I sat in the carriage, the curtains of which were red and embroidered with gold thread. Xie Yuancheng disliked dragons and phoenixes, saying they were vulgar and would offend the petty people in the capital, so he embroidered lovebirds instead. It's amazing he came up with that idea.
"Should we go for a walk in the street?" I touched the bird on the screen; it looked just like a real bird, and it was very beautiful.
"No need. Ying'er, do you like lovebirds? I'll have them make you a dress embroidered with lovebirds when I get back."
"No, I have enough clothes. I'll make new ones when I don't like them anymore."
I leaned against Xie Yuancheng, the pearls and gems on my head, along with some hair ornaments, were really heavy. I asked him for a small mirror so I could see how I looked in the painting.
"I won't show you. We're climbing mountains on the Double Ninth Festival. I'll draw it for you when we get back, and it'll surprise you."
"You are so skillful. If I could draw, I would definitely draw a beautiful self-portrait for you."
“I’ll draw it for Ying’er. I already have your face in my mind, so I won’t make a mistake.”
I held his arm. The noise outside grew louder and louder. I lifted the curtain behind the carriage, intending only to take a quick look, but there was a pair of eyes in the crowd staring intently at our carriage, which was very strange.
When I straightened up and looked again, I could see a dark blue figure from behind. Judging from the figure, it must be a girl.
“Yuancheng, did you see that dark blue shadow just now? She was staring straight at the carriage, and the light in her eyes was like she wanted to tear me apart.”
Xie Yuancheng heard what I said and came over. Perhaps the person was long gone from the crowd. He helped me sit down and then began to recall that everyone outside was wearing different clothes, and dark blue wasn't a particularly eye-catching color.
"Ying'er, don't worry, we'll investigate this matter after we climb up to a higher place."
"Didn't you say you wanted to drink with me from a high place? If you didn't handle things properly just now, let's see how you drink with me then."
"Ying'er~" Xie Yuancheng straightened the hair ornament in my hair: "There is a tree in our yard, and a swing has been set up. When you come back, we will enjoy wine on the swing."
"Alright, you tricked me last time, but I'll get my revenge today." I remembered that when my mother was in her boudoir, she would play drinking games with the wives of some high-ranking officials. Although it was a fancy game, not the vulgar drinking game of commoners, it was still very interesting to watch.
The high platform for Chongyang Festival was built many years ago. We had to climb a hundred steps to get up from the bottom. My skirt was very large with a train, and although there was a carpet, I would still step on it occasionally.
Xie Yuancheng had to carry things, and I had to hold up the long jade tablet, so we had to walk carefully. It took us about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn before we got up there.
As we were exchanging vows, a red flag fluttered around us. I saw that he had all his hair tucked into his hat and was dressed in a bright red outfit, looking just as stunning as when I married him.
The Double Ninth Festival was the most important festival in Da Zhao. From the sound of the drums to the playing of music, we knelt and worshiped for more than an hour, not to mention the trivial matters around us.
The high platform was the most sacred place, even more solemn than the elaborate Mid-Autumn Festival table. After the incense was lit, Xie Yuancheng helped me down the platform.
He used to go up alone every year. After getting married, he thought about it many times, and this year his wish finally came true.
"Didn't you say we were going to climb a mountain the year we first met? Why haven't I seen it so lively in Linyang?"
“Ying’er, you were angry with me back then. On the way back to the capital, how could I dare ask you to climb the high platform with me? If we offended our ancestors, and they didn’t protect us, what would you do then!”
I straightened my skirt: "Okay, so what about the next two years?"
"It's all because you're being stubborn. I've already told you I want to go back to Linyang, but you just won't go. You're twenty-two this year, do you think Linyang is something special?"
"Yes, it's been more than three years already. I really miss when I was eighteen."
"Nostalgia? Do you miss the days when you were a prince consort, or do you miss your life with countless beauties?"
I had to watch my step and keep an eye on Xie Yuancheng's face; I shouldn't provoke him. I grabbed Xie Yuancheng's hand; he was incredibly kind to me outside, smiling as he helped me down.
The wind was blowing hard, and the funeral music was still playing. After Xie Yuancheng helped me into the carriage, a drumbeat sounded, and then the music stopped. The carriages used for large events were drawn by four horses, and there were small tables and cushions inside, with lamps lit on the sides.
As soon as I got close to the carriage, I massaged his arms and legs: "Little Chengcheng, I was just saying that it's good to be young. We're still young now, but eighteen is a different age after all."
"What's the difference? In the Great Zhao, the upper class is not allowed to get married after the age of sixteen, otherwise I would have gone to the Ji residence to find you long ago."
"Yes, please don't be angry. I had no choice at the time because of the family's situation."
Xie Yuancheng glanced at me sideways: "I didn't see Ying'er being forced at all. On the contrary, I was quite happy. She could wander around the Imperial Garden, and she acted like a stranger when she saw me."
“When we first met, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Wouldn’t it be strange if we were already very familiar with each other?”
I'm sweating bullets. Putting everything else aside, isn't our real meeting supposed to take place in the palace gardens?
"Yes, your eyes were sparkling, deliberately trying to entice me to get closer to you. But when I go to Yongle Palace, you just follow Consort Ji and her daughter's affectionate eye contact and don't even look at me."
“Yuancheng, my good lord~ I won’t talk about the past anymore, don’t bring up old grievances with me.”
I held onto Xie Yuancheng tightly. Once this guy started talking about the past, he wouldn't stop. I really regretted it. I will never mention the past to him again.
"Hmph! Every time I can't win an argument, I just give in to you!"
"I've already given in, so please don't hold it against me. How was I supposed to know that we'd end up together and that I'd want to see you every day? If I couldn't see you, my heart would pound, and I'd practically run around doing anything for you."
I looked at him intently as I spoke, and Xie Yuancheng gave in after just one glance. I took the opportunity to wrap my arms around his waist and hold on tight. The clothes I was wearing in autumn were still a bit thick, and although it wasn't very cold here, it wasn't as comfortable to hold him as it was in the summer.
"Ying'er~ If you reminisce about our past romances again, I'll keep track of them for you every single day."
"Yes~ I only said it because it came to mind. Only an idiot would miss the days of being on edge~"
I leaned against his lap to rest. The train at the back of the outfit was quite heavy. I need to take a good look at this outfit when I get back. I'll go to Ying'er's place and look through our wedding clothes. Maybe they really are the same.
Xie Yuancheng looked down at me and smiled. He looked particularly clever, and I thought he was going to do something inappropriate, but thankfully he just smiled at me.
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