It was at dusk that day when Qingge finally replaced the Xiahou clan’s young miss. In the twilight, the flowers and plants near the walls of the post station rustled. With her head lowered, Qingge was led along the handrail gallery leading to the back courtyard of the post station inn. It was there that she spotted a woman being escorted by a different group of female servants.
Qingge did not raise her head, but from the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of the woman. They both had similar builds, yet the woman’s figure was delicate and frail, her movement as elegant as the swaying of a willow branch.
Under the dim light from the lanterns hanging on the eaves, Qingge saw the woman’s long black hair hung down, partially covering her face. From between the shadows cast by her hair, the resemblance of the two faces was faintly discernible.
The woman felt Qingge’s gaze and looked back as well, as if assessing her.
In the dim twilight, two pairs of similar eyes briefly locked before the woman and her entourage quickly moved on.
Qingge regained her composure. Given the woman’s delicate figure and slender frame, it was difficult to tell if she was really pregnant or not; if so, it was likely still in the early stages.
This made Qingge even more curious about the family of the groom she was about to marry. Who could it be that even the Xiahou clan had no way to postpone or cancel the marriage?
The Great Sheng dynasty encompassed thirty-two provinces and was home to four prominent aristocratic clans: the Xiahou, Wen, Nan, and Shi—collectively known as the Four Great Clans. These families had existed for centuries, during which they had been intermarrying for generations. Was the Xiahou clan’s new son-in-law from one of the other three clans?
There was also the matter of the Seven Fragrance Ice Skin Powder that Mo Jingxi easily produced. This medicine was an exclusive formula created by Nan Zhiyong, a member of the Cangpi Nan clan. Could the future husband of this woman possibly be from the Cangpi Nan clan?
Qingge rubbed her hands together excitedly. There was no doubt that she had gotten herself a lucrative deal—she was bound to make a large profit this time. If the other party used dirty tricks, she would just take it by force. After all, what was rightfully hers, she could take with a clear conscience.
But obtaining silver did not mean she could buy ingredients and concoct any miraculous medicines on her own. The top-grade medicines required rare ingredients, and ordinary people might not be able to purchase them, even if they threw crates of silvers around.
However, the Four Great Clans certainly had access to such resources, especially the Nan clan. The side branch where Nan Zhiyong belonged had been practicing medicine for generations, and they surely had many rare medicinal materials unavailable elsewhere.
She could find a pretext to use the identities of both the daughter of the Xiahou clan and the young madam of the Nan clan to get herself some valuable medicines from their storage. With some luck, she might even cure the cold poison in her body.
Of course, she must not let anyone discover she was poisoned, because it would be impossible to explain how the precious daughter of the Xiahou clan could be afflicted with such a condition.
As she was submerged in thought, Qingge reached Miss Xiahou’s bedroom. A middle-aged woman in her forties, stern-looking and elegantly dressed, came forward. Qingge immediately knew this was Luo Momo, who had looked after Miss Xiahou from childhood and would accompany her as a dowry servant.
Luo Momo was also scrutinizing Qingge; after a long look, she finally bowed deeply: “This servant greets the young miss.”
…
Miss Xiahou was born in the cold of winter during a heavy snowfall, hence she was named Jianxue—’Seeing Snow.’
After seven days of intensive training, Qingge was now very familiar with Xiahou Jianxue’s bearing and habits, easily getting into her new role.
Luo Momo clearly knew the truth, but there was an unspoken, tacit understanding between them, and the matter of impersonation was never discussed openly.
Besides Luo Momo, Xiahou Jianxue was accompanied by four dowry maids who would attend to her daily needs—Hanmei, Wuliu, Yuegui, and Fengzhu. However, none of them were included in the secret, so Qingge had to be cautious and keep it hidden from them.
According to Mo Jingxi’s plan, if she could deceive the maids on the journey, her impersonation would be considered successful.
In addition to these four maids, Xiahou Jianxue’s dowry included a retinue of other servants, but since they would not serve her directly, they were therefore not a concern.
That night, Qingge bathed with the assistance of the maids, but she managed to keep her back hidden from their view.
The Seven Fragrance Ice Skin Powder truly worked wonders; Qingge had only used it for a few days, and the various scars on her body had already faded, almost invisible. However, the scars on her back were not so easily removed. Although her skin had peeled and regenerated, the new skin was too tender and visibly different from her surrounding skin, so she had to keep it concealed for a few more days.
Fortunately, with Luo Momo covering for her, everything went smoothly.
The next day, Qingge joined the bridal procession as planned, continuing westward along the official road.1
From the direction of the bridal procession, Qingge felt more convinced of her guess—it must be heading to the Cangpi region, the territory of the Nan clan. Spending a few months as the young madam of the Nan clan would certainly be very profitable, and she was set to make a fortune.
However, she hadn’t been feeling happy for long when something unexpected happened.
That day, as she sat in the bridal carriage, she suddenly heard the sound of horse hooves clattering ahead. Then came the sound of firecrackers outside, and she immediately understood—the groom’s welcoming party had arrived.
Inside the carriage, Qingge sat with her eyes half-closed, appearing relaxed and idle, but she was attentively listening to the sounds outside. At first, there were polite greetings to confirm each other’s identities, followed by a barrage of firecrackers, and after that, the sounds of pipe, flute, and drums began, all very ceremonious.
But—
Amid many sounds, Qingge caught a familiar tone. Without making a sound, she lifted the curtain and looked towards the distance. There, leading the welcoming procession, was a man.
The man was seated high on a horse, dressed in a green ceremonial silk robe with subtle floral patterns. His eyebrows and eyes were solemn, and he looked majestic and steady.
Seeing this man, Qingge’s heart sank sharply. He was Wen Zhengqing, the chief steward and one of the right-hand man of His Highness Ning Wang, her lord and master.
‘Who is Xiahou Jianxue supposed to marry?’
She dared not think further.
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