Ji Lan and Shu Hong stood behind Han Yan as the wedding matron finished her preparations. Looking at Han Yan, the matron smiled: “Miss looks like a heavenly fairy. His Highness is truly blessed.”
Han Yan slowly raised her head to look at herself in the mirror. The reflection showed bright eyes and white teeth, a smile tinged with shyness, rosy cheeks like peach blossoms, and an elaborate hairstyle adorned with pearls and enamel – truly a beautiful woman. She suddenly recalled her previous life, when she had been similarly adorned yet lacked much of her present radiance. Could living another life change not just one’s fate but even one’s appearance?
She drifted in thought briefly, then smiled self-mockingly – perhaps she was just too nervous.
Ji Lan and Shu Hong were both extremely excited. In their world, nothing could be happier than Han Yan finding happiness. Their mistress was such a good person; she deserved someone wonderful to cherish her. Their mistress had suffered so much, but now finally, after the bitter came the sweet.
Deng Chan stood in the innermost part of the room. After handing the wedding gifts to Ji Lan, she walked over to hold Han Yan’s hand: “It’s wonderful that you’re marrying His Highness.”
Han Yan smiled slightly: “When will you and General Cheng hold your wedding?” Han Yan knew about Deng Chan and Cheng Lei’s relationship – a military general’s heir and a civil official’s daughter made an unusually suitable match.
Deng Chan blushed but didn’t deny it. After some thought, she smiled: “You’re my best friend. Back then, you saved our entire family…”
In her previous life, Minister Deng had offended someone and ended up with his family destroyed. This life, thanks to her and Fu Yunxi’s planning, the Emperor had put on a show to distinguish between loyal and treacherous officials. Minister Deng, then suffering from neglect, had displayed the integrity characteristic of an upright scholar-official and regained the Emperor’s trust, thus changing his fate. Though Deng Chan didn’t know exactly what had happened, she knew that her father had regained the Emperor’s trust because of Han Yan and Fu Yunxi’s plan, so she credited Han Yan with helping them.
Han Yan hadn’t told Deng Chan about her father’s fate in the previous life. If that life had been a confused nightmare, this one was like a beautiful future created while fully awake. Deng Chan hadn’t married that Hanlin Academy scholar but instead followed Cheng Lei. Cheng Lei was inherently kind-hearted and would certainly treat Deng Chan well. Everything was good.
She smiled: “What nonsense, it had nothing to do with me.”
As Deng Chan was about to say more, a voice called from outside: “The auspicious hour has arrived! The bride should enter the sedan chair.”
It was time to depart.
The wedding matron covered Han Yan with a red bridal veil and led her to the door.
Traditionally, the bride was carried to the sedan chair by her family’s brother. There, Zhuang Hanming waited for Han Yan. After the truth had come to light, Han Yan learned that Zhuang Hanming wasn’t her real brother. Madam Wang had remained faithful to the Eastern Marquis her whole life. Zhuang Hanming was the child of her good friend who had born a child out of wedlock before marriage and had begged Madam Wang for help. Madam Wang, soft-hearted and neglected by Zhuang Shiyang, had adopted the child. Others assumed he was Madam Wang’s own. That friend’s family had later left the capital, avoiding any complications over the years.
Though Han Yan and Zhuang Hanming shared no blood ties, their familial bonds from the earlier days when Madam Wang was alive couldn’t have been faked. Han Yan hadn’t told Zhuang Hanming about her true identity, but he must have guessed. Neither spoke of it, though both understood.
Han Yan climbed onto his back. The youth who once needed her protection had become a capable man. She heard his familiar voice say softly: “If he ever bullies you, tell me. I’ll avenge you.”
Han Yan was startled, her heartwarming, as he continued: “You’ll always be my sister.”
As he finished speaking, Zhuang Hanming felt something warm trickle down his neck.
Han Yan softly hummed in agreement and said nothing more.
Carried to the sedan chair, the curtains were lowered. The man on the tall horse wore red clothing. Used to seeing him in white, this bright red wedding attire stripped away Fu Yunxi’s usual frost and indifference, making his refined features appear more gentle, creating an indescribable charm. He sat quietly on his horse, watching his little wife enter the sedan chair.
Thus began the wedding procession, with gongs and drums, ten miles of red splendor.
The streets were packed with common people coming to watch. The man on horseback and the wedding procession’s grandeur exceeded even what a true princess might receive. Of course, the people didn’t know that the woman in the sedan chair was a true princess. Born with a phoenix’s fate, her previous and current lives were so different. Perhaps this proved that changing how one lives could change one’s destiny.
While organizing the wedding gifts, Ji Lan oddly discovered a jade box. The box was extraordinary, gleaming with flowing light. Opening it revealed a pair of translucent jade bracelets, snow-white and brilliant, extremely precious. Ji Lan found it strange – something so valuable should have been memorable, yet she couldn’t recall who had given it. After some thought, she decided to put it away first and ask Han Yan later.
In the crowded streets, on the second floor of a tavern, a masked man held a wine cup, his lips slightly curved in a smile that seemed lonely and bitter.
“I thought you would try to steal the bride?” a voice suddenly sounded behind him.
The masked man turned, his wolf-like green eyes flashing coldly. Seeing who it was, he smiled coldly: “So you came specially to stop me. The great General Cheng honors me.”
Cheng Lei smiled slightly: “If you’re not stealing the bride, then offer your blessings. That’s what you think too, isn’t it?”
The wedding ceremony, marriage, lifting the veil – everything proceeded as if rehearsed many times before.
In the bridal chamber, the two embraced, each holding ceremonial wine to the other’s lips, their shadows reflecting on the white screen, truly endlessly entangled.
The man drank his wine in one gulp, then after a while, raised an eyebrow at the woman’s puzzled look: “Wondering why I haven’t fainted?”
The bride startled, trying to break free, but found herself trapped in his embrace, his warm breath close.
“Fu Yunxi, you cheated!” the new bride exclaimed angrily.
“And you drugging me doesn’t count as cheating?” Someone had abandoned his usual calm demeanor, chuckling: “The Princess Consort is so unwilling to share a bed with me, seems to have forgotten that half a year ago at Lotus Clear Pool, someone tried to take advantage of me.”
Han Yan frowned. She hadn’t been ready to consummate the marriage, so she had asked Tang Sheng for a sleeping drug, but it had been discovered so quickly. Was Fu Yunxi’s nose that of a dog’s?
Fu Yunxi casually removed his red wedding clothes, revealing the snow-white undergarments, and reclined on the couch. Seeing Han Yan standing there dazed, he softly said: “Come here.”
Han Yan glared at him. The man reclining on the couch had ink-black hair, and clothes draped casually, revealing the dark-patterned blue trim beneath. With one pull, the small figure before the couch was drawn into his warm embrace.
“What are you doing?” Han Yan’s large eyes widened, her small face flushed, whether from anger or shyness unclear.
His handsome face wore a playful smile. His tall body moved slightly as his hand stroked the head of the small person in his arms, lightly undoing the elaborate bridal hairstyle.
“You-you-you don’t get crazy!” The young woman startled, twisting left and right trying to break his hold. Then she heard a meaningful voice, cool yet alluring: “The Princess Consort only waited half a year for me, but I waited seven years for you.”
“Eh?”
“Let’s attend to matters that should be attended to between husband and wife today.”
The lotus curtains were warm on the spring night, and the moonlight was beautiful. She didn’t know they had met many years ago, nor did he know of her tragically bitter previous life.
But what did that matter? Time stretched long before them. They were husband and wife now, and in the days ahead, they could slowly tell each other everything about their pasts.