Chapter 151: Consort De's Command
Soon the auspicious hour arrived.
The wedding procession from the Anjing Prince's residence arrived.
Xie Ping was helped out of her boudoir by the wedding matron, walking dazedly to the entrance of the Xie residence before being assisted into the bridal sedan.
Once inside the sedan, she lifted her red veil and peered through the curtain's gap at the Xie family home. She saw her grandparents, her father and mother, Xie Shi'an, the Xie family concubines, and her younger siblings... It had only been four years since she had returned to her ancestral home and been recognized as part of the Xie family, yet she had already come to regard this place as her true home. Never had she imagined she would leave so soon.
Her heart was filled with melancholy and reluctance, but even more so with anticipation for her future life.
The sedan was lifted and carried farther and farther from the Xie residence.
Xie Ping assumed the sedan would proceed directly to the prince's residence. To her surprise, after turning a corner in the street, it stopped before the Shi family's gates.
The Anjing Prince personally entered the Shi residence and escorted Side Princess Consort Shi into another bridal sedan.
The two sedans moved one after another through the bustling streets, drawing numerous comments from the common folk.
"The Anjing Prince is truly fortunate to marry two women in one day. Come, let's make a bet—who do you think the prince will spend his wedding night with?"
"It must be the eldest Miss Xie. She's the main princess consort, so of course the wedding night should be with her."
"Not necessarily, not necessarily. The Shi family's status is much higher than the Xie family's. The Anjing Prince will need to rely on the Shi family's influence in the future, so he'll surely give them ample face."
"Don't you find it ridiculous? The Anjing Prince marries two women in one day, yet the combined dowries of these two don't even amount to one-tenth of what the Crown Princess or the Gong Xi Princess Consort brought, not even one-tenth!"
The commoners on the street looked and indeed saw that the dowries of the main princess consort and the side princess consort combined didn't even fill thirty-two carrying cases.
Moreover, upon closer inspection, the items appeared to consist entirely of bedroom and household utensils, with nothing of real value in sight.
"The Xie family comes from humble origins, so it's understandable they can't provide a dowry. But the Shi family, how could they also..."
"Haven't you heard? The current matriarch of the Shi family married in later. This eldest Miss Shi is a stepdaughter—what stepmother would prepare a dowry for a stepdaughter?"
"The Anjing Prince is a royal son. When the Emperor enfeoffed him as a prince, he bestowed countless treasures of gold and silver. Why would he care about his wives' dowries?"
"Despite the Anjing Prince's noble status, he married the daughter of a mere fifth-rank official. This shows he genuinely favors the eldest Miss Xie and is a man of responsibility."
"..."
Inside the sedan, Xie Ping breathed a sigh of relief.
She had no dowry, and neither did Consort Shi. This meant she wouldn't feel inferior to Consort Shi.
After about fifteen minutes, the sedan stopped. The curtain was lifted, and the wedding matron helped her out. She stepped over the threshold and entered the Anjing Prince's residence.
In a daze, she went through the wedding ceremony, surrounded by auspicious blessings, and was then escorted to the bridal chamber.
She sat in the jubilant, festively decorated chamber for what felt like an eternity. The distant sounds of celebration gradually faded away, the night grew deeper, and the maids around her yawned repeatedly. Even she herself grew restless.
Lifting her red veil, she said, "Go and see if the prince is still drinking in the front courtyard."
The maid nodded and left, returning after nearly half an hour. "Miss, the prince, he..."
Xie Ping coldly interrupted her, "What 'miss'? I am the princess consort now."
"Yes, Princess Consort," the maid replied. "I asked around, and the matrons in the residence said the prince has gone to Consort Shi's quarters."Xie Ping tore off her red veil, her face ashen with fury.
As the legitimate Princess Consort, it was an utter humiliation that the Prince had chosen to complete the wedding rituals with the Side Princess Consort first, trampling her dignity underfoot.
Yet she knew—having married before coming of age—the Prince would avoid her chamber on the wedding night to prevent gossip.
After several deep breaths, she suppressed her rage and allowed her maid to assist with washing up before retiring.
Before dawn the next morning, the manor’s matron came to rouse her for the palace visit to pay respects to the Empress and Consort De.
Having slept poorly, Xie Ping applied heavy powder to conceal her weariness before following the matron to the front courtyard. There, her husband, the Anjing Prince, was practicing swordplay.
It was her first time witnessing the Prince’s sword dance, and she found herself momentarily captivated.
When he finished, she hastily took a handkerchief from her maid and approached to wipe his sweat. “You’ve worked hard, Your Highness.”
The Prince glanced at her, stepped back, and coldly evaded her touch.
He then strode past her toward Consort Shi, who had just arrived. Xie Ping turned to see them standing together like a flawless pair, while she, the rightful Princess Consort, appeared utterly ridiculous.
“Your Highness,” she said, “it grows late. We should depart for the palace.”
The Prince nodded. “Consort Shi will accompany us.”
Xie Ping’s fingers stiffened. Forcing a smile, she objected, “For a Side Princess Consort to enter the palace… surely that breaches propriety?”
“This is my mother’s command,” the Prince retorted, narrowing his eyes. “Does the Princess Consort take issue?”
Xie Ping’s smile froze. Consort De loathed her so deeply that she would summon a Side Princess Consort on the very first day of marriage. Henceforth, all would know that the Xie family’s eldest daughter was disdained by both husband and mother-in-law—stripped of all dignity.
The Prince snorted and marched ahead.
Regret seethed within him—regret that he had succumbed to temptation with this woman at Qing’an Temple. A royal prince, forced to wed a fifth-rank official’s illegitimate daughter as his primary consort, had become the capital’s greatest joke. Why should he grant her respect or the honors due a Princess Consort? Even if he held no affection for Consort Shi, he would feign devotion to spite Xie Ping.
“Princess Consort,” Consort Shi approached softly, “Consort De shared a friendship with my late mother, hence the summons.”
She hoped to prevent discord between the Prince and his consort, but Xie Ping only sneered, “Are you flaunting your mother’s ties to Consort De to overshadow me?”
“No! Of course not!” Consort Shi hurriedly explained, “I merely meant—”
“Enough.” Xie Ping curled her lip dismissively and turned to follow the Prince.
Biting her lip, Consort Shi trailed behind as the carriage proceeded to the palace.
At the palace gates, a eunuch led them to the Empress’s Palace of Earthly Tranquility as dawn broke.
After paying homage, the Empress bestowed a jade ruyi scepter upon Xie Ping and a jade bracelet upon Consort Shi.
With genuine gratitude, Xie Ping offered thanks, wearing her first true smile since the wedding.However, when she arrived at Consort De's residence, she could no longer smile. Consort De gave her a golden hairpin, but then turned and rewarded Consort Shi with several bolts of brocade and a set of exquisite head ornaments.
Without even glancing at her, Consort De took Consort Shi's hand and said, "Your mother and I were childhood friends. The year I entered the palace to serve the Emperor, your mother married your father. Who would have thought she would pass away so young... Ah, but having you serve as a Side Princess Consort truly wrongs you..."
"I am not wronged," Consort Shi quickly replied. "The Princess Consort and I are as close as sisters. It is my blessing to serve the prince alongside the Princess Consort."
She deliberately mentioned the Princess Consort, hoping Consort De would speak more with her.
But these words sounded particularly grating to Xie Ping's ears.
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