“Miss, the Empress Dowager has arranged a marriage for you!”
The maid Lu Ya ran into the room with a joyful expression, her steps as light as a little bird hopping under the eaves. After glancing around, she found Yun Si sitting before the writing desk.
Yun Si was sitting upright at the desk, painting. Her slender brush fell upon the portrait of a court lady before her. Though the painting was not yet finished, its spirit was already evident.
Yun Si, holding the brush, was even more beautiful than the beauty in the painting. In her chamber, she wore light and simple attire—a pale cyan gauze dress—and her face was free of makeup. Even so, Lu Ya, who served Yun Si day in and day out, was momentarily stunned.
Yun Si was as beautiful as a celestial maiden, with skin like congealed cream, and her bright, shimmering eyes were especially captivating. When dressed up, she was as radiant as peach blossoms; even without makeup, her beauty was undiminished, like a lotus rising gracefully from clear water.
Lu Ya walked over to Yun Si and eagerly poured out the news she had heard: “Princess Rui went to the palace today to pay respects to the Empress Dowager, and immediately afterward, the Empress Dowager arranged your marriage to Commandery Prince Xie.”
The Princess Rui mentioned by Lu Ya was Yun Si’s maternal aunt.
Yun Si’s mother had married into the Chancellor’s Mansion, and Yun Si was the only legitimate daughter of the Chancellor’s Mansion.
Yun Si’s aunt had married into the Rui Prince’s Mansion and had only one legitimate son, the young prince Xie.
The young prince Xie Changze, to whom Yun Si was betrothed, was her cousin and the emperor’s nephew.
“You and the young prince Xie are perfectly matched in status and appearance—what could be more suitable in all the world!”
Lu Ya chattered on, her eyes sparkling, her entire being brimming with excitement.
“The best part is, after you marry, your mother-in-law will be your own aunt, so you’ll never have to worry about conflicts between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law…”
“Enough.” Yun Si’s slender, fair fingers picked up a small lotus pastry and stuffed it into Lu Ya’s mouth.
Lu Ya’s cheeks puffed out as she swallowed the pastry in two or three bites, looking at Yun Si in surprise. “Miss, your face is flushed!”
Yun Si shot Lu Ya a reproachful glance. “Even pastries can’t keep your mouth shut!”
Lu Ya covered her mouth and laughed. “Miss is feeling shy.”
Lu Ya gazed at Yun Si’s shy, blushing face, unable to tear her eyes away. It had been a long time since she had seen her mistress so lively.
The Chancellor’s Mansion upheld strict family traditions. Since the age of ten, Yun Si had been taught etiquette by a palace-trained governess. As a young lady of noble birth, Yun Si never showed her teeth when smiling or her feet when walking; every gesture reflected the grace of a great family.
In the capital, from the Empress Dowager and imperial consorts down to noblewomen of prominent families, everyone praised Yun Si. Yet, for some reason, Lu Ya, watching her mistress grow increasingly serene and dignified over the years, often missed the days when Yun Si would laugh when happy and cry when upset as a child.
Today, upon hearing of the Empress Dowager’s arranged marriage, the shyness on Yun Si’s face made the celestial maiden seem touched by the mortal world, becoming even more beautiful and vibrant.
Lu Ya was genuinely happy for her mistress. “Miss’s married life will surely be perfectly harmonious!”
Yun Si’s cheeks flushed crimson, and she hastily found an excuse to send Lu Ya away. “I’d like some shaved ice dessert. Go to the kitchen and fetch a bowl.”
After Lu Ya left, Yun Si was alone in the room. She gently pressed her jade-white fingers against her chest, feeling her heart flutter like a startled deer.
Having studied for several years under a palace-trained governess, Yun Si’s ability to maintain composure may not have been mastered to perfection, but she had at least grasped the basics. The shyness she displayed on her face was but a fraction of what she truly felt inside.
Even though she had known for years that she would marry her cousin… on the day the imperial marriage decree arrived, Yun Si still couldn’t help but blush, her heart racing.
Indeed, discussions of this marriage between the Chancellor’s Mansion and the Rui Prince’s Mansion had begun several years prior.
Princess Rui was Yun Si’s maternal aunt, who had doted on her since childhood. As Yun Si and Xie Changze grew older, the Rui Prince’s Mansion hinted at their desire for a marriage alliance. After careful consideration, Yun Si’s parents also felt it was a match made in heaven.
With both parties willing, the marriage negotiations proceeded smoothly.
This spring, Yun Si came of age, and Princess Rui gave lavish gifts at her coming-of-age ceremony.
Now, just at the beginning of summer, Princess Rui had already entered the palace to request the Empress Dowager’s decree, formally sealing the marriage between the two families.
Her marriage was so perfect it almost seemed unreal…
Whether in terms of family background, status, appearance, or talent, Cousin Changze was a worthy match for her. Moreover, even within the confines of her inner chambers, Yun Si had heard whispers.
The Emperor was now twenty-four, with countless beauties in his harem, yet he still had no sons.
Not only no sons, but not even a single daughter.
Among the three thousand palace consorts, not one had ever shown signs of pregnancy. The Emperor not only had no living children but had never even had a pregnancy reported.
There were murmurs among the common people that the Emperor’s violent temperament was a punishment from heaven…
Yun Si shuddered, quickly stopping her train of thought. Such treasonous words were not something a noble young lady like her should entertain. Yet, the fact remained that the Emperor still had no heir. Under such circumstances, the status of the Emperor’s nephews naturally rose.
If the Emperor remained childless, Xie Changze, as the Emperor’s own nephew, could potentially ascend the throne!
And Xie Changze was the most favored candidate among court officials and imperial relatives.
All of this had led Yun Si’s mother to exclaim with emotion, “Our Sisi is truly blessed. A marriage like this is hard to find even with a lantern…”
Fathers-in-law are often critical of their sons-in-law, but even Prime Minister Yun could find no fault with Xie Changze.
To secure such a marriage, Yun Si felt both fortunate and hopeful.
Today, with the Empress Dowager’s decree, aside from her shyness, she also felt a sense of settled stability.
But as her shyness gradually faded, nervousness and unease bubbled up like a spring…
“Sisi, why are you daydreaming?” Madam Zheng lifted the crystal curtain and entered the room.
Yun Si snapped back to reality, realizing she hadn’t even noticed her mother’s arrival. She smiled sheepishly. “I was lost in thought, Mother.”
Madam Zheng studied Yun Si’s expression and gently stroked her hair. “Is it because of the marriage decree?”
Yun Si nodded softly. “I… I can’t bear to leave Father and Mother.”
Now that the Empress Dowager had issued the decree, the six rites would follow: betrothal, name inquiry, divination, betrothal gifts, date selection, and finally, the wedding ceremony… In a year or so, she would go from being a daughter of the Yun family to a wife of the Xie family.
Leaving the home she had grown up in to marry into an unfamiliar family.
Although Xie Changze was her cousin, the memories of their childhood play had long since faded like mist. Since Yun Si turned ten, she had not met any men outside her father and brothers.
By now, it had been five years since she last saw her cousin.
Although she often met her aunt, would things remain the same after her aunt became her mother-in-law?
Yun Si’s heart was filled with uncertainty.
Madam Zheng reached out and pulled her daughter into her embrace, smiling as she said, “Every young woman must go through this once.”
Madam Zheng vaguely recalled the anxiety she felt while waiting to be married in her youth. In the blink of an eye, her own daughter was now about to marry.
“When you have children of your own in the future and look back on today, you’ll find yourself childish and laughable.”
Yun Si thought to herself, “No, I won’t!”
The one who wrote crooked characters at five years old was her, and the one skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting at fifteen was also her. Now fifteen, she didn’t find her five-year-old self childish or laughable.
When she turned twenty-five and had children of her own, she similarly wouldn’t laugh at her current nervous and flustered self.
Madam Zheng held her daughter tightly in her arms. “It’s a good thing you’re not marrying far away. After the wedding, you can often return to your parents’ home, and I can visit you too.”
“Alright now, if even a marriage like yours makes you weep and wail, then the tears of women all over the world would have long since flowed into rivers.”
Yun Si was never a narrow-minded person to begin with. After her mother’s comforting words, the worries in her heart gradually melted away like ice and snow.
She gently extricated herself from her mother’s embrace. It had been a long time since she had acted so coquettishly in her mother’s arms, and she felt a bit flushed and warm.
Madam Zheng reached out to smooth Yun Si’s hair. “Alright, rest early today. Tomorrow, the Rui Prince’s Mansion will come for the betrothal ceremony.”
This was news that Lu Ya hadn’t brought back. Yun Si was greatly surprised. “Tomorrow?”
So soon?
The Empress Dowager had just bestowed the marriage today, and tomorrow they would proceed with the first step of the six rites?
Madam Zheng, however, was quite pleased with this. The Rui Prince’s Mansion’s actions showed their sincerity.
“You’ll be meeting your aunt and cousin tomorrow, so rest well tonight. Only with good sleep will you look even more beautiful,” Madam Zheng reminded her.
Yun Si was startled again. “Will I be meeting Cousin?”
Madam Zheng smiled and nodded. Since the Empress Dowager had already bestowed the marriage, it wouldn’t be improper for Yun Si and Xie Changze, as an engaged couple, to meet in the presence of elders.
“Lu Ya, Bai Hao, attend to your young lady’s bath,” Madam Zheng called out cheerfully to Yun Si’s two personal maids.
The maids helped Yun Si wash her hair. Her hair was thick and dense, standing up like a dark cloud when tied and spreading out like black satin when loose. It looked extremely beautiful, but washing it each time required great effort.
Today, the maids washed it with extra care, using seven or eight different kinds of fragrant ointments and perfumes on Yun Si’s face and body.
After the bath, as Lu Ya helped Yun Si put on her inner garment, it accidentally slipped from Yun Si’s shoulder.
Lu Ya quickly reached out to hold it in place, thinking to herself that the descriptions in books of “skin like ice and jade, complexion like congealed fat” were something she only truly understood after seeing her own young lady.
The bath had taken too long, leaving Yun Si somewhat fatigued. Yet, when she lay down in bed, she tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep.
She opened her eyes and stared at the canopy embroidered with butterflies flitting among flowers, unable to stop herself from thinking. The last time she had seen her cousin was five years ago, when he still had the appearance of a youthful boy.
She had heard that her cousin was now tall and handsome, but no matter how hard she tried, Yun Si couldn’t picture what her grown-up cousin looked like.
However, while a person’s appearance may change, their temperament remains constant. Her cousin had always been a modest gentleman, gentle and refined like jade. Thinking of this, Yun Si felt a bit more at ease. She and her cousin would surely treat each other with the utmost respect and affection.
She would be a good and virtuous wife, managing the household and overseeing domestic affairs for her cousin… At this thought, a belated sweetness finally welled up in Yun Si’s heart.
Tomorrow, she would see her cousin. What did he look like now?
Perhaps because she had been thinking about the wedding before bed, Yun Si dreamt of her wedding night after falling asleep.
Red candles flickered as Yun Si sat sideways on the bed, dressed in her wedding gown.
The groom strode in hurriedly, lifted her veil, pressed her onto the mandarin duck brocade quilt, and began to untie her wedding dress.
As the gown opened, it revealed a crimson inner garment beneath. The man’s slender fingers deftly unfastened each button, exposing a shoulder as smooth and fair as mutton-fat jade.
The man paused briefly, then pressed his heated palm against her skin, his breathing suddenly growing heavy.
He leaned down, pressing himself against Yun Si. His muscles tensed, and Yun Si, experiencing a body so different from her own for the first time, flushed crimson all over.
Shame made her want to flee, but the man’s hands clamped down on her like iron tongs, rendering her completely immobile.
Even through their clothing, Yun Si could feel the heat radiating from the man’s body.
The candlelight cast his silhouette onto the nearby brocade screen—his figure lean and taut, without an ounce of excess flesh, like a masterpiece carved by a master artisan.
Broad-shouldered and narrow-waisted, his back even seemed slightly slender, yet his body held a strength Yun Si could not resist.
“Wait… wait…” In her dream, Yun Si vaguely sensed something amiss. Could her cousin, whom she hadn’t seen in five years, have changed so drastically in build and demeanor?
Yun Si looked up, meeting the man’s gaze. His eyes were blazing and unrestrained, as if he wanted to devour her whole.
Yun Si jolted awake from the dream—
The man who shared her wedding night in the dream was not her betrothed cousin at all!