When the sun reached the mountain peak, Yun Ye’s wedding procession also arrived at the Xin family’s small building. This layout of building brought enormous difficulties to fetching the bride. Not only was it easy to defend and hard to attack, but when it was originally built to demonstrate privacy, they hadn’t chosen half-height chest walls for the courtyard—they were all protective walls a full zhang high, which at the time drew fierce written criticism from the Academy’s teachers.
The artistic conception of “leisurely gazing at the southern mountain” was completely ruined. Apparently the Academy teachers were all thieves—otherwise why build such high walls? Everyone was supposed to be upright gentlemen—what was there to hide from others?
Literati and women were the same—both difficult to serve, each with shockingly bad tempers. The helpless Li Ke later built all his small buildings with half-chest walls, but when allocating rooms, the teachers fought over the high-walled compounds and no longer wanted the half-chest walls.
Now countless red envelopes had been stuffed into the gate-keeper’s hand before the heavy door opened just a crack. They still had to recite poetry. Zhangsun Chong stepped forward, cleared his throat, and began reciting the gate-opening poem that hadn’t changed for several hundred years.
After the poem was finished, the door closed again. Cheng Chumo flew into a rage, calling over several broad-shouldered, thick-waisted men to start pushing the door. All were fighting men from the military who knew how to break door bars. Using concentrated force, the arm-thick door bar instantly shattered. The gate swung open to both sides, with occasional screams still coming from behind the door.
Yun Ye moved forward to enter but was pulled back by Zhangsun Chong. After a slight pause, Cheng Chumo took the lead. A huge group of women, each holding clubs wrapped in hemp cloth, brought them smashing down on heads and faces. Wanting to fight back but only smelling waves of fragrance, unable to strike, he could only hold his head with both hands and use his body to withstand the club blows that fell like torrential rain.
Only then did Zhangsun Chong lead Yun Ye strolling leisurely through the furious group of women to reach the parlor. Elder Brother Xin wore an unwilling expression, stretching out his claws—no red envelope, no going upstairs.
The bride’s elder brother must be appeased. Seeing him eyeing the jade pendants at Yun Ye’s waist, he’d taken a liking to them. Only then did Yun Ye understand—the jade pendants hung at his waist were originally for bribing the bride’s elder brother. He tore off two in one go and stuffed them into Elder Brother Xin’s hand. Elder Brother Xin wasn’t satisfied and prepared to extort more. Zhangsun Chong muttered in Elder Brother Xin’s ear for a while, making Elder Brother Xin so happy he scratched his ears. Yun Ye only vaguely heard the three words “Yanlai Tower.”
At the bridal chamber door upstairs stood Xinyue’s personal senior maid Xiao Qiu. Ever since learning the Marquis had no interest in her, as long as the young lady didn’t want her, that little face never smiled at Yun Ye again. She’d cried several times, saying other young ladies’ maids all married along with their mistresses to the young master, but no one wanted her—it was a terrible humiliation and she wanted revenge. Only after Yun Ye promised to find her a good family did she let it go.
Now enemies met with especially red eyes. Her teeth ground audibly as she extended a small basket. Zhangsun Chong was shocked. Other people’s senior maids guarding doors were easily settled by the groom throwing them a flirtatious glance, but with Yun Ye, the basket had to be filled with good things.
As a degenerate among lechers and an old hand in flower gardens, after glancing up and down at Xiao Qiu’s ribbon fish-like figure, he suddenly understood. Yun Ye hadn’t wanted her—this grudge was huge. No wonder she held out a basket—not using a bamboo trunk already gave the new son-in-law face.
Yun Ye was completely robbed of everything on his body. Even Zhangsun Chong didn’t escape this misfortune and was also plundered. Xiao Qiu walked away beaming with joy holding the basket, not even making them recite the urging-adornment poem. This basketful was enough to keep her happy for a lifetime.
The door opened. Behind the wedding matron was Xinyue crying her eyes out, the powder on her face no thinner than Zhangsun Chong’s. Washed away by tears, it was all smeared. She was lying in Master Xin’s embrace receiving comfort. Master Xin’s eyes were also red-rimmed as he continuously consoled his granddaughter. Seeing Yun Ye enter, he stood up and said to Yun Ye: “Treat Xinyue well. She’s a good child.” After speaking, he turned and went downstairs, seemingly unable to bear this scene.
Yun Ye was extremely surprised. Didn’t he know his own donkey’s temperament? Xinyue had long been eager to marry over. Though her feelings for Grandfather were deep, they weren’t far apart and could see each other anytime—there was no reason for sadness. A few days ago, she’d even asked what to do if she couldn’t cry at the wedding—would people laugh at her? How could she be crying so sadly today? Looking at Xinyue’s tearful eyes, it definitely wasn’t caused by things like scallions or ginger.
Yun Ye could only conclude that when the moment arrived, Xinyue’s emotional floodgates had suddenly burst open beyond her control.
The wontons served were raw. Xinyue ate the raw wontons while crying, and had to be urged by a group of women asking whether they were raw or cooked. Xinyue tremblingly said: “Raw.” Only then did these people let her go.
Yun Ye saw Xinyue use lip language to ask him for help. Not knowing why she seemed to be having such difficulty, he still very firmly told everyone that the auspicious hour was about to pass and they needed to depart early.
Yun Ye went in front, Elder Brother Xin followed carrying Xinyue on his back. Once they came out, the giggling and laughing disappeared. Everyone showed sorrow, and sentimental women were even shedding tears, not knowing what they were thinking—in any case, very sorrowful.
Cheng Chumo had been getting beaten the whole time. Actually, if he just begged for mercy and asked for forgiveness, the matter would have passed. Who knew this fellow didn’t understand what surrender meant, didn’t know to run—he just squatted there taking the beating until the women were tired from hitting him. Only then did Cheng Chumo stand up, twist his neck, grin at the women who’d beaten him, and follow Yun Ye out the door as if nothing had happened. Once outside, he quickly rubbed his arms, grimacing and crying out in pain. The women, seeing he didn’t know any better, had hit him with great force. Zhangsun Chong laughed so hard he could barely walk. Only now did he awaken from the nightmare of being robbed. Seeing Cheng Chumo’s miserable state, his heart felt much more balanced.
An internal attendant had been waiting there early, delivering the imperial appointment decree already prepared to Xinyue. Her grandfather had struggled his whole life to barely reach fourth rank—couldn’t compare to his granddaughter marrying once.
Xinyue’s nose tip was glowing—this was the most obvious sign when she was in an excited state. Holding the official robes amid the incomparably envious gazes of the women, she boarded the carriage. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be qualified to ride in the Yun family’s four-horse carriage.
The full ceremonial guard deployed. Twenty-four guards in bright helmets and armor led the way in front, all draped in crimson cloaks, very imposing. With a sharp command, the great procession began to move. A military marquis’s wedding differed from civil officials and commoners—war drums led the way. Three drum beats announced to heaven and earth that all evil spirits should disperse.
When Yun Ye proceeded along the main road, he didn’t know that on both sides of the road, over a dozen agile figures were rapidly shuttling through the mountain forests, searching and advancing along both sides of the road. The man in the lead was none other than Liu Xian. The longbow from his back now gripped in his hand, his eyes and ears functioning to the utmost. When a sound suddenly rose from the grass and a heavy crossbow was drawn taut ready to fire, a long arrow had already pierced his throat.
He didn’t attend Yun Ye’s wedding, claiming illness. How could this man agile as a leopard have any trace of sickness? Though his steps were small, his speed was fast. This was already the fourth assassin he’d shot and killed. As the head of the palace guards, only the Emperor and Empress could command him.
The Xin and Yun families weren’t far apart. Along the way, there were only a few good assassination points. Those reckless wandering knights and blade men dreamed of exchanging the Yun family’s blood for huge sums of money. Now, they hadn’t seen the money, but their lives were already lost.
With one kick, he knocked over the assassin still breathing violently, tore open his clothing, and saw a fierce tiger tattoo. Liu Xian said in a low voice: “Damned Tiger Gang—do they think they can run wild in Chang’an now?” After speaking, the iron tip of his boot heavily kicked the assassin’s temple.
Yun Ye had underestimated Dou Yanshan’s hatred for him. Five thousand strings of copper coins would drive those who sold their lives for money crazy. In the prosperous Chang’an market, there were always places the sunlight couldn’t reach. Those desperadoes walked in the darkness.
With the Emperor’s tacit permission, Zhangsun gave the order. Liu Xian and fifty imperial elite secretly protected Yun Ye. The number of killers eliminated these past days far exceeded those few idiots who showed themselves openly.
After Liu Xian led the guards continuing forward, Old Jiang’s head emerged from the grass. With a wave of his hand, another old man carrying a short bow slid down from a large tree. The old man with the short bow curled his lip toward the direction Liu Xian departed and said to Old Jiang: “Jiang Head, these young cubs are from Bai Qi Si? How do they work so sloppily? Not bad spirit, but why so brainless? If we two brothers made a move, could these six cubs make it back alive? Where did all those intimidating fellows from earlier years go? Now it’s all green young lads.”
“The Marquis is young, inexperienced. We old folks are meant to be useful at times like this. Killing people doesn’t require dirtying the Marquis’s hands. The Marquis just needs to lead the farmers to earn copper coins—that’s enough. As for Bai Qi Si, those old fellows have all gone to enjoy their blessings. Whether they can still wield a blade now is questionable. Wealth is a blade that kills people. Today is the good day for the young mistress to enter the door. Let’s keep less blood on our hands and accumulate some virtue for the Marquis.”
Ignorant people were always happy. Yun Ye brought Xinyue home. Auntie and Aunt stood at the main gate to welcome them. The oldest man on the estate grabbed the horse’s reins, cleared his throat and shouted: “Home at last!”
Two felts embroidered with auspicious peony patterns were laid in front of the carriage. Xiao Qiu supported Xinyue as she stepped on the felts, one step then a pause. The women behind spread the felts under Xinyue’s feet again. This was called: rising step by step, feet not touching mud, untainted by bad luck.
Entering the door, she stepped over a saddle and a fire basin. After the couple worshipped heaven, earth, and ancestors, and worshipped the old grandmother, witnessed by the old grandmother whose eyes couldn’t be seen from smiling, the couple completed their mutual bows. The wedding matron cut a lock of hair from each of them, braided them together, placed them in a small box, and handed them to Xinyue, signifying they were husband and wife joined from first hair. Then she sent Xinyue into the bridal chamber.
Yun Ye hadn’t had time to run before being fiercely captured by Niu Jianhu. Thinking of his own terrible behavior at Niu Jianhu’s wedding, Yun Ye’s calves trembled.
Fortunately, the Yun family’s servants were always so understanding. Two wine jars were placed in front of the two of them. Not leaving, expressionlessly watching the two brothers, that servant opened one jar of wine and poured it all down in one go. Then he placed both jars in front of them and said: “This humble one is today’s wine king. Old Duke Yuchi is already drunk. He said only the Marquis and Young Marquis Niu can pour this humble one under the table, so I’ve specially come to be taught.”
The Niu family had no cowards. When Yun Ye saw the huge characters “sixty” on the wine jar, he covered his eyes, unable to bear to look.