The Crown Prince's mother had passed away three years prior. On the anniversary of her death, the Crown Prince personally presided over the memorial ceremony at the Royal Ci'en Temple. Returning to the palace in the evening, he went to see the Wei Emperor.
The Wei Emperor had contracted a cold at the beginning of the year, which aggravated his old illness. Despite the imperial physicians' best efforts, his condition had not improved over the year but had instead taken a turn for the worse. As the year drew to a close, he had already been absent from court for many days. It was only recently, upon receiving news of victory from beyond the frontier—that the Duke of Wei had led the army to defeat the barbarians, bringing the year-and-a-half-long war to a triumphant end for Great Wei—that the court officials celebrated and the whole nation rejoiced, lifting the Emperor's spirits somewhat. Hearing that the Crown Prince sought an audience, he ordered him admitted.
The Crown Prince entered, performed the ritual prostration, and reported on the day's memorial ceremony. The Wei Emperor handed him a newly received military dispatch, stating that the army would return in the spring, then sighed with deep emotion. "Over these years, the barbarians have been sharpening their weapons and feeding their horses, aiming to seize the Hetao region. This has been a great concern of mine. Now that the war has finally ended in victory, with the barbarians fleeing north in disarray and their vital essence severely depleted, it is likely they will not have the strength to invade again for at least ten years. I can finally set this worry aside."
"Above, we rely on our ancestors' blessings and Your Majesty's boundless fortune; below, we have the loyalty and dedication of General Pei and other officers. Thus, Great Wei remains invincible, and peace reigns throughout the land," the Crown Prince replied respectfully.
The Wei Emperor gazed at his son. "I have another concern—the selection of a Crown Princess. My illness... I fear it will not improve. You are the Crown Prince, yet the Eastern Palace has only consorts and no principal wife. This is improper. The matter of appointing a princess cannot be delayed any longer..."
"Your Majesty is blessed by heaven and will surely recover. My affairs can wait until Your Majesty's health is restored!"
The Crown Prince fell to his knees with a thud.
The Wei Emperor waved his hand dismissively.
"I know your filial devotion is sincere, but this matter cannot be postponed further. Previously, you were observing mourning for your mother. Now that the mourning period has ended, the selection must be made promptly, followed by an early wedding. This will set my mind at ease, as well as the court officials'."
The Crown Prince kowtowed, his voice choked with emotion. "This son will obey Your Majesty's arrangements."
The Wei Emperor signaled a eunuch to hand a memorial to the Crown Prince.
"These three families not only have illustrious lineages but also daughters of virtuous character, fit to be a queen mother."
The Crown Prince took the memorial, quickly scanning its contents. Not finding the name he had hoped for, he fell silent.
In his mind's eye, the graceful figure of another young woman appeared.
Her mother, Madam Pei, had been a close friend of his mother since their youth. His mother had been fond of Madam Pei's daughter and often summoned them to the palace for conversation.
Thus, the Pei family's daughter, as she grew up, gradually captured his heart, becoming someone he often thought of.
But at that time, he was already betrothed.
Later, the woman he was engaged to passed away, and the Pei girl had not yet come of age.
The Crown Prince found excuses to delay selecting a princess, quietly waiting for the day she would grow up.
Then, his mother fell ill and died. Three years passed in the blink of an eye, and she had finally come of age.
His mourning period for his mother had ended, and his father's health was deteriorating daily. It was inevitable that the Emperor would now arrange his marriage—this he had anticipated.
But what he had not expected was why she was not among the candidates for Crown Princess.
Setting aside her own reputation as a virtuous maiden, her family background alone made her an ideal choice. The Pei family had been loyal and honorable for generations. The current Duke of Wei commanded great respect at court, knew when to advance and retreat, and had now achieved another great merit in the northern campaign.
Making his daughter the Crown Princess would be perfectly justified and highly beneficial to himself as well.From what he originally knew, the Wei Emperor had shortlisted the daughters of four noble families this time, and her name was at the top of the list.
Yet now, she was unexpectedly not among the candidates for Crown Princess. The Crown Prince found it hard to believe.
The Wei Emperor said, "Among these three families, We believe the daughter of your Grand Tutor is the most suitable. Of course, the other two are also acceptable. You may choose from among them."
With the Emperor speaking in such a tone, how could the Crown Prince fail to understand? Appointing the Grand Tutor’s daughter as Crown Princess was the Emperor’s final decision.
Suppressing the overwhelming disappointment in his heart, the Crown Prince bowed deeply and said respectfully, "Your son obeys His Majesty’s command."
The Wei Emperor smiled. "Excellent. This matter is thus settled. We shall issue the decree tomorrow and arrange for the grand wedding to take place before the year’s end, so all under heaven may celebrate together."
The Crown Prince bowed again in gratitude. As he was about to take his leave, the Wei Emperor suddenly added, "Your third brother is currently on his way back to the capital and should arrive in a few days. He was mischievous as a child, and last year he insisted on joining General Pei’s army. We initially thought he would return after a short while, but unexpectedly, he endured the hardships, gained experience, and even distinguished himself with military merits. It seems he has truly grown up. We are greatly pleased. Upon his return, We shall confer upon him the title of Prince."
The Crown Prince was momentarily stunned, then said joyfully, "I had thought Third Brother would return with General Pei next spring. I did not expect him back so soon. When the time comes, I will surely go beyond the city gates to welcome him."
The Wei Emperor looked pleased and nodded. "When brothers are of one heart, their strength can cut through metal. After We pass, We trust you will treat your brothers well. In the future, when you ascend the throne, your two younger brothers will assist you. Then, even in death, We may rest in peace."
The Crown Prince responded deferentially and withdrew. That night, he finally received a report and understood why, at the last moment, she had been removed from the list of candidates for Crown Princess.
Just the day before, while he had been busy preparing for the sacrificial rites, something had happened without his knowledge.
The Wei Emperor had received a letter from his third imperial brother, Xiao Lie.
That letter had been sent via an 800 Li Urgent Delivery, with messengers riding day and night without rest until it reached the capital.
Xiao Lie himself was still on the road, but the letter had arrived ahead of him and been delivered into the Wei Emperor’s hands.
No one knew what the letter contained, but it seemed that after receiving it, the Emperor had abruptly removed the daughter of the Pei family from the list.
Upon learning this news, the Crown Prince spent a sleepless night, his emotions in turmoil.
This third brother of his, favored by their father since childhood, had always been bold and unrestrained, standing out like an anomaly in the palace.
Last year, when he volunteered to join the army, the Crown Prince had regarded it as nothing more than an impulsive act by a pampered prince who knew nothing of military hardships and sought novelty. Like the Wei Emperor, the Crown Prince had assumed he would soon return to the capital.
To everyone’s surprise, not only had Xiao Lie persevered, but he had also distinguished himself in battle, earning the admiration of all.
Xiao Lie’s birth mother and Madam Pei were distant relatives, so since childhood, Xiao Lie had often visited the Pei residence.
The Crown Prince knew this.
But what he had not anticipated was that Xiao Lie also harbored feelings for the Pei family’s daughter. Even more unexpected was that this third brother, originally scheduled to return no earlier than next spring, was now coming back ahead of time.
Judging by his travel arrangements, it seemed like a sudden decision.
And that letter—it was especially suspicious.
Could it be that Xiao Lie had learned of his intentions and rushed back early precisely to claim the Pei family’s daughter before he could choose her?Several days later, Xiao Lie returned to the capital and immediately entered the palace to pay his respects to the Wei Emperor.
Subsequent events indeed confirmed the Crown Prince’s speculation.
It was precisely because of the letter Xiao Lie had sent that the Wei Emperor crossed Pei Wenjing’s name off the list.
In his letter, Xiao Lie wrote that his birth mother had passed away early, and he had grown up under Madam Pei’s care. Thus, he had vowed to marry none other than a daughter of the Pei family. However, knowing his own unruly nature and having achieved no merit in the past, he dared not speak up rashly. Only after following the army on the northern campaign and managing to distinguish himself did he send a swift letter back to the capital, humbly requesting his father to propose marriage to the Pei family on his behalf, fulfilling his long-cherished wish.
...
The setting sun streamed through a Lattice Window, casting light on a pot of orchids placed at the corner of the dressing table. The lush green leaves were vibrant, and among them, several Plain Heart White Orchids had quietly bloomed, exuding a subtle fragrance. The young maiden, clad in a moon-white gown, sat motionless before the mirror, holding a wooden comb as she slowly ran it through a lock of hair draped over her chest. A silver bracelet dangled from her jade-like wrist, swaying gently with her movements.
Lost in thought, the maiden finally set down the comb, her gaze lingering on the Carved Lacquer Dressing Case. After a moment of contemplation, she opened it and retrieved a jade pendant from the bottommost compartment.
The pendant was a translucent emerald green, adorned with an orchid motif. Though the craftsmanship was not particularly refined, its rustic simplicity held a certain charm. The maiden had fashioned a silk cord for it, which complemented it perfectly. As it lay quietly in her delicate palm, the jade’s glow seemed to permeate her slender fingers, harmonizing with the bracelet on her wrist, creating an exceptionally tender and moving sight.
Lowering her head slightly, the maiden gazed at the jade pendant in her palm, recalling the Lantern Festival Night years ago when that rascal of a boy had forced it into her hands.
After that night, she had intended to return it to him at the first opportunity. But either the timing was never right—with others always nearby—or he simply refused to take it back. As days turned into months, the pendant remained with her, eventually becoming a knot in her heart, tangled and unresolved.
Before he left last year, his departure had been abrupt. On the eve of his journey, he had sent her a letter through a young eunuch named Li Yuangui, saying he would wait for her by the side gate at the southwest corner of her family’s rear garden.
He said he wanted to see her.
It was the first time since that Lantern Festival Night, after all these years, that he had privately sought her out.
She still remembered that evening, her heart pounding like a startled deer after nightfall. She had sat before the mirror, applying fresh makeup, and tried on countless dresses.
But in the end, she could not bring herself to step out and meet him.
Instead, she sent her personal maid in her stead, relaying only a single message: for him to take care and return soon.
In the year and a half since his departure, hearing news of her father and elder brother from her mother, and imagining what he might be doing in the army, had become her small daily indulgence.
It was only after he left that she realized, with startling clarity, that this boy—who had once filled her with nothing but embarrassment and annoyance—had somehow quietly taken root in her heart.
She could no longer forget him.
What she had never anticipated was that things would turn out this way.
The Crown Prince’s mourning period had now reached three years, and recently, she had caught whispers of rumors. The Emperor was preparing to select a Crown Princess, and she was said to be among the candidates—with a high likelihood of being chosen.
An honor countless others envied, yet it filled her with unease, robbing her of sleep and appetite.
She could only hope it was all hearsay. That she would not be chosen. That...She could wait until the day he returned to the capital.
"A Jing! A Jing!"
Amidst the sound of hurried footsteps, her mother's voice suddenly called out from beyond the door.
Pei Wenjing started, snapping back to reality. She quickly placed the jade pendant in her hand back into its box and turned to see the door being pushed open. Her mother entered, surrounded by a group of maids and matrons, smiling at her.
"Congratulations, young mistress! Just now, someone from the palace came with wonderful news!"
One of the matrons by her mother's side beamed as she spoke first.
All the maids were looking at her with joyful expressions.
Pei Wenjing immediately recalled the rumors. The color drained from her cheeks as she gripped the edge of her dressing table, slowly rising to her feet. Her gaze turned slightly vacant as she looked at her mother.
Madam Pei instantly noticed her daughter's unusual reaction and hurried to her side.
"A Jing, what's wrong? Even your palms are so cold! Are you feeling unwell somewhere?"
Madam Pei took her daughter's hands and helped her sit down.
Pei Wenjing shook her head, insisting she was fine. Finally steadying herself, she asked softly, "Mother, what news came from the palace?"
"Li Yuangui just came. He said the Third Prince has returned to the capital today. His Majesty intends to arrange a marriage for the Third Prince and has chosen you as his bride."
Pei Wenjing froze. Her heart suddenly raced so fast she could hardly believe her ears.
Slowly lifting her eyes, she looked at her mother as if in a dream. "Mother, what did you say?"
"His Majesty wishes to arrange your marriage to the Third Prince. Li Yuangui said His Majesty intends to proceed with the Third Prince's wedding shortly after the Crown Prince's marriage ceremony. The imperial decree will be issued soon. The news is rather sudden, but Mother thought... you and the Third Prince have known each other since childhood..."
"A Jing, Mother believes this is good news. You should be happy."
Madam Pei led her daughter to sit by the bed, embracing her as she spoke with tender relief and contentment in her eyes.
Gradually, a rosy flush bloomed across Pei Wenjing's pale cheeks, bright as flowers.
"This daughter will follow Mother's arrangements in all matters..."
Her face buried in her mother's embrace, she closed her eyes shyly and murmured her reply in a soft, muffled voice.
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