Chapter 1075 Promise in the Wind
"Why wouldn't I want to? I've been waiting for this sentence all my life!"
Jiang Xiaoan spoke quickly, the corners of his brocade robe fluttering in the night wind: "When the third watch drum sounds at 3:00 pm, I will have my father hold the family tree and knock on the door of the Princess's residence."
He staggered to his feet, leaning down by the eaves, the green tiles shone coldly in the moonlight.
Suddenly, he turned around in frustration, his ears turning slightly red. "Could you please be a human ladder again?"
The familiar scent of sinking water came over him, and Jiang Xiaoan took the opportunity to hook the jade belt around Fudong's waist.
When he landed, his embroidered shoes accidentally stepped on the cloak straps. He staggered and held onto the trunk of the sycamore tree, but he did not forget to wave his hand towards the depths of the dark alley: "Be sure to prepare the engagement letter before midnight!"
Looking at the panicked back of the person who knocked over a pottery jar on the roadside, Fu Dong stroked the remaining warmth in his palm.
Compared to the heart-wrenching legend of the princess and her prince consort, she is more attached to the solid warmth of the moment.
There is no heroic promise of life and death, but there is the certainty of coming as promised.
A candle suddenly lit up in the west wing of the Jiang residence.
"Treason!"
Father Jiang picked up a soft pillow and was about to smash it, but suddenly stopped and asked: "Who do you want to hire?"
"Fu Dong, the commander of the Princess's guards."
The flickering candle wick was reflected in the young man's eyes: "She is on duty at Yin hour, so she needs to be there before the palace gate opens at Mao hour..."
Mother Jiang came closer in her embroidered shoes, her gold and jade armor almost poking her son's nose: "But is it Miss Fudong who single-handedly escorted the phoenix carriage back to the palace?"
The old couple looked at each other, and Jiang's mother suddenly slammed the table: "Quickly bring the key to the warehouse! Where is the betrothal gift list? Check it overnight!"
Turning back, he shouted to the outside, "Prepare the car to go to Zhuque Street and wake up the owner of Jinyunfang - the wedding dress embroidery pattern must be delivered before Yinshi!"
When the night watchman rang the gong for the second watch, the main door to the Jiang residence opened wide.
Twelve glazed lanterns lit up the courtyard as if it were daytime. The accountant was running after the housekeeper with an abacus in his arms. The red silk on the gift box fluttered violently in the night wind.
Jiang Xiaoan looked at the lanterns all over the yard, the warmth of that man's waist still lingering in his palm.
The eastern sky has turned crab-shell blue, and copper bells on the eaves are jingling, like someone's promise hanging in the wind.
When the morning light first came through, Jiang Xue was about to eat a bowl of Tremella fuciformis soup when she suddenly saw her personal bodyguard Fu Dong sneaking into the dining room clutching the corner of his clothes.
The usually outgoing girl's ears were red at this moment. She lowered her head and stared at the cracks in the blue brick floor and stammered, "Your Highness, are you going to the palace to discuss politics today?"
Xiao Zhan's hand holding the chopsticks paused slightly, and he looked at the female guard who always liked to hide behind the pillars with interest.
Jiang Xue put down the porcelain spoon and tapped the mahogany table with her jade-like fingers: "Of course I have to go, but you..."
She suddenly leaned forward and asked, "Did you break the purple jade cup given by the emperor while on duty last night?"
"No, no!" Fu Dong was so anxious that he stepped on half of the light and shadow, and when he looked up, he met the princess' smiling eyes.
The girl who hadn't panicked when she blocked arrows for her at the border, now stammered as if her tongue was burned: "The one from the Jiang family... said he would come at 9:00 p.m."
Xiao Zhan suddenly choked on his porridge, and smiled muffledly behind his handkerchief. Jiang Xue suddenly realized and slammed the table: "It turns out that Jiang Xiaoan is here to propose marriage!"
The lotus seeds in the celadon bowl swirled as it vibrated: "The morning court is not as important as our lifelong affairs."
The bells in the corridor jingled, startling the white doves on the eaves. Fu Dong retreated behind the screen as if escaping, and suddenly half of his blushing face appeared again: "Actually, you can come to the palace as usual."
"nonsense!"
Jiang Xue had already stood up and told the maid to prepare tea: "I want to see how many gifts that boy has prepared."
He turned around and saw his own prince consort smiling and poking his arm: "Did you cousins collude?"
Xiao Zhan held her rebellious fingers, and rubbed the jade ring with his warm fingertips:
"Yesterday I heard Caiwei talking about how the old lady of the Jiang family searched the storehouse for the brocade from the previous dynasty, and even moved the red coral tree from the general's mansion as a betrothal gift."
When the sun was high in the sky, the Jiang Mansion's carriage and horses stopped in front of the red gate, stepping on the morning dew.
Madam Jiang's hands trembled slightly as she held the gilded gift list. Jiang Xiaowei supported her mother and whispered, "Don't panic, mother. Look at the color of this mutton-fat jade bracelet, it really matches the winter weather."
The sound of bells and bracelets jingling could be heard from inside the threshold, and Jiang Xue's skirt, embellished with southern pearls, had swept across the bluestone steps.
A hint of smile flashed across Jiang Xue's eyes. Although Jiang Xiaoan was usually not very consistent, he never failed to act at critical moments.
As soon as the matchmaker explained his purpose, she readily agreed, which stunned the Jiang couple who had prepared a lot of excuses.
Princess Changle's efficient and capable manner was completely different from her domineering image as rumored, which made the matchmaker secretly think that the thank-you gift was easily earned.
Jiang Xiaowei brought up the topic at the right time: "Since we have the princess's approval, why don't we exchange the engagement letter today?"
With the crisp sound of two pieces of red paper touching each other on the jade table, the marriage was considered almost settled.
After the Jiang family left, the two pregnant women sat opposite each other in the shade of the flowers, their fingertips wet with the newly brewed peach dew.
Jiang Xue glanced at the other's round pregnant belly and said, "This baby will be very cute when it is born."
As he spoke, he stroked his abdomen, hoping that Xiao Zhan's joke of "skinny monkey" would not come true.
The shadow of the flower swayed on Jiang Xiaowei's cheek: "General Lan should send you letters often, right? Back then at Yanmen Pass, the warmth in his eyes was only for you."
"Every ten days there would be a letter, asking about the baby's movements and diet."
Jiang Xiaowei's ears flushed, and her fingertips stroked the glass lamp: "I know I shouldn't distract him, but..."
The voice was cut off before it was finished.
"Iron armor and cold clothes need more care and warmth."
Jiang Xue looked at the newly blossoming magnolias on the branches: "In the past, whenever I couldn't hold on any longer, I thought of Yun Che waiting for me in the capital. Now when I think about it, those flashes of swords and sabers have become the embellishment of the red thread."
As dusk fell, the Jiang family had already asked someone to match the horoscopes. When the four cinnabar characters "a match made in heaven" illuminated Jiang's mother's smile, the storeroom of the princess's house was being filled with betrothal gifts.
The spring breeze blows up the red silk all over the ground, just like the battle flags flying on the border in the past, now they have turned into auspicious signs to decorate the peace.
Jiang Xiaoan and Fu Dong’s marriage is finally settled!
As soon as the Naji ceremony was completed, Jiang Xiaoan rode his horse straight to the Princess's Mansion.
When he walked around the triple-layered gate with hanging flowers, the black-armored guards on duty winked at him. The usually serious young doctor's eyes and eyebrows were curved at this moment, which made his ears burn.
Passing through the winding corridor, the maids who were sweeping the floor all smiled as if they were in spring. Some even boldly came closer with tea trays in their hands and said, "Congratulations, Imperial Doctor Jiang."
He staggered half a step in surprise at the address, but then he saw the shadow guard leader, who had been hiding in the dark for years, poking half of his face out from the crabapple tree beside the bluestone path, clasped his fists and said, "I wish you a happy new year."
Before he finished speaking, dozens of red silk sachets fell from the branches. They were the gifts prepared by the secret agents.
When they arrived at the martial arts arena, they saw Fu Dong holding the Frost Sword, emitting a sky full of silver light.
The scarlet sleeves fluttered with the sword, startling a white-headed sparrow perched on the eaves. When the sword broke through the air, half of the apricot blossoms on the tree fell down, which was three times more dazzling than the fireworks on the Lantern Festival.
Jiang Xiaoan leaned against the vermilion lacquered corridor pillar and sighed secretly. This weapon, which used to be deadly enough to kill with one blow, was now being wielded with a bit of the elegance of the fairy Gushan.
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