Chapter 31: Imperial Decree

Chapter 31: The Imperial Decree

Princess's Manor.

Qiao Wan gazed at the courtyard filled with wooden chests adorned with red silk ribbons, marveling at Jing Lan's swift efficiency.

In just three days, everything had been meticulously arranged.

"Princess, Young Major General Jing truly seems sincere," Yicui remarked, smiling as she stood beside Qiao Wan. "I heard the dowry procession stretched for miles, and it's become the talk of the town. Everyone says you and the Major General are a match made in heaven, perfectly suited."

Qiao Wan lifted the lid of a betrothal chest, observing the neatly stacked gold and silk within, and let out a soft snort. "As if he doesn't know who he's proposing to."

Yicui covered her mouth with a light chuckle, echoing, "Exactly. The Major General is marrying our Princess—it's a blessing he must have accumulated over several lifetimes."

Amused by Yicui’s words, Qiao Wan chuckled a few times, her curiosity piqued. She eagerly began to examine the exquisite items in the wooden chests.

There were garments woven with gold thread, priceless beyond measure, hair ornaments and headpieces embedded with pearls from the East Sea, the finest silks and fabrics, and dazzling gold and silver jewelry...

Qiao Wan adored these luxurious items, continuing to examine them until a light sheen of sweat formed on her forehead.

It wasn’t until she noticed a long, narrow wooden chest placed beside the one containing the Four Treasures of the Study that Qiao Wan casually opened it. Inside lay a zither with a red sandalwood soundboard, its surface exquisitely carved with a phoenix poised for flight. It was clearly a treasure of immense value.

Qiao Wan paused. Beside her, Yicui seemed to recall something, quickly glancing at her before hastily closing the lid.

Snapping out of her reverie, Qiao Wan noticed Yicui’s concerned expression and smiled helplessly. "It's just a zither."

Yicui also realized she had overreacted. Fortunately, a guard approached, carrying an exquisitely crafted wooden box. "Princess, this is from the Dingguo General's residence."

"There's more?" Yicui exclaimed in surprise, stepping forward to take the box.

The guard added, "The General's residence said Your Highness can open this anytime."

Curious, Qiao Wan walked over to Yicui’s side and opened the box.

Inside lay an elegant soft whip. It wasn't very long, crafted from high-quality animal hide, and carved with auspicious cloud patterns. The whip's handle was adorned with a large red jade gemstone, wrapped in gold thread, and its end was decorated with fiery red tassels.

"What a beautiful whip," Yicui murmured. "It's even lovelier than the one you lost before."

Qiao Wan recalled the whip Jing Lan had taken from her at Yuxiu Pavilion. Back then, she never would have imagined that, after all the twists and turns, the man she was to marry would still be Jing Lan.

She took the soft whip in her hand and swung it a couple of times. It wasn't too heavy, so it wouldn't tire her arm even after prolonged use, nor was it too light—it felt perfectly balanced and easy to wield. For a moment, she was reluctant to let go.

"How is it?" a languid voice drifted from the top of the nearby wall.

Qiao Wan looked up and saw Jing Lan sitting casually atop the wall, his long legs propped up, his high ponytail and vermilion robes fluttering ceaselessly in the wind.

"Why send this?" Qiao Wan asked, raising her chin slightly.

"The previous one was damaged; this is to compensate you," Jing Lan replied, raising an eyebrow. He swung his legs down and leaped lightly over the wall, landing in front of her. He looked her over, clicking his tongue twice. "But your whip skills..."

Qiao Wan frowned unhappily. "What about them?"

Jing Lan pondered for a moment with a troubled expression. "Dreadful."

Qiao Wan narrowed her eyes at him, while Jing Lan remained at ease under her gaze.

The next moment, Qiao Wan flashed him a brilliant smile and lashed out at him with the whip.

As if he had anticipated it, Jing Lan swiftly stepped back two paces, avoiding the strike.

Yicui stood to the side, looking utterly bewildered. "Wh-What's happening? Why are they suddenly fighting?"

"Qiao Wan, your strikes are soft and weak," Jing Lan said, arching back to dodge another swing of her whip. "If you can even touch me, I'll consider it your win."

Annoyed, Qiao Wan brought the whip down vertically.

Jing Lan supported himself with one hand on the ground, his body light as a falling leaf as he effortlessly evaded her again.

Amid their sparring, Qiao Wan felt the brief frustration from earlier dissipate, much like during their encounter at Yuxiu Pavilion.

But soon, it was replaced by the frustration of repeatedly missing her target.

After yet another miss, Qiao Wan angrily released the whip. The next moment, her body stiffened, and she suddenly stopped moving, covering her chest as she coughed faintly a few times. She swayed unsteadily and began to collapse to the side.

Jing Lan paused, then darted to her side, supporting her by the waist with one hand. "You—"

Before he could finish, Qiao Wan’s soft whip struck the outside of his arm with just enough force to sting.

She raised an eyebrow triumphantly. "I won."

Jing Lan froze, looking at Qiao Wan, who was still leaning against his arm. A light sweat had formed on her forehead from wielding the whip, her breathing was rapid, and her cheeks and the tip of her nose were flushed pink. His ears grew warm, and he quickly released her, taking half a step back. "Oh," he replied softly.

Seeing that he didn’t refute her, Qiao Wan was intrigued and leaned in closer to him. "You actually admitted it?"

Startled by her sudden movement, Jing Lan leaned back slightly. Just then, a breeze blew past, causing the hem of her fiery red dress to brush against his robes. Jing Lan coughed lightly. "Tomorrow, the Emperor will publicly proclaim our engagement in front of the Taiyi Hall."

Qiao Wan was momentarily stunned, then raised an eyebrow with a smile. "Who was it that said they’d rather die than marry me?"

Jing Lan looked at the smile on her lips, then after a long moment, turned his gaze away. "Don’t smile like that tomorrow."

Qiao Wan was puzzled.

Jing Lan said, "Smile more sincerely."

Qiao Wan’s smile faltered for a moment before she glared at him. "Take it or leave it."

Jing Lan chuckled softly. "Then I’ll reluctantly take a look."

Qiao Wan snorted lightly. As she lowered her gaze, she quietly thought to herself that tomorrow was the nineteenth.

Mu Chi’s palace coup would take place ten days later.

All she needed to do was find any excuse to leave Lingjing within those ten days, and then she’d be free of all this.

A faint *crack*, like the sound of breaking tiles, came from the roof of a nearby chamber.

Jing Lan looked up, and Qiao Wan belatedly followed his gaze.

There was no one there.

"Probably just stray cats scrounging for food again," Qiao Wan said.

*

The next day, the sky was overcast, with dark clouds pressing down on the city.

Qiao Wan was escorted to the palace early in the morning. Along the way, the leaden sky made her feel as if a thick haze were weighing on her heart, making it difficult to breathe.

The carriage took her directly to Changle Palace—her old palace quarters before she was granted her own manor.

Palace servants were already waiting there. Upon seeing her, they knelt and bowed. "Hail Princess Changle."

Qiao Wan hadn't been to Changle Palace for a long time. For some reason, the more she walked into the hall, the more restless her unease grew.

Until the palace maid pushed open the palace door, Qiao Wan looked inside. The vast palace was empty. Since the palace servants often cleaned it, there was no dust, yet it felt inexplicably chilly and gloomy.

Qiao Wan's gaze swept past every table and chair in the hall, and landed on the desk deep within the palace.

There hung a palace painting. In the painting, a woman dressed as an imperial consort stood under a plum tree, with plum blossoms scattered all around. The woman's eyes and brows were enchanting and beautiful, peerlessly graceful.

That was... a portrait of her mother.

Qiao Wan's footsteps suddenly halted, her breath catching in her throat.

"Princess?" Yicui, supporting her arm, called out in confusion. Then she noticed that the princess's fingers seemed to have instantly lost all warmth, turning ice-cold. "Princess, what's wrong?" she asked urgently.

Qiao Wan snapped back to attention. Everything before her was completely different from her dream. Besides... Mu Chi’s coup was ten days away. How could he easily change his plans...

Qiao Wan composed herself and smiled at Yicui. "It's nothing."

Several palace maids carried in a magnificent, iridescent gown. "Princess, this is the single-thread green gossamer cage skirt and the 'Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix' headdress bestowed by the Emperor."

Qiao Wan looked at the luxurious fiery dress, embroidered with gold thread depicting a phoenix with a trailing golden tail, each stitch as fine as hair. It was covered with a wide-sleeved sheer gauze outer garment edged with gold, extremely extravagant.

The matron helped Qiao Wan put on the magnificent attire, saying flatteringly: "In the past, even when granting marriages to the princes, it was merely announced informally. But now, the Princess's marriage is to be proclaimed before the whole court. The Emperor truly dotes on Princess Changle."

Qiao Wan looked at herself in the bronze mirror and did not speak. Just then, a gust of wind blew in, forcefully blowing open the tightly closed latticed window and causing the wide sleeves of her sheer gauze outer robe to fall to her elbows.

Qiao Wan glanced outside at the gloomy weather, her brow tightly furrowed.

Time passed bit by bit. As the auspicious time appointed by Qiao Heng neared, the palace maids bustled about.

Qiao Wan asked Yicui in confusion, "What’s going on up front?"

Yicui didn’t know. She went outside and pulled a young palace maid to ask, then returned and said, "Princess, it seems that the Dingguo General hasn’t arrived at the palace yet."

Qiao Wan froze.

After today, the Jing family, to demonstrate their loyalty, would use her name to present the military token.

Why hadn't the Dingguo General appeared yet?

By the time the auspicious hour arrived, Qiao Wan still didn't know whether the Dingguo General had arrived. Instead, several palace attendants arrived to escort her to the Taiyi Hall.

In front of the Taiyi Hall, all the civil and military officials had already gathered. When Qiao Wan arrived, she saw Jing Lan standing at the front of the crowd.

He was still wearing a vermillion round-collared court robe and a black gauze hat. His usual frivolity was gone, and the smile on his lips was bold and striking amid the pervasive gloom.

"Princess Changle has arrived!" the accompanying eunuch called out loudly.

The officials fell silent. Jing Lan followed the sound and looked over. The woman in bright red, magnificent attire was walking step by step toward him, her eyes and brows gorgeous, her smoke-like gauze clothes fluttering freely in the wind.

She walked to his side, and the two of them stood together below the jade steps.

Qiao Heng stood atop the jade steps, clearly in a good mood. He laughed heartily and exchanged greetings with the officials.

"Qiao Wan," Jing Lan whispered from beside her.

Qiao Wan glanced about and replied equally quietly, "What?"

Jing Lan quickly looked at her. "Not bad."

Qiao Wan was utterly baffled.

Jing Lan: "That’s a nice smile."

Qiao Wan glared at him, speechless.

Jing Lan, however, chuckled softly and then said, "Qiao Wan, after we return today, I’ve got something to tell you, okay?"

Qiao Wan, curious, asked, "What is it?"

But Jing Lan only smiled at her and refused to say another word.

Annoyed, Qiao Wan tugged his sleeve. "Hey!"

Jing Lan remained completely unmoved, looking ahead and staying silent.

The image of the two standing side by side in vermilion clothing was caught by a pair of deep, beautiful eyes in the distance.

He watched as their crimson clothes, like wedding robes, tangled in the wind, whispering close; he watched as she reached out and gently tugged at the corner of his robe.

They looked perfect together.

The auspicious time had arrived.

Qiao Heng laughed heartily. "Alright, Sun Lianhai, announce the decree."

In front of the Taiyi Hall, aside from the sound of the wind, there was no other noise.

Sun Lianhai walked to the front of the jade steps and unrolled the bright yellow imperial edict in a shrill voice.

"By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Princess Changle, Our beloved daughter, has been intelligent and wise since childhood, of noble status. Day and night, she has delighted Us, and We dote on her greatly. Now the Princess has reached the age of marriage. In accordance with the divine will, We have selected a fine husband among Our ministers for her to marry."

"The only son of Dingguo General Jing Rong, Jing Lan, is of imposing bearing and dignity, without a spouse. He and the Princess are made for each other by heaven, a perfect match. We are greatly pleased..."

"Made for each other by heaven, a perfect match..." On the palace wall, an expressionless face lingered over these words.

Sun Lianhai's voice still continued:

"...We hereby bestow Princess Changle in marriage to Major General Jing Lan. Let it be announced within and beyond the court, so that all may know."

"By Imperial decr—"

His final word was never finished. A sharp, piercing sound suddenly rang through the air.

An arrow shot straight into Sun Lianhai's chest like lightning.

Author's Note:

Mu Chi, the "stray cat," flag: I will have no further entanglements with her!

(Part of the content of the marriage bestowal edict refers to Baidu.)