Master Ru didn't lie when he said that today and tomorrow were going to be the most exhausting days of their lives.
After sending off Elder Gu, Master Ru busied himself in making arrangements for tomorrow's engagement and wedding. Instead of skipping the event, he had decided to conduct both of them on the same day.
Although it would be more exhausting and troublesome, he saw it better than skipping a tradition.
The tailors and jewellers were immediately informed by him about the sudden change by Master Ru. Although troubled, they had no choice but to get all the goods ready within this limited time.
The servants in the residence were also in a rush to finish all the wedding decorations, arrange food for the banquets that would take place, inform the whole town about tomorrow's engagement cum wedding and other miscellaneous things.
Meanwhile, Yi Chen and Feng Yu were diligently being looked after by the maids and male servants. Various cosmetics were applied to their faces and were left on them to dry for a few hours.
Afterwards, they took a dip in warm medicinal baths that had been prepared for them in their private bathhouses and took their time while in them.
Finally, by four in the evening, these preparations were completed, but it was only the start of the real struggle.
Madam Lin soon called the two of them in the outer courtyard and familiarised them with all the changes that had taken place for tomorrow's function.
What followed next was them going over the rituals and procedures again and again to the point that it was ingrained in their bones.
'Oh, my back…' Yi Chen cursed under his breath as he performed another kowtow in the way Madam Lin wanted him to.
It was only after nine in the evening did Madam Lin finally nodded in satisfaction and left the residence.
Exhausted, the two glanced towards each other and smiled bitterly.
"Let's go and have dinner," Yi Chen said. His stomach was about to throw a tantrum soon.
"Yes," Feng Yu nodded with an exhausted sigh, and the two soon made their way to the dining hall.
Master Ru, who had been informed about their class being over, was waiting for them in the dining hall.
"You guys are finally here," Master Ru nodded and gestured at them to sit down quickly, "The food has already been served, so quickly finish it up and go to your rooms to rest.
Tomorrow you two need to be up two hours before daybreak, so you should get all the rest that you can for tomorrow."
The two nodded and started their meal. While at it, Master Ru kept inputting them on the details for tomorrow they should be aware of, and finally, the dinner came to an end.
It was only after Yi Chen was all alone in his room and had his back resting on his mattress that the thoughts about tomorrow night started creeping into his mind.
Throughout the day, he had been surrounded by too many servants and was mentally occupied to let his wander like this.
However, now that he was all alone, his mind did what it was best at when idle: worrying.
'Just how will I face her tomorrow night…' Yi Chen bit his lip in worry as he turned towards one side. His gaze suddenly fell upon a bottle that was placed on a table next to the wall.
'Eternal Fire Pills…'
A solution to his problem appeared right in front of him. However, he soon shook that thought away.
"No! How can I be called a man if I take something like that on my wedding night? I refuse to resort to something like that!" Yi Chen exclaimed stubbornly. His pride didn't allow him to resort to this method.
'Yes, I'm sure there won't be any problem tomorrow since I've spent so much time with her by now, and I'm much closer to her. I'm worrying for nothing,' he snorted while in thought and turned to the other side of the bed before closing his eyes shut.
Sleep soon took over him.
Meanwhile, Feng Yu, who was fidgeting in her room with nervous anticipation all this while, finally calmed her mind and fell asleep a few moments later.
Early in the morning, Yi Chen was forced awake by his man servant and was soon taken to the bathhouse to freshen up while still in his drowsy state.
'Can't they just do everything at night…I want to sleep mo-'
SPLASH!
A splash of cold water by his servant was all it took to wake him up for good, and with curses apparent on his expression, Yi Chen took a dip in the warm water waiting for him in the bathhouse.
An hour after daybreak, Yi Chen was elegantly dressed in a light green robe with white trousers. He was currently sitting on a white horse and had an ornamental sword at his waist.
"It will not go crazy, right?...right?" Yi Chen asked the guard standing below him the third time.
"I assure you, Young Master, that will never happen," The guard placated him with an exhausted sigh and continued to repeat the same several times until Madam Lin arrived with a man neatly dressed in white robes.
Madam Lin wouldn't tag along with the procession since she was a lady. So she had brought her son with her, who would be acting as Yi Chen's attendant during the procession. The man seemed to be in his twenties and greeted Yi Chen with a short bow.
Yi Chen returned the greeting, and meanwhile, Madam Lin was inspecting all the arrangements that were made, and finally, when she was satisfied, she gave a nod to her son, who declared in a resonant voice, "Let the procession begin."
With her words, the servants carrying the drums began to beat them rhythmically.
The group of fifteen people, consisting of Yi Chen, Madam Lin's son and several servants carrying various gift offerings with them, finally left the Great Blue Residence and walked through the streets of the town.
Thanks to the drum beats, the townsfolk were alerted, and as the procession went through the main streets of the town, they gathered outside to witness it with several thoughts in their mind.
"Just what could be the reason behind this rush?" a middle-aged woman whispered.
"Don't you know? I heard that..."
Just like this, several whispers were exchanged among the crowd that had come to witness the procession.
"I'm glad I'm not him..."
"Sigh...poor boy,"
Some whispered about the reason behind doing both the engagement and wedding happening on the same day, while others whispered in pity about Yi Chen's fate.
These words sometimes did end up entering Yi Chen's ears. However, he really didn't care about their opinion at all. Instead, his mind was more preoccupied with something else.
'Just what kind of crisis it would be…' He kept repeating these words throughout the procession in his mind. Now that he had a lot of time with himself, he had started to ponder more and more over it.
However, it was of no avail.
Finally, after touring all the main streets, the procession circled back to the Great Blue Residence, where the head steward was waiting to receive them outside the main entrance along with several other servants.