Chapter 2 [2] The fate of a lonely star

【2】

Yangzhou is 2,300 li away from Chang'an. If you travel by horse, you can reach it in ten days. If you travel by boat, it will take about half a month.

Zheng was afraid that Yun Ran would not be able to adapt to the climate there, so she slowed down the journey, switching from boat to carriage, and stopped and started for nearly a month before they finally saw the boundary marker of Chang'an.

Accompanying them along the way was Yun Ran's fourth brother, Yun Shang, the fourth son of the Marquis of Changxin Mansion.

Yun Shang came to Yangzhou with Zheng, originally intending to go up the mountain to look for his sister. However, Zheng, considering that Shuiyue Temple was a women's temple and did not accept male guests, asked Yun Shang to wait in the city.

After waiting for several days, Yun Shang finally saw the legendary "little sister". Yun Shang looked at Yun Ran from head to toe several times as if he had seen a rare treasure.

Yun Ran, who always thought he was thick-skinned, blushed until Yun Shang rubbed his hands and called out carefully, "Sister?"

Yun Ran also rubbed his hands and called out, "Brother?"

The brother and sister were only three years apart in age and were close relatives. When their eyes met, they all smiled at the same time.

Zheng didn't even have to try to win them over; the brother and sister became familiar with each other naturally.

When we spent a month together on the way back, we were even more intimate, as if we had never been apart since childhood.

Zheng and Marquis Changxin had been married for many years and had five children.

Having given birth to four sons in succession, Zheng refused to believe in evil and gritted her teeth to try again.

One day, her wish came true and she had a daughter. But within three years, she was kidnapped at a lantern festival. From then on, Zheng missed her day and night, she shed countless tears.

Fortunately, God opened her eyes and allowed her to find her daughter in her lifetime.

"We've just crossed the Ba Bridge. We'll be in the city in an hour at most."

On the carriage heading towards Chang'an, Zheng looked at her little daughter sitting by the window with eyes full of love: "I wrote to your father a few days ago. When we enter the city gate later, your eldest brother and third brother will come to pick us up."

Yun Ran has changed her attire now. She is no longer wearing the coarse coat and hairpin as when we first met. She has her hair combed into a crescent-shaped bun, which is the most popular style among the noble ladies in Chang'an. She is wearing a sky-blue Hangzhou silk skirt, a necklace with a red gold pendant and a golden lock with the words "May everything go well" on it, and a grass-green satin corset with scattered flowers around her waist.

It is said that clothes make the man, and saddles make the horse. Yun Ran, even with her coarse cloth and thorny hairpins, could not hide her beauty. Now that she was wearing brocade clothes, her face looked even more beautiful than snow, like a peony bud about to bloom on a jade cup.

"Mother, I'm a little nervous."

After a month of spending time together, Yun Ran and Zheng had grown much closer. He no longer stuttered when calling her "A Niang." "Fourth brother says that eldest brother is very fierce, and third brother hates uneducated idiots the most... I haven't read anything other than chanting scriptures. Will they think I'm uneducated and dislike me?"

"Don't listen to your fourth brother's nonsense. Your eldest and third brothers are not that kind of people."

Zheng secretly cursed her fourth son for being a troublemaker and grabbed Yun Ran's hand. "Your father's letter said that your brothers are looking forward to our return home soon. Even your two sisters-in-law, who usually don't get along with each other, have come together to discuss and decorate your yard."

Yun Ran also had a general idea of ​​the situation at home.

Of her four brothers, the first three were married. Except for her second sister-in-law who was assigned to Yuzhou with her second brother and not in Chang'an, the other two pairs of brothers and sisters-in-law lived in the marquis' mansion.

Thinking of the Changxin Marquis Mansion, the closest yet unfamiliar "home", and those relatives he had never met, Yun Ran stroked the lightning-struck jujube wood bracelet given to him by his master, feeling both expectant and nervous.

Suddenly, a sad and mournful sound came from outside the car.

The mother and daughter in the car were both stunned.

When she lifted a corner of the carriage curtain and saw the funeral procession coming out of the city gate, and the nanmu coffin in the middle, Zheng subconsciously frowned.

It's unlucky to encounter a funeral just after returning to Chang'an.

"Don't frown, mother."

When Zheng turned around, she saw Yun Ran smiling at her with his eyes curved: "Seeing the coffin brings wealth and good luck."

Seeing that her daughter didn't care at all, Zheng smiled and said, "Ran Ran is right. Seeing the coffin brings wealth and good luck."

"But mother, do all the people in Chang'an hold funerals with such grandeur?"

Yun Ran lifted the curtain and looked outside, sighing, "As expected of a capital city, even funerals are held in such grand style."

Upon hearing this, Zheng also looked outside again.

He saw many familiar faces and was shocked: "This... is this the Cui family's funeral? Could it be Old Madam Cui..."

She did not continue speaking, but stopped the carriage and ordered her fourth son Yunshang to go and inquire.

Not long after, Yun Shang returned. Through the window, he spoke with regret, "It is indeed the Cui family who is handling the funeral, but it's not Madam Cui, but Cui's Sixth Lady."

"Cui Liuniang!?"

Zheng was even more shocked. "Isn't this child only sixteen? I remember she was fine at the Spring Festival banquet at the beginning of the year. How could she..."

Yun Shang: "He said he had a sudden intestinal abscess in the middle of the night and unfortunately passed away because he couldn't get treatment in time."

After hearing the reason, Zheng was choked for a long time.

Yun Ran didn't understand what was going on, so she asked quietly, "Mother, is this lady from the Cui family related to our family?"

Zheng came to her senses and shook her head. "Although we are not relatives, the Cui family and my Zheng family are both noble families in Chang'an. We have been friends for many years. The mother of this Cui lady and I often interact with each other... Liu Niang is a quiet and gentle child, a very good one. How could she... Alas."

Yun Ran also felt sad when he heard this.

A young girl in the prime of her life died suddenly due to an acute illness.

"Mother, Cui Boxu is here."

Yun Shang outside the car suddenly spoke.

Yun Ran looked out the window with Zheng and saw a young man in plain white mourning clothes striding towards them.

Zheng introduced in a low voice: "This is Cui's legitimate son, Liu Niang's full brother, the third son Cui Boxu."

Yun Ran nodded and took note of it secretly.

Looking at the young man again, he was in his early twenties, with a handsome face. Although there was a hint of haggardness between his handsome eyebrows, his eyes were clear and bright. He walked gracefully, with the hem of his robe slightly fluttering, as majestic as a solitary pine tree and as tall as a crane.

Even though she grew up in a women's temple and had little contact with men, Yun Ran could see that the young man from the Cui family was one of the most talented people in Chang'an.

While Cui Boxu was thinking, he had already walked to the front of the carriage. He and Yun Shang exchanged greetings and then saluted towards the carriage. "My nephew greets Aunt Zheng. May you be well."

The brocade curtains were mostly opened, and Zheng sat upright inside the carriage, looking at the polite young man outside: "My dear nephew, please get up. There's no need to be so polite."

Cui Boxu stood up straight. Zheng said, "I just returned to the capital today and learned about what happened in your family. It's such a pity for Liu Niang to be such a good child."

After a pause, he continued, "Are your grandmother and mother okay? It's hard for anyone to bear the loss of a loved one. Please tell them to take care of themselves."

Cui Boxu lowered his eyes and said, "Thank you for your concern, aunt. Grandmother and mother are well cared for and comforted by my brothers and sisters-in-law. They are in good spirits."

Zheng nodded, then suddenly thought of something and turned to say, "Ranran, go and say hello to your brother from the Cui family."

Yun Ran had never been afraid of outsiders. When her name was suddenly called, she poked her head out of the window and looked at the man outside the car with her dark eyes. "Hello, Brother Cui. I am Yun Ran, the fifth daughter of the Yun family. It's our first meeting. Please give me your guidance."

This somewhat incongruous introduction made Cui Boxu slightly stunned.

But when he met the little girl's overly clear black eyes, he didn't think there was anything wrong with what he said.

"Greetings, Sister Yunwu."

Cui Boxu returned the greeting as a sign of equality and then turned his gaze to Zheng. "I heard earlier that Auntie had come south with news of my younger sister. Now that the pearl has been recovered, it is truly a cause for celebration."

Zheng smiled slightly and said nothing more.

After all, the Cui family just lost a daughter, and it is not good to show off their happiness when others are sad.

Just as Zheng was about to end the greeting, Cui's servant rushed over: "My dear, my dear——"

Seeing the servant lose his composure, Cui Boxu frowned: "What happened? Why are you so anxious?"

"It's Jing... King Jing..."

The servant ran out of breath, one hand on his waist, the other pointing back at the end of the funeral procession: "The chief steward of Prince Jing's Mansion has arrived to deliver the funeral gifts!"

This heavy breathing made everyone present feel nervous.

When she heard that it was only the steward of Prince Jing's mansion and not Prince Jing who came, Zheng breathed a sigh of relief.

Yun Ran, who was standing by, noticed this and was surprised.

After Cui Boxu said goodbye and left, and the carriage curtain was lowered again, she couldn't wait to get close to Zheng. "Mother, who is King Jing? Why do your shoulders tense up when you hear his name?"

Zheng's expression froze slightly, but seeing her daughter's eyes full of anticipation, she lowered her voice and said, "Prince Jing is the current Empress Dowager's youngest son, the Emperor's younger brother, and the only special prince of this dynasty. The sixth lady of the Cui family who passed away earlier was Prince Jing's fiancée."

After a pause, she added cryptically, "The third one."

Yun Ran's eyes widened instantly: "The third one?!"

Zheng nodded. "Although this King Jing is a noble, he is a solitary person. He spends his days with snakes, living in seclusion and rarely showing up. A senior monk once read his fortune and said that he has a destiny of misfortune, and will bring disaster to his wife, children, and everyone close to him..."

"Before the Cui family, the Queen Mother had arranged two marriages for him, but both wives passed away shortly after the arrangements. I used to not believe in the idea of ​​a calamity, but this time with Sixth Madam Cui, it's the third time!"

Zheng clutched her chest in horror. "I wonder if Prince Jing will marry again after this. If he does, the chosen family will be in great trouble."

Yun Ran had been in the Taoist temple for many years. He had heard of the fate of the lonely star, but had never seen it.

Now that I have come to Chang'an, I have seen it all. While broadening my horizons, I can't help but feel sympathy for the unfortunate Miss Cui Liu.

She silently took out a magic weapon from her bag, adjusted her posture, closed her eyes and lowered her head.

Zheng was stunned: "Ran Ran, what are you doing?"

"Our two families are old friends, and our meeting today is fate. I would like to recite a passage from the 'Great Supreme Mysterious Spiritual Treasure Sutra for Rescuing Suffering and Removing Sins' to that Lady Cui, wishing her a speedy ascent to paradise and a peaceful afterlife."

Upon hearing this, Zheng was pleased with her daughter's kindness, but also wanted to persuade her not to do this again.

After all, the professions of gossip girls and six grandmas are all of the lowest class, which is not in line with her current status. If it gets out, she will probably be laughed at.

But when the words of persuasion were on the tip of her tongue, Zheng swallowed them back when she saw her daughter's fair and tender innocent face.

Forget it, why bother saying these things to hurt the child's feelings.

My daughter has been living among the people for twelve years, and the rural habits she has picked up cannot be changed overnight. I will teach her slowly in the future.

-

In the evening, the evening drums rumbled.

The golden-red sunset enveloped the huge city of Chang'an, and also enveloped the Jiashou Palace where Queen Dowager Zhao lived behind the towering palace walls.

After hearing the eunuch's report, King Jing sent someone to deliver condolences to the Cui family, then closed the gate of the palace and declined all guests. Queen Mother Zhao, dressed in a dark blue brocade robe, pursed her lips and looked gloomy.

Seeing this, Empress Zheng, who was accompanying him, hesitated for a moment before stepping forward and softly admonishing him, "Don't worry, mother. Brother Jing must be grieving over the Cui family's wife's matter, and that's why he's closed his house to visitors... He'll be fine after a while."

"sad?"

Queen Mother Zhao scoffed, "The wedding has been scheduled for half a year, and he hasn't even seen Cui Liuniang yet. What's there to be sad about? His attitude is clearly just resentment towards me!"

Queen Zheng was embarrassed and didn't know how to respond for a moment.

"But how can I be blamed for this? How could I have known that the Cui family's daughter had such a tragic fate? She died in an instant from an acute illness..."

Queen Dowager Zhao clutched the sandalwood Buddhist beads tightly in her palm, her brow furrowed even deeper. "He's twenty-two now. When the emperor was his age, he would have already had a son, Yu'er, by your side. But he, forgot about marrying and starting a family. He stays at home all day, never going out to see anyone, let alone making friends. Now, the door is even locked, as if he's completely cut off from the world! I know he suffered when he was held hostage by the Rongdi people, and I've tried my best to make amends, but he still blames me..."

The more she spoke, the sadder she became, and tears welled up in her eyes.

Empress Zheng and the palace maids rushed forward and coaxed the empress dowager to stop crying.

Before we knew it, the last ray of dark red sunset was swallowed up by the vast night.

Queen Zheng came out of Jiashou Palace, looked at the pale white moon rising in the sky, and let out a long breath.

"The prince is really something. The Queen Mother always considers him in everything, but he has let the Queen Mother down in vain." The senior palace maid Qiongju beside him whispered.

Queen Zheng frowned: "Do you think you can plot against the prince?"

Qiongju quickly apologized: "I was wrong!"

After all, they were maidservants who had grown up together. Empress Zheng, mindful of their friendship, only warned them in a deep voice: "If you continue to gossip, you will not be allowed to stay in the palace."

Qiongju agreed repeatedly, and while helping the queen to sit on the phoenix sedan chair, she told her about the Cui family's funeral today.

Finally, Qiongju also mentioned an incident where the Cui family's coffin met the convoy of the Marquis of Changxin's Mansion at the city gate.

Empress Zheng was so surprised that she sat up straight. "My aunt's little cousin has been missing for twelve years, and she's actually been found!"

Qiong Ju: "That's right. People say that the Marquis of Changxin and his wife have been doing good deeds and accumulating blessings over the years, which moved the heavens and earned them this blessing."

"Speaking of which, it's really not been easy for my aunt these years."

After all, they were relatives. Upon learning this, Empress Zheng was also happy. "Tomorrow, you prepare a gift for me and send it to the Marquis of Changxin's Mansion. It is also a token of my appreciation."

"Yes."

"That's right."

Empress Zheng brushed the jade bracelet from her sleeve and gazed at the bright moon in the sky. "Aren't the invitations for this year's Mid-Autumn Palace Banquet already prepared? Add the name of this little cousin and send them along."

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