Before the Second Princess’s grand wedding, the Emperor had already sent over numerous rare treasures and bolts of fine silk and satin as her dowry. The Second Princess Mansion was already opulent enough, and with the procession of red finery stretching for miles, it was clear just how much His Majesty doted on his second daughter.
By comparison, the Third Princess’s own wedding had been far simpler, with a less lavish dowry and fewer tables at the banquet. The menu for the Second Princess’s wedding feast alone featured a full hundred dishes, symbolizing a hundred years of harmony.
The Cao Clan’s doorstep was practically trampled flat. In less than a month, their daughter had entered the palace as Zhao Yi and basked in endless imperial favor, while their nephew became the Prince Consort. The Cao Clan had truly ascended to the status of imperial in-laws.
The delegation from the Third Princess Mansion arrived relatively late. Carriages clogged the street in front of the mansion, forcing theirs to park around the corner. Tao Chuyi hopped down from the carriage and hurried over to help Nangong Yunshang. Neither of them had dressed up specially; they looked just the same as always.
Yinghong supported Nangong Yunshang from her left side. Taking in the extravagant scene, she couldn’t help muttering, “His Majesty is too biased.”
Nangong Yunshang shot her a glance. “Mind yourself—the walls have ears.”
Yinghong clamped her mouth shut at once and fell into proper step behind them.
Tao Chuyi was endlessly curious about everything. The place buzzed even more than it had on her own wedding day, and the tables groaned under platters of dishes she had never seen before.
“What’s this?”
Yinghong explained from the side, “That’s taro and purple sweet potato cake.”
Tao Chuyi popped a piece into her mouth, then snatched up another. “And this one?”
“That’s Chinese yam and sour plum cake.”
Nangong Yunshang couldn’t help laughing at Tao Chuyi’s greedy expression. “If you like them, I’ll have the kitchen make some when we get home.”
Before the wedding banquet officially commenced, the tables held only tea, pastries, and preserved fruits—no proper dishes yet.
Tao Chuyi couldn’t have cared less about the wedding itself. All she wanted was to dig into the delicious food.
For the Emperor to grace the Second Princess Mansion in person was a rare honor; even the Eldest Princess had never enjoyed such treatment.
“The auspicious hour has arrived! Bride and groom, pay your respects!”
The Emperor sat in the place of honor, with Minister Cao standing attendance beside him. Everyone fell silent as the newlyweds entered arm in arm, leaving the eunuch to conduct the rites.
Tao Chuyi sidled close and whispered in Nangong Yunshang’s ear, “When do we get to eat?”
Nangong Yunshang’s ear tickled; she shoved Tao Chuyi’s big head away. “After the bows.”
“First, bow to Heaven and Earth!”
Blessings filled the hall from every guest, genuine or otherwise—it was all festivity.
“Second, bow to the high hall!”
Applause and cheers erupted as the final bow concluded.
The eunuch bellowed at the top of his lungs, “Now, the couple bows to each other!”
Young Master Cao beamed with joy, facing the Second Princess across the red silk ribbon they held between them. They were just leaning in to bow when a commotion outside startled them.
The Emperor’s face darkened with displeasure. He frowned and demanded, “What’s the disturbance outside?”
“What’s going on? Can’t you see the Second Princess is in the middle of her vows?”
Minister Cao lost his composure first. He roared at the guards, “Who’s causing trouble? Drag them out at once!”
“I’m afraid she can’t be dragged out.”
Before the words had fully settled, Zhao Linglong strode in from outside and saluted the Emperor.
“Your Majesty, forgive my late arrival.”
The Emperor nodded. “Think nothing of it. General Zhao has been toiling for the capital’s defense; it’s only natural.”
Zhao Linglong’s eyes met Nangong Yunshang’s for the briefest instant before she looked away.
“On my way here, I encountered a woman weeping and wailing outside the Princess Mansion. When the guards moved to beat her, I intervened. She claims to be Young Master Cao’s lawful wife, abandoned like yesterday’s porridge so he could attach himself to the dragon and phoenix—unworthy to become Prince Consort.”
The hall exploded in uproar. Minister Cao’s face turned iron-gray; he glared murderously at Zhao Linglong, utterly unperturbed.
“I have no wife! Heaven be my witness!”
Young Master Cao swore toward the sky. “If I’ve ever wed before, may thunder strike me down!”
For some inexplicable reason, the clear sky abruptly clouded over, thunder rumbling ominously on cue.
Young Master Cao: “…”
General Zhao spoke up again. “To uncover the truth, Your Majesty, summon the woman for a direct confrontation—one question will suffice.”
With the arrow nocked, it had to fly. The Emperor ordered the woman brought in. When she knelt in the hall below, many recognized her at once.
Tao Chuyi clutched Nangong Yunshang’s sleeve. “Sister, it’s Qiuyue!”
It was indeed Qiuyue, the dancer who had vanished from the dance hall.
Qiuyue kowtowed before the throne. “This commoner greets Your Majesty! I am truly Cao Zihuan’s first wife. He cast aside his wife and child, deceived his sovereign—his crimes merit execution.”
“You’re spouting nonsense!”
Young Master Cao panicked and flung the red silk aside, charging forward. “She’s nothing but a dancer, flaunting herself in public. How could I ever have married her?”
At that moment, Qiuyue produced two pieces of damning evidence: a redemption receipt bearing his signature and a marriage contract with his name boldly inscribed.
The Emperor hurled them into Young Master Cao’s face. “See for yourself!”
Young Master Cao barely blinked at the receipt, but the marriage contract left him stunned.
“You can’t possibly have…”
Qiuyue let out a cold laugh. “Indeed, how could I possess the marriage contract between you and your original wife? Because I am that original wife—Xing Xiaoyue.”
The farce blindsided everyone; no one knew quite how to respond.
No one was more humiliated than the Second Princess, abandoned mid-ceremony. She ripped off her veil, shoved through the crowd, and right in front of Minister Cao, slapped Young Master Cao across the face—twice.
“You useless wretch! You’ve been married before?”
Young Master Cao jolted awake and lunged to embrace her legs, but the guards held him back no matter how he struggled.
The Second Princess whipped out her treasure sword in a rage, aiming to run the bastard through.
Clang! Zhao Linglong knocked the blade from her grasp.
“Your Majesty, this matter reeks of inconsistencies. It requires thorough investigation—best handled by Dali Temple.”
With no better recourse, the case predictably landed with Dali Temple.
Still seething and denied her prey in Young Master Cao, the Second Princess whirled on Qiuyue.
“This Princess will slaughter you, you filthy shrew!”
She lunged too swiftly for the guards to intercept. In that instant, someone stepped in front of Qiuyue and tripped her with a foot.
“Ah!”
The Second Princess pitched forward, smacking her forehead on the ground.
Tao Chuyi sat sprawled nearby, grinning at the sight. It was pure mischief, yet it had neatly shielded Qiuyue.
“Second Imperial Sister.”
Nangong Yunshang emerged from the crowd. “This affair is now under Dali Temple’s jurisdiction. Until the truth emerges, no one may lay a hand on the witness.”
At her signal, Tao Siqing promptly ordered Young Master Cao and Qiuyue escorted back to Dali Temple for interrogation. A splendid wedding had devolved into farce, turning the Second Princess into the Capital City’s greatest laughingstock—the prime topic of teatime gossip.
Tao Chuyi and the Third Princess followed to Dali Temple afterward. Nangong Yunshang was determined to question Qiuyue herself, while Tao Chuyi sulked in a corner, fuming.
A hundred dishes on offer, and she hadn’t tasted a single one before they were hustled back.
Tao Chuyi teetered on the edge of tears, her thoughts consumed by those hundred lost delicacies.
Following Nangong Yunshang’s instructions, Qiuyue was brought forward. She knelt in the hall with her head bowed low, her frail form seeming liable to shatter at any moment.
“Miss Qiuyue, there’s no need to be nervous. Simply speak the truth.”
Nangong Yunshang’s tone was even and gentle. “You claim to be the Xing Xiaoyue named on the marriage contract, yet Cao Zihuan doesn’t recognize you. Why?”
Qiuyue prostrated herself deeply, her manners impeccable. Her shoulders quivered faintly, though her voice remained steady.
The dancer known as Qiuyue was originally Xing Xiaoyue. She and Cao Zihuan had been childhood sweethearts back in their hometown and naturally wed at the proper age.
Later, Xing Xiaoyue fell pregnant—a joyous occasion. But Cao Zihuan changed. He moped endlessly about life’s futility, loath to drown in domestic drudgery. Then opportunity knocked, with Xing Xiaoyue as the sole obstacle.
Exploiting her trust, he first drugged her into miscarrying, then knocked her out and sold her off before departing for the capital to seek his uncle, Minister Cao.
Qiuyue recounted it all with calm composure.
“Heaven watches over us. I escaped my bonds, altered my face and cast off my past to become the Capital City’s famed dancer Qiuyue—and so wormed my way back into Cao Zihuan’s confidence.”
Merely exposing his prior marriage might not suffice; it could even cost her life.
Mindful of the Second Princess’s earlier murderous outburst, Nangong Yunshang pressed, “Do you hold other secrets against him?”
“Yes.”
From her sleeve, Qiuyue withdrew a thick sheaf of papers. “These were in Cao Zihuan’s possession—imperial exam questions leaked to him by another.”
Nangong Yunshang scanned them; they were indeed this year’s questions. Exam fraud was no novelty, but such a blatant stack pushed audacity to extremes.
Tao Chuyi craned her neck for a peek and clapped delightedly. “The Tanhua got a big fat zero!”
“He’s worth less than a zero.”
Nangong Yunshang smacked the papers onto the desk. “Miss Qiuyue, do you know who gave these to him?”
Qiuyue lifted her gaze, fierce resolve shining through reddened eyes. “Naturally, the current Minister of Rites. What’s more, I once heard him mutter something: fortune favors the bold, and the people regard food as heaven. Though I haven’t the foggiest what it means.”
Once Qiuyue had been led away, Nangong Yunshang mulled over the cryptic words.
“The people regard food as heaven!”
Tao Chuyi mumbled the phrase repeatedly, as if she’d latched onto her new favorite saying.
Her chatter drew Nangong Yunshang’s attention; she caressed Tao Chuyi’s cheek soothingly. “What is it? Out with it.”
Tao Chuyi rubbed her face happily into the warm palm. “The people regard food as heaven!”
Anyone else might have dismissed it as childish mimicry, mere play. Yet Nangong Yunshang seized on an inspiration. She promptly instructed Tao Siqing to prioritize searches of every food stall and eatery in the Capital City.
Search every restaurant from the grandest establishments down to the humblest street stalls—don’t overlook a single spot, especially anywhere members of the Cao Clan might go.
“Our Chuyi is so clever.”
Tao Chuyi beamed at the praise, her eyes lighting up as she stretched her head forward and rested her chin in Nangong Yunshang’s palm. This was usually Fifteen’s signature move, but Chuyi had mastered it perfectly.
“Sister, play with me!”
While Nangong Yunshang kept Tao Chuyi entertained, Yinghong hurried back and relayed everything she had learned.
“This servant heard that the imperial physicians visited the Second Princess Mansion and had someone secretly procure medicine,” Yinghong said.
She lowered her voice. “This servant had people examine the medicine dregs. Guess what? That medicine wasn’t ordinary calming herbs.”
Nangong Yunshang stroked Tao Chuyi’s head and looked up. “Alright, no more keeping me in suspense.”
