home a beauty with just 1,000 taels of silver? Keep dreaming! Let’s see 10,000 taels of silver first." Xiao’er suggested.

"Yes, bring out 10,000 taels, then we’ll open the door!" Shangguan Wanru echoed.

"Give them a silver banknote of 10,000 taels." Shangguan Xuanhao responded promptly upon hearing this.

The young lady was kind to him; 10,000 taels of silver was way less than 9,999,999 taels, saving him 9,989,999 taels!

"Ladies, this time you must open the door. We’ve already given out the 10,000 taels, we won’t have any more silver if you don’t open the door now!" Zhao Youhe shouted loudly.

"Yes, we only brought 10,000 taels. If you still don’t open the door, we will have to go back for more silver, which will delay the auspicious time." Shangguan Ruixi added.

"Less talk, first hand in the banknote of 10,000 taels." Fu Ranhui demanded.

Shangguan Ruixi took out a red envelope with a 10,000 taels silver banknote and knocked on the door.

Xiao’er once again opened a small crack in the door and quickly snatched away the red envelope.

The men had just tried to force the door open when it was shut again by a strong force from inside.

The men grew frustrated and banged on the door: "How come you took the 10,000 taels yet still won’t open the door?"

"Yes, it’s the auspicious time! Please, open the door!"

Xiao’er replied: "Hold on, let’s ask the Second Prince a few more questions, and then we will open the door. Answer three correctly and we’ll open it!"

"What kind of questions?" Upon hearing Xiao’er’s words, Shangguan Xuanhao broke out in a nervous sweat.

Considering how he often engaged in battles of wit and words with Xiao’er, he was terrified she’d seek revenge!

"What’s Wei Zhen’s favorite color?"

Upon hearing this question, Shangguan Xuanhao was so moved, he was almost in tears!

He decided to treat Xiao’er as his own mother from now on!

"Purple." She was always seen in purple clothing. It must be purple, right?

After giving the answer, Shangguan Xuanhao became uncertain.

"Correct, next question, under what circumstances did you two first meet?"

Shangguan Xuanhao was speechless. How could he possibly remember that? He thought about it. They had met before the Sacrifice to Heaven ceremony, but was that the first time?

After the Sacrifice to Heaven ceremony, they only started bumping into each other at the academy after the start of the semester at Zhixin Academy. But where exactly was their first meeting? And under what circumstances!

Shangguan Xuanhao looked at Shangguan Xuanyi: Your wife is so hard to deal with. Be careful, I might take revenge when it’s your turn to get married!

Shangguan Xuanyi glanced at him indifferently, then looked away as if nothing had happened.

If he can’t even remember when he first saw his own wife, he deserves not to be able to marry her!

Shangguan Xuanhao glared at Shangguan Xuanyi. Is this still how brothers behave?

Shangguan Xuanhao begged the people around him for help: Does anyone know?!

Shangguan Xuanjun remembered that when Shangguan Xuanhao was ten, he saved a five-year-old girl from drowning. At that time, Master Ruan was not yet the Fu Yin of Shuntian Mansion, but he remembered that the girl called Master Ruan her father.

Shangguan Xuanjun quietly said a few words to Shangguan Xuanhao.

That’s when Shangguan Xuanhao remembered that something like that had happened.

"The first time we met was when Miss Ruan was five. She had fallen into a river because she was playful, and I rescued her."

Xiao’er looked to Ruan Weizhen for confirmation.

Ruan Weizhen nodded, her eyes involuntarily welling up with tears. She thought he had long since forgotten.

A hero saving a damsel in distress? No wonder Ruan Weizhen seemed to have a special fondness for Shangguan Xuanhao. So, he was her life savior!

"The last item is not a question but a requirement. Once you fulfill it, we’ll open the door."

Girl, please show some mercy, Shangguan Xuanhao wailed in his heart upon hearing these words.

Mrs. Ruan couldn’t help but remind the young ladies from within, "The auspicious hour is almost here. Don’t delay it!"

After all, her daughter was getting married to a prince. Mrs. Ruan was worried that they were having too much fun and would upset Shangguan Xuanhao.

"Don’t worry, Mrs. Ruan, we know what we are doing." reassured Xiao’er.

"Yes! Only when men know how hard it is to marry a wife will they know how to cherish them." Shangguan Wanru added.

Helpless, Mrs. Ruan could only hope that Shangguan Xuanhao wouldn’t grow impatient.

"The last requirement is to sing a song to express your admiration for Miss Ruan."

Upon hearing these words, Shangguan Xuanhao felt an urge to barge in and strangle Xiao’er!

This girl was doing it on purpose. She knew well that singing was what he hated the most. He was tone-deaf.

"Girl, I can’t sing!"

"Then compose a love poem!"

Shangguan Xuanhao wanted to cry.

Since when could he compose love poems?!

He could only recite the Herbal Medicine Song!

Shangguan Xuanhao quickly turned to Jingrui and Shangguan Ruixi and others for help: Brothers, help me out here!

His brothers: Are you marrying a wife, or are we marrying a wife?! You should write it yourself!