In the Da Xian Dynasty, princes and royal lords typically sent unmarried members of the imperial clan to escort their brides. For the Prince of Dingbei’s wedding, it had been arranged for Prince Rui, who had recently come of age, to serve as the escort.
However, as Ming Tan was being dressed and surrounded by chattering women in the Zhaoshui Courtyard, a maid burst in with exciting news: “Incredible! The groom has come to escort the bride himself!”
Ming Tan, who hadn’t slept well and had been roused before dawn, suddenly felt more alert, as if catching a whiff of familiar sandalwood.
So it was true. He had come last night.
Jiang Xu’s visit the previous night had been brief and sudden. After his explanation, he vanished into the night in the blink of an eye. Ming Tan had been left wondering if it had been a dream born of her troubled mind.
How could the Prince of Dingbei sneak into a lady’s quarters at night? And when had he ever been so talkative?
In the dead of night, she had even ventured outside, searching for evidence of her future husband’s visit.
Of course, she found nothing, which was why she had barely slept, despite her impending wedding.
Now, with the maid’s announcement, the Zhaoshui Courtyard erupted with excitement:
“I always said our Fourth Miss was blessed. Look, the groom has come to escort her himself!”
“Except for Prince Xian’s wedding a few years ago, I’ve never seen such an honor in a royal wedding.”
“Prince Xian and his wife were childhood sweethearts. Everyone knows how deeply he loves her.”
“That’s why our Fourth Miss is so fortunate. And those betrothal gifts! The Prince of Dingbei’s household is truly in a league of its own!”
As Ming Tan listened, joy and sweetness spread through her heart. Her husband had come to escort her himself.
She had been dreading the pain of having her face threaded, but now, as the fine threads pulled at her skin, the pain seemed more bearable than she had imagined.
The princess consort’s ceremonial robes were grand and intricate. Adorned with golden phoenixes, mandarin ducks, peonies, and lotus flowers on a deep red background, the outfit was completed with tinkling jade pendants and exquisitely embroidered shoes. The phoenix crown, heavy with precious stones and pearls, was dazzling in its splendor.
Once fully dressed, Ming Tan could barely move without assistance.
Traditionally, a bride would bid tearful farewells to her parents before leaving. However, both Lord and Lady Ming were overjoyed. Lady Pei managed a few forced sniffles, while Lord Ming beamed, unable to shed a single tear. Ming Tan couldn’t cry either, fearing for her carefully applied makeup.
In the end, Ming Tan and Lady Pei managed a few fake whimpers, while Lord Ming offered some last-minute advice before eagerly adding, “Anyway, the Prince’s residence isn’t far. You can visit whenever you like.”
The excitement inside the manor was matched by the spectacle outside.
The wedding procession at the main gate of the Jing’an Marquis Manor was even grander than the parade for the spring imperial examinations.
The famous Young Master Shu, the Marquis of Pingguo’s heir, and Commander Lu Ting of the Imperial Guard were all present, along with numerous members of the imperial clan and military leaders.
But the most eye-catching figure was the Prince of Dingbei himself, the famed war god of Da Xian, resplendent in red wedding attire atop his horse.
Though his name was known throughout the empire, few had seen his face. Those who saw him now were struck by his otherworldly handsomeness.
With his sword-like eyebrows and star-bright eyes, raven hair contrasting with his red attire, he exuded an air of casual authority.
If Young Master Shu was “a jade-like figure unmatched in the world,” then the Prince of Dingbei was “a peerless beauty, unrivaled in all the land.”
Given the Prince’s fearsome reputation, people instinctively stepped back as he dismounted and entered the manor. Some even felt the urge to kneel.
At first, everyone was too awed to ask for wedding favors. But Bai Minmin, ever bold, rushed over from Ming Tan’s quarters and called for the Prince to recite a “bride-urging poem” and give out money. Her sister-in-law tried to stop her, nearly fainting from fright.
Surprisingly, the Prince was amenable. As if prepared, he nodded and recited a poem on the spot. Someone from the wedding party even gave Bai Minmin golden peanuts as a wedding favor.
Emboldened by Bai Minmin’s success, the younger members of the Jing’an household joined in the festivities. The older ones, too timid to approach the Prince, focused their attention on Young Master Shu and Zhang Huaiyu instead.
By the time Ming Tan appeared, supported by her father, Jiang Xu had already recited four poems.
Everyone had assumed these poems were prepared in advance, perhaps with help from the literary Young Master Shu. But when someone daringly requested a poem in a specific style, the Prince surprised them all. After a moment’s thought, he composed another excellent poem on the spot.
The crowd was amazed. How could a military man possess such literary talent? Were these poems truly his creation?
As Ming Tan entered her sedan chair, everyone thought: With his martial prowess, literary talent, striking looks, and high status, the Prince of Dingbei was truly a perfect match. The Fourth Miss of the Jing’an Marquis Manor was indeed blessed!
With a high-pitched call of “Lift the sedan chair!”, the wedding procession set off down South Magpie Street.
The path was lined with red decorations, filled with the sound of music and firecrackers. The groom’s party rode ahead on horseback, followed by the bride’s eight-bearer sedan chair. Behind them came the 168 sets of dowry gifts from the Jing’an Marquis Manor. The procession wound its way from South Magpie Street to Imperial Street, then onto Changyu Street where the Prince of Dingbei’s residence was located. The sea of red decorations seemed endless.
In later years, people would say that during the Chengkang era, no wedding surpassed this one in grandeur.
In contrast to the lively Jing’an Marquis Manor, the Prince of Dingbei’s residence, though decorated festively, seemed oddly quiet. This was partly due to its grander scale and partly because Jiang Xu had few relatives, with almost no immediate family.
As Ming Tan was marrying into the position of a high-ranking prince’s consort, she first had to undergo an investiture ceremony. After this, the wedding ceremony took place in the ceremonial hall. Fortunately, with no parents-in-law present, the process was somewhat simplified.
Weighed down by her phoenix crown, Ming Tan’s head and back ached from the long, complex journey. After the three bows, her legs were so weak she could barely stand. It was her husband who steadied her, preventing her from losing composure in front of everyone.
After the bows came the escorting to the bridal chamber.
The newlyweds were connected by a red silk cloth. Ming Tan, able to see only a small area at her feet, mostly obscured by her elaborate dress, properly held one end of the silk as Jiang Xu slowly led her, carefully stepping into their new room.
In ordinary households, there would be merrymaking in the bridal chamber, but the Prince of Dingbei’s residence had few relatives, and no one dared to jest. It was very quiet, with only Nanny Quanfu offering auspicious words.
Jiang Xu took the heavy wedding scale and gently lifted Ming Tan’s veil—
Thump, thump… Ming Tan’s heart was racing. As she hesitated whether to look up and meet her husband’s gaze, she heard him calmly instruct: “Call for the Princess’s maids.”
Ming Tan looked up, puzzled.
Jiang Xu was gazing at her quietly. “The phoenix crown is too heavy. It’s better to remove it. Let them attend to you. I’ll go out to entertain the guests.”
He knew the crown was heavy.
Ming Tan met his eyes, feeling a surge of happiness.
After Jiang Xu left, Su Xin and Lü E entered. Ming Tan quickly asked them to help remove the heavy crown. She massaged her stiff neck, freshened up, and changed into another set of red sleeping attire.
While Ming Tan could finally rest after all the busyness, Jiang Xu’s entertaining of guests was just beginning.
His military officers, friends, and subordinates, who normally wouldn’t dare to overstep, now seized the opportunity to openly toast him.
On his wedding day, Jiang Xu had no reason to refuse. He accepted every toast, drinking each cup dry.
The banquet continued into the night. Many married officers, emboldened by alcohol, began offering advice on married life to their Prince of Dingbei.
Even the unmarried Shu Jingran and Zhang Huaiyu, having drunk some wine, were full of theories, and more talkative than usual:
Shu Jingran: “Now that you’re married, you mustn’t be too cold on your wedding night. Think about it, you’ll be sharing a bed, and the girl will be shy. You can’t just say nothing like you usually do!”
“Right, saying a few more words won’t kill you!” Zhang Huaiyu chimed in.
“Hey, hey, that’s unlucky! Why mention death on such a joyous day? Qi Zhi, listen to me, you won’t go wrong,” Shu Jingran said, his voice tipsy. “Just find topics your wife likes. Don’t talk about warfare, for heaven’s sake. You could discuss… poetry and literature, you’re not ignorant of those.”
“Yes, you need to take the initiative to say something. You can’t just get straight to the point, you need some build-up, you know?” Zhang Huaiyu said, giving Jiang Xu a suggestive look when mentioning “getting to the point.”
Jiang Xu glanced at them impassively, unclear if he had taken their advice to heart. He turned to clink glasses with Lu Ting and drank another cup.
—
Near midnight, when all was quiet.
Ming Tan, who had long since entered the bridal chamber, finally welcomed her wine-scented husband. She was wide awake, having rested earlier and eaten some pastries. She had been so bored she’d considered flipping through the book of intimate illustrations Lady Pei had slipped her before leaving.
Fortunately, she hadn’t.
Seeing Jiang Xu enter, she sat up straight on the edge of the bed.
Though Jiang Xu smelled of alcohol, he was still lucid. He walked to the table, stood with his hands behind his back, and looked at Ming Tan, calling softly, “Come here.”
“…?”
Ming Tan obediently stood and walked to the table.
She was nearly a head shorter than Jiang Xu. With her elaborate hairstyle undone, the top of her head barely reached his chin.
Standing close, the strong scent of wine mixed with the faint sandalwood aroma, made Ming Tan’s heart race and her face flush. She felt awkward and unsure.
She took the ceremonial cup of wine Jiang Xu had poured and handed it to her, her hand trembling slightly. After they linked arms to drink, she realized due to their height difference, she had to stand on tiptoe, and the cup was still far from her reach!
Jiang Xu looked down at her, suddenly leaning in to accommodate her height, and lowered his head to drink from the cup.