Two days before the grand wedding, the atmosphere in the Lin family’s residence was tense, with everyone on edge and afraid to make the slightest mistake. Lady Han frequently inspected the entire residence, fearing that any negligence might be noticed by the officials from the Ministry of Rites.
The marriage of a concubine’s daughter usually wouldn’t require such meticulous arrangements, however the Ministry of Rites kept a close watch. Thus, the people from Jinning Hou’s residence also attached great importance to this union.
Lady Han had no choice but to put on a show of being a loving mother, even making Lin Xingxue’s dowry more extravagant than originally planned.
While anxiety gripped the entire residence, the young girl nestled in the Yunxiu Courtyard slept much more soundly than usual.
After the matter from last time, Wu Tong brought many books about Shen Hanxing. The contents were a mix of truth and falsehood, making it hard to reconcile with the notorious killer that people spoke of today.
Lin Xingxue couldn’t obtain any more information about Shen Hanxing from other sources. The rumors outside all painted him as ruthless, but she couldn’t believe that the young man in the brocade robe who once saved her had truly become a cold-hearted demon. She could only rely on those books to imagine what Shen Hanxing was like.
“Miss,” Wu Tong frowned as she walked in.
Lin Xingxue put down her book and looked quietly at Wu Tong. Wu Tong, seeing no one around, whispered, “Ming Lu is here again.”
Ming Lu, Gu Yan’s most trusted servant, never left him even in his most difficult times. Now he was the person Gu Yan trusted the most.
In the past month, Gu Yan had sent Ming Lu to find Wu Tong multiple times, wanting to see her.
She had not agreed and had no desire to meet him again. She did not expect him to be so persistent. With the wedding a mere two days away, he still wanted to meet her privately.
“If the young lady doesn’t want to see him, Servant will go and send him away.”
Wu Tong had no good feelings towards Gu Yan, and she also disliked Ming Lu because of him.
When the Gu family faced difficulties, the young lady helped Gu Yan despite the pressure from the mistress. She supported him in his studies, even when he was expelled from the capital, living in Cangling County for three years.
Now that he has cleared his father’s name, he has turned around and disregarded the young lady. He even made her witness such a filthy scene. Such an ungrateful person was not worth seeing again.
Wu Tong finished speaking and expressed her intention to make him leave. Lin Xingxue closed the book, reached out to tug on Wu Tong’s sleeve, and gently shook her head.
She stood up and walked to the study in the East Transverse Courtyard, spreading out a clean sheet of paper and writing two lines with a brush. She put the note in an envelope and handed it to Wu Tong.
Despite repeated entanglements from Gu Yan, if she ignored him, there was no guarantee he wouldn’t continue to persist. It was better to make things clear and completely define the boundaries between them.
Wu Tong pushed open the back door, and Ming Lu was still waiting in place. Seeing her approach, he craned his neck to look behind her. Seeing that there was no one behind her, he sighed softly.
Wu Tong looked coldly at Ming Lu, handed over the envelope, and instructed, “Give this to your young master. Kindly inform your young master that my young lady is about to marry Jinning Hou and it is not suitable for her to meet with other men. Since Young Master Gu has made a choice, there is no need to pretend to be a lovelorn person, so as not to tarnish my young lady’s reputation.”
Although Wu Tong didn’t see the contents of the letter, she vaguely guessed its purpose.
She had endured for a month, but in the end, she couldn’t hold back from releasing these inappropriate words.
She had no right to reprimand Gu Yan[1], but when she thought of the grievances the young lady had suffered, she felt a stifling unease in her heart that needed to be vented.
Ming Lu awkwardly took the envelope and glanced in a certain direction. Unable to hold back, he tried to explain, “That incident was an accident, and our young master didn’t intend…”
“The wood has become a boat[2], and Young Master Gu should understand this truth better.”
Wu Tong was too lazy to listen to Ming Lu’s explanation. She looked coldly towards the end of the alley, snorted disdainfully, thinking that whether it[3] was an accident or not, it was all just sophistry[4].
Wu Tong forcefully shut the back door, leaving Ming Lu with a dusty nose. Holding the letter, he walked to the end of the alley.
A young man in a blue and embroidered robe stood there, hands clenched. He looked at the letter, neither daring to take it nor daring to open it.
Previously, Wu Tong had only driven Ming Lu away without saying much. But today, the words she spoke clearly indicated a desire to establish clear boundaries.
Gu Yan slowly took the letter and unfolded it.
There were only two lines of delicate handwriting on the letter:
Young Master Gu, the jade pendant is not yours.
From now on, we are clear of each other.
Gu Yan stared at those two lines, gripping the edges of the paper tightly.
She had finally found out, and their initial connection was unexpectedly severed just like that.
Gu Yan stared at the two lines, standing still for a long time. He looked in the direction of Yunxiu Courtyard.
The girl who used to smile at him, her heart and eyes filled with him, was truly heartbroken by him this time.
But…
Why did A’ Xue[5] become suspicious? How did she find out[6]?
On the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth lunar month, the Qintian Observatory[7] selected an auspicious day.
For several consecutive days, the weather has been clear, and today the snow has melted away. The azure sky was spotless, and the warm sunlight fell on people like scattered gold, bringing a gentle warmth.
Within the Yunxiu Courtyard, many people came and went, all arranged by the Ministry of Rites.
Outside the mansion, firecrackers echoed through the sky, and faintly, the lively sounds from Yunji Courtyard[8] could be heard. It seemed that Gu Yan was bringing people to welcome the new bride.
When the noise from Yunji Courtyard finally subsided, after about two quarters of an hour, the once quiet Lin residence once again became lively.
This time it was the people from the Jinning Hou’s residence.
Lin Xingxue held an ornate round fan, dressed in gorgeous bridal attire, sitting quietly on the bridal bed.
The fan was delicately embroidered with auspicious patterns. Through the slightly sheer red fan surface, one can vaguely see the girl’s face—her features were picturesque, with an ethereal beauty.
Upon seeing Lin Xingxue in her bridal attire with a healthy flushed complexion, the wedding attendants were momentarily stunned. However, considering that she was about to marry into Jinning Hou’s residence, their hearts were filled with sighs.
Lin Xingxue heard the noisy sounds outside the room and nervously clutched her wedding fan.
This was going to be her second meeting with her savior, but it was under these circumstances, making it difficult for her to remain calm.
The footsteps outside the door ceased, and the matchmaker opened the door. After exchanging a few words with someone outside, she hurriedly returned to the side of the bride. She bent down and whispered, “Miss Lin, there’s been some trouble on Jinning Hou’s side. The person here to escort the bride today is Lord Shen from Jinning Hou’s residence.”
What happened to Jinning Hou?
Lin Xingxue subconsciously wanted to ask, but when she opened her mouth, no sound came out.
Young master Shen had already walked in, and Lin Xingxue could only suppress her worries and stand up to go outside.
When bidding farewell to her parents, Lady Han, who was looking at Shen Qing who came to escort the bride, felt a sudden relief from the pent-up frustration of the past few days[9].
Jinning Hou refused to come to escort the bride, indicating that he did not value this new bride. In the future, Lin Xingxue’s days might not be easy.
Such thoughts were not limited to Lady Han alone.
Substitute for Shen Hanxing, Lord Shen, who came to greet the bride, glanced at the bride behind him. With a round fan covering her face, he could only vaguely see the appearance of this young girl. In his heart, he thought, ‘she’s just a concubine’s daughter, how stunning could she be?’
Shen Hanxing was unwilling to come and welcome the bride, showing no regard for her. Everyone knew that his excuse of being sick was just a pretense.
With such thoughts, Shen Qing felt a bit disdainful towards this future Jinning Hou’s wife.
The bridal sedan steadily traveled to Jinning Hou’s residence, and after Lin Xingxue performed all the formalities, she sat in a soft sedan chair and was taken to the East Transverse Courtyard.
The East Transverse Courtyard was silent, creating a barrier between the lively front courtyard. Only two festive red lanterns hanging under the eaves indicated that today was a joyous day.
The matchmaker escorted Lin Xingxue to the courtyard gate but dared not go any further.
Lin Xingxue knew that there had been a change in the person beside her. The maid’s voice was gentle, reminding her to be careful not to trip.
Following the maid, Lin Xingxue walked into the main building. The maid assisted her in sitting on a chaise lounge and then respectfully withdrew.
The maid quietly closed the door, and the entire room instantly fell silent.
No one reminded her of what to do next, and no one told her whether Shen Hanxing was here.
She felt as if she had been abandoned in this cold room.
Lin Xingxue patiently waited for almost half an hour, but the maid still hadn’t returned.
She vaguely guessed something and quietly moved the red fan to peek inside the room.
A twelve-fold landscape screen separated the bed and couch, making it impossible to see what was hidden behind.
And Shen Hanxing, her husband, was very likely behind that screen.
TLN: Happy Valentines Day! ❤️
Anon: This is how I imagine Lin Xingxue to be dressed like right now hehe.
[1] as she is a servant while Gu Yan is a young master, it is highly inappropriate to do this. In some cases, it is possible to get killed/beat
[2] kinda similar to the saying ‘the rice has already been cooked’, basically means that what has been done has been done, and it can’t be reversed.
[3] regarding the scene where Gu Yan and Lin Xingran were found in bed together
[4] in short, it was a lie to say that it was an accident
[5] “A” (啊) pronounced ah, common nickname for friends/close people
[6] obviously by your soon-to-be wife
[7] official institution in ancient China with the responsibility of observing celestial phenomena, calculating solar terms, and formulating calendars
[8] this should be Lin Xingran’s courtyard
[9] tbh I really don’t understand why she wants to ruin Lin Xingxue’s life…like you’re the one in power, she is also only a concubine’s daughter. There’s no point in being so petty and calculating against someone who can’t do anything against you.