A Stolen Romance - Chapter 20

Chapter 20: Marriage

Night fell. Inside Qixiang Hall, the lights were brilliant, and the music and dancing were in full swing.

Amidst the clamor of the instruments, a series of announcements from outside declared that the Empress’s palanquin had arrived at the garden. The music and dancing came to an abrupt halt, and everyone in the hall stood up at once.

Xie Zhaoran and Xiao Liju led the crowd to the main entrance to greet the Empress. Seeing the Empress’s palanquin appear in the distance, the grand and sweeping procession seemed quite menacing.

Xiao Liju leaned in and whispered to Xie Zhaoran, “Mother is usually serving the Emperor his medicine at this time. Why has she suddenly come to the garden?”

Xie Zhaoran lowered her gaze and squinted at the palanquin in the distance, noting a familiar face among the people following it. “Look at the people behind the Empress. They are the Emperor’s people.”

Xiao Liju followed her gaze and saw that it was true. The person holding the imperial decree was one of the Emperor’s trusted eunuchs.

“They come with ill intentions,” Xiao Liju concluded.

Xie Zhaoran knew it as well. She just didn’t know who they were targeting. She turned slightly and lowered her voice to caution Xiao Liju, “No matter what happens, do not be rash.”

Xiao Liju’s expression turned solemn, and she quietly agreed.

The Empress’s palanquin arrived at the entrance. A maid helped her out, and she smiled as she looked at the kneeling crowd, telling them to rise. After Xie Zhaoran and Xiao Liju stood, they smiled and took over the maid’s duties, supporting the Empress on either side as she walked slowly inside.

“Mother, why didn’t you tell us you were coming? I would have gone to welcome you,” Xiao Liju said with a smile.

The Empress gently patted her hand. “I know you are filial.” She looked at her daughter, who was now a full head taller than she was. Her heart was filled with a thousand emotions, and she quickly looked away, a flash of guilt in her eyes.

“Be careful of the step,” Xie Zhaoran reminded her from the other side.

The Empress turned to look at Xie Zhaoran. Seeing the concern on her face, the guilt that the Empress had so carefully hidden in her eyes slipped out again. They were both good children, the Empress thought. But she was not only their mother; she was also the Emperor’s wife and the Empress of Great Yan.

The Empress put away the guilt, sadness, and melancholy in her eyes. After she sat down, she smiled and exchanged pleasantries and expressed concern for everyone in the hall. Although no one knew why the Empress had suddenly arrived, her presence was a joyous occasion for everyone.

“Empress, you have been working so hard tending to the Emperor’s illness. You should also take care of yourself,” said the Duchess of Zheng, who had been close with the Empress since childhood. Seeing her old friend’s haggard face, she expressed her concern with a heavy heart.

The Empress gave a faint smile. “I do not find it tiring to serve the Emperor.” She smiled even more. Today, after the Emperor took the secret medicine presented by Prince Yu, he was able to sit up, and his mind seemed much clearer. It truly was a blessing from heaven for Great Yan.

“The Emperor’s health has been improving greatly these past few days. I have come today with an imperial decree from His Majesty.”

At her words, everyone offered their congratulations.

“The Emperor is a true Son of Heaven, protected by the heavens themselves. He will surely recover soon,” the Duchess of Zheng said with a smile before asking, “What is His Majesty’s decree today?”

The Empress smiled at her but didn’t answer directly. Instead, she looked down at the hall. “Which one is the young lady of the Yunxiang Marquis’s Shi family?”

At her question, everyone’s eyes turned to Shi Yuning.

Shi Yuning, who was eating a hazelnut shortbread from a dish on the table, froze. She almost couldn’t swallow the shortbread in her mouth. She tried hard to swallow it, nearly choking herself.

Tu Chunhua didn’t know what was wrong with her daughter. Why were all these important people looking for her? Knowing that the Empress’s question could not be delayed, she quickly picked up a cup of tea and held it to Shi Yuning’s mouth. “Hurry, drink this tea to wash it down.”

Shi Yuning frantically craned her neck and, with Tu Chunhua’s help, finished the tea in the cup, finally swallowing the shortbread. Their commotion was quite loud, and since it was in response to the Empress’s question, everyone was watching Shi Yuning. She had lost face terribly. Even Tu Chunhua’s face turned red, and she stood up to apologize to the Empress.

“Please forgive us, Empress.”

Shi Yuning also quickly stood up, walked to the center of the hall, and formally curtsied to the Empress. “Greetings, Empress. May the Empress have ten thousand blessings. My grandfather is Marquis Shi Chao of Yunxiang.”

The Empress wasn’t truly unfamiliar with Shi Yuning. After all, Shi Yuning had caused quite a few embarrassing incidents when she first came to the palace and had offended many noble ladies. In the end, the Empress had even issued an edict to have Shi Yuning stay in the palace for a month to learn the rules. Looking at her now, it seemed her lessons hadn’t been very effective.

The Empress hid her displeasure. “Rise and speak.”

Shi Yuning said, “Thank you, Empress.”

After she stood up, Shi Yuning felt a very prominent gaze on her. She looked up slightly and saw Xie Zhaoran, her face solemn, watching her thoughtfully. Her expression was quite serious. Xie Zhaoran watched Shi Yuning without blinking. Under the table, her hand stroked the sachet tied at her waist, her fingers wrapping around the tassel, tighter and tighter.

Xiao Liju also lost her smile, her eyebrows tightly furrowed. Just as she was about to ask her mother why she had specifically called out Shi Yuning, the Empress spoke.

“Eunuch Xia, read the decree.”

The Empress didn’t seem to want to say much. She hadn’t wanted to come, but the Emperor had insisted, and she had to obey. In a way, this was also a favor to Shi Yuning.

Eunuch Xia received the order. He smiled and nodded at Shi Yuning before opening the imperial decree in his hand. Everyone saw the decree and knelt down. Shi Yuning, the person it was for, was a step late. She only thought to kneel when she saw everyone else doing so.

“By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Whereas the young lady of the Yunxiang Marquis’s Shi family, Shi Yuning, is gentle, generous, virtuous, and kind, and We and the Empress are very pleased to hear of her virtues. It so happens that Miss Shi Yuning of the Shi family has not yet married, and We believe she and Our second son, Prince Yu Xiao Yuanyi, are a match made in heaven. To fulfill this beautiful union, We hereby bestow Shi Yuning upon Prince Yu to be his Princess Consort.”

“All rites and rituals shall be handled by the Ministry of Rites, and the wedding shall take place on a propitious day. This is announced to all under heaven, that all may hear. By imperial order.”

Shi Yuning: ?

What was that? What was “by imperial order”?

Shi Yuning looked at the eunuch who had read the decree, utterly confused. “Me? Marry Prince Yu? Princess Consort? Did you say… me?”

It was the first time Eunuch Xia had ever read a decree to someone who didn’t understand it. He had heard that the Shi family’s daughter was an uneducated person who grew up in the countryside, and it seemed to be true. Thinking of the high position this person might hold in the future, Eunuch Xia nodded respectfully. “Miss Shi, please accept the decree. This is an imperial marriage bestowed by the Emperor himself upon you and Prince Yu. This is an immense blessing.”

Shi Yuning was stunned. She hadn’t misheard. The Emperor had truly issued a decree bestowing her in marriage to Prince Yu. She looked up at the Empress, her face full of bewilderment.

The Empress frowned. She truly disliked the Shi girl’s lack of decorum. Fortunately, Prince Yu wasn’t her biological son. “Miss Shi is a very fortunate girl. This is a decree personally issued by His Majesty. Why are you not thanking him?”

Shi Yuning’s limbs were stiff, as if she couldn’t move.

When Xie Zhaoran had first heard Shi Yuning’s name in the decree, her blood had run cold. She tightly gripped the tassel of the sachet in her hand. Xiao Liju saw Xie Zhaoran’s unusual reaction. Looking at her tightly clenched hand, her knuckles stark white, her heart ached.

No! Xiao Liju decided she had to make her father retract the decree. Just as she was about to stand up, a hand reached across her, pushing her back into her seat.

“Why are you stopping me? Are you going to watch Miss Shi marry that scoundrel, Prince Yu?” Xiao Liju looked at Xie Zhaoran beside her, completely baffled.

Shi Yuning, her back straight, was looking in the Empress’s direction. She had seen the movements of both Xiao Liju and Xie Zhaoran beside her. Her heart sank further and further, and her back was no longer straight. She slowly bent forward.

Tu Chunhua snapped out of her shock. She shot to her feet, stumbled to the center of the hall, and knelt beside Shi Yuning, banging her head on the ground twice. “Please forgive us, Empress! Please take back your order! How can this be? How can Ningning marry His Highness Prince Yu? It just won’t do!” Tu Chunhua cried, begging the Empress to retract the decree.

The Empress was already in a foul mood. Hearing Tu Chunhua’s treasonous words, her face turned dark. “What do you mean, Madam? Is a Prince of Great Yan not worthy of a daughter of your Shi family?”

According to an unwritten rule in Great Yan, the Empress was always a girl from a military family. The Empress herself was one, and so was Xie Zhaoran. If not for this, why would Prince Yu ask to marry Shi Yuning? And he had specifically petitioned the Emperor. His ambition was self-evident, and the Emperor had granted it. The Empress sighed. If the Crown Prince were healthy, she would never have agreed. But now, alas. It was fine. Prince Yu was raised under her care, after all.

Tu Chunhua was still desperately explaining. “No, no, Empress, that’s not what I mean. It’s our Shi family, it’s our Ningning! She’s not worthy of Prince Yu! Please, Empress, please speak to the Emperor for us. Our Ningning knows nothing of poetry or music, and her needlework is terrible. How can such a clumsy girl become a Princess Consort?!”

As Tu Chunhua spoke, she began to sob. Everyone in the capital knew what kind of person Prince Yu was. If her Ningning were to marry him, she would never have a good life. Especially since Ningning had just offended Prince Yu today. He would surely hold a grudge and torment her after the marriage.

She was crying so loudly that even Shi Yuning couldn’t console her.

“What is the meaning of this, Madam? This is an imperial decree from His Majesty. Are you defying it? You know that defying an imperial decree is a great crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of your family!” the Duchess of Zheng, who had never liked the Shi family, saw the Empress’s displeasure and immediately spoke up to scold her.

Tu Chunhua was about to say something else, but Shi Yuning quickly covered her mouth. Shi Yuning saw that Tu Chunhua had stopped crying. She swiftly took the bright yellow decree from Eunuch Xia and kowtowed in gratitude.

“Your servant accepts the decree. Thank you, Emperor and Empress.”

Tu Chunhua, whose crying had stopped in shock, wailed even louder.

Holding the decree, Shi Yuning’s gaze involuntarily fell on Xie Zhaoran, and she gave a bitter smile. So this was it. She was the one who was going to be trapped within these red walls. She remembered the afternoon in Xie Zhaoran’s room. After hearing the secret, she was so happy that Xie Zhaoran could be free that she had invited her to go on adventures with her. With Xie Zhaoran’s skill, she would surely make it onto the list of top martial artists. Then the two of them would work together and surely make a name for themselves in the martial world. She had just been thinking about what their team name should be. It had to be more powerful and resounding than names like “The Twin Fiends of Black and White” or “The Seven Oddities of the Evildoers.”

Now she didn’t need to think about it anymore. From now on, her only title would be Princess Consort…

Shi Yuning lowered her head, fighting to keep her tears from falling. Her shoulders trembled as she went to help Tu Chunhua, who was about to cry herself into a faint.

…

Xie Zhaoran couldn’t see Shi Yuning’s expression, only her trembling shoulders. Xie Zhaoran’s hands, which were at her sides, began to tremble as well.

Xiao Liju, who had regained some of her composure from her earlier outrage, saw Xie Zhaoran’s restrained demeanor and her eyes also turned crimson. She lowered her voice and said through gritted teeth, “Why did Father agree? What about his health?”

Xie Zhaoran’s eyes flickered, and she nodded, watching Shi Yuning help Tu Chunhua back to their seats in the hall.

The music and dancing resumed, and the hall returned to its bustling, lively atmosphere. Regardless of whether Shi Yuning and her mother were happy, the people around them offered their congratulations. Some even thought the Shi family was being ungrateful.

…

After the banquet ended, Shi Yuning and Tu Chunhua returned home. The family already knew the news. Seeing the looks on her father and grandfather’s faces, as if they wanted to say something but couldn’t, Shi Yuning claimed she was tired and went back to her room to rest. She was afraid that if they saw her tears, her family would truly defy the imperial decree for her, which would mean a death sentence.

Shi Yuning went into her room and hid under her covers, wanting to have a good cry, but she found that no tears would come.

“Shall I take you to beat up Prince Yu again?”

A familiar voice came from outside the blankets. Shi Yuning suddenly pulled back the covers and saw Xie Zhaoran sitting by the bed, looking at her with a serious face.

Shi Yuning forced a smile.

“Although I like to see you smile, not that kind of bitter smile,” Xie Zhaoran sighed. “You don’t have to smile if you don’t want to.”

Shi Yuning’s smile vanished.

“Do you trust me?” Xie Zhaoran couldn’t say more, only asking that one question.

Shi Yuning immediately understood. She did trust her, but, “Will you be in danger?”

Xie Zhaoran chuckled softly. “I know what I’m doing.”

“I will not let you marry Prince Yu. We still have to go on adventures.”

“Don’t leave the house these next few days. Stay home and think of a powerful and resounding name for our team.”

Xie Zhaoran’s joke wasn’t funny, but Shi Yuning suddenly burst into laughter. She sniffled, and this time, she really couldn’t hold back the tears.

“Okay, I’ll think of a powerful name that will intimidate anyone who hears it!”

While Shi Yuning and Xie Zhaoran were talking about their future of helping the weak and dominating the martial world, on Jinming Street, a luxurious carriage was surrounded by dozens of men in black.

Under the moonlight, the sharp sword blades flashed with a cold light, casting a reflection on the top of the carriage. It illuminated the gold-painted characters “[Eastern Palace]” engraved on the carriage’s plaque.

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