Chapter 12
Chapter 12
The wedding of Li Chun and Cao Mingyu was set for September of the following year.
Overjoyed, Cao Shun submitted a memorial to the Emperor to pay his respects. Expressing his humble gratitude, he sent his eldest son to Shangjing to oversee the wedding preparations.
With this arrangement, two of his children were effectively being held as hostages in Shangjing. No matter how insidious Cao Shun might be, he couldn’t simply abandon both his son and daughter at once.
The border was stable.
And my heart was finally at peace.
Since Cao Mingyu had no acquaintances in Shangjing, I took her around the city to shop for her trousseau.
Occasionally, we would run into Liu Xu.
Ever since the Yinghuo incident, I rarely visited the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, so I saw him much less often. I hadn’t expected to encounter him while out shopping.
He explained with a hint of bashfulness, “My younger sister’s wedding is approaching, so I wanted to prepare some dowry items for her. However, my taste is quite poor. I was hoping the Princess could help me make some decisions.”
It was a perfectly reasonable explanation.
A prince’s wedding was a complex affair, with various rites and procedures stretching from the first lunar month until the formal ceremony in September.
To show respect and to guard against any unforeseen changes, many families chose to hold their own weddings earlier.
The Liu Family was likely doing exactly that.
I helped Liu Xu select several dowry items that were within his family’s means. He looked visibly relieved and quite happy, even asking when I would next be leaving the palace.
To my surprise, the next time I went out, I didn’t just run into Liu Xu-I also ran into Cheng Su.
Cao Mingyu’s eyes, which had remained as calm as still water, lit up the moment she saw Cheng Su.
I felt a sudden sense of foreboding as apprehension and fear took hold of me.
“What are you doing here again?” I asked crossly.
Cheng Su seemed choked by my bluntness. He replied wistfully, “My younger sister is also getting married. I would like to ask Your Highness to help me pick out a few gifts.”
Liu Xu: “…”
Me: “…”
I took a deep breath. “Your sister hasn’t even reached the age of hair-pinning yet. How can she be getting married?”
Cheng Su replied calmly, “It is my paternal cousin who is marrying. Is that not allowed?”
The breath caught in my throat, leaving me speechless. I quickly picked out a few items to hurry Cheng Su and Liu Xu on their way.
Unexpectedly, a few days later, we met again.
I remarked dryly, “You certainly are good to your sisters.”
Cheng Su smiled. “This time, it is my maternal cousin.”
Me: “…”
I closed my eyes to steady my nerves. To settle this once and for all and get Cheng Su to stop pestering me, I decided to do something drastic.
I asked the shopkeeper to bring out their most prized treasure. It was a magnificent Pearl Crown, topped with a massive ruby and adorned with five-colored gemstones and pearls. It was a one-of-a-kind piece, valued at a staggering one hundred thousand taels of silver.
Cheng Su’s expression gradually turned solemn.
I smiled. “It is a bit expensive, but one cannot deny its quality.”
“Your Highness is right!” Cheng Su nodded in agreement. Without batting an eye, he bought the item.
Naturally, he didn’t have enough cash on him.
However, the Duke of An’s Mansion had vast assets and a grand reputation, so the shopkeeper was more than happy to deliver the goods to his door.
My heart felt a little chaotic.
Had I made a mistake?
Why did I always lose my composure whenever I saw him?
“Cheng Su, you didn’t have to buy it.”
Cheng Su said softly, “Since Your Highness spoke, Su must naturally do his utmost to fulfill your wish.”
“However, Your Highness, there is one thing Su does not understand. Some people are quite good; even if their lifespan is a bit short, they are still excellent. Why won’t Your Highness consider them?”
Me: “…”