Chapter 24 Wedding She knew she was destined to walk a path full of thorns…

Chapter 24: The Wedding. She knew she was about to embark on a path destined to be fraught with thorns...

"Tomorrow, you'll need to get up before dawn to wash and dress, so you should get some rest early, my lady," Ruo Lan came over to close the window and softly advised.

Jiang Congyan withdrew her gaze and nodded, just about to take off her shoes and get into bed when Si Zi suddenly entered, "My lady, the master asks for you."

"At this hour..." Ruo Lan hesitated.

The father and daughter had already discussed everything earlier, not to mention it was already late at night. Jiang Congyan thought for a moment, then nodded, saying to Ruo Lan, "Help me change into something else; I'll go over."

The night air was cold. She tied up her hair slightly, changed into a thick silk cloak, and had Si Zi carry a lantern to light the way, heading towards the Lishui courtyard under the bright moonlight.

Compared to the festive decorations in other courtyards, the Lishui courtyard looked especially desolate, with only a central pavilion, no surrounding corridors or courtyards, and very few servants, the plants sparse.

Jiang Congyan pushed open the main door; it was pitch dark inside, with no lights lit, the windows tightly shut, not even the moonlight could seep in. She took the lantern from Si Zi's hand, letting her and Ruo Lan wait outside.

She slowly walked through the front hall, walked around the folding screen embroidered with birds and flowers on a black background with red backing, and saw Jiang Huai sitting there, most of his form hidden in the darkness behind him.

On the table in front of him, there was only a very faint oil lamp, flickering occasionally due to the slight disturbance of the air, the dim yellow light made his face appear even more inscrutable.

He still seemed lost in thought, not noticing that someone had arrived.

"Father?" Jiang Congyan called softly.

Jiang Huai seemed to snap out of his thoughts, looking up, "Chang Shengnu, you've come."

Jiang Congyan placed the lantern on the ground to one side, lifted her cloak, and slowly knelt to sit opposite him.

"Father, you must have something very important to tell me, calling me here so late at night."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Huai looked at her with a complex expression.

This feeling was hard to put into words; in the dim light, his eyes flickered, and Jiang Congyan felt as if these flickering glimmers brought to life the fragments of his past forty years—years of endurance and helplessness, reason and life devoured by hatred, and... his regret and guilt.

"Chang Shengnu, tomorrow you will leave Chang'an, leave Liang," Jiang Huai said softly. His eyes were somewhat unfocused, though he was looking at her, it didn't seem like he was really seeing her, as if he was speaking to himself.

"Yes," Jiang Congyan responded softly, "After I leave, I don't know when I'll be able to return to the Central Plains. Father, please take care of yourself and wait for me to come home."

"Home?" Jiang Huai unconsciously repeated, then suddenly widened his eyes, "Yes, home, Chang Shengnu, you must come home safely."

Jiang Huai finally shook off his melancholy, though his expression remained complex and somewhat conflicted, but he didn't struggle for long before Jiang Congyan saw him take something out from his bosom.

It was a seal.

Jiang Huai caressed it, his fingers moving gently and even somewhat carefully, as if he had caressed this seal many times before, all its edges had become smooth, the surface of the seal so polished that it had no trace of lines, only the inscription at the bottom remained clear.

"This seal belongs to your grandfather," Jiang Huai said.

Crown Prince Zhaowen? Jiang Congyan was surprised.

Logically, Crown Prince Zhaowen's seals should have all been buried with him or sealed away by the Emperor of Liang, but Jiang Huai's next sentence cleared her confusion.

"This is a private seal."

He placed the seal in his palm and handed it over for her to see.

Jiang Congyan moved the oil lamp on the table closer, and by the light finally saw clearly, the inscription at the bottom read—

"Qing Gui?" she softly read out these two words.

"Yes, this is the name your grandfather chose for himself back then."

"Your grandfather was very different from Taizu. Taizu was ambitious and spent half his life in military campaigns, even after ascending the throne, he was constantly campaigning to reclaim the four seas. Though skilled in martial arts, your grandfather excelled more in civil governance. Back then, the Liang State was still unstable, and he did not care about one's background; as long as someone had talent, he welcomed them. Scholars from across the land gathered around your grandfather, and he did not act as a lord when interacting with them, but rather judged them by their talents. They often held literary gatherings to discuss governance strategies. At one such gathering in Gui County, your grandfather, inspired by drink, gave himself this name and engraved this private seal."

Jiang Congyan could almost imagine how powerful the appeal of Crown Prince Zhaowen must have been back then, with scholars of humble origins all wanting to follow him.

At that time, they were full of ambition and vigor, eagerly anticipating the dawn of a new prosperous dynasty.

He was the star in the hearts of all scholars, but unfortunately, this star fell too suddenly. The scholars had just glimpsed a sliver of light from the imperial court, only for it to be completely shut in the blink of an eye, leaving them in darkness ever since.

Father’s sudden mention of Crown Prince Zhaowen tonight must have a deeper meaning. Jiang Congyan quietly waited for his next words, but then she heard him say, "This seal has been in my possession for twenty-eight long years."

"Now, I want to give it to you!"

Jiang Congyan was startled, her eyes widening as she looked at him, "Father..."

"Your grandfather's seal has been buried with me for twenty-eight years, twenty-eight years!" He emphasized these words heavily, as if carrying the weight of twenty-eight years of suppression.

"Every day, I carefully hid it, not daring to show it to anyone, let alone let the late emperor or the current one know. The seal in my hands was as good as a mere stone."

The seal’s existence was no secret; it held no real power but symbolized the aspirations of scholars from humble backgrounds.

Taizu himself oversaw the funeral arrangements for Crown Prince Zhaowen, and even the late emperor could not intervene, which is why it was preserved.

Later, when the late emperor ascended the throne, whether out of suspicion or some unspeakable intent, he secretly ordered a reinvestigation into Crown Prince Zhaowen’s funeral and discovered that a private seal of Crown Prince Zhaowen was missing.

Crown Prince Zhaowen was gone, and a private seal alone couldn’t cause any trouble. It should not have been a concern. But the late emperor became suspicious of Jiang Huai, especially since he had just married the Marquis of Liangzhou, which made the emperor even more uneasy.

Jiang Huai, sensing the emperor’s unease, kept the seal hidden.

But now he had taken it out.

"I want to give it to you, perhaps one day, it can fulfill its true value in your hands."

"Chang Shengnu, you know what I mean."

When Jiang Huai said this, he was filled with shame. He couldn’t shoulder this responsibility himself, and now he was trying to pass it on to his delicate daughter. But he had to do it, because she was to marry Tuo Baxiao, a man who could influence the fate of the entire Liang State.

This man, usually lost in drink, now seemed burdened by a mountain.

Jiang Congyan's gaze slowly moved from his face down to the seal in his palm.

The seal, no larger than a thumb, was crafted from simple green jade, but the seal script at the bottom was smooth and elegant, showing the skill of the engraver. Years of careful handling had given the green jade a smooth, delicate sheen, giving the seal an ancient appearance.

Jiang Congyan reached out her slender, fair hand and gently took the seal.

It felt light, yet carried immense weight!

Light as a small stone, yet heavy as the entire Liang State.

It was the legacy of Taizu and Crown Prince Zhaowen.

Jiang Congyan gazed at the seal, took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and softly replied—

"Alright!"

—

"Father, if you ever want to drink in the future, send someone to the Guiyuan Winery to buy some wine. As the wine flows, let it be Chang Shengnu’s voice speaking to you."

Before saying her final goodbye, Jiang Congyan spoke to him.

Jiang Huai's eyes, heavy with drowsiness, flickered with endless reluctance, but in the end, he only looked at her and answered with a trembling voice, "Alright."

The next day, as the sky began to lighten with a faint blue-purple hue, the outline of the moon still hung in the sky, and the room remained dimly lit, Jiang Congyan was pulled out of bed by Ruo Lan.

After returning last night, she had sat alone for a while, resting late, and had only slept for two hours in total. She was so exhausted her eyelids kept drooping, nearly falling asleep while bathing and washing up. It wasn't until the palace maids came to dress her that Jiang Congyan finally woke up completely.

Liang State, associated with the element of fire, revered the color red. The wedding gown prepared for the princess was primarily red, complemented by gold and black embroidery.

Under the care of Ruo Lan and the palace maids, Jiang Congyan donned a deep crimson robe, a three-tiered ceremonial gown, and an outer robe with twelve panels that trailed on the ground. Her skirt cascaded gracefully, a broad sash tied around her waist, and she wore a jade pendant. Her silk stockings were adorned with phoenix shoes, with phoenix motifs at the toes and intricate embroidery in eight colors, adorned with pearls, which peeked out from beneath her skirt as she moved, radiating brilliance.

Though she was marrying as a princess of Liang, her groom was the King of the Northern Frontier, and in a sense, her status was akin to that of the Empress of Liang. The state dared not slight Tuo Baxiao in terms of etiquette, so her wedding attire, headdress, and the scale of the ceremony were all prepared to the standard of a queen.

Jiang Congyan sat before the mirror as Ruo Lan styled her hair. The era's fashion favored extravagance, especially for significant occasions. Thus, the palace maids used a false bun, piling her hair high on her head into an elaborate coiffure. At the center, they secured a gold phoenix hairpin adorned with twelve feathers and pearls, flanked by golden hair ornaments, and on either side, they inserted twelve tasseled hairpins, reserved only for empresses.

Such lavish decorations would have overpowered an ordinary girl, but Jiang Congyan's delicate bone structure and harmonious features, paired with her calm, dark eyes, made all the gold and jade seem like mere embellishments. The splendor of her attire only highlighted her radiant beauty.

Yet, beneath the peony-like splendor, there was an innate ethereal coolness about her, as if she were a celestial being who had descended to the mortal world for but a brief stay.

The palace maids who served her had heard of the Peacemaking Princess's beauty, but it was only upon seeing her in person that they realized such a peerless beauty truly existed. They were momentarily stunned, and at the same time, they couldn't help but feel sorrow for her. Such a noble lady, as radiant as the moon, was to marry a barbarian from beyond the frontier. Who knew what her future would hold... Alas!

Since ancient times, Peacemaking Princesses have rarely met a good end. It is said that barbarians even have a tradition of the son inheriting his father's wives. Wouldn't that make it even worse...

Jiang Congyan noticed the palace maids' awestruck yet pitying gazes but paid them no mind. She rose and walked to the door, lifting her head to gaze at the first rays of the morning sun. The cold morning breeze stirred her robes but could not sway her resolve. Her deep black eyes were more resolute than ever before—

She knew she was embarking on a path destined to be fraught with thorns, and she was ready to endure its wounds!