When several horses were driven to the front of the post station, they caused quite a commotion.
“Master Cheng, what do you think of these horses?” the stationmaster asked.
Master Cheng only took a brief glance.
“Are they the best for travel and carriage?” he inquired.
The stationmaster nodded repeatedly.
“Of course, I picked them out myself,” he said.
“I trust your judgment,” Master Cheng said with a laugh, tossing over a bag of money. “You’ve put in the effort – take this to cool off with some tea.”
The stationmaster reached out to take it, beaming with delight.
“Master Cheng, you are too kind,” he said, promptly calling over the horse seller.
Meanwhile, First Master Cheng instructed his assistant to settle the payment.
“…This Master Cheng is truly generous… Look at their current horses – they haven’t traveled far, yet they’re already replacing them with new ones…”
“…He didn’t even haggle over the price and even gave such a generous reward… If only our post station had customers like this every day…”
“…I heard he’s rushing back to his hometown because an elder in his family has fallen ill. That’s why he’s in such a hurry.”
“Ah, so he’s truly a filial son…”
The chattering voices outside the window gradually faded as the group moved away. Second Madam Cheng continued to glare outside with indignation.
See? See? Now First Master Cheng is being called generous! When has he ever been generous before? In the past, he’d only splurge when buying his favorite tea, while grudging every extra bowl of tea the rest of the family drank as if it were cutting flesh from him.
Generous? They’re all “generous” – that Steward Cao, that Ban Qin, and now this First Master Cheng. But why? Only because they’re spending someone else’s money!
That wretched girl is a fool! If the money were in my hands, I’d never squander it like this!
Second Madam Cheng turned away angrily, but as she did, she stumbled and let out a cry, nearly falling. Fortunately, a maid nearby moved quickly to catch her.
“Madam, please be careful.”
At the mention of “being careful,” Second Madam Cheng glared at her own leg with bitter resentment.
Though it wasn’t as severely injured as the rumors claimed – not broken, but still suffering from strained tendons and misaligned bones – the swelling had only subsided a few days ago. Now, with the relentless jolting of the journey, she wondered if it might truly break by the time they reached Jiang-zhou.
“Madam, it’s time to eat.”
A maid entered the room with a tray of food.
“What’s the rush? It’s hardly mealtime yet,” Second Madam Cheng snapped irritably. “I have no appetite.”
“You should eat something. The horses have been changed, which means we’ll likely set off again immediately. Once we’re on the road, who knows when we’ll stop next?” the maid urged.
The mere thought of this drove Second Madam Cheng to the brink of madness. She even raised her hands, clutching her hair as if to let out a scream of frustration. The maids hurriedly tried to calm her, though their efforts felt more like routine persuasion than genuine comfort.
After all, it was clear that First Master Cheng had not only regained his former status but had become even more influential than before. Meanwhile, the official position that Second Master Cheng had once relied on was rumored to be on the verge of collapse.
If Old Madam Cheng’s condition was truly as critical as First Master Cheng had claimed, their rushed return would likely only allow them to see her one last time. After that, Second Master Cheng would have no choice but to observe the mourning period.
Three years of mourning – who could predict what would happen after those three years?
Though they were Second Madam Cheng’s attendants, it was First Master Cheng who truly held their security in his hands. They managed to persuade Second Madam Cheng to eat a few hurried bites, yet the order to resume the journey still had not come.
“Are we leaving or not? When are we leaving? If we don’t go now, will we have to camp in the wild again after dark?” Second Master Cheng snapped irritably as he strode into First Master Cheng’s room. There, he saw First Master Cheng frowning deeply at a letter in his hand.
“A letter from home?” Second Master Cheng’s heart sank at his expression. Could it be that their mother had already…
“It’s a letter from Si-lang,” First Master Cheng replied.
If that wretched girl is on her deathbed, that would actually be cause for celebration.
Second Master Cheng felt a flicker of hope.
“What does it say?” he asked urgently.
“Jiao-niang’s marriage has been settled,” First Master Cheng said, still seeming somewhat distracted.
Settled?
“With whom?!” Second Master Cheng shouted, feeling this was utterly absurd.
Completely absurd! His own daughter’s marriage was settled, and he, her father, knew nothing about it! Preposterous!
“With Duke Jin’an,” First Master Cheng stated.
Duke Jin’an!
Not even some minor official, but Duke Jin’an!
Second Master Cheng felt his mind reel, as if struck by thunder. This… this happiness had come too suddenly, almost too much to bear.
“…Quick, quick! Prepare the carriage! We must leave, return to the capital at once!” he shouted.
They had to hurry. The marriage must be settled first – otherwise, if something truly happened to their mother in Jiang–zhou, the wedding would be delayed indefinitely.
Marrying into the royal family – how should they prepare? There were so many things to do! Just thinking about it made his head spin!
Second Master Cheng trembled so violently he could hardly stand. But when he looked up, he saw First Master Cheng still sitting there, motionless and dazed.
“Brother, what are you doing? Hurry, we must go!” he cried out.
First Master Cheng shook his head.
They couldn’t leave.
“Can’t leave?” Second Master Cheng asked in astonishment. “What are you talking about? How can we, as her elders, not be present when she gets married?”
Indeed, if she were to marry, how could her elders not be there? Yet, she had explicitly told them to leave the capital immediately.
This girl always had a clear plan in mind. If this marriage had been anticipated, why would she insist on their immediate departure?
Could it be… unexpected?
So, should they return or not?
First Master Cheng lowered his head to look at the letter. It was from Cheng Si-lang, merely describing the events that had taken place, but it did not ask them to return. Moreover, Cheng Jiao-niang had not sent any message herself.
He had to trust her words. She had told them to return to Jiang-zhou immediately – she hadn’t said a word about returning to the capital. In that case, then…
First Master Cheng tucked the letter into his sleeve.
“Prepare the carriages. We depart,” he said.
Only then did Second Master Cheng nod in satisfaction. Without waiting to be urged, he rushed out ahead of everyone. But it didn’t take long for him to realize something was wrong.
“What’s going on? What’s happening? Aren’t we heading to the capital?”
“Second Master, no one said we were going to the capital. First Master Cheng said we’re returning to Jiang-zhou.”
Returning to Jiang–zhou?
How could it be Jiang–zhou?
“If it’s a marriage proposal, someone will naturally come to find us. We should just return to Jiang-zhou and wait.”
Second Master Cheng stared at First Master Cheng, who sat in the carriage with an air of unshakable calm, and felt as if he were losing his mind.
He didn’t know whether he was the one going mad or if it was First Master Cheng.
“Cheng Huai! Have you lost your mind?!”
…
While the bride’s family remained remarkably calm, the groom’s side was buzzing with excitement.
“This is the first wedding among the younger generation in our family,” the Imperial Consort said with a smile.
The other consorts present joined in laughter, offering polite and agreeable remarks.
The Empress Dowager was beaming, her smile so wide it seemed her face could hardly contain it.
“Indeed, we must ensure it is meticulously arranged,” she said, then asked whether the message had been delivered to the Prince Xiu residence.
The Imperial Consort promptly confirmed.
“It has been sent. I expect Princess Consort Xiu will receive it in about three days,” she replied.
The Empress Dowager nodded with satisfaction.
“Although Princess Consort Xiu is his birth mother, she is still a guest when she comes to the capital. The wedding arrangements should be handled by us,” she remarked.
The Imperial Consort agreed.
“That goes without saying,” she said cheerfully. “After all, Duke Jin’an was raised under Your Majesty’s care.”
The Empress Dowager sighed softly, touched by the sentiment.
“Where is the Duke?” she asked. “Wasn’t he supposed to come today?”
“Your Majesty, he is with the Empress,” a palace maid nearby promptly informed her.
Duke Jin’an hadn’t been particularly close to the Empress before – it was only after the incident with the Second Prince that their bond grew.
He’s fulfilling the Second Prince’s filial duties toward the Empress on his behalf.
The Emperor once remarked with emotion.
The Second Prince had always been the most filial toward the Empress. The accident happened precisely when he was picking plum for her…
The Empress Dowager’s eyes couldn’t help but grow moist.
“Time flies,” she said, shifting the topic. “I remember when he only stood up to my waist… and now, in the blink of an eye, he’s already this tall.”
As she spoke, the Empress Dowager gestured with her hand.
“Raising a child seems to happen so quickly, yet it’s anything but easy.”
As they were speaking, an announcement came from outside that Consort An had arrived.
Consort An was now the object of envy in the palace. The Emperor stayed with her every night, and she lacked nothing – whether it was fine food, drinks, or entertainment.
Watching Consort An enter with a smile, her belly prominently swollen, the Empress Dowager gestured for her to skip the formal greetings.
“Why have you come out in such heat?” she said.
“The imperial doctor advised me to walk more, and I thought I would see if there was any way I could be of help,” Consort An replied.
Her words drew light laughter from the others in the room. The Imperial Consort also smiled, though her smile carried a hint of mockery as her gaze rested on Consort An’s protruding belly.
“What help could you possibly give? Just taking good care of yourself is help enough,” the Empress Dowager said with a laugh.
After a while of light conversation, the consorts rose to take their leave. While the others dispersed on their own, the Empress Dowager, concerned by how clumsily Consort An moved, ordered two eunuchs to escort her back personally.
“Imperial Consort.”
Consort An called out to the consort ahead of her.
The Imperial Consort stopped and turned to look.
“Consort An, my dear, is there something you need?” she asked with a smile.
Consort An, supported by her own palace maid, approached slowly.
“I’ve been especially sensitive to the heat lately and would like to request additional ice,” she said.
Though the management of the rear palace was currently overseen by the Imperial Consort, and provisions for food, clothing, and supplies followed set regulations, rules were rigid, but people could be flexible.
“Dear sister, you jest. Why even mention such a small matter to me?” The Imperial Consort replied.
As the two consorts spoke, a eunuch from the Empress Dowager’s palace stepped forward with a smile.
“Your Highnesses, perhaps we could move to the pavilion over there to continue your conversation? It’s not advisable to stand directly under this harsh sun,” he suggested.
So delicate… afraid of a little sunlight?
The Imperial Consort sneered inwardly, her gaze involuntarily drifting again to Consort An’s belly. Her hands, clasped in front of her, tightened slightly.
“It’s nothing urgent, Your Highness. We can talk as we walk,” Consort An said with a smile, gesturing politely for the other to proceed.
The Imperial Consort smiled and led the way.
“…Of course, I must inform you first. We mustn’t disrupt the rules, after all,” Consort An replied cheerfully, referring to their earlier topic.
Hah, as if you haven’t broken enough rules already!
The Imperial Consort scoffed internally. You little viper, you’ve already spoken to the Emperor, and now you come to me pretending to be considerate. Who do you think you’re fooling?
“You overthink things, dear sister,” she said aloud, smiling as she descended the steps.
Consort An watched her take the step and hurried to follow.
“I dare not overthink – I’m only afraid that you might,” she said with a smile.
Such insolent words!
The Imperial Consort paused slightly, glanced back at Consort An, and once again, her eyes fell on Consort An’s belly.
So this is what you’re relying on…
“You jest,” she replied, then turned and continued walking.
Consort An hesitated for a moment, glanced at the steps ahead, clenched her hands tightly in front of her, gritted her teeth, and stepped forward.
“Your Highness, please let me explain…” she said, grabbing the Imperial Consort’s arm – then let out a sharp cry.
Startled by the sudden grip, the Imperial Consort instinctively shook her off.
“What are you–” she exclaimed, but before she could finish, she saw Consort An tumble down past her. Her words turned into a scream.
The shriek pierced the palace sky.
The commotion drew the attention of other consorts who had not yet gone far, while two figures approaching from a distance also halted.
Duke Jin’an, who happened to witness the fall, could not conceal his shock.
What had just happened?
“Wei-lang.”
The Empress smiled faintly.
“How do you like the wedding gift I’ve prepared for you?”
