Like a sudden surge of floodwater crashing against a dam, these words silenced the entire room. After a stiff moment, everyone turned to look outside.
Jiang Xuanjin stood with hands behind his back at the entrance of the main hall, his presence unnoticed until now.
“Your… Your Highness?” Bai Xuanji’s face was filled with astonishment. Her eyes flickered, and she immediately adjusted her demeanor, releasing Huaiyu’s hand and stepping back.
The uncles and aunts who had been blocking the bedside also retreated to the side, revealing the figure half-leaning on the bed.
“You’ve finished court already?” Huaiyu smirked upon seeing him.
Stepping into the room, Jiang Xuanjin leisurely walked to the bedside and sat down, smoothing his robe. “Today’s court matters were light, so I finished early.”
After speaking, he looked up and stared at her intensely, his ink-black eyes unblinking.
Huaiyu blushed under his unexpectedly fiery gaze. “What are you doing?”
Jiang Xuanjin calmly remarked, “Just seeing how ruthless and cold-blooded you can be.”
Huaiyu: “…”
Realizing that Lord Ziyang had come to support Bai Zhujing, the expressions of the people in the room turned grim. They still couldn’t understand why Lord Ziyang would marry Bai Zhujing, let alone expect him to defend her like this.
Bai Xuanji furrowed her brows, silently holding her handkerchief for a moment. Suddenly, she abruptly knelt with a loud thud, her knees hitting the ground.
“Your Highness!” Tears welled up in her eyes. “I beg Your Highness to save my mother!”
Huaiyu couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. Status was indeed a powerful thing. These people threatened and pulled blankets at her, but they kneeled and bowed to Jiang Xuanjin. Just listen to that sound of kneeling; they must have bruised their knees, right?
However, Miss Bai seemed completely unconcerned about her knees. Her eyes were fixed on Jiang Xuanjin as she pleaded, “I will do anything as long as you can save my mother!”
Glancing sideways at her, Jiang Xuanjin asked, “Is that so?”
Bai Xuanji nodded repeatedly, her expression one of resignation, which touched even Huaiyu.
Yet Jiang Xuanjin remained expressionless. “In that case, I will point you towards a clear path.”
Her eyes brightened, and Bai Xuanji hurriedly said, “Your Highness, please continue.”
“Enter the palace and plead your case before His Majesty,” Jiang Xuanjin said, “This case has been judged by His Majesty himself, and even I cannot overturn it. But with your filial piety, you can appeal to His Majesty on behalf of Lady Bai Mengshi.”
In other words, to get Bai Mengshi released. She would go in and serve the sentence meant for eighteen years.
Without thinking, Bai Xuanji’s expression darkened. “How is that possible?”
In the prime of her youth, unmarried, how could she possibly enter the great prison?
“Wasn’t it said you would do anything?” Watching her reaction, Jiang Xuanjin frowned. “Is your filial piety not worth eighteen years in prison?”
How could it be worth it? What she wanted was to save Bai Mengshi without paying any price herself! Bai Xuanji gritted her teeth, her face turning pale and then red. Should she agree? Shouldn’t she? She knelt stiffly with her head lowered.
Seeing this, Jiang Xuanjin turned to the people nearby. “Is there anyone willing to take the blame?”
In the room, everyone exchanged glances, but no one dared to answer. Anyone could talk big, but to suffer to save someone… who would be foolish enough to do that!
Seeing the array of colors in the room—red, orange, yellow, blue, green, purple—Huaiyu couldn’t help but chuckle. She sneakily reached out and gently hooked her finger around Jiang Xuanjin’s nearby hand.
Jiang Xuanjin froze for a moment, then sternly glared at her and withdrew his hand into his sleeve. His back straightened, an aura of inviolability about him.
Watching his reaction, Huaiyu couldn’t help but swallow nervously. She was tempted to kiss him.
With so many Bai family members around and the atmosphere still tense, having such thoughts was incredibly inappropriate! Shameless!
Yet, for some reason, she couldn’t stand Jiang Xuanjin’s serious demeanor. His expressionless face made her want to tease him relentlessly. When he looked stern, she wanted to make him blush. Sitting there so formally, his robes buttoned up to his neck, she wanted to kiss him, to playfully tug at his clothes!
Realizing her audacity, Huaiyu lightly slapped herself on the cheek.
Meanwhile, Jiang Xuanjin continued to deal with the Bai family members.
“It seems Miss Bai is unable to make a decision right away,” he said. “It might be best to go back and think it over. When you’re ready to enter the palace, I will personally guide you.”
Provided with a way out, Bai Xuanji immediately took it, bowing respectfully. “Thank you, Your Highness. I will take my leave now.”
“No need to see her off.”
Though the people present were still dissatisfied, there was nothing more they could say or do. They could only reluctantly follow Bai Xuanji out.
As the last person crossed the threshold, Huaiyu finally couldn’t resist. She pushed herself up and threw herself at Jiang Xuanjin, grabbing his chin and planting a kiss on his lips.
Caught off guard, Jiang Xuanjin didn’t react in time and was left stunned for a moment. When he regained his senses, he scolded, “Are you out of your mind again?”
Satisfied, Huaiyu licked her lips and grinned, hooking her arms around his neck. “This is my way of thanking you, Your Highness, for being my hero earlier. I have no other way to repay you but with a kiss.”
Absurd! Jiang Xuanjin gritted his teeth, reaching to push her back into the bed. But unexpectedly, she grabbed onto his clothes and didn’t let go. As he pushed, she tumbled back, pulling him down with her.
“Master, everything has been packed up,” said Cheng Xu, taking advantage of the Bai family’s departure to step into the room. “Is there anything else left…”
His words caught in his throat as soon as he glanced at the bed.
The usually dignified Lord Ziyang was currently pressing Bai Sijie down on the bed, his hands propped at her sides in an intimate and ambiguous posture. Bai Sijie lay obediently, biting her finger, her eyes innocent.
Cheng Xu almost turned around immediately to run.
“Stop!” Veins bulging on his forehead, Jiang Xuanjin turned to him. “Where are you running off to?”
Cheng Xu felt like crying. Could he not run? Witnessing such a scene—if the master decided to silence him to keep it secret, what would he do?
Shaking all over, he turned back and covered his eyes. “I didn’t see anything, Master!”
Straightening himself away from the bed, Jiang Xuanjin rubbed his temples. “It’s not what you think.”
“I understand! I understand everything!” Cheng Xu nodded repeatedly.
Understand my foot! Jiang Xuanjin was so furious his ears turned red.
“Hahaha!” Huaiyu on the bed laughed uncontrollably, clutching the blanket and thumping the bed frame. The illustrious Lord Ziyang’s reputation was ruined in her hands today!
Giving her a cold glance, Jiang Xuanjin clenched his fists. “Do you want me to call back the Bai family to keep you company?”
The laughter abruptly stopped, and Huaiyu coughed a few times, obediently covering herself with the blanket. “No need.”
After a moment’s thought, Jiang Xuanjin asked Cheng Xu, “What did you mean by ‘packing up’ earlier?”
Covering his eyes, Cheng Xu replied, “Master ordered that since Lady Bai Mengshi has been imprisoned, we should return to Jiang Residence. With the wedding approaching, it’s improper to continue staying at Bai Manor.”
They were leaving? Huaiyu’s face fell, and she looked at Jiang Xuanjin reluctantly. “How about one more kiss before you go?”
Jiang Xuanjin turned and walked away, pulling Cheng Xu out with him to ChengXu listening to her nonsense.
Huaiyu burst into laughter again, her laughter shaking the room.
May 21 was the wedding date. Once Jiang Xuanjin returned to his residence, preparations for the wedding would commence at Bai Manor. However, just as Lady Bai Liang threatened, Huaiyu did not plead for Bai Mengshi as they had hoped, so there were naturally many obstacles for her in the manor.
“What’s this supposed to be?” Lingxiu frowned as she picked up the newly arrived wedding dress. “It’s quite ordinary.”
It was a simple red silk with a plain mandarin duck pattern. While there was nothing wrong with it per se, wearing this to Jiang Residence might make her look petty and shabby.
Huaiyu glanced at it and asked, “Who prepared this?”
“Naturally, it was Lady Bailiang. With Madam imprisoned and Master busy with state affairs, these trivial matters have been handled by the elders in the family.”
That explained it. Huaiyu thought for a moment before saying, “Let’s set it aside for now.”
Although Bailiang had sent Bai Mengshi to prison for the greater good, he must have been feeling regretful deep down. Asking him to handle these minor details was not fair. As long as she could enter Jiang Residence, Huaiyu truly didn’t care how she got there or what the arrangements were like.
However, to her surprise, Bailiang came to visit her within two days.
“Are you feeling better?” he asked with a serious expression.
Huaiyu nodded. “I can get out of bed and walk around. Just feeling a bit weak. The midwife said I’ll be fine with proper rest.”
“That’s good.” Bailiang sighed. “Despite the recent upheavals in the family, your wedding arrangements must not be rushed. I’m not quite sure how to prepare a dowry, so you can use your second sister’s dowry first since you’re marrying before her.”
Huaiyu couldn’t help but laugh at that. “Second sister won’t be happy about that.”
“I’ll have another dowry prepared for her separately. What does she have to be unhappy about?” Bailiang frowned. “All my daughters are equal in my eyes when it comes to dowries.”
He seemed genuinely resolved now. Facing the life-and-death crisis that Pearl had encountered, he bore an undeniable responsibility. Since he couldn’t make up for it elsewhere, he could only increase the dowry. A dowry was the clearest display of a daughter’s favor in her natal home, and what Bai Mengshi had prepared for Pearl should be just right.
Huaiyu chuckled to herself for a moment before turning to him. “Father, if Second Sister causes trouble for me, you’ll stand up for me, won’t you?”
“What kind of cover?” Ba Dezhong ng was stunned and furrowed his brows again.
He had come with a fatherly heart, intending to show some concern for Zhu Ji. However, upon hearing her inappropriate words, his ingrained habit of reprimanding surfaced once more.
“Where did you learn such nonsense?” He glared at her. “Is this how a proper young lady should speak?”
Of course not; these were all words used by people from the martial world. Zhu Ji, a famous thief in the martial world, had personally taught Li Huaiyu many of its slang terms, resulting in this palace-raised girl adopting a rogueish manner.
Ba Dezhong ng did not appreciate this roguishness. Whether it was the Eldest Princess Danyang or his daughter, he would lecture them upon encountering such behavior.
“The ‘Admonitions for Women’ says: Women have four virtues, and the second is womanly words. Choose your words carefully, do not speak evil, speak at appropriate times, and do not tire others with your words. This is called womanly words! Have you followed this?”
Huaiyu honestly shook her head. “No, I haven’t.”
“Then why haven’t you corrected it?” Ba Dezhong ng’s eyes widened even more.
With a deep sigh, Li Huaiyu seriously counted on her fingers and reasoned with him, “Father, look, there are thousands of kinds of girls in this world. If all of them were to be admonished into the same mold by a single book, what difference would it make for Lord Ziyang to marry me or someone else?”
Ba Dezhong ng was taken aback and frowned in thought.
Before he could figure it out, Huaiyu continued, “Look at Miss Qi, hasn’t she learned the ‘Admonitions for Women’ well? Everyone in the capital praises her for being gentle and virtuous. Why doesn’t Lord Ziyang marry her then? It’s because he doesn’t like that kind of girl. Since he doesn’t like it, why should I, as the one he wants to marry, learn it?”
This seemed to make sense. Ba Dezhong ng fell into deep contemplation.
Li Huaiyu continued her rambling, “You have two daughters. If we were the same, what would be the point? The second Sister is gentle and dignified, so I’ll be lively and generous. Isn’t it good to have diversity?”
After pondering for a long time, Ba Dezhong ng finally realized something was amiss. He furrowed his brows and angrily said, “What nonsense are you talking about? I told you not to speak inappropriately, and you’re going off on a tangent!”
Li Huaiyu scratched her head. “Aren’t we talking about the same thing?”
“No!” Ba Dezhong ng slammed the table. “Before you marry into the Jiang family, you must properly learn the rules!”
Huaiyu’s face fell.
It’s not that she didn’t know the rules; she was just too lazy to follow them. She longed to be as carefree as Zhu Wu, roaming the martial world. Unfortunately, she never had the chance. She couldn’t wander the world, nor could she act freely in the court. It was truly frustrating.
However, seeing how furious Ba Dezhong ng was, she thought she might as well be filial for Bai Zhuji’s sake and spare the old man some worry.
Thus, for the next few days, Li Huaiyu behaved unusually well. She walked with dainty, lotus-like steps and greeted Ba Dezhong ng with restrained gentleness, bowing her head and curtsying.
Ba Dezhong ng was very pleased, thinking even rotten wood could be carved.
However, that day, just as Li Huaiyu finished her greetings and was about to return to the southern courtyard, she was stopped by Bai Zhuji.
“Second Sister, do you need something?” She asked politely, holding her fingers in an orchid-like gesture.
Bai Zhuji’s face was dark, and her tone was harsh. “Did you tell Father you wanted my betrothal gifts?”
Huaiyu calmly replied, “It’s not that I want them, Father made the decision.”
“If you hadn’t wanted them, would Father have made such a decision?” Bai Zhuji’s eyes were sharp. “My dowry was prepared by Mother. Why should you take it?”
Madam Bai was partial to her and had saved up a significant and splendid dowry for her over time. Now, this fool was going to benefit from it. How absurd!
Huaiyu covered her lips with a smile and remained gentle, “I cannot make decisions on this matter. If you are unhappy, Second Sister, you should speak to Father.”
After saying this, she sidestepped and began to walk away with delicate, lotus-like steps.
However, Bai Xuanji was not about to let her go so easily. Seeing her attempt to leave, she grabbed Huaiyu’s arm, her long nails digging in painfully.
“You’ll come with me to talk to Father!” Bai Xuanji demanded.
Huaiyu turned her head, and the dignified smile on her face instantly vanished.
“Do you take my kindness for weakness?” She yanked Bai Xuanji’s hand away and shoved her against the wall. Stepping forward, she placed her foot beside Xuanji and said coldly, “If you won’t listen when I’m polite, let’s try another way.”
“I took your betrothal gifts, so what?”
Bai Xuanji was stunned by her shout and stood there, dumbfounded. She didn’t dare make a fuss anymore, just stared at her blankly while leaning against the wall.
Huaiyu wasn’t being rough for no reason; sometimes roughness works better than gentleness. She brushed imaginary dust off Bai Xuanji’s shoulder and grinned mischievously, “Remember when you falsely accused me of stealing your betrothal gifts? Do you recall what I said back then?”
“—Bai Xuanji, you better provide proof today that I stole your dowry. Otherwise, I promise you, I’ll take every last bit of it, down to the last thread!”
Recalling these words, Bai Xuanji trembled with both guilt and anger, staring at the person before her. She wished she could have Huaiyu restrained and beaten as she used to.
However, now Madam Bai was no longer in the residence, and Bai Zhuji was not the easily bullied fool she once was.
Bai Xuanji clenched her fists, hissing, “Enjoy your moment now but don’t think it will last forever. Fortune always changes.”
“Oh,” Huaiyu retracted her foot and nodded, “Then we’ll talk when fortune favors you.”
With that, she turned and left.
Lingxiu, who had been watching from the side, had initially been worried that her mistress would be bullied. Seeing her mistress bully the other instead, she covered her mouth to suppress her laughter.
“Miss, you were amazing!”
Huaiyu glanced at her sideways and said irritably, “Weren’t you hoping I’d learn some manners? I was quite rude just now.”
Lingxiu quickly shook her head. “Now I understand, Miss. With people like that, there’s no need to be polite. It’s just asking for trouble!”
Huaiyu felt quite gratified. “A teachable child.”
In this world, gentle people often suffer the most. They treat everyone well but don’t always receive the same in return. Encountering those who take advantage of kindness, they only get trampled on.
Li Huaiyu always believed that as long as what she did wasn’t wrong, it didn’t matter if her attitude made her seem like a villain. Although this might lead to being perceived as an actual villain, so what? It saved her a lot of trouble and made things go more smoothly. As for what others thought of her, did it matter?
“Of course, it matters!”
At the palace gates, beside the carriage, Jiang Shen shouted these words earnestly, trying to persuade the person in front of him, “This is your first wedding. So many people will be attending. Do you think the wedding attire is important or not?”
Jiang Xuanjin, with a blank expression, shook his head. “Not important.”
“You can’t be like this!” Jiang Shen grew anxious. “I’ve already spoken with Manager Ye at the Brocade Pavilion. Today, no matter what, you must go.”
“Second Brother, I have other matters to attend to,” Jiang Xuanjin replied. “State affairs take precedence over family affairs.”
“Don’t give me that. Father said that right now, your wedding is the most important thing in the world!” Unable to reason with him, Jiang Shen simply pushed him onto the carriage.
Jiang Xuanjin’s face darkened, and he frowned at Jiang Shen.
Feeling his scalp tingle under his brother’s stare, Jiang Shen quickly ordered the driver to set off and then whispered, “There’s no other way. The wedding is fast approaching, and you still haven’t tried on your wedding attire. If it doesn’t fit and there’s no time to alter it, you’ll be a laughingstock at the ceremony.”
“Besides, anyone getting married should be excited to try on their wedding clothes. You’ve stayed at the Bai residence for so long, you must genuinely like the Fourth Miss Bai. If you like her, how can you be so indifferent about the wedding?”
Jiang Shen’s persuasion skills were usually impressive, but they were utterly ineffective on Jiang Xuanjin. No matter what he said, the Third Young Master remained grim-faced, brimming with hostility, frustrated at being prevented from entering the palace.
Listening from outside the carriage, Cheng Xu thought to himself, Second Young Master has it tough. Our master’s temper isn’t something that just anyone can smooth over.
Upon arriving at the Brocade Pavilion, Jiang Shen was so chilled by his third brother’s icy gaze that he dared not speak. He hurriedly ushered him into the shop and watched as he was taken to the changing room, finally breathing a sigh of relief.
“I truly feel for the Fourth Miss Bai,” he confided to Cheng Xu. “Once she marries, she’ll have to face Third Brother’s grim face every day.”
“Second Young Master, you’re overthinking this.”
“Hm?”
Recalling the formidable lady of the Bai family, Cheng Xu sighed with a troubled expression, “Once she marries into our family, you might find yourself pitying our master instead.”
“What?” Jiang Shen was stunned. He looked at Cheng Xu, then turned back to glance into the Brocade Pavilion, shaking his head. “How could that be possible!”
Cheng Xu sighed again, thinking that sometimes those involved are oblivious while bystanders see things.
Inside the room, Jiang Xuanjin frowned deeply as he stared at the wedding attire held by the shopkeeper, expressing his disdain, “Too gaudy.”
The shopkeeper was taken aback and didn’t quite understand, “You mean the pattern?”
“The color.”
The shopkeeper was at a loss and smiled awkwardly, “Your Highness, wedding clothes are traditionally bright red.”
“Who set that rule?”
“Well… it’s not a specific rule set by anyone, it’s just…” The shopkeeper gestured towards the back, where several wedding garments hung. “Everyone follows this tradition.”
Following the direction of the shopkeeper’s gesture, Jiang Xuanjin paused slightly.
On the foremost rack hung a bright red wedding dress. Gold-embroidered twin lotus flowers blossomed from the hem up to the waist, cinched by a cloud-patterned belt. The bodice featured a splendidly intricate peony. The peony was exquisitely embroidered, layer upon layer, matching the floral patterns on the outer robe’s lapels, giving off an air of regal elegance.
After glancing at it for a while, Jiang Xuanjin asked, “Who is this bridal attire for?”
Inclining his hand with a smile, Ye, the shopkeeper, replied, “It’s not for any particular family. We do garment business in our village, but we’ve lacked a flagship piece. So, I specifically hired thirty embroideresses to craft this set adorned with blooming and prosperous lotus flowers, intending to showcase it in the shop.”
As he spoke, sensing Lord Ziyang’s gaze was somewhat off, he hurriedly added, “This isn’t for sale.”
“Not for sale?”
“It cannot be sold!”
…
Outside, Jiang Shen and Cheng Xu waited for quite some time, but they didn’t see anyone coming out after changing into their attire. They thought perhaps he wasn’t satisfied with the wedding garment. Just as they were about to go in and check, they saw Jiang Xuanjin coming out on his own.
The person who had seemed rather gloomy just now, for some reason, not only had his expression softened, but he also nodded gently towards Ye, the shopkeeper, who was behind him.
Jiang Shen scrutinized him puzzledly, “Why are you still wearing this?”
Running his hand over the green amber robe on his body, Jiang Xuanjin said, “I’ve tried on the wedding attire. It fits well, no need for alterations.”
Jiang Shen widened his eyes, “You tried it on inside, and that’s it? You didn’t even show it to Second Brother?”
Glancing at him, Jiang Xuanjin said, “It’s bothersome.”
Jiang Shen was furious! After all, he was his second brother, his blood! Being treated with cold indifference was one thing, but not even showing the wedding attire to him?
“Master, what’s this?” Cheng Xu couldn’t understand as he looked at the shopkeeper, who was handing over several heavy large silk boxes with a troubled expression.
“Wedding attire?” Jiang Shen turned to look, a bit puzzled. “Why are there so many?”
Normally, a groom’s wedding attire would suffice with four boxes, but there were more than ten! They piled up in Cheng Xu’s hands, almost blocking his head.
“Nothing much.” Jiang Xuanjin walked out casually, saying as he went, “I have other matters to attend to. Second Brother, you find your way back.”
Jiang Shen watched him leave dumbfoundedly, leaning against the counter in disbelief. “Who did I offend? How did I end up with such a grudge-holding little brother?”
The shopkeeper behind the counter quivered, murmuring, “Who did I offend…”
Cheng Xu loaded the silk boxes onto the carriage and instructed the coachman, “Head back outside the palace gates.”
The coachman nodded, about to respond, when he heard a muffled voice from inside the carriage, “Make a stop at the Bai Residence first.”
Huh? Cheng Xu didn’t understand. “Aren’t you in a hurry to get to the palace?”
Jiang Xuanjin remained silent for a while before saying, “It’s not that urgent.”
Cheng Xu thought, “…” If it’s not that urgent, why did the Second Young Master scare him like that?
With a wry smile, he climbed onto the carriage’s footboard and instructed the coachman, “Follow the young master’s orders, head to the Bai Residence.”
“Yes, sir.”
The carriage jolted along, the piled-up silk boxes swaying. Jiang Xuanjin looked on coldly, feeling a sudden annoyance.
Why did he suddenly think of buying things for someone? And of all things, this! Would it seem too eager if he sent it over like this?
But, Bai Zhuji died early, and she was clumsy with her hands and feet. What she prepared probably wouldn’t look as good. Instead of losing face later, it might be better to salvage the situation now.
But… what if she doesn’t like it?
A calm and indifferent face hid tumultuous thoughts underneath. Sometimes he felt happy, regretful, and sometimes a bit annoyed. He couldn’t find peace throughout the journey.
So, when Li Huaiyu was busy in the courtyard, she noticed a shadow flickering at the courtyard gate.
“Who’s there?” she instinctively reprimanded.
No one answered her.
With a puzzled stare at the gate for a while, Huaiyu thought, perhaps it was just a passing servant! So, she didn’t bother to look again and continued her work.
But soon enough, the shadow flickered again at the gate.
Frowning warily, Huaiyu put her hands on her hips. “Who’s skulking around?”
Still, no response.
Her eyes darted, and Huaiyu subtly extended her arm while inching closer to the gate.
When the shadow flickered past for the third time, she reacted swiftly, lunging forward to grab the person. She shouted, “Where do you think you’re going, thief!”
Jiang Xuanjin looked at her with a cold, indifferent gaze.
Meeting his eyes, Li Huaiyu froze for a moment. She immediately let go of his clothes and smoothed out the wrinkles, smiling, “Oh, it’s you.”
He gave a light snort in response, then turned to look behind him.
Confused, Huaiyu followed his gaze and saw a person standing there, trembling, holding a stack of silk boxes piled high.
“Oh? It’s Cheng Xu, isn’t it?” Curiously, Huaiyu bypassed the silk boxes and glanced behind them, laughing heartily. “Your master is too heartless, letting you carry so many things alone!”
Cheng Xu’s face pressed against the silk boxes, gritting his teeth. “He’s not heartless. I can handle it.”
Sure, he could handle it, but why make him stand here for so long? They had already arrived, so why was the master still hesitating to go in for so long?
Despite his inner outcry, Cheng Xu managed to force a strained smile onto his face.
Seeing his plight, Huaiyu quickly grabbed Jiang Xuanjin’s hand and led him into the courtyard, smiling as she walked. “It’s been days since we last met. Missed me, didn’t you?”
Jiang Xuanjin shook his head indifferently. “No.”
Huaiyu widened her eyes. “Then why did you come today?”
“Just passing by.”
“…,” She angrily released his hand and put her hands on her hips. “I built this road, I planted this tree. If you want to pass through here, you must leave a toll!”
Her hand gestured in the air, but Jiang Xuanjin caught it himself. He glanced at her, then reached for one of the silk boxes and stuffed it into her arms.
“What’s this?”
Jiang Xuanjin said solemnly, “A toll.”
Giving him a strange look, Huaiyu opened the box and froze in place as she looked inside.
Folded within was a large piece of crimson silk, embroidered with golden peonies blossoming in the Yaochi Spring dawn, splendid and noble, lifelike.
“This is… bridal attire?” She reached out in astonishment and then looked up at Jiang Xuanjin.
The man in front of her turned his head away, his jaw slightly tense. Though he seemed expressionless, there was a hint of nervousness.
“Today, Second Brother asked me to try on the wedding attire,” he said. “While trying it on, I saw this thing. Second Brother said it suits you well, so I brought it to show you.”
Pausing for a moment, he added, “If you don’t want it, you can give it to Lingxiu. She might need it for her future marriage.”
Huaiyu found it amusing and puzzling. Tilting her head, she looked at him. “But what if Lingxiu doesn’t need it?”
“In that case, you can just throw it away.” His expression darkened as he spoke, and Jiang Xuanjin turned to leave.
However, before he could take a step, his hand was grabbed.
With one hand holding the bridal attire box and the other grasping him tightly, Li Huaiyu grinned widely, her smile growing bigger and bigger. “You, why can’t you ever speak nicely when giving someone a gift?”
“…,” His body stiffened as he slowly turned back, frowning at her.
“Want me to teach you?” she asked, blinking, then immediately imitated his demeanor, speaking in a rough voice, “Today, Second Brother asked me to try on the wedding attire. While trying it on, I saw this garment and thought of you. I thought you’d look good in it, so I bought it to give to you. Do you like it?”
Finishing her imitation, she looked up at him, her eyes shimmering with a pool of spring water, and reverted to her original soft voice, saying quietly, “I do like it!”
“I do like it!”
His heart seemed to jolt at her words. Jiang Xuanjin stared at her in astonishment, his hand lightly shaking in hers. The tension in his body, which had just been taut, relaxed.
She’s good at making up stories, he thought. But her smile wasn’t bad, complementing that peony flower quite well.
Many people in Northern Wei loved peonies. He used to think it was just a desire for wealth and status. But now… this flower didn’t seem too bad.
“Do you want me to try it on for you?” Huaiyu asked with a mischievous smile.
Jiang Xuanjin snapped back to reality, pulling his hand away. “I told you, I’m just passing by. I have to go to the palace.”
“Oh…” Huaiyu seemed a bit disappointed, but then she smiled again, winking at him. “Then, we’ll save it for the wedding night!”
“…,” Shameless!
With a light snort, Jiang Xuanjin walked away briskly, his steps fast as if he were being chased by a dog. Huaiyu watched him with amusement, then quickly called Lingxiu to help move the rest of the silk boxes into the house.
“Have you heard a saying before?”
As Li Huaiyu was bustling about moving things, someone spoke to her.
Upon hearing the voice, she didn’t even turn around. “Master Lu, if you have something to say, say it all at once.”
Lu Jingxing sat on the windowsill of her room, fanning himself. He glanced at her with a smirk. “I do want to say it all at once, but you have to calm down and listen.”
Lingxiu stared at him in astonishment, then looked outside. “When did you arrive?”
“A while ago.” Folding his fan, Lu Jingxing stepped into the room and took out a bag of pastries from his sleeve, handing it to Lingxiu. “I came in a hurry and didn’t use the main entrance. Please, Miss Lingxiu, keep a lookout for me.”
“Hurry?” Even if he wasn’t in a hurry, this man never used the main entrance! Huaiyu rolled her eyes and waved for Lingxiu to take the pastries out. Then she looked up at him. “What do you want to say?”
Quietly, he met her gaze. “Those who play with fire will get burned.”
Slightly puzzled, Li Huaiyu frowned. “You came all the way here just to curse me?”
“It’s not a curse,” Lu Jingxing sighed. “It’s a reminder.”
Watching them just now, if he didn’t know what was on her mind, he would have thought they were a couple about to get married. Whether Li Huaiyu was swayed or not, he wasn’t sure, but Jiang Xuanjin’s reaction…
If the truth were to be revealed one day, he feared she wouldn’t be able to handle the consequences.
“Relax!” Huaiyu chuckled as she glanced at him. “I always think things through carefully before acting. There won’t be any major mishaps. If he ever finds out I’ve been deceiving him, at worst, he’ll want my life. But I’ve already died once, what else is there to fear?”
Shaking his head with exasperation, Lu Jingxing said, “You’re something else.”
“Your obedient granddaughter,” Huaiyu cheekily claimed the familial connection, then went straight to business, “How’s everything going?”
Lu Jingxing pursed his lips. “It’s going relatively smoothly. Jiang Xuanjin has secretly re-examined several palace maids in the Fulu Palace, but… there’s something strange.”
“What is it?”
“If Jiang Xuanjin is indeed the mastermind behind your troubles, then at least the Judicial Office should be under his control. But this time, his investigation has stirred up resistance within the Judicial Office.”
“Huh?” Huaiyu frowned. “How’s that possible? Judge Liu Yunlie and Jiang Xuanjin can be considered close friends through life and death.”
“Judge Liu hasn’t shown any unusual behavior, but his subordinates are causing chaos, and I haven’t figured out why,” Lu Jingxing sighed. “I’m just a merchant. Why should I get involved in the political intrigue of your officials?”
Glancing at him, Li Huaiyu raised her thumb. “Your ancestors are Princess Chang of Danyang.”
Then she extended her index finger. “Your elder brother is General Xu Xian.”
“Your friends include the esteemed ministers Han Xiao and the rising star Yun Lanqing. Yet, the Censor Ba Dezhong ng and Lord Ziyang Jiang Xuanjin both see you as thorns in their sides.”
“With these connections, and you’re telling me you’re just a merchant?”
His temples twitched. Lu Jingxing clenched the fan in his hand, gritting his teeth. “Who’s responsible for all this?”
“Me.” Huaiyu pointed at herself without a hint of remorse, then patted his shoulder with a smile. “That’s why I’m saving you, to help you adapt to the political arena early on so you won’t be blindsided by anyone in the future.”
“Well, thank you for that!” Lu Jingxing bowed to her with a grin.
“Who’s with whom here? No need to be polite!” She chuckled twice and reached out her hand to him. “Where’s my gift?”
He tapped her palm lightly with the fan, wearing a half-hearted smile. “Your wedding dress put me in a bad mood, so no gift for you.”
What kind of excuse was that? Huaiyu gave him a sidelong glance. “If the wedding dress isn’t red, should it be green?”
Lu Jingxing paused for a moment, then smiled with shimmering eyes. “Who knows? Maybe it’s blue?”
“Blue?” Huaiyu gave him a disdainful look. “Then you better wear blue when you get married. If you wear red, I’ll be mad at you!”
“Sure.” Lu Jingxing casually agreed.
What’s wrong with blue? He remembered she had worn one before, with wide sleeves and a waistband, embroidered with colorful birds. As she climbed over the wall, the skirt fluttered, making those birds seem alive, and it was quite beautiful.
That was two years ago. Mischievous as she was, she took him to crash a wedding banquet and even got the groom drunk, whom they didn’t even know. When they returned, her cheeks were slightly flushed, but she was laughing happily.
“Weddings are so fun,” she said. “When can I get married too?”
At that time, he sighed and told her, “Don’t think about it. With your status and your style, no one in the world dares to marry you. Just behave yourself.”
But she was defiant, staring at him and saying, “I don’t care, I want to get married, and I want it now!”
Her eyes were misty, clearly tipsy.
Helplessly, he asked, “Okay, how do you want to get married?”
She kicked him hard in the knee pit, the force making him immediately kneel.
He wanted to scold her at the moment, but before he could, she also knelt beside him, bowed to the sky, murmuring some words. After finishing, she slapped the back of his head, forcing him to knock his head together with hers.
“Ritual completed,” she said with a grin after they knocked heads. “We’re married now!”
His knee hurt, and so did the back of his head. Lu Jingxing didn’t feel any joy in getting married at that moment.
But now, thinking back, he felt that the moon that night was quite nice.
However, the person in front of him clearly didn’t remember at all, looking at him as if he were a fool, her little nose wrinkling in disdain.
Lu Jingxing said irritably, “I’m leaving.”
“No need for farewells.” Huaiyu waved at him.
Turning a few steps, Lu Jingxing stopped and couldn’t help but turn back to ask her, “Do you know how to perform the ceremony?”
“How would I know?” Li Huaiyu shrugged. “I saw you and Xu Xian perform the ceremony before. I guess it’s similar. Just call out ‘Lord Guan is above’ and then bow and pay respects.”
Lu Jingxing: “…”
So, when they “got married” two years ago, she was chanting ‘Lord Guan is above’?
After a moment of astonishment, Lu Jingxing couldn’t help but chuckle, his body trembling slightly.
“What’s wrong?” Huaiyu looked at him puzzled. “Why are you laughing?”
He quickly covered his face with the fan, trying to hide his laughter. “Ancestor, do you know that Lord Guan has nothing to do with marriages?”
“Really?” Huaiyu scratched her head. “If he has nothing to do with it, then he doesn’t. What’s the big deal?”
Lu Jingxing didn’t say anything more, straightened up, and walked away without looking back.
Watching his retreating figure, Huaiyu felt like he wasn’t lying to her. His mood today seemed genuinely not good.
“Then forget about the gift.” She muttered softly.
In the following days, Li Huaiyu was busy preparing for the wedding and learning the customs. She listened absentmindedly as the maidservant taught her, not taking in a word. The day before the wedding, Bai Deyou specially came to remind her not to be nervous.
Li Huaiyu was not nervous. She only prayed that nothing would go wrong with this wedding.
However, things didn’t go as planned. On the day of the wedding, just as she finished changing into her wedding dress, something happened.
“Where did you get this from?” Bai Liangshi glared at the richly embroidered dress she was wearing, her face extremely ugly. “What about the wedding dress I prepared for you?”
Huaiyu glanced at herself in the mirror and asked, “Is there anything wrong with me wearing this outfit?”
“You… You don’t respect me as your aunt, do you?” Bai Liangshi exclaimed angrily. “You insist on wearing this outfit, right? Fine! If you wear this outfit, we won’t attend the wedding banquet!”
With those words spoken, Lingxiu nearby became anxious: “On such a joyous occasion, how could the family from the maiden’s home not attend the feast?”
According to the customs of Northern Wei, when welcoming a bride, a feast is laid out, including a “family of the maiden” table. The number of relatives from the maiden’s family attending the table symbolizes the degree of importance the maiden’s family places on her. While other families would invite all their relatives to fill the table when marrying off their daughters, they, on the other hand, refused to attend.
“Miss Four has caught the eye of Lord Ziyang now, her horizons have widened, rendering our presence unnecessary,” Bai Liang sneered. “Since we are not needed, why should we go?”
“You…” Lingxiu started but was interrupted by Huaiyu who stifled a yawn. “Let’s get ready first, don’t waste any time.”
Seeing her attitude, Bai Liang’s face turned blue with resentment as she glared at her. “Don’t come to us for help later!”
With that, she turned and led all the uncles and aunts out of the room.
Lingxiu’s eyes reddened, whispering, “How could elders be like this? They’re making things difficult even on such a joyous occasion.”
“Ignore them,” Huaiyu said, “Their absence won’t matter.”
“How could it not matter?” Lingxiu protested, stamping her foot in frustration. “Leaving the family table empty will make the Jiang family look down upon you! Moreover, with so many guests at the feast, leaving seats empty would be an embarrassment for the hosts.”
“Since it’s already like this, why bother with them?” Huaiyu shrugged. “In any case, I won’t change out of this bridal attire.”
Lingxiu was momentarily speechless, her anxiety evident, but after a while, she could only sigh deeply.
However, Bai Liang and her companions were far from relenting.
The dowry for the marriage had already been carried to the southern courtyard, but upon checking the list, Lingxiu frowned. “How come twelve loads are missing?”
The dowry prepared by Bai Mengshi for Baixuanji amounted to a total of twenty-six loads, yet upon counting, there were only fourteen. Not to mention the shortfall, the number itself was extremely ominous, enough to make anyone furrow their brows.
“They just won’t stop,” Li Huaiyu said, sounding a bit irritated.
With people bustling in and out of the mansion, everyone was busier than ever, yet Bai Liang and her group, along with Bai Xuanji, were all sitting in the pavilion, watching the show.
“Trying to go against us? Let’s see who ends up at a loss!” Bai Liushi said smugly while cracking sunflower seeds. “Thinking she’s something special just because she got a new set of bridal attire. She’ll see what’s coming later!”
“There are quite a few onlookers outside,” Baixuanji smiled. “When the dowry is carried out, every family will discuss and compare. Even if she enters the Jiang mansion, her life ahead might not be so smooth.”
“Not just smooth? Do you know about the second young mistress of the Jiang family? When she got married, her dowry was meager, and the maiden family’s table wasn’t fully occupied. Do you think the second young master of the Jiang family took her seriously? Not even half a year after entering, the second young master took in three concubines. Oh, the hardship!”
With this revelation, everyone felt relieved, chattering away about the tough times awaiting Baizhuji in the future, laughing heartily.
However, amidst the laughter, there was a commotion at the entrance of the mansion.
Baixuanji glanced sideways, seeing everyone ushering in someone dressed in festive attire. This person usually wore light colors, but today, they were dressed in bright red. Instead of looking odd, the red accentuated their handsome face even more. Their eyes were as dark as ink, lips as red as vermilion, and with a casual flick of the sleeve, they exuded an air of elegance and refinement. Just a casual glance forward, and the entire April spring seemed to be captured in the arch of their brows.
The pavilion fell silent.
Everyone watched silently as Jiang Xuanjin crossed the front courtyard towards the southern courtyard, then saw him emerge carrying the veiled Baizhuji.
“As long as one can enter his household, who cares how tough the days ahead may be?” someone whispered ever so softly.
Baixuanji pressed her lips together, her face grim, as she watched Jiang Xuanjin’s figure. She couldn’t help but feel resentful. She even couldn’t help but wonder, if she hadn’t interfered with Baizhuji’s wedding initially, would she be the one Lord Ziyang was marrying now?
“You need to be prepared,” Li Huaiyu whispered to the person in her arms, the veil covering her face, as they stood in front of the Bai mansion. “There might be quite a few surprises today.”
“They’ve already happened,” Jiang Xuanjin replied.
“What?” Startled, Huaiyu grabbed his sleeve. “What did you see?”
“It’s not what I saw, it’s what I felt.” He gently touched her face and frowned. “It’s been a few days. You’ve gained quite some weight.”
Huaiyu: “…”
Why was that surprising? She had been working on gaining weight recently. It would have been surprising if she hadn’t gained any! Gritting her teeth, she pinched him, but before she could say anything else, she was swiftly lifted and placed into the bridal sedan as it arrived.
Lingxiu followed beside the bridal sedan, nervously glancing back.
“The auspicious time has come, lift—” The joyful shout of the wedding attendant interrupted, and the sedan, carried by eight bearers, lifted off the ground. As the wedding procession moved forward, the bride’s dowry was carried out of the mansion, load by load, trailing behind.
The entrance of the Bai mansion was crowded with onlookers, some admiring Lord Ziyang’s unparalleled elegance, some marveling at Miss Bai’s good fortune. Of course, many more were busy eyeing the bride’s dowry trailing behind.
Lord Ziyang had presented the Bai family with a dowry of thirty-six loads, the highest standard for a subject marrying under an emperor. So, how much did the Bai family value their daughter’s marriage?
“One, two, three…”
As people counted, Bai Liang and her companions joined in, eager to witness the spectacle. So what if they had snatched Bai Xuanji’s dowry? What they were sending to the Jiang mansion today amounted to only fourteen loads, even more, meager than the second young mistress of the Jiang family’s dowry!
“…Thirteen, fourteen!”
The counting stopped as the red loads reached fourteen. Bai Liang and her companions exchanged whispered words, their laughter beginning to bubble up. Fourteen loads, so few and so ominous. How would the people of the capital discuss this?
As the counters looked on in surprise, about to speak, they suddenly noticed firecrackers exploding behind the fourteen loads of dowry, the deafening sound overshadowing the wedding band and drawing everyone’s attention.