Chapter 20 Chapter 20 “The princess is very beautiful today.”…
==Chapter Twenty: Arrangements==
The Xie State Duke's Mansion is located in the most prosperous area of the capital, standing opposite the Right Prime Minister's Mansion. Across several bustling streets and alleys lies the Eastern Palace.
The first thing Xie Cheng did upon returning home was to go to Chunlan Garden, the residence of Xie Mo'er, the third daughter of the Duke of Xie's mansion.
The maidservant guarding the entrance to Chunlan Garden said to Xie Cheng, "Young Master, the Third Miss is practicing the zither in the inner room."
There is a difference between men and women. Xie Mo'er met Xie Cheng at Chunlan Pavilion. She was clearly very surprised that Xie Cheng had come to Chunlan Garden to find her at this time. "Why did you come at this time, brother?"
"I have a question I'd like to ask my third sister," Xie Cheng said, his demeanor refined and his features clear and gentle.
When her brother, such a capable person, still had questions to ask her, Xie Mo'er's heart was in her throat. She tentatively asked, "Brother, please speak."
Xie Cheng: "Do you think it's possible for someone who isn't good at playing the piano to compose a piece?"
Xie Mo'er looked at Xie Cheng with a puzzled expression, her eyes filled with confusion. "If it's a self-composed piece, then this person must be extremely skilled in playing the zither. Brother, you are a skilled zither player, why are you asking this?"
Xie Cheng looked thoughtful. "I was just asking casually. What if it were a play?"
"If it's opera, then this person must have a high level of expertise in opera. Just like dancing emphasizes the rhythm of the dance, and music emphasizes the rhythm of the instrument. If the person who writes the opera is completely ignorant of these things, how can they create an opera that is unique and distinctive?"
"Does my sister think there's any connection between traditional opera and dance?"
Xie Mo'er nodded.
Xie Cheng smiled gently, his voice soft, "Brother knows. I was just asking casually today. Please don't mention it outside."
"Don't worry, brother." Xie Mo'er was raised in seclusion and had a well-behaved personality. She always listened to her elders. Seeing this, Xie Cheng stood up and said, "Then you should rest early. I'll go back first."
"Brother, wait a moment."
"What's wrong?" Xie Cheng stopped and looked at her patiently.
"Am I really going to marry General Mu?" Xie Mo'er pouted.
"You don't like Mu Ziyi?" Xie Cheng looked somewhat surprised and sat down again.
Recently, the news that the Xie State Duke's Mansion is about to form a marriage alliance with the Dingguo General's Mansion has been spreading like wildfire in the capital. Madam Xie and the Xie State Duke are undoubtedly satisfied with Mu Ziyi as their son-in-law.
"Not really, but I'm afraid General Mu won't like me."
"Before the engagement, your mother will arrange for you to meet Mu Ziyi. You are the third daughter of the Duke's mansion, and you can decide your own marriage. If you like Mu Ziyi, then this marriage will definitely go through. If you don't like Mu Ziyi, I will talk to your mother."
"Then let's not talk about it." Xie Mo'er's cheeks flushed slightly as she lowered her head.
===
As dusk fell, the afterglow of the setting sun bathed the Prince Cheng's Mansion in a golden glow. In an open space beneath the pavilion, dancers with flowing sleeves recited opera lyrics, their movements creating a breathtakingly beautiful scene.
Looking at the scene below, Su Niang's eyes revealed satisfaction. "What does Your Highness think of their dancing?"
Su Wanyue smiled faintly upon hearing this, her eyes sparkling with a bright and beautiful light. "Very good."
Su Niang clapped her hands and laughed heartily, "The music composed by the Princess is still the best."
This opera piece is different from the repertoire of previous years.
After Su Wanyue left, Qin'er presented Su Niang with more than ten strings of jade rings and red cords, saying, "These are some tokens of the Princess's appreciation. The Princess said there will be further rewards after His Highness's birthday banquet."
Su Niang was a woman who came from the palace and had served the ladies there. She was always very good at judging people. Princess Cheng was so young, yet she was so meticulous and considerate. She was truly not someone to be underestimated. Su Niang smiled and took Yingluo from her. "Please rest assured, Your Highness, we will definitely do our best."
Qin'er returned to Zixia Palace and whispered to Su Wanyue, "It's His Highness's birthday, what gift does the Princess Consort plan to give him?"
Su Wanyue rested her chin on her hand, looking conflicted, and asked Qin'er if she had any good ideas.
Those involved are often confused, while bystanders see things clearly[1]. Qin'er understood some things better than Su Wanyue. "This servant thinks that His Highness must have seen things like gold and jade before. The most important thing for a birthday gift is to cater to his preferences."
Su Wanyue pursed her lips, her expression somewhat subtle. The man only cared about power and the throne. If she really wanted to please him, she would have to be his pawn and fight for his empire.
Qin'er chuckled, "This servant thinks that instead of sending some expensive gold or jade, it would be better for His Highness to personally embroider a sachet or belt. His Highness would definitely like that."
Su Wanyue sighed softly, "Then let's embroider a sachet."
At the end of July, the Prefect of Jingzhao presented a confession to the Emperor, stating that the group of men in black who were assassinated in the Guimin Temple assassination case were martial arts figures from the Yan Gui Sect. They made a living by taking advantage of others' misfortunes. This time, they heard that a noble person was coming to Guimin Temple, but they did not know that the noble person was the Imperial Concubine and Princess Consort of the Prince of Cheng. Therefore, they acted recklessly and committed this evil deed. Fortunately, they were captured by Prince Cheng and Young Master Xie.
Upon hearing this confession, the Emperor was furious. The only survivor was executed at noon outside the Meridian Gate, and the court offered amnesty to the martial arts practitioners of the Yan Gui Sect.
The news quickly spread among the people. Su Wanyue's first thought was that the Emperor was just using this opportunity to recruit the Yan Gui Sect as a scapegoat. As for the person behind it, Su Wanyue suspected it was the Crown Prince.
Even though Su Wanyue had only been in Nanqiong for half a year, she could tell that the Emperor relied heavily on the Crown Prince.
The following day, the Prefect of the Capital sent a gift to Prince Cheng's residence. The messenger said, "Your Highness, Prefect Zhou of the Capital sent a gift, but Lord Zhu said he has been unwell recently and is worried about passing on his illness to Your Highness, so he will not be coming."
Su Wanyue asked Qin'er to register the gifts.
Chunzhi was puzzled. Magistrate Zhou of the Capital was an upright and incorruptible official. He would come to His Highness's birthday celebration every year. Why didn't he come this year?
Su Wanyue smiled gently and said softly, "Perhaps Lord Zhou is truly unwell."
Chunzhi thought so too, and nodded slightly.
On Xiao Yu's birthday, Su Wanyue woke up early. When she woke up, it was still dark outside. Thinking about having to meet a lot of people during the day, Su Wanyue had a headache. She pursed her lips and carefully sat up.
The slightest noise immediately startled the person beside him. The man opened his handsome eyes, his voice slightly magnetic and husky, "Why are you awake so early?"
"Today is Your Highness's birthday, so I must go to the main hall first."
Xiao Yu then released her, and the maids filed in to help Su Wanyue change her clothes and do her makeup. Xiao Yu rubbed his forehead and got up as well.
A young maidservant wanted to come and serve Xiao Yu, but Xiao Yu stopped her.
He slowly straightened his robes and fastened his jade belt. Su Wanyue looked at his waist through the bronze mirror. "Qin'er, give the sachet to His Highness."
Qin'er immediately put down the peony and pearl hairpin in her hand, opened the second layer of the mirror box, inside which was a sachet embroidered with pine and bamboo. Every stitch was extremely neat and exquisite, and it was clear that it was made by a woman.
Xiao Yu raised an eyebrow slightly, his long, slender fingers gently caressing the sachet before hanging it at his waist.
He walked towards Su Wanyue, picked up the peony and pearl hairpin, and the maid on his left quickly stepped aside. Xiao Yu looked at the woman with delicate features in the bronze mirror and put the pearl hairpin in her hair. He glanced at the carved mirror box under the bronze mirror and saw that the first and second layers were closed normally, but the third layer was locked. Xiao Yu withdrew his gaze without saying a word, "The princess is very beautiful today."
Su Wanyue's beautiful eyes sparkled, and she feigned shyness as she spoke, "Your Highness flatters me."
The couple had a meal in the Zixia Palace. After the meal, Xiao Yu went to the study, while Su Wanyue went to the kitchen first, and then took Qin'er to the front yard.
The first guests to arrive were servants from the Princess's residence and the Right Prime Minister's residence. It's said that the Princess and the Right Prime Minister are actually family, but they still sent two gifts.
Following them were officials and their wives, as well as unmarried young ladies. The officials naturally went to pay their respects to Prince Cheng. After greeting Su Wanyue, they went to the study to congratulate Xiao Yu. The wives stayed in the main hall to talk with Su Wanyue, while the young ladies were arranged to sit in the Flowing Water Pavilion near the banquet.
The lotus flowers are at their best in summer, especially at the Prince Cheng's Mansion. Small lantern-shaped wind chimes hang on the waterside pavilion, and they make a pleasant sound when a breeze blows.
His Highness Prince Cheng has always been a hot commodity in Chang'an. Although he has already married his principal wife, he is a man of integrity and has no concubines or mistresses in his household. There are still many young women in the capital who hope to enter Prince Cheng's household, so he is dressed exceptionally charming and beautiful today.
However, after being inside for so long without seeing His Highness Prince Cheng, the noble ladies couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.
Su Wanyue was not a woman from Beili, and this was her first time meeting all the ladies. However, she was not at all shy and chatted and laughed with them. The ladies had already made up their minds about her.
As a princess raised by the royal family of Nanqiong, she has seen many storms.
When the old lady of the Marquis of Yiyong's mansion brought Qin Sisi over, Su Wanyue personally greeted her, her face beaming like a blooming begonia, "Grandmother."
The old lady of the Marquis of Yiyong's mansion exclaimed "Eh!" and her face lit up with a smile at the address of "Grandmother." She took Su Wanyue's small hand and looked her up and down, clearly very satisfied with Su Wanyue.
Qin Sisi stood to the side, looking at Su Wanyue with a complicated expression. Ever since the assassination attempt that night, Qin Sisi had fallen seriously ill. Her mother said that it was normal for a woman to be timid, but the woman in front of her was also a woman. She acted as if nothing had happened, which Qin Sisi couldn't understand at all.
Old Madam Qin was seated at the front. Qin'er stepped forward to serve tea. Seeing this, Old Madam Qin had a premonition that her granddaughter had no chance. The Prince Cheng's Mansion needed a clever and outstanding mistress, and the girl in front of her was doing a good job. In addition, she had the support of Nan Qiong behind her, so the Prince Cheng's Mansion did not need the Marquis Yi Yong's Mansion to add to its glory.
Madam Qin used the excuse of drinking tea to conceal the many thoughts in her heart.
At 1:45 AM, all the officials and their wives had arrived, except for the Crown Prince and Crown Princess. Just as everyone was guessing that the Crown Prince and Crown Princess wouldn't come, the steward came running up breathlessly, limping, "Your Highness, the Crown Prince and Crown Princess are at the door."
"Go and invite His Highness over."
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