Chapter 99: Changing clothes to read, combing hair, dressing as a man, and occasionally letting loose...
In February of the eleventh year of the Daye era, on Mangshan Mountain, a suburb of Luoyang, the early spring wind shifted amidst the unpredictable weather, yet it could not conceal the burgeoning life beneath the soil, in the ditches, and across the fields. New buds and hibernating insects, hidden in the loess, among the rocks, and even deep within the streams, did not relinquish their chance to touch the sunlight despite spring's capricious nature.
Li Shimin tightened his fox fur cloak and waited quietly outside his wife's bedroom. Since the lesson he learned in the mulberry grove, apart from that impulsive kiss yesterday evening, he had always treated Changsun Qingjing with great respect.
A-Cai, who was preparing to do Changsun Qingjing's hair, couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle when she saw her husband so reserved.
She stepped into the bedroom, opened the window, and set up the bronze mirror, preparing to help Changsun Qingjing with his grooming.
Li Shimin glanced back at his wife, who was tidying up a lock of hair behind her ear. Changsun Qingjing's fingers moved gently through her jet-black hair.
Sunlight streamed through the windowpane, dancing on her slender fingers. Her unintentional movements seemed to caress an invisible harp.
"The men's clothing we chose yesterday," Changsun Qingjing said softly to Acai. "The hairstyle and headdress must be just like a real gentleman's, so that no one can recognize him."
"Nothing much, don't worry about it!" Ah Cai said with a smile.
Then, Changsun Qingjing entrusted all the grooming and grooming tasks to Acai, who was well-versed in such matters. He then took Zheng Xuan's annotated version of the Analects from beside his dressing case and began to read it by himself.
She had only recently recovered from the grief of "the capture of the unicorn during the western hunt" in the Zuo Zhuan, and for a while she couldn't concentrate on reading anything. Instead, she became more sensitive to the unusual activity outside the window.
"What are you looking at, Erlang?" Changsun asked, noticing her husband's burning gaze. A sly glint flashed in her eyes as she turned around and asked, a slight smile playing on her lips.
"You look so beautiful when you're reading," Li Shimin said half-jokingly, his tone full of admiration rather than disrespect. "A woman's devotion is the epitome of beauty."
Changsun Qingjing put away the scroll and laughed, "What are you standing there like an idiot by the window for? Come in and wait for me."
"My lady, please don't move. I'm combing my hair into a bun. If I comb it crooked, it won't look good when I wear the turban." A-Cai placed her hands close to Changsun Qingjing's temples, adjusting her face to face the bronze mirror.
"Do you need me to hold the book for you?" Li Shimin asked, putting down the cup of cheese.
Ah Cai turned her head and scolded, "Er Lang, don't make things worse. Your wife has so much hair, and it takes some effort to style it into a bun without it showing. And you're still encouraging her to read!"
"Jade hairpin, it's been a long time since I've seen you wear jade ornaments." Li Shimin sighed, gazing at the beautiful face reflected in the bronze mirror.
“Alright, let’s use the jade hairpin. The jade ornament is a sign of respect for your friend, and tonight when you go home after the wedding, you can change back to the hazelnut hairpin to remember your mother. The two are not contradictory.” Changsun Qingjing handed the jade hairpin to Acai. After Acai tidied it up a bit, a handsome young man appeared before everyone.
"Today, let's see how I, Changsun Qingjing, disguise myself as a young man." After saying that, she giggled non-stop.
Li Shimin chuckled and said, "Yes, yes, now Zhang Liang is as handsome as Pan An, and his appearance is outstanding. Today you are to play the role of a relative of the Zhang family and help Zhang Liang pass the test and win the beauty's heart. Don't show any shy girlishness."
Changsun Qingjing rolled his bright eyes, leaned closer to the bronze mirror to examine himself carefully, and felt that there was something missing in his disguise as a man.
"Meddlesome!" Li Shimin said, both amused and exasperated. "You talk as if you've never seen me walk before."
"Just a few steps. Just a few steps." Changsun Qingjing's voice was sweet and alluring, sending chills down one's spine and making it irresistible. "If you don't walk for me, how am I supposed to learn how to walk like my husband? If I give myself away at the wedding today, wouldn't that be embarrassing for you..."
Ah Cai held a comb in one hand and covered her mouth with the other, her back to the two men. She secretly gestured to the other maids in the room to pretend to be busy and stop staring at the two men and pointing fingers.
"Alright, alright." Li Shimin reluctantly began to walk properly in the room, then awkwardly mocked himself, "Look, with you staring at me like that, I can't even walk properly anymore."
Changsun Qingjing chuckled, "You panic too? There's no need to walk anymore. You look like someone performing a Nuo dance. Do I look convincing as a man?"
Changsun Qingjing rose nimbly, and Acai seized the opportunity to drape a dark blue, round-necked robe over her shoulders. The dark, fitted robe accentuated her tall and straight figure. She deliberately lowered her voice: "Brother Li, please rest assured, your benefactor is my benefactor; your sister is my sister. How could I not do my utmost to compose the poem urging you to get ready and the poem about rejecting the fan?"
After saying this, she took the honeysuckle patterned shield sword from the sword rack and hung it on her belt. She then bowed to A-Cai like a man and said, "Cai-niang, today I will accompany you to the wedding of the Zhang and Li families in Luoxingyu. I will ensure your safety." This made Li Shimin and the others burst into laughter.
The sound of a cricket came from outside the courtyard, announcing that the carriages and horses were ready and waiting for the three of them.
The four of them reaffirmed their respective roles in what seemed ordinary to the average person, but were incredibly grand in the eyes of the newlyweds.
Li Shimin played the role of the bride Li Fanniang's cousin, Changsun Qingjing played the role of the groom Zhang Liang's cousin, Changsun Minxing played the role of the master of ceremonies, and A Cai played the role of the wedding attendant and did Li Fanniang's makeup.
After the four finished their discussion, they rode their horses and boarded their carriages.
Li Shimin draped a cloak over his wife, his fingers lingering for a fleeting moment on the back of her neck. Changsun Qingjing turned around, meeting her husband's averted gaze.
“Indeed, at worst we’ll be punished together.” Li Shimin said with a frank smile, his fingertips lightly touching Changsun Qingjing’s clasped hands. “But thank you for arguing with this foolish woman for my lofty ideals and lofty aspirations. I’m sorry to have troubled you.”
His eyes were filled with a tenderness, relief, and pride that only she could understand.
"Let's go." Changsun Qingjing patted the shield on Diexie's belt. "Today is the big day for your savior. Don't say anything boring. We can't miss the auspicious time."
Li Shimin withdrew his gaze, his expression returning to normal: "You're right! Today is Zhang Liang's big day, how can I think about such boring and depressing things?"
The carriage moved slowly along the Mangshan trail, its wheels creaking as it rolled over clusters of violets, carrying a hint of spring.
Changsun Qingjing gazed at the faintly visible Luoxing Valley in the distance, beckoned Li Shimin on horseback to come closer to the carriage window, and whispered, "Zhang Liang still doesn't know our true identities. Is this appropriate?"
“It is precisely because he did not know that our friendship is all the more profound.” Li Shimin sighed with a distant gaze, “That day, when he was attacked by a pack of jackals at the foot of Mang Mountain, he saved my life, treating me only as an ordinary villager who had fallen on hard times. Now that he is getting married, we congratulate and help him as ordinary friends, so as not to arouse his suspicion. Isn’t that pure?”
Li Shimin laughed loudly: "How could I possibly stump you! My Guanyinbi is unparalleled in poetic talent among the noble ladies of the two capitals, no, my Changsun Langjun is a great talent who makes Luoyang paper scarce. Today, he will surely open the eyes of those country bumpkins!"
As the carriages approached Luoxingyu, the four split into two groups of visitors who were not familiar with each other. Changsun Minxing and Changsun Qingjing entered the Zhang family residence, while Li Shimin and Acai went to Li Fanniang's residence.
In the Zhang family's narrow courtyard, red silk was already hanging high, and drums and music were deafening. A grand green hut had been erected in the simple farmhouse, and the hut was decorated with festive cheer.
Inside and outside the hut were several rough wooden tables and desks, all of different lengths and heights, probably pieced together by the villagers themselves.
Neighbors and villagers strolled among the crowds, and children chased and played. Changsun Minxing entered the courtyard first, cupped his hands to Zhang Liang, and said, "Zhang Lang, I, the official in charge of etiquette, happened to meet your cousin on my way to your house, so I came here hand in hand with him."
After saying this, Changsun Minxing whispered in Zhang Liang's ear that the handsome young man in front of him was actually Li Shimin's wife in disguise. Zhang Liang was surprised and bowed to Changsun Qingjing.
Changsun Qingjing, behaving himself in a proper and respectful manner, approached Zhang Liang and deliberately said loudly, "I received your invitation several days ago, brother. I have come today to offer my congratulations and to accompany you in welcoming your new bride."
"Perfect timing!" Zhang Liang exclaimed with delight. "I was just in need of a refined scholar to compose poems for me. My cousin has truly come to my rescue."
He stumbled with joy, causing the people around him to burst into laughter: "The groom must be overjoyed today. When are you two cousins going to set off to welcome your new bride back?"
An elderly woman with a wrinkled face walked over, leaning on a cane, and squinted at Changsun Qingjing: "This young man looks unfamiliar, is he..."
"Grandma, I'm Gao Xiaojing, the Zhang family's nephew who loves chasing the yellow dog the most." Changsun Qingjing deliberately pretended to be very familiar with the old woman, took her arm and walked a few steps. "When I was little, I always stole your family's rock candy, and you never had the heart to hit me. Now I'm just a little taller and have read more books, how come you don't remember me?"
Changsun Minxing and Zhang Liang couldn't help but admire Changsun Qingjing's ability to spout nonsense. Even Zhang Liang himself began to doubt whether he really had such a quick-witted and mischievous cousin.
After hearing so many details, the old woman's mind became somewhat confused, and she inexplicably recalled a child who had never existed.
“I’m not afraid of him,” Changsun Qingjing said, taking a bite of the crudely made, undercooked flatbread.
Author's Note: Our Ah Jing is just that kind of lively and tolerant person towards family and friends [starry-eyed]
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