Held in her mother’s embrace, Wei Linxia didn’t cry, but her mother wept bitterly, “My poor daughter, how cruel is your fate.”
“Mother, stop crying. This is a good thing,” Wei Linxia said. “Look, how few Crown Prince consorts are there in history? This is our Wei family’s blessing.”
“Yes, Mother. The Crown Prince is someone we know,” Wei Feng Zhi added but lacked conviction.
“Brother, are you saying… the Crown Prince is the Thirteenth Prince? How is that possible? Isn’t his mother a palace maid? With so many princes before him, how could it be him?”
The Grand Tutor sighed deeply, wiped his eyes, and looked away, leaving Wei Linxia with a bad feeling.
The imperial decree made Huo City lively, with everyone celebrating the town’s new honor of a Crown Prince consort production. In contrast, the Wei household felt gloomy, excluding Wei Linxia, who had no desire for palace connections. In this unavoidable situation, Xi Linxuan’s rise to Crown Prince was a small consolation for her.
Although she found Xi Linxuan’s elevation surprising, Wei Linxia decided to ask her father why the Emperor had bypassed the first twelve princes. Her father, deep in thought, simply shook his head and stated, “The imperial will is unfathomable.” Understanding his reluctance to disclose more, she resolved to uncover the truth on her own.
The next day, dressed in men’s clothing, Wei Linxia visited the busiest teahouse, ordered tea, and listened to whispers. After a couple of days, she learned what she sought, realizing her father’s discretion came from compassion.
Returning to her room, she found the maids still excitedly chatting.
Their joyful faces seemed painful to Wei Linxia, like a street full of flowers prepared for a funeral. The white wax figure stood silently before the writing desk, looking down on her when she sat.
Taking out a painting by Xi Linxuan, she called Yu Mo to look. Yu Mo covered her mouth and laughed, “Though the painting isn’t colored, it’s incredibly lifelike. It looks just like you. Oh, no – it looks like the Crown Prince’s consort.”
“How can you tell it’s me?” Wei Linxia asked.
Yu Mo replied, “I don’t know much about painting, but I’ve been with you for over ten years. I could recognize you even from a silhouette. It’s just a feeling.”
Wei Linxia smiled silently, wondering if Xi Linxuan had truly painted her. Thinking about the book’s description, she blushed, remembering their awkward encounter picking jade hairpins and the garden of flowers he gifted her.
However, after the momentary shyness, she was still filled with fear about her upcoming life and if she and Xi Linxuan could safely return to the land of Yan Chao.
The imperial decree had set a departure date, which was approaching. While Lady Wei worried about her daughter’s dowry, Wei Linxia consoled her mother, arguing that the royal family wouldn’t lack such things, and their family wasn’t wealthy. Instead, she suggested her mother sew a couple of outfits and shoes for her.
Lady Wei had no time for handicrafts because her eldest son, Wei Feng Zhi, was to marry before Wei Lin Xia. Although the marriage was an imperial decree, Huo Di insisted that younger siblings could not marry before their elder brother.
Wei Lin Xia remembered the day Yan Junzhu entered the Wei residence, adorned with lanterns and banners, filled with festive red. Officials, despite personal grievances with Wei Tai Fu, came to honor Empress Ren.
By royal decree, the Wei residence’s banquet lasted two days, and eventually, the excitement faded. Yan Junzhu began her new life with a married woman’s hairstyle, addressing Wei Lin Xia as “little sister-in-law.” Wei Feng Zhi was also preparing to leave for the Yan Kingdom for his official post.
“Brother, is this considered borrowing the sister-in-law’s influence?” Wei Lin Xia asked, sensing her brother’s maturity.
“There is influence, but it’s borrowed from my sister,” Wei Feng Zhi replied.
“Hehe, Wei Shen Li, how are you going to thank me?” she inquired.
“Wei Shen Bi, when you get to the palace, be a good wife. Don’t think about Jianghu or righteousness.”
Just keep up the act; if someone exposes your true self, it’ll bring shame to the Wei family,” Wei Feng Zhi laughed, playfully mussing her hair.
“Looks like you’re quite happy,” Xi Zhaoting said fiercely.
Wei Linxia smiled, holding her teacup. “Why wouldn’t I be? I’m the first imperial consort from Huo in over two hundred years, and perhaps even the first empress.”
With a bang, Wei Linxia saw Xi Zhaoting punch the dark pillar in the room.
“What’s there to be happy about? Do you know why Xi Linxuan was appointed as crown prince? Do you know what kind of crown princess you are…?” Xi Zhaoting turned his head away, unable to continue.
Wei Linxia looked back at the rainy window and said softly: “Your Highness, even for the sisterly affection I have with Henger, I will do my best to protect her. After all, the imperial consort has a bit of power.”
“That’s not what I meant!” Xi Zhaoting denied anxiously.
“Then what do you mean?” Wei Linxia asked steadily, observing his flushed face. Seeing him unable to speak, she laughed, “It’s been raining for two days; it should clear up tomorrow. Your Highness should quickly arrange to travel. Everyone will be held responsible for disobeying the imperial decree.”
Xi Zhaoting left the door open, allowing wind and raindrops to sprinkle onto Wei Linxia’s face. The rain was wet but not cold for this month.
Xi Zhaoting’s visits were routine; in contrast, Li Weiheng sought an audience twice. Wei Linxia searched for signs of sorrow on her face but found none. She noticed Li Weiheng speaking to Wang Ling with a shy demeanor, stirring some emotion within her, though she did not know the cause.
Author’s note: The next chapter will be about the wedding.
Rushing toward the Mid-Autumn Festival, Wei Linxia arrived in the imperial capital. On her first afternoon, she felt indifferent as she stepped into a city where people had grown accustomed to officials and nobles, likely knowing not to overly revere a crown princess.
After the carriage stopped, she changed to a sedan chair, understanding she was entering the imperial palace. Several palace maids and eunuchs led her to a newly renovated courtyard to pay respects to the “Beautiful Lady,” presumably Xi Linxuan’s mother, who was not particularly favored.
The courtyard appeared freshly painted, perhaps indicating that the title of Beautiful Lady had recently been bestowed.
The Beautiful Lady had an ordinary appearance, with the only notable feature being her delicate, white skin resembling mutton-fat jade, likely inherited from her mother. Having been neglected in the inner palace, she was not good at conversation, laughing shyly and appearing more nervous than Wei Linxia. She pulled Wei Linxia’s hand to sit, her face full of joy, repeatedly saying, “Good, truly good.”
Wei Linxia had hoped to meet the emperor, but Xi Linxuan’s status as crown prince was lower than she imagined. Not only did she not meet the emperor, but the empress had not summoned her even once. She waited in the palace, lingering in the scent of paint and powder, until her wedding day, wearing the imperial phoenix crown and robes. She then left the inner court’s main gate, being carried to the Eastern Palace.
Outside, Wei Linxia couldn’t discern if it was lively or quiet. Wearing the heavy phoenix crown and thick veil, she sat in the quiet bridal chamber until drowsiness approached, and the crown prince had not appeared.
It had been over a year, and she wondered what Xi Linxuan looked like now. Had his leg improved? Had his temper improved?
Just as she was thinking, Wei Linxia heard a faint tinkling sound accompanied by a slight rolling noise, gradually approaching and growing louder. Unconsciously, her hands clenched, feeling cold, yet her face burned.
