Cool moonlight flowed in from outside the window, coalescing into a silvery apparition.
Beneath the moon, a beautiful maiden tilted her head as she gazed at the scholar in white. Her eyes were bright, her brows elegant and proud. The hairpin with a red jade ornament in her loosely tied updo glimmered as the light played over it, illuminating her face like a peach blossom, radiant as the stars.
Zhu Zi’an was startled for a moment, then lowered his eyes with a faint smile, seeming to murmur to himself, “…drunken ramblings, not to be taken seriously.”
His every move was infused with tipsiness, his expression lazy and languid, his posture like an elegant young nobleman slightly drunk on wine. Even inebriated, he was the picture of grace – raising the cup to drink beneath the moon in genteel revelry. Facing the clear breeze over the river, he appeared almost ready to be carried off by the wind.
“Zi’an…” Jiang Kui said softly, then fell silent.
What to say?
To say…am I in your heart?
On the eighth day of the eighth month when he had sunk into unconsciousness and the last thing he remembered was their argument over going to the Penglai Hall or Chang Le quarter, before he slept for a long time without waking… So he didn’t know that she already knew.
Oblivious, he had no idea she had seen the red thread tied around his wrist, and no idea that he had warded off her outstretched hand in his sleep and murmured in her ear, “Don’t touch me.”
Back then she hadn’t understood – why did this person obviously care for her, yet never said anything or drew close?
Now she understood.
He was a country bumpkin, a market town commoner. While she was the young lady of an eminent household, the beloved youngest daughter of a general.
It was never meant for them to be together.
If she was merely a wandering heroine of the martial world and he was a scholar from the county town, perhaps they could have traveled the world sharing drinks… But she was the one and only daughter of a general’s household, and her marriage was a crucial chess piece in the power balance of court politics.
Tomorrow she would marry. Her groom was the exalted Crown Prince. It was not a marriage founded on love, but a political alliance driven by unseen maneuverings for power.
One day in the future, she might become an empress overseeing the realm, protecting all the common people under Heaven.
Such was the path she had to take, the way she had to follow.
“Zi’an…” She opened her mouth again softly.
The moonlight was as cold as frost. All was silent in the elegant room as the figure beside her did not respond.
He sat by the table, propping up his head in one hand. He had already fallen asleep.
Jiang Kui turned to look at his face in the moonlight. Even in drunken repose he was perfectly elegant – his speech restrained, his manners decorous. Even excessively drunk, he would not speak out of turn, merely falling soundly asleep.
By the next day when he woke, he would remember nothing.
“Zi’an…” Jiang Kui called his name a third time softly.
Sensing that he was deeply asleep, she bent over and whispered by his ear, “You’re so dumb, Zi’an. If someone has sincerely cared for another…she is able to feel it.”
Then she lifted her face, allowing the moonlight to flow onto her skin like water.
On the Mid-Autumn night of the eighth year of the Jingde era, she felt as though she had dreamed an expansive dream.
Sometimes all the sorrow in the world sprang from things left unsaid.
And sometimes all the regret stemmed from things that were said.
Those words, neither had said aloud.
One kept it in his heart, unwilling to speak, while the other knew yet also remained silent.
In the flickering candlelight, the red bridal dais stretched ten kilometers.
At dusk on the sixteenth day of the eighth month, the Crown Prince rode out from the palace in a golden carriage, halting west of the gates to the general’s estate facing south. The Crown Princess donned Ruilian robes and floral hairpins, standing in the east wing and quietly awaiting his arrival amidst the sounds of flute and drum.
Not far away, a blaze of firelight suddenly sparked brightly as a candle dragon bearing a brilliance.
Jiang Kui lifted her face. She wore Ruilian robes while hairpins decorated her hair like a little forest. Misty strands of her Bangs framed her face while a magnificent array of gold and jade adorned her figure, radiant as the glow of sunset clouds. Exquisite red lotus hairpins bloomed wantonly on her brow, illuminating her beauty.
Xie Wuyan held a bright lantern as he dismounted from the golden carriage. Clad in a vermilion gown and black cap, he silently bowed to her amidst the lush, rosy glow all around, his silhouette tall and slender like flowing molten gold outlined by the candle flames.
“As night falls by imperial decree, I am bid to fulfill my duty.”
In that moment, surrounded by the lantern flames, she saw the path she had to take.
The pipes and drums fell silent as lanterns swayed up and down with the wind, alternating dim and bright, vague and clear.
In this sea of rosy clouds she glimpsed his visage.
His features appeared gentle and tranquil, as though painted by an immortal – his brow was as sheer as rugged cliffs, his eyes like twinkling stars. Bearing refined elegance and noble grace, the sight of him made one think of clear skies after snowfall, the bright full moon – diminishing the vibrant lights for kilometers around to colorless gloom, extinguishing all other candles to darkness.
Legend told that all princes of the imperial household possessed astounding good looks, the Crown Prince most of all, with his bright elegance and moonlit gentleness unstained by the mortal realm – as though an exiled heavenly immortal who had fallen to earth. As he descended the stairs, even the wind seemed to still reverently, moonbeams spilling down to petrify time itself.
The two greeted each other quietly according to ritual, standing atop the stairs to bid the general’s household farewell.
Her father exhorted, “Heed and respect him, do not disobey night or day.”
Her young aunt exhorted, “Exert yourself in respect toward him, do not disobey night or day.”
With the rites of greeting concluded, Xie Wuyan lit the way with a candle as he mounted his horse, while Jiang Kui stepped into the carriage. Leading the procession ahead, he drove her carriage around three circuits amidst the blazing lights for ten kilometers before finally heading toward the Eastern Palace for the consummation rites.
The ceremonial curtains and canopy had been set up within the inner palace in the west chamber. The Crown Prince’s seat faced east while the Crown Princess’s faced west.
Xie Wuyan entered from the western stairs with an extended bow. Jiang Kui followed behind him, flanked by an attendant wielding a fan and an attendant bearing a candle. Standing face to face, brilliant lanterns blazed down upon them from above, the lights spilling onto the hems of their robes in the space between them.
Within the azure canopy, bright candles burned high above. An official entered, taking his place facing west. In a loud voice he proclaimed, “The feast is available.”
Another official immediately responded in a loud voice, “Yes.”
Newly wedded in matrimony, the bride and groom both harbored private thoughts as they shared sacrificial meat and wine in these rites.
Jiang Kui stared at the little jade wine cup in her hand, the exquisite phoenix engraved on its surface was vivid down to the slightest feathered detail. A red thread linked its tail all the way to where it was grasped in his slender, flawless fingers.
Xie Wuyan lifted his head and drained the cup in one go. As his head tilted back, the dancing candle flames illuminated his chiseled jawline, casting an attractive arc of shadow beneath his Adam’s apple.
The official facing north knelt with palms joined. “The rites are complete…joyful marriage…”
Next, one official led the Crown Prince into the east room to remove his formal attire and change into plain robes, while another ushered the Crown Princess deeper behind the canopy to disrobe.
It was late into the night with lanterns still burning bright. Within the canopy curtained by a pearl beaded lattice headboard, the gold and silk embroidered bed was strewn with gold and silver coins as well as assorted fruits and blossoms. On the verdant jade candle stands to either side, red candles flickered as the wax crinkled and cracked.
A night breeze stirred the thin, gauzy curtains over the canopy, caressing the maiden’s cheek where she sat composed and demure, her lowered lashes veiling the spark of mischief in her eyes.
Hmph…Xie Wuyan.
Today she was determined to uncover his true purpose.
Although Zhu Zi’an had refuted her suspicions, she still believed this Xie Wuyan was extremely suspicious.
It happened that he proposed to marry her shortly before and after her family fell into dire straits. It happened that he was there by secluded Tonghua Gate when someone pushed her into the water after she entered the palace. It happened that he was drinking tea aboard a little boat nearby when she was stabbed after an autumn banquet.
There were just too many coincidences…far too many for her not to suspect he had some ulterior motives.
Was he trying to win over the support of her general family? Or eyeing the military power commanded by her family? Was he well-meaning or evil-intentioned?
As the one and only daughter of the general’s household, if something were to happen to them, Xie Wuyan would likely gain control over the Left and Right Guard forces commanded by the Jiang family of Bailing. Every faction eyed that military power thirstily.
She decided tonight was the time to subdue this guy and interrogate him thoroughly.
A breeze stirred, followed by someone standing upright outside the canopy to bow deeply before entering slowly.
Through the red gauze before her, Jiang Kui watched a figure in deep red approach rustlingly, the golden hem of his robes glinting as they passed the scattered golden bricks illuminated by wavering candle flames – stretching and dimming with the moving shadows.
The silhouette halted before her and all was still for a long while until finally, a hand lifted the red gauze.
She abruptly grabbed his hand with a fierce twist of her wrist.
With a swish, the red gauze fluttered down. Dainty feet spun atop the golden bricks edging the bed, setting all her golden hair ornaments ringing out crisply, the crimson train of her dress swirling through the air.
She clasped his fingers tightly, lacing them through the gaps between in an intimate hold contrasted by the bone-chilling iciness in her eyes.
In the next moment she slammed Xie Wuyan down onto the bed. One hand pressed against his chest while the other unsheathed her sword!
Concealed within the layers of formal bridal attire was a slender sword in a green python scabbard, strapped to her slender shapely calf with a strip of cowhide.
The way she unsheathed it was tantalizing as a ghostly enchantress. Slender snow-white fingers slowly lifted the extravagant layers of silk, exposing her beautiful bare feet, slim ankles, gorgeous legs with exquisite proportions…until finally the murderous weapon hidden beneath was revealed.
The slender sword was a birthday gift crafted for her by Master Little Bai of the Legendary Sword Manor. Named Green Python, it was forged from expensive ore just for her. Its curved blade contour matched the curve of her calf.
It was an intimate weapon for self defense. On occasions when Jiang Kui could not openly carry a blade, she would occasionally strap this sword to herself in case of emergencies.
Now she held him at swordpoint, pinning him beneath her. The flowing lantern lights illuminated her face – that exquisite visage was like an enchanting sprite, utterly bewitching the downtrodden scholar to willingly offer up his very soul.
She leaned down, gazing at him as she tilted her head with a chilling laugh. “Touch me and you die.”
Her soft, lilting words carried bone-chilling killing intent.
Legend on the martial world told that whenever the exceptional youthful heroine Pointed Silver Spear encountered enemies, she would always have an enchanting smile on her face. The sweet musical laughter of the charming girl was both captivating and terrifying, often leaving opponents shocked witless and thrown into chaos. Some said it was because Pointed Silver Spear delighted in drawing blood, growing excited the instant her spearpoint was stained red.
But that wasn’t actually the case. In the beginning, she smiled to conceal her sentiments.
Her master had taught her that when facing enemies, she could not reveal cowardice but had to keep a calm expression to prevent opponents from gauging her actual skill in order to confuse and outwit them. But Jiang Kui couldn’t manage it. She couldn’t maintain a calm expression when piercing her blade into an opponent’s chest.
Finally her master heaved a long sigh. If you can’t keep an impassive face, then laugh instead.
And so whenever Jiang Kui engaged opponents, she would be smiling. Gifted with devastating beauty, when she stood poised with spear in hand – a vision of perilous allure – her sweet, musical laughter often left opponents simultaneously fearful and suspicious, thrown into disarray and disorder.
Over time, smiling while fighting became second nature to her. She smiled, opponents fell to chaos.
Unexpectedly, Xie Wuyan was not thrown into chaos at all.
It seemed he was first astonished for a moment before quietly shutting his eyes without moving a muscle, entirely at her mercy sprawled pinned beneath her.
The young husband lays prone with closed eyes. “I leave myself to my wife’s mercy.”
…Was he seriously submitting this quickly?
Jiang Kui did not let him off easily but prodded at him with her sword impatiently. “Open your eyes and look at me.”
Xie Wuyan had no choice but to open his eyes and meet her bright, sparkling gaze. In her eyes he saw the reflection of his own visage. He sighed softly and said, “Wife, spare my life. Was there something you wished to ask me?”
Jiang Kui suddenly raised a brow and asked bluntly, “I heard you’re in love with me?”
Xie Wuyan froze for a second, lightly batting his long eyelashes.
Right then, the wax heart in the red joyful marriage candle crackled loudly with a brilliant spark.
Staring into his eyes, she hadn’t noticed that behind his disheveled hair, the tips of his ears had turned faintly red.
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