A’Ping and A’Hui helped Qin Yao to the great red wedding carriage hung with tasseled silken ropes. She turned to take one last look at the gates of the Qu family home, and saw her brother standing quietly on the steps amid the cluster of guests, the smile on his face undeniably heavy with longing and loss.

Qin Yao felt her nose sting once more. Afraid she would cry again, she bowed her head and dared not look any further.

The ceremonial matron, noticing this, quickly had A’Ping and A’Hui help Qin Yao into the carriage.

Lin Xiao saw all of this. The hand that had been holding the reins paused for a moment. He was silent for a beat, then turned and walked to the steps, where he clasped his hands in a solemn bow toward Qu Ziyu, his expression earnest. “Eldest Brother, please set your mind at ease. Lin Xiao will treat Qin Yao well going forward, and will not allow her to suffer even the slightest grievance.”

His voice was not loud, but every word was spoken with crystalline clarity, and carried without a single syllable lost into the ears of Qin Yao, who sat within the wedding carriage.

Qin Yao’s hands, resting in her lap, instinctively tightened. A’Ping was in the middle of smoothing Qin Yao’s skirts, and seeing this, she smiled and said, “Young Lady, the young master truly cares for you with his whole heart.”

Mo Cheng and the others, observing Lin Xiao’s conduct, could not help turning back to glance at the quietly still carriage behind them with a subtle flicker of surprise. They had already suspected earlier that the Emperor’s sudden decree of marriage between the Young Lord and Miss Qu of the Qu family was not quite as simple as it appeared. They had not expected the Young Lord to hold Miss Qu in such high regard. It seemed that going forward, when dealing with Prince Lan’s household, this Young Lord’s consort ought not to be treated lightly.

Qu Ziyu returned the bow, lowered his eyes, and said, “The Young Lord has always been a man of his word. Qu has no reason whatsoever to be uneasy.”

Lin Xiao paused slightly, realizing that Qu Ziyu was reminding him of the promise he had made that evening at the gates of the Qu manor. He replied with gravity, “Lin Xiao will not go back on his word.”

By this time, A’Ping and A’Hui had finished attending to Qin Yao’s appearance, stepped down from this carriage — which was designed to carry only the bride — and made their way to the carriage behind.

The officiating attendant then announced the procession’s departure back to Prince Lan’s manor, and amid the clamor of ceremonial music, the grand wedding procession, which had arrived in such splendid style, once again set forth toward Prince Lan’s household.

The street before the gates of Prince Lan’s manor had long since been festooned with red silk from end to end. Upon arriving, Lin Xiao received the quiver passed to him by the ceremonial matron while still on horseback, drew out an arrow from which the tip had already been removed, and shot it once toward the sky, once toward the earth, and once toward the carriage curtain.

The ceremonial matron called out in cheerful pronouncement:

“One arrow shot at the heavens — Heaven grants a blessed match; two arrows shot at the earth — Earth pairs a perfect union; three arrows to set all things in order — the new couple enters the bridal chamber.”

She then helped Qin Yao down from the carriage.

Lin Xiao took hold of a red silk ribbon and, smiling, held it out to Qin Yao. Watching her docilely take it up, the smile in his eyes rippled outward, and he said softly, “We’re going into the manor now. I’ll walk slowly in a moment — mind your step.”

Qin Yao, fan shielding her face, made a soft sound of assent.

Lin Xiao then turned, and amid the laughter and jostling of Jiang Sanlang and the rest, led Qin Yao forward step by step, into Prince Lan’s manor.

Upon reaching the main hall, Prince Lan sat in the seat of honor, wearing a magnificent new princely python robe, smiling broadly as he watched the couple enter the hall with a look of warm contentment.

Princess Derong and the Duke and Duchess of Lu were also conspicuously present.

Princess Derong first gazed with a touch of regret upon Lin Xiao in his wedding attire for a moment, then swept her eyes over Qin Yao at his side, her gaze lingering only briefly before sliding away with cool indifference.

Qin Yao peeked through her fan and caught a glimpse of Cui Shi. She was startled. Wasn’t Cui Shi being detained at the Court of Judicial Review for scheming against Princess Kangping and Xia Yan? Could it be that, for the sake of Lin Xiao’s wedding, she had been temporarily released from the Court of Judicial Review in order to maintain appearances before all the guests?

Cui Shi had grown considerably thinner. Though her face was thickly powdered, nothing could conceal her haggard pallor. As she watched Qin Yao enter, her expression remained wooden and blank — until her eyes fell on Lin Xiao. Then a flicker of something stirred in her gaze, and it fixed upon Lin Xiao’s face, unable to move away. Only when the Nanny Li beside her quietly and discreetly tugged at her sleeve did she lower her eyes, her expression complex.

Although Cui Shi was present, the chair beside Prince Lan was empty. Instead, the palace attendant Liu Gong beside Prince Lan held a spirit tablet — which could only be the spirit tablet of Lin Xiao’s late mother, Lady Zheng.

When it came time to bow to heaven and earth, Lin Xiao regarded Cui Shi as though she did not exist, leading Qin Yao directly in prostration before Prince Lan and Lady Zheng’s spirit tablet.

The wife of Duke Lu, seeing this, seemed to be reminded of her sister who had died young. A rare expression of grief and sorrow crossed her usually composed and dignified face.

The rites complete, Lin Xiao still led Qin Yao by the red silk into the inner courtyard. The group of young guests laughed and made merry, pressing close behind in a noisy, festive crowd. The bridal bower had been set up inside Siruju Hall, which was exceptionally spacious, able to accommodate dozens of people. In the center lay a broad bridal mat spread for the couple to drink the wine of union. Princess Kangping, Liu Bingyu, Wang Yingning, and others were already waiting, along with a host of distinguished ladies from all corners of Chang’an, and when they saw Lin Xiao leading the bride forward, they all surged forward with smiles.

Only Xia Yan lingered behind the crowd, watching silently as the red silk ribbon in Qin Yao’s hand caught her gaze, unable to produce so much as a trace of a smile.