31
The journey back to the residence was utterly silent. A slender crescent moon hung softly in the Qixi sky, its stillness like water. Ming Tan, wearing a veiled hat, followed behind Jiang Xu at a distance of several paces.
At first, Jiang Xu had said he would send someone to escort her back to the residence; somehow, after leaving the Bieyu Pavilion, it ended up being him personally seeing her home.
Though termed an escort, it felt more like him leading the way.
Both maintained proper decorum, keeping a considerable distance apart. Except for one brief moment halfway through, when Jiang Xu noticed Ming Tan struggling to keep pace and paused slightly, he never once looked back nor uttered a single extra word.
Ming Tan endured silently all along, but upon reaching the rear gate of the Jing’an Marquis’s residence, feeling as though her legs were about to break and the soles of her feet burning painfully, she could no longer restrain herself and silently cursed under her breath, “Brute!”
After all, no one could have expected it—His Highness the Prince of Dingbei would actually escort someone home on foot.
Not to mention a carriage; he didn’t even have a horse. Walking from Bieyu Tower back to the Jing’an Marquis’s residence covered several li. Today, she had managed in one go what usually took months of walking.
“Thank you for escorting me, Your Highness.”
Standing at the entrance, Ming Tan suppressed the soreness in her legs and bowed respectfully from a distance, offering her thanks in a soft voice.
Jiang Xu nodded slightly and was about to leave.
Ming Tan couldn’t help but call out again, “Your Highness…”
“What is it?” Jiang Xu paused.
Ming Tan had intended to explain the misunderstanding of tonight, but found it too difficult to articulate. The words on her lips instead became, “Nothing. I just… remembered that during the Lantern Festival, it was also Your Highness who came to my rescue, sending someone to escort me to the back gate of the Marquis’s residence. Thinking of it now fills my heart with deep gratitude.”
At these words, Jiang Xu lifted his gaze and asked a few more: “How did you know it was I who acted on the night of the Lantern Festival?”
Ming Tan: “…?”
Last time in the woods, she had asked, “Husband, was it you?”
Had he not heard?
Jiang Xu had naturally heard it, but at the time, he assumed the Fourth Miss was merely startled by his sudden appearance.
Ming Tan, however, secretly breathed a sigh of relief, thinking to herself: “It’s good he didn’t hear, it’s good he didn’t hear.” After all, the embarrassment of that utterance—”husband”—was no less than being caught viewing the erotic illustrations today.
She hurriedly explained, “Because when Your Highness saved me in the forest last time, you also used a sash. Although the colors differed, the material, weaving technique, and even the hidden patterns were identical. If I’m not mistaken, it is made of Zhifu Brocade, a new tribute from Suzhou in the past two years. As for the hidden patterns, the one used on the Lantern Festival night was woven with black-gold threads, while the one from the forest encounter utilized black-silver threads. The embroidery techniques employed include scattered mismatched stitches, scale-carving stitches, and ice-crack stitches… Zhifu Brocade is exceedingly rare; only about ten bolts are offered as tribute each year, typically reserved for imperial use. My father once received a bolt as a reward from the palace, which is how I became familiar with it.”
Jiang Xu paused briefly.
He had no idea that even a simple sash could be so meticulously crafted.
Miss Ming, on the other hand, seemed remarkably well-versed in such matters.
Ming Tan also realized she had said rather too much; moreover, speaking of this very sash, she recalled how she had once tricked her future husband with it.
At this thought, her ears burned even hotter. Today’s incident remained unexplained, and now she had dragged up yet another past mishap; truly, she felt too ashamed to face her betrothed again. Quickly lowering her lashes, she hurriedly said, “In any case, thank you, Your Highness, for coming to my rescue, and thank you as well for escorting me home tonight. I shall go inside now; please take care on your return to the palace.”
Walking back to her courtyard through the rear gate, Ming Tan’s face remained burning hot until Su Xin fetched a cold, damp cloth for her to press against her cheeks, which finally helped her calm down slightly.
After washing up and climbing into bed, Ming Tan tossed and turned under her ice-silk brocade quilt, unable to fall asleep all night long.
I’m going to die, I really am going to die!
She was supposed to be a dignified and graceful lady from a noble family; why did she keep losing face in front of her future husband again and again? With such an image, she might as well not live at all! After marrying him, she should virtuously help him take several concubines and voluntarily retire to a secluded place where she would be less of an eyesore to him! Moreover, his words, “The young lady is fine; this prince never thought such things,” were surely meant to spare her excessive embarrassment. In truth, he must already consider her a shameless girl who doesn’t understand the slightest bit of modesty!
She clutched the corner of her blanket to cover her face, torn between vexation at her own foolishness and admiration for the kindness of her future husband.
The young maid standing watch outside was new; throughout the night, Ming Tan’s startled outbursts left her at a loss. By the third watch, steeling her nerves, she went to fetch Su Xin.
Su Xin threw on her robe and came over, arriving just in time to hear Ming Tan whimper twice. She gently knocked on the door and asked with concern, “Miss? It is I, your servant. What troubles you?”
“Nothing is wrong. You may all go rest.”
Ming Tan poked her head out from beneath the brocade quilt and replied in a subdued tone.
–
Though Ming Tan claimed she was “fine,” ever since the Qixi Festival, she had visibly wilted. Unlike before, when she energetically busied herself daily with all sorts of trivial pursuits, she now seemed listless. Yet what difference did it make? She felt that her reputation had plummeted time and again; perhaps it could never be restored.
After Qixi came the Ghost Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, Double Ninth Festival, followed by Winter Solstice, the Emperor’s Birthday, and New Year’s Eve. One major occasion followed another, yet Ming Tan rarely ventured out. Only during this period did she make appearances, compelled by duty as her elder sisters, Shen Hua and Ming Chu, got married one after another.
Ming Chu married into Hezhou; unable to return home even after three days, her distant marriage meant she was effectively gone from sight, sparing everyone further distress.
Shen Hua departed from the Marquis of Jing’an’s residence for her marriage, which took place within the capital; thus, her return visit naturally brought her back to the same household. Observing Shen Hua’s excellent complexion during her homecoming and noting how considerate her husband was, Ming Tan felt her worries deepen.
Shen Hua noticed something amiss in her demeanor, but when she asked, Ming Tan found herself unable to articulate the reason. After all, how could she admit that even before the wedding, she had already lost all face in front of her betrothed? Thus, she chose to say nothing.
As autumn faded into winter, firecrackers rang out, bidding farewell to the old year and welcoming the new. The wedding date Ming Tan had longed for day and night drew ever closer.
The nearer the wedding approached, the livelier the Marquis of Jing’an’s household became.
In early spring, the Ministry of Rites acted on behalf of the Prince of Dingbei’s household to deliver the formal betrothal gifts. Six eunuchs were assigned to announce each item; they chanted from dawn until dusk until their voices grew hoarse. Outside Nanque Street, crowds of onlookers came and went in waves, watching as the betrothal gifts flowed endlessly into the Marquis of Jing’an’s residence.
Over the years, there had been other instances in the capital of princes taking consorts or imperial princesses marrying off, yet none had ever witnessed such a magnificent display.
By nightfall, when the announcement of the betrothal gifts finally concluded, the lead eunuch wiped the sweat from his brow and, with a hoarse voice, respectfully presented the gift list. Beaming, he said, “My Lord Marquis, My Lady, this inventory is divided into two parts: one compiled by the relevant officials according to the ceremonial standards for a prince’s consort, and the other added personally by the Prince of Dingbei’s household. In total, there are fully 128 carrier-loads, clearly demonstrating the Prince’s profound regard for both his future consort and the Marquis’s household.”
Ming Tingyuan stroked his short beard, his face glowing with pride, while Lady Pei could barely conceal her joyous smile. She promptly ordered servants to serve tea and personally pressed gratuity money into the hands of the eunuchs for their arduous journey, saying, “Your Excellencies have worked hard.”
The list of betrothal gifts was indeed exceptionally generous, feeling quite substantial in hand. They had previously assumed that the Prince Dingbei’s household might add forty-eight or sixty-eight carriers to the standard protocol for a princess consort’s ceremony. Who could have expected such a silent yet monumental gesture of one hundred and twenty-eight carriers! This certainly saved face for Ming Tan and brought great honor to their Jing’an Marquis’s household as well.
In this dynasty, when a princess marries, her dowry traditionally consists of one hundred and eighty-eight carriers according to established regulations. They had originally planned to prepare one hundred and twenty-eight carriers for Ming Tan’s departure, which would have been considered extremely splendid. However, given that the Prince Dingbei’s household offered such lavish betrothal gifts, it would be unthinkable for the Jing’an Marquis’s household not to increase her dowry to one hundred and sixty-eight carriers.
The entire household was brimming with joy. The betrothal gifts filled the rear rooms of the main courtyard. Ming Tan went to see them and felt a surge of happiness herself. It seemed her image in the eyes of her future husband might still be salvageable!
Yet, after this initial joy, Ming Tan once again fell into worry.
Over the past two days, Bai Minmin came to see her, and as they chatted about their visit to Bieyu Tower on the Qixi Festival, she suddenly recalled something she had never before considered—
Her going to Bieyu Tower that day was improper.
But then, was it proper for His Highness, the Prince of Dingbei, to be there?
Why was he present? Moreover, since the tower had been closed to guests that day, yet he remained inside, he must have been the most honored among all distinguished visitors. He even entered Shuiying’s boudoir without knocking, which surely indicated an extreme familiarity between them! Upon further reflection, could it be that Shuiying’s eagerness that day to forge a friendly connection stemmed from knowing she was the future Princess of Dingbei, hoping that after her marriage into the household, Shuiying would be granted entry into the prince’s residence? The more Ming Tan pondered this, the colder her heart grew.
Could it be that Ming Tan of the Ming family has such poor judgment?
Has she taken a fancy to another good-looking rake who frequents the brothels?
–
With less than half a month until the wedding, and the princess consort’s ceremonial robes and crown already delivered to the Jing’an Marquis’s residence, Ming Tan still appeared utterly listless. No matter how delighted Ming Tingyuan and Lady Pei were, they could not help but sense that something was amiss.
One day at lunch, seeing that Ming Tan, with her bird-sized appetite, had only taken a tiny bite of everything before claiming she was full, Pei Shi exchanged a glance with Ming Tingyuan. After careful consideration, she voiced the question they had debated half the night before: “A-Tan, are you perhaps dissatisfied with this marriage arrangement?”
“Daughter has no dissatisfaction.”
Ming Tingyuan also set down his chopsticks. After a long pause, he said solemnly, “A-Tan, you may speak your true feelings freely. If you do not wish to marry, even though the betrothal gifts have already been delivered, your father would rather risk losing his official position and noble title…”
“…?”
“Daughter does not refuse to marry; Father need not relinquish his office and title.”
Her heart was indeed filled with deep hesitation. She held considerable affection for His Highness the Prince of Dingbei, yet the lingering doubts surrounding him and Shui Ying remained an insurmountable obstacle in her mind.
However, no matter how insurmountable that obstacle seemed, a marriage bestowed by the Emperor was not something one could simply decline at will. You may be willing to sacrifice your rank and title, but the Emperor would likely demand the heads of your entire household.
Ming Tingyuan, reassured by her words, left the rest of his sentence unsaid. He had intended to say, “Now that the betrothal gifts have been delivered, even if I risk losing my office and title, I cannot undo this marriage.”
Ming Tan misunderstood, believing her father meant to defy the imperial decree for her sake, and she felt deeply moved. She thought that if she had indeed misjudged Prince Dingbei, then for the sake of the Marquis’s household, she would steel her resolve and marry him, thus fulfilling her duty to her family.
Moved by this sentiment, she ate an extra half-bowl of rice and kept adding dishes to Ming Tingyuan’s bowl. He accepted cheerfully, though he touched his nose with a slightly guilty conscience.
–
The eighth day of the third lunar month was deemed highly auspicious for weddings, selected jointly by the Imperial Astronomical Bureau and the Ministry of Rites as the perfect date for Prince Dingbei’s marriage. During this period, Jiang Xu traveled north to attend to military affairs, returning to the capital from Qingzhou only on the seventh day of the third month, the night before the wedding.
Under Fu Shu’s management, the Prince Dingbei’s residence had long been adorned with lanterns and festoons, draped entirely in red.
He dismounted and entered the estate, finally easing the worry that had hung over Fu Shu’s heart. Earlier, Fu Shu had feared that their prince, preoccupied with military affairs, might actually neglect his own wedding.
Knowing he would return tonight, Shu Jingran had come specifically to wait for him and even warmed a pot of wine. Jiang Xu, however, coldly declined: “No need. This prince still has business at the Dali Temple prison.”
“…?” Shu Jingran laughed in disbelief. “You are getting married tomorrow, yet tonight you intend to interrogate prisoners?”
“Marriage is one thing; what does it have to do with interrogating prisoners?” Jiang Xu remarked lightly.
Shu Jingran was utterly baffled. “Even if you are getting married, you should at least show your wife proper respect. Are you planning to appear before the Marquis tomorrow with dark circles under your eyes? Or will you wear this icy expression during your wedding night, or perhaps leave your new bride aside just to catch up on sleep?”
Jiang Xu remained unmoved.
Shu Jingran continued, “I only learned in the past couple of days that Miss Ming, the fourth daughter, has been quite troubled lately. It seems she misunderstood something after seeing you at Bieyu Tower, thinking there might be some secret affair between you and Miss Shuiying. Didn’t you visit Miss Ming last time? Yet you never even explained why you were at Bieyu Tower? Since she has shown you kindness and you intend to marry her and treat her well, surely there’s no harm in clarifying the matter of Bieyu Tower? Besides, trivial matters like interrogating prisoners hardly compare in importance to tomorrow’s wedding. I think you’d do better to rest properly tonight.”
Last time at Bieyu Tower, Shu Jingran unexpectedly bumped into Bai Minmin, and a few days ago at the cuju banquet hosted by the Pingguo Duke’s residence, he encountered her again.
Bai Minmin subtly probed him about the true purpose of his previous visit to Bieyu Tower with His Highness the Prince of Dingbei, allowing him to guess three parts of the reason.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Xu seemed lost in thought, his expression unreadable.
After a long pause, he suddenly walked outside; though Shu Jingran called after him from behind, he paid no heed.
Shu Jingran shook his head, thinking this fellow was utterly impervious to reason, and had truly gone off to interrogate prisoners at the Dali Temple prison.
–
As night fell, the residence of the Marquis of Jing’an remained awash in crimson; even the lanterns were veiled in a faint rosy glow, exuding an atmosphere of wedding celebration. Ming Tan, still awake, leaned by the window, gazing blankly at the moonlight.
She is to be married tomorrow.
Will that person be her true beloved?
Before, she had been somewhat certain, but now, she is no longer so sure.
She felt a little weary and closed her eyes, wishing to rest for a while.
But suddenly, a faint scent of sandalwood filled her nostrils.
She blinked open her eyes slowly, first seeing a jade pendant, then gradually lifting her gaze upward—
“…?!”
It must be an illusion.
She instinctively rubbed her eyes.
“You did not missee, Miss; it is indeed this prince.” The man stood by the window, lowering his gaze to look at her. “I come uninvited only to inform you that Bieyu Tower serves as a covert outpost of the Dingbei Prince’s Manor. Between Shuiying and myself, there exists merely a relationship of superior and subordinate, nothing more. Tomorrow, I shall personally arrive at the Jing’an Marquis’s residence to welcome you as my bride. You may now rest well.”
The man’s voice was neither high nor low; tall and graceful, standing before the window, he seemed remarkably harmonious with the moonlight flowing like water.