A proper marriage

A proper marriage

On the 15th of September, the constellation Bi (auspicious) is auspicious for marriage and moving into a new house.

The full moon shines like a jade disc, while rain falls from the sky and wind blows through the earth.

As dusk settled, two red silk lanterns lit up in front of the gate of the Prince Kang's mansion, casting a festive glow on the majestic stone lions in front of the gate.

The sounds of string and wind instruments drifted from the courtyard of the mansion. Today was the day of Prince Kang's remarriage, and guests and dignitaries gathered in great numbers.

The new house is completely different from the front yard!

It's so quiet here that you can hear the occasional soft crackling of a red candle flame.

Yun Yixia sat gracefully on the brocade quilt adorned with a hundred sons and a thousand grandsons, her head adorned with a crown of nine dragons and four phoenixes, her robe a deep blue with wide sleeves, and a double jade pendant belt tied around her waist. She was exquisitely beautiful, yet also incredibly heavy.

A hazy red light filled her vision, the bridal veil obscuring her view, and she was all alone.

Taking advantage of this grand wedding, Yun Yixia quietly replaced the people in the wedding party. She told Bai Wei to go eat, as there was no need for both of them to go hungry.

Steady footsteps approached from outside the door, neither hurried nor slow.

Yun Yixia slightly raised her head and looked towards the door. With a creak, the door was pushed open.

The footsteps stopped in front of her, and she could feel a powerful gaze falling on her, scrutinizing her without any warmth.

A jade ruyi wrapped in red silk slipped under the bridal veil. The cool jade brushed against Yun Yixia's chin, and then her eyes lit up as the bridal veil was lifted.

The candlelight was a bit too bright, so she blinked instinctively and looked up at the man.

Zhao Yunkang, dressed in a black and red prince's wedding robes, gazed quietly at Yun Yixia with his dark, jade-like eyes. His gaze was deep and cold, like an ancient well with an unfathomable depth.

He was looking at her too!

Yun Yixia wore a heavy wedding dress, and beneath the ceremonial crown was a face as beautiful as the moon and as radiant as the sunset. Her makeup perfectly accentuated her elegant eyebrows and full lips.

"princess!"

His voice was low and clear, revealing no emotion.

"Your Highness!"

She lowered her head slightly, her voice calm and unhurried, as gentle as a spring breeze in April.

The ceremony of joining the chariot was conducted under the guidance of female officials.

"Together we stand, united in heart and soul."

The maidservant brought out two ladles cut from a gourd, connected by colorful silk threads, and filled with clear wine.

The two men held up their ladles, their eyes briefly meeting in the air before looking away.

Yun Yixia lowered her eyes slightly and drank the wine from the ladle according to etiquette.

The wine was mellow yet slightly bitter, and as it slid down my throat, it stirred up a warm sensation.

She really doesn't like drinking!

"The ceremony is complete!"

The maids withdrew silently, leaving only the two of them in the large bridal chamber.

The red candles seemed to weep, and the atmosphere became somewhat tense for a moment.

"The affairs of the mansion are managed by the steward and the head maid of the inner courtyard."

Zhao Yunkang broke the silence first, speaking in a clear and organized manner, as if giving official instructions.

"promise!"

“Yuan Kai is only five years old. You will see him when we offer tea tomorrow.”

"promise!"

"Go to sleep!"

Zhao Yunkang got up, pushed open the door, and went out. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw that his newlywed wife seemed to be smiling... Was he seeing things?

He didn't want to waste too much time on Yun Yixia. No matter what abilities she had, as long as she behaved herself in the inner quarters, that was fine.

"My wife, I'm back!"

Bai Wei walked in carrying a tray with steaming hot chicken noodle soup on it.

"Quick! Uninstall it for me now!"

Yun Yixia pointed to the headdress that weighed twenty or thirty pounds and sat at the table slurping noodles.

I haven't eaten all day, and my stomach is completely empty.

After removing her heavy hairpins and formal attire, she finished her noodles, and bathwater was already prepared.

"My lady, the courtyard has been filled with our people, except for one or two of Prince Kang's and Lady Jiang's people who haven't been touched..."

While washing her wife's hair, Bai Wei reported on the situation outside.

"Well done!" Yun Yixia breathed a long sigh of relief. "Being new here, keep a low profile!"

"promise!"

The next morning, as dawn broke.

The maids filed in to help Yun Yixia with her washing and dressing.

Today we are going to the palace to express our gratitude and pay our respects to the Empress Dowager and the Empress. Our attire and makeup should be modest and elegant.

Yun Yixia sat in front of the dressing table, letting the maid comb her long hair and put on heavy accessories.

Bai Wei watched attentively from the side, knowing that her wife didn't want outsiders to touch her, but she wasn't yet up to the task.

After finishing her makeup, Yun Yixia got up and went to the outer room. Zhao Yunkang, dressed neatly, was standing in the courtyard, with a chubby little boy standing next to him.

The child was dressed in a royal blue brocade round-necked robe and wore a small red gold hat adorned with jade. His delicate, sculpted face and large, watery eyes looked at Yun Yixia with great curiosity.

"Yuan Kai greets the Princess!"

"No need for such formalities!"

Yun Yixia looked at Bai Wei, who immediately handed over a gift. She half-squatted down and gave it to the prince.

"Thank you, Your Highness!"

He took the heavy purse, held the old woman's hand in one hand, and looked cute and obedient.

"Let's go when we're ready!"

Zhao Yunkang said something indifferently, turned around and walked out first, with Yun Yixia following closely behind.

Zhao Yuankai was picked up by the nanny and walked past the princess to follow the prince. He made faces at the new princess, showing extreme mockery.

His face was sore!

The new queen's expression remained unchanged, as if watching a monkey show, with a faint smile always on her lips.

snort!

There's always a way to mess with her!

After the family of three got on the bus, they sat in a triangular arrangement.

The carriage rolled along the cobblestone road, its wheels rumbling as it headed towards the imperial city.

Yun Yixia sat regally inside the car, eyes downcast, seemingly oblivious to the other two "Buddhas" in the vehicle.

Last night, on their wedding night, Zhao Yunkang did not stay. He subtly warned her, implying that "the affairs of the manor are managed by others, and you don't need to meddle!"

Yun Yixia lowered her eyes in thought, while the father and son beside her observed her silently.

'This woman is more composed than I imagined!'

'The bride is just as the old woman said; she's shrewd and her deception is flawless!'

After passing through layers of checks, the carriage entered the palace gates, and Yun Yixia lifted the curtain to look outside.

The white marble dragon head protrudes from the layers of the platform, the vermilion corridor pillars require several people to encircle, the eaves are like phoenixes spreading their wings, and the corridors between the palaces are like a woven tapestry, connecting countless palaces, pavilions, kiosks and terraces into a whole.

Once inside the inner palace, one could not ride in a carriage, so the Empress Dowager ordered Zheng An to personally come and fetch them in a palanquin.

"This servant greets Prince Kang, Princess Kang, and the Heir Apparent!"

After Zheng An paid his respects, he invited the three of them to board the palanquin, and they traveled to Bao Ci Palace.

The roof of the hall is covered with dark green glazed tiles, and the eaves are decorated with phoenixes and auspicious beasts. The white marble base in front of the hall is clean and dust-free, and on both sides stand a pair of gilded bronze cranes, with their heads raised and necks outstretched, holding lingzhi mushrooms and ruyi scepters in their beaks.

The group stepped into the hall, where fine agarwood was quietly burning in a gilded dragon-shaped incense burner. Every item in the hall was exquisite.

"Royal Grandmother!"

Zhao Yuankai rushed over and hugged Shi Anwan, his eyes filled with tears and his lips pursed, as if he had suffered a great injustice.

"What's wrong?"

Shi Anwan's gaze shot like an arrow towards Yun Yixia behind Zhao Yunkang.

On the second day of their marriage, she dared to make the prince suffer. She looks honest and simple, but she is actually full of bad intentions.

"Grandmother, it's nothing... I just missed you!"

Zhao Yuankai said it was nothing, but his eyes kept glancing at Yun Yixia, practically saying, "This woman ruined me!"

"Your son greets Your Majesty!"

Zhao Yunkang glanced at his son, then turned and bowed to the Emperor and Empress.

Yun Yixia followed suit and a maid brought tea, which she had to offer to the Empress Dowager.

She gathered her robes and lowered her head, her skirt brushing against the smooth, mirror-like gold bricks. She stopped a step away from the phoenix throne and curtsied to offer tea.

"Your Majesty, I thank you for your grace!"

The words fell softly in the empty hall, their echoes lingering, and for a long while no one spoke.

Yun Yixia focused her energy in her dantian, trying her best to keep herself from trembling, while glancing at Zhao Yuankai's gloating smile out of the corner of her eye.

She lowered her eyes, her mind already racing with countless possible solutions.

If a child is not taught, it is the father's fault.

Yun Yixia doesn't have the habit of targeting children, so... she'll start by targeting the people around him!

"I see you are calm. There is pen and ink prepared in the West Warm Pavilion. Go and copy a scroll of the Diamond Sutra before you go back!"

Shi Anwan glanced at the old woman, who took the teacup. She didn't drink from it, but gently touched the lid to the rim of the cup and calmly and indifferently told the new bride to copy Buddhist scriptures.

"promise!"

Yun Yixia curtsied, glanced at the untouched teacup, and followed the guiding nanny with a normal expression.

Sunlight streamed through the thin bamboo blinds into the west wing of the room, casting dappled shadows on the large rosewood table.

Xuan paper was laid out on the table, ink was prepared, and a rubbing of the Diamond Sutra sat quietly to the side.

Yun Yixia picked up her pen, dipped the tip in ink, and the ink fell onto the snow-white paper, one word at a time, silently...

"Mother, we left in a hurry this morning and did not have a meal."

Zhao Yunkang looked at his mother with disapproval, his sharp gaze sweeping over Zhao Yuankai, who was "reporting on Zhao Yunkang's misdeeds."

With the new bride in the house, Yun Yixia behaved herself, and Yuan Kai shouldn't have provoked her first.

"What?" Zhao Yunxian teased, "Are you worried about your wife?"

This mother and son mustn't start arguing!

Yun Kang could just pack up and leave, but he had to stay and listen to his mother's nagging.

"It's not easy to have a woman in my household... If this one leaves... there won't be another one!"

Zhao Yunkang wanted a decorative figure, but upon learning that Yun Yixia wasn't as submissive as she seemed, he didn't consider replacing her.

Everyone can "pretend," so how powerful can a young woman like her really be?

"The Diamond Sutra has about five thousand characters in total." Shi Anwan patted her grandson's head. "She'll finish copying it soon!"

"Grandmother, your grandson is hungry!"

Zhao Yuankai dared not look at his father and instead tugged at the Empress Dowager's skirt, acting coquettishly.

"Serve the meal!"

None of the five members of the Zhao family mentioned Yun Yixia again.

After Yun Yixia finished copying the scriptures, the guiding nanny escorted her directly to the outside of Baoci Palace, instructing her to walk out of the palace.

"Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty!" Her smile remained unchanged. "Thank you for guiding me, Granny!"

The autumn afternoon wind was a bit chilly. The old woman shivered as she watched Yun Yixia's retreating figure and hurriedly ran back to Baoci Palace.

Yun Yixia walked gracefully out of the palace without stopping, and left before the palace gates were locked. Bai Wei quickly ran over and helped her into the carriage.

"My lady, the matter has been taken care of!"

"Um!"

It is reasonable for adults to be punished when children make mistakes.

After a long day of fussing, Yun Yixia hadn't eaten or drunk anything. Bai Wei prepared a rich chicken soup, but she only drank a bowl in the carriage and then refused to eat any more.

"The Princess Consort has returned to the residence!"

A middle-aged man walked a few steps toward the carriage and introduced himself as Luo Yu, the steward of the Prince Kang's mansion.

"Butler Luo, thank you for your hard work!"

Yun Yixia stepped down from the carriage, supported by Bai Wei the whole time. To onlookers, she appeared "delicate and haggard" yet very polite.

"It's no trouble at all!" Luo Yu said, turning to the side. "The kitchen has already prepared the meal, you..."

"No need!" Yun Yixia refused with a faint smile. "Please trouble Butler Luo to give the order!"

You don't need to prepare my meals anymore!

The young prince is still young and at the age where he loves to sleep, so there's no need for morning and evening greetings!

The prince instructed that Steward Luo would be in the front courtyard, and the head maid would be in the back courtyard… Thank you both for your hard work!”

"…promise!"

After saying just a few words, Luo Yu's forehead was covered in sweat as he bowed respectfully to see the princess into the mansion.