Jiang Kui stirred awake again from renewed noises outside:
“By imperial decree, we humbly request your lady’s agreement on an auspicious date.”
“This servant obeys the command to prepare my daughter and await further notice from the imperial storehouses. I dare not decline.”
“We announce to Grand Marshal Jiang Chengzhi that by order of His Majesty observing proper ritual down to every exacting detail, we come to formally set the joyous occasion’s specific timing.”
“Conveying the Son of Heaven’s felicitations, the designated wedding day shall be the sixteenth of the eighth lunar month.”
The decorously refined words echoed entreatingly back and forth.
This represented the final step in prenuptial formalities: Requesting Date Selection for the momentous ceremony. Twin geese accompanied the imperial envoy while the recipient family warmly welcomed them. Both sides then mutually determined an ideal wedding time.
The complete Six Rites encompassed: Exchange Gifts, Inquire Names, Present Auspicious Tokens, Declare Betrothal, Set Date, and Finally Receive Bride. Geese featured within most stages. Every dawn, palace delegates arrived at the Grand General’s estate with lavish presents and pairs of honking geese representing the loyal affection between husband and wife…admittedly rather noisy at times.
As the entire courtyard bustled loudly, Jiang Kui covered both ears against the avian orchestra’s deafening symphony and woke fully.
Within the softly cool morning rays, her loose snowy robes draped to bare ankles. Long midnight tresses swayed gently as she rose, brushing past her heels.
Cooped up at home for days citing fragile health, coughing fits now comprised her sole entertainment. Still worn out after nearly drowning at court previously, she’d plead illness daily as excuse to practice hacking convincingly. Her two eldest brothers had returned to their frontier garrison, while youngest brother Jiang Yuan attended the Imperial Academy, leaving only Father home to handle neverending wedding triviality…which progressed strangely quick contrary to typical drawn-out tedium between engagement and marriage. Almost as if the purportedly frail Crown Prince Xie Wuyan was so enamored he urgently wished to claim his bride at first chance…
Jiang Kui rested her chin upon steepled hands, pondering the peculiar acceleration. Strange indeed…
“Young Lady, another congratulatory missive.” Maid Little Qing entered holding a bundle of letters.
Idly sorting through the heap of ornate invites vying for her attention, Jiang Kui reclined languidly before the bronze mirror while her maid elaborately styled her hair up. Smooth strokes through silken strands soon relaxed the lazy girl toward drowsiness.
“Any plans today, my lady?”
“Oh, the usual… Wake up, eat, stare blankly, eat again, sleep, wake up, stare blankly, eat again, sleep…” Stifling a yawn, Jiang Kui counted off daily nap quotas upon slim fingers. “Maybe I can sneak some spear practice too if Father’s out.”
She exhaled wistfully. “The carefree unmarried days are the best. I shall sorely miss such freedom.”
Rifling through, a sheet patterned with lotus motifs suddenly caught her eye. “Oh? What might this be…”
Little Qing offered gentle reminder. “You received Consort Qi’s invitation, My Lady.”
“Hmm? The twenty-seventh?” Jiang Kui mused aloud. “Whatever might the Imperial Noble Consort want with me?”
“Perhaps a chance to meet her future sister-in-law?” the maid suggested delicately. As the Son of Heaven’s eldest, Qi Prince Xie Mao’s exalted status exceeded the Crown Prince’s since not born of the empress. His wife came from an influential clan as well. Despite moving in the same social circles, Jiang Kui rarely socialized among other elite daughters.
After brief hesitation, Little Qing advised: “Might be best accepting this offer of closer ties, my lady.”
Head tilted, Jiang finally nodded after considering briefly. Setting aside all other documents, she handed the lotus embossed letter to her maid. “Please prepare appropriate attire for this event.”
A thin sheet slipped out from between folds, weightlessly seesawing downward through the airy descent before landing onto her palm.
Jiang’s smile grew. “Wait, let me keep this one separately.”
Unfurling the birch bark revealed: “Too busy at present for any meet up. Just a quick note in lieu.”
The reverse side appended: “Bother reading further.”
One surface formally upright, the other scrawled hastily. Definitely his unique style.
Huffing softly, Jiang Kui held out an expectant hand. Mystified, Little Qing passed a lit candle closer.
Wavering flames illuminated previously invisible scattered characters that slowly materialized under applied heat, though completely unintelligible. Her hidden contact loved concocting such tricks.
Unless one possessed the encryption key codex retaining essential decoding information, attempting to decipher these random symbols would only induce helpless confusion. Fortunately Jiang Kui did own the necessary translation manual privately agreed upon with one “Elder Master Pu Liu”.
Quickly jotting down the revealed code, she soon rummaged through the bookshelf for thin volume cleverly disguised amidst other texts. Cross-checking his message, she rapidly deduced actual meaning.
“Master Pu Liu’s investigations are progressing fruitfully,” she murmured while reading. “He suggests I must attend the season’s grandest autumnal banquet hosted in Chang’an before the twenty-seventh…”
“But Consort Qi’s feast falls on the same date, my lady.” Little Qing worriedly pointed out the scheduling conflict. “Which event will you choose?”
One brow quirked high, Jiang Kui scoffed in amusement. “Naturally the autumnal one holds priority.”
“Please consider potential consequences, Young Miss…” the maid fretfully advised. “Declining imperial consort hospitality risks provoking your father’s anger…”
With an airy wave, Jiang Kui dismissed such concerns. “Oh I can handle Father’s temper well enough by now. His fiery bluster always passes within three days after placating tactics pretend meek frailty to avoid meals.”
“Master has returned.” Little Qing suddenly paled.
“Very funny try.” Jiang smiled while gathering documents.
Her maid insistently aimed behind them. “Truly here this time!”
Panicking, Jiang Kui frantically dove under the covers, swiftly blinking her eyes red and raw. Twin damp trails of false tears gleamed below freshly tousled hair, accompanying soft sniffles for enhanced authenticity.
She urgently whispered: “Hurry, rice powder, quick!”
Anxiously scurrying to assist, Little Qing ransacked every drawer before locating the cosmetic, hurriedly dabbing lifeless pallor over Jiang’s nose and lips. The previously vibrant face transformed into sallow weariness.
Right on cue, Jiang Kui punctuated entry knocking with delicate coughs. “Father?” she croaked weakly. “Did you require me?”
“Little Full, I apologize disturbing your convalescence…” Jiang Chengzhi’s muffled voice brimmed with loving concern outside. “However, an imperial messenger arrived conveying a personal summons you must receive. Are you well enough to grant audience, daughter?”
Hacking painfully, Jiang Kui slowly emerged to stand, leaning heavily upon Little Qing’s supportive shoulder.
Lifting a drained face, she tremulously met her sire’s gaze. “If the Son of Heaven requests my presence, this child shall answer despite worsening autumnal fits…” Trailing off diffidently, wistful longing suffused her tone. “Might I be permitted absence from Lady Qi’s gathering by month’s end if chills persist…?”
Jiang Chengzhi started, torn by dilemma. “The Noble Consort kindly extended this gracious invitation herself… we mustn’t offend her over petty grievances–”
Renewed violent spasms interrupted swiftly. “Cough cough, cough cough cough!!!”
The doting father gently patted her back. “Perhaps staying in might be wiser if you remain so afflicted.”
Mercifully he missed his youngest happily flashing a victorious grin toward her maid.
Together the pair proceeded toward the main reception hall where the emissary already awaited them. Once finished with formal niceties, the attendant grandly unrolled a brilliant goldenrod edict saturating the lush brocade with dazzling autumnal luminance. Momentarily dazzled, Jiang Kui turned aside, only to hear the herald’s following stentorian proclamation—
“By decree of His August Majesty, Jiang Kui, daughter of Grand Marshal Jiang Chengzhi shall enter the palace!”
Father and daughter alike jolted in unison.
From the rear gardens, orchestral honking rose crescendo.
Wait just one moment.
…Again?!?
Wonderful, no need to pick between events, off to palace we go.
Jiang Kui pulled a horrified face at Little Qing, who stifled nervous laughter at her mistress’s overly dramatic dismay.
Travelling along the winding passages toward the protected Imperial nucleus, Jiang Kui continued fretting restlessly.
After hurriedly preparing herself, palace attendants now escorted her smaller conveyance forth. Sighing winds stirred countless leaves lining avenue, hinting winter’s steady approach.
During past visits accompanying Aunt Tang, she often lingered weeks on end. But as future Crown Princess, likely they intended longer stay for regimented etiquette lessons. Unsure of expected duration, missing the important autumnal banquet in three days could impede investigation into her near assassination. Moreover, seclusion prevented planned covert rendezvous with Master Pu Liu for comparing notes.
Perhaps due to prior incident, all servants attending her today were highly distinguished, even granted honorary escorts from the elite Embroidered Uniform Guard.
Idly lifting the curtain, familiar vistas of the Ever Peaceful Gates first greeted Jiang Kui, followed by beloved Peach Blossom Palace where Aunt Tang resided. Practically a second home from earliest childhood memories.
Vivid glazed tiles glittered gorgeously, reflecting rainbow halos beneath the season’s radiance. Her earlier disquiet gradually dissipated. Surely dear aunt could secure her timely discharge back home.
Unexpectedly the convoy passed straight by without pause.
Blinking puzzled, Jiang Kui pondered this deviation.
Finally the extravagant carriage eventually halted before an imposing palatial complex. Majestic vermillion walls towered overhead, topped by sweeping yellow-glazed roof tiles stacked tier by tier. Venerable locust trees flanked either side resembling lush parasols.
This was the Empress Dowager’s domain.
The opulent cabin curtain soon rustled, a deep scarlet skirt hem peeking first, followed by beautiful autumn-shaded ankle-length changshan robe adorning its wearer stepping outside. Alighting gently with assistance, the petite maiden soon stood poised before massive crimson gates that swept open at precise timing.
From within emerged a noble youth and walked toward her.
At that moment the sun crested over swaying treetops to bathe her form in a diaphanous halo of gossamer radiance.
Noticing her arrival, the stranger politely bowed from afar in genteel greeting.
Billowing raiment swayed about a slender graceful figure bound with jade belt.
His loosely draped crimson gauze robes resembled floating sunrise clouds, complemented by the smooth purity of carved ivory headpiece seemingly glowing after the moon.
Spanning the vast distance between them, the cool white jade steps shone brightly, their luminous reflective surface resembling liquid quicksilver pouring downward until halted before her feet.
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