Song Dynasty Dreams: Marrying Zhao Pan'er at the beginning - Chapter 2

Chapter 2 The Wedding

Ouyang Xu glanced at the large entourage waiting outside the tea house.

“Pan’er!”

“Stop being so stubborn!”

“Let me tell you the truth—this was all Gao Hui’s idea!”

“She already knows about our past relationship, which is why she came here personally!”

“She’s in the carriage outside!”

“If you refuse to marry Gao You today, then Yinzhan will be sent to Baron Liu tonight!”

Zhao Pan’er’s eyes suddenly sharpened. “Yinzhan?”

Seeing her reaction, Ouyang Xu wasn’t surprised at all. The most famous pipa musician in Jiangnan, Song Yinzhan, was like a younger sister to Zhao Pan’er.

Anyone who dared to harm Song Yinzhan was treading on Zhao Pan’er’s deepest wrath. Even Ouyang Xu himself wasn’t sure if he held a more important place in Zhao Pan’er’s heart than Song Yinzhan.

“That’s right!”

Ouyang Xu nodded.

“Baron Liu is infamous in the capital for his lust and cruelty!”

“No young woman who falls into his hands has ever lived past three years!”

Threatening me with Yinzhan?

Zhao Pan’er stared at Ouyang Xu.

“You despicable man!”

“Pan’er, insulting me won’t help!”

Ouyang Xu took a deep breath.

“Gao Hui is impatient!”

“If we delay any longer, I’m afraid she’ll take action against Yinzhan!”

“Besides, Gao Hui has agreed to my request—if you marry Gao You, she will help Yinzhan officially leave her entertainer status!”

“This is the best I can do!”

Zhao Pan’er closed her eyes and took several deep breaths. Then she raised her head.

“I’ll marry.”

Hearing her agreement, Ouyang Xu let out a sigh of relief. His task was finally complete. Gao Hui wouldn’t hold a grudge against him anymore.

At the same time, an indescribable pain rose from deep within his heart. It felt like losing the most precious treasure of his life. From now on, she would be someone else’s wife.

“Pan’er!”

Ouyang Xu took out a bundle and placed it on the table.

“This is one hundred taels of gold!”

“Consider it my wedding gift to you!”

“To thank you for three years of—”

Before he could finish, Zhao Pan’er interrupted, “Young Master Ouyang, it’s inappropriate for a man and a woman to be alone together.”

“Please leave.”

Young Master Ouyang?

For three years, she had always called him Ouyang in a warm, affectionate tone. Even though it was just his surname, he could always hear the fondness in her voice. But now, that distant, icy Young Master Ouyang felt like a dagger piercing his heart.

“Pan’er!”

Ouyang Xu stared at her.

“Even if you marry someone else…”

“We can still be friends.”

Zhao Pan’er wiped away her tears and coldly replied, “Young Master Ouyang.”

“Please be more respectful.”

“We are not that close anymore. Calling me ‘Pan’er’ is inappropriate.”

“If you see me again, you may call me Lady Zhao or the shopkeeper.”

Ouyang Xu couldn’t accept how quickly Zhao Pan’er’s demeanor had changed.

He stared at her.

“Pan’er, are you really this heartless?”

“I’m not the heartless one!”

Zhao Pan’er’s chest rose and fell with rage.

So she still has feelings for me.

Her coldness was only because she was angry.

Realizing this, Ouyang Xu felt relieved. He patted the gold on the table.

“Keep the gold!”

“I’ll leave now. Tomorrow is an auspicious day!”

“The Chief Judge of Suzhou will personally officiate your wedding.”

Zhao Pan’er picked up the gold and threw it at Ouyang Xu.

“Get out!”

“Or don’t blame me for what happens next!”

Ouyang Xu held onto the gold.

“This is my compensation for you!”

“Get out!”

Zhao Pan’er grabbed a pot of boiling water, ready to throw it at him. Seeing this, Ouyang Xu scrambled out of the tea house in a panic. Once outside, he quickly straightened his clothes and walked away with his head held high.

No matter where he was, as a Tanhua, he had to maintain his dignity. Sun Sanniang, seeing Ouyang Xu leave, immediately pushed Fu Xingui aside and rushed into the tea house.

“Pan’er!”

As soon as she entered, Zhao Pan’er collapsed into her arms. Her cold and composed face completely crumbled, and hot tears streamed down uncontrollably.

“Sanniang, I agreed to marry Gao You!”

Sun Sanniang couldn’t believe it.

“How could you agree to marry that fool from the Gao family?”

“Pan’er, what happened?”

Through her sobs, Zhao Pan’er painfully recounted everything. Outside the tea house, Ouyang Xu approached the carriage.

Gao Hui pulled back the curtain.

“Did she agree?”

“Yes.”

Ouyang Xu nodded.

Gao Hui smiled in satisfaction.

“At least she knows her place.”

“Inform everyone to start preparing the wedding arrangements!”

“Even if our family’s fool is getting married, it must still be a grand event!”

At her command, dozens of people hurried into Zhao’s Tea House.

_____

The Next Morning, Zhao’s Tea House was adorned with red banners and festive decorations. The news had spread overnight. All of Qiantang now knew that Zhao Pan’er, the city’s most famous tea seller, was getting married.

They also learned that her groom was the infamous fool of the Gao family. Zhao Pan’er’s beauty was undeniable. Now, she was marrying a fool—even if he was the son of an eighth-rank military officer, the people of Qiantang felt she deserved better.

“Pan’er?”

Sun Sanniang looked at Zhao Pan’er, dressed in her bridal gown.

“Are you really sure about this?”

“Once the ceremony is done, you will be the daughter-in-law of the Gao family.”

Zhao Pan’er nodded.

“I’ve made up my mind.”

“If it means saving Yinzhan, then marrying a fool—or even a dead man—means nothing to me.”

“Spit, spit, spit!”

Sun Sanniang immediately spat three times. “Pan’er, don’t say such things!”

“The auspicious time has come! The bride must enter the wedding sedan!”

At the call from outside, Zhao Pan’er pulled the red bridal veil over her head and was led into the sedan chair.