chapter 1
chapter 1
On our wedding night, Shen Yunfeng arrived very late.
He reeked of wine. At the matron’s repeated urging, he lifted my veil with obvious impatience. Candlelight played over his stern features as he studied me without seeming to, suspicion in his eyes.
“I know neither of us had any say in this marriage,” he said bluntly. “But my heart already belongs to someone else. I ask only that you honor my mother and entertain no improper hopes.”
It sounded less like something a bridegroom would say than an order from a commander to a subordinate.
I looked at the man before me. This was my husband, Shen Yunfeng—the young hero whose peerless swordsmanship had made him famous throughout Chang’an.
His love story with a fisherman’s daughter was already known across the capital. A general at death’s door had been rescued by a humble young woman; after sharing life and death, they had pledged themselves to each other. Had Madam Shen not interfered, Meng Lan would probably have become the general’s wife long ago.
The Shen family was small, respectable, and governed by strict principles. Under ordinary circumstances, it would have been an excellent match.
But Shen Yunfeng’s romance with the fisherman’s daughter had been too spectacular. No family of any standing wanted to send a carefully raised daughter into the Shen household to suffer humiliation.
A man could have three wives and four concubines, as the saying went, but elevating a concubine over the principal wife overturned the proper order. It showed a want of restraint and invited ridicule.
For a long time, the Shens could scarcely hold their heads up among the great clans. Madam Shen was shunned and excluded by the noblewomen. Alone and forlorn, she had looked rather pitiful.
I was the one who approached her and invited her to admire the scenery with me. Even then, I had already decided that I wanted to marry into the Shen household.
I raised my eyes to meet Shen Yunfeng’s.
“Set your mind at ease, Husband. I married you to become the lady of this house, not to pursue love.”
He was a military man. Compared with scholars, his mind was rather straightforward, so I spoke just as directly.
You love your fisherman’s daughter; I will manage the household. Neither of us need trouble the other.
His eyes widened. He had plainly not expected such an answer.
The wedding matron was still urging us to drink the nuptial wine. I waved everyone out. Once we were alone, I continued.
“As a general who defends the realm and is willing to die on the battlefield, you have my admiration. As a man willing to defy convention for the woman he loves, you have even more of it.
“Rather than marry into some other powerful family, feign affection for my husband, find him concubines, and bear his children, I would prefer to choose a husband who can respect me from the beginning.”
Suspicion returned to his face. “You mean you chose me from the very start?”
“Exactly.”
He seemed amused. “And what if I agree tonight, only to give in to my baser instincts one day and decide to possess you?”
I laughed. “We are husband and wife. What would I lose?”
The last of his doubt vanished, replaced by appreciation.
That night, Shen Yunfeng and I laid down three rules. So long as I did not harm the interests of the Shen family or Meng Lan, he had to accord me the dignity owed to his lawful wife.
I explained the advantages. If he respected me, the Shen and Cui families would stand together, and the noble clans would no longer dare gossip. Madam Shen would be able to raise her head among the noblewomen again.
If he continued to disregard propriety, the Shens would only become more isolated. The Empress, after all, despised men who favored a concubine and humiliated their wives.
“Inside the household, you may spend every day with her if you wish. Her food, clothing, lodgings, and comforts may equal mine. If she likes anything from my dowry, she may wear it.
“She may not be your wife in name, but she can remain at your side for life. If you have children, they may be entered under my name. They will then be legitimate heirs and eligible to inherit the title.”
Shen Yunfeng went from surprise to contemplation. The more I explained, the brighter his eyes grew.
“Very well. We will do as you say.”
He glanced at the hour. “Is there anything else? If not, I am going to keep Ah Lan company.”
I patiently guided him back to reason. “If you leave on our wedding night, what becomes of my dignity, or that of the Cui family? Endure one night on the floor. Tomorrow, when I meet Miss Meng, I will explain it myself and make certain she does not take offense.”
After a moment’s hesitation, he agreed.
I nodded, thoroughly satisfied.
This was why I had chosen the Shens. Shen Yunfeng was the sole heir of the main line. Unlike the spoiled wastrels of many noble houses, he was honorable, kindhearted, and highly skilled in martial arts.
If I appealed to his feelings and laid out the logic clearly, he would listen.