Married First, Love Later with the Love-Brained Regent - Chapter 1

In the twenty-third year of Yongli, summer.

The early summer breeze carried a hint of warmth, coaxing the locust tree standing in the courtyard of the Yongchang Marquis Ning residence into bloom.

Small, jade-white locust flowers clung to the branches, swaying gently with each passing breeze.

Ning Huanyi stood beneath the locust tree, slightly rising on her tiptoes to pluck a cluster of the tiny blossoms. The wide sleeves of her robe slipped down as she raised her arms, revealing wrists as fair and delicate as lotus roots.

“Breaking off the engagement? Does the Liu family take our Yongchang Marquis residence for a pushover?!”

A sudden exclamation shattered the tranquility of the courtyard, startling Ning Huanyi, who had been stretching to pick more flowers. She stumbled, nearly falling.

Fortunately, her quick-witted maid in a green dress rushed forward to steady her. But alas, the freshly plucked cluster of jade-white locust flowers tumbled to the ground.

Ning Huanyi lowered her gaze to the scattered petals, her heart inexplicably heavy.

“Mother, what does this mean—breaking off the engagement?” Ning Huanyi didn’t bother picking up the fallen flowers. Instead, she composed herself and walked gracefully to her mother, Lady Pei Ruan. Yet, even those few steps made her cough lightly, prompting Pei Ruan to soothe her back as if comforting a child. “Don’t fret, my dear. Mother won’t let this marriage fall through.”

Ning Huanyi’s thoughts drifted. Though she was the Yongchang Marquis residence’s only legitimate daughter, her frail health had plagued her since birth. The marriage alliance with the Xianyang Marquis Liu family of the capital had spared her the usual worries about marriage prospects.

Yet, a year had passed since her coming-of-age ceremony, and the Liu family had remained silent. Today, when Madam Liu visited the Yongchang Marquis residence, everyone assumed it was to finalize Ning Huanyi’s marriage. Instead, it was news of the engagement’s dissolution.

Pei Ruan seemed about to say more, but after a whispered exchange with her maid, she had to leave to attend to other household matters, instructing Ning Huanyi’s maid to comfort her.

“Young… young miss…” The maid, Qingdai, stood timidly, hesitant to approach. She couldn’t help but feel indignant on her mistress’s behalf. How could someone as lovely as her young miss be rejected? If anything, it should be her young miss who found the Liu family’s son unworthy!

“Qingdai, accompany me to the market. I heard Ruyi Pavilion has new hairpins in stock today.” Ning Huanyi masked her emotions, leaving Qingdai unsure whether she was upset or indifferent. Obediently, Qingdai gathered some silver and followed her out.

The day was bright, the summer breeze brushing against their faces with a unique touch. After wandering aimlessly for a while, Ning Huanyi’s mood lightened slightly. She entered Ruyi Pavilion, intending to pick a few hairpins before returning home. But the moment she stepped inside, an odious voice reached her ears.

“Have you heard? Our lofty Miss Ning has been rejected by the Liu family!”

“What? By all accounts, this marriage was already a stretch for the Lius. How could they dare break it off?”

“Why else? With Ning Huanyi’s health—coughing every three days, bedridden every five—who’d dare marry her? What if she passed away right after the wedding?”

…

Ning Huanyi could hear the commotion clearly just by standing at the entrance of Ruyi Fang. She slightly furrowed her delicate brows and stopped Qingdai, who was about to step forward and argue.

Gracefully, she walked up herself, glanced down at the emerald bracelet displayed on the counter, and without batting an eye, said, “Shopkeeper… cough… wrap this bracelet up and gift it to this young lady.”

The woman who had been the loudest suddenly looked up, stunned by the sight of Ning Huanyi standing at the door, radiant and poised.

“Ning… Sister Ning… the wind is strong today, why have you come out…” The woman, who had been so arrogant just a moment ago, now spoke meekly. She was Huang Jie, the eldest daughter of the newly relocated official Huang family in the capital.

The Huang family had risen to prominence due to their outstanding abilities, but their rank… was still far beneath that of the Yongchang Marquis’s household.

“Truly, coming from a small place, she doesn’t know how to hold her tongue,” someone else chimed in from the crowd, dressed in luxurious attire and exuding an air of nobility. Ning Huanyi finally relaxed when she saw her—Bai Yingying, her childhood friend and confidante.

The shopkeeper of Ruyi Fang wiped cold sweat from his brow. Today, the shop had received new jewelry designs, and he had expected noble ladies to visit. But he hadn’t anticipated them all arriving at the same time, nor such a dramatic confrontation. He could only hope nothing went wrong.

Huang Jie had been meekly bowing her head to Ning Huanyi, but she didn’t recognize this Bai Yingying who had suddenly appeared. After exchanging glances with her attendants, she straightened her posture.

“Though Qinzhou may not be a grand place, it’s hardly your place to criticize,” Huang Jie retorted smugly. Though she could tell the woman before her was dressed lavishly, which noble lady in the capital didn’t dress extravagantly when going out?

Her Huang family was currently in the emperor’s favor—surely offending a minor noblewoman wouldn’t be a problem.

Bai Yingying burst into laughter at her words. “Oh? Recently, my cousin was demoted to Qinzhou as an inspector. Before leaving, he wept and wailed, which led me to misunderstand Qinzhou. My apologies~”

Ning Huanyi couldn’t help but laugh as well, and others who knew the details joined in. Though the Huang family had risen to the capital, their rank still paled in comparison to the prestige of the Qinzhou inspector.

Huang Jie froze. Wasn’t the recent Qinzhou inspector from a collateral branch of the Bai family?

Could this woman actually be from the Bai family’s main line?

Huang Jie instinctively wanted to make amends, but she had recently befriended some companions. Backing down now would be a blow to her pride.

Ning Huanyi could see Bai Yingying was trying to stand up for her, but with so many people around, it was best to avoid further conflict. She tugged at Bai Yingying’s sleeve, signaling to let it go.

The crowd finally relaxed, and harmony returned to Ruyi Fang.

“Ah Huan, the Liu family’s actions are truly despicable. They’ve made the broken engagement known throughout the city, as if afraid no one would know they were the ones who called it off,” Bai Yingying gritted her teeth in anger. Back when the two families had arranged the childhood betrothal, rumors had already spread that the Liu family was climbing above their station.

No doubt their high-profile withdrawal from the engagement was to vent their frustrations.

Upon hearing this, Ning Huanyi, who had just begun to calm down, felt waves of sorrow rise within her again. She found a private seating area on the second floor of Ruyi Pavilion to browse fabrics and clothing. The shop assistant, well aware of the status of the two women before him, hurriedly served tea and brought out an array of expensive pastries.

The second floor of Ruyi Pavilion served two purposes: one was for taking measurements and tailoring garments, and the other was to entice customers to linger and purchase more items.

Thus, several partitioned rooms—private seating areas—were set up.

As Ning Huanyi ascended to the second floor, she noticed that all the private rooms were occupied today, save for one.

Bai Yingying, less perceptive than Ning Huanyi, grumbled indignantly on her friend’s behalf as soon as they entered the room. Ning Huanyi was equally frustrated, but what could she do? The jilted party couldn’t very well cling desperately to the broken engagement, could they?

“But… now the whole capital is abuzz with gossip, saying you’re frail and sickly, that marrying you would only lead to an early widowhood. They’re saying all sorts of vile things. What Huang Jie said earlier was just a fraction of it.”

Bai Yingying’s words held truth. The capital’s social climate had always been this way—those from powerful, favored families received the most privileges but were also the most frequent targets of malicious gossip.

The two young women sat in the private room, venting about the troubles they faced after coming of age. Meanwhile, in the adjacent room, a woman with a sword at her waist listened intently to their conversation. With sharp brows and starry eyes, her slender willow-like waist was accentuated rather than concealed by her military attire.

A knock at the door snapped Xiao Ning’an out of her thoughts, and she allowed the shop assistant to enter.

Even though the assistant had seen her earlier, he was still momentarily stunned by her appearance. Xiao Ning’an’s beauty was breathtaking, and the commanding aura she exuded left even him, a grown man, in awe.

Her simple military attire, paired with her striking phoenix-like eyes, carried an unexpected allure.

“Do you know about the broken engagement involving the Yongchang Marquis’s household?” Xiao Ning’an asked expressionlessly, her voice as cold as ice. Though her tone betrayed no emotion, there was an unconscious pressure in her words—the kind of authority only those in power possessed.

The shop assistant didn’t dare delay, quickly recounting everything he knew before gratefully accepting the hefty silver ingot Xiao Ning’an tossed his way and leaving the room satisfied.

Ning Huanyi had no idea how long she and Bai Yingying had been talking, but voicing the worries weighing on her heart had been a relief. However, missing her midday medicine and enduring a morning of emotional turmoil took its toll. As she stepped out of the private room, her vision darkened, and she stumbled, nearly collapsing—only to be caught in arms that were far from warm.

When Ning Huanyi instinctively reached out to steady herself, her fingers brushed against the cold, hard fabric of military garb.

Behind her, Bai Yingying gasped in alarm, clearly frightened. Once Ning Huanyi regained her balance, Bai Yingying rushed to support her, eyeing the woman in military attire who had suddenly appeared with suspicion.

“Has security in the capital become so lax? Who permitted you to roam the city dressed like this?” Bai Yingying demanded, her protective instincts flaring as if fearing this stranger might whisk her friend away.

Xiao Ning’an remained silent, her gaze fixed on Ning Huanyi, who stood a head shorter than her.

When Ning Huanyi met those deep, expressive phoenix eyes, she recalled the moment she had been cradled in those arms. A flush crept across her cheeks, and she quickly averted her gaze.

“You need not know.” Xiao Ning’an seemed unwilling to waste even an extra word on Bai Yingying. Noticing that Ning Huanyi had averted her gaze, she wondered if she had been too forward, suddenly unsure where to look.

The atmosphere instantly grew tense. It was Ning Huanyi who, feeling uneasy, broke the silence with a slight curtsy. “Thank you for saving me, miss.”

Hearing Ning Huanyi’s voice—soft, gentle, and sweet—Xiao Ning’an found herself at a loss.

Watching the faint blush on Ning Huanyi’s cheeks, the usually expressionless Xiao Ning’an suddenly felt an urge to tease her. “And how will you repay me?”