Marrying The Imperial Elder Chapter 55

Although he had slept only a few hazy hours, Fu Changxi woke feeling reasonably refreshed.

Still, he lingered a little longer than usual while dressing, with the result that he happened to run into Tang He just as he was leaving.

Tang He had come to collect the completed memorials. Seeing his Wangye about to depart, he hurriedly bowed in salute. As he lowered his head, he discreetly glanced upward and noticed the robe Fu Changxi was wearing, a deep purple brocade embroidered with subtle round floral medallions and trimmed with matching borders.

Fu Changxi had always been exceptionally tall. Clad in purple today, his hair gathered beneath a jade crown, he appeared even more imposing and upright.

As he stepped toward the doorway, the morning light illuminated most of his face with striking clarity.

His dark temples were as sharply defined as though carved by a blade. His brows were thick and bold, his nose high and straight, and his lips slightly thin. The clean, angular lines of his profile lent his handsome features an edge as keen as a drawn sword.

There was something so commanding, almost impossibly beautiful, about his appearance that people scarcely dared look at him for long, fearing that such overwhelming beauty might wound the eyes.

Seeing this, Tang He became even more convinced of his suspicions.

Wangye was born with looks like these, yet his temperament has always been exceptionally aloof. He has never cared much about clothing or adornment, usually preferring plain black robes because they are practical and inconspicuous. Only when entering the palace or attending court does he change into the formal robes appropriate to a prince.

That was exactly why today’s behavior stood out so much.

For nothing more than a simple trip out, Wangye had actually gone to the trouble of changing into an entirely different robe.

Tang He kept these thoughts to himself, revealing nothing on his face. Without another word, he simply bowed and reported, “Wangye, the carriage is ready.”

Fu Changxi gave a slight nod, issued a few final instructions, and strode away.

Watching his master’s figure gradually disappear into the distance, Tang He instead found himself growing more anxious. The more convinced he became of the suspicion in his heart, the less he dared speak it aloud.

Even now, he still remembered that day all those years ago.

He had followed behind Fu Changxi into Qianyuan Hall, where he watched with his own eyes as Fu Changxi threw the imperial decree bestowing a marriage right back in front of Emperor Xiaozong.

At the time, Fu Changxi was still young. His beauty was at its peak, and the blazing fury in him only sharpened it further, making him as lethal as poisoned feathers, beautiful beyond compare, yet deadly.

His brows were like drawn swords. Fixing Emperor Xiaozong with his dark eyes, he was so furious that he laughed instead, enunciating every word: “Go ahead and keep dreaming your dream of an eternal dynasty! As for me, I will never marry. I will never leave an heir. Even if I die, I will never allow your so-called noble bloodline to continue through me.”

Not long after that day, Fu Changxi packed his belongings and departed for Beijiang with his retinue.

Only afterward did Emperor Xiaozong issue another decree, formally investing his youngest son as Su Wang and ordering him to take up his fief in Beijiang. Although there was some private speculation in the capital, everyone already knew that Emperor Xiaozong had long taken out his resentment over Noble Consort Wu on Fu Changxi, leaving the prince without imperial favor. It was hardly surprising. Besides, so many upheavals soon followed in the capital that no one had the leisure to concern themselves with affairs thousands of miles away in the north.

…

So many years had passed, yet Tang He still remembered every word Fu Changxi had spoken that day, as well as the expression on his face, an expression impossible to describe.

That was why, over the years, many officials had tried, one after another, to persuade Fu Changxi to marry and produce an heir. Tang He alone had kept his mouth firmly shut, never offering a single word of persuasion.

It wasn’t because he hadn’t wanted to.

It was because he understood all too well how utterly unshakable Fu Changxi’s resolve had been.

That was, until Fu Changxi was ambushed on the road, suffered that unexpected accident… and met Zhen Tingyun.

Somewhere beyond human understanding, Tang He felt as though he had finally glimpsed the faintest ray of dawn, a sliver of hope.

After standing motionless by the doorway for a moment, he suddenly turned on his heel.

After finally finding even this tiny bit of hope, I can’t expose it outright… but I can’t just stand by and do nothing either.

Of course, meddling in such matters was dangerous.

He’d better find someone to take the blame with him or rather, someone to hatch the scheme together and share the consequences. So Tang He went off to discuss matters with Xie Qiuyan.

Since neither Wangye nor Miss Zhen seemed capable of recognizing their own feelings, someone had to find an opportunity to give them a little push.

***

When Fu Changxi left home that day, he had specially prepared a small chest of gifts for Zhen Tingyun.

The last time, she had thought the jewels and gold ornaments he sent were far too valuable and refused to accept them. So this time he had put considerably more thought into it.

From his own collection, he selected copybooks, model calligraphy, and various books, all things that would be useful to her now and that she could take with her to the Womens’ Academy.

Besides those, he had also prepared several kinds of incense ingredients.

After making discreet inquiries, he had learned that first-year students at the Womens’ Academy all took a course in incense blending. Daughters of prominent families had usually studied such things from childhood, whereas Zhen Tingyun had grown up in the countryside and likely knew nothing about them. Rather than have her scrambling to buy unfamiliar ingredients later, it was better to prepare them in advance.

Besides, premium aromatics like qinan agarwood, borneol, and sandalwood were all extraordinarily expensive. Given Zhen Tingyun’s modest means, she probably couldn’t have afforded them herself.

Fu Changxi had planned everything carefully. Yet when they met, he merely said casually, “In a few days you’ll be entering the Womens’ Academy. It’ll be inconvenient to come and go after that, so I thought I’d prepare a few more things for you. They’ll come in handy later.”

Zhen Tingyun knew little about such matters. She leafed through the books and calligraphy manuals in the chest, feeling deeply touched. Then she came to the neatly separated packets of fragrant materials and asked curiously, “What’s this?”

“Incense ingredients. I heard that first-year students all study incense blending. I figured you probably aren’t familiar with any of this, so I had someone purchase a few commonly used varieties.” He said it as though it were nothing, never mentioning how valuable they were. “This way you won’t have to buy them yourself later.”

Zhen Tingyun still had no idea what they were worth, but as she looked at the chest filled with carefully chosen gifts, a rosy blush slowly spread across her fair cheeks.

Seeing her reaction, Fu Changxi frowned slightly. “What’s wrong?”

Zhen Tingyun had never been particularly shy. Although she blushed, she still forced herself to say what she had wanted to. “Actually… I brought something for you too, Teacher. But after seeing all these wonderful things you’ve prepared, I’m almost too embarrassed to take it out.”

Fu Changxi had not expected that at all.

For a moment he simply stared.

He couldn’t quite describe what he was feeling. His expression softened, the corners of his lips lifting almost imperceptibly, though his voice remained calm. “What is it? Let me see.”

After a moment’s hesitation, Zhen Tingyun turned around and took out a pair of soft-soled cloth shoes from among the things she had brought.

In a small voice she explained, “On the journey back to the capital, I kept thinking that you’ve taught me so much. As your student, I ought to do something to show my respect. So I secretly noted your measurements and wanted to make you a pair of shoes. But… my needlework really isn’t very good…”

Looking down at the shoes in her hands, she grew even more embarrassed and hurriedly added, “They aren’t especially pretty. But I chose good fabric for the soles and stitched them layer by layer into thousand-layer soles. They’ll be warm, breathable, and very comfortable. They’ll be nice and light to wear around the house.”

She still remembered when Malantou had carried the unconscious Fu Changxi back to the inn. He had been soaked through from head to toe and had ended up borrowing an old set of clothes from one of the inn’s servants.

Later, after accepting him as her teacher and studying under him, although she had never formally paid tuition, she had at least helped prepare some clothing and other necessities for him. It was because of that that she already knew all of his measurements, and she had long wanted to make him something by hand as a token of gratitude.

Unfortunately, Zhen Tingyun had disliked sewing ever since childhood. During the journey home, Grandmother Zhen had nagged her countless times to practice. In the end, she had not even managed to make a few pairs of socks for Father Zhen or Zhen Hengzhe. Partly because she was too lazy to fuss over them, but mainly because her sewing skills truly were poor.

So even though she wanted to make something for Fu Changxi, she knew her own limitations.

Small items were manageable.

Anything larger, a padded winter robe, for instance, would probably take her from this winter all the way to the next before she finished it.

That left only small gifts.

She had considered making socks, since they were simple. But socks were intimate, close-fitting garments. Making them for her father or brothers was one thing; making them for an unrelated man would have been inappropriate.

After thinking it over again and again, she had quietly decided to make him a pair of shoes instead.

Grandmother Zhen had at least taught her how to make those, and she already had his measurements. Whenever she found a spare moment, she worked on them little by little until they were finally finished.

As it turned out, Zhen Tingyun spent her days busy studying, and her sewing skills had grown rather rusty. She worked on the shoes throughout the journey home, but by the time they parted ways at the inn after returning to the capital, she hadn’t even finished a single shoe. Embarrassed, she said nothing about it.

Only after returning to the Zhen residence, where she spent most of her days shut away in her room reading, practicing calligraphy, and playing the xiao xiao, did she find the spare time to take out the unfinished shoes and add a few stitches here and there. Her progress was slow, but over time she eventually completed them.

A few days earlier, while packing for the Womens’ Academy, she had come across the half-finished pair. Gritting her teeth, she stayed up several nights in a row and finally finished them before school began, bringing them today especially for Fu Changxi.

Fu Changxi accepted the shoes and examined them.

In truth, he was quite pleased. But he had always had an awkward streak. After looking them over, he deliberately found fault. “Isn’t the toe a little crooked?”

Zhen Tingyun had already been embarrassed enough. Hearing that, she flushed with mortification and reached out to snatch the shoes back from his hands. “Then give them back if you don’t want them!”

Fu Changxi simply lifted his hand higher so she couldn’t reach them. “Since when does someone ask for a gift back after giving it away?”

As he spoke, he calmly put the shoes away himself.

Zhen Tingyun widened her eyes and glared at him, cheeks puffed in indignation.

Rather than taking offense, Fu Changxi couldn’t help laughing. He reached out and gently ruffled the top of her head. “Remember to make them straighter next time.”

Golden morning sunlight filtered through the lattice windows, falling across Zhen Tingyun’s upturned face. Her skin was fair as jade, her cheeks tinged with a delicate pink, like a rose in full spring bloom, fresh and almost impossibly tender.

But Zhen Tingyun merely turned her head away and declared with absolute coldness, “There won’t be a next time!”

If I ever make another pair, I’ll be a dog!

Author’s Note:

Fu Changxi: “I’ll never marry. I’ll never leave an heir.”

Zhen Tingyun: “If I ever make another pair, I’ll be a dog!”

In the end, 

They both ended up eating their own words. (Literally, “True fragrance!”, a popular Chinese meme meaning someone ends up loving or doing the very thing they insisted they never would.)