Two months passed in the blink of an eye.
The family managed to prepare most of Xi Cai’s dowry in a little over ten days of hurried work. After that, the only major task left was making her wedding dress. Every day, Xi Cai visited the embroidery room to check on its progress. Golden threads were being stitched onto the black silk of her ceremonial robe, their winding patterns resembling vines bursting with life in spring. Inch by inch, the golden vines spread across the dark fabric.
At first, her family had been anxious about the marriage. Gradually, however, their worries began to fade.
Her father, on the other hand, spoke more and more frequently about affairs at court, especially those involving the Marquis of Yanling. One day, the marquis would suppress the authority of the Shangshu Department; the next, he would use his trusted subordinates to interfere in military affairs.
Although he rarely attended court, his influence seemed to reach everywhere. The loyal officials who served the emperor were constantly worried about what he might do next.
Yet the trouble at court was not the only thing bothering the Xi family. The smaller problems at home were even more frustrating.
Xi Jiyuan and his wife had two daughters and one son. Their two daughters were relatively easy to manage, but their youngest child, Xi Tan, was another matter entirely. Neither parent could keep him under control.
They had spoiled him terribly when he was young, treating him as though he might melt if they held him too tightly. As a result, disciplining him had become increasingly difficult as he grew older.
At fourteen, Xi Tan had already made friends from all walks of life. He could get along with everyone, from young noblemen and aristocrats to street vendors and ordinary laborers. He could find someone to talk to and someone willing to drink with him wherever he went.
Having friends was not a bad thing, but one had to know how to choose them.
Writing poetry and composing essays were refined pursuits. Taking the Five-Stone Powder, on the other hand, was considered fashionable among certain circles, despite its dangerous effects. Unfortunately, the two activities often went hand in hand.
Thus, whenever Xi Tan announced that he was going to meet friends to discuss literature, Xi Jiyuan and his wife would immediately become worried.
They could not simply forbid him from going out, either. Xi Jiyuan was the Censor-in-Chief, responsible for supervising the officials of the entire court, yet he could not even control his own son.
Reality could be absurd indeed.
On the day before Xi Cai’s wedding, Xi Tan went out to meet his friends again. He swore that he would return by sunset, but even when the hour of the Pig arrived, he was still nowhere to be seen.
“We can’t control him anymore.”
The Mid-Autumn family banquet had already been dismissed. Madam Xi sat with her head propped up on one hand, looking utterly discouraged.
There was an old custom that when an elder sister married, her feet must not touch the muddy ground on her way to the wedding carriage. Her younger brother was supposed to carry her on his back.
They had already rehearsed the procedure, but Madam Xi still felt uneasy. Now that the wedding was finally approaching, she wanted to go over everything one more time.
Instead, they had waited for hours without seeing Xi Tan.
Both parents were furious, yet neither intended to give him a proper beating. They simply could not bring themselves to do it. They had loved and spoiled him since childhood, and the moment they saw his face, their anger would soften.
Fortunately, someone else was willing to do the job.
When Madam Xi heard footsteps outside, she silently handed the family disciplinary rod to Xi Xiao.
The moment Xi Tan opened the door, he saw his second elder sister sitting across from him like a bandit chief. She held a thick wooden rod in her right hand, roughly the size of a child’s arm, and slowly tapped it against her left palm.
His legs immediately went weak.
With a thud, he dropped to his knees.
“I didn’t take any Five-Stone Powder!” Xi Tan said with an ingratiating smile. “Look, my clothes are perfectly neat. If you don’t believe me, Elder Sister, you can check for yourself!”
Xi Xiao did not bother answering. She punched him straight away.
“And you still have the nerve to grin? Stop smiling!”
Xi Tan’s face immediately fell back into its proper expression.
He glanced at his parents standing nearby and realized that he could not count on them. His only hope was his eldest sister, the one person who could keep his second sister under control.
But the moment Xi Xiao saw him turn his head, she struck him across the backside with the rod.
“The one person who could save you has already been offended by you. This time, you can cry to Heaven, but Heaven won’t answer. You can call out to the earth, but the earth won’t help you either!”
Xi Tan cried out in pain and begged desperately.
“I was wrong! I just couldn’t resist when they urged me to drink. I had one cup too many, so I came home late. But I knew I had an important responsibility today, and I was careful not to go too far. Ah! Father! Mother! Save me!”
Neither parent dared intervene.
If they angered Xi Xiao, she might refuse to discipline him in the future. Then no one in the family would be able to control the boy at all.
Xi Jiyuan rubbed his nose and quietly walked away. Madam Xi counted her prayer beads and turned her body aside, pretending not to see what was happening.
Xi Xiao was thoroughly experienced in dealing with her younger brother. She beat him until tears and mucus ran down his face, and he could only cover his head and flee in panic.
Suddenly, he heard movement outside.
Without even looking, he rushed over and wrapped both arms around the newcomer’s legs.
“Elder Sister! She’s going to beat me to death!”
Xi Cai looked at her younger brother’s miserable state and turned to Xi Xiao.
“That’s enough. Stop beating him.”
Xi Tan was overwhelmed with gratitude. He was just about to say something flattering when he heard his eldest sister continue.
“Wait until after I leave for the wedding tomorrow. Then you can discipline him properly.”
Xi Tan froze.
He looked up at her in disbelief.
Xi Cai explained calmly, “I can’t bear to watch you get beaten. Your second sister never goes easy on you. If you continue to misbehave, she’ll keep beating you.”
She nudged him lightly with the tip of her foot.
“Why are you still sitting there? Get up.”
Xi Tan rose with a miserable expression and hid behind Xi Cai. From there, he began complaining loudly to Xi Xiao.
“I’m supposed to carry our eldest sister to her wedding carriage tomorrow! What if you beat me so badly that I can’t carry her anymore?”
Xi Xiao gave a cold snort.
“If you can’t carry her, I’ll do it myself. After you get married and leave this household, all the family property will belong to me. I’ll find myself a husband who marries into our family and takes care of the household.”
Xi Tan blinked and looked toward their parents for help.
Madam Xi remained silent, but Xi Jiyuan said, “I think that’s a reasonable idea.”
Now Xi Tan had completely lost the argument.
He muttered awkwardly, “A husband who marries into his wife’s family can’t be relied upon. I’m still a better choice.”
As he spoke, he quickly put on a smile and crouched in front of Xi Cai.
“Elder Sister, I can carry you! I’m much stronger than I look. I’ll carry you steadily and make sure you reach the wedding carriage safely.”
Xi Cai listened and patted him on the back.
At fourteen, the boy’s body was still somewhat slender, but his back was straight and strong.
She turned to look outside.
It was still the same central path she had walked countless times before. The previous evening, it had appeared hazy beneath the fading sunlight. Now, on the sixteenth day of the month, the entire path was brightly illuminated by lanterns.
A full moon hung in the sky, bathing the ground in silvery light.
Xi Tan carried his eldest sister on his back. Dressed in her magnificent wedding clothes, Xi Cai rested against him as he took large, steady steps forward.
Under the watchful eyes of their relatives and friends, he walked carefully along the red carpet.
Fine beads of sweat slid down his temples and soaked into the sleeves of Xi Cai’s wedding robe. She gently raised her arm and wiped them away for him.
There was a long distance from the main hall to the entrance of the residence. With her face covered by the ceremonial veil, Xi Cai’s vision was limited. She could see countless hems of robes and pairs of shoes lining both sides of the path, but she could not tell who belonged to whom.
For a moment, she felt as though she were in a dream.
She could hardly understand how she had suddenly reached the point of getting married. She did not even know whether she was experiencing a dream of her own or attending someone else’s wedding ceremony.
But the moment her feet touched the ground, the feeling of reality returned.
From the wedding procession, a senior matron and several female officials stepped forward to receive her. They carried incense burners and glass lanterns, approaching her in an orderly manner.
She heard Xi Tan call softly, “Elder Sister.”
His voice was full of reluctance.
Xi Cai had no special instructions for him. She simply said, “Be good. Don’t make Father and Mother angry.”
The attendants came forward to support her as she climbed into the wedding carriage.
According to the ceremonial regulations for the wife of a marquis, her carriage was a purple-red covered carriage with felt curtains and a painted, lacquered shaft. Three horses were harnessed to pull it.
As the carriage began to move, the horses’ hooves produced a series of crisp sounds, accompanied by the jingling of bells. Surrounded by the wedding procession, the carriage slowly made its way forward.
At least they were heading in the right direction.
Sitting inside the carriage, Xi Cai suddenly remembered that she had never bothered to ask where the Marquis of Yanling’s residence was located.
Only now did she begin to worry.
What if the marquis sent her to a bandit’s den? Or what if, as revenge against her father for constantly opposing him at court, he had arranged for her to marry a butcher with a face full of thick, ugly flesh instead?
The more she thought about it, the more uneasy she became.
She hurried to the window and cautiously lifted one corner of the curtain to peek outside.
Tonight was the wedding of the Marquis of Yanling. Everywhere the procession passed, lanterns and decorations illuminated the streets. Vast stretches of brilliant light extended into the distance, running throughout the entire city of Luodu.
As long as the lights remained bright and no one tried to take her somewhere dark and isolated, there should be no trouble.
Xi Cai rested one hand on the small decorative knife hanging at her waist and carefully observed her surroundings.
After approximately the time it took to burn two incense sticks, she finally saw an imposing residence standing ahead.
A large plaque above the main gate bore the words Marquis of Yanling’s Residence. Tall decorative frames stood on both sides of the entrance, covered with red silk.
The wind blew through the courtyard, making the silk ripple and rise and fall like a person breathing.
The carriage came to a stop.
The senior matron opened the door and helped Xi Cai out. Only then did Xi Cai notice that someone was standing beside her.
Unfortunately, her veil blocked most of her vision. She could only glimpse a small portion of the person beside her.
Judging by the style and embroidery of his ceremonial robe, he was most likely the Marquis of Yanling himself.
Neither side had ever been particularly optimistic about this marriage.
The marquis had used his poor health as an excuse to avoid visiting the Xi residence, refusing even to attend the formal ceremony in which he was supposed to welcome his bride.
The guests must have been gossiping behind his back, calling him arrogant and accusing him of refusing to show the Xi family proper respect.
Although the two households had now become relatives by marriage, their old grudges remained unresolved. On such a joyful occasion, the marquis had deliberately humiliated Censor-in-Chief Xi.
The Xi family was furious, but they were not truly wounded by this slight. People who wanted to accomplish great things could not afford to obsess over such trivial matters.
Following the attendants, Xi Cai entered the ceremonial hall amid a noisy crowd.
She heard people laughing and joking from every direction. Judging by their loud voices, they were probably the marquis’s brothers or close friends.
“Young Master Ninth, the young lady of the Xi family is famous throughout Luodu! You certainly are a lucky man!”
Someone beside her moved. The gold embroidery on his dark ceremonial robe rustled softly, suggesting that he was returning their greeting with a formal bow.
But he said nothing.
Xi Cai tried to comfort herself.
Never mind. Her father’s political enemies were bound to be unpleasant people. Birds of a feather flock together. Why should she expect the marquis’s guests to be a gathering of gentlemen who understood proper etiquette?
With that thought, she completed the wedding ceremony amid the noisy crowd.
The ceremony was extremely brief—so brief that it almost seemed carelessly conducted.
Since the founding of the Great Sheng dynasty, the rules of etiquette had been revised and refined several times, becoming increasingly elaborate. Marriage, being one of the most important events in a person’s life, was subject to particularly strict requirements.
For example, there were procedures for avoiding evil influences when stepping down from the carriage, welcoming good fortune, and paying respects to one’s ancestors. Every step had its own rules.
Yet at the Marquis of Yanling’s residence, almost everything had been omitted. The only ceremony that remained was the formal bow between husband and wife.
Even the traditional ritual in which the couple shared food and drank wine from joined cups had been skipped. Apparently, the marquis was too unwell to drink alcohol.
Fine. With such an incomplete wedding ceremony, Xi Cai felt she had even more reason not to take this marriage too seriously.
Fortunately, the customs of the new dynasty remained relatively open, following the more liberal traditions of the previous era. Years of warfare had greatly reduced the population, and women faced few restrictions if they wished to remarry.
As long as two people genuinely loved each other, were willing to build a life together, and hoped to have children, society would not condemn them for marrying again.
Knowing that she still had a way out, Xi Cai did not torment herself over marrying the family of her enemy.
Instead, she adopted a calm, practical attitude. Since things had already come to this point, she might as well accept the situation and see what happened.
The ceremony soon ended, and she was escorted to the bridal chamber.
The marquis’s residence was enormous. They passed through several corridors and turned multiple corners before finally reaching the room where she would sit beneath the wedding canopy.
The senior matron said, “Madam, you must be exhausted today. You may rest early. Our Lord Marquis is entertaining guests in the front hall and still has official matters to discuss with them. If the discussions continue too late, he may not return tonight. He would not wish to disturb your sleep.”
Was this supposed to be a show of dominance?
He was already so sick that he could barely function, yet he still wanted to make things difficult for her.
Xi Cai was neither angry nor embarrassed by the cold treatment. She simply asked calmly, “What about my ceremonial veil?”
The senior matron replied, “Madam may remove it herself. Our Lord Marquis is not a man who clings to old-fashioned customs.”
So they were deliberately treating her with contempt.
Fortunately, Xi Cai had not forgotten the virtuous image she had worked so hard to maintain.
She sat upright, her hands folded neatly inside her sleeves, and spoke in a gentle, composed voice.
“I have married into the marquis’s household. From now on, my husband is the head of my family, and I must respect him above all else. I should wait for him to remove my ceremonial veil before I can properly stand on my own feet in this household.
“Please convey my words to him. No matter how late he returns, I will wait for him. A wife must respect her husband, and proper etiquette must not be abandoned.
“Today is also the first time I will meet my husband in person. I would ask him to take his seat in a place of honor and allow me to pay my respects to him according to the proper ceremony.”
Her words certainly lived up to the Xi family’s reputation for producing virtuous young ladies.
A hint of approval entered the senior matron’s voice. She bowed and said, “This servant will certainly convey Madam’s words to our Lord Marquis. However, we do not know when he will return to his room. What if he does not come back at all? Wouldn’t Madam be waiting in vain?”
“Even if I have to wait all night, it is my duty as his wife.”
Beneath the veil, Xi Cai pursed her lips.
“I must trouble you to pass on my message.”
The senior matron agreed and ordered the servants to withdraw to the outer room. Only the bride and the personal maids who had accompanied Xi Cai from her family remained in the inner chamber.
After everyone had left, Yu Wu stood by the door and looked outside. Once she was certain that no one was nearby, she returned quietly and whispered, “My lady, are you hungry? Shall I bring you a couple of pieces of fruit to eat?”
Xi Cai remained perfectly still.
Her voice drifted out from beneath the veil.
“I’m not hungry. None of you should move around, either.”
Yu Wu and Gong Xi answered obediently and returned to their places, standing on either side of the bed.
Tonight was clearly not going to be easy.
They could not relax simply because no one else was in the room. Who knew whether someone might be watching them from a hidden corner?
Xi Cai had entered the marquis’s residence carrying the reputation of a virtuous young lady admired throughout the city. She had to protect that reputation at all costs.
She understood the situation very clearly. She could be a little old-fashioned, a little dull, even somewhat stiff or awkward. But she absolutely had to remain obedient, follow the rules, and behave as a gentle and virtuous wife should.
Therefore, even when her back began to ache from sitting upright and her eyelids felt as heavy as lead, she forced herself to endure it.
At first, she considered biting her tongue to use the pain to drive away her sleepiness. But then she thought about how painful it would be if she injured her tongue and could not eat properly.
That would be a terrible waste.
So she pinched her own thigh instead.
A sharp pain jolted her awake.
The brocade curtains before her were bathed in the room’s warm light, their brilliant red color making everything seem hazy and unreal.
The water clock continued to drip steadily. She had no idea how long she had been sitting there, but it was probably close to midnight.
The laughter and conversation from the front courtyard had long since died away.
She had thought the Marquis of Yanling would finally appear after entertaining his guests, but she waited for a long time and still heard nothing from him.
Xi Cai turned to the maids beside her.
“What time is it?”
Gong Xi answered, “It’s almost midnight.”
Xi Cai sighed.
What an exhausting ordeal!
She could sit here until dawn while the marquis slept comfortably somewhere else. Deliberately making things difficult for her was one thing, but treating her with such complete disrespect was another.
Still, she had to hold on.
Perhaps she could let her eyes rest for a moment. Her ears would remain alert, and if someone came in to catch her sleeping, she could open her eyes and respond immediately.
Unfortunately, she had underestimated the connection between her eyes and her brain.
The moment she closed her eyes, her hearing seemed to fade as well, and her mind followed them into rest.
The brief nap she stole in such a desperate situation was an indescribable mixture of torment and pleasure.
She had never realized that sleeping could feel so wonderful. It was like sinking into a warm, soft, fluffy sea, where she could forget the oppressive heat of the eighth month.
If she could relax her entire body completely, it might be the happiest moment of her life.
When sleepiness came, sheer willpower was not enough to fight it.
She no longer wanted to pinch herself, either. The pain was awful, and its effects lasted only a short while.
Instead, she decided to ask the time every so often.
She made up her mind that if the marquis had still not returned by the hour of the Ox, then he was probably going to leave her waiting all night. At that point, she could at least lean against the bed frame and doze while keeping her wedding clothes on.
In a hazy state between wakefulness and sleep, she asked again, “What time is it?”
Someone answered, “It’s the middle of the hour of the Ox.”
The reply startled her so badly that she immediately snapped awake.
Only then did she realize that the voice belonged to a man.
It was low and gentle, spoken in an unhurried manner, as though he had merely happened to pass by and answered her question without thinking.
Xi Cai instantly became alert. She quietly adjusted her posture and straightened her back.
Her ceremonial veil had not yet been removed. Hidden behind the layer of red silk, she spoke in a sweet, gentle voice, a smile even audible in her words.
“My lord, you’ve returned?”
She made her tone as warm and tender as possible.
“Your wife has been waiting here for you for quite some time.”