HomeA Cup of LoveYi Ou Chun - Chapter 86

Yi Ou Chun – Chapter 86

The hall suddenly fell silent, not even a cough could be heard. They had spoken of the Shen family’s joy, yet why hadn’t there been any gesture from the palace? It turned out it was simply delayed.

Madam Chen – this form of address was enough to make one ponder. Even the palace didn’t recognize the bride as a member of the Xie family. If the Xie family came to make trouble now, wouldn’t they just be embarrassing themselves? People’s gazes darted back and forth like shuttles. In this entanglement, someone would surely lose face while others would have the last laugh – it all depended on how His Majesty’s decree would be proclaimed.

The Shen family’s great hall was deep and wide. The Imperial Messenger’s voice echoed off the roof rafters:

“For Shen Run’s meritorious service in the Imperial Library, achieving distinction in pacifying the frontier regions, demonstrating equal virtue in civil and military affairs, and showing grace both within and without, he is hereby promoted to Military Commissioner of Lulong in Youzhou. His wife, Lady Chen, is gentle, refined in character, and virtuous in conduct. She embodies the elegant manner of water plants by the shore and flourishes with refined grace. Therefore, she is hereby conferred the title of Lady of Guangyang Commandery. May heaven’s favor shine ever brighter upon your carriage, and may you continue to diligently uphold virtue in your duties. By Imperial Decree.”

Qingyuan was still in a daze when Shen Run tugged at her sleeve, calling out “Long live the Emperor!” and leading her to prostrate themselves.

He had originally intended to request an imperial decree for their marriage, but upon learning of the Xie family’s plans, he had hastily requested this decree from the Emperor instead. With his promotion to Military Commissioner being officially announced today, it was only natural for Qingyuan to receive a noble title. Since the imperial decree had already placed her under the Chen family name, what grounds did the Xie family have to contest it? Everyone said Shen Run was domineering and all-powerful; if he couldn’t even change his own wife’s household registry, wouldn’t he be bearing that notorious reputation in vain?

The expressionless Imperial Messenger, having finished reading the decree, immediately broke into smiles. He gestured for the attending Yellow Gate attendants carrying large red lacquered trays to come forward. Lifting the red cloth covering, he invited the Shen couple to examine the contents: one tray held the official robes of a second-rank noble title, and the other contained gold wrapped in red paper.

The Imperial Messenger bent at the waist with hands hanging down, smiling as he said, “Commissioner and Lady, please rise. This humble servant comes bearing messages from His Majesty and the Inner Palace. As His Majesty and Her Majesty cannot leave the palace, they specially bestow one hundred taels of gold to congratulate the Commissioner on his marriage. Additionally, they gift the Lady one hu of pearls and a complete set of phoenix crowns and ceremonial robes. Her Majesty said that in two days, she requests the Commissioner and Lady to enter the palace together so she may meet them.”

Shen Run replied, “Thank His Majesty and Her Majesty for their grace. In two days, I shall bring my wife to the palace to express our gratitude. The three of you have worked hard – today is my joyous occasion, please stay for a celebratory drink before departing.”

The Imperial Messenger politely declined, saying they had other duties and needed to return to report. Shen Run then instructed his steward to reward them generously, which goes without saying.

After the palace officials left, the room erupted in congratulations. Today the Shen family could truly be said to be gloriously fortunate – a wedding, a promotion to Military Commissioner, and an elevation to Lady of the Commandery all at once. Among all the civil and military officials in court, how many families had received such extraordinary honors?

The Xie family members who had come to argue were nearly fainting with anger at this sight. Old Madam Xie kept exclaiming in disbelief, “Even the Emperor cannot arbitrarily change someone’s household registry! A father’s essence and a mother’s blood… a father’s essence and a mother’s blood!”

Through her red wedding veil, Qingyuan looked at that stranger leaning on a dragon-headed cane, who seemed as unfamiliar as if they had never met before.

She called out “Old Madam,” and continued, “You speak well of a father’s essence and a mother’s blood. Though my father gave me life, he never raised me. I have repaid his life-giving grace several times over by saving him from dire straits. Old Madam only speaks of my father’s grace in giving life, but what of my mother? My mother was wrongfully driven from your door, and you seized the Jin family’s property, taking advantage of my mother being alone, and causing her wrongful death in the end. How should I seek justice for this grievance? Today is my wedding day. If you were truly my family, if you truly cared for me, you would come to offer congratulations, not disrupt my wedding feast. You never treated me as your flesh and blood; you only saw me as a tool to please high officials. Fortunately, I met him. Had it been someone else, I would likely have met the same fate as my mother, dying of your persecution.”

She spoke each word calmly, without anger or passion. She simply stood there stating facts, letting all the guests understand clearly. Before leaving the Chen household, she had secretly hoped the Xie family might show goodwill, but now her complete disappointment brought it peace, knowing this family tie must surely be severed. She had lived only fifteen years, yet in these fifteen years she had seen the ugliest of human nature; in the years to come, perhaps nothing could shock her anymore.

Very well, she sighed softly, returning to Shen Run’s side. Shen Run addressed Old Madam Xie: “Now that the imperial decree has been issued, I need to say no more. You would do well to update your family genealogy and household registry soon, lest there be more entanglements later.” His sharp eyes turned to Madam Hu, and he sneered, “They say a worthy wife prevents her husband’s misfortune. Commissioner Xie’s current situation isn’t his fault alone. Madam, you’d best take your Old Madam home to rest. Your household is in complete disarray – there’s no need for you to concern yourself with the affairs of my manor.”

With things having reached this point and the Shen family’s victory assured, people changed their tone to teasing questions: “On such an important day, why hasn’t Commissioner Xie come?”

“Though the inner household is managed by the wife, she shouldn’t be allowed to act arbitrarily. Look at the scene they’ve caused at what should have been a proper wedding…”

“Lady Shen is only fifteen this year, isn’t she? To receive a noble title at fifteen – that’s unprecedented in our dynasty…”

At this point, Shen Run completely abandoned all pretense of courtesy, calling out loudly, “Anyone else who causes trouble, beat them to death with clubs. If someone dies, I’ll answer to His Majesty myself.”

A line of guards entered through the main gate, their armor clattering with a sudden crash. Their helmets were worn low, their features hidden in shadow under the lamplight, looking like the golden armored deities in temples. Even their voices were like beating drums as they called out “Please,” startling everyone.

The Xie family members fled in what was practically a rout amid the overwhelming mockery. Once outside, Old Madam was gasping for breath. Madam Hu’s servant Granny Sun came to console her, saying, “Old Madam, calm yourself. Let them have their moment of triumph for now…”

Before she could finish speaking, Old Madam slapped her hard across the face.

“Haven’t you caused me enough humiliation! I was truly blind to let a worthless old woman like you incite me. If I had known…” Old Madam muttered mournfully, “If I had known… I should have properly prepared a dowry to send her. If she had softened her heart for a moment, perhaps she might have acknowledged us again…”

With the Xie family gone, the wedding feast could finally proceed properly. After paying respects to Heaven and Earth, the bride was escorted to the bridal chamber. Commander Shen lifted the veil with a steelyard, though a feather fan still shielded the bride’s face. The crowd urged him to sing but being awkward with words, he didn’t know what to sing. He could only bow deeply to Qingyuan: “Please, my lady, lower the fan… please, my lady, lower the fan…”

Qingyuan couldn’t bear to make things difficult for him and shyly lowered the feather fan. The young, pure bride had a beautiful, full face, her head adorned with pearls and jewelry, her shoulders draped in ceremonial robes, sitting there both dignified and charming.

Shen Run’s friends laughed and joked, pushing and shoving: “Shouya is so fortunate, Sister-in-law is truly beautiful!”

The elderly maids in the bridal chamber laughed as they urged the guests out: “Gentlemen, the feast is ready outside, please proceed to your seats.”

Only after driving away all the merrymakers could the couple perform the ritual of sharing the nuptial cup. They sat facing each other, eating white meat, taking turns… Qingyuan was genuinely hungry and ate several pieces, making even the attending maids laugh. She felt somewhat embarrassed: “Why do I find this meat so delicious…”

Shen Run doted on her, personally arranging two more pieces for her and passing her the wine. The ritual cup was made from a gourd cut in half; after drinking, the halves would be joined together and bound with red silk thread, completing the ceremony.

However, he still had to go attend to the wedding guests, and reluctantly told her to wait for his return, looking back three times as he left. Only then did Qingyuan finally breathe a sigh of relief. Baoxian laughed and said, “Young miss has had a trying day, with so many things happening at once. Just now I saw the Old Madam’s face change color with anger.”

Qingyuan smiled slightly, “Help me redo my hair.” As she spoke, she began removing the pins and ornaments from her head.

Because Jiang had informed them beforehand, she had told Shen Run, who told her not to worry, that he would handle it. There was no need to even alarm Grandmother Chen – it turned out he had requested an imperial decree. With such a pillar of support in the family, truly she need not worry about anything. It was no wonder so many girls wished to enter the Shen manor – there was good reason for it.

She had seen Fangchun earlier during the fan ceremony, but now she was nowhere to be seen – probably had gone back. After fixing her hair, she turned to ask Granny Zhou, “How have things been in the Western Courtyard these past few days?”

Granny Zhou shook her head, “The other day, Second Madam demanded a divorce. Word reached the master’s ears. Though angry, he couldn’t openly reprimand her, so he just asked the Second Master to go back and reason with her properly. We servants have been hoping for the Lady to arrive – this household truly needs a proper mistress. Second Madam never concerns herself with household matters, only knows to ask for food when hungry and clothes when cold. Whoever says what she likes to hear, she opens her heart to them completely. I think now that my Lady has arrived, that Miss Xuexue will be somewhat more cautious. As long as she stops whispering in Second Madam’s ear, once Second Madam calms down, things should naturally improve.”

But Qingyuan shook her head – it likely wouldn’t improve. They had spent months laying their groundwork; such deeply rooted problems couldn’t be solved quickly. The Yao family must have witnessed the events at her wedding feast today and were probably seething with jealousy by now. No one dared to move against Shen Run directly – his temper was difficult to approach, threatening violence at the slightest provocation. Even the most coquettish young lady who came before him would find her schemes laid bare. Shen Che was different – his nature was gentler and more approachable. For those wanting to enter the Shen family, the Second House was naturally easier to manipulate.

Qingyuan removed her bracelets and placed them in her jewelry box, “Has Miss Xuexue been visiting lately?”

“Visit? How could she not!” said Granny Zhou. “A few days ago, servants from the Western Courtyard’s main quarters were gossiping that the young miss was even consoling Second Master, saying her sister had always been stubborn at home, and asking her brother-in-law not to take it to heart.”

Qingyuan frowned upon hearing this, “Second Master and Second Madam have been husband and wife for so long, yet an outsider needs to play peacemaker?”

Granny Zhou crossed her arms and agreed, “It’s nauseating! On one side she stirs up trouble with Second Madam, on the other she plays the good person before Second Master. So young, yet so devious.”

Qingyuan smiled coldly, understanding in her heart that the Yao family must be fanning the flames behind this. Wasn’t this exactly what the Xie family had done? Old Madam had even considered having her become Shen Che’s concubine. Xuexue’s family held a sixth-rank position – if the daughter of an eighth-rank Assistant Officer could be a proper wife, someone of her background would be more than qualified to be a concubine.

“I understand the situation now. Don’t spread this around – I’ll handle it in my way,” she said, tilting her face up as Hongmian reapplied her powder.

Attendant Fu Granny changed the subject with a laugh, “My dear young lady, what day is today? There will be plenty of time to consider such matters later, why dwell on them today of all days!”

Granny Zhou also laughed, “It’s my fault for leading the Lady to discuss such things – I deserve to be beaten! My Lady, please finish your preparations. The master will return soon. On your wedding night, don’t let those petty people spoil your joy.”

Qingyuan smiled, pressing her lips together, but thinking of her current situation made her nervous again. After the elderly servants had withdrawn, the room grew quiet. She stood up and slowly paced a few circles, then pushed the window open a tiny crack, watching the snow fall outside through this narrow gap.

“If it keeps snowing until tomorrow morning, it should pile up quite thick. Ah, we never saw snow like this in Hengtang. Youzhou is wonderful, being able to see such snowy scenes…”

“And having such a good person to nestle with as companionship in this bustling world.” The person behind her spoke as he embraced her, drawing her small form into his arms, like a larger half-circle enclosing a smaller one, holding her tight.

The attending Baoxian and Hongmian exchanged smiles as they withdrew. With only the two of them left in the room, Qingyuan felt somewhat shy. She turned her head to look at him once, smelling the wine on him, and asked softly, “Did you drink too much? Have all the guests left?”

His tone was somewhat lazy, “I was happy today and had a few extra cups, but it’s nothing – far from being drunk. The guests have all gone. After all, they’re all court officials who know proper etiquette, aware that tonight is my wedding night…” He kissed the back of her neck near her ear, happily murmuring, “Now it’s good – you’re finally truly mine.”

Qingyuan shyly pulled back her neck, “The Commander has worked hard today.”

Hearing this, he let out a long “Mm,” saying, “Why are you still calling me Commander? You should use a different form of address.”

She covered her mouth and laughed, “I’m used to it and forgot for a moment.”

He turned her around, his beautiful eyes gazing at her hazily in the candlelight, “Call me again.”

She smiled and stroked his face, “Shouya.”

He nodded, “And?”

“My lord.”

He took this endearment into his heart, his hands pressing on her shoulders as he lowered his head, his posture heavy, his expression hidden from her view.

Qingyuan knew what he was thinking and said softly, “In the future, whether bitter or sweet, I will always be by your side. Don’t be afraid.”

He laughed at this, “How could I be afraid…” But sometimes he truly was afraid, loving her so much that he feared losing her.

Yet as a grown man, some words were still difficult to speak. He looked out the window, where a thin layer of snow had accumulated on the branches and eaves, and asked her, “Do you like snow?”

She said yes, her curved eyebrows and eyes reflecting the dancing firelight, “Tomorrow, shall we build a snowman?”

Without a word, he pushed open the window and jumped out, gathering up the accumulated snow in the folds of his robe, then offering it to her through the window, “It’s too cold outside. Don’t go out – if you want to play with snow, I’ll bring it to you.”

Qingyuan’s eyes grew a bit misty, “I didn’t mean I wanted to play with snow right now… Why are you being so childish?”

She hurriedly brushed the snow from his robes and let him in, carefully rubbing his hands between hers. Though his fingertips were only slightly cool, having barely touched the snow, she still felt deeply concerned.

“Are you cold?” she looked up at him, her gaze warm and tender, making his heart race.

He said he was cold, “My wife should warm me up.”

Hearing this, she lifted his hands to her lips, breathing warm air on them. As she did so, her lips pressed against the back of his hand, and she mumbled, “Let me kiss it better!”

On this wedding night, with the bride being so considerate, how could he resist any longer?

He swept her up in his arms, and they fell together into the mandarin duck bedding. Though the weather was cold, the room was as warm as spring – even without charcoal fire, husband and wife found comfort in each other’s embrace. She was still somewhat childlike, now married as a wife, combining a maiden’s innocence with a young wife’s shyness. He propped himself up to look at her as she lowered her eyelashes, her face blushing red. He kissed her tenderly, from her forehead to her toes.

She melted like spring water, even more enchanting than he had imagined. Her snow-white arms lay softly against the crimson bedding, and he followed their warmth, finding her hand and interlocking their fingers tightly.

“Are you afraid?” he asked by her ear, his voice low and hoarse, with a coaxing quality.

Her toes curled against his calf as she opened her eyes slightly and said she wasn’t afraid.

Not far from the bed stood a gold-inlaid brazier, its openwork patterns casting flickering light. His hair was disheveled, and his striking features held a unique beauty in the hazy light. He had a soul that burned like fierce flames, and later she would learn that it wasn’t just his soul that burned so fiercely.

Like thunder and lightning, she felt herself shattering, but his skillful hands pieced her back together. Through the long night, she felt neither impatience nor weariness. She only joyfully welcomed him, cherishing this feeling of floating among the clouds.

When he buried his face in her neck, she held him tight, “Shouya, let’s stay like this until we’re old.”

He laughed softly and agreed, “Like this every day… until we’re old.”

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