Chapter 43. The levy.
Before sending betrothal gifts to the bride's family, a prince must first go to the ancestral temple to offer sacrifices to his ancestors.
Early in the morning, Chu Heng changed into his formal attire, first paying respects to the Emperor and Empress Dowager, then going to the ancestral temple to perform the rites. All the sacrificial offerings had been prepared in advance.
As a member of the imperial family residing in Beijing, Chu Heng could not avoid the annual year-end sacrificial ceremony, so he was very familiar with the procedures.
The ceremony was complicated, and by the time it ended it was almost noon. The auspicious time had already been calculated, and Chu Heng couldn't rush it. After lunch, he led the officials of the Court of Imperial Clan Affairs and the royal guard, carrying the betrothal gifts, to the Jia family.
Upon hearing that Prince Duan had personally come to propose marriage, the Rongguo Duke's mansion opened its main gate wide, and all the male members of the Jia family knelt and bowed outside the gate.
Grandmother Jia wanted to send someone to call Jia Baoyu back, but it was too late. She could only silently pray to the gods and Buddhas, hoping that Baoyu would never cause trouble outside, and that it wouldn't happen again...
Daiyu sat beside Grandmother Jia, unaware of Grandmother Jia's worries. She was only surprised to hear that Prince Duan was coming to visit.
He really took it too seriously.
Daiyu felt a little confused. Why was he so concerned?
After carefully considering everything that had happened these past few days, Daiyu's previous thoughts seemed to be invalid; Chu Heng's concern for this marriage was more than just simple concern.
But if it were something else, Daiyu felt it couldn't be true. She had known Chu Heng for a considerable period of time, but they hadn't spent much time together. Based on her experience, there wasn't enough time for other feelings to develop.
Why was that? Daiyu didn't understand.
Daiyu was always a smart person, but she was blinded by her own feelings. She had been hurt in her youthful love affair, and the fact that she had no romantic relationship with Chu Heng made her feel at ease.
This sense of security was something Daiyu hadn't experienced in a long time. When she realized that her heart might be repeating the same mistakes, she subconsciously chose to escape.
At first, Chu Heng didn't pay much attention to Jia Baoyu. He had met the Jia family members a few times and already had a general impression of them. Although he was meeting this second young master Baoyu, who was born with a jade in his mouth, for the first time, he was very famous. Chu Heng knew of such a person when he was in the palace.
Chu Heng was in high spirits lately, feeling that he and Miss Lin would eventually fall in love and pledge their hearts to each other after their marriage. Their deep affection was right before his eyes, and he almost forgot that Miss Lin actually had someone else in her heart.
Standing behind his father, Jia Baoyu looked at Chu Heng several times with teary eyes; it was impossible for him not to notice.
But why is he crying to himself?
Chu Heng thought about it seriously for a while. "My good days, he's not a girl, and I haven't let him down, so why is he crying in front of me?"
ah……
Half a day later, Chu Heng belatedly remembered that today was Miss Lin's special day. Jia Baoyu was about the same age as Miss Lin, and he had heard that the matriarch of the Jia family favored him greatly. Since he and Miss Lin both lived in the Jia family, they must have seen each other as cousins on a regular basis, perhaps...
He was the man Lin was meant to be.
He was heartbroken because his beloved had married someone else.
For the first time, Chu Heng confronted his true identity; he was the villain who had broken up the loving couple.
Chu Heng's joy slowly faded. He wondered if, although Miss Lin had not shown it, she was as heartbroken as Jia Baoyu.
Am I qualified to soothe her wounded heart?
Would Miss Lin be willing to grant me this qualification?
Chu Heng didn't know the answer. He couldn't see Daiyu now, and even if he did, he wouldn't be able to ask these questions.
He had caused Miss Lin a lot of unhappiness, and to reopen her wounds was truly too cruel and heartless.
The betrothal gift list was so long that it took three people to read it all, and by the time it was finished, it was already dusk.
As Jia Lian looked at the boxes being carried inside, he couldn't help but think of the time when Lin Ruhai passed away and he brought Daiyu back to the Jia family.
Unfortunately, nowadays, no one dares to touch these things.
He followed his father forward and invited Prince Duan to stay for a meal.
Chu Heng glanced at Jia Baoyu, whose tears had dried and who was staring blankly ahead.
Did Miss Lin ever cry like this?
Chu Heng stood up, declined the Jia family's offer of a meal, and meticulously led his men away from the Jia family.
It's as if nothing happened.
...
In Renshou Palace, the Empress Dowager glanced at Chu Heng and shook her head with slight disappointment: "For so many years, it has been the rule that a prince's wedding ceremony does not require his personal presence for the six rites. Heng'er, your disregard for the rules is really causing trouble for the emperor. He will probably receive countless impeachment memorials today."
Chu Heng lowered his head and said, "I will go and apologize to my elder brother."
The Empress Dowager shook her head again, not responding to the topic, and said instead, "You are interested in that Lin girl. I will not say anything else, but I will be happy to see you two get along well in the future. However, you must not lose your sense of propriety and etiquette. Otherwise, if outsiders gossip, it will not look good for you, and it will also be embarrassing for me and the Emperor. It would be a disgrace to the royal family."
Chu Heng went to the Jia family to collect the tribute, knowing he would be reprimanded by the Empress Dowager. He was well prepared and didn't refute a word, only obediently saying, "Your son knows he was wrong, Mother, please calm down."
"You insist on this attitude, only admitting your mistakes but not correcting them. I can't control you anymore." The Empress Dowager waved her hand. "After the wedding, I will have to teach your princess a lesson and let her properly advise you."
Chu Heng's eyelids twitched, and he subtly clenched his fist before speaking in a calm tone: "Mother knows her son best. I've always been like this, and no one can persuade me otherwise. Not even the Princess Consort, let alone the Dowager Consort."
The Empress Dowager frowned and said, "You've learned from Yongkang how to annoy me!"
"Mother, please calm down. Your son is unfilial. Don't upset you because of us ignorant children." Chu Hengyan quickly admitted his mistake without sincerity.
His attitude was infuriating in a way that was hard to describe. The Empress Dowager was holding her breath when someone outside announced that the Emperor had arrived.
Before the emperor could even speak, the empress dowager said, "I can't control them anymore. The late emperor is gone, and as the eldest brother, I am like a father to you. Your Majesty, I will entrust your two willful and unruly younger siblings to you from now on!"
The emperor was taken aback, then looked at Chu Heng, who was bowing to the emperor: "Greetings, Your Majesty."
"No need for formalities." The emperor gestured and sat down on the couch. "What did Fifth Brother do to upset Mother? And what happened to Little Sister?"
The Empress Dowager remained silent, fuming.
The emperor looked at Chu Heng, who blinked innocently: "I don't know about Yongkang, but my mother is angry with me because of today's events."
"Oh." The emperor smiled nonchalantly. "I thought it was something serious. Mother, listen to me. During Emperor Taizong's reign, there were instances where princes personally accepted conscription and welcomed guests. Fifth brother is not breaking the old precedent, so those officials have nothing to say."
"As for Yongkang, she's at an age where there's no rush," the emperor added.
For months, the Empress Dowager and the Emperor have been engaged in a heated debate over Yongkang's marriage, neither willing to give in.
The emperor's sudden words alerted the empress dowager; could it be a delaying tactic?
The Empress Dowager did not want any sons from the Fang family to marry a princess; she only wanted a daughter from the Fang family to become the next empress.
The emperor's sudden move left the empress dowager with no choice but to comply. Chu Heng's personal involvement in collecting the tribute was a minor matter; she had no time to dwell on it further.
Chu Heng escaped unscathed and sat down, smiling calmly.
Even if he doesn't owe the emperor anything, he still has to work for him, so he might as well use this opportunity to gain some benefits.
...
After the betrothal, the wedding date was to be set at the end of February. Before that, the Imperial Clothing Bureau invited Chu Heng to look at the wedding attire. After he had seen and tried it on, it would be sent to the Jia family for Daiyu to try on.
The princess's dress was elaborate, and her phoenix crown was magnificent, inlaid with many jewels and jade. Chu Heng looked at it and couldn't help but worry, so he said, "Don't make it too heavy. There will be many formalities that day, and Miss Lin won't be able to bear it if she wears it too much."
The lady-in-waiting smiled and said, "Your Highness dotes on the Princess Consort, but etiquette is essential. The Princess Consort is of high rank, so she must be both noble and beautiful. This is also for the sake of Your Highness and the Princess Consort's reputation, so that outsiders won't laugh at them."
Chu Heng nodded. Indeed, these things were unavoidable. There were many royal rules, and lacking them would, to say the least, make people feel that Daiyu was being disrespected.
Helped by others to put on his wedding dress, Chu Heng looked at the bright red reflection in the glass mirror, his eyes almost reddening from the smoke.
Chu Heng was genuinely happy to marry the woman he loved, but the thought that Daiyu probably wouldn't feel the same way quickly wiped away his joy.
I wonder what Miss Lin's feelings would be if she wore this outfit?
Chu Heng rubbed his eyes; they were completely dry.
I hope Miss Lin can be less heartbroken. I am willing to give everything I have in the future, wishing her only peace and happiness for the rest of her life.
With the phoenix crown on and all the hairpins and ornaments in place, Daiyu sat on the embroidered stool, looking at her somewhat unfamiliar self in the mirror. After a while, she adjusted the phoenix crown on her head: "It's so heavy."
Granny Wang smiled and said, "Miss is used to being quiet and elegant, so it's understandable that she might feel a little uncomfortable wearing such a headdress of gold, silver, and pearls."
Daiyu simply lowered her head and smiled. Zijuan helped her up so she could see herself in the large mirror. Xueyan and several maids knelt down to smooth out the wrinkles on her dress.
This glass mirror was a gift from Chu Heng. As Daiyu walked a few steps toward the mirror, she was momentarily lost in thought. There were so many things from Chu Heng in her room.
In another month or so, all these things, along with Daiyu herself, will belong to Chu Heng. He's not exactly losing out...
"The young lady is slender, and although the wedding dress is elaborate, it does not appear bulky on her," a female official from the Imperial Wardrobe said with a smile, looking at Daiyu in the mirror.
Daiyu was brought back to her senses by these words, and for some reason, she had been thinking about these things. She couldn't help but blush.
After confirming that everything was in order, the lady-in-waiting from the Imperial Wardrobe was about to take her leave. Zijuan quickly presented the silver that the young lady had instructed her to wrap up, saying, "Thank you for making this trip, young lady. Our young lady will treat you all to tea."
The female official curtsied and smiled, "Thank you, Miss."
After seeing her off, Zijuan patted her chest. From now on, she would be working closely with the princess, and there would be more and more occasions like this. She needed to adapt as soon as possible.
When she returned, she found Daiyu sitting in front of the mirror in a daze. The old women and maids in the room were talking about the wedding. Zijuan went up to her and asked in a low voice, "What's wrong, Miss? Is something wrong?"
Daiyu slowly shook her head: "It's nothing."
Zijuan was about to ask again, but Daiyu sighed softly, "I'm about to get married..."
Young ladies in their boudoirs would also think about what kind of husband they would marry in the future. Daiyu once had someone in her heart, but now she was getting married, and she was going to wear a wedding dress for someone else.
Is it a pity?
Even without an arranged marriage, Daiyu knew perfectly well that there would be no good outcome between them.
Besides, Daiyu had already let go of her past feelings, so she had nothing to regret for Jia Baoyu.
For Daiyu now, the real regret is that her parents cannot see her grow up and get married.
Father, Mother, your daughter is getting married.
He is a trustworthy person, and I will treat him well in the future.
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