Author Notes: Hello, everyone! Here's the wedding ceremony at last. Or part of it since this whole chapter is in Wei Ying's POV. I've massacred the actual wedding customs since the groom should fetch the bride from her home to his, for one thing, but oh well... enjoy :)

- Chapter Start -

Red was a colour Wei Ying was comfortable with. It was a bold, in your face colour that said a lot about one's character, and he knew he looked good in it. He still needed a moment to steel himself before stepping inside Glamour Hall, and noted with amusement a similar hesitation from Master Lan and ZeWu Jun.

Lan Zhan, however, walked right in as if the almost solid sea of crimson had no effect whatsoever on him. Wei Ying had to bite his lip to keep his smile from turning too sappy.

The four of them walked up the carpeted length to the long table where Sect Leader Jin, Madam Jin and the Peacock were seated. All three hosts stood up at their approach. Jin GuangShan greeted the three Lans and thanked them for coming with hearty smiles and affable words. Madam Jin echoed his greetings, and the two of them ignored Wei Ying.

"Senior Lan. ZeWu Jun. HanGuang Jun. Young Master Wei." Jin ZiXuan, resplendent in red and gold, greeted all four with a very formal bow which was returned with equal politeness.

Wei Ying saw the tiny frown between Lan Zhan's perfect eyebrows and caught his eye, giving a small shake of his head. He wasn't here to see the Jin Sect Leader and his wife, but to witness shijie get married to their Peacock. That was the only thing that mattered.

Still, Madam Jin's startled gaze traveling from his silver hairpiece, down to his silk robes done in the Lan style, and then up again to his hair made him bite back a grin.

Jin GuangYao ushered them to their tables which were the first four on Jin GuangShan's right. Master Lan and ZeWu Jun sat in the first row while Lan Zhan and Wei Ying sat behind them. Wei Ying suspected the four empty tables directly opposite them were for the Nie sect. The next four tables after those were occupied by the disagreeable Jin ZiXun, ZiXuan's hotheaded cousin, and three of his cohorts. Wei Ying gave a little smirk at the glares directed at him before ignoring them.

In less than a minute, Sect Leader Nie MingJue, Nie HuaiSang and two of their disciples entered the hall. After exchanging greetings with their hosts, they turned to greet the Lans. ZeWu Jun quickly stood up to greet his Da-ge. Wei Ying gave a little wave to Nie HuaiSang who didn't look surprised to see him, but waved back happily.

The Jiang Sect entered next, the familiar purple and blue robes bringing a smile of nostalgia to Wei Ying. Jiang Cheng stared straight ahead, but glanced at Wei Ying as he neared the front, as if he couldn't help himself. His eyes widened at Wei Ying's hair before he looked straight ahead again. After greeting his hosts and receiving an effusive welcome in return, Jiang Cheng turned to exchange greetings with the Nie and Lan sects before taking his seat. It was too bad that as Sect Leader, he sat beside Master Lan while Wei Ying sat diagonally behind him. Still, the grins and whispers of 'Wei-xiong!' from the other three disciples helped to make up for it.

The smaller sects arrived next. Sect Leader Su of the white clad MoLing Su Sect piqued Wei Ying's curiosity when Master Lan and Lan Zhan ignored his greeting while ZeWu Jun gave a distant nod. Sect Leader Su looked shocked to see Wei Ying and almost bumped into his own disciple. Wei Ying just raised an eyebrow, feeling an immediate dislike of him solely based on the Lans' reaction.

Guess he was biased too.

He nudged Lan Zhan, but only received a 'Later' which made him more curious.

Sect Leaders Yao and Ouyang seemed equally stunned to see the notorious Yiling Patriarch seated with the Lans. Mouth opening and closing, Sect Leader Yao actually pointed a shaking finger at him before realising that no one was running around and screaming in panic. Looking nonplussed, he allowed Sect Leader Ouyang to urge him to his seat. Wei Ying had to remind himself again that he was here to see shijie get married, and nothing else.

As soon as the tables were all occupied, Jin GuangYao announced that the bridal procession had just been spotted entering the carriage path and would arrive shortly. Everyone broke out in smiles, chatter of anticipation, and even laughter when an anxious ZiXuan knocked over his cup as he jumped up. Madam Jin just shook her head as her son exited the hall with eager strides.

In a few minutes, firecrackers were heard in the distance, followed by the faint strains of music which grew louder and louder. The chatter in the hall grew correspondingly. Jiang Cheng even looked over his shoulder to exchange a tight smile with Wei Ying.

When ZiXuan finally reappeared, his anxious expression had given way to a beaming smile. A slender figure in matching red and gold robes stood beside him with a veil of thin red silk covering her head and shoulders.

Wei Ying forgot to breathe and would have bet everything he owned (which admittedly wasn't much) that Jiang Cheng was just like him. His throat felt tight and he had to blink away the annoying moisture gathering in his eyes.

The bridal couple made their way up the carpet and slowed down when they were abreast with the Jiang sect, the bride turning her head towards them. The light from the nearest window fell on her veil just then, rendering it translucent. Wei Ying saw red lips curve in a smile which made Jiang Cheng and his disciples straighten their backs even more.

Then shijie turned towards him and all he could see were her smiling eyes and lips. He didn't see her fingers tightening on the Peacock's arm or his hand patting hers. Blinking back happy tears, Wei Ying smiled and blew her a kiss. Her smile widened under the veil, but she shook her head in a tiny reprimand before turning to face front again.

Jin GuangYao who had stood to the side, now came forward again and bowed. Apparently, he was also the wedding announcer.

"I now invite Sect Leader Jin, Madam Jin and all our honoured guests to witness the three prostrations. The first prostration is to the Heavens and Earth to pay respect to the gods and ancestors."

ZiXuan and YanLi got down on their knees and bowed until their foreheads touched the carpet and then they stood back up, ZiXuan assisting his bride.

"The second prostration is to the parents to thank them for their care."

Again, the couple got down on their knees and bowed before getting up. Jin GuangShan nodded a few times, all smiles, while beside him, Madam Jin dabbed at her eyes.

"The third prostration is to each other to show mutual respect."

The bridal couple turned to each other and bowed a final time before getting up, ZiXuan looking like he was about to cry from joy.

Jin GuangYao's smile widened even more as he nodded to them.

"Congratulations to the bride and groom! They will now proceed to the bridal chamber for the next set of rituals there."

Everyone started applauding as the couple exited the hall. Jiang Cheng looked over his shoulder to nod at Wei Ying, both of them ignoring the wet sheen in each other's eyes.

"And now, we will have a toast before the feast," Jin GuangYao announced.

Female servants in pale peach robes glided forward and started pouring wine from the bottles in their hands. Wei Ying recognised the label of the best liquor in LanLing and grinned in anticipation only to pout when he saw the servant beside ZeWu Jun holding a teapot. A quick glance at his table and Lan Zhan's showed only teacups, but each Jiang Sect table had a teacup and a wine cup. Then the servant in charge of the Jiang Sect approached him and filled his teacup with wine.

"By Sect Leader Jiang's request," she said in a low voice.

"Ah. Thank you," he told her.

"If everyone has been served," Jin GuangYao continued, "please stand-"

"Wait a minute! There's been a big mistake!"

Startled, everyone looked up as Jin ZiXun jumped to his feet. His face was twisted in a scowl as he stepped out from behind his table and crossed the red carpet.

"Young Master ZiXun, what's the matter?" Jin GuangYao's smile looked strained.

"Need you even ask?" ZiXun sneered. "You have served liquor to a sect renowned for their righteousness. How careless of you."

Murmurs started up as everyone began craning their necks to take a look.

"But I didn't." A brief look of distress flitted across GuangYao as he started scrutinising the four tables in question. His eyes widened when he saw the liquid in Wei Ying's teacup, a darker shade of amber compared to the pale contents in the three Lans' teacups.

Wei Ying exchanged a resigned look with Jiang Cheng before turning to the servant who looked terrified as she backed away, one hand still clutching the wine bottle, the other pressed to her mouth.

"It's not your fault," he told her.

"The Yiling Patriarch is right for once," JiXun said as he stopped in front of them. "It's not anyone's fault but his!"

"No, it's mine." Jiang Cheng's voice was clipped as he stood up. "I was the one who told her to pour wine for my brother."

The emphasis on those two words was unmistakable. ZiXun paused, taken aback, and Wei Ying shot a quick look at Jin GuangShan who was watching them, looking faintly amused. It was Madam Jin who looked vexed at the disruption.

"If memory serves me right," Wei Ying spoke up, "you tried to force Lan Zhan to drink liquor in this very hall two years ago."

ZiXun glared at him and then he made a sharp gesture to the servant holding the teapot.

"Get the Yiling Patriarch a clean cup and pour him tea!" He ordered. "Anyone from Gusu Lan should drink nothing stronger since they are capable of protecting outlaws and Wen dogs even when sober!"

In the stunned silence that followed, Lan Zhan's knuckles cracked and whitened on the handle of Bichen. ZeWu Jun exchanged grim looks with Master Lan. Purple sparks crackled on Jiang Cheng's right wrist. Lan Zhan made as if to get up and Wei Ying grabbed his arm.

"Lan Zhan, it's alright," he said in a low voice. "I don't mind, I'm used to this."

His voice carried in the silence and ZiXun rounded on him at once.

"Indeed, why should you mind? Waltzing in here as bold as you please! This is the second time you have crashed a gathering at Lanling Jin! How shameless of the Yiling Patriarch, to show up when-"

"Jin ZiXun, that is enough!" Madam Jin stood up, her face white with anger. "Have you forgotten what day it is, and why we are gathered here?"

"Aunt, I speak nothing but the truth!" ZiXun protested. "We do not have to entertain scum like-"

"THAT IS ENOUGH!"

To everyone's shock, it wasn't Jin GuangShan or any of the other Sect Leaders' voice that thundered through Glamour Hall, amplified with a touch of spiritual power that fluttered the crimson drapes hanging from the ceiling.

- Chapter End -

A/N: Thank you for reading! Don't kill me, I plan to update the next chapter this weekend, but please leave a review if you enjoyed this one :)