Chapter 2, "The Grand Wedding".
==Chapter Two: The Wedding==
The sound of gongs and drums rose, resounding through the sky.
The people of Nanqiong were still immersed in the joy of Princess Weiyang and Prince Cheng of Beili getting married, but no one knew that the person sitting in the bridal sedan chair was not Princess Weiyang of the royal family, but Princess Zilu of the Nanwang Mansion, Su Wanyue.
***
In early March, flowers were in full bloom, and Chang'an was filled with the vibrant energy of spring.
Meanwhile, the procession escorting Princess Weiyang to the capital arrived in Chang'an City, where many people gathered to watch, creating a lively and bustling scene.
"Your Majesty, I wish to see you. Please inform Eunuch Zhou." Dressed in a moon-white brocade robe, with a figure as slender as a pine tree, Xie Cheng arrived outside the Hall of Mental Cultivation and politely addressed the emperor's favorite attendant.
"This old servant will go and report to His Majesty immediately."
A moment later, Eunuch Zhou came out of the Imperial Study and greeted Xie Cheng with a smile.
The Imperial Study was empty except for the Emperor, who was handling memorials. It was solemn and quiet. Xie Cheng entered with his head down, performed the kowtow, and said, "Your Majesty, I have fulfilled my mission. Princess Nanqiong Weiyang has arrived safely at the post station."
The current emperor is over forty years old. His face is ashen, but his demeanor is majestic. His eyes are as unfathomable as an eagle's, and when he stares at someone, he inspires awe.
The emperor's sons, like their father, fought fiercely for the throne, refusing to yield to each other until they were mortally wounded.
The Emperor glanced at Xie Cheng and said that he had worked hard this time, and the palace's rewards had been sent to the Duke of Xie's residence.
"Please invite King Cheng to the palace."
Xie Cheng bowed to the Emperor and said, "This humble subject will take his leave now."
"What do you think of this Princess Weiyang from Nanqiong?" After leaving the post station, Xie Cheng hurriedly came to report to the Emperor. He hadn't even had time to change his clothes and looked travel-worn. His friend, Luo Qi, the tutor of Prince Cheng, was waiting for him in the carriage. As soon as he got into the carriage, Luo Qi tossed aside his storybook and asked in a nonchalant manner.
His Highness's marriage to Princess Weiyang of Nanqiong is largely due to the power behind Princess Weiyang. As for what kind of woman Princess Weiyang is, they have no idea.
Xie Cheng rubbed his forehead wearily. "Princess Weiyang is of noble status, and it is not something that you and I can discuss."
Luo Qi smiled slightly. He felt that Xie Cheng was quite protective of this Princess Weiyang from Bei Li.
"His Majesty currently has more than a dozen princes, of whom four have already entered the court: His Highness the Crown Prince, His Highness Prince Cheng, His Highness the Seventh Prince, and His Highness the Eighth Prince."
"His Highness the Crown Prince is the heir apparent of this dynasty. He has always been respectful to scholars and gentlemen. He has a good temper and is well-loved by the people of Beili. His Highness Prince Cheng was born to the Imperial Concubine. He could write poetry at the age of three, and martial arts at the age of five. At the age of ten, he wrote a poem entitled 'Ode to the Landscape.' People believe that His Highness has the talent to become a general and a prime minister. In the fifteenth year of Zhaoning, a rebellion broke out in Huainan, Beili. This war was quelled by His Highness Prince Cheng, who was not yet twenty years old. Moreover, because the Imperial Concubine was favored, His Majesty of Beili treated His Highness Prince Cheng very well."
"As for the Seventh Prince and the Eighth Prince, one is skilled in martial arts and the other in literature. They are both outstanding among the princes, especially the Eighth Prince, whose maternal family is the Zheng family of Xingyang."
Inside the post station, Prince Xiang was discussing the situation of the Northern Li royal family with Su Wanyue. After he finished speaking, Su Wanyue did not react at all. Prince Xiang looked up at her and found that she was very indifferent, as if she were in a wisp of mist.
"You may all leave." The four secret guards of the Xiang Dynasty exchanged glances, and the lattice door was quickly closed. The Xiang King looked at Su Wanyue, whose face was serene, and said, "I know you still have grievances in your heart, but in terms of ability, strategy, appearance, and talent, His Highness Prince Cheng is no less than Lu Er. Your wedding day with His Highness Prince Cheng is in three days. Since things have come to this, there is no point in thinking about it anymore."
This little cousin has always been the most intelligent. If she weren't, her father and mother wouldn't have chosen her, because besides Weiyang, there are other princesses in the royal family and other daughters in the imperial clan.
Su Wanyue smiled, but the smile seemed somewhat insincere. She said she would do her best as a princess consort and hoped that the Emperor and Empress would keep their promise, find her cousin as soon as possible, and treat her family well.
Prince Xiang reassured her: "Of course. As long as you marry into Prince Cheng's household with peace of mind, Father and Mother will definitely promote you to higher ranks and let you enjoy your old age in comfort."
"By the way, is there anything else your sister wanted me to tell him?"
Su Wanyue knew who this "he" referred to, and so did the Prince of Xiang.
Su Wanyue remained calm, her fingers clenched tightly, and she gently shook her head. Seeing this, Prince Xiang did not speak again, only telling her not to overthink it.
On the tenth day of the third month of the fourth year of the Dingyuan era, His Highness Prince Cheng married Princess Weiyang as his principal wife. The grand ceremony was described as "ten miles of red bridal procession".
Under the bright moon, the Zixia Hall of the Prince Cheng's Mansion was filled with the glow of dragon and phoenix candles. Red dates, longans, lotus seeds, and peanuts were laid out on the sandalwood table, and bright red "double happiness" characters hung on the windows. The painted screens were adorned with exquisite brocade.
The matchmaker, sent by a noble concubine from the palace, smiled and handed the wedding scale to Xiao Yu, saying, "Your Highness, please take the wedding scale and choose the wedding veil, so that you may have a perfect and happy life from now on."
Xiao Yu remained calm, his slender fingers taking the scales and casually lifting one, revealing Su Wanyue's beautiful oval face.
Their eyes met.
The man was dressed in a bright red wedding gown. He was tall and slender, with a handsome face, deep phoenix eyes with slightly upturned corners, lashes like raven feathers, and eyebrows like ink paintings. He had a very superior bone structure, as if he had stepped out of a painting.
Su Wanyue couldn't help but think of that person. Lu Qingchen was known in Nanqiong for his gentle and refined nature and excellent temper, while the Prince Cheng in front of her had a cold arrogance that flowed from his bones and a sense of superiority due to his royal lineage. He was clearly not someone to be trifled with.
He and Lu Qingchen are completely different people.
While Su Wanyue was sizing up Xiao Yu, Xiao Yu was also sizing up this little princess from Nanqiong who had come from afar. Needless to say, her appearance was stunning; her skin was like jade, her eyebrows were arched, and when she looked at people, her almond-shaped eyes seemed to hold a sip of spring water, gentle and graceful.
But Xiao Yu was a man who could see right through her eyes. Her gaze towards him held curiosity and scrutiny, but not a trace of affection.
Xiao Yu raised an eyebrow, finding it somewhat interesting; at least she wasn't some 'sweetheart' who would pounce on him the moment she saw him.
His Highness is handsome and dashing, and His Highness the Princess is elegant and graceful. The two are a perfect match. The matchmaker smiled from ear to ear, took the nuptial wine cups, and the maids handed them to Xiao Yu and Su Wanyue respectively. "Please, Your Highness and His Highness the Princess, drink the nuptial wine cups. May you be happy and harmonious from now on."
At the grand wedding of Prince Cheng, in addition to the court officials and people sent by the three major families, the Crown Prince also attended the Prince Cheng's residence. Xiao Yu went to the front courtyard to entertain guests and drank a few too many cups. When he returned, his eyes were slightly drunk. Su Wanyue stood up when she saw this and said, "Your Highness."
"Princess, you have come from afar, you must be tired."
After that came bathing, dressing, and the wedding night. Perhaps because she had prepared well in advance, Su Wanyue performed flawlessly without revealing a single flaw. Only at the last step did Su Wanyue frown in pain. She subconsciously bit her lip. A hint of displeasure flashed in Xiao Yu's eyes. He used his fingertip to rub her delicate red lips to stop her from biting him.
The boudoir was filled with the vibrant energy of spring, so intense and exhilarating that one forgot the time. Xiao Yu, being a man of self-control, called for water after the second time.
After taking another bath, the newlyweds lay down to rest. As he looked down, the man noticed a pink butterfly-shaped birthmark on her shoulder.
The dragon and phoenix candles burned until dawn. Su Wanyue woke up groggily, her head throbbing. Qin'er came in with four maids. "Your Highness, you're awake."
The sight of joy reminded Su Wanyue that she was already married. Her whole body ached, and she sat up with the help of Qin'er's arm. The gold quilt slipped down to her waist. Qin'er saw that her body was covered with marks and felt that His Highness Prince Cheng was too unkind to women. "His Highness left at dawn today."
Su Wanyue didn't really want to see him either. Hearing this, she nodded and got up. Not long after, the steward brought over all the household's account books. When Su Wanyue was looking through the account books, she asked if there were any other people in the household besides her and the prince. The steward was an old man in the Prince Cheng's mansion and answered without any ambiguity: "Your Highness, the only masters in the mansion are His Highness and Your Highness. However, the Seventh Princess and Miss Cousin would occasionally come over before."
When the steward spoke of Miss Su, his tone was noticeably hesitant, and he didn't dare to meet Su Wanyue's gaze.
Su Wanyue was an extremely intelligent girl. The steward's expression and tone allowed her to guess something. "This young lady is childhood sweethearts with His Highness."
Seeing that the princess was asking such detailed questions, the steward assumed that the princess was jealous, so he braced himself and replied, "Miss Qin is the Imperial Concubine's niece and the legitimate daughter of the Marquis of Yiyong's mansion."
Su Wanyue gave a soft "hmm" and said nothing more.
She entered the Prince Cheng's mansion in place of her cousin, and was not the real Princess Cheng. Therefore, she had no objection to which woman the Prince Cheng wanted to be kind to or who he wanted to bring into the Prince Cheng's mansion.
Su Wanyue did not press the matter further, and the steward breathed a sigh of relief. After all, the Imperial Concubine had previously been determined to make Miss Biao the Prince's principal wife, so Miss Biao always came to the Prince's residence to deliver things on the Imperial Concubine's orders. This should not happen again.
The princess had just married into the family, and the steward didn't want her to have any misunderstandings with His Highness over this matter, given her noble status.
In the backyard of Prince Cheng's mansion, Xiao Yu was dressed in a dark brocade robe with gold thread patterns. He had broad shoulders and a narrow waist, and a tall and imposing figure. A guard stood beside him and handed him a bow and arrows. He shot ten arrows in a row, and every arrow hit the bullseye.
The guards clapped and cheered, "Your Highness's swordsmanship is so precise, it's truly admirable."
What is she doing today?
Your Highness is asking about the Princess Consort.
The guard then relayed to Xiao Yu exactly what the steward had told him.
Xiao Yu's lips twitched slightly, his jade-like face expressionless. Just as the guards were guessing what His Highness meant, His Highness said to go to Zixia Palace.
When Xiao Yu arrived, Su Wanyue was looking through the account books. Upon seeing him, she stood up and gracefully bowed to him, "Your Highness."
"Is there anything Your Highness wants to ask me?" Xiao Yu stopped in front of her.
Su Wanyue: "..."
What she wanted to ask him was something.
Seeing her bewildered expression, Xiao Yu remained silent.
Never mind, he hasn't done anything wrong, so why should he explain to her?
Xiao Yu put his hands behind his back and glanced at her indifferently. "You are the Princess Consort of our Prince Cheng's Mansion. You have complete authority over all matters in the Prince Cheng's Mansion, including both affairs and people."
Su Wanyue looked completely bewildered, her voice soft and gentle, "This concubine thanks Your Highness."
At this moment, Xiao Fuzi knocked on the door, "Your Highness, Your Highness the Princess, it's time to enter the palace."
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