Chapter 1: The Imperial Marriage Decree

Jingyun Year 43, autumn.

Carriages streamed in and out before the gates of Tao Mansion like a river of horses and carts, the entrance thronged with visitors. Today marked the eighteenth birthday banquet that Temple Minister Tao was hosting for his only son. Court officials arrived one after another to offer their congratulations, their carriages lining up from the gate all the way down the street and around the corner.

Later arrivals had to park their carriages farther away and walk the rest of the distance. Even so, none of the ministers’ family members voiced any objections—a clear sign of His Majesty’s profound favor toward Temple Minister Tao.

The mansion teemed with guests. Tao Siqing greeted each one in turn before ushering them into the reception hall, run completely off his feet.

At that moment, the steward of Tao Mansion hurried over and whispered a few words in his ear. Tao Siqing’s expression shifted. He handed off the hosting duties to the steward and turned immediately toward the back garden.

The back garden was filled with the sweet fragrance of osmanthus blossoms. The young master, clad in a yellow silk robe embroidered with brocade, sat perched on a tree branch. She was utterly delighted with the sturdy trunk, her legs dangling freely in the air as her black boots with gold filigree swung back and forth, leaving the maids and servants below on edge.

“Young master! Come down, please!”

“It’s dangerous up there—come down!”

“This servant begs you, don’t scare me like this!”

No matter how they wailed and pleaded from below, she went right on doing as she pleased, hugging the trunk while basking in the sun and deeply inhaling the osmanthus scent. Her long lashes, dark as crow feathers, fluttered lightly, casting shadows beneath her eyes. Her big, sparkling eyes darted this way and that, betraying not the slightest hint that the young master of Tao Mansion was a fool.

Everyone at court knew that Temple Minister Tao had an only son—a simpleton from birth, with frail health—who had always remained in the family estate and never set foot in the capital. Last year, word spread that Tao Chuyi had fallen gravely ill, her life hanging by a thread. Fortunately, she had encountered a divine physician back home who saved her.

To survive such a great ordeal surely meant blessings to come. In the past, Tao Siqing had kept his son hidden away from sight, and no one knew what Tao Chuyi looked like. Now, however, he was throwing a lavish banquet and inviting virtually every minister in the realm—a sign that Young Master Tao had made a full recovery.

When Tao Siqing reached the back garden, he looked up and spotted the mischief-maker lounging in the tree. His face darkened. “Chuyi, come down here.”

“Daddy, the osmanthus tree smells so good. I want to stay hanging up here.”

Tao Chuyi leaned crookedly against the trunk, her feet swinging even more wildly.

“Come down right now.”

Tao Siqing’s eyes gleamed with an idea. He softened his tone into coaxing words. “Be good, Chuyi. The kitchen’s prepared all sorts of delicious treats. If you don’t hurry, someone else will eat them all up.”

Delicious food!

At those words, Tao Chuyi scrambled down from the tree in a flash, nimbler than any monkey.

Everyone heaved a collective sigh of relief. But Tao Siqing seized the moment to grab her ear and put on a stern face. “What were you thinking, climbing up there for no good reason? Don’t you know how dangerous it is? No more tree climbing from now on.”

“But the tree smells so good.”

Tao Chuyi pursed her lips and began to argue back. After all, her father was all thunder and no rain—just trying to scare her.

“Hey?”

Tao Siqing immediately rolled up his sleeves. He actually did it this time, but when no one moved to stop him, he coughed pointedly twice, his eyes darting glances all around.

The maids and servants suddenly caught on and rushed forward with feigned tugs and pleas.

“Hmph. I’ll let you off this time. Climb another tree, and I’ll break your legs.”

With his face saved, Tao Siqing put on a dignified air. “Why did you chase off another tutor? This is the third one. Every couple of months, a new tutor—and now none of them will come.”

Tao Chuyi lifted her chin in defiant resolve, utterly unconcerned.

“I don’t like them. They’re no fun!”

“We hire tutors to teach you to read, not to play games.”

Tao Siqing clutched at his chest in heartbroken dismay, looking for all the world as if he wanted to beat this unfilial child to death right then and there.

Tao Chuyi tilted her head in thought. “Is reading… edible?”

Tao Siqing looked ready to erupt again. This time, the servants didn’t wait for his eye signals—they jumped in with perfectly timed pleas and restraint.

“Today, I’m beating this rebel to death!”

“Master, please calm your anger. For the sake of the late Madam’s memory, her spirit in heaven would surely grieve.”

Tao Siqing let out a heavy sigh. “Fine then. One more chance for this rebel. Next time, it’s the beating.”

With Tao Siqing and the servants’ little performance finally over, Tao Chuyi swallowed hard.

“What delicious food did they make? Where is it?”

“Right in the front hall. Come on, come on—Daddy will take you.”

Tao Siqing instantly dropped his paternal scolding demeanor and pulled Tao Chuyi along to the reception hall.

When the guests caught sight of Tao Chuyi, a wave of admiring praise washed over them—warm inquiries about her health mingled with endless flattery.

Tao Chuyi took the seat of honor beside Tao Siqing. She listened to the strangers chattering nonstop. She didn’t understand some of it, but she gathered they were complimenting her.

Daddy had said that courtesy without cause meant ill intent—either a thief or a swindler.

None of them were good people.

Tao Chuyi ignored them and focused on her food. The candied pork knuckle today was especially tasty.

As the sounds of strings and pipes rose and the dancers took the floor, the odd strangers finally stopped hovering around her. Tao Chuyi munched on a chicken leg and glanced up at the dancers.

They were all quite beautiful, but not enough to distract her from her meal.

After a few glances, she returned to her feast with gusto, her lips glistening with grease. Once the chicken leg was gone, she reached out for an osmanthus cake.

But those brief looks had been noted by watchful eyes, who promptly made an issue of them.

“Young Master Tao has reached the age for discussing marriage. It’s time to arrange a match,” the Vice Minister of Rites said with a laugh.

Tao Siqing waved his hands repeatedly. “At heart, he’s still just a child. Marriage talk is premature.”

“You can’t put it that way. The age is right—and at Young Master Tao’s age, plenty of others are on the verge of becoming fathers.”

The Vice Minister of Rites seemed to be chatting idly over his wine. After some small talk, he suddenly added, “I have a distant niece back home—just seventeen, a perfect match in age. If Temple Minister Tao is interested, I could have her come to the capital for Young Master Tao to meet.”

Tao Siqing chuckled. “This son of mine? I’ve already resolved to raise him until the day I die. I appreciate the Vice Minister’s kind intentions.”

After this polite refusal, the Vice Minister of Rites let the matter drop and shifted to casual chatter to smooth over the awkwardness.

While the other guests exchanged toasts among themselves, Tao Siqing suddenly felt a playful itch to tease his child.

“Chuyi, would you like to take a wife?”

Tao Chuyi blinked her eyes. A wife? Was that edible?

“Is she fragrant?”

“It’s not like picking out steamed buns—fragrance has nothing to do with it.”

Tao Siqing shook his head, dismissing it as childish prattle, and let the subject go.

But Tao Chuyi took it to heart. She was going to marry a fragrant wife! Delighted, she crammed in two extra slabs of Dongpo pork, her belly swelling round.

Amid the clinking toasts and smiling faces, an imperial decree suddenly arrived at Tao Mansion. The music cut off abruptly. Silence fell so deep that the drop of a needle would have been audible—except to oblivious Tao Chuyi.

“By His Majesty’s decree: Temple Minister Tao, come forward to receive it.”

The eunuch took his stand at the entrance to the reception hall. Tao Siqing promptly brought Tao Chuyi over. Everyone set aside their meals and music, plunging into tense silence as they awaited the imperial order, their expressions a varied lot.

“By the mandate of Heaven: The Emperor decrees. Yunshang Princess has reached nineteen years of age, the time for marriage. In consideration of Temple Minister Tao’s son—upright in character, a suitable match in age, and a pillar of the future realm—We hereby appoint him as Prince Consort. The wedding shall take place on the first of next month. Respect this!”

Having read the decree in full, the eunuch folded it with both hands and beamed. “Congratulations to Temple Minister Tao! Congratulations to Young Master Tao! What heavenly good fortune.”