bestowed marriage

Inside the Ming residence, Cuiju peeled grapes for Ming Chuqing. "Miss, I just went to the front yard to inquire, and the Wei family has already sent a visiting card, saying that Lord Wei will personally pay a visit tomorrow."

Ming Chuqing nodded casually, taking small bites of the grapes that Cuiju had peeled from the plate with her silver hairpin.

Seeing that Ming Chuqing didn't seem very happy when she heard that the Emperor had bestowed a marriage upon her, Cuiju asked in confusion, "Miss doesn't seem very happy either. Then why did you ask Madam to take you to the palace the other day to ask the Empress to help you bestow a marriage?"

Ming Chuqing glanced at her maid indifferently, a slight smile playing on her lips. "What's there to be happy about? Wei Qiao isn't my ideal man. I only married him because I overheard my grandfather intending to marry me off to the Marquis of Bern as his second wife. Although I'm a bit older, I don't like things that have been used by others, so I took the initiative and asked the Empress to arrange this marriage. Wei Qiao is now the Emperor's favorite minister and the commander of the Dragon Feather Guard. Not only has no one else proposed to him, but he doesn't even have a concubine in his household. Such a man is actually a good match for me."

More importantly, he bore a resemblance to him, which was the reason she had fallen for Wei Qiao. He was a virtuous gentleman who would never break his youthful vow to marry that country girl. Since she, Ming Chuqing, could not be his wife in this life, she could only be his sister-in-law. Seeing his face, which bore a slight resemblance to his, every day, she felt that her remaining years would not have been wasted.

The next day, Wei Qiao came to the Ming residence to discuss his marriage with Grand Tutor Ming, and the wedding date was set for September of the following year.

Agui and Fuqing were busy preparing betrothal gifts for the Ming family in preparation for Wei Qiao's marriage. Xichun saw them working hard several times and asked Fuqing about it, but Fuqing only said that Wei Qiao was preparing birthday gifts for the emperor.

Xi Chun had no suspicions and continued to live her quiet life in the Pomegranate Courtyard. Whenever Wei Qiao had free time, he would come to the Pomegranate Courtyard to find her. Although their relationship did not progress further, it was still very harmonious.

That day, Xichun took Shuixian to Anji Pastry Shop on Zhuque Street to buy Weiqiao his favorite red bean paste cake. It was still early, so after buying the pastries, Xichun took Shuixian to rest at a fragrant drink stall on the street.

She slowly sipped her sweet perilla drink, taking in the bustling and lively scene of the market.

At the next table, three men dressed as waiters were also chatting and drinking fragrant beverages at the stall.

"Hey, do you know who bought our Qiongyu Pavilion's prized red coral ornament?"

"Huh? It's sold? I really didn't know. Didn't the shopkeeper say that the red coral was going for a thousand taels of silver? Who's so generous? Could it be the Prince Cheng's mansion?"

The man who spoke first waved his hand and said, "Let me tell you, it's not the Prince Cheng's residence, it's the Emperor's closest confidant, Lord Wei, Wei Qiao. I heard from his servants that he's going to marry the granddaughter of Grand Tutor Ming, so he bought that red coral as a betrothal gift."

The two tables were not far apart, and the voices of the three people talking reached Xichun's ears. She refused to believe what she was hearing, so she put down her bowl, paid the bill, and hurriedly returned to the Wei residence with Shuixian.

The owners of the jewelry stores in the front yard all came to present Fuqing with their best jewelry for her to see. Fuqing carefully selected items that could be included in the betrothal gifts.

"Manager Zhou, these South Sea pearls of yours are a bit too small. If you have any larger ones, please send them to our residence for us to take a look. Our master has said that everything for the betrothal gifts for the new lady must be the best."

Helpless, Manager Zhou packed up his things and left the Wei residence dejectedly. Manager She, standing nearby, rose and presented a box of pearls to Fu Qing. "Miss," she said, "look at this. These are the finest pearls in the capital. They're a perfect match for the eldest daughter of the Ming family."

Fu Qing glanced down and saw that the pearls inside were all round, full, and dazzling. She smiled and said, "Okay, I'll keep these."

Looking at the scene before her, Xichun finally understood that the recent flurry of activity in the manor was all due to preparations for Wei Qiao's wedding. She, however, had been kept in the dark. Disheartened, Xichun returned to Shiliu Courtyard. Shuixian, unsure how to comfort her, simply stayed silently by her side. It was infuriating that the master was planning a marriage while keeping it a secret from his young mistress.

Xi Chun sat blankly on the swing, reflecting on the past few months she had been at the Wei residence. She had never asked Wei Qiao about her arrangements, and Wei Qiao had never mentioned it either. What was she to him? Xi Chun desperately wanted to know the answer.

When Wei Qiao returned home from his duty, Fu Qing reported that the betrothal gifts for the Ming family had been prepared. He glanced at the list and nodded, saying, "Fu Qing, you've done a good job. However, the items on the list are still a bit lacking. Add another 30% to the list to match the current specifications." Ming Chuqing couldn't marry him as the heir apparent, so he couldn't mistreat her now. Besides, his uncle had given him a thousand taels of gold to prepare for the wedding; he was determined to ensure Ming Chuqing married him in a grand and glorious manner.

The dowry list was already quite valuable, and Fuqing hadn't expected the master to still think it wasn't enough. It seemed the new wife held a very important place in his heart. Fuqing suddenly felt sorry for Xichun again. The master valued the new wife so much; their relationship would surely be excellent after marriage. But how would Xichun, without a formal title or status, manage to cope?

After giving instructions about the betrothal gifts, Wei Qiao asked Fu Qing about Xi Chun, "Has anything happened at Shiliu Courtyard lately?" He had been busy with official business for several days and hadn't been to Shiliu Courtyard.

Fu Qing pondered for a moment and said, "Everything at Shiliu Courtyard is as usual. Today, Miss even went to the market to buy Anji's red bean paste cakes for Master. She specially asked Shui Xian to deliver them earlier."

"Red bean paste cake? It's kind of her to still be thinking about it." Wei Qiao said with a smile. "A-Gui, come with me to the Pomegranate Courtyard."

When Wei Qiao arrived, Xi Chun was eating. She didn't have much of an appetite and after a few bites, she prepared to have the food taken away.

"Why are you eating so little?" Wei Qiao came in and saw that the food on Xi Chun's table looked untouched.

Hearing his voice, Xichun turned around in surprise and asked, "You're here? Have you eaten yet?"

"I just got back from the palace and was thinking of coming over to have dinner with you," Wei Qiao said as he sat down next to her.

Upon hearing this, Shui Xian immediately took a clean bowl and chopsticks and placed them in front of him. Xi Chun got up and scooped a full bowl of rice for Wei Qiao, scolding him, "Why didn't you send someone to tell me sooner? I would have been waiting for you."

"When things get busy, the time is unpredictable, so why keep you waiting in vain?"

Wei Qiao ate his meal, and Xi Chun scooped half a bowl of soup and slowly drank it to keep him company. Looking at his profile, Xi Chun remembered that he was getting married but had kept it a secret from her, and felt a pang of sadness. She put down her bowl and asked casually, "I heard someone on the street today saying you're getting married?"

Wei Qiao was startled by the sound, and the rice in his mouth got stuck in his throat, taking a while to swallow. He put down the bowl in his hand, turned to the side and took her hand. Seeing that she didn't look angry, he felt relieved and explained to her gently, "It's a marriage bestowed by the Emperor a few days ago. The other party is Ming Chuqing, the eldest daughter of the Ming family."

Finally, Xi Chun confirmed the truth of the matter with him. Recalling that day in the flower hall when he mentioned another person, also a young lady from the Ming family, she didn't know how many Ming families there were in the capital. She asked, "Is it the young lady from the Ming family you mentioned before?"

Unexpectedly, she brought up this matter. Wei Qiao waved for the servants inside to leave and began to tell Xi Chun the whole story.

After hearing his story of how the Crown Prince's eldest son had possessed Wei Qiao's body, even though she had already figured out the details in her mind, hearing him say it aloud still sent chills down her spine. Sure enough, the real Wei Qiao was long dead; the Wei Qiao before her was Yan Ren, the former Crown Prince's eldest son. Wei Changsong and the Emperor were the true culprits who framed them, which was why Wei Qiao had spoken of treason in the flower hall that day.

"Xichun, I've already told you my biggest secret, and I hope you can keep it a secret for me," Wei Qiao said softly, looking at her face.

"I will," Xichun nodded. She then asked, "Is the eldest daughter of the Ming family whom the Emperor betrothed to you the same Miss Ming you were engaged to in your past life?"

Wei Qiao looked into her clear eyes and nodded gently, explaining, "Because of me, Miss Ming has not been engaged to anyone else. Now that the Emperor has bestowed this marriage upon her, I cannot refuse. Moreover, I wronged her back then, so I truly want to marry her."

"Xichun, Chuqing is a well-bred young lady, virtuous and talented. She will definitely treat you well after she enters the family, so you don't need to be afraid."

"Chu Qing," he called her so intimately. Hearing his true feelings, Xi Chun felt as if her heart had plummeted into an ice cave. She had originally thought that Wei Qiao, like her, only had eyes for each other, and that they would be a happy couple. She never imagined that Wei Qiao had such a bizarre background, and that the wife in his heart was not her at all. Wei Qiao had long since decided that his wife was Ming Chu Qing, and she was at most a concubine.

She had pretended to forget about it, only thinking about her relationship with Wei Qiao. She believed they loved each other, but this love probably didn't hold much weight in Wei Qiao's heart.

Xi Chun nodded, feigning calmness. "I understand. I won't tell anyone your secret."

Wei Qiao hadn't expected Xi Chun to be so understanding. He had anticipated that if she cried and made a fuss, he would comfort her. But she accepted it calmly. Wei Qiao lovingly kissed her lips gently and said tenderly, "Don't worry, since I've let you stay by my side, I won't mistreat you. Once Madam enters the household, I will make you my concubine."

He held Xichun in his arms, his embrace as captivating as ever, yet she could no longer draw warmth from him. Though they were so close, their hearts seemed to drift further and further apart.

"Master, Master Qiu has arrived," Zhao Yu announced at the door.

Wei Qiao had planned to spend the evening with Xi Chun, but Qiu Jiu suddenly appeared. He hesitated, "Xi Chun..."

"Go ahead."

Wei Qiao kissed her forehead. "Then I'll come and keep you company another day."

Watching Wei Qiao leave the room, tears welled up in Xi Chun's eyes again, unable to be held back. Shui Xian came in and, seeing Xi Chun crying uncontrollably, quickly asked, "Miss, what's wrong? Did Master upset you?"

She shook her head, choking back tears, and said, "No, I just miss home a little." If her grandfather were still alive, she would never have come to the capital.

Shui Xian had heard that Xi Chun was an orphan from Shu, so she comforted her, saying, "Don't be sad, Miss. The Wei family is your home now. If you and Master have a few more children, it will be even more lively. You and Master are both good-looking, so your children will surely be exceptionally handsome."

Shuixian handed her handkerchief to Xichun, saying, "Miss, please stop crying. Your eyes will hurt if you cry for too long."

Taking the handkerchief from Narcissus, Xichun wiped away her tears. She always cried easily, but crying wouldn't change anything. She should try to cry less in the future.

"Oh dear, this seems to be the jade pendant that the master left behind." Narcissus handed her a white jade double fish pendant from the ground.

Upon closer inspection, Xi Chun realized it was indeed Wei Qiao's jade pendant. She took it from Shui Xian and said, "I'll take it to the master. Shui Xian, could you get me a lantern?"

Narcissus brought the lantern but didn't hand it to Xichun. "Miss, I'll go with you."

Xichun shook her head, "No need, I want to take a walk by myself."

She had just stepped into the front yard when she ran into Fuqing, who called out to her in surprise, "What brings you here, young lady?"

Xi Chun showed her the jade pendant in her hand and smiled, "Master's jade pendant was left with me, so I brought it here. Since I've run into you, please pass it on to Master." As she spoke, Xi Chun handed the jade pendant forward.

Fu Qing waved her hand, "Miss, I have urgent business to attend to and need to go out. The master is in the side hall in front. Please take the item to him yourself." After saying this, Fu Qing hurriedly bid farewell to Xi Chun and left.

Xi Chun didn't want to see Wei Qiao at all, but since she didn't see any other servants in the front yard, she had no choice but to go to the side hall to find him. Just as she reached the door and was about to step inside, she suddenly remembered that Wei Qiao should be entertaining Qiu Jiu. She turned to leave, but then she heard the people inside talking about Ming Chuqing. She didn't want to eavesdrop, but her feet involuntarily stopped.