Extra Chapter Seven: The Wedding (1)
The Prince's mansion wasn't heavily guarded, yet it was notoriously difficult to enter. Aside from relatives and old friends, the Prince Regent and his consort rarely received outside visitors. But today, the mansion's entrance could truly be described as a continuous stream of carriages.
The Emperor had personally bestowed the title of Harmony Princess upon her, and she was to marry far away tomorrow. Due to her special circumstances, today was precisely her dowry ceremony.
Hua Zhi went through the dowry list one last time, patting Shaoyao—who had been clinging to her side while her thoughts wandered who knows where—only after confirming nothing was missing. "Wu Yong was so afraid you'd run away at the last moment that he's been climbing the mansion walls for several nights in a row. Don't actually declare you won't marry when the big day arrives."
Shaoyao blinked. Climbing the walls?
"The guards knocked him down." Hua Zhi's expression was somewhat indescribable. Shaoyao was already unreliable enough, and this Wu Yong didn't seem much better. The two of them living together... she didn't dare imagine what kind of life they'd lead.
An elder sister is like a mother, and an elder sister-in-law is like a mother. Having played the maternal role these past few years, Hua Zhi felt she truly had endless worries. Sighing, she gestured for the others to withdraw and helped the girl sit up properly. "If you truly don't wish to marry, it's still not too late to back out now."
Shaoyao bonelessly slumped back against Hua Hua's shoulder, remaining silent for a moment.
Did she not want to? Not exactly. She just didn't want to leave home, to leave the two people she was closest to. But if asked whether she was willing, she still felt resistance. She feared that after marriage, everything would become different. She had seen enough over the years to understand what it meant to be compelled by circumstances.
Hua Zhi gently patted her, resting her head against the girl's. "Do you know why I never made things difficult for Wu Yong?"
"You think he's good."
"There are many people I think are good, but he's the only one I'm willing to let you marry." Hua Zhi stroked her cheek. "When he decided he wanted to marry you, he didn't know your face had already healed. That he was still willing to marry you under those circumstances shows he values you for who you are—values you enough to overlook your ruined appearance. Such men are rare. Having finally encountered one, I naturally don't want you to miss this chance."
Hua Zhi smiled, so tenderly it made Shaoyao's eyes burn. "You have a wild nature. Not to mention marrying into any family in the capital—even living in this Prince's mansion, I feel it binds you. But Yinshan Pass is different. Now that the grassland tribes have suffered heavy losses and been driven deep into the grasslands, it will take them thirty to fifty years to recover. The vast grasslands beyond the pass will be your place to roam freely. You can unleash your wildness there—no one can restrain you. Yan Xi and I, even the Emperor, will be your backing. You only need to live as you please, following the life you want. Whether you bring Wu Yong along depends entirely on your mood. Think about it—don't you feel some anticipation for such a life?"
Shaoyao pressed her lips together, hugging Hua Hua's arm even more clingingly. She was looking forward to it, but she was also even more reluctant. She couldn't bear to leave this place where she had lived for many years, yet only in recent months had it begun to feel like home. She couldn't bear to leave her sister-in-law who took care of every detail for her, allowing her to have no worries.
But still, she had to marry.
"I won't run away."
"Then I'll have to send word to Wu Yong later—no need to climb the walls tonight." Hua Zhi pulled the girl up. "I need to attend to the guests now. Go keep Grandmother company—I'm afraid she's reluctant to let you go too."After sending the girl away, Hua Zhi spread her arms and let the maid help her into her formal outer garment." "How are things?""The prince is personally guarding the front courtyard, so no one dares to send extravagant gifts." Ying Chun crouched down to adjust her hem while replying, "You needn't worry about the women's side either. Madam Lu is quite capable."
Since Shaoyao had grown up by the princess consort's side, essentially like a biological daughter, and later always followed her elder brother, it was reasonable for Hua Zhi to invite elders from the Lu family to help receive guests on such an occasion, both emotionally and logically appropriate.
The flower hall was filled with cheerful chatter and laughter, the air fragrant with scents, yet everyone remained attentive to the entrance. When the curtain was lifted, all eyes turned toward it, and upon seeing the person they awaited, they promptly rose to pay respects.
"No need for formalities." Hua Zhi hurried forward to help her mother up, then similarly assisted several other esteemed ladies.
Madam Lu covered her mouth with a light laugh, "No need to try extracting information from me—I'll ask on everyone's behalf. Might the princess consort be considering taking on more disciples?"
Hua Zhi raised an eyebrow. Lately, many seemed to have this idea. Being a fellow disciple of the Emperor was indeed an extreme honor, naturally bringing one closer to the sovereign than others. No wonder people entertained such thoughts.
Unfortunately, "I have no plans to take on more disciples."
The group exchanged glances. They had anticipated the Grand Tutor might refuse, but not so decisively. With such a long life ahead, would she truly never accept another?
"The Emperor goes without saying—serving with utmost dedication is my duty. As for my young apprentice, he is naturally brilliant. I still need to rely on my grandfather's guidance to teach him properly—how could I divide my attention by taking more disciples?"
Regardless of their private thoughts, everyone present voiced agreement. After all, accepting no one was better than breaking the current balance by favoring one family. The astute princess consort had likely seen through this long ago.
All present had come to add to the trousseau, each family connected by bonds of affection. Hua Zhi received each with a warm smile. Understanding the decorum, the guests stayed briefly before taking their leave, leaving only the Hua family's madam behind.
Madam Zhu gently touched her daughter's slender arm, though there was little left unsaid between them. If not meeting daily, they frequently visited each other, well aware of each other's wellbeing. Worries existed, of course, but some things were better left unspoken.
"Truly won't you reconsider?"
Exactly as expected. Hua Zhi smiled and shook her head, "We depart tomorrow—how could plans change now?"
Madam Zhu gave her a reproachful look, "Your health has just improved with difficulty. Why must you undertake this journey? Since when does a sister-in-law travel a thousand miles to escort a bride?"
"I am her friend first, her sister-in-law second. As a friend, I wish for her happiness. As the elder sister-in-law, I must ensure she can achieve it." Hua Zhi guided her mother out of the flower hall toward the inner residence. "She marries far north, while I'll remain in the capital. The most I can do is establish a solid foundation for her from the start—ensure she faces no future worries and possesses the confidence to never compromise her dignity, whatever circumstances arise. These matters require my personal arrangements and firsthand witnessing to be certain.""No one else would go to such lengths even when marrying off their own daughter," Madam Zhu muttered, but ultimately said no more. She knew her daughter had a firm mind—this matter was already settled with no room for change. Privately, she felt that no matter how close Shaoyao was to the Hua family, she could never compare to her own daughter. With her narrow perspective, she only wished for her daughter to recuperate well and quickly bear a son or daughter for security. As for other matters, she couldn't concern herself with them.
"Are you really taking Berlin along?"
"It's not that I'm taking him—he carries imperial orders, so even I must defer to him." Hua Zhi smiled. "This is quite good actually. Let him see the place where Father was exiled. Though he never endured those hardships, he should at least understand what they entailed."
Madam Zhu let out a long sigh and finally stopped pressing the matter. So be it, so be it. With the prince accompanying them and no need to travel at breakneck speed like before, they probably wouldn't suffer much hardship. Why had she said so much about it anyway?
OpenNovel