Chapter 1
Yang Ye still remembers that the first time she met Xue Shangyang was on the day she was getting engaged.
At that time, she was thirteen years old.
Her father and eldest brother had found her a man, Algyatai, the third legitimate son of the Hazil family. According to current seniority rules, that man was considered her uncle's nephew, so she had to call him cousin.
But there was no such saying at that time. As long as they were not blood brothers and sisters, it was fine.
As luck would have it, that day was the day the man's family arrived to present the betrothal gifts and the invitation. Both sets of parents gathered and summoned a skilled fortune teller to compare the couple's birth dates. The fortune teller declared their fates to be excellent, a match made in heaven. Delighted, Ama asked the fortune teller to choose an auspicious date and time. The fortune teller then pulled out a yellowed, hand-me-down book from his bag and began to calculate the date.
Before the master could calculate the time and day, Xue Shangyang and his father came into the hall.
This was probably fate. The gentleman didn't give a time on the spot, so it was a bit inappropriate to calculate a date later.
Yang Ye still remembers the day he met Xue Shangyang. It was a very sunny day.
She changed into a maid's clothes and, while the servants were not paying attention, she quietly slipped to the entrance hall, stood on tiptoe, and lay in front of the small window, wanting to listen to what was being said inside.
Just as she found a good place to help, she saw the steward leading two newly bought servants through the side corridor.
Yang Ye approached the edge and took a few more steps to the side. He saw the movement in the hall. They bowed to Ama, a simple gesture that counted as a greeting. Despite their ignorance of etiquette, Ama didn't say anything. He politely asked them to sit down and ordered the maid to bring two cups of tea.
Xue Shangyang sat carefree in a chair, one leg raised high on the other knee. He wore a dark blue suit and his short hair was combed back, revealing his forehead.
His strange hair looked a little greasy at first glance, as if it had been waxed and not washed for more than ten days.
Seeing this, Ama asked, "Why is your son dressed like this?"
His father smiled, his voice full of pride, and said, "My son will be leaving for the United States to study soon."
Ama didn't understand: "It's so bloody outside, why did you let him escape?"
"A man's ambitions are boundless, and he shouldn't be confined to one place." His father took a sip of tea and didn't finish his words. Instead, Xue Shangyang took over his father's words and continued, "It's better to go out and learn new things than to stay here and be exposed to those terrible and decadent customs."
This insolent tone would have been punishable in the past few years. Yang Ye held on to the window frame tightly, her eyes darting back and forth at Xue Shangyang with curiosity. That piece of clothing didn't look like warm clothing. Why did he expose his shirt underneath, and even wear that brightly colored silk? It was inappropriate and disrespectful. Yang Ye pouted and frowned slightly, but after looking at him for a long time, she found that he was indeed better looking than her so-called dull fiancé across from her.
Perhaps feeling a little uncomfortable in this position, he leaned back against the slope. His elbows rested on the mahogany tea table beside him, and he began to look at the furnishings in the hallway, then noticed the two cups of hot tea that the maid had just brought him.
The nobles and ladies of the capital all had their own set of rules and protocols for behavior and actions. Take the simplest example of drinking tea: the teacup should be held gently, sniffed, sipped, savored, and then regurgitated. A single sip of tea could take half a day to contemplate. The hand must also be steady when dropping the cup, making no sound between the cups, and preventing the tea from swirling. Any mistake would be considered a violation of etiquette, and would result in a reprimand from the family nanny, father, and brothers.
Xue Shangyang didn't care about that. He took just one sip and a look of disgust appeared on his face. He frowned, swallowed the tea he had just taken, and put the cup down heavily on the table.
"Vulgar" Hearing the sound of teacups colliding, Algatai glanced at Xue Shangyang impatiently.
"Pedantic," Xue Shangyang retorted, then added, "Why do you have these torturous rules?"
Aljiatai straightened his chest, put down the teacup in his hand and said slowly: "Rules are for yourself to see. A gentleman should dress properly and look at others with respect."
"People look at him with awe, isn't it awe-inspiring without being fierce?" Xue Shangyang glanced at him, seemingly mocking and disdainful, "Although poor, he never leaves his crown."
"You..." His look made Algatai so angry that his body trembled. He sat in the chair and quickly took a breath to calm down.
Xue Shangyang looked at him again, then turned to listen to his father.
The maid "Gege" came out from the gate hall and found that Yang Ye was hiding there.
Yang Ye immediately squatted down and made a gesture to her to keep quiet.
The people in the hallway began talking again. Yang Ye slowly stood up and saw the vague silhouette inside. He was tall and straight, and must have been handsome. However, he had a bad temper. He would interrupt his father and point out his mistakes in his speech without mercy. His father was even more puzzled. He just sat there, smiling and listening to his father's criticisms, without any reprimand.
After he finished speaking, he turned his head again, as if he saw them. Yang Ye grabbed the maid's clothes and squatted down together, asking quietly, "Who is that person?"
The maid lowered her head, hunched her body, and dared only look at the floor tiles below, not daring to look at her, "The young master of the Hazil family..."
Yang Ye waved his hand, "I didn't say that. It was the other one, the one with strange clothes."
The maid replied, "That is the nobleman the prince has just met."
"Sir, where did you come from? Why are you still dressed like this?"
"Looks like he's from the south, has been to England, and seems to be familiar with the foreign gentleman who worked at the Tongwenguan in the palace."
"Really?" Yang Ye muttered, standing up again. Through the window bars, she finally got a clear look at the man's appearance. From the initial curiosity of looking at him, gradually, her eyes seemed to be drawn to him.
Although he was noisy, he looked really good, and what he said was direct, without any evasion or concealment. Compared to Algatai's words that had to be roundabout to be explained and understood, his was more direct.
The wedding date with Algatai was set for the beginning of spring half a month later, and Xue Shangyang and his father also received an invitation from his father to come.
The ceremony on the wedding day was very complicated. Before the wedding ceremony, one had to step over the fire basin, walk through the threshold and then enter the main hall. The threshold in front of the main hall was more than one foot high. When Aljiatai got off the horse, he was panting as he walked. Yang Ye could hear his heavy breathing under the veil.
As he stepped over the threshold, he tripped over his wedding gown, stumbling and falling headfirst to the ground, instantly passing out. They were both clutching the red silk, so Yang Ye inevitably fell with him, landing squarely in Xue Shangyang's arms.
Xue Shangyang lifted her arm and teased in a voice only the two of them could hear, "You threw me into my arms before we even got married. Do you want me to marry you?"
Yang Ye blushed and quickly pushed him away.
With an empty feeling in his arms, Xue Shangyang looked at the person in front of him and asked doubtfully, "You don't want me to help you again?"
"What are you talking about?" Yang Ye looked at him angrily, with shame and annoyance on his face.
Xue Shangyang smiled and said, "Isn't it just that you are weak?"
"You still say that..." Yang Ye quickly covered his mouth and looked around, "Why are you saying such nonsense in public?"
The two of them were standing in front of the church garden, where people were coming and going. He said it again because he was afraid that others might not hear him.
Xue Shangyang leaned closer and said with a smile: "This is a joke, not a love talk."
"Still saying that?" Yang Ye glared at him angrily.
Xue Shangyang walked closer and half-huggled Yang Ye so she could lean on him more. He looked at her high-heeled feet and said, "I'm talking to my wife, why should I bother them? Are you okay just now? Did you sprain your ankle?"
"No, I just stood for too long and my legs are numb."
"I told you not to wear these shoes, but you refused to listen." Xue Shangyang held her in his arms, steadying her body, fearing that she would accidentally fall.
Yang Ye listened to his nagging, but didn't feel annoyed. Instead, he excitedly showed him the new pair of shoes on his feet. "Are they nice? I ordered them from France with Miss Wang next door."
Xue Shangyang couldn't understand her preference. "What's the point of looking good if you can't walk more?"
Grabbing his chin, Yang Ye looked him over carefully, "You're so good-looking, but you're useless?"
Suddenly aroused, Xue Shangyang pinched the itchy flesh on her waist. Without much effort, he lowered his voice and leaned close to Yang Ye's ear, "Am I really useless?"
"Stop, stop." Yang Ye smiled and pushed away his face that was about to come closer.
Putting his arm around her waist and resting his chin on her shoulder, Xue Shangyang sighed and asked, "When will I kiss you outside? Will you not hide?"
Seeing the passers-by just walking in front, Yang Ye turned his head and asked, "Look how many people are here?"
"It's just a kiss on the cheek, not a kiss on the mouth. In foreign countries, people kiss on the cheek when they meet. It's considered a courtesy." He seemed to be acting coquettishly, but also complaining.
Yang Ye patted Xue Shangyang on the back, wanting him to get up. "This is in China, not the foreign country you mentioned."
"Oh, right." Xue Shangyang grabbed Yang Ye's shoulders and looked at him closely. "You just said that my face is pretty. Was it because of this face that you threw yourself into my arms the first time you saw me?"
"I was wearing a veil at that time, so what could I see?" Yang Ye said.
"Don't mention the veil. It makes me feel itchy all over." Xue Shangyang shook his shoulders, wanting to shake off the uncomfortable feeling from his body.
Seeing Xue Shangyang's rare discomfort, Yang Ye covered his mouth and chuckled.
At that time, she was not married after all.
Algatai fell so hard that no one expected it. He fainted after the fall. A foreign doctor was called in, but he died within two days after being treated.
Only then did my father realize that Aljiatai had long been dying, and that his marriage proposal was intended to extend his life by bringing him good fortune. However, instead of bringing him good fortune, it drove him away first. My father was so angry that he sent someone to reject the marriage proposal, saying that since the two had not yet officially married, it could not be considered a proper marriage. Anyway, their family was marrying up, and they did not want such an in-law.
Two years later, artillery fire broke out in the imperial city. My father was demoted and no longer had any real power. His family was implicated, and their lives became worse and worse.
Later, the palace was gone, and the emperor was gone too.
A new emperor appoints his own ministers, and in today's world, even the emperor can't take care of himself, so what's the point of having these petty ministers? It would be better for him to guard his remaining family property and live a stable and prosperous life.
However, due to her status, and perhaps due to concerns about her previous troubled marriage, few families in the capital dared to propose marriage. The lesser families felt they were out of reach, while the more aristocratic families looked down on her. Rumors were even spread behind her back that she had a bad fate and would kill her fiancé before they could even get married, and that anyone who married her would be doomed to a lifetime of misfortune and bad luck.
On her twentieth birthday, she changed into a plain dress, a pale moon-white fabric, devoid of elaborate embroidery or ornate accessories. She simply wrapped herself in it. Looking at herself in the bronze mirror, she suddenly felt the weight of her hair, which she would even meticulously comb on a normal day, was too heavy. So, she cut a strip from the embroidered handkerchief nearby and used it to gather her hair together, letting the few strands of hair from her forehead dangle casually by her ears.
She didn't tell anyone, not even her personal maid. She tiptoed through the corridors, skirting the garden her mother frequented, avoiding the busy servants and the occasional maid. The brass lock on the small door to the backyard was rusty, and she struggled to open it.
The moment the small door opened, a gust of wind blew through the alley.
Walking through the bustling alleys, her ears filled with the sounds of bustle. She looked up at the sky, the sun beaming down upon her unobstructed. This sunlight was unlike the one she'd seen in the palace, where the sky was always fragmented by the towering roofs and carved eaves. The sunlight filtered through the layers of eaves, becoming fragmented and desolate as it fell to the ground. Even in the garden, the towering trees and rockery fragmented the sunlight, as if even the sun itself were bound by rules and etiquette.
At this moment, she stood in the alley, the vast sky above her, the warm sunlight falling completely upon her, enveloping her from head to toe. She stretched out her hands, letting the sunlight remain as much as possible in her palms, feeling the warmth spread through her fingertips. At the end of the alley, there stood an old locust tree. Its branches were lush, and beneath it stood a few simple wooden benches. She walked over and sat on one of them, watching the dappled sunlight filter through the treetops, and an indescribable peace filled her heart.
That afternoon, she walked through several nearby alleys. They had changed a lot. The small grocery store she remembered was now a splendid teahouse. There was a brand new sign hanging at the door. And where she used to light lanterns with her father and mother during the Lantern Festival, there were now many stalls selling all sorts of novelties.
She walked for a long time, passing through many places and seeing new things she hadn't encountered in all her years at the palace. Then, inadvertently, she looked up and saw the sun was about to set. A few pigeons circled in the afterglow above the distant rooftops. She stared at the distant afterglow infatuatedly until her eyes were gone. Then she came to her senses, walked silently back to the alley, and opened the small door that was ajar.
"Where have you been?" The eldest brother suddenly appeared in front of Yang Ye, his hands behind his back. His figure blocked the light in front of her, casting a shadow that made her heart tighten.
"Let's go out for a walk," Yang Ye said softly, but if you listened carefully you could hear the nervousness in her voice.
The eldest brother didn't answer, but frowned and carefully examined her outfit from head to toe. "Are you going out like this?"
There was obvious dissatisfaction in his voice, and his brows furrowed even tighter. "How dare you sneak out alone dressed like this? Do you know how dangerous it is out there right now?"
Yang Ye pursed his lips, did not refute, and lowered his head even more, "I'm sorry, brother, I just want to go out for a walk."
The eldest brother sighed, and his hands behind his back loosened. He walked over and raised his hand to Yang Ye's head, "Next time you want to go out, remember to find two servants to accompany you, or call me or your second brother. It's too chaotic outside, don't go out alone again."
Yang Ye nodded.
The eldest brother then instructed, "Go and clean up quickly, mother is still waiting for you to have dinner. Today is your birthday, don't let mother worry."
"Okay," she replied. She took a few steps and then stopped, looking back at her eldest brother who hadn't left yet.
The hand that clenched her cuffs revealed her anxiety. Yang Ye asked hesitantly: "Brother, what about Ama?"
"My father went to the Buddhist temple on Feiyun Mountain with an old friend this morning and hasn't returned yet. My mother has been reading scriptures all day and just came out of the Buddhist temple."
She breathed a sigh of relief and was about to leave when she heard her elder brother say behind her: "Zhao Zhao, things are going to change outside."
"Hasn't the weather changed a long time ago?" she asked.
“Maybe this time it’s different.”
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