45: Chapter 45: Clan Heritage, Pre-Wedding Special Training

The ancestral hall instantly erupted in clamor. Several clan elders crowded around in excitement.

"Third Uncle, your reaction speed is faster than your father's was during his prime!" Su Bowen patted Su Han on the shoulder.

Several elders scrutinized Su Han: "With this level of martial arts, you must have been training for at least six hours a day for two years to reach this level."

Su Han wiped the light sweat from his forehead and smiled: "In the army, besides regular training, I would add two hours of combat practice every day."

Su Wu asked curiously: "Third Grandpa, with skills like yours, surely no one in the army competitions is a match for you, right?"

"There is always someone better," Su Han said modestly. "However, I did take first place in the combat event at the army group competition this time."

"The First-Class Merit is well-deserved!" Su Bowen looked at a spirit tablet in the ancestral hall and sighed with emotion, "Grandpa, your youngest child has finally grown up."

Su Bowen suddenly remembered something and turned to Su Wu: "Did you see that? This is true Su Family martial arts! Those flashy moves of yours are nothing compared to Third Grandpa!"

Su Wu nodded repeatedly and said to Su Han: "Third Grandpa, when you have time later, you must teach your skills to your eldest brother!"

"Of course," Su Han said with a smile. "But my training method is quite grueling; you'll need to be mentally prepared."

The ancestral hall immediately erupted in laughter.

Su Bowen looked at Su Han with gratification, then suddenly turned serious: "Third Uncle, remember, no matter how far you go in the army, this place will always be your roots."

Su Han nodded solemnly: "I will remember that."

The atmosphere in the ancestral hall relaxed after the sparring ended, but it soon returned to solemnity.

Su Bowen clapped his hands, and the several clan elders immediately sat up straight.

He turned and took a yellowed, thread-bound book from a hidden compartment in the ancestral hall. On the cover, the words "Su Clan Wedding Rites" were written in gold-stamped regular script.

"Third Uncle," Su Bowen held the book with both hands, his expression solemn. "For tomorrow's wedding, as the chief officiant, you must master the entire set of ceremonial procedures. You must commit them to memory tonight."

Su Han took the heavy book and opened the first page. Seeing the dense, tiny regular script recording various complex rituals, his scalp tingled.

"Eldest Uncle, this... there's so much?" Su Han's voice trembled slightly.

Su Bowen stroked his beard, a hint of mischief flashing in his eyes: "The etiquette classes you skipped back then, Third Uncle, must be made up for now."

"When Su Wu got married, I tried to teach you, but you were naughty and too young back then, so you couldn't remember it."

"Now, you must learn it properly!"

"In the future, when the children of our various branches get married, you will need to act as the chief officiant. We old folks don't know how many years we have left, and you can't always rely on us to remind you from the sidelines."

Su Wu was snickering on the side but was glared at by Su Bowen: "Su Wu, you stay and practice too! As Ling Xue's elder brother, you are responsible for the 'blocking the door' segment tomorrow."

"Huh?" Su Wu's smile froze on his face. "Dad, I'm already over thirty..."

"Even at fifty, you must follow the rules!" Su Bowen said with unquestionable authority.

Su Han quietly winked at Su Wu, and both of them sighed at the same time.

...

A clear space was made in the center of the ancestral hall. Su Bowen held a ruler and paced back and forth like a private school teacher.

"First, the chief officiant's makeup-opening ceremony." He tapped the ruler. "Third Uncle, please demonstrate."

Recalling the description in the book, Su Han held a comb in both hands and mimicked the motion of combing hair.

As soon as he started, the ruler "smacked" against the back of his hand.

"Wrong!" Su Bowen frowned. "The makeup-opening ceremony requires the 'Phoenix Nods Three Times.' The comb must be held like this—"

He demonstrated an elegant gesture. "When a girl gets married, the makeup-opening must convey nobility, not be so stiff and rigid!"

Su Wu whispered a reminder from the side: "Third Grandpa, imagine you are grooming a phoenix's feathers; it needs to be light, gentle, and elegant."

Su Han adjusted his gesture, and this time it was significantly more elegant.

"Hmm, acceptable." Su Bowen nodded. "Next is the 'Instruction of the Bride' ceremony."

This segment requires the chief officiant to lecture the bride three times, with specific gestures and footwork for each.

Su Han and Su Wu took turns playing the bride, practicing repeatedly until late into the night.

"Soften your wrists by another thirty percent... Yes, hold it..."

"The hem of the skirt must not move when you step..."

"The lecture must have proper cadence and intonation to show the dignity of an elder..."

The "smack-smack" sound of the ruler and the old man's instructions echoed throughout the ancestral hall.

Su Han's back was already soaked with sweat, but his eyes became increasingly focused.

...

As the training neared its end, the ancestral hall doors were suddenly pushed open.

Su Lingxue's mother walked in with several women from the Su Family, all of them looking grave.

"Bowen," Mother Su said while bowing, "We just discovered that one of the 'Twelve Brocade Chests' needed for tomorrow is missing!"

Su Bowen's expression changed: "How can that be? I checked them personally!"

An aunt from the Su Family hurriedly went to the back hall to check and soon ran back in a panic: "It's bad! The mice have chewed the silk lining of the chest containing the headwear and jewelry!"

The ancestral hall was instantly in an uproar.

According to custom, the 'Twelve Brocade Chests' are essential for a Su Family daughter's marriage, symbolizing wealth and prosperity for all twelve months of the year; not one can be missing.

Mother Su was wringing her hands in anxiety: "It's too late to rush to make a new one overnight!"

Just as everyone was in a panic, Su Han suddenly spoke up: "I remember, isn't there a spare set in Grandmother's dowry from back then?"

God knows how much of the original body owner's memories Su Han had searched through over the past day.

Everyone froze.

Su Bowen looked at him in surprise: "How did you know, Third Uncle? That was the Old Lady's dowry from back then, kept for over sixty years."

Su Han gave an awkward smile: "When I was little, I was curious about what was in the chests, so I opened them and took things out to play with."

He turned to Mother Su: "Don't worry, Eldest Aunt. Although that set is a bit old, it's all made of top-quality Su embroidery."

Su Bowen immediately took people to retrieve it and indeed found a well-preserved antique dowry chest. Although the lining inside had yellowed, the embroidery was exquisite.

Mother Su let out a long sigh of relief and looked at Su Han gratefully: "Thanks to Third Uncle's good memory!"

Su Bowen patted Su Han's shoulder with gratification: "Third Uncle performed well tonight; it seems you have truly grown a lot in the army."

...

After ten o'clock, the special training finally ended.

Su Bowen handed a handwritten copy to Su Han: "This is a simplified version of tomorrow's procedures. Third Uncle, read it again before you go to sleep."

Su Han took the booklet and found that not only were the steps written down, but the precautions for each segment were also carefully noted:

"At the hour of the Dragon (7-9 AM), open the makeup, and say, 'Today I arrange the bridal makeup, in the future may you bring prosperity to your husband's family.'"

"At the hour of the Snake (9-11 AM), instruct the bride; hold a willow branch in the right hand and lightly tap the bride's shoulder three times."

"At the hour of the Horse (11 AM-1 PM), send off the bride; must face southeast and scatter three handfuls of glutinous rice..."

There were even small diagrams illustrating the key points of the movements.

"Eldest Uncle..." Su Han felt a warmth in his heart.

Su Bowen waved his hand: "Third Uncle is now a First-Class Merit recipient and has brought honor to our Su Family. These trivial matters shouldn't have bothered you, but the ancestors' rules cannot be broken."

He paused and said earnestly: "There will be many guests with different surnames tomorrow, and Third Uncle, you represent the dignity of our Su Family. Ling Xue is the first girl from our branch to be married off, so the etiquette must be perfect."

Su Han nodded solemnly: "I understand."

When walking out of the ancestral hall, Su Wu rubbed his sore shoulders and said: "Third Grandpa, you go and rest first. I still have to go and test the route for carrying my younger sister tomorrow—it has to be ninety-nine steps from her boudoir to the ancestral hall, not one step more, and not one step less."

Su Han nodded.