Side Story Eight: The Wedding (Part 2)
The royal residence remained brightly lit until dawn.
Shaoyao stared expressionlessly at her lavishly dressed reflection in the bronze mirror for a moment, then gradually her eyes sparkled to life and the corners of her lips curved upward.
She was going to be married, not marching to her death. Looking somber would only make Yan Ge and Hua Hua worry more.
Who was she?
She was the Harmony Princess personally enfeoffed by the Emperor, the blood sister of the Regent. Who in this world would dare bully her? Should anyone truly attempt it, she'd simply beat them into submission—what was there to fear!
Only at this moment did Shaoyao inwardly acknowledge her own fears. No matter how vast the grasslands of Yinshan Pass might be, none of her loved ones would be there. She also feared that Wu Yong, who now seemed utterly devoted to her, might in five or ten years transfer his affections to another—just as Ling Wang had once done to her mother.
Yes, she remembered everything now. Those brutal memories she had chosen to forget—the ones that had cost her not just her home, her family, and her beauty, but had left her with an ingrained dread of marriage even when all other memories were gone.
But this situation was different, wasn't it?
Shaoyao touched her face where no scars remained visible. If Wu Yong ever dared treat her that way, Hua Hua and Yan Ge wouldn't need her prompting—they'd snatch her back and make him regret being born. In Hua Hua's world, there was no such concept as "a married daughter is like spilled water." This home would always welcome her return, and this certainty was the advantage she possessed that her mother never had.
The door creaked open. Tilting her head, she watched the figure approaching against the backlight. See—even now, concern for her remained evident in that person's expression. Before today, she'd repeatedly hinted and even stated outright that Shaoyao needn't marry if unwilling, regardless of consequences.
How could she bear it? How could she bear to leave them, or let them worry so much on her account?
"Finally seeing some smiles." Hua Zhi bent down to look at her, eyes shimmering with amusement. Today she wore the formal consort's ceremonial robes, her makeup exquisite, radiating exceptional grace and nobility.
"Because I have Hua Hua and Yan Ge, I fear nothing." She would never follow in anyone's tragic footsteps, nor meet such a miserable end.
Hua Zhi wrapped an arm around her shoulders and stood behind her, meeting her gaze in the bronze mirror. "More than that—behind you stand the Emperor and the entire imperial family. You are not the Ling Wang Consort of old, and the Regent's residence is no An Guo Duke's mansion. To put it boldly, in this world only you can bully others—no one can bully you. You can afford to be even more unrestrained, without dwelling on things that could never happen to you."
Shaoyao clasped the hand resting on her shoulder, leaning back against the not particularly broad chest. So Hua Hua had understood all along why she hesitated.
She wasn't afraid anymore. Not in the slightest.
Wu Yong could never become another Ling Wang, and she would never be another Ling Wang Consort.
Hua Zhi smiled and pulled her up. "The Emperor has arrived. Come, it's time for farewells."
Protocol dictated that Shaoyao should have bid farewell at the palace, but the Emperor had altered procedures to bolster her status, arriving at the Regent's residence with full ceremonial honors. Wu Yong, who had come to fetch his bride, understood the implication perfectly yet remained clear-hearted—he was marrying Shaoyao out of genuine devotion, without ulterior motives. After paying his respects, he turned toward the entrance to await Shaoyao's arrival.
On this day, Shaoyao set aside the medicine pouch she never parted with, exchanged her practical riding trousers for bridal robes, and for the first time adorned her usually bare face with cosmetics. The bright red wedding attire illuminated her features, making her appear peerlessly radiant.Wu Yong couldn't take his eyes off her. He loved Shaoyao for her candid and genuine nature, so much so that he could overlook her appearance. But if the one he loved also possessed beautiful features, how could he not be delighted?
I've found a treasure, Wu Yong thought with glee.
Having received Shaoyao's formal bow, the Grand Empress Dowager offered a few words of encouragement before falling silent, having said all that needed to be said. She turned her gaze to the increasingly composed young Emperor.
"General Wu, please understand that Daqing has no need to send a royal princess to marry a frontier minister as appeasement. I am granting you Princess Hele's hand because she is willing to marry you. Should you ever betray her trust, I will not go easy on you."
"This subject would not dare, nor would I ever wish to." Wu Yong knelt with his forehead to the ground, his posture respectful yet his spine ramrod straight. "Shaoyao is to me what the Grand Tutor is to the Regent Prince."
The Emperor smiled, clearly pleased by these words. "I shall remember this. I hope you will still recall it years from now. But if you forget, it matters not—I will always find a way to remind you."
The implied threat sent a tremor through Wu Yong's heart. He had never before considered Shaoyao's standing within the imperial family, but now he understood: every action the Emperor took was meant to support her.
The Emperor said no more on the matter. He knew Shaoyao's temperament well—she was not one to suffer losses easily. Besides, Wu Yong was no fool; whether out of genuine affection or pretense, he wouldn't dare mistreat Shaoyao. What concerned the Emperor more at the moment was the Grand Tutor's health.
After completing the official ceremonies, while waiting for the auspicious hour to depart, the Emperor still couldn't conceal his worry. "Even without the need for constant travel as before, the journey is still not short. I feel the Regent Prince's presence should suffice."
"Please understand my concern, Your Majesty," Hua Zhi said gently. "Although we'll be able to spend half our time in the capital going forward, that may not hold true over the years. There will be times when Shaoyao cannot endure long journeys due to pregnancy, and times when she must care for young children. Unless we settle permanently in the capital, how could we possibly return every year?"
Hua Zhi's expression darkened slightly. This was the scenario she least wanted to contemplate, yet knew was inevitable. Across all eras, women's constraints remained fundamentally the same.
"All I can do is establish a solid foundation for her, to give her peace of mind, and to give myself the same."
Seeing the Grand Tutor's deep concern despite having already done everything possible, the Emperor blurted out, "Will you worry like this for my marriage too, Grand Tutor?"
Hua Zhi was taken aback for a moment, then smiled. "Naturally, as long as Your Majesty doesn't find my involvement excessive, I will devote my utmost care."
"I wish for the Grand Tutor to involve yourself even more." With no one else left to guide him, while he enjoyed absolute freedom, he felt adrift—untethered and uneasy. He longed for his Grand Tutor to treat him as before: strict, yet profoundly caring.
The departure procession for the favored princess's distant marriage was exceptionally grand, augmented by the groom's entourage, stretching beyond sight. Spectators thronged the streets, chatting and marveling in small groups.
Shaoyao lifted a corner of the carriage curtain, drinking in the view with longing. This was where she was born, where she grew up, where she endured hardships, yet also where she gained everything she cherished. All that had seemed ordinary in daily life now felt precious as she prepared to leave.
Home would remain, but she would return as a guest—such was a woman's fate.
Fortunately, she still had a place to call home.The light dimmed as an oil-paper package was handed in. She looked up and met the man’s eager gaze. “I asked Fu Dong for this before we set off. The princess consort said you didn’t eat much this morning—have a little more.”
Shaoyao stared at him for a moment, then suddenly smiled. Ignoring his stunned expression, she took the package and lowered the curtain. Spending a lifetime with this man wasn’t something she’d be unwilling to do—she only hoped they truly could have a lifetime together.
PS: Ah, Kongkong truly dotes on Shaoyao. Just one more chapter to finish writing.
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