Soon the auspicious hour arrived.
The wedding procession from Prince An’jing’s manor arrived.
Xie Ping was helped out of her boudoir by the wedding attendant, walking in a daze to the entrance of the Xie residence, where she was assisted onto the bridal sedan.
After getting on the sedan, she lifted her veil and looked toward the Xie family through the gap in the curtain. She saw her grandfather and grandmother, saw her father and mother, saw Xie Shi’an, and the Xie family concubines and other younger siblings… Since she had acknowledged her ancestry and returned to the Xie family, only four years had passed. She had long considered this place her home, yet she hadn’t expected to be leaving so soon.
Her heart held melancholy and reluctance, but even more so, anticipation for her future life.
The sedan was lifted, moving farther and farther from the Xie family.
Xie Ping assumed the sedan would be carried directly to the prince’s manor, but unexpectedly, after turning a corner on the street, it stopped at the entrance of the Shi residence.
Prince An’jing personally entered through the Shi family’s main gate and led out Miss Shi, the secondary consort, who boarded another bridal sedan.
The two sedans traveled one behind the other through the bustling streets, causing many common people to discuss among themselves.
“Prince An’jing truly has good fortune, marrying two women in one day. Come, let’s make a bet—who do you think Prince An’jing will consummate the marriage with tonight?”
“It must be Miss Xie, the eldest daughter. She’s the principal consort, so naturally the wedding night should be with the principal consort.”
“Not so, not so. The Shi family’s standing is much higher than the Xie residence. Prince An’jing will need to rely on the Shi family’s influence in the future, so he’ll definitely give the Shi family proper respect.”
“Tell me, isn’t it laughable? Prince An’jing marries two women in one day, yet their combined dowries don’t even match what the Crown Princess or Princess Gongxi each brought—not even a tenth of it.”
The common people on the street could see clearly: one principal consort, one secondary consort, yet their combined dowries amounted to less than thirty-two carrying loads.
Moreover, looking at it, everything consisted of bedding and household items—there seemed to be nothing truly valuable.
“The Xie family is of humble origins, so it’s understandable they can’t provide a dowry, but why is the Shi family also…”
“Don’t you know? The Shi family’s matriarch was married later—this Miss Shi is a stepdaughter. What stepmother would prepare a dowry for a stepdaughter?”
“Prince An’jing is an imperial prince. When His Majesty enfeoffed him, he was rewarded with countless gold, silver, and treasures. How could he care about his wife’s dowry?”
“Despite Prince An’jing’s noble status, he married the daughter of a mere fifth-rank family, which shows that Prince An’jing truly favors Miss Xie and is a man of responsibility.”
“…”
Sitting in the bridal sedan, Xie Ping breathed a sigh of relief.
She had no dowry, and Secondary Consort Shi had none either, so she didn’t need to feel inferior to Secondary Consort Shi.
After traveling for about a quarter-hour, the sedan stopped. The curtain was lifted, and the wedding attendant helped her out of the sedan. She stepped over the threshold and entered Prince An’jing’s manor.
In a daze, she performed the wedding bows. Her ears were filled with all manner of auspicious words, and then she was sent into the bridal chamber.
She sat in the festive bridal chamber, not knowing how long she sat there. The bustling sounds in the distance gradually faded, the night grew deeper and deeper, the maidservant beside her yawned one after another, and even she herself could no longer sit still.
She lifted the red veil: “Go see whether the prince is still drinking in the front courtyard.”
The maidservant nodded and left. After a little more than half a shichen, she returned: “Miss, the prince he…”
Xie Ping coldly interrupted her: “What miss? I am now the princess consort.”
“Yes, Princess Consort.” The maidservant spoke, “This servant asked around, and the manor’s matron said the prince went to Secondary Consort Shi’s residence.”
Xie Ping yanked off the red veil, her face turning ashen with rage.
She was the legitimate principal consort, yet the prince didn’t come to complete the proper rituals with her and instead went first to the secondary consort—this was trampling her dignity underfoot.
But she also knew that since she had married before reaching the hairpin ceremony age, to avoid giving people grounds for criticism, the prince definitely wouldn’t come to her on the wedding night.
She took several deep breaths before suppressing the anger in her heart, letting the maidservant attend to her washing and retiring for the night.
The next morning, before dawn had broken, a matron from the manor came to wake her—they needed to go to the palace in the morning to pay respects to the Empress and Concubine De.
Xie Ping hadn’t slept well all night and looked terrible. She applied much powder to cover the haggardness beneath her eyes before following the matron to the front courtyard, where her husband, Prince An’jing, was practicing swordplay.
This was the first time Xie Ping had seen Prince An’jing wielding a sword, and for a moment she was captivated.
After Prince An’jing finished, she quickly took the handkerchief from the maidservant’s hand, walked forward, and wiped the sweat for Prince An’jing: “Your Highness, you’ve worked hard.”
Prince An’jing glanced at her, stepped back, and coldly evaded her touch.
Then he strode toward someone behind her. She turned her head and saw Secondary Consort Shi approaching.
Prince An’jing walked to Secondary Consort Shi’s side. The two stood facing each other, looking like a perfect couple, while she, the legitimate princess consort, appeared rather ridiculous.
She spoke: “Your Highness, it’s getting late. We should enter the palace.”
Prince An’jing nodded: “Secondary Consort Shi will accompany us.”
Xie Ping’s fingers stiffened. She forced a smile: “For a secondary consort to enter the palace seems somewhat improper…”
“This is this prince’s mother’s command.” Prince An’jing glanced at her sideways. “What, does the princess consort have an objection?”
Xie Ping’s smile also froze.
Concubine De thoroughly detested her and deliberately summoned a secondary consort on the first day after the wedding.
After today, everyone would know that she, Miss Xie, was neither respected by her husband nor favored by her mother-in-law. She had lost both substance and face.
Prince An’jing snorted coldly and strode forward.
He truly regretted it to the extreme—regretted that he hadn’t resisted temptation that day and had done such things with this woman at Qing’an Temple…
He, a dignified imperial prince, was forced to marry a fifth-rank concubine-born daughter as his principal consort, becoming the biggest laughingstock of the entire capital.
Why should he give this woman face? Why should he give her the honor befitting a princess consort? Even though he didn’t like Secondary Consort Shi either, he would act affectionately toward her just to spite Xie Ping…
“Princess Consort.” Secondary Consort Shi walked to Xie Ping’s side and said softly, “Concubine De had some friendship with my late mother, which is why she summoned me.”
She feared the princess consort and the prince would become estranged, so she came to explain.
But she saw Xie Ping laugh coldly: “Is Secondary Consort Shi here to flaunt to me that your late mother’s friendship with Concubine De was exceptional, wanting to suppress me, the princess consort?”
“No—of course not!” Secondary Consort Shi hastily said, “What I meant was…”
“Enough, don’t speak anymore.”
Xie Ping impatiently pursed her lips, turned, and caught up with Prince An’jing’s pace.
Secondary Consort Shi bit her lip tightly and slowly followed the two. The carriage headed toward the imperial palace.
By the time they reached the palace gates and followed the eunuch to Kunning Palace where the Empress resided, the sky had just begun to lighten.
The three of them paid their respects to the Empress, who rewarded Xie Ping with a jade ruyi scepter and gave Secondary Consort Shi a jade bracelet.
Xie Ping expressed her thanks with genuine sincerity, finally showing her first smile since getting married.
But when they arrived at Concubine De’s residence, she could no longer smile. Concubine De only gave her a golden hairpin, but then turned and rewarded Secondary Consort Shi with several bolts of brocade and a fine set of jewelry.
Concubine De didn’t even look at her, holding Secondary Consort Shi’s hand and saying: “This palace and your mother were close friends. The year this palace entered the palace to serve His Majesty, your mother married your father. Who could have imagined that your mother would pass away at such a young age… Alas, only, having you be a secondary consort truly wrongs you…”
“I am not wronged.” Secondary Consort Shi quickly said, “The princess consort and I are like sisters. Being able to serve the prince together with the princess consort is my good fortune.”
She deliberately mentioned the princess consort, hoping Concubine De would speak more with the princess consort.
But hearing these words, Xie Ping found them particularly grating.