32
In the Da Xian dynasty, it was customary for unmarried members of the imperial clan to stand in as proxies when princes or royal heirs went to fetch their brides. For the Dingbei Prince’s household, this role had long been assigned to Rui Commandery Prince, a young noble who had recently undergone his coming-of-age ceremony.
Yet no one expected that just as Ming Tan was roused early in the morning for her bridal toilette, surrounded in the Zhaoshui Courtyard by ladies, maidens, and assorted female relatives exchanging lively chatter, an elderly maidservant rushed in beaming with joy to announce, “This is extraordinary! The groom has arrived at the mansion gates to personally fetch the bride!”
Ming Tan, having slept poorly and been dragged from her brocade covers before dawn to endure all these preparations, had remained half-asleep throughout. Upon hearing these words, however, it was as though she caught a familiar scent of sandalwood; suddenly, her senses sharpened considerably.
Could it truly be… real?
He had truly come last night.
Jiang Xu’s arrival and departure last night were both exceedingly sudden. After his explanation, in merely the blink of an eye, he vanished into the night. So much so that Ming Tan, leaning by the window in a daze, began to doubt whether she had been so entangled in her own thoughts that even her self-consolation had conjured illusions.
How could His Highness, the Prince of Dingbei, sneak into a young lady’s courtyard in the dead of night? And since when had he ever spoken so many words?
In the middle of the night, unable to restrain herself, she threw on her clothes and ran outside to inspect carefully, hoping to find some evidence that her future husband had ventured forth under cover of darkness.
Of course, she found nothing; otherwise, knowing she was to be married the next day, she would not have been so troubled by lingering doubts that she barely slept all night.
Now, with the old woman’s announcement from outside, the inner chamber of Zhaoshui Courtyard grew even more lively:
“I’ve said since she was little that our Fourth Miss is blessed with good fortune. Look, her betrothed has come in person to welcome her!”
“Except for Prince Xian’s personal escort years ago, no other noble wedding in the imperial clan has ever seen such honor.”
“Prince Xian and his princess share a bond unlike any other; they grew up together as childhood sweethearts. Everyone in the capital knows how deeply devoted Prince Xian is to his princess.”
“So, our fourth young lady is truly blessed. Just look at those betrothal gifts! Oh my, the Dingbei Prince’s Manor is indeed the Dingbei Prince’s Manor; it stands apart from ordinary nobility!”
Listening to this, joy and sweetness quietly spread through Ming Tan’s heart. Her husband had truly come in person to welcome her as his bride.
She had always worried that when Lady Quanfu performed the threading ritual to shape her face, the pain would be so severe it might ruin her beauty. Yet now, as the fine thread glided across her skin, though it did hurt, it was far more bearable than she had imagined.
The ceremonial gown of a prince’s consort was exceedingly majestic and intricate: large red robes embroidered with gold-threaded paired phoenixes and mandarin ducks, intertwined peonies, and twin lotuses blooming from a single stem, layered upon layer. Jade pendants chimed softly with every movement. Her embroidered shoes were crafted with exquisite detail, while her phoenix crown weighed as much as a thousand jin, adorned with glittering gemstones and bright pearls so dazzling they held one’s gaze captive.
After finishing her preparations, Ming Tan struggled even to stand up; she needed someone to support her before she could walk with careful steps.
Traditionally, a bride must first bid farewell to her parents and shed tears of departure before leaving home. Yet in the Jing’an Marquis’s household, both “parents” were overflowing with joy. Lady Pei at least managed to irritate her eyes with pepper-infused water to produce some tears, but Ming Tingyuan beamed with such delight that not a single tear could be squeezed from him. Ming Tan herself could not cry either; the makeup on her face had taken an entire morning to perfect, and if she truly shed even a few tears, ruining that elaborate妆容 would require yet another arduous session of retouching.
Thus, inside the main hall, only Ming Tan and Lady Pei could be heard forcing out a few feeble, pretended sobs, while Ming Tingyuan stood nearby rambling about this and that. Finally, with barely concealed impatience, he added, “In any case, the Dingbei Prince’s mansion isn’t far from the Jing’an Marquis’s residence; you can return whenever you wish.”
Inside the Jing’an Marquis’s mansion, the atmosphere was lively; outside, it was even more bustling.
The wedding procession arriving at the main gate of the Jing’an Marquis’s residence was even more magnificent than the parade of top scholars riding through the streets on the day the spring examination results were announced.
Shu the Second Young Master, whose fame resonated throughout the capital; Zhang, the heir to the Pingguo Duke’s household and brother of the Empress; as well as Lu Ting, the Vice Commander of the Palace Guards—these figures, rarely seen together on ordinary days, had all gathered here, not to mention the numerous imperial clan members and military generals following behind them.
Of course, the most striking figure among them was the God of War of Da Xian, His Highness the Prince of Dingbei, clad in vibrant red ceremonial robes and seated high upon his horse.
The God of War’s name shook all of Da Xian, yet very few had ever seen his true face. Today, upon seeing him, everyone felt as though they were gazing upon a celestial being.
His brows were sharp as swords, his eyes bright as stars; his hair dark as ink, his robes crimson.
Reining in his horse, he appeared casually indifferent, yet carried an air of supreme disdain.
If the second young master of the Shu family could be described as “a gentleman whose beauty rivals jade upon the path, unmatched in this world,” then His Highness the Prince of Dingbei would surely be “a man whose splendor stands alone, without equal under heaven.”
Given the Prince of Dingbei’s fearsome reputation for bloodshed, as soon as he dismounted and entered the estate, everyone instinctively stepped back half a zhang; some even felt an uncontrollable urge to kneel.
At first, everyone was so awestruck that no one dared to clamor for wedding gifts. It was only Bai Minmin, bold and unafraid of death, who rushed over from Ming Tan’s boudoir, shouting for His Highness to compose a bridal urging poem and demand gift money. Her sister-in-law tried desperately to hold her back but failed, nearly frightened out of her wits.
Yet, surprisingly, His Highness the Prince of Dingbei proved remarkably approachable. As if prepared in advance, he immediately nodded in agreement, composed a bridal urging poem right there on the spot, while someone from the wedding procession even slipped golden peanuts into Bai Minmin’s hand as a wedding gift.
With Bai Minmin leading the way, the younger generation of the Jing’an Marquis’s household also became eager to join in, and the atmosphere gradually grew lively. Those slightly older, not daring to tease Prince Dingbei, turned their attention to Shu Er and Zhang Huaiyu instead, egging them on.
When Ming Tan finally appeared, supported by Ming Tingyuan, Jiang Xu had already composed his fourth wedding poem.
Everyone had previously assumed these wedding poems were prepared in advance; after all, since he had invited Shu Er, known for his poetic talent, asking him to prepare a couple of verses would have been no trouble. However, some got carried away with their teasing and even specified the tune pattern for the next wedding poem.
As soon as these words were spoken, someone nearby felt that things had gone awry! Just as they were about to change the subject, unexpectedly, Prince Dingbei nodded agreeably. After only a moment’s thought, he composed another poem following the required meter, and it turned out remarkably well.
The crowd marveled in awe: Could this Prince Dingbei, a mere military general, possess such literary talent? Were these wedding poems truly composed by him?
Endowed with both strategic brilliance and martial prowess, breathtakingly handsome, and holding immense power and prestige—to win such a man as her husband, the fourth young lady of the Jing’an Marquis’s household was truly destined for a life of bliss! Such were the thoughts lingering in everyone’s hearts as they watched Ming Tan board the bridal sedan.
With a sharp, piercing cry of “Lift the sedan!” echoing through Nanyue Street, the wedding procession from Prince Dingbei’s mansion set off once more amidst blaring music and festive clamor.
All along the route, crimson carpets covered the ground while drums and musical instruments resounded in harmony; ceremonial cannons boomed skyward. Ahead, the groom’s relatives and friends rode tall, spirited horses, steadily escorting the bride’s eight-bearer palanquin. Behind them followed the Jing’an Marquis’s household’s dowry comprising one hundred and sixty-eight carrying poles, winding from Nanyue Street along the Imperial Avenue all the way to Changyu Street where Prince Dingbei’s mansion stood—a seamless, endless vista of scarlet splendor.
Later generations would say that during the Chengkang era, no wedding ceremony ever surpassed this one in grandeur.
–
In contrast to the bustling excitement at the Jing’an Marquis’s residence, the Dingbei Prince’s manor, though also adorned with red decorations and festive colors, strangely felt much more subdued. For one thing, the Dingbei Prince’s establishment far exceeded that of the Jing’an Marquis in scale; for another, Jiang Xu had few relatives, with almost no direct family members remaining.
As Ming Tan entered the household as a Super-Rank Princess Consort, she first had to undergo the investiture ceremony. Following this, she proceeded to the bridal hall for the main wedding rites. Fortunately, with no parents-in-law present, the proceedings were somewhat easier.
Pressed beneath the heavy phoenix crown and having endured a long series of intricate rituals, Ming Tan’s head and back had grown numb and aching. By the time the three bows were completed, her legs were so weak she could barely stand. It was only because her husband steadied her that she avoided losing composure before everyone.
After the three bows, the couple is escorted to the bridal chamber.
With the bride and groom holding the silk sash, Ming Tan could see only the small patch of ground before her toes, most of which was obscured by her elaborate ceremonial gown. Properly grasping one end of the red silk, she allowed Jiang Xu to lead her slowly from ahead as she carefully stepped into the bridal chamber.
In ordinary households, the bridal chamber would be filled with guests coming to celebrate and tease the couple, but the Prince Dingbei’s mansion had few relatives, and no one dared to make such commotion; thus, it remained exceedingly quiet, with only the Fortune-Bringing Nanny inside reciting auspicious words.
Jiang Xu took the heavy wedding scale and gently lifted away the veil—
Thump, thump… Ming Tan’s heart was pounding fiercely. Just as she hesitated whether to raise her eyes and meet her husband’s gaze, she heard him calmly instruct, “Summon the Princess’s maids.”
Ming Tan looked up in confusion.
Jiang Xu happened to be gazing quietly at her: “The phoenix crown is too heavy; it would be better to remove it. Let them attend to you while I step out to receive our guests.”
He actually knew the phoenix crown was heavy.
Ming Tan met his gaze, and unconsciously, a flicker of joy stirred within her.
After Jiang Xu departed, Su Xin and Lü’e entered. Ming Tan promptly called for their help to remove the heavy phoenix crown from her head. She rubbed her stiff neck, freshened up once more, and changed into another set of bright red nightclothes.
Having busied herself with all this, Ming Tan could finally take a brief rest, while Jiang Xu’s social engagements outside were only just beginning.
The assembled military generals, friends, and subordinates, who usually dared not overstep boundaries, had finally seized the opportunity today to openly ply him with wine.
On this joyous occasion of his wedding, Jiang Xu had no reason to refuse any toast; he accepted every cup offered and drained each in one gulp.
The banquet continued well into the night. Many married generals, emboldened by wine, took the opportunity to impart their wisdom on marital harmony to their liege, the Prince of Dingbei.
Though Shu Jingran and Zhang Huaiyu were not yet wed, a few cups of liquor loosened their tongues, making them unusually verbose as they lectured with great authority:
Shu Jingran said, “Now that you are married, you must absolutely not treat your wife with coldness on this wedding night. Think about it carefully: you and your wife share the same bed, and young ladies are naturally shy. Surely you cannot remain as silent as usual, without uttering a single word!”
“Exactly, saying a few more words won’t kill anyone!” Zhang Huaiyu chimed in.
“Ay, ay, ay! How unlucky! Why mention that word on such a joyous occasion? Qi-zhi, listen to me; you can’t go wrong following my advice.” Shu Jingran covered his mouth as he let out a wine-laden burp, his voice clearly slurred with intoxication. “Just find some topics the lady enjoys. Whatever you do, don’t bring up warfare or military strategy. For instance, you could discuss… poetry and literature. It’s not as if you know nothing of them.”
“Right, you must take the initiative to say something. You can’t just dive straight into the main point immediately; you need some buildup. You understand what I mean by ‘buildup,’ don’t you?” When mentioning “dive straight into the main point,” Zhang Huaiyu glanced at him teasingly, his tone laced with mockery.
Jiang Xu swept a detached glance over the two of them, leaving it unclear whether he had actually listened to a word they said. He then turned to clink cups with Lu Ting and downed another drink.
–
At the end of Hai hour, the night was deep and all was quiet.
Ming Tan, who had entered the bridal chamber early, finally welcomed her husband, reeking of wine. She was fully awake at this moment; having rested earlier and eaten some pastries, she had regained her energy and was so bored that she nearly flipped through the erotic illustrated book Lady Pei had slipped to her before leaving.
Fortunately, she did not.
Seeing Jiang Xu enter, she sat upright on the edge of the bed, composing herself with formal dignity.
Though Jiang Xu reeked of wine, his mind was clearly still sharp. He walked to the table, stood firm, clasped his hands behind his back, gazed at Ming Tan, and softly called out, “Come here.”
“…?”
Ming Tan obediently rose and approached the table as well.
She stood a good half-head shorter than Jiang Xu; with her elaborate hair bun let down, the crown of her head barely reached his chin.
Standing so close, the heavy scent of wine mingled with the faint fragrance of sandalwood, making Ming Tan’s face flush and her heart race, leaving her somewhat flustered and at a loss.
She took the nuptial wine that Jiang Xu had poured and handed to her, her hands trembling involuntarily. After linking arms for the ceremonial toast, her shorter stature forced her to stand on tiptoe; yet the cup remained far out of reach, completely beyond her grasp!
Yet Jiang Xu lowered his gaze to her, then suddenly leaned forward, accommodating her stature, and bent his head to drink the wine.