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As the highest-ranking official under the Governor, Fei Qian, the Assistant to the Governor, naturally had to attend the grand wedding ceremony of Liu Biao (Liu Jingsheng). As for the Pang family, Pang Degong, being too old to attend, assigned Pang Tong to represent the family and offer congratulations.
The wedding of a high-ranking local official like the Governor was no small affair.
As Fei Qian and Pang Tong made their way to the ceremony, the streets were lined with festive decorations, and the roads were spotlessly clean.
It seemed that Yi Ji's "clean-up" policy had been implemented quite well...
However, compared to the festive atmosphere, Fei Qian couldn't help but feel a bit out of place when he looked at his own clothes and then at Pang Tong's attire.
In the Han Dynasty, weddings didn't involve wearing red. Instead, the attire was entirely black, and participants were required to hold candles...
If you added a small white flower to the mix, it would almost look like...
Not only were the people dressed in black, but even the carriages were black...
Especially Pang Tong, who was already quite dark-skinned. Dressed in black, when he stood still and only his eyes blinked, the effect was... indescribable.
The customs of the Han Dynasty were truly peculiar.
When Uncle Fu brought over the set of black robes, Fei Qian almost thought it was a mistake. But when Pang Tong also showed up in black, Fei Qian realized that, at least during this period of the Han Dynasty, black was the color for weddings...
Interestingly, the wedding ceremony wasn't held indoors but in a tent set up outdoors with blue cloth. Outside this tent, countless candles were lit, making the area as bright as day. Most of the guests gathered here.
Among the guests were not only the officials from Liu Biao's Governor's office but also members of the scholar-gentry families. There were both male and female guests, as the Han Dynasty wasn't as strict about gender segregation as later dynasties like the Ming and Qing. Women, whether married or unmarried, attended the wedding in groups, chattering away and adding to the lively atmosphere.
Among the male guests, Fei Qian looked around and decided that chatting with Yi Ji would be the best way to pass the time. After all, they had interacted a few times before, and Yi Ji seemed like a decent fellow.
So, he pulled Pang Tong along to head toward Yi Ji. But halfway there, Pang Tong seemed to hear someone calling him and wandered off, eventually disappearing into a group of female guests...
This kid seems quite popular, huh?
Well, Pang Tong was only about ten years old, just a half-grown child. Even if he mingled with the female guests, it wasn't a big deal. So, Fei Qian shook his head and went to find Yi Ji on his own.
Yi Ji was as polite as ever. When he saw Fei Qian approaching, he clasped his hands and greeted him as "Assistant to the Governor."
Fei Qian said, "Brother Ji, you're too formal. Just call me Ziyuan. The streets are so clean and the shops so orderly—it seems you've put in a lot of effort these past few days..."
"All credit goes to the Governor. I dare not claim any merit," Yi Ji replied, as diplomatic as ever.
The two exchanged a few pleasantries when Pang Tong suddenly reappeared, pulling Fei Qian aside and whispering something.
Fei Qian didn't catch what Pang Tong said, so he leaned down and asked, "What did you just say?"
Pang Tong looked at Fei Qian carefully, his eyes twinkling, and chuckled, "Nothing, nothing. Carry on, carry on..." Then he ran off again, leaving Fei Qian utterly confused.
What's this kid up to?
At that moment, Liu Biao arrived with the bridal procession, and the crowd outside the blue tent erupted in excitement. Fei Qian forgot about Pang Tong's strange behavior and turned to watch Liu Biao's arrival.
Liu Biao rode in on a tall horse, and as he passed, people on both sides of the road bowed and offered their congratulations. Liu Biao returned the gestures with a broad smile, occasionally laughing heartily.
Indeed, Liu Biao had now firmly established himself. As long as no major mistakes were made, no one could easily challenge his position. For someone as ambitious as Liu Biao, who wanted to achieve great things in Jingxiang, this was like securing a safety rope, allowing him to walk more confidently on the tightrope of power.
Soon, Liu Biao reached Fei Qian's vicinity.
Fei Qian and Yi Ji both bowed to congratulate Liu Biao, who smiled and nodded from his horse before continuing forward.
Following Liu Biao was the bride, the daughter of the Cai family, riding in a carriage.
When they reached the blue tent, the couple was to perform the ceremonial bowing. Liu Biao led the Cai daughter out of the wedding carriage, and the crowd erupted in cheers again.
In the Han Dynasty, the bridal veil wasn't yet popular, so everyone could clearly see the bride's face.
Fei Qian estimated that the Cai daughter was no older than twenty. Compared to Liu Biao, who had a full beard, the two looked like they belonged in completely different worlds...
The Cai daughter, amid the cheers, kept her head down and her eyes lowered, appearing shy. But Fei Qian, standing relatively close, noticed something unusual.
A blank expression—yes, her face was completely blank.
While Liu Biao's face was filled with joy, the Cai daughter's slight smile seemed painted on, stiff and lifeless.
Indeed, what young woman doesn't dream of love?
Like in that Zhou Xingchi movie about "Journey to the West", what woman doesn't wish for her husband to arrive on a cloud of seven colors?
The colorful cloud had arrived, but the man riding it was old enough to be her father...
Perhaps others besides Fei Qian noticed the Cai daughter's blank expression, but no one else seemed to care.
For Liu Biao, it didn't matter whether he married Cai A-San or Cai A-Si, as long as she was a direct descendant of the Cai family...
For the Cai family, it didn't matter whether their daughter married a man in his forties or fifties, as long as he was the Governor of Jing Province...
This kind of arrangement was common in the Eastern Han Dynasty, especially among the scholar-gentry and the powerful.
The crowd surged into the blue tent, and the ceremonial official began to loudly announce the start of the bowing ceremony...
Fei Qian didn't follow immediately. Instead, he stood outside the tent and muttered softly, "This is truly... a political marriage."
Pang Tong, who had somehow reappeared, overheard Fei Qian's words but didn't understand. He asked, "Ziyuan, what did you say? What kind of marriage?"
"Political... Never mind, let's go in first. I'll explain later," Fei Qian said, pulling Pang Tong into the tent. He thought to himself, 'I hope my marriage won't end up being a political one...'
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A/N: Marriage alliances were the most common form of interest exchange among the scholar-gentry in the Eastern Han Dynasty... Of course, this wasn't unique to the Han Dynasty—it's still common today.
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