Emperor Jianxing did not know what the Wen girl looked like. But her mother, Madam Shao, had been renowned as the greatest beauty of Jiangnan. Duke Zhen, though a general, was more handsome than many scholars—his looks compared to Pan An and Wei Jie, so striking that even on the battlefield he caused enemies to underestimate him. The Wen girl’s two elder brothers, though long deceased, had been even more handsome, one surpassing the other. By reason, the daughter of such a family should not be ugly.
Yet childbirth is unpredictable. From Xiao Chengji’s words, it seemed the Wen girl was plain, bookish, and awkward.
But Xiao Chengji was not a man who cared for beauty. Over the years, countless women had tried to throw themselves at him, yet he had never touched a single one.
The Emperor thought: whether his daughter-in-law was beautiful or not mattered little. Perhaps Xiao Chengji even preferred plain women.
A wise wife was better than a pretty one. To marry someone like Wei Hao’s wife, Madam Liu, would be a disaster for the entire family.
If Xiao Chengji truly wanted beauty, he could always take concubines later.
After this matter, Emperor Jianxing was in excellent spirits.
The chief eunuch, Gu Guangliang, seeing the Emperor so pleased, quickly presented a roster: “Your Majesty, shall I summon a consort to attend you tonight?”
The Emperor smiled and casually flipped a card.
Meanwhile, Yanyu returned home, tucked the Prince Qin’s command token into a book, bathed, changed, and went to bed early.
Her maids, however, were not yet ready to sleep. They sat outside together, working on needlework.
Ruidong sighed: “Originally, the Fifth Prince was to marry our lady. Now he has taken the Wei girl instead—no doubt they are enjoying themselves tonight. How pitiful for our lady, traveling all this way only to suffer such humiliation.”
Ningxia shook her head: “They are bullying her because she is alone, without parents to protect her. If our master and mistress were still alive, even with a hundred times the courage, he would not dare.”
“Thankfully, our lady has a broad heart and does not let these things trouble her. Still, I wonder what Prince Qin is truly like. I only hope our lady will not suffer once she marries him…”
“……”
At the Fifth Prince’s residence.
Wei Ruxuan was carried into the household in a small sedan chair. She felt utterly humiliated. What should have been a grand wedding with eight sedan chairs was now reduced to a shabby, perfunctory affair.
Not a single red lantern was hung at the Fifth Prince’s residence—there was no trace of festivity.
Since she was not the principal consort, she could not live in the main courtyard. Instead, she was carried into a remote, shabby wing.
Stepping out of the sedan chair, she looked around at the furnishings and exploded: “What kind of wretched place is this? It’s worse than the servants’ quarters in my own home!”
An old matron of the household smiled coldly: “This arrangement was made by the Empress Dowager herself. Does the secondary consort object to Her Majesty’s decision?”
At the mention of the Empress Dowager, Wei Ruxuan was stunned: “The Empress Dowager… she… how could she?”
The matron sneered: “You lost your purity before marriage. Those who know think you gave it to the Fifth Prince; those who don’t might suspect you were with another man. The Empress Dowager has already shown you great favor by giving you a place to stay.”
Wei Ruxuan gnashed her teeth: “Nonsense! I was only ever with the Fifth Prince! Say that again and I’ll tear your mouth apart! Give me a larger, better courtyard.”
“The secondary consort lives here,” the matron replied firmly. “Only the principal consort may live in the spacious, bright quarters.”
Seeing the old woman deliberately make things difficult, Wei Ruxuan had no choice but to endure.
Fine—better women don’t suffer immediate losses.
Once she regained the position of principal consort and eventually rose to Empress, she would deal with this old hag then.
Wei Ruxuan demanded: “Where is the Fifth Prince? I want to see him.”
“He has gone to the palace, attending the Empress Dowager. The secondary consort should rest for now.”
Humiliated all day, and now unable to even see her husband, Wei Ruxuan was more aggrieved than ever. She had dreamed of sharing a cup of nuptial wine with the Fifth Prince on their wedding night.
The next day, Yanyu awoke, changed clothes, and sat by the window writing. She lingered until noon, then rested her chin in her hand, gazing idly at the peach tree outside.
At that moment, Madam Jiang entered from outside: “Yan’er, the Emperor has adjusted the wedding date.”
Yanyu froze for a moment, then slowly turned back: “What?”
“The Emperor has ordered the Household Department to prepare urgently. He has already chosen an auspicious date—this month, you will marry Prince Qin.”
Yanyu’s brows furrowed slightly: “Wasn’t it agreed for the winter, later this year?”
“Who knows? With the scandal caused by the Wei family, perhaps the Emperor fears that the longer it drags on, the more trouble will arise.”
This time, Madam Jiang’s guess was correct.
Originally, the Emperor had set the marriage for before the New Year. But after the Wei girl’s disgraceful behavior, the Emperor, having finally secured the marriage for Prince Qin, feared delays would give the Empress Dowager a chance to interfere.
At first, the Emperor worried Prince Qin would refuse.
Yesterday, whether to spite the Empress Dowager or for another reason, Prince Qin agreed to the marriage. Since he had consented, the Emperor wasted no time in arranging it.
Madam Jiang noticed Yanyu’s hair had come loose when she had been resting her chin earlier. She reached up to tidy it: “The palace has sent many gifts to add to your dowry. Yet Prince Qin’s household has shown no response—His Highness has not even come to visit…”
But that was not surprising. After all, Prince Qin was the Emperor’s most favored son.
Madam Jiang’s heart was heavy, worried that her girl would suffer once in Prince Qin’s hands.
“Oh, and one more thing,” Madam Jiang added with a smile. “Your eldest and third cousins met the Emperor today. He spoke with them and found them promising. He intends to keep them in the capital.”
Yanyu’s eyes lit up instantly: “Really?”
Madam Jiang nodded with a smile: “They are both well-learned, and there are openings in the Hanlin Academy. If they remain here, their wives will eventually join them, and you will have family nearby for support.”
For a young woman alone in the capital, without her natal family’s protection, that was essential.
Though the Marquis Anqing’s Shao family was not her direct maternal kin, they had raised Yanyu as their own daughter. If trouble arose, they would surely stand up for her.
To Madam Jiang, Yanyu was still a child. She remembered their first meeting vividly, and now, in the blink of an eye, this child was about to marry.
Prince Qin’s household was vast, and the Prince himself was cold and violent. Madam Jiang feared Yanyu would suffer endlessly once married. Her heart ached, but she forced a smile, holding Yanyu’s hand: “Come, let’s look at the silks the Emperor gifted you today. The fabrics are excellent—we’ll have some new clothes made for you.”