The final preparations for the wedding took another three hours.
That was how long it took to finish the girls' makeup, get their dresses ready, and put the finishing touches on the hall where the ceremony would take place.
Rows of red lanterns hung along the beams, bathing the hall in a warm glow. Carpets embroidered with gold thread covered the polished stone floor, and the sweet scent of incense slowly drifted into every corner.
They also had to wait for the thousands of guests to arrive.
They came from all corners—from wealthy entrepreneurs and merchants to powerful generals and the leaders of the most prosperous cities and sects—until the palace corridors were packed, the low hum of their conversations echoing off the walls.
All of this took a long time, and by the time everything was finally ready, it was nearly three in the morning.
