No matter the schemes brewing in the inner chambers among the women, to the men outside, once the two families had agreed to the betrothal, it should be properly celebrated. Lou Taipu was an efficient man, and within a few days, he took the opportunity during a private audience with the Emperor to explain the matter, praising the virtues of the Cheng family’s daughter and requesting an imperial decree to add glory to the marriage. The Emperor, known for his benevolent nature and pleased with Cheng Shi’s recent service, readily agreed. The next day, he dispatched a eunuch official from his personal retinue to the Cheng Residence to announce the decree.
In those days, receiving an imperial decree was not as elaborate as in later times—no incense tables or festive candles were needed, only the respectful kneeling of those receiving the decree. The decree praised the entire Cheng family, from the “compassionate and benevolent, valiant yet not warlike” Cheng Shi, to the “heroic and noble-spirited” Madam Xiao, all the way to Cheng Shaoshang herself, who was described as “diligent, prudent, and virtuous.” Shaoshang blushed slightly at this—back in her school days, her principal had only ever praised her for her good grades and perseverance, never for her gentle and virtuous character.
After the decree was announced, Madam Xiao, beaming, discreetly handed a pouch of gold beads to the eunuch official surnamed Teng and, dragging along Cheng Shi—who was still muttering, “His Majesty never praised me this much during my own audiences”—personally escorted the official out.
The remaining members of the household in Nine Dapple Hall wore varied expressions. Cheng Yang was full of awe and envy from head to toe. Cheng Mu pursed her lips in silence, flicked her sleeves, and led Hu Ao back to her quarters.
Cheng Shaogong sighed, “Who would have thought that among us siblings, Niao Niao would be the first to receive His Majesty’s praise?”
Cheng Song nudged him and laughed, “With all the divination books you read, did you foresee this?”
Cheng Shaogong replied, “No. The books only said our family should avoid marrying off daughters these years and focus on taking in brides.”
“Nonsense! Throw away those ridiculous books,” Cheng Yong said, glancing at Cheng Yang before turning to Shaoshang. “From Lou Taipu’s actions, it’s clear the Lou family is sincere about this marriage. Be kinder to A Yao from now on—stop bossing him around!”
Shaoshang grinned. “A Yao says he loves it when I give him tasks! If I don’t ask him to do something for a day, he can’t even eat properly!”
“You’re just as ridiculous!” Cheng Yong scowled, convinced that their mother must have encountered something inauspicious while pregnant with these twins.
With the matter now official, the overjoyed Lou Yao began visiting the Cheng family daily, never arriving empty-handed. One day, it was fresh fruits and game from the Lou family’s estate; the next, newly woven brocade and fine cloth from their craftsmen; and the day after, a jar of aged wine from the Lou family’s storerooms.
With such generosity, it was hard not to be charmed. The entire Cheng household sang praises of their future son-in-law. Even Cheng Mu, who usually spoke sarcastically to Shaoshang, softened her tone as she stroked the exquisite new robes she’d received. Privately, she remarked to Hu Ao, “Marrying off a daughter should be like Niao Niao’s case. That useless A Xi—every time she marries, I have to foot the dowry. It’s like she’s here to collect debts!”
Shaoshang, meanwhile, was chatting with Madam Xiao. “This brocade is so beautiful, and the fabric is so soft. Shouldn’t we send some to Aunt? A Yao said these are made by their family’s long-standing craftsmen—you can’t buy them anywhere else.”
Madam Xiao gave her a silent look. “…You’re quite thoughtful about your aunt. After dividing what’s yours and Yangyang’s, there isn’t much left.”"Then just give my share to Aunt!" Shao Shang blurted out, then quickly amended when she saw Madam Xiao's displeased expression, "No, no. What I mean is, plain-looking people need nice clothes more! For beauties like Mother and me, we'd still look good even in potato sacks! Don't believe me? Ask Father!"
Madam Xiao couldn't help laughing. "You dare mock your aunt like this? Be careful or I'll tell her." For once, she didn't feel like scolding her daughter for being improper.
Shao Shang sighed helplessly. "I've already teased her about it. Aunt doesn't mind at all—she even retorted that her looks might be worse than mine, but the person she dines with every day is much handsomer than whoever I'll be eating with for decades to come!"
Madam Xiao burst out laughing. "That does sound like her!" Though privately she thought Ling Buyi was far more handsome than Cheng Zhi. If you could land that man, you could strut sideways through not just the Cheng family but the entire Capital City.
Human hearts are truly the strangest things in the world. Before knowing anything, Madam Xiao wouldn't have even considered such thoughts, but now she couldn't help entertaining them. However, being decisive by nature, she quickly dismissed unproductive musings. Seeing her daughter's smug expression, she sighed before redoubling her efforts to plan the wedding.
According to current customs, after engagement both families should host banquets to introduce their future son-in-law or new bride to relatives and friends—as Shao Shang understood it, since there were no convenient communication methods in this era and the period between engagement and marriage wasn't short, this was to prevent anyone from claiming ignorance (or pretending not to know) and intercepting the match.
The Cheng family had few relatives in the Capital City. Even counting colleagues, superiors, Wan Songbai's additions, and a few trusted private army members with their families, they could only muster a medium-sized banquet of forty or fifty people—they couldn't even get Lou Taipu drunk. On the day of the Lou family's banquet, seeing the endless stream of carriages crowding before the Lou residence, Cheng Shi couldn't help sighing: "Look at their grandeur, their prestige!"
Unexpectedly, Wan Songbai beside him sighed loudly: "This is all my fault!"
Huh?! What does their family's prosperity have to do with you?—Both Wan and Cheng family members turned to look at him. The portly General Wan said with a pained expression: "Had I known this day would come, I wouldn't have married my dozen daughters off east and west. If they'd all married near the Capital, we could have gathered all my sons-in-law to bolster your family's presence the other day! We'd have drunk that Lou fellow under the table!"
Everyone froze momentarily before bursting into laughter!
Wiping tears of laughter, Madam Xiao turned to whisper to Shao Shang: "True friends who can truly support each other are rare indeed. Someone like your Uncle Wan—one is enough."
Shao Shang nodded.
The Lou residence's front courtyard had two extremely spacious rows of opposite-facing buildings separated by lush, dense foliage, connected by a narrow straight corridor—forming a slanted H shape when viewed from above. Female guests were seated in the left row, male guests on the right.Madam Lou (eldest) acted as if she had forgotten the previous day's dispute, warmly leading Shao Shang and her mother around the house. At one moment, she introduced them to several relatives from the same clan, and the next, they paid respects to a few venerable elderly women. Given her young age and junior status, Shao Shang had to bow to almost everyone she met, bending and curtsying until she felt dizzy. Finally, an elderly white-haired gentleman in his eighties arrived at the front. Madam Lou (eldest) quickly took Shao Shang to the corridor to kowtow, calling out, "Greetings to our esteemed granduncle!"
This shaky Old Marquis Ban was the brother of Lou Yao’s late grandmother and was likely the oldest living person in the entire Capital City. Whenever the palace bestowed dietary medicines, the Emperor never forgot to include a share for this elder.
Old Marquis Ban seemed somewhat muddled with age. After Shao Shang rose from her bow, he scrutinized her for a long while before breaking into a toothless grin. Patting Lou Yao’s shoulder beside him, he said, "Ah Gou, your new bride is quite beautiful! I’ve told you before—marrying a pretty bride is more important than anything. Look at Ah Mao’s wife—that’s why he passed away so early..."
Lou Yao flushed crimson, clasping his hands in deference without daring to refute. The fair-faced youth supporting Old Marquis Ban sighed helplessly, "Grandfather, this is the Lou Family’s A Yao, not my late father!"
Madam Lou (eldest) smiled wryly and sighed repeatedly, while Madam Lou (second) beamed with delight, praising the old man’s keen eye repeatedly. To prevent the old man from saying anything more inappropriate, Lou Yao and Xiao Hou Ban quickly carried him away.
Once all the formal greetings were completed, Shao Shang, Cheng Yang, and Wan Qiqi were, as usual, led by maids to the side hall where the young ladies gathered.
Cheng Yang, feeling uneasy, tugged at Shao Shang’s sleeve and whispered, "If anyone speaks ill of us today, let’s just go straight to Auntie. Please don’t lose your temper!"
Wan Qiqi huffed, "What’s there to fear? On such a joyous occasion, who would dare cross us? You two stay put—leave it to me!"
Shao Shang sighed. "Cousin, don’t worry. Today, I won’t argue or fight. Qiqi, you’re not allowed to act either. With your skills, you’d flatten every girl in that room."
Entering the side hall, they were met with the unwavering gazes of young ladies dressed in vibrant reds and greens. Smiling, Shao Shang walked forward, holding Cheng Yang and Wan Qiqi’s hands, and greeted everyone properly. The girls returned the courtesy one by one. Lou Li, seated in a corner, was a beat slower, reluctantly returning the greeting—clearly, she had been thoroughly disciplined after that day.
Most surprisingly, Wang Ling, sitting beside her, actually stepped forward with a bright smile, linking arms with Shao Shang and gushing, "That day was just a misunderstanding—it was all my fault!" Shao Shang couldn’t help but admire the girl’s mental resilience.
Today was likely the most peaceful and harmonious banquet Shao Shang had attended since her "debut." The girls chatted and laughed over food and drinks, carefully avoiding any unpleasant remarks or inappropriate topics. Shao Shang was pleased—after all, she didn’t want to stir up trouble every time she went out.
In high spirits, when Wan Qiqi boasted about her flute-playing skills, Shao Shang indulged the girls’ teasing and pulled out her beloved Green Bamboo Flute from her sleeve, playing a lively tune. The melody was like a gentle breeze through a quiet valley or a soft spring drizzle, filled with tender warmth. The listeners couldn’t help but smile faintly, as if recalling the most tender and beautiful memories of childhood.The sound of the flute drifted into the adjacent main hall, where the ladies gradually slowed their movements, listening with softened expressions and casting glances of genuine admiration—far more sincere than their earlier polite greetings—toward Madam Xiao.
As the melody concluded, the girls in the hall looked at Shao Shang with newfound warmth. Each thought to herself, How could a girl capable of playing such a moving tune possibly be as detestable and ridiculous as the rumors claimed?
Shao Shang lowered her head, gently stroking the flute with a faint smile.
For the first time, she realized that perhaps it wasn’t just Cheng Taigong’s inherited talent—maybe she herself had a touch of musical inclination. In her past life, she had lived roughly and fiercely, consumed by radical fervor. Beyond her single-minded pursuit of studying, studying, and more studying, she had never indulged in other beautiful pursuits—music, song, painting, dance… She had never tried any of them.
Learning purely for the sake of love and beauty, without ulterior motives—these things she had once scoffed at could, it turned out, bring such joy.
"...Huh? Isn’t that Eleventh Master?!" one of the girls suddenly exclaimed. Like fireflies drawn to light, the girls swiftly gathered by the eastern windowsill railing.
Shao Shang also rose, peering through the gaps between their heads. Across the corridor, on the balcony of the opposite wing, Ling Buyi stood alone, his sleeves fluttering in the breeze. Though the distance of several dozen yards made it impossible to discern the expression of the young, handsome general, his tall, pine-like figure, bathed in the radiant spring sunlight, was breathtakingly elegant, like a dream.
One girl clutched her chest and sighed dramatically, "My heart aches so! Even if I marry, I’ll never forget Eleventh Master’s appearance!" Another, eyes glistening with tears, lamented, "Even if I marry three times, my heart will still ache!"
"I’d marry ten times and never forget…" The girls all began to sigh mournfully.
At this moment, Wang Ling, who had been silent, suddenly looked up and asked with a smile, "Shao Shang, what about you?"
"Let me think…" Shao Shang pressed her fingers one by one against the flute’s holes, pretending to clutch her chest in exaggerated distress. "Ah, no wonder my heart doesn’t ache—I must have fallen out of love!"
Her words sent the melancholic girls into peals of laughter, dispelling their gloom in an instant.
As the girls settled back into their seats, they chatted more freely and comfortably, as if discovering they all admired the same idol. Cheng Yang finally relaxed, striking up a conversation with a similarly shy girl she had just met. Wan Qiqi regaled a group of young girls—barely over ten years old—with the legendary tale of how she once single-handedly defeated four ruffians.
Shao Shang cradled a bowl of warm millet soup, lost in thought.
Truly, there were so many beautiful things in this world—the enchanting notes of the flute beneath her fingers, the willow catkins drifting like snowflakes in the spring breeze, the slightly upturned green stone step on the corridor that creaked when stepped on, Lou Yao’s flushed face when she teased him and he couldn’t retaliate… And then there was Ling Buyi. He was a good man, and it was wonderful just to gaze at him from afar.
She had been lost in reverie for who knew how long when Lian Fang suddenly slipped in from outside, tiptoeing over to crouch beside Shao Shang and whisper a few words into her ear. Shao Shang blinked in confusion for a long moment before finally processing the message: Huh? He wants to see me?! Are all handsome men these days so unconventional? Shouldn't he be like Yuan Shanjian, quietly waiting by the mountain rocks or pond? Instead, he boldly sends a maid to deliver a message! As if I were some shameless woman having a secret affair in my fiancé's home!
Lian Fang whispered, "Lord Ling has three more things to say. First, he truly has something to discuss with you. Second, he asks the Young Lady to rest assured... he... Lord Ling says he won't harm you. Please, please trust him."
Shao Shang froze for a moment, then reached into her sleeve again to trace the finger holes of her flute, from the first to the last, before giving a light laugh. Truthfully, she did trust him, but still—
"I won't go. Tell him this isn't proper and should be forgotten." Alas, her romantic spirit wasn't strong enough to take such risks. She smiled and asked, "By the way, weren't there three things? What's the third?"
The young maid looked troubled and hesitant. "Lord Ling said... if you don't go, he'll come find you himself. When that causes a major scandal, you can just wait to break off your engagement and marry him instead... If you refuse to go, he'll take it as your consent to marriage!"
Shao Shang's mouth fell slightly open, her eyes widening in disbelief.
Author's Note:
Updates will continue tomorrow at the usual time.
Thank you for waiting.
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