Chapter 1: Proxy Bride

Chapter 1: Proxy Bride

"Madam, Miss, Miss... she's run away from the wedding..."

An old woman tumbled into the room of the beautiful matron in a panic.

The beautiful matron was in the midst of applying her makeup, adorning herself with flowers before a bronze mirror. She was heavily made up, her jewelry jingling, and even took out her dowry that she had saved for over twenty years to wear on this day.

Upon hearing the news, the hairpin in her hand fell to the ground. Her face filled with shock, she hastily stood up and shouted, "Haven't you sent people to look for her yet? This is an imperial marriage decree; it's a capital offense punishable by extermination of nine generations!"

"Aunt, do you want the whole world to know that the Bai family is defying the emperor's orders and committing treason?" A chillingly calm voice came from the doorway.

That voice was unique, clear and faint, and due to a lack of strength, the end of it sounded slightly languid and alluring.

The person stood at the door, against the light, dressed entirely in plain white. His jet-black hair was casually tied back with a hairband.

Despite only wearing black and white, he was so strikingly beautiful that one couldn't tear their eyes away.

Seeing him, the beautiful matron hurried over, at a loss. "Qinggu, what should we do? The wedding procession is still waiting outside. I know Yu'er doesn't want to marry, but this time it's the Emperor's decree..."

Ran Qinggu looked at her gently, his gaze then shifted to the old woman. "Where is the bridal attire?"

==

On the day the wedding procession entered the capital, it started snowing lightly, the weather bitterly cold.

Despite this, the streets were packed with more spectators than ever, bustling with people. Some were envious, but many more were there to watch the drama unfold.

Not just commoners were watching the drama, even the nobility and royalty were as well.

The reason was simple: the groom was the number one troublemaker in the capital, the Heir of King Cheng, who held immense power over the court.

This Heir of King Cheng was extremely violent. He once accompanied his father, King Cheng, on a campaign, defied military orders, and massacred thirty thousand surrendered soldiers from the Northern Barbarians. Due to improper advice, he defied imperial orders and strangled dozens of border officials. On regular days, he would lead a group of friends to brothels or flirt around the market. Anyone who dared to offend him would lose at least an arm or a leg. This rogue dared to ride his horse in front of the Emperor and cause chaos in Taiji Hall... his reckless behavior even gave the Emperor a headache!

Yet, King Cheng was obsessed with his legitimate son. Despite the Heir's misdeeds, King Cheng treated him like a precious gem, unwilling to scold or punish him. Even the Emperor could only turn a blind eye.

In short, if you provoked him, you wouldn't live to see another day.

Despite being such a rogue, he managed to captivate the ladies of the capital with his stunningly handsome face.

Unfortunately, this troublemaker preferred courtesans over noble ladies. A month ago, he declared his affection for Cang Jiaojiao, the top courtesan in the capital. This infuriated the Emperor, who promptly arranged a marriage for him.

The Heir of King Cheng was extremely resistant to this marriage, kneeling outside Chengde Hall numerous times to beg the Emperor to revoke the decree. But the Emperor was determined to find him a consort.

It was the first time the entire capital saw this troublemaker suffer a setback. However, they pitied the legitimate daughter of Duke Bai, who was traveling from the northern city to the capital. How could she withstand the violent Heir's abuse?

The gambling dens in the city even opened bets, wagering on which day the new consort would be expelled from the mansion, or perhaps which day the Heir would kill her.

The stakes grew higher and higher. It was said that everyone from nobles to commoners participated, making it the biggest gamble since the founding of the Da Su Dynasty.

The Emperor also showed great respect to King Cheng. For the sake of the Heir of King Cheng's marriage, he ordered a three-day suspension of court sessions, markets, and farming. The entire capital was decked out in red, even more grandiose than the Crown Prince's wedding.

"Lift the sedan chair!" The matchmaker's voice was filled with festive cheer as the sedan chair stopped in front of the mansion of King Cheng.

Then, the sedan curtain was lifted, and a red silk ribbon was extended.

Ran Qinggu took the red ribbon, leading him forward. With his head covered, he could only see a few inches ahead. A maid supported him, afraid he might stumble.

Amidst the noisy congratulations and the sounds of music, King Cheng held a million troops in his hands and was the Emperor's most beloved younger brother. Many had come to congratulate him, and almost all the nobles of the Da Su Dynasty were present.

The person holding the other end of the red ribbon walked very quickly, pulling Ran Qinggu along so fast that he struggled to keep up.

The red silk was pulled taut. When the person noticed Ran Qinggu falling behind, they paused, and when he caught up, they strode forward again. From their steps, one could sense reluctance and irritation.

Ran Qinggu wanted precisely this reluctance.

As long as the Heir despised this marriage and rejected him, they wouldn't have to consummate it, allowing him to survive a few more days.

In fact, this marriage was a complete misunderstanding.

Duke Bai favored his concubine over his wife, banishing Ran Qinggu's aunt, Ran Shang, to the old residence where she lived for six to seven years.

That concubine was skilled at capturing a man's heart. She felt that Duke Bai had an empty title without real power. In the northern city, even a minor official's concubine could give her attitude.

So, she wanted to marry her daughter to the capital, where many nobles resided. If her daughter gained influence, she could be elevated to co-wife status, and the Bai family would rise in status. In the northern city, who would dare to treat her poorly then?

Therefore, she urged Duke Bai to write a memorial to the Emperor, seeking a suitable husband for her daughter in the capital.

When the memorial arrived, it coincided with the Heir of King Cheng causing a scandal due to his infatuation with the courtesan Cang Jiaojiao.

In a fit of anger, the Emperor directly arranged for the Heir of King Cheng to marry the daughter of Duke Bai.

The northern city was a remote and harsh place. The Emperor didn't know much about the Bai family's situation, nor did he distinguish between Duke Bai's daughters. Thus, he issued the decree.

The imperial edict stated that the legitimate daughter was to be married to the Heir of King Cheng. Indeed, marrying off the legitimate daughter was quite a compromise for the Heir of King Cheng...

And the legitimate daughter was Bai Yu, the only daughter of Duke Bai's wife, Ran Qinggu's aunt.

Duke Bai was timid and dared not defy the imperial decree. He had no choice but to let his legitimate daughter, Bai Yu, who had been exiled with her mother to the old residence for six years, marry.

The most grandiose royal wedding since the current Emperor ascended the throne was in full swing. Everyone was in high spirits except for the bride and groom.

The wedding rituals were complex, taking over an hour of bowing and kowtowing. As the words "the ceremony is completed" echoed, Ran Qinggu, wearing a valuable phoenix crown made of pure gold and gems, was led to the bridal chamber by the matchmaker and maids.

Inside the bridal chamber, the finest dragon's breath incense was burning. Even the few glimpses he caught of the furniture and decorations through his veil were extraordinary.

Every item was elegant and precious. Any single piece was worth a season's income for the Bai family.

Indeed, it was the residence of the imperial clan.

The soft bed in the bridal chamber was strewn with jujubes and peanuts, symbolizing early birth of a noble son.

Seeing that she hadn't scattered enough, the wedding matron grabbed a few more handfuls from her basket, tied with red satin, scattering them on the crimson quilt. Even Ran Qinggu's knees were covered with many.

As she scattered them, she chanted: "Harmony and beauty, early birth of a noble son, descendants filling the hall..."

Ran Qinggu was about to remove the peanuts and jujubes from his knees when an elderly nurse immediately stopped him: "Your Highness the Heir, don't move; these were all blessed by the princess at the Guanyin Temple for many sons and blessings."

Ran Qinggu had no choice but to leave the jujubes and peanuts on his knees.

The old nurse then brought a bowl of medicine that smelled extremely bitter to Ran Qinggu: "Your Highness the Heir, drink it."

Confused, Ran Qinggu could only ask softly, "What is this?"

The old nurse smiled: "A folk secret recipe that increases the chances of conceiving offspring. The ingredients are precious and the medicine effective."

Ran Qinggu smiled, pursing his lips.

This medicine was likely to be ineffective.

He and the Heir couldn't even consummate their marriage, let alone have children.

Seeing him holding the bowl without moving, the old nurse assumed he didn't believe her and urged, "The princess had no offspring for many years after entering the palace. After drinking this medicine, she conceived the Heir in less than ten months. Your Highness the Heir, you should drink it quickly so that this old servant can return to the princess and report."

Whether the princess conceived the Heir because of this bowl of medicine, Ran Qinggu didn't know.

He only knew that King Cheng had four sons, and the Heir was the youngest.

He also had no intention of making things difficult for the old nurse. Under someone else's roof, one must bow one's head.

He lifted a corner of his veil and downed it in one go.

Satisfied, the old nurse took the bowl, handed it to a pageboy, and placed a pure white cotton handkerchief in the center of the bed, weighing it down with a few jujubes and peanuts.

Having done all this, she bowed and left with the maidservants.

Ran Qinggu's neck ached from the weight of the phoenix crown. Made of pure gold and gemstones, it was fixed to his hair with phoenix pins, as if his scalp was being pulled off.

With maidservants and nurses standing around the room, he couldn't disregard his decorum and move around. He sat stiffly like a stone statue, his neck rigid.

Nobles and ladies paid the utmost attention to etiquette and posture. On his way here, he had almost learned all the manners of noble ladies.

After all, he would have to navigate this royal palace for some time.

Creaking, the door opened, and the smell of alcohol mixed with the chill of the night rushed into the room.

Ran Qinggu sat motionlessly on the edge of the bed. Looking through the veil, he saw the man's red brocade robe and red silk boots.

Shang Rongyu walked to the bedside and looked coldly at the silent bride.

A maid carried a tray with a red jade wedding scale used to lift the veil.

Without even looking at it, Shang Rongyu slapped it away and said angrily, "All of you get out."

Maids and nurses knelt on the ground, looking at each other in fear before hastily scurrying out.

Everyone shared the same understanding - offending the Heir was more terrifying than offending the King of Hell.

Ran Qinggu sat properly.

The Heir's anger represented disgust. Now, this Prince despised this marriage and hated him. Without doing anything, just sitting there, he could make the Heir extremely annoyed.

This was good news for Ran Qinggu.

Before coming, he had already planned. Bai Yu's elopement left them with a dead end.

But his substitution at least offered a glimmer of hope.

He had two ways to survive.

Either he could make the Heir continue to loathe him, to the point of nausea at the sight of him, ensuring they wouldn't consummate the marriage before divorce. Once he obtained the divorce decree, he would be free to come and go as he pleased.

Or before the Heir uncovered his identity, the Heir suddenly passed away, leaving him as a widow who no longer needed to worry about exposure. Perhaps the Emperor, seeing his devout widowhood, would erect a monument of chastity for him...

Now it seemed he didn't need to try to make the Heir loathe and divorce him. This person probably wanted to give him a divorce paper right now, urging him to leave the King Cheng's palace sooner rather than later, out of his sight.

Given the Heir's willful personality, the more he was forced to do something, the more he despised it.

The Emperor made him marry, and he resisted it so much; asking him to consummate the marriage was certainly out of the question.

Ran Qinggu felt he couldn't just sit idly. After all, he was currently a pitiful woman loathed by her husband on her wedding night.

He forced his voice up, asking gently, "Did Bai Yu do something to displease the Heir?"

Shang Rongyu was taken aback by the voice.

It sounded nice, neither as delicate as a daughter's nor as deep as a son's, but somewhere in between, clear and light, the tone fading at the end, sounding quite seductive.

He wasn't sure if the person was trying to entice him or if it was natural.

Even so, he had no tenderness in his heart.

Duke Bai was good at taking advantage, using his public uproar to force his daughter upon the Emperor. Did he really think that the threshold of the King Cheng's palace was accessible to anyone?

He sneered, "What, are you going to turn back home if you're not satisfied?"

Ran Qinggu smiled, curling his lips.

Indeed, he was a reckless one.

Even a woman who had lost her virtue by illicit relations would not be sent back home in disgrace. He had already been carried into the Prince's Mansion; if he were to be sent back now, his cousin Bai Yu's reputation would be utterly ruined.

Not only would Bai Yu have no face to show herself in the future, but the entire Duke Bai's residence would bear the brunt of public scorn for generations to come.

Could the Duke Bai let his aunt off the hook?

"The Heir speaks too much. Since Bai Yu has married into the mansion, she is naturally one of the... people... of the mansion."

Before he could finish his sentence, he was lifted up by the wrist. The tinkling of the phoenix coronet's ornaments and pendants echoed in the silent room, making it even more quiet.

The Heir of the Prince was just a thin veil away from him, so close that the stench of alcohol filled his nostrils.

"How clever of Duke Bai to write this memorial. It produced a Heir Consort out of nowhere. Don't dream on. This Heir will never touch a woman he doesn't like. You'd better make your peace and plan ahead. In due time, I will request an imperial decree to divorce you. Tell Duke Bai, does he think he's worthy to be my father-in-law?"

Ran Qinggu was worried about how to extricate himself from this marriage, but he didn't expect that the Heir had already planned to divorce him.

He didn't even need to think of a way to separate from him.

Struggling against Shang Rongyu's painful grip on his wrist, he said, "Thank you, Heir. I dare not harbor any delusions. Could you let me go? My hand hurts..."

Shang Rongyu usually detested the affected behavior of noble ladies. Hearing this, he released Ran Qinggu and sneered, "You're not even worth a strand of Jiaojiao's hair."

With that, he slammed the door and left.

Ran Qinggu sat back on the bed.

It seemed that Shang Rongyu despised this marriage to the utmost degree, otherwise he wouldn't have humiliated him with a courtesan on their wedding night.

After Shang Rongyu left, the maids and elderly servants didn't dare to enter, fearing they might upset the Heir.

Ran Qinggu's maid, Taozi, saw that the other maids and elderly servants didn't dare to enter, and she paced anxiously at the door.

After waiting for a long time without anyone coming to check on her young master, she headed straight for the door.

An elderly servant tried to stop her, "No one is allowed to enter the bridal chamber."

Taozi had been bought by Ran Qinggu to serve him. She had grown up with him, and since Ran Qinggu had raised her as a boy without teaching her any rules, her concern made her forget all the considerations he had discussed with her along the way.

Pushing the elderly servant aside, she said, "My lady needs someone to attend to her. If you won't do it, I will."

Entering the bridal chamber and closing the door, she saw Ran Qinggu still sitting properly on the edge of the bed. Worried, she whispered, "Young... Lady, the Heir has left. You don't have to worry anymore. You can rest now."

Ran Qinggu raised his voice at the end of his sentence: "Rest?"

Taozi nodded innocently. "Yes, he's gone. You don't have to deal with him tonight. You can have a good sleep."

Ran Qinggu: "I have to wait for him tonight."

Taozi was puzzled. "Huh? Are you going to sit here like this, with this heavy thing on your head? The Heir was in a terrible mood when he left. He probably won't come back tonight. It's better if he doesn't. It saves us the trouble."

Ran Qinggu: "I'm not waiting for him for myself, but to let others know that I'm waiting for him."

The Heir of Prince Cheng could act recklessly and without rules, but he couldn't.

He had yet to establish himself in the capital, and what he needed to win was the sympathy of the Prince and Princess.