Chapter 24: A Lifetime’s Adornment

The wedding date drew nearer day by day, and the Marquis of Jingyuan’s Mansion grew busier and busier. Wei Huaishu made a trip to the Southern Command’s guard office. The Chief Commander repeatedly cupped his hands, saying congratulations to the Marquis. Wei Huaishu laughed heartily and requested a few days of wedding leave for Wei Qingchen.

Official marriages and funerals all had fixed protocols. Why would the Marquis of Jingyuan need to request leave in person? The Chief Commander understood perfectly well. This was to bring Wei Qingchen back to the military camp.

“If it were any other soldier, I could just fill out a form here. But Heir Wei’s position as Left Assistant General of the Palace Guard was personally conferred by His Majesty’s imperial decree. In my opinion, Marquis, you should still make a trip to the Imperial Study and seek His Majesty’s instructions. That would be most proper.”

Wei Huaishu thought this made sense. He smiled, said he should find the time to come by for a casual drink at the wedding, then lifted the hem of his robe and headed for the Imperial Study.

Wei Qingchen’s marriage was finally settled. The Mingcheng Emperor felt a bit disappointed. He had wanted to recruit him as a son-in-law. He would be both a nephew and half-son—how perfect. But the Imperial Sister said this child’s heart was already set on someone else, and marriage proposals had been made multiple times.

So what if his heart was set? Didn’t Ehuang and Nüying both serve the same husband?

As soon as the Emperor said this, the Grand Princess’s face darkened. Hm… as for matters within the Grand General’s mansion, the Emperor had heard a bit. Men, well…

The Grand Princess’s face was full of disdain, so the Emperor didn’t say more.

Now that Wei Huaishu came to request wedding leave, his demeanor was humble, but his meaning was clear: a tiger cub kept too long in the courtyard would turn into a cat. Better take it back to the military camp for further honing.

The Grand General was already well past forty. Years of leading troops in the bitter cold beyond the Great Wall had prematurely silvered his temples. The Emperor stared at him silently for a long moment, his mind having already run through various calculations. Forget it. Let Qingchen go back and succeed his father. It would save the court from being unable to find a decent general among all the civil and military officials.

The Emperor said, Approved!

Wei Huaishu was so happy he let out a “Hey!”

The Emperor shot him a glance. Wei Huaishu spread his hands with apparent unconcern. The two of them, separated by the large desk in the Imperial Study, both burst out laughing.

For his own nephew, the Emperor felt happy once he thought it through. He simply ordered a table of food and wine laid out in the Yixin Pavilion next to the Imperial Study. The two brothers-in-law spent the morning sipping wine.

By the time the Grand General returned to his mansion, the household had already passed mealtime. He stopped by Madam Jiang’s quarters for a few words, and she attended to him with hot tea to sober him up.

Just as he’d finished his tea and was about to have a maid send him off to wash up, Wei Huaishu waved her off. With Qingchen’s wedding imminent, the Emperor had said today that he would dispatch the Head Eunuch to officiate the ceremony. That was an imperial grace. He needed to return to the main quarters and discuss it with the Grand Princess.

Madam Jiang stood behind him, massaging his temples. Hearing this, a flash of jealousy and hatred flickered in her eyes, but her hands never stopped for a moment. Her tone was exceptionally gentle as she said, “The Grand General is right. The Heir has gone to great lengths, time and again, and has finally won the one in his heart. Our mansion must also step up preparations.” She paused, then continued, “Chengxian’s wife has been married in for almost five years now, and there’s still only one daughter, Bao. I was thinking, let’s pick two more suitable and reliable young women to be his concubines, so he can help our family spread branches and leaves. What do you think?”

“This matter isn’t urgent. The Heir’s principal wife has just entered the household, and the eldest is already in a rush to arrange concubines? What will outsiders think?”

“I just—”

“Enough. I’m going back to the other side. You should rest early too.” Wei Huaishu waved his hand dismissively and strode out with great vigor.

Madam Jiang curtsied half a bow behind him. A maid stepped forward to support her, but she shook off her hand hatefully.

The maid knew her mistress’s temper well. She accompanied Jiang into the inner chamber and began massaging her legs, saying, “Don’t be upset, Madam. The Master values heirs. Mention it again after some time and he’ll surely agree.”

“What do you know! Because the Master values heirs, and Wei Qingchen is already the legitimate son, if he produces the first grandson, what hope is there for our branch!” Madam Jiang glared in the direction of her son’s courtyard, grinding her teeth. “It’s all because Qin Nuannuan is useless!”

Wei Huaishu strode towards the Jade Grain Courtyard. Before he’d even arrived, he saw a figure hurrying out at full speed—Ho! Isn’t that the brat Qingchen?! Running so fast, being chased by a wolf?

They were half a courtyard apart, and Wei Huaishu paid him no mind. He went straight into his room.

The Grand Princess and Aunt Qi were inside talking. Seeing him enter, Aunt Qi paid her respects and tactfully closed the door, leaving the master and mistress alone together.

Wei Huaishu sprawled on the Luohan couch, legs crossed. Mu Yunxian glanced at him—utterly lacking in decorum.

“Was Qingchen just with you?”

“Yes.”

“Why was he running? He looked furious. Who provoked him again?”

Hearing the question, the Grand Princess pursed her lips and laughed for a moment.

Wei Huaishu cocked his head. “Hm? What happened?”

“He just fought with those two lads from the Kang family.”

The Grand Princess was referring to Deputy General Kang’s two sons, Kang Ze and Kang Xun. Years ago, Deputy General Kang had sacrificed his life to protect his young master’s escape. Wei Huaishu had searched for his remains and buried him with full military honors, then took his two sons under his wing, personally instructing them.

These years, Kang Ze and Kang Xun had grown up with Wei Qingchen, learning the same skills and practicing martial arts together. Wei Qingchen was probably far closer to them than to her own eldest brother.

So hearing they’d actually been fighting, Wei Huaishu was truly stunned for a moment.

“What happened?”

The Grand Princess walked over and sat beside him, suppressing a smile. “The Kang brothers invited Qingchen to go hunting outside the city today. Who knows what got into their heads, but halfway there, they lured Qingchen to Drunken Flower Pavilion… Qingchen didn’t know at first what kind of place it was. When a flock of beauties swarmed him, the silly child was so frightened he fled out the door. On the way back, he fought with the Kang brothers.”

“Uh…”

Drunken Flower Pavilion, one of the top brothels in the capital, a paradise for dissolute young masters. Those two Kang boys!… One had to admit, they had some sense.

“How dare they take Qingchen to such a place! I’ll teach them a lesson when I return to camp!” Wei Huaishu bristled with righteous fury.

Mu Yunxian glared at him. “Stop pretending!”

Wei Huaishu didn’t argue. He smiled and continued with the earlier topic. “What the Kang boys did was indeed improper, but Qingchen is still far too green. Before his eldest brother married, he at least had two bedchamber maids. He, on the other hand…” He chuckled. “What if he’s completely clueless when she enters the bridal chamber? What then?”

Seeing Mu Yunxian lower her head in silence, Wei Huaishu leaned closer and said, “How about I have Xiao Zheng find him a couple of books?”

“Don’t you teach him bad things!” Mu Yunxian slapped his arm.

“A major life event, the joy of conjugal harmony, how can that be teaching bad things?” Wei Huaishu thought his idea made more and more sense. He was already calculating which volumes to get the brat.

“For something like this, don’t go looking for Xiao Zheng. He’s a military advisor. He shouldn’t be managing this kind of nonsense for you!”

“Then…”

“I’ll enter the palace tomorrow.”

“Why the palace again?”

“The palace has good paintings…”

“Oh…” The Grand General figured it out, laughed heartily for a while, and embraced his wife, wanting a kiss. The Grand Princess slapped his advances away.

Books couldn’t be sought by these crude men, but the matter had indeed reminded Mu Yunxian. Perhaps it was necessary to make some preparations.

The night before the wedding, Wei Qingchen lay in bed tossing and turning, unable to sleep. She wasn’t sure what she was thinking about, or perhaps she was thinking about nothing. She just felt strangely happy, and also a little nervous.

Something she had longed for was suddenly so close at hand, and it gave her an inexplicable sense of unreality.

This nervousness accompanied her into her dreams. She dreamed of a room that seemed familiar. There was a bed in the room, and someone on the bed. She looked down from a high vantage point, and the person sleeping there with closed eyes was… herself.

Everything around her was blurry, as if seen through rippling water. In a daze, she was no longer an observer. She lay on the bed. Voices came from outside the room, and she urgently wanted to wake up. She tried very, very hard to open her eyes.

But her eyelids were too heavy.

The voices grew closer and closer, gradually falling upon her ears, but she still couldn’t make them out.

Until that person’s sleeve, unintentionally, brushed across her face. A fragrance of herbal medicine, both unfamiliar and familiar.

It seemed that person stood up, about to leave the bedside. Wei Qingchen’s heart was frantic. She raised her hand and caught hold of her sleeve, calling out in a low voice, “Mingxi…”

“Aiyo!! Heir!!”

The Grand Princess had Aunt Qi wake the Heir. But before her eyes were even open, the first thing out of her mouth was the bride’s name.

Wei Qingchen blinked groggily, not yet knowing she had been wandering in a dream.

Aunt Qi said kindly, “It’s broad daylight. Time for the groom to rise and go fetch the bride.”

Wei Qingchen woke fully then, breaking into a radiant smile.

The maids waiting outside offered their congratulations one after another. The entire roomful of people was more anxious than she was, helping her dress and wash, urging her to eat a little something to line her stomach, and repeating all the day’s arrangements to her once more.

Wei Qingchen steadied her nerves and managed to appear quite composed. She wasn’t afraid of going into battle against enemies—this was just a minor celebration of wedded bliss!

Once she was finally fully groomed, seeing the hour was still early, the servants breathed a sigh of relief.

Outside the mansion gates, it was already a scene of bustling excitement. The Marquis Mansion Heir’s grand wedding featured a full procession of honor guards stretching for several li. Everywhere they passed was packed with crowds of onlookers. Large red firecrackers boomed and crackled their way down the entire road.

So, before Heir Wei had even arrived at Chu Manor, the Chu household was already abuzz with chaotic joy. Chu Mingxi was surrounded in the center of the room by a crowd of female cousins. Her originally calm heart was stirred up by their clamor until even her palms were sweating.

Phoenix coronet, resplendent robes—a lifetime’s adornment. What girl doesn’t harbor such a dream?

“She’s here, she’s here! Heir Wei has arrived!”

“What a handsome groom!”

“The Eldest Young Miss is truly blessed!”

Her face had already been covered by the large red wedding veil. Everything before her was a hazy blur. She could only hear the clamor of voices. Outside, there was noise, there was laughter. Amidst this liveliness, she heard Wei Qingchen’s voice. That person was blocked and had to speak auspicious words. Perhaps Wei Qingchen’s attendants had distributed enough red envelopes, because the crowd of sisters burst into laughter. Then came poem recitations, then couplet matching, and the Heir managed to handle each challenge.

Beneath the wedding veil, Chu Mingxi pursed her lips and smiled softly.

Suddenly, everything around her grew quiet. A hand took hold of hers. That hand was clean and warm, with light calluses on the fingers. She had taken her pulse before; she remembered. It was her hand.

The voices nearby gradually grew clear again. Chu Mingxi felt her heart settle back into calm. Chu Mingxi placed her hand in Wei Qingchen’s, letting her lead her, step by step, out the door.

The main branch of the Chu family had no birth brothers. A cousin from the second branch stepped forward, crouching down, and carried his sister on his back to the magnificent, gold-phoenix bridal palanquin.

The loud, majestic sounds of wind and percussion instruments swelled. Wei Qingchen mounted her horse in one smooth motion and happily led the bride home.

The common folk lining the streets to watch the spectacle formed a sea of people. Servants with broad red sashes ran back and forth, distributing wedding cakes to the children, which drew the children to follow the palanquin for the entire way. Everyone shouted blessings for the newlyweds to have many sons and good fortune!

The shouts were too loud. Wei Qingchen’s face flushed bright red, but luckily she had applied a bit of powder, so it wasn’t obvious at a glance.

Arriving at the Jingyuan Marquis Mansion, the palanquin stopped before the gate. Wei Qingchen jumped off the horse and headed straight for the palanquin. The wedding hostess smiled and said, “Heir, let us help the bride out.” But Wei Qingchen’s hand had already lifted the curtain halfway.

Inside, the bride sat upright, her posture graceful and slender.

Wei Qingchen’s heart stirred. With a gentle smile, she said, “I’ll do it.”

So saying, she reached out her hand, standing before the bridal palanquin, and took hold of Chu Mingxi’s hand.