Her nаmе wаs Мurоng Jun, with the childhoоd nаme Wanwаn. Thesе twо nаmеs, stаrklу different in nаture, were bestowed uроn the sаme реrsоn. Аt the timе, Соnsоrt Хu had strоngly opроsed it, but hеr father insisted, аnd so the nаme was rесоrdеd in thе Jаdе Register.
In аnсient timеs, thirtу units mаde оne jun. Неr father hаd thrеe сhildren and hoрed all threе wоuld find fulfillmеnt. Jun alsо symbolized stаtе gоvernаnсе. Аlthоugh shе was а girl, in hеr fathеr’s eуes, she wаs nevеr mеаnt to bе likе оthеr women cоnfined to the inner chаmbers, conсerned оnly with реrsonаl matters and forgetting family and country. Her father had said that this world did not belong solely to the men of the Murong Clan but also to its women. Thus, she had no grounds to refute the emperor’s words today.
Yet she felt a chill in her heart. Only now did she realize that some had acted deliberately, while others had simply gone along with the flow. As for her, she was like a tool, sharp on both sides, its purpose determined solely by whose hands wielded it.
The Prince of Nanyuan had gone to great lengths to marry her, though his intentions remained unclear for now. The emperor wanted her to marry out to plant a steel needle deep within Nanyuan’s territory. When the time was ripe, it would be possible to reduce the prince’s power or even eliminate the Yuwen Clan entirely. It was a clever plan, but unfortunately, no one had considered her situation. In the emperor’s eyes, it was only natural for a princess of the Murong Clan to sacrifice her personal happiness for the sake of preserving the realm.
Wanwan had always held her father in high esteem, but now, she realized that the imperial family was not so merciful toward its daughters. When political necessity arose, they were expected to offer themselves. Perhaps the Imperial Princesses of previous generations had only faced minor trials, but in her case, she was to be enfeoffed and tasked with restraining the Prince of Nanyuan—this was Emperor Mingzhi’s strategy for maintaining balance.
She was momentarily dazed, unable to comprehend why her seemingly frivolous brother could also possess such meticulous planning. His determination to preserve Great Ye was commendable, but whether it stemmed from a sudden whim or careful deliberation remained unknown.
She nodded with difficulty. “Your considerations are so thorough, both publicly and privately, that I have not a single word of objection. The decree has already been proclaimed to the world. When the day comes, I will go south. But you must also keep the promise you made to me.”
The emperor said, “Good. I have my own arrangements. To disrupt the order of the court for the sake of a woman is a grave mistake for a ruler. In truth, I will not hide it from you. With the precedent of Consort Duan, if I now elevate her sister, people would call me a foolish ruler, obsessed with coveting another man’s woman. Such rumors would not be pleasant to hear. Rest assured, Yin Ge and the child in her womb will never enter our Murong Clan. Although Yuwen Liangshi has long written a letter of divorce, she was once with him for a time. To ensure absolute safety, I can only act as they did in the past when they killed firstborns across the land—better to be excessive than to take any risks.”
The killing of firstborns he spoke of was a practice from before the establishment of Great Ye. At that time, warlords divided the land, and foreign tribes briefly ruled the Central Plains. The oppression of one race by another, devoid of humanity, was utterly terrifying. To facilitate control, a foreign family was stationed in every village and county to oversee the local population. The leaders of these foreign tribes started a trend: the right of the first night for any newlywed bride had to be surrendered to them. The people, humiliated beyond measure and powerless to resist, could only resort to killing the firstborn children born afterward to prevent the mixing of bloodlines.
Hearing this, Wanwan’s heart suddenly leaped. “What are you planning to do?”The Emperor's eyebrows slowly rose as he smiled and said, "I was merely making a comparison. What kind of person do you take your brother to be? This Yin Ge cannot stay, but it would be a pity to discard her outright. We'll find a minor official to settle her in the capital, so that her child may have a legitimate future... After all, I am not a heartless man."
Hearing this, Wanwan felt a pang of sympathy for Yin Ge. Despite all her scheming, this was how it ended. Truly, one could believe anything in this world except the sweet words of men. She could not blame her brother too harshly, for Yin Ge had come with ulterior motives and thus brought this upon herself. Wanwan had her own troubles to attend to and could not concern herself with others.
"What about the Prince of Nanyuan, Brother? How do you plan to handle him? Or will you give me further instructions after I go to Jinling?"
The Emperor stroked his chin and paced several circles around the room. "I haven't thought of anything yet. In any case, you must marry him first." Then, shifting his tone to a more relaxed one, he added, "Don't be overly suspicious. I am merely taking precautions. After your marriage, he will be the Imperial Consort. As long as he behaves himself, I won't trouble him out of respect for you."
Wanwan stood up and bowed deeply to him. "Since there are no further instructions, I shall take my leave. The smoke in your hall is too thick—it is not good for Your Majesty's health. Have someone open the windows. Staying in such a stifling place for too long is harmful." With these words, she withdrew from the Northern Pond Hall.
The relentless rain and snow seemed endless. Walking beneath the vaulted sky, even the heavens felt moldy. Wanwan gathered her warm sleeves and smiled faintly. "Tong Huan, you heard everything, didn't you?"
Tong Huan had been present all along and understood everything. Unsure how to comfort her, she sighed softly. "Life is what you make of it. Listen to others with three parts of your mind, but let your heart guide the remaining seven."
Wanwan said gloomily, "When outsiders scheme against me, I can brush it off. But when my own brother does the same, it truly saddens me." She did not want to cry, but tears flowed on their own. Turning her head, she wiped them on her shoulder. "I was just thinking how wonderful it would be if I could escape during the journey to my marriage, letting them fight like dogs over scraps... But I cannot escape. Like the large butterfly Wu Qi caught last time, pinned to a pillar with a needle, its chest and back pierced, powerless."
Her situation was so difficult that many could scarcely imagine it. In the eyes of the world, a princess could command the wind and summon the rain—what more could she lack? Yet even those at the pinnacle had their own sorrows and helplessness. Even when they sensed danger, pride and dignity forced them to watch helplessly, resigning themselves to fate.
The Prince of Nanyuan had returned to Jinling, sending a letter every ten days without fail. Wanwan sat by the incense cage, playing with a squirrel. When a palace maid presented a letter to her, she took it and tossed it into the charcoal brazier, ordering that no further reports were necessary and that such letters should be disposed of. Thus, she never knew if there were any more messages from the Prince of Nanyuan. However, Tong Huan kept count for her: five letters had been received, and the sixth would likely arrive around the time of her marriage.The palace had not seen a joyous occasion in a long time. The last celebration was when the emperor ascended the throne, a hurried affair amidst great upheaval, and even that was considered a celebration only in the court. Wanwan's wedding was different. After all, it was personally arranged by Xiao Duo, with exceptionally high standards, fulfilling the emperor's earlier instruction: "Make everything as splendid as possible." How much money was spent, she did not know. She only knew she was caught in a chaotic struggle, as the imperial consorts, with no empress in the harem, even argued fiercely over who would perform the face-threading ceremony for the Princess Royal.
With Lady Zhang deposed, the highest-ranking should now be the Imperial Consort. Yet the Empress Dowager did not designate her, instead complaining that "others are clumsy and might hurt the Princess Royal." Perhaps aware of Wanwan's close friendship with Yin Lou, this time she did not dwell on Yin Lou's origins as a former talent of the Late Emperor, granting special permission for Yin Lou to enter the Cultivating Virtue Palace, as if to honor their final bond.
Yin Lou applied powder to her face, twisting cotton thread into a triangle and rolling it gently over her cheeks. She could hear the faint snapping sounds as fine hairs were removed.
Yin Lou kept asking, "Does it hurt? If it does, I'll go lighter."
She was a Golden Branch and Jade Leaf, but she could endure this small pain. Sitting on the stool, she said it was fine. When the rolling was done, her face felt hot and tingling, and she buried her head in Yin Lou's lap, unwilling to rise.
Yin Lou knew she was sad and began to cry herself. "Don't be like this. You can still come back after you go. When you miss home, send word to the Eunuch Official and have him fetch you."
Wanwan shook her head. "Once I go, I won't trouble you anymore. I'm a grown person; I'm not afraid they'll devour me in Nanjing. It's just that I can't bear to leave you all. Who knows when we'll meet again after this parting? Maybe never again. In the palace, be careful in all things, and the Eunuch Official... though he is at the height of his power now, none who have overseen the Eastern Factory in past generations have met a good end." She lifted her head, forcing a smile. "I hope for your safety. May we all still be here thirty years from now, and then we'll hold a grand feast and drink ourselves into a stupor."
In truth, her legs felt weak. It took two attempts before she could stand. Once standing, she could not falter. Gritting her teeth, she allowed others to dress her in the pheasant robe and adorn her with broad temple ornaments. Fully attired, she entered the Ancestral Hall to bid farewell to her ancestors, then took leave of the emperor and the Empress Dowager.
The Empress Dowager, eyes brimming with tears, adjusted her crossed collar and then her cloud collar, unable to speak.
The emperor looked at her with guilt, his gaze evasive, as if he dared not meet her eyes. After a long pause, he took the ruyi scepter presented by a eunuch and placed it in her hands. "The auspicious hour has arrived. Do not miss the timing."
Leaving the palace without an Imperial Consort to greet her felt more like a procession. Upon arriving at the Princess's Residence in Jiangnan, the Imperial Consort would kneel in welcome, for she represented the entire imperial family. Her wedding was cold, devoid of any human warmth, save for the few tears shed by the palace ladies, which offered some meager comfort.
She held the ruyi scepter to her chest. The jade was cold, its dull chill piercing her bones, yet she felt nothing. The golden carriage awaited outside the inner east gate, the procession stretching far and long. The wind was strong tonight, red silks fluttering and rustling loudly in the air. Taking one last look at the Forbidden City—where she had grown up, where she had bid farewell to her parents and her eldest brother—she knew she too must leave now. To those left behind, it likely made little difference from death.Steeling her heart, she withdrew her gaze and boarded the phoenix carriage, lowering the curtain. Enclosed on all sides, it felt as though she had been shut inside a small seal box. Only the light from the palace lanterns at the eaves shone through, casting a deep, watery crimson hue that spread across her apron.
The imperial procession began to move. In royal weddings, it was customary not to sound gongs, and the Silk-clad Guards had long since set up barricades along the imperial road, so the journey was eerily silent.
Wanwan had initially felt some turmoil in her heart, but once seated in the carriage, her emotions settled like dust. A woman’s life was divided into two stages: the first half spent in the inner chambers, and the second half after marriage. Her first half was now complete; the second half began today. She could manage it well, a new beginning in its own right.
Closing her eyes, the pearls and jade in her hair chimed softly by her ears. Her head felt heavy, but fearing she might ruin her makeup, she dared not lift a hand to steady herself. The fortune ships for the journey were docked at Tongzhou Port. The journey took a long time, and it was nearly midnight when they finally arrived. At last, someone came to lift the curtain. She looked up and saw it was The Emperor himself who had come to see her off. She had resolved not to cry, but at this moment, she could no longer hold back.
Torches lit up the massive hulls of the fortune ships, and the siblings stood facing each other on the dock, tears in their eyes. The Emperor murmured, “I have failed you…”
What use were such words now? It would be better to simply let go.
Wanwan adjusted her lapels, straightened her sleeves, and knelt, bowing her head. “Your younger sister bids farewell to Imperial Brother. Before departing, I offer these same words: please take care of Your Majesty’s health and prioritize the State Altars above all else. Though I am marrying far away, my heart remains in the Forbidden City. Day and night, I will burn incense and pray for Your Majesty’s eternal longevity.”
The Emperor hurriedly bent to help her up. “Your concern for the realm is seen by our imperial father in heaven. I will remember your counsel. Set forth with peace of mind.”
Yes, everything in the capital had to be left behind—people and affairs alike. Farewells had been said, and what needed to be relinquished had been relinquished.
The sides of the fortune ships rose several zhang high, requiring a ladder to be lowered from above. Having never sailed before, she felt a twinge of trepidation. Xiao Duo escorted her, stepping forward to offer his arm for support. But when she reached the foot of the stairs, she released him.
Unsure how to bid farewell, she smiled repeatedly, hoping to show him she was well. Yet his expression was grim, his brow furrowed as he said, “Affairs in the capital are complex, and I cannot accompany you. Your Highness, take care on your journey. I have selected the Eastern Factory’s finest men. The Inner Attendant at the Princess’s Residence, Yu Xixia, is also someone I trust deeply. From now on, all matters will be handled by him and Tong Huan. Your Highness need not worry.”
Wanwan replied, “Very well. Let us each take care.”
A eunuch in a vermilion ceremonial robe approached, bowing to receive her. Through a layer of silk gauze, she placed her hand on his wrist and did not look back again. From this moment on, she was separated from the Capital Region by the ends of the earth.
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