The sound of firecrackers and drums filled the air, creating a joyful atmosphere. From the side window of the bridal sedan chair, one could see that the people outside were all excited and enthusiastic. However, the person inside the sedan chair did not have a single happy thought in their heart.

  It's the most normal thing in the world for a woman to marry a man she has never met before, as long as she doesn't want to be an old maid. It's just that this time, the custom is a bit too much.

  She pulled down her veil and crumpled it in her hand, resisting the urge to turn back, and forced herself to think about the family she was about to marry into.

  After the imperial edict arrived, she searched the Qi house thoroughly. To say that twenty years ago, the Qi house was at its peak, but since General Qi was injured on the battlefield and retired to recover, although the framework of the Qi house still existed and the holy grace had not diminished, their actual strength was less than half of what it was in its heyday.

  The reason is that after the old general, there was no one who could replace him as the sky of the Qi family. The army had changed blood several times and it was no longer something the Qi family could hold onto.

  Qī Yòu, the man who is going to marry her, is the eldest grandson of the old general. It is said that he was raised by the old general himself and at the age of sixteen, he already surpassed his master. Everyone says that when Qī Yòu grows up, the Qī family will surely regain its former glory.

  Qī Yòu is twenty-two years old this year, and has been strictly controlled since childhood, cultivating a strict and self-restrained personality. He has a wife and two concubines, but none of them have borne him children, which is considered unusual among the sons of official families, and even low-key.

  She was also willing to agree to this marriage because she had investigated these things. In this world, there are too few men who have only their wife in their eyes like her brother-in-law. Even if it's her own father, at home, he is obedient to his wife, but when he goes out, won't he also go to those brothels and play around?

  She can't stay at home and be a spinster, embarrassing her parents. Since she has to do this one thing, then this man isn't the worst choice. Moreover, Xia is a martial outlaw, and there aren't many people in the martial world who truly follow the law. But for this matter, she can't act arbitrarily. Her father's position is too conspicuous, and she can't let her parents have such a hidden danger by their side. No emperor can tolerate someone who defies him. Right now he doesn't have the leisure to deal with it, but there will come a time when he does.

  Since she has to get married anyway, and there's no one she loves, it doesn't matter who she marries. It's just...it's a bit far away, she never thought that in this lifetime, she would be so far away from her parents.

  The noise outside was incessant, and the various words of envy and jealousy made Hua Ruyi sneer in her heart. No matter which world's people have a common disease, they can't bear to see others better than themselves. Indeed, money is still the most reassuring thing, at least it won't betray you and run into someone else's pocket without your permission.

  Qī Yòu did not personally come to welcome the bride, it was not that he intentionally delayed, as the core of the crown prince's faction, the person most trusted by the crown prince, he could not leave the crown prince's side for a moment, even on his own wedding day.

  Instead of him, it was Qi Zhen, the second son of the Qi family, the son of the third wife, who came. He had a charming face since birth and wore brocade clothes, sitting on a tall horse with eyes flashing everywhere. If he had known earlier that Yangzhou's atmosphere was so open and there were so many beauties, he should have come earlier.

  I wonder what his elder sister-in-law looks like, the daughter of the Wulin Alliance leader, she shouldn't be a female demon, maybe she's even a powerful female demon, tsk, big brother is really pitiful.

  Hua Ruyi led a group of brothers who were also riding horses, walking on the other side of the sedan chair, with a cold face and not looking sideways. This Qi family boy looks like a troublemaker no matter how you look at him, he can't help but feel itchy hands.

  Fortunately, the dock was not far away, and at their slow pace, they arrived three quarters of an hour later.

  Three large ships were moored side by side, with red silk fluttering in the wind. Two of them looked steady and majestic, while the one on the far end appeared luxurious and wealthy, and had a sign that read "Linglong Pavilion".

  The sedan chair stopped, and Hua Ru Chu quickly covered her head with the red cloth again. She vaguely saw Feng Guo lift the curtain and reach out to support her, "Third Miss, we've arrived at the dock. For safety reasons, please get on board first. The sedan chair will follow later."

  Hua Ru nodded slightly and was about to lift her foot when she saw a dark figure appear in her line of sight, then crouched down in front of her, "Little sister, I'll carry you on my back."

  This was also in line with etiquette, and Phoenix Auntie tactfully retreated a little, supporting Third Miss as she leaned against the body of the eldest young master.

  The dock was already surrounded by three layers inside and out, they were all curious about the appearance of Miss Hua's third daughter, would she be as beautiful as her sister? Even if it's a bit worse, it's still a real beauty! Food, color, sex, also, let alone Yangzhou is a place that prides itself on recognizing beauty.

  Of course, they also knew that the bride would have a red veil covering her face, but it was windy on the dock, so they hoped that today's wind could be strong enough to blow away the red veil, and they were eager to see the face under it.

  But they didn't expect that the Third Miss, who had always been thought to be unloved and unknown, would be secretly taken onto the ship by Young Master Hua. With Young Master Hua's abilities, even if a tornado blew away the red lanterns, he could instantly grab them back! This was certain, no one would suspect.

  No one dared to disobey, Yangzhou was the Huas' stronghold, and here, what the Huas said carried more weight than any emperor's words.

  Hua Ruyi carried her sister onto the boat, step by step, and sent her directly back to her room. The four maids who had boarded earlier hurried forward to support her and tactfully lifted the red veil off her head.

  "Don't worry about anything outside, change into something comfortable and get some rest. I'll come over to keep you company once I'm done with work."

  "Alright, go ahead with your business."

  She changed into soft clothes and the restraints on her head were also removed. Hua Ru felt like a weight had been lifted off her bones in an instant.

  She shook her neck, spent more time bowing to the case, and her cervical vertebrae were not good. With a little weight, she was in pain. The phoenix crown she wore today was not light.

  A pair of soft hands stuck on, with moderate force massaging her, Hua Ruyi let out a comfortable sigh, "Fortunately, I brought you guys along, otherwise my life would be unbearable."

  The girl behind her giggled and said, "Miss, even if you don't take us with you, we'll still stick with you."

  "What's good about being a concubine? What if some shameless person comes to me asking for you in the future? After all these years with me, you should understand that I won't allow you to climb into Qi You's bed. I can't accept such a beautiful thing as serving one husband together."

  Hua Ru Chu wasn't a mistress with a very large frame, and she was even more casual and generous to the four of them. She called them her maids, and their food, clothing, and daily necessities were no different from those of ordinary young ladies. Moreover, they had been chosen by Hua Ru Chu since childhood to follow her, so the only mistress they recognized was the third miss of the Hua family.

  The eldest of the four, Qiu Jin, knelt down gently but firmly in front of Hua Ruochu, "Miss, whoever you want us to marry, we will marry. If you don't want us to leave, we will follow you forever. Qi Gongzi is our brother-in-law and only our brother-in-law, he won't have any other identity."

  Hua Ru helped her up with a gentle hand, this was someone she had personally trained and cultivated, so naturally it was easy to use them, and their character could also be trusted. If she didn't bring them along, it would be like cutting off her left and right arms. "I will give you a home."

  "Thank you for your trouble, Miss Xie."

  "Xia Yan, press it again for me."

  Chunyu, Xiaoyan, Qiujin, Dongfei, her four senior maidservants. Any one of them would be eagerly sought after if let go. After more than a decade of master-servant relationship, she wouldn't wrong them. Rather be the wife of a poor man than the concubine of a rich one. As long as they have no worries about food and clothing, she can still manage.

  "Miss, you got up too early today. Have something to eat and take a rest first. The dowry might not be moved in for a while yet."

  "Go ahead, wake me up in an hour."

  The sun was high in the sky, but the wedding procession still stretched out of sight. Qi Zhen stood with his arms crossed, watching the bobbing sedan chairs and feeling a pang in his heart.

  Everyone in the world knows that Yangzhou is rich, but it's not necessary to announce it like this. Is the Huas trying to give the Qis a warning?

  He pulled the corner of his mouth, and Qi Zhen felt that this strategy would definitely succeed. At least on the surface, no one in the Qi family dared to look down on them as rough people anymore. In the future, if a Qi family daughter got married, she might not be able to marry without a generous dowry, and it was certain that people would compare her to this marriage.

  Or he was also in Yangzhou selecting a good family for marriage? It's all worth it just for this dowry.

  Qī Zhèn had a sinister intention in his heart, but on the surface, he maintained a dignified smile. His fleeting gaze took in everyone's expressions, including those of the Qī family members. Hmm, very satisfying.

  The legitimate child and grandson are more valuable than these illegitimate children.

  Seeing Hua Ru Yi walking towards him from afar, Qi Zhen adjusted his expression and tried to make himself look more reliable.

  "Chinese Big Shot."

  Hua Ruyi slightly nodded, "Young Master Qi please board the boat and wait, my Hua family has prepared ten li of red dowry for my younger sister, it can't be moved in a short while, I'm afraid half of it is still at home."

  The legendary Ten Miles Red Makeup... Qi Zhen was getting more and more ideas, this Hua Ruyi although born in the martial arts world, her appearance and demeanor were not bad at all, no worse than those aristocratic young masters. With such an elder brother, he didn't think his sister-in-law would be a rough country girl.

  It seems like Qi's family has a show to watch too, maybe he should stay home for a while?!

  "Wouldn't it seem impolite? I hastily learned some etiquette from Yangzhou, but it's still incomplete. If there's anything amiss, I hope Brother Hua will point it out."

  So that's how it is? Hua Ru raised an eyebrow and returned the courtesy with a bow, "Young Master Qi comes from a noble family, not someone like us can compare to."

  Qi Zhen didn't seem to catch the mocking tone, and with a bright smile, he boarded the ship. For over ten days on this journey, there were always times when they could chat. Qi Zhen may not have had other talents, but making friends was his forte; he could always find someone good from a bunch of misfits. This young master Hua was quite to his liking.

  Hua Ru Yi saw him off onto the boat, his eyes deep and it was unclear what he was thinking. He really didn't have a good impression of any of the Qi family members.

  It was already past noon when the dowry had all been loaded onto the boat. After the usual burning of incense and prayers, the three large boats set sail.

  Hua Ru stood at the stern of the boat, watching as the dock grew farther and farther away from her. Her heart felt a lump form in her throat as she thought about how her father, mother, and sister's husband had come to see her off after all, even if they couldn't do it openly due to social norms.

  Goodbye, Father, Mother, goodbye.

  P.S: Please collect and vote for recommendation tickets on this book, I'm begging for your care with tearful eyes.

  Qingzhou was changed to Jizhou, this can be from south to north, slightly modified below, if there is no change somewhere please remind.