“The night grows late, and tomorrow is your grand wedding. Why is Imperial Uncle still out here?” At some point, a carriage had stopped by the roadside. The stunned Ning Wang snapped back to reality, gazing at the young man stepping out of the carriage. His movements were graceful, each step seemed to be perfectly measured, never too fast nor too slow, a perfect embodiment of an elegant gentleman. What set him apart was the gold-woven brocade robe he had on today, which stood out against his typical subdued elegance, lending his jade-like face a rare touch of extravagance.
“Tingheng?” Ning Wang had a gentle smile on his face. “You’ve always preferred light blue. That golden-purple robe looks really striking on you.”
“As your nephew, it’s only proper to dress festively for Imperial Uncle’s wedding,” the young man gracefully performed a greeting in the manner of a younger generation, seemingly oblivious to the shattered wine jar on the ground. “I’m just here to share in the good fortune.”
“Then your Imperial Uncle thanks you for your auspicious words,” Ning Wang’s smile turned slightly bitter at the sight of the golden auspicious cloud patterns that looked so dazzling under the lantern light.
“I am truly happy for your wedding, Imperial Uncle.”
Ning Wang gave a slight nod in response. There was a notable age gap between him and the current emperor, and he was only six years older than his nephew, Tingheng. Before his father, the late emperor, passed away, he had never regarded this nephew seriously. In the entire capital, even the chief attendants of Ning Wang Manor held more prestige than the eldest imperial grandson.
“It’s late. You should return to the palace before your parents start worrying,” Ning Wang said calmly. “Your status is extremely noble, and no mishaps shall happen to you.”
“Thank you for your concern, Imperial Uncle. You should also return home to rest early.” His demeanor was impeccable as if he had really just happened to pass by and wished to offer a few blessings.
With that, the prince returned to his carriage. A soft chuckle drifted from behind the curtain as the carriage began to rattle away, with eunuchs carrying lanterns to light the path ahead.
Ning Wang: “…”
‘That family of three, from parents to child, are all revoltingly pretentious.’
…
On the day of Ning Wang’s wedding, half of the capital was bustling with excitement. The common people were unaware of the undercurrents surrounding the throne; all they saw was the lavish wedding, the grand procession, and the seemingly endless parade of the bridal party.
Wherever money flows, intentions follow—people understand that. If a man was willing to put in so much effort and money for his half-brother’s wedding, then he must be a good brother.
“After today, anyone who dares to say His Majesty treats Ning Wang poorly will surely be treated like a fool,” Fuyi remarked with amusement as she watched the wedding procession pass by from the window. “With such a grand wedding, even ten years from now, the people will only sing praises.”
His Majesty, who claimed the throne amidst difficult circumstances, truly knew how to handle things. This strategy was far more effective than constantly causing trouble for Ning Wang.
“Miss, you’re not planning to stir up trouble for Ning Wang today, are you?” Seeing Fuyi completely engrossed in the wedding procession made Xiayu anxious.
“I’ve told you before—your young miss, I, is an idler, not a fool.” Fuyi put her hand down, tracing the pattern on the teacup with a smile. “As a loyal subject, I should help relieve His Majesty’s burdens, not add to them.”
“Oh.” Xiayu nodded in sudden understanding. Though she didn’t fully grasp the meaning, that didn’t stop her from praising her lady. “You’re absolutely right, Miss.”
In the procession, servants scattered wedding coins, and the roadside was filled with children scrambling to pick them up. The sight brought a smile to Fuyi’s lips.
“Miss,” Xiayu said, “it’s noisy here, and there isn’t much to see. Shall we move to Caiyin Pavilion for some fun?”
“No.” Fuyi smoothed her sleeves and stood up. “But it is indeed noisy here. Let’s head back.”
“Yes, Miss.” Xiayu quickly stood, eager to escort Fuyi back to the manor as soon as possible.
As the master and servant made their way downstairs, they found the entrance packed with onlookers, leaving no room to pass. Fuyi waited until the crowd thinned out to follow the wedding procession, then made her exit from the teahouse.
Clink. A piece of wedding coin slipped out from the cracks in the pavement and rolled to their feet. Fuyi bent down, picked it up, and handed it to a nearby child who had been separated from the crowd. “Here you go.”
The child took it happily, beaming. “Thank you, fairy sister!”
Fuyi’s smile brightened at the comment. Well, she always appreciated honest children.
“Excuse me, Miss Yun, my name is Mo Wen.” A man in a gray robe approached her. “It’s almost noon, and my master invites you upstairs for lunch.”
The man had fair skin with no facial hair, and his voice was high-pitched and shrill. Fuyi immediately recognized him as a palace eunuch and glanced at the restaurant across the street. Straightening her clothes, she said, “Of course I won’t refuse a kind invitation from your master.”
In the capital, her reputation was far and wide—no one didn’t know her exploits. Those who were friendly with her wouldn’t invite her in this manner, and those with no connection to her wouldn’t likely bother. Even those looking to make her acquaintance wouldn’t choose the day of Ning Wang’s wedding to invite her.
‘Could this be a trap to mock me?’ Fuyi wondered, but quickly dismissed the thought. ‘Unlikely—who would dare risk such an offense?’
The gray-robed man led Fuyi to the top floor of the restaurant. Xiayu followed closely behind, keeping a respectful demeanor but discreetly observing their surroundings. On the second floor, over a dozen martial experts were scattered about—clearly highly skilled.
“Miss Yun, we’re here.” The gray-robed man stopped before a beaded curtain, bowing as he lifted it for her, but did not step inside.
“Thank you.” Fuyi stepped into the room. The first thing she caught was the faint scent of incense. Glancing to the side, she saw an elegant crane-shaped jade censer, the incense inside was already half burned.
As if sensing her arrival, there was a stir behind the screen. A young man, dressed in a silver-red brocade robe and wearing a headdress adorned with jewels, emerged.
’What an elegant figure!’ Fuyi silently marveled. Silver-red was such a bold and striking color, often seen as too flamboyant on men. A few years ago, the color had been a short-term trend in the capital, though most men who wore it failed to pull it off, transforming themselves into a walking fashion disaster. Fuyi remembered how her eyes were tormented for many days. Fortunately, the trend faded—until today. Seeing this man now, Fuyi realized it wasn’t the color that was wrong, but the people wearing it.
He looked vaguely familiar, though she couldn’t place where they’d met before. However, considering the disguised guards downstairs, his identity was not hard to guess. “This subject daughter greets Your Highness the Imperial Prince,” Fuyi made a formal bow and curtsied.
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Translator’s Note:
Previously, I translated 王爷 (Wangye, how you address a titled Wang) and 殿下 (Dianxia, how you address a son of an emperor who still hasn’t been titled) as both His Highness, which is the closest equivalent English meaning. However, turns out the distinction is quite important here, so I changed them into Wangye and His Imperial Highness, respectively. The previous chapters have been updated with new terms. Hope you enjoy the novel!
Oh, and also… I tried to translate terms into English as much as possible, but there are limits to it, especially if I want to preserve the historical nuances of the novel (just like Wangye and Dianxia above). Any footnotes I made were compiled into a glossary page, along with some extra explanation (which would be too long if put in footnotes). If you feel lost, consult the page or better, leave a comment!
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