The Lantern Festival had just passed, and a soft, continuous drizzle had finally ceased, washing the white bricks outside the Eldest Princess’s residence until they shone with a translucent luster.
Today was the Eldest Princess’s birthday. As the Emperor’s paternal aunt, her residence was surrounded by a long line of carriages and horses, as well as a large crowd of commoners gathered to watch the spectacle.
“Yesterday’s imperial marriage decree was utterly preposterous!”
A drunkard suddenly burst from the crowd, stumbling and falling into a puddle. Water splashed everywhere, soaking his trousers and sending shockwaves through the hearts of the onlookers.
Though the spring rain had stopped, the sky remained gloomy. The surrounding crowd instinctively formed a circle. Some recognized the drunkard as the only son of the Zhang family, a man who had failed the imperial examinations multiple times.
Zhang Qianyuan had drunk heaven-knows-how-much. He tried to prop himself up with his hands but collapsed backward with a dull thud. His arm went numb from the impact, and in his humiliated rage, he began to throw a fit at the heavens. “The heavens are unjust! The Crown Prince is devoid of both talent and virtue! Everyone in court knows he is bound to be deposed; he only holds the title because he was born to the first wife. Yet the Pei family daughter was bestowed upon him… the heavens have no eyes!”
At these words, everyone looked at each other in dismay. They wanted to gossip, but none dared to speak out. Criticizing the imperial family was a capital offense that could lead to the extermination of one’s entire clan.
However, speaking of yesterday’s marriage decree, it was indeed shocking. The current Crown Prince was of mediocre talent; he couldn’t even memorize the Three Character Classic after half a month of study, and his skills in riding and archery were average at best. Now twenty years old, he was still studying at the Imperial Academy while other princes had long since entered politics.
Everyone felt the Crown Prince would be deposed before he could even marry. Yet the Emperor had suddenly decreed his marriage to the daughter of the Grand Preceptor, catching everyone off guard.
“You cowards dare not speak, but I will!” Zhang Qianyuan saw their silence and sneered with cynical disdain. “The current Crown Prince is obsessed with catamites, seeking pleasure between the legs of the lowest of the low. No matter how outstanding the Pei daughter is, it is… all for naught… sob…”
Before Zhang Qianyuan could finish, two servants from the Eldest Princess’s residence rushed out. One covered his mouth while the other dragged him away, presumably to be dealt with at the magistrate’s office.
With Zhang Qianyuan gone, the show was over. The crowd dispersed with varying expressions, looking back as they went. But Zhang Qianyuan had started the fire; though the rest didn’t dare shout, they couldn’t help but whisper privately.
At the entrance of an alley across from the residence, under the shadow of dark clouds, stood several men dressed as scholars.
One sighed, “It truly is a pity for the Pei daughter. Her father is the Grand Preceptor who holds the power of the realm, her mother is a famous female scholar, and her uncle is a Great General. The most noble lady in the capital, yet…”
He hesitated, but a short, stout scholar named Fang Yanlin took up the thread with a cold snort. “The great families have held power for years; perhaps the Emperor has long wanted to deal with the Pei family. Outsiders see the decree as a happy occasion, but we all know the Emperor neglects the Crown Prince. In my view, the Emperor intends to finish off the Crown Prince and the Pei family together.”
“But I heard the Pei daughter is peerless in talent and beauty, the most beautiful in the capital. If she falls like this, it would be truly regrettable.”
“There’s nothing to regret. The Pei daughter has her nose in the air; she even rejected a marriage proposal from Prince Shou. A woman like that is like the moon in the sky—we shouldn’t even dream of touching her. Take that Zhang Qianyuan just now: the son of a minor official, he only got a few words of praise for his poetry from Grand Preceptor Pei, yet he had the delusion to propose. After being rejected, he drank himself silly every day. Now that he’s said those words, the Zhang family will be ruined along with him. I advise you all, don’t harbor thoughts of climbing above your station before you’ve achieved success in the exams.” Otherwise, it was just a pipe dream.
Prince Shou was the son of the second Empress. He was not only skilled in both literary and martial arts but had also earned the Emperor’s favor by managing flood control. Many were certain he would be the one to ascend the throne once the Crown Prince was deposed.
Yet the Pei daughter had rejected him, showing just how high her standards were.
“Brother Fang, you joke. How could we dare to aim so high?”
“Exactly. We only heard she was as beautiful as Xi Shi, and were merely lamenting her possible downfall.”
Fang Yanlin looked dismissive. He stiffened his short, thick neck and tilted his head. “A man should marry for virtue. Though I’ve never seen her, no matter how beautiful she is, she can’t compare to a virtuous wife. You praise her beauty as if she were the top courtesan of the Wanhua Pavilion. I would never like such a girl—Ouch! Who threw a stone at me?”
Before he finished, a thumb-sized pebble flew out of nowhere and struck him square on the back of his head, drawing blood.
They turned to look, but there were only endless lines of carriages and people passing by. Unable to tell who threw it, they guiltily hurried away.
In a nearby carriage that had just stopped sat a man dressed in a python robe of fine silk, sitting perfectly straight.
A slit opened in the curtain, revealing a partial view. Although his full face was hidden, his profile alone was stunning. His chiseled features were cold and sharp, and beneath long, curled lashes were deep, dark eyes that gazed out like ice in deep winter.
His attendant lowered his head, not daring to look, and asked in a low voice, “Crown Prince, how should we handle those people?”
Li Chang’an’s eyes flickered. He turned toward the window and parted his thin lips. His voice, like a cold blade forged from winter winds, indifferently spat out three words:
“The usual way.”
The attendant understood immediately. He lowered the curtain and was about to drive away when he heard a commotion. As he saw the Pei family carriage arriving, his master signaled for him to wait.
Following Zhang Qianyuan’s outburst, everyone was muttering about the marriage between the Pei daughter and the Crown Prince. Now that she had arrived, curiosity peaked. Everyone craned their necks to see the legendary beauty.
Li Chang’an hooked a long finger on the wooden window. Just as his gaze settled on the Pei carriage, he heard Fang Yanlin’s noisy shouting again.
“Don’t push, let me see too!” Fang Yanlin stood on his tiptoes, but he was barely six feet tall, unable to even see the roof of the carriage.
After a long wait, only a maid emerged from the carriage. The crowd felt disappointed. Just as some were backing away, a pale hand, white as snow, reached out from behind the curtain. She gently held the maid’s arm and stepped out with swaying grace. Everyone’s hearts leaped into their throats, only to see the Pei daughter wearing a veiled hat. Their excitement was instantly dampened.
Someone scoffed, “What’s this? Acting all mysterious. She’s not an imperial noble, yet she won’t even let people have a look. How stingy.”
“Yeah, wrapped up so tight every time. Who knows if she’s truly a beauty or as ugly as Dong Shi.”
“Forget it, nothing to see. It’s probably just rumors. How could there be someone everyone finds beautiful?”
“Then step back and let me see!” Fang Yanlin was still hopping around for a spot. Despite his previous disdain, he was now braving the pain and squeezing through the crowd for a glimpse.
Li Chang’an watched the annoyingly noisy Fang Yanlin and flicked two pebbles, hitting him right in the knees.
With a cry of pain, Fang Yanlin tumbled forward, rolling out of the crowd in a heap.
The commotion drew Pei Yue’s attention as she walked up the stone steps. She turned to look.
At that moment, the sun finally peeked through, casting a bright golden light. A spring breeze gusted, blowing aside the veil just enough to reveal a fleeting glimpse of Pei Yue’s face.
With just one look, the crowd gasped and held their breath.
Pei Yue’s beauty was ethereal, like an immortal. Her eyes, like clear water, swept over the crowd, tightening their heartstrings. Her dark pupils sparkled like jewels. Though she lacked any expression, that single glance was like a radiant pearl, inspiring both awe and affection.
When the veil fell back, the crowd remained entranced, unable to recover for a long time.
Eventually, near Li Chang’an’s carriage, someone sighed, “The Crown Prince is a lucky man.”