Chapter 54 The Gentleman Who Uses Effort to Deflect a Thousand Pounds: A High-Ranking Official Who Serves as Junior Tutor to the Crown Prince and Attendant to the Chancellor...
Outside the carriage, shouts resounded loudly.
The four-horse carriage was adorned with jewels and pearls at its four corners, with a screen in the shape of a phoenix in front, and the golden threads on the hubs shone brightly.
Such a grand display would make anyone who saw it sigh: the emperor truly values this princess who has just returned from the imperial temple. No other princess receives such luxurious treatment.
After the civil and military officials finished their rites, the music of metal, stone, silk, and bamboo instruments gradually ceased.
Gu Xiangzhi dismounted first. Under his black cloak was a dark blue court robe. The brocade ribbons hanging on both sides of his official hat swayed gently in the wind. The jade belt at his waist seemed to exude a colder warmth than warmth. His effeminate face had an air of official business.
He walked up to the eunuch holding the bright yellow imperial edict and bowed: "Attendant Feng."
The eunuch known as "Changshi" smiled with narrowed eyes: "Junior Supervisor Gu has traveled a long way, escorting the princess's carriage from Shuoyang back to the capital. His Majesty has shown him great favor and specially ordered me to bring the imperial edict to welcome her. It will not be too late to enter the city after the princess has received the edict."
"Your Majesty, I will obey your decree." Prime Minister Gu stepped aside.
Feng Changshi moved to the front of the carriage, flicked the whisk in his hand, and bowed slightly: "Princess Shunhe, His Majesty has sent me with an imperial decree. Please alight from the carriage to receive the decree."
All eyes were drawn to the carriage door.
After Feng Changshi finished speaking, the vermilion carriage door was slowly pushed open from the inside. First, Cuiwei bent down and stepped out, landing on the footstool.
Then she turned around and extended her hand.
Everyone saw the brocade curtain of red maple leaves move slightly, revealing half of a plump and graceful arm, with a fair hand resting in the maid's palm.
A pair of brocade cloud-patterned shoes were revealed first. As the red maple curtain was fully lifted, Yu Nie covered her face with a veil and held an ivory feather fan to half-conceal her features.
She wore a gold and jade phoenix butterfly hair ornament, and a necklace around her neck made her skin look like fresh snow after a rain. Her tourmaline and glass earrings sparkled, and jade pendants dangled among her skirts. Her light and flowing green cross-collared ruqun dress, made of two-tone silk, accentuated her delicate and graceful figure.
Even though Jian'an City was not lacking in beauties, everyone present was amazed.
Xiao Chengyan's position wasn't very good; he could only see the side view.
Based on just one side view, Zhao Yuntuan confidently said, "It seems the rumors in the palace are true; my imperial sister is indeed a great beauty."
Xiao Chengyan disagreed with his conclusion and instead looked at Yu Nie, who was slowly getting out of the carriage while being helped by a maid: "As the saying goes, clothes make the man and a saddle makes the horse. No matter if you are male or female, young or old, you will have some good looks if you dress up."
"It's hard to say. No matter how much some people dress up, it's all in vain if they lack that certain charm in their bones."
The two were still debating.
Before the imperial carriage, Attendant Feng unfurled a scroll and read the imperial edict aloud, causing all those present to kneel and bow. His voice was loud and clear as he proclaimed the imperial decree:
[Disciples:]
I have heard that my younger sister (Shunhe) has been residing in the state temple for a long time. Now that she has returned to the capital, she should marry far away to ensure a lasting marriage, which is a matter of national dignity. However, the palace is filled with complicated rituals, which makes the preparations for the wedding inconvenient. Considering that my younger sister is returning for the first time and may be bound by the rules of the inner court, I have specially chosen the Hongzheng Pavilion in the southwest of the capital as her place of stay.
This pavilion is fully equipped and can accommodate 24 female officials and maids, who are responsible for teaching the etiquette of marriage alliances and making wedding robes.
All expenses in the residence were provided according to the regulations for a "Princess". The Imperial Horse Administration was ordered to select twenty brave and valiant guards to take turns day and night to protect the safety of the Princess.
Furthermore, the Imperial Observatory has selected an auspicious day, and I will personally visit them five days from now to observe the progress of the ritual practice.
In this way, the ceremony of marrying off a royal daughter is completed, and the princess is spared the awkwardness of entering the palace for the first time. This demonstrates my affection for my siblings and my sincerity in valuing diplomatic relations.
The master shall carry out the instructions without error.
So be it.
July of the first year of Xuande
After reading it aloud, Yu Nie secretly breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing that he would not have to go to the palace to meet the emperor, nor be confined to the high walls and deep palace.
She no longer needed to go to the palace; living alone outside the palace gave her much more freedom in every respect, but also subjected her to considerable danger.
The palace is governed by strict rules, and there are eyes and ears everywhere. The slightest carelessness can give others something to gossip about. In this way, one can avoid those prying eyes, and even if one occasionally does something that is contrary to one's status, it will not be immediately noticed.
Seeing that she did not reply, Cuiwei quickly lowered her voice and said urgently, "Princess, it's time to receive the imperial decree."
She was so caught up in her joy that she momentarily forgot about the rules.
Reminded by Cuiwei, she hurriedly straightened her clothes, raised her hands, and said respectfully:
"Your Majesty, my younger sister Shunhe will obey your command."
Gu Xiangzhi, kneeling not far from her, saw her calmly accept the imperial edict and then lowered his eyes.
After receiving the imperial decree, Yu Nie was helped to his feet, and the others followed suit.
Feng Changshi smiled and bowed, saying, "Princess Shunhe, this old servant has already delivered the decree. Soon, Gu Shaojian will lead the way and escort Your Highness to Hongzheng Pavilion. His Majesty specifically instructed that the pavilion be tidied up inside and out, and all places have been rearranged, hoping that you will be comfortable in your stay."
Yu Nie felt something was off about this concern for a younger sister she had never met. Although both were children of the late emperor, their maternal lineages were quite distant.
Even if there is a blood tie, if you've never met them, they're no different from strangers.
The emperor's grand gestures, bestowing residences upon women and personally arranging other matters, could hardly be anything other than a show, she surmised.
This behavior makes it seem as if she's afraid outsiders won't know how much the current emperor values his younger sister.
Thinking this to herself, she put on a very obedient face: "Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty. I am truly unworthy of it."
Feng Changshi said repeatedly, "Oh, Princess, what are you saying! His Majesty cherishes you more than anything, as you are marrying for the country. That's why he specially instructed this old servant to select a few capable female officials from the Shanggong Bureau to take good care of you, saying that you have had a long journey and must be well taken care of."
Yu Nie spoke gently, "Your Majesty's kindness is deeply appreciated by your humble sister."
Seeing her graceful demeanor, Feng Changshi was quite satisfied. He thought to himself that the person in the palace had not made a mistake in choosing her. If she were as arrogant and domineering as the other one, it would be quite troublesome.
As soon as she finished speaking, Feng Changshi looked around.
According to the law, in addition to civil and military officials, princes and noble families should step forward to pay their respects.
However, the princes of the imperial family, dressed in purple and gold python robes, stood by the roadside, none of them stepping forward to pay their respects. The heads of those noble families, even more so, maintained their composure, their eyes revealing arrogance as they sized her up.
These people are here today only because they are bound by imperial decree and have no choice but to play along with the emperor in this charade.
After the emperor established the strategy of "pacifying the northern deserts to facilitate the southern expedition," the main force led by General Yan Yue, who was in charge of all military affairs both inside and outside the capital, had been secretly making preparations to wipe out the Xiutu Khanate and render it powerless to resist. Meanwhile, Deputy General Duan Tingxian led the Xuan Ce Army to sweep through other tribes in the northern deserts.
At this critical juncture in the war, the Jie people, who occupied the western corridor, became the key. Although their population was only a little over ten thousand, they firmly occupied the strategic pass connecting the north and south, and their nomadic range was located on the flank of the planned main attack route, like a sharp blade pressed against the throat of the imperial army.
The Jie royal court has recently adopted an ambiguous attitude, neither daring to openly oppose the Xiutu nor willing to completely submit to the Celestial Dynasty.
If the imperial court were to divide its forces to attack at this time, it would not only weaken the main offensive force against the Xiutu tribe, but could also push this fence-sitting force completely into the enemy camp.
In contrast, exchanging a princess for the submission of the Jie tribe would not only ensure the safety of strategic passages but also save tens of thousands of troops to focus on the main attack, ensuring that the army could deploy without any worries about the rear.
Exchanging maximum strategic space for minimum cost is an extremely worthwhile deal from any perspective.
Even though she made such a great sacrifice for the country, these noble families were so arrogant and dismissive that they were unwilling to bow and greet her when they came.
Even an ordinary person could see the contempt and disdain of these people.
They held whisks in their hands, wore luxurious robes, and had gleaming jade crowns, yet they wouldn't even glance at her.
I really want to call someone and beat them up. Yu Nie thought to herself, this is too much of a bullying.
"See this? This is what they call a 'golden branch and jade leaf'?" A young man from a prominent family sneered, his voice neither too loud nor too soft, just loud enough for everyone present to hear.
"Shh—she is, after all, a princess personally appointed by His Majesty."
"She's just a girl who's been praying in the Buddhist temple since she was little. How dare a maid's daughter be called a princess?"
"With arms and legs so thin, I heard that the Jie chieftain is fifty years old and still eats raw meat and drinks blood..." Another malicious laugh rang out: "Can she withstand the wind and sand of the borderlands?"
"…………"
The jarring whispers, like the buzzing of flies, penetrated every word of Feng Changshi's ears. Beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, his face grew increasingly stiff, and his gaze darted between the powerful figures, yet he ultimately dared not utter a sound.
Gu Xiangzhi, who was standing to the side, naturally heard these harsh remarks clearly.
His gaze narrowed slightly as he subtly swept over the crowd, finally settling on the figure at the center of the discussion.
But the person at the center of the controversy remained motionless, standing quietly, maintaining the demeanor befitting a princess.
Cuiwei naturally noticed this as well, and quietly tugged at Yu Nie's sleeve: "Princess...Princess..."
"Ah..." Yu Nie came back to his senses as if waking from a dream.
Why are you spacing out?
As if no one was around, Yu Nie chatted idly with Cui Wei and the other woman: "You don't know, this hair ornament is so heavy, it's giving me a headache."
She had never carried anything so heavy before, and not wanting to be impolite, she reached out and took it off.
Cuiwei was taken aback; her reaction was unexpected. Feng Changshi, standing beside her, was also astonished and was about to say something when Yu Nie said rather awkwardly, "Uh… Eunuch, can we continue into the city now?"
She didn't know Feng Changshi's official position, so she thought for a long time and came up with a general title.
Seeing that she didn't mind, Feng Changshi felt like he had been granted a pardon: "Of course, of course... It's almost noon, Hongzheng Pavilion has already prepared lunch for you, I'll ask Supervisor Gu to continue leading the way."
"Very well, thank you for your trouble, Your Excellency."
Having said that, she took Cuiwei's hand and stepped onto the jade carriage.
Just as she stepped into her brocade shoes, she stopped abruptly. Yu Nie turned to look at the group of high-ranking princes and nobles, her beautiful eyes sparkling with a smile. "You all have said so much, you must be quite thirsty. But I am weary from my journey. If you still have much to say, Hongzheng Pavilion is spacious. I will have Cuiwei serve you a cup of cool tea and set up a table so you can have a proper discussion."
Having said that, she returned to her carriage.
Standing before the carriage, Gu Xiangzhi's cold and stern face remained unmoved after hearing these words.
He placed one hand on his sword, nimbly flipped himself onto his horse, and flicked his whip in the air. Without even sparing a glance at the group of sullen-faced nobles by the roadside, he simply said in a deep voice, "Let's go."
After a brief pause, the procession resumed its journey, and the elegant music began again.
The people lined the road, and after a brief silence, various voices rose again from the crowd.
“That’s interesting.” He suddenly whispered as the carriage passed in front of Xiao Chengyan.
Zhao Yuntuan watched the carriage disappear into the distance, then turned his head in confusion: "What's interesting?"
Xiao Chengyan replied without any hesitation, "I must say, your imperial sister is quite interesting."
Before Zhao Yuntuan could grasp the deeper meaning of the words, the man beside him spurred his horse and rode off with the group.
The long welcoming procession turned southwest after passing two long streets.
Arriving at the most bustling Chongyue Tower in Jian'an City, one is greeted by the sounds of music and revelry, and the aroma of wine mixed with the scent of perfume wafts towards one.
The boy, who was dozing in the attic, was disturbed by the sudden noise and frowned in displeasure.
Seeing his brow furrow slightly, the dancer serving tea spoke softly, "This is Princess Shunhe's ceremonial procession returning to the capital. I heard that Her Highness has been praying for the country in Shuoyang for many years. Today, she is returning to the capital, and all the civil and military officials, as well as princes and nobles, have come to welcome her."
The title of Shunhe was not unfamiliar to him.
He was standing by the emperor's side when the emperor was choosing a woman from among the imperial family for a marriage alliance.
Seeing his indifferent expression, the dancer deliberately teased, "It is said that the princess is a rare beauty, with unparalleled looks. As the Crown Prince's tutor and the Vice Minister of the Chancellery, why don't you go and join in the fun?"
Huan Xun, his eyes still closed, asked, "You want to go?"
The three seemingly casual words made the dancer tremble, and she hurriedly lowered her head: "It was my fault for being so talkative."
The person on the brocade couch said nothing more, only raised his hand and waved.
The dancer understood, held her breath, gathered her robes, and quietly slipped out.
The music inside and outside the pavilion blended into a cacophony, completely waking him up.
Huan Xun frowned and stood up, startling the other dancers and musicians who were singing and dancing to a halt.
He pushed open the carved lacquered window, and downstairs, carriages and horses thronged the streets, accompanied by the sounds of drums and music.
Along the long street, banners fluttered, ceremonial guards stood tall and imposing.
Amidst the throng of people, the vermilion and gilded phoenix carriage stood out conspicuously.
Just then, a gentle breeze blew by, lifting the gossamer-thin veil.
From his vantage point, he caught a glimpse of that veiled, lowered profile.
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Author's note: This chapter was so difficult to write; I spent ages researching, but I ended up finding a really great book about incense making! [starry-eyed]
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