Chapter 1 How could the prince be interested in a vixen like her...
The high-pitched sounds of suona and guzheng resounded through the sky. Children ran through the alleys laughing and playing, stirring up the big red firecracker paper scraps on the ground. The maid standing at the door was in high spirits. She put some wedding candies in their palms and warmly invited the guests to come inside.
The Lin Mansion was located at the end of Yangjiao Hutong in the southeast of the capital. Its location was remote, and usually few people came to visit. But now, it was crowded with relatives and friends, and guests, and the noise seemed to overturn this remote corner.
"A match made in heaven, a talented man and a beautiful woman! Mr. Lin, congratulations!"
"The Crown Prince is handsome and elegant, and the Crown Princess is virtuous and kind. Your Majesty has a keen eye and has facilitated this auspicious marriage!"
"I once held Meizhu in my arms! When I first saw her, I knew she was blessed with a full forehead and bright eyes..."
A neighbor interrupted him: "Stop talking! This child was raised in Lingnan!"
"Is this true? How could such a beauty be born in the harsh mountains and waters of Lingnan?"
A maid walked quickly to the window and looked at the sky.
Someone else murmured, "I heard she deliberately got close to the prince so His Majesty could see her."
"Isn't it? Throwing herself into his arms in public, making His Majesty think they were in love... Otherwise, how could the Crown Prince be interested in a vixen like her?"
The maid hurriedly closed the window, but was still a step too late. She looked anxiously at the person sitting in front of the Luanfeng mirror and said, "Young lady..."
The woman in the bronze mirror wears a crown of pearls, jade and gems, and a pendant with round and full pearls that shimmer and sparkle, which further highlights her icy skin and rosy face.
The luxuriant hem of her wedding dress resembled a blooming peony, and as she turned, it only accentuated the slenderness of her waist beneath the Lion Jade Belt. Lin Meizhu breathed a sigh of relief, forced a smile, and said, "It's okay, Qing'er."
As soon as the imperial decree granting the marriage was issued, rumors began to spread. Initially, even her own brother mocked her for being scheming, while even her own mother praised her for being self-taught and surpassing her teacher. Even those closest to her thought she was taking advantage of the situation to gain power, let alone others. Lin Meizhu always believed that the innocent would be cleared, but she also had a vague worry: Would he think that?
That night at the palace banquet, she stood on Quexian Bridge, looking up at the fireworks. She had never seen anything so beautiful, so brilliant and loud. She was so engrossed in the sight that she didn't even know who was beside her, except for a vague memory of a tall man.
And the next moment, she was bewilderedly granted marriage. When she accepted the decree and thanked him, her mind was still dazed, and she finally saw Shen Changfeng's back clearly. He wore a black robe and a golden belt, with a tiger back and a wasp waist, and his shoulders were as stiff as a pine tree.
He is a very heroic man.
Lin Meizhu was still in great shock, but when she caught a glimpse of his sharp jawline, she suddenly felt a little embarrassed.
She had never thought she could marry such a husband, young and handsome, dazzling like a rainbow. After thanking him, her heart fluttered when he passed by her.
She thought about what she would say to leave a good impression on him if he spoke to her, but when she finally mustered up the courage to look at him, he had already walked away, and only her heart was still pounding.
After the banquet, everyone praised her for being so lucky to marry such a husband.
The Shen family's ancestor was a founding hero, leading the Eighteen Generals of the Yuntai, and highly valued by Emperor Taizu. As time passed, the Wei Dynasty's emperors changed, but the Shen family remained resilient, their favor growing stronger. Shen Changfeng, born into a family of nobility, his father the renowned Prince of Dingbei and his mother the current eldest princess, was a close minister to the emperor, his future boundless.
Her father was just a small-time official of the sixth rank, a position he had only obtained after enduring for thirty years and finally getting rid of his superiors. Even his qualification to attend the palace banquet on New Year's Eve last year was due to the emperor's special favor, which allowed officials of the sixth rank and above who were over sixty years old to attend as an exception.
A year and a half ago, she was brought back to the capital from Lingnan. Just shy of her coming of age, barely accustomed to the proper etiquette, she was thrust into various banquets by Concubine Chen. Concubine Chen hoped she would secure a good marriage, thereby providing future support to her family. Despite her reluctance and her utmost caution, she was inevitably unavoidable, causing numerous hilarious incidents at banquets. The ladies of prominent families despised the Lin family's behavior, and her delicate appearance and humble origins gave her a reputation as a flirtatious and frivolous woman.
Lin Meizhu was also afraid that the rumors outside would cause him to misunderstand her, but she felt that if he had the opportunity to get to know her better, he would find that she was not that kind of person.
Therefore, in addition to the rules taught to her by Nanny, she also took the initiative to inquire about Shen Changfeng's preferences.
Knowing that he likes to go to various teahouses with his friends in his spare time to try new things, she was eager to try and make some cakes for him to taste. At first, the cakes she made were always ridiculed by her brother, who said that it was embarrassing to bring out things from the countryside.
She has lived with her grandfather in Lingnan since she was a child and can only cook home-cooked dishes. Ordinary people don’t pay much attention to dishes. The most important thing is to be able to resist hunger, taste is second, and style is the least important thing to consider.
Aunt Chen was also troubled and advised her to send something else. Looking at the two bean balls, some deflated and some round and wilted, she blushed quietly and ate two in one gulp with some embarrassment. Then she humbly asked the cook to teach her how to make the popular pastries in Beijing.
Later, she finally made a high-quality snack that was no different from the ones in the restaurant, and waited outside the palace gate with a nervous heart. She found out the time when Shen Changfeng was on duty in the palace and wanted to give it to him personally.
But she didn't see Shen Changfeng, it was his guards who came.
The first time, the guard was very embarrassed, and it was only after Lin Meizhu stuffed silver into his pocket that he reluctantly brought the cakes into the palace.
The second time, the guard's attitude was much better. Lin Meizhu asked him if he thought the taste was good. The guard thought for a moment and said thoughtfully, "The taste is a little lighter."
Lin Meizhu immediately took note. Although she had heard that Shen Changfeng had a light taste, how could someone close to him know the rumors? She changed the menu again and again, and served the dishes for several months without changing the weather.
The guards also changed from being indifferent at first to greeting her from a distance: "Princess, you are here again!"
Hearing someone call her the Crown Prince's Consort, Lin Meizhu felt a surge of joy in her heart; it was a unique kind of small satisfaction. She knew that their status was as vast as heaven and earth, but they would soon be husband and wife, and husband and wife were meant to be loving and united. So she was working hard to learn, to better match him, wanting to put all her best qualities before him. She wondered if Shen Changfeng, having eaten so much of her food, was tacitly acknowledging her efforts.
She knew that people outside didn't like her, and since her marriage, in order to stay away from gossip, she rarely attended banquets. Only once, she knew that Shen Changfeng's friend was going to hold a birthday banquet, and Shen Changfeng would definitely attend.
She was not good at needlework, but she insisted on making the same style of handkerchief hundreds of times, stitch by stitch. After two months of hard work, she put the best one in her hands with red and swollen fingers and went to the banquet.
But before she could deliver the items, she was pushed into the lake from the pleasure boat. Fortunately, she was a good swimmer, and before the lakeside servants could even warm themselves up, she swam to shore. She herself was not seriously injured and found a place to dry her hand towel. However, the group of ladies were terrified and argued fiercely to prove their innocence.
However, she didn't see Shen Changfeng again later. She heard he was busy, so she had to ask his guards to pass it on. It was her first gift to him, and in her opinion, it was a very private token of love. The girl was shy and sensitive, and although her face didn't show it, she secretly hoped he would return the favor.
However, she waited day after day, month after month, until the spring apricots ripened and the summer lotus blossomed, until the wedding dress was ready, and until the wedding day, but she still received no response. Her originally fervent and excited heart gradually calmed down.
It would be a lie to say that I don’t feel uncomfortable. It’s like every time I knock on the door, I’m full of anticipation and nervousness, but every time I wait and wait, I realize that it’s another door that I can’t knock open.
But Lin Meiju still had hope in her heart. Perhaps he had been deceived by the rumors and had not yet completely opened his heart to her. Once she got married and she explained things to him in person, he would naturally know how good she was.
She tried to shut out the whispers outside the window and asked, "What time is it?"
The servants around were talking about other things. Lin Meiju pursed her lips, and the last trace of excitement and joy in her eyes because of the wedding completely disappeared. Her heart was gradually dominated by anxiety and irritability.
The wedding time has passed, why hasn't he come yet?
The house in the Lin Mansion was not big. Lin Meiju lived in the smallest west wing. Because it was old, she could hear the voices from people talking in the corridor clearly.
"What should we do? The Shen family won't break off the engagement, right?" Aunt Chen's voice was a little shrill and easy to recognize.
Then her voice became indignant: "They can afford to lose this person, but the Lin family can't!"
A maid suggested, "Why not use the excuse of being afraid of delaying the trip and hire a wedding sedan to send the girl out first? If we meet them along the way, we can then switch to their wedding sedan. If they really don't come, we can just carry the sedan directly to the palace. There are so many people watching along the way! Are you still worried that the palace won't recognize her?"
Aunt Chen sighed and said, "That's a good idea! Go and tell the master right away!"
Qing'er was both sad and angry. "Miss, don't take it personally. The people from the palace will surely be here soon. After all, you come from an official family. The master is not someone who can't figure things out."
Lin Meizhu slowly lowered her eyelids, casting a shadow like a small palm-leaf fan, making it difficult to see the expression in her eyes. "But if they don't come soon, curfew will be coming soon."
Aunt Chen walked into the room and said after hearing this: "Don't worry, good child. The Shen family is a wealthy family, and they have some rules. It's not uncommon for us to be delayed for a while."
Lin Meiju still kept her head down and said nothing.
She sat down affectionately beside Lin Meizhu, and seeing that she didn't spoil the fun, she smoothed the jewels on her crown and said, "The curfew is about to begin, and the master has sent for a sedan chair, but both the east and west markets are closed. Auntie thought it best to leave early, and mother told the servant to harness the donkey..."
Lin Meiju suddenly raised her eyes and looked straight into Aunt Chen's eyes, her eyes gradually turning red.
Aunt Chen looked at her daughter's tightly pursed lips, seeing the stubborn tears welling in her eyes, and her heart softened. Then a servant coughed nearby, and Aunt Chen shuddered, quickly looking away, gritted her teeth and said, "The overall situation must be prioritized! No matter what, you leave first, nothing else matters!"
Lin Meizhu knew that the richer the family, the more they valued etiquette. Which good family would delay welcoming the bride because of etiquette? Since ancient times, wives were betrothed and concubines were taken away. But she absolutely refused to be a concubine!
She had also imagined the scene of her wedding day, but she never expected it to be like today.
Her husband's family was slow to arrive, her parents didn't want to keep her, and everyone who knew her and didn't knew her was waiting to see what would happen. Her marriage became a joke in the entire capital.
But what did she do wrong?
Since going to Beijing, she has denied that she grew up in Lingnan as Aunt Chen said, and forced herself to attend banquets she did not like. She laughed when others laughed, even though she did not understand many things or did not find them funny. But if she did not do so, she would seem out of place. Although she wanted to escape countless times, she could only encourage herself over and over again in her heart to persevere.
But those people saw through her disguise and, seemingly unintentionally, mentioned that her accent was peculiar. After that, everyone in the room exchanged knowing glances and burst into laughter. Lin Meizhu laughed too, but as she laughed, her eyes began to sore.
From a young age, her neighbors had always told her that her home wasn't in Lingnan, and that her grandfather would eventually die. When she arrived in the capital, her parents reassured her that the Lin Mansion wasn't her home, and that she would eventually marry. When her marriage was granted, the heavy burden on her heart finally found a place to rest; she finally had a home.
She was like duckweed in a deep pool, adrift and unable to find support, hoping someone would rescue her. She cried until her voice was hoarse, but the shadowy figures on the shore seemed to pay no heed to her plea for help. Finally spotting a pair of hands reaching out, she swam desperately, but just as she touched theirs, she realized they had withdrawn their hand.
The sour feeling that had been lingering in her heart for some time could no longer be suppressed, and it surged straight into her nose. A tear oozed from the corner of Lin Meiju's eye.
At this moment, the servants rushed in, shouting joyfully, "Here they come! Someone from the Shen family is here!"
Lin Meizhu raised her eyes in shock, the light in her pupils brightening up again. He's here?!
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