It was the twenty-third day of the first lunar month, the new snow was already being cleared...

The sound of firecrackers had been sounding since dawn, melting the snow on the streets. Amidst the swirling smoke and golden red colors, carriages slowly approached the decorated gates of the Anping Marquis's mansion.

The brisk spring breeze swept through, causing the lanterns adorned with the 囍 symbol of double happiness above the door to gently sway.

Noble guests in festive attire were welcomed into the mansion, followed by a procession of congratulatory gifts wrapped in red silk.

The wedding feast spread from the hall to the courtyard, with a dazzling array of delicacies. Men sipped tea in the east wing while women stood in the courtyard, chatting and laughing, their jewels reflecting the sunlight, reminiscent of celestial beauties in the Palace of Yaochi (NT: the Jade lake on Mount Kunlun, residence of Queen mother of the West Xi Wangmu).

The red plum blossoms in the courtyard were covered with a layer of snow, blooming passionately under the clear blue sky.

"Look at these plum blossoms, shining like gold. They truly deserve the name 'scattered gold cinnabar'!" a young woman exclaimed. "I heard that the palace has cultivated a new variety this winter, and today we finally get to see it!"

"I heard that when the emperor praised our young marquis for his victories, he bestowed him with the embroidered Xiuchun sword and a qilin coat, and even rewarded the young marquis with a hundred strains of scattered gold cinnabar plum blossoms. It's truly a great honour." Another woman said with a smile.

"The young marquis recaptured the eighteen cities of Longxi, driving the Tujue bandits beyond the Yumen Pass (NT: the Jade gate. This was a pass through which the Silk Road went, connecting Central Asia with East Asia). He deserves all the rewards he receives!"

Beside her, the lady wearing a crown of pearls and jade smiled and took the hand of the lady in the middle.

"Madam has also persevered."

The women around sighed in sympathy.

The lady appeared to be only twenty-eight or twenty-nine years old, wearing a golden crown and rabbit fur scarf. She was dressed plainly, with a calm smile on her face and a pair of eyes that were gentle but lifeless, as she stared straight ahead.

She was Song Zhaojin, the widowed sister in law of the young marquis, and the only female member of the family.

Six years ago, on the day the young marquis went to battle, his father and brother died successively at the Huolao Pass. (NT: The Tiger cage pass; site of many historical battles, being the eastern guard for the capital Luoyang for several dynasties.)

It was widely known that Song Zhaojin cried herself blind that day.

"It's the second brother who deserves credit," Song Zhaojin said softly, smiling as she listened to the sighs around her.

The lady holding her hand hurriedly smiled and said, "I should scold you. What's the point of saying such things on such a happy day?"

"That's right! It's all because Madam Zhongshun's heart is not content. She has long wanted to form a kinship with our marquis's mansion, but she didn't expect the young marquis to be so single-minded in seeking the hand of the princess. It dashed Madam Zhongshun's hopes!" another lady mentioned.

Hearing this, Madam Zhongshun also laughed and scolded, "You're sharp-tongued! When the young marquis returned victorious, riding into the capital, who didn't see his charming appearance? Do you think I was the only one who noticed?"

The officials and their families burst into laughter.

As they chatted and laughed, the faint sound of suona (NT: traditional instrument from the family of horns) and drums could be heard. A servant on the porch conveyed the message, "The marquis has returned from picking up his bride ! "

"So fast?" someone asked.

The servant vividly described, "Our marquis is talented in both literature and martial arts. Even the literary officials who came to send off the bride couldn't stop him!"

There was another round of admiration among the crowd, and the women surrounded and supported Song Zhaojin, chatting and laughing as they walked to the mansion gate.

The sound of drums drew closer, and the procession could gradually be seen. Officials were dressed in fine attire, holding incense burners and precious fans, continuously scattering silver coins among the crowd.

Amidst the joyous atmosphere, the procession stretched for half a mile until the fragrant scent of Canaan incense permeated from one end of the street to the other. It was only then that people could see the figure seated atop thirty-two flower sedan chairs, surrounded by a fluttering canopy of golden threads.

(NT: Canaan is a region of Northeast of Egypt)

It was like the moon shining over a river of stars.

Clad in a magnificent red and gold wedding robe, he appeared as graceful as a jade tree, his handsome face radiant under the ornate attire. Mounted on a fiery red steed, his posture was upright.

The joyous colors reflected in his eyes, which sparkled like bright stars, lit up with a gleaming smile.

Behind him, joyous music resounded, and the red decorations extended for miles, resembling the radiant glow behind the Golden Crow.

*

Fang Linyuan had never dared to imagine such a scene.

The person he had admired for over a decade since their first encounter, the one who’s remembrance had supported him in the cold nights among the corpses when he held onto icy weapons, the one he thought of when his father grasped his hand and asked him not to betray his true feelings, was now sitting in the flower sedan chair behind him.

Fang Linyuan had been riding horses for over a decade, yet even his hands holding the reins were trembling slightly at this moment.

Many people praised his boldness in seeking the princess's hand at the Golden Hall, but some mocked him for seeking to climb the ranks.

But he was not that brave, nor did he have so many calculations in mind. In front of the Qianyuan Hall, when the emperor asked what reward he desired, only one thing remained in his mind.

Ten years ago, when he bid farewell to the palace with his father, he saw her for the first time by Taiye Pond (NT: litt. Great Liquid Pond, artificial lake with an elaborated canal system in the imperial city in ancient China). It was a snowy day, and the Third Prince and Fourth Princess sat in the pavilion with a heater, asking her to pick the highest branch of plum blossoms.

Despite the heavy snow, she was dressed lightly. The Third Prince said, "As long as you say that the wretch in the cold palace deserves death, we won't ask you to pick that flower."

But she remained silent throughout, a small figure sweating profusely, her wet hair sticking to her face as she trembled to reach the top of the plum tree.

Frost covered her eyelashes, sparkling.

His father said not to meddle in royal affairs, but Fang Linyuan couldn't move his eyes away. Stubbornly, he waited in the corner by the pond for half an hour.

He watched as she finally picked the plum blossom, only for the Fourth Princess to casually throw it on the ground, letting the maids trample it.

The bright plum blossoms scattered in the snow, but she quietly retreated, unnoticed by anyone.

When she met Fang Linyuan at the corner, she couldn't stop shivering, her wet hair resembling a bird struck down by snow.

Fang Linyuan quietly took off his cloak and draped it over her.

She shrank back slightly, her face almost obscured by the snow-white wisps. But in an instant, she pulled the cloak off and returned it to Fang Linyuan.

"This is for you..." Fang Linyuan said.

"This is yours."

She raised her head, her pale face tinged with an unusual blush, her eyes quietly staring at him, cold yet stubborn.

The slightly hoarse voice of the young girl echoed in Fang Linyuan's ears. He hadn't moved yet, but she had already lowered her head and walked away.

Turning back, Fang Linyuan saw her petite figure disappearing into the snowstorm alone.

The magnificent palace, like indifferent gods, towering and warm, stood silent, allowing her to be swallowed by the snowstorm.

In that moment, Fang Linyuan made a decision.

He would rescue someone from the layers of snow in the vast palace.

*

Fang Linyuan's thoughts were gradually brought back to reality by the sound of the suona.

The memory of the snowstorm gradually turned into a shower of coins and red silk. The procession stopped at the mansion gate, where the fragrance of clothes and the presence of guests filled the air. The eunuchs of the Court of Imperial Entertainments, wearing red silk around their waists, sang loudly as they announced, "Lower the sedan—"

Fang Linyuan dismounted and held up one end of the red silk, watching as the palace maids drew back the curtains and helped her out of the sedan chair.

Zhao Qiao.

She had grown much taller, even taller than the surrounding women, and stood nearly as tall as him when she straightened up.

Men in this era preferred petite women, and her stature had always been criticized. People said that Princess Huining was the most beautiful in the imperial city, but her unusually tall profile was a flaw in her beauty.

But Fang Linyuan didn't care. In the depths of the palace, she was a lonely girl without anyone to rely on. If she had been petite and fragile, how could she survive?

He didn't love delicate flowers that grew dependent on big trees.

Carefully holding the red silk, amidst the sounds of drums and firecrackers, he guided her through the scattered red petals.

As she mounted the saddle, she hesitated for a moment. Fang Linyuan knew she couldn't see clearly under the veil, so he stepped forward to hold her hand.

Her hand was not as soft as a typical woman's. It was long and slender, hard as jade, with a firm texture when held, almost like a man's hand.

Surely, she had endured countless hardships that others had never experienced during her days in the palace, Fang Linyuan thought.

"Be careful." His low voice involuntarily softened.

Zhao Chu paused for a moment, then, with Fang Linyuan's support, she steadied herself and crossed the saddle.

Meanwhile, Fang Linyuan slowly tightened his grip on her hand.

He would not let her face the snowstorm alone again.

Holding her hand, he crossed the mansion gate, entered the hall, and walked through the gazes of the guests, never letting it go.

*

The procedures of the wedding feasts were always elaborate.

After they paid respects to the heavens and the earth, Zhao Chu was escorted to the bedroom, while Fang Linyuan stayed behind to entertain the guests. By the time the guests had dispersed, it was almost midnight.

He had toasted around the room, deliberately pouring a few more cups, and when he returned to the door of the Fuguang Pavilion, his vision was a little blurry.

The palace maids had been waiting at the door for a long time, along with a few palace maids and eunuchs, all with solemn expressions, likely from the palace.

Meeting their gaze, Fang Linyuan felt a hint of cold vigilance in their eyes.

It was reasonable. Fang Linyuan thought. Those willing to follow the princess out of the palace should be loyal servants.

"Lord Marquis, Princess is already inside." Seeing him, the head maid of the Fuguang Pavilion, Hanlu, stepped forward to greet him.

Fang Linyuan grunted, "Have you prepared some snacks for the princess?"

"Honorable Lord instructed us, and we immediately sent for them," Hanlu said. "However, the princess, being modest, did not lift her veil or touch the pastries and cakes we brought."

It was already late at night, and after a day of bustling, she must be starving.

Fang Linyuan nodded, dismissing them, and entered the room alone.

It was his bedroom where he had lived for many years, now adorned with red decorations, flickering red candles, and the vibrant "Double Happiness" characters quietly hanging in front of the window. Passing through the front hall and layers of red curtains, he saw the person sitting beneath the red canopy.

She sat upright, incredibly serene. The red candlelight gently flickered on her blush-colored veil, and her hands resting on her knees were fair and slender.

The girl who had endured bullying and remained resilient ten years ago had now become his lawfully wedded wife.

"It's been a tedious affair, making the princess wait so long," he stopped in front of Zhao Qiao, his voice slightly hoarse from the alcohol and emotions.

Under the red candlelight, there was no third person. With less than a step between them, Fang Linyuan felt a slight nervousness, and his hand by his side trembled slightly.

He cleared his throat, squeezed his palm, feeling disdainful of his own timidity at this moment.

He thought he should lift the veil first. With that in mind, he turned to fetch the golden measuring rod from the table behind him.

But as he reached out, there was a faint rustling of robes behind him. The next moment, Fang Linyuan keenly felt a gust of wind behind him.

Who was there!

Just a moment of hesitation under the influence of alcohol, and Fang Linyuan felt a faint, sharp, icy sensation against his neck, crossing his pulsating veins.

It was a blade.

Then, he heard a strange voice from behind.

"Don't make a sound, or else, you won't leave here intact."

It was a man's voice, as indifferent and cold as melting snow atop a mountain.

 

--

Author's note:

 

The princess isn't a good person in the early stages, but she will be truly captivating, and there will be a long-lasting one-sided infatuation. Surfing the internet is all about having fun, so please enjoy it as you like~

 

Translator : DarNan