The servants in the courtyard were still not done unloading after making several trips, while Second Madam Cheng kept muttering prayers without a pause.
From inside the house came the sharp, piercing cries of First Madam Cheng.
“Who wants her things!”
Amidst her sobbing, First Madam Cheng stumbled out of the room and flung several boxes with all her might.
Gold and silver jewelry poured out, scattering across the ground and glittering brilliantly under the sunlight.
Maids rushed to pick them up, but none were quicker than Second Madam Cheng.
Overwhelmed by grief, First Madam Cheng collapsed to the floor, pounding her chest with eyes tightly shut.
“This is the price for my son’s life!”
“This bought my son’s life!”
Second Madam Cheng curled her lips and swiftly gathered the jewelry, ignoring the maids and servants watching nearby.
“It wasn’t about buying your son’s life at all. Si-lang was killed by a courtesan while visiting the brothel – what does that have to do with our Jiao-niang?” she muttered. “Our Jiao-niang was dragged into this for no reason. Otherwise, marrying into the imperial family and becoming a princess consort would have been so glorious. But now, everything is rushed and shabby…”
As she mumbled this, Second Madam Cheng grew anxious again. She glanced toward the nearby study, noting how First Madam Cheng was wailing in despair and all the maids and servants were attending to her. Without hesitation, she picked up the filled boxes and turned to leave.
Two maids standing in the courtyard stared in disbelief.
“Second Madam…” they couldn’t help but call out.
Second Madam Cheng stopped and glared at them.
“What?” she said, clutching the two boxes tighter in her arms. “These were gifts from our Jiao-niang.”
As the stepmother, wasn’t she entitled to take them?
The maids didn’t know what to say and watched as Second Madam Cheng hurried away.
In the study, First Master Cheng listened quietly to First Madam Cheng’s sobs as silent tears streamed down his own face.
“Master, these are not our mistress’s compensation to you,” said Cao Gui. “This is–”
First Master Cheng raised his hand to interrupt him.
“No need to explain further. I understand,” he said, wiping away tears. “If she were truly heartless, she wouldn’t have urged me to rush back to Jiang-zhou with the family. Now I truly see how dangerous and difficult the situation she faced in the capital was. It pains me that I couldn’t help her.”
Cao Gui bowed deeply.
“Thank you for understanding, Master,” he said, his voice choked with emotion.
“Si-lang was harmed by others, not by Jiao-niang,” First Master Cheng said, wiping his tears. “Jiao-niang tried to save his life and protect his reputation and future. Yet he still couldn’t escape. That was his fate. What matters most now is for Jiao-niang herself to let go of this and not cling to it in her heart.”
Cao Gui kowtowed.
“As for these…” First Master Cheng looked at the documents pushed before him. “She is about to marry, and under such hurried circumstances. The imperial family clearly shows her no respect. Why does she send all this back? You should use these in the capital to uphold her dignity.”
Cao Gui shook his head.
“Miss doesn’t care for such appearances,” he said. “She said that since these rightly belong to the family, they remain with the family. Once recorded officially, how can they be voided? She only instructed me to bring back the dowry left by the late madam.”
First Master Cheng’s expression was filled with melancholy.
She meant what she said and acted accordingly – this was no jest, nor was it mere politeness or evasion.
“Very well,” he replied, taking a deep breath and nodding. “Then please assure the mistress that I will not let these assets and all the effort behind them go to waste.”
Cao Gui acknowledged with a respectful “yes.”
“I will set off for the capital tomorrow,” he added.
“Will all of you be going with her?” First Master Cheng asked. “It’s only a handful of people. Why not pick a few more from the household to accompany you?”
“That won’t be necessary,” Cao Gui replied. “Miss has always valued quality over quantity in her staff.”
In competence and capability.
Like himself.
He couldn’t help but feel a flicker of smug pride.
First Master Cheng sighed, his gaze drifting toward the outside.
“The wedding is the day after tomorrow. You won’t make it in time for her ceremony,” he said. “Nor will we.”
“Miss specifically said that you must not attend,” Cao Gui quickly added.
First Master Cheng nodded solemnly.
“I understand. Not only will we not go, but I will also ensure that all members of the family are strictly confined to Jiang-zhou and do not leave,” he declared.
Before his words fully settled, an elderly woman’s voice rang from outside.
“…What are you all still doing? Hurry and prepare the carriage… My dear Jiao Jiao’s wedding is coming up… How can she marry into the imperial family with no one from her maternal side present…”
“Exactly, Mother. What kind of spectacle is this?”
“And you! As her father, if you knew she was to marry a prince, why did you rush back here in the first place?”
“Mother, it was all Brother’s doing!”
Cao Gui glanced at First Master Cheng with a trace of sympathy in his eyes.
“Then I must trouble you, Master,” he said, rising to take his leave.
First Master Cheng nodded and stood up, steeling himself with an air of solemn determination as he went to face his mother and brother.
Having been given so much wealth and property, if he still couldn’t ensure the safety and stability of the Cheng family, then there was no point in him remaining as its head.
After leaving the Northern Cheng residence, Cao Gui visited the shops to give further instructions. By the time he returned to the Southern Cheng side, it was already dark. Many new houses had been built in the current Southern Cheng estate, and the ground had been properly paved, unlike in previous years when rainwater would flood the streets with sewage and mosquitoes swarmed everywhere. Now, on summer nights, many people gathered to enjoy the cool air, and children chased each other, laughing and playing.
“Steward Cao.”
As he passed by, greetings came continuously from all sides, and some even invited him to join them for dinner.
Cao Gui walked on with a smile.
“Cheng Ping!” he called out, spotting Cheng Ping seated under a large tree, surrounded by a group of children and speaking animatedly with great enthusiasm.
Cheng Ping waved to him.
“Busy right now – just getting to the crucial part!” he replied loudly.
Cao Gui had no choice but to walk over.
“…Loss is the beginning of gain, gain is the root of loss; advancement is the foundation of retreat, retreat is the origin of advancement; fortune is the start of misfortune, misfortune is the precursor of fortune…”
Cheng Ping declared loudly.
But the children protested noisily.
“No sutras, no sutras! Tell us a story, tell us a story!”
“Every story comes with a piece of wisdom from the classics,” Cheng Ping said. “Don’t be ungrateful. This is the essence I’ve distilled from ten years of reading. It’s not something just anyone gets to hear – those who listen benefit greatly.”
Cao Gui shook his head and smiled.
“Cheng Ping,” he said, “are you really not coming to the capital with me?”
Cheng Ping shook his head.
“I’ve earned my hundred coins – I’m going to shut myself in and study now,” he replied, waving a hand with a grin. “But sooner or later, I’ll make it to the capital. We’ll meet again then.”
Cao Gui curled his lips.
“A hundred coins? What kind of seclusion can that buy? Aren’t you afraid you’ll starve?” he muttered under his breath. He gave Cheng Ping, who had already launched back into storytelling for the children, a brief glance before turning and walking away.
Stepping through the gate of his home, Cao Gui saw lamps lit in the main hall even though the mistress, Cheng Jiao-niang, no longer lived there. Two young maids bowed respectfully to him.
Cao Gui first paid his respects toward the main hall, then allowed the maids to attend to his washing and changing of clothes. Just as dinner was being laid out, Cheng Ji arrived with a few others.
“Is there anything else we can help with?” Cheng Ji asked.
“No need. There’s not much to pack anyway,” Cao Gui replied.
Cheng Ji and the others exchanged glances before pushing a box toward him.
“What’s this for?” Cao Gui asked.
“For the mistress’s wedding – it’s a small token of our thoughts,” Cheng Ji said.
Cao Gui frowned.
“Who asked you to spend anything? Don’t you know that seeing you all do well is the greatest gift you can give our mistress?” he chided.
Cheng Ji smiled and nodded.
“We know,” he said, opening the box. “It’s not money – a few of us crafted a roof-end tile.”
A roof-end tile?
Curious, Cao Gui looked inside and indeed saw a roof-end tile resting in the box.
“This is…” He studied the pattern on it.
“A lotus branch,” Cheng Ji explained. “It’s the ancestral emblem of the Cheng family. The mistress didn’t grow up at home, and now that she’s getting married, she lacks nothing. We just wanted to give her something to remember her roots by – to let her know that no matter where she goes, the Cheng family will always be her home.”
Cao Gui nodded, a smile spreading across his face.
“Good. You’ve put thought into this,” he said. “Miss will surely be very pleased.”
Cheng Ji and the others breathed a sigh of relief and smiled happily.
“Well, now that we’ve presented our gift to the mistress, a few of us would like to offer something to you, Steward Cao,” another man said, producing a jug of wine and placing it firmly on the table. “Come now – we won’t part until we’re properly drunk.”
Cao Gui laughed heartily.
“Agreed! Serve the food and wine. No one leaves until we’re drunk!”
That night of drinking turned Cao Gui’s intended early morning departure into a midday start. As he walked out of the Southern Cheng estate with well-wishers seeing him off, he noticed the Northern Cheng side sweeping the streets, setting up tables and benches. Carriages came and went continuously, and a row of thatched shelters had been erected along the wall, with stoves being built and cauldrons placed.
“What’s all this?” Cao Gui asked in surprise.
“Master Cao, Lady Cheng is getting married tomorrow. First Master Cheng is hosting a three-day feast to celebrate!” an onlooker eagerly explained, his face lit with excitement. “He’s hired the best chef from the Dexing Restaurant to take charge. Everyone in Jiang-zhou is invited to eat – no gift required!”
“That chef is probably going to be worked to death,” Cao Gui remarked with a laugh.
“First Master Cheng offered a whole cartload of coins – someone is willing to do it even if it kills them,” another bystander shouted.
Laughter rippled through the crowd.
Cao Gui joined in with a hearty laugh.
Good. It needed to be lively – even if they couldn’t be there in person, it had to be lively.
He mounted his horse and urged it forward, galloping away.
Inside the Cheng residence, the courtyard was just as chaotic as the streets outside. Old Madam Cheng sat in the main hall, surrounded by a crowd of distant aunts and relatives – who knew where First Master Cheng had found them all.
“…Old Madam, you are truly blessed…”
“…I dreamed just days ago of picking a courtyard full of flowers – it must have been a sign of great fortune…”
“…Now Old Madam has a duke for a grandson-in-law…”
Flattered, Old Madam Cheng’s face flushed with excitement, her eyes sparkling, and her voice grew loud and animated.
“…Her grandfather knew early on that this child was extraordinary…” she declared loudly. “…He spent half a year flipping through books trying to pick a name but wasn’t satisfied. By the time she was born, he still hadn’t decided. So he went out to seek inspiration and happened to meet a passing monk, who uttered a single word…”
Old Madam Cheng stumbled here.
What was that fool’s name again?
“Fang,” a maid nearby whispered in reminder.
“…the word ‘Fang,’” Old Madam Cheng continued, her smile so wide her eyes nearly disappeared. “…What’s even more miraculous is that when the master bowed his head and murmured it twice, intending to invite the monk home for a meal, he looked up and the monk was gone…”
“Goodness! That must have been a meeting with a Buddha!” the crowd erupted in exclamations of awe.
Standing outside the door, Second Madam Cheng let out a disdainful “Pfft.”
“Shameless,” she muttered under her breath. “Talking as if she’s about to become the Empress. A name bestowed by Buddha – when you threw that child into the chamber pot, weren’t you afraid of being cursed by Buddha then?”
Grumbling, Second Madam Cheng left the house and stood in the inner alley, looking out. She heard shouts of “Rice is here!” from one direction and “Vegetables are here!” from another, while several jars of wine were being unloaded nearby. Inwardly, she kept reciting Buddhist prayers.
“What waste! What utter waste! It’s always like this – whenever someone gets their hands on money that isn’t theirs, they splurge without a care.”
At the Cheng residence in the capital, the courtyard was also bustling with lively activity.
“They’re here! They’re here!”
Several maids called out, lifting the curtains aside.
Cheng Jiao-niang turned away from the window to see a clothing rack being carried in, draped with the grand, gold-embroidered red wedding gown.
A group of small children followed in, leaning against the doorway and staring curiously – first at the wedding gown, then at Cheng Jiao-niang.
Madam Chen entered personally, accompanied by several other ladies and young wives. They carefully examined and praised the gown, showering the occasion with auspicious words.
“Come here, I have a few words for you,” Madam Chen said, reaching out to take Cheng Jiao-niang’s hand. But before she could sit down, shouts came from outside announcing the arrival of Madam Tong. Madam Chen promptly rose.
“I’ll speak with you later.”
With Madam Chen’s departure, the others in the room quickly dispersed as well, and the space grew quiet again.
Cheng Jiao-niang slowly walked over to the clothing rack, her eyes fixed on the wedding gown. Sunlight streamed in through the open doors and windows, filling the room and making the gown shimmer even more brightly.
“Is it beautiful?”
A voice came from outside.
Cheng Jiao-niang turned to see Chen Dan-niang peeking in through the doorway.
“It is,” she replied with a smile.
Chen Dan-niang stepped inside and stood beside her, gazing at the gown as well.
“I think so too,” she said, gently tugging at Cheng Jiao-niang’s sleeve. “Sister, why don’t you try it on?”
Cheng Jiao-niang smiled, her eyes lingering on the gown for a moment before she reached out a hand.
When Zhou Fu stepped into the courtyard and looked up, he saw the girl in the main hall stretching out her arms and turning around, and for a moment, he froze in place.
Red –
Vibrant, brilliant red, woven with golden threads and embroidered with intricate floral patterns.
He had certainly seen weddings before, but in this moment, it felt as though he were truly seeing such a shade of red for the first time.
Such a breathtaking shade of red.
Worn by the girl who had always dressed in dark, plain clothing, it was like a peony blooming in the depths of night.
Even in simple attire, she stood out; now in such dazzling garments, she still shimmered with a unique radiance.
What truly shone was the person herself.
“The wedding gown is so beautiful!”
Chen Dan-niang’s cheerful voice rang out from inside the hall. She circled around Cheng Jiao-niang, who wore a faint smile at the corner of her lips, her gaze seemingly fixed on the bronze mirror nearby – admiring, envisioning, anticipating…
How beautiful the wedding gown truly was…
“Sixth Young Master?”
A woman’s voice called out from behind him.
Zhou Fu’s heart nearly stopped, and his body stiffened as if caught in an act of theft. He hastily turned around.
“Your ceremonial clothes are all prepared over there. Have you tried them on yet?” Madam Chen asked with a smile.
As the elder brother tasked with escorting the bride, Zhou Fu was also provided with formal wedding attire. With his parents absent, Lady Huang had taken charge of the arrangements.
Zhou Fu lowered his head and gave a muffled “Mm,” then turned and walked out.
Only then did Madam Chen turn her attention to the inner chamber, her brows instantly furrowing.
“Ah, you two children! Who told you to wear it now? Is this something to play with? Dan-niang, take your hands off it – what will we do if it gets dirty and leaves marks before tomorrow?”
When night fell, the household gradually quieted down, returning to its usual tranquility.
Inside the room, the maid and Ban Qin were still busy, checking the trunks and bundles over and over again to ensure nothing was missed.
“What else is there to worry about? Don’t stress over it,” Cheng Jiao-niang said, watching the two of them with mild amusement.
At the moment, Cheng Jiao-niang was the most relaxed person in the house. After washing up, she sat by the window while a young maid gently dried her long hair. She casually picked up a scroll of scripture.
“As long as the person is here, everything else can be obtained,” she remarked, her gaze lingering on the text in her hand. “Take this scripture, for example. If it’s not brought along, it’s no issue – just buy another copy…”
Before she could finish, the maid hurried over and snatched the scroll from her hands.
“Almost forgot this if you hadn’t mentioned it,” she said, gathering the remaining scrolls from the low table as well and calling for Ban Qin to pack them into the trunk.
Cheng Jiao-niang smiled.
“I still want to read,” she said.
“Not today. You read every day – just let this one be different,” the maid replied. “Read tomorrow night instead.”
The young maid behind her couldn’t help but roll her eyes.
Tomorrow night is the wedding chamber.
But since the groom can’t even come for the ceremony or bow before the ancestors… as for the wedding chamber… well, the mistress will certainly have plenty of time on her hands.
Still, what a pity – it is, after all, the wedding night.
The young maid lowered her head, gently combing through the long, dark hair in her hands. Tomorrow, this raven hair would be gathered up beneath a phoenix crown, and she would become another’s wife.
Deep in the night, the soft chorus of summer insects murmured in the background.
“Ah-Jing.”
A faint call came from inside the bed curtain.
The eunuch dozing on the floor jolted awake and, before even opening his eyes, crawled forward on his knees.
“Your Highness, what do you need? Are you uncomfortable somewhere? Would you like some water?” he asked, lifting the curtain and slipping inside.
The dim glow of the night lamp filtered through the canopy, casting an even softer light. To his surprise, the figure on the bed was attempting to prop himself up to sit.
“The imperial doctor said you should move as little as possible,” the eunuch hurriedly urged, supporting him while also asking with concern what was wrong.
“I’m fine,” Duke Jin’an replied, hesitating for a moment. “It’s… tomorrow, isn’t it?”
The eunuch smiled.
“Yes, it’s tomorrow,” he said.
He knelt beside the bed, counting off on his fingers the times determined by the Bureau of Astronomy – when to leave for the bridal escort, when to arrive and lower the sedan chair, when to perform the ceremonial bows – explaining each in detail.
“…Duke Yongxuan will receive the bride on your behalf, while the husband of the Grand Princess’s husband and Academician Li will lead the bridal procession…”
As the eunuch rambled on, Duke Jin’an’s expression gradually calmed, and his breathing eased. But suddenly, he thought of something else.
“What about the wedding attire…” he began.
The eunuch paused, momentarily confused by the interruption.
“Is Duke Yongxuan going to wear mine?” Duke Jin’an asked.
The eunuch chuckled softly and reached out to draw back the curtain slightly.
“Your Highness, yours is right here,” he said. “Duke Yongxuan won’t wear it – only the groom wears the wedding attire.”
In the dimness of the night, the wedding robe hanging on the clothes rack beside the bed blended into the darkness, its colors barely discernible.
“There, Your Highness, rest assured,” the eunuch reassured him gently. “Don’t worry too much. These rituals are just formalities – what truly matters is how you live your life together afterward.”
Duke Jin’an gave a soft hum in response and slowly closed his eyes.
After sleeping, tomorrow would arrive.
This day would finally come.
Translator’s Words:
Merry Christmas everyone!
