Chapter 20: Bed Curtain Items

Chapter 20: The Bridal Chamber Gift

After taking her leave from Princess Changyang's residence, Liu Yun finally breathed a true sigh of relief.

The day had passed without mishap—she'd been blessed with good luck and fortune.

Upon arriving home, Liu Yun rested for a day, then got to work making a plush fox for County Princess Kangning.

She sketched out a design first, but no matter how she looked at it, the white fox on the paper just seemed too plain.

The color was too dull.

After scratching her head for a while, Liu Yun caught sight of her pink skirt hem, and a new idea struck her.

She hurriedly picked up her brush, dipped it in paint, and colored the fox in.

In no time, a pink fox sprang to life on the paper—cute, charming, and eye-catching.

Clearly, this wasn't your ordinary fox—not white, not red, but entirely pink, with a fluffy tail, soft little ears, and a pretty little dress.

So what if it wasn't an ordinary fox? Liu Yun figured such an adorable pink fox would surely win over County Princess Kangning and plenty of other ladies too.

The more she looked at it, the more she loved it. Once she settled on the design, Liu Yun immediately started cutting the fabric.

After dinner, with the room lit up by lamplight, Liu Yun was leisurely sewing the plush fox when her mother came in.

"Shanshan."

She brought freshly baked golden milk pastries from the kitchen—the moment the lid was lifted, the whole room filled with a delicious aroma.

"Mother, what brings you here so late?"

Taking a quick bite of the warm golden milk pastry, Liu Yun spoke with her cheeks stuffed, her words all muffled.

Zhang Yuhua found her adorable, reached out to pinch her daughter's soft cheeks, and said with a beaming smile: "Something important—the matter of your future."

Hearing this, Liu Yun didn't dare take another bite of the pastry. She stared at her mother with wide, round eyes, tense with apprehension.

With her mother's reminder, Liu Yun suddenly remembered the palace examination she'd been ignoring for days.

Her heart pounded wildly as she tentatively asked: "Mother, how did Brother Xiuyuan do?"

Liu Yun still remembered her parents' plan—if Brother Xiuyuan passed the exam, they'd go to the Yang family to talk marriage.

She'd been a bit confused, but seeing the faint smile on her mother's face, Liu Yun suddenly caught on.

Brother Xiuyuan must have passed the exam!

"He passed—twenty-fourth in the second tier, a jinshi scholar!"

Zhang Yuhua said with a beaming smile, her tone full of approval for Third Young Master Yang.

Their families had been close for generations, they were well-matched in status, he was upright in character, and now he was a jinshi scholar.

No matter how she looked at it, she was completely satisfied. Zhang Yuhua wished she could settle the young couple's marriage right then and there.

After a lively discussion with her husband, Zhang Yuhua had been urged to come feel out her daughter's thoughts.

"Then congratulations are in order for Brother Xiuyuan."

Forcing out a calm congratulations, Liu Yun's fingers unconsciously picked at the cotton set aside for the plush doll, her expression tense.

Zhang Yuhua could naturally see how her daughter was feeling, but the big matters in life had to be faced sooner or later—there was no avoiding them.

"Do you remember what your father and I told you before? As long as Shanshan gives the word, your father and I will go to the Yang family to propose and do our best to make this marriage happen."

The pressure fell on Liu Yun. Flustered and embarrassed, she stammered: "B-but, Mother, how do you know this marriage will be a good one? How do you know Brother Xiuyuan is the right man for me?"

Everything was uncertain, and Liu Yun's heart was full of confusion and anxiety.

Zhang Yuhua lovingly pulled her daughter into her arms and gently shared the wisdom of someone who'd been through it.

"Shanshan is right—no one can be sure whether a marriage will be good, or whether someone is truly your destined one, but..."

Zhang Yuhua paused, thought of her husband, and smiled softly before continuing: "You have to try. If you never try, how will you ever know if he's the one?"

"When I married your father, I was nervous too. But your grandfather said your father was a man of good character—known all around for his integrity and honesty—and that marrying him would never bring me any hardship."

"I gritted my teeth and took the chance, and found that your grandfather hadn't lied to me. Your father truly is a good man."

Though this wasn't the first time she'd heard her mother tell these old stories, every time Liu Yun listened, her heart still felt full and warm.

"Then Mother, do you and Father both think Brother Xiuyuan is a good match?"

Her parents were the people who loved her most in the world, and she trusted that they would always make decisions that were best for her.

Zhang Yuhua sensed the shift in her daughter's attitude and said gently: "Your father and I have watched that boy Yang Sanlang for many years. He's kind and generous by nature, treats you well, and what's even more precious is that our two families get along well. You'll never be wronged in the future. And now that he's passed the jinshi exam, it's a fine match by any measure."

"Otherwise, aside from Yang Sanlang, your father and I really can't find a better son-in-law."

Wanting her daughter to see the value of this marriage, Zhang Yuhua went on earnestly, sparing no effort to persuade her.

Under her mother's gentle words, most of Liu Yun's confusion and unease melted away.

She snuggled into her mother's warm embrace and finally spoke in a soft, small voice: "I'll leave everything to Father and Mother."

Zhang Yuhua finally got a definitive answer, and a smile appeared in her eyes.

That night, Zhang Yuhua told her husband the news. Liu Shiwen clapped his hands in delight and said: "Excellent, excellent! As long as Shanshan is willing, that's all that matters. Tomorrow after work, I'll invite Brother Yang for a drink and feel him out."

Though he couldn't be entirely sure of the Yang family's intentions, Liu Shiwen felt the odds were good, and his heart swelled with excitement.

Zhang Yuhua nodded, not forgetting to remind him: "Remember to drink less—don't get drunk. You're not a young man anymore; watch your health."

"I know, I know~"

Though his words sounded impatient with his wife's nagging, his expression showed he was thoroughly enjoying it—a look of pure happiness and contentment.

In the dead of night, every household slept peacefully, and only Liu Yun lay awake with restless thoughts until midnight, finally drifting off to sleep.

She had another dream.

In the dream, she was marrying Brother Xiuyuan. In a daze, she followed the matchmaker through the wedding ceremony and waited in the bridal chamber for her groom, Brother Xiuyuan.

But to her shock, when the bridal chamber door opened, Liu Yun saw two grooms.

One was, of course, Yang Sanlang—the one her parents favored.

And the other...

Liu Yun stared blankly at the round fan, meeting a pair of narrow, handsome phoenix eyes that flashed with sharpness as they opened and closed.

The next day, Liu Yun woke up drenched in sweat.

Sitting on the bed, she was baffled for a long while.

If dreaming about Brother Xiuyuan made sense—after all, her parents were considering a marriage alliance with the Yang family, and it wasn't surprising she'd dream about it after all that overthinking.

But what about the Crown Prince, then?

It was absolutely baffling!

Liu Yun reasoned it was probably because the Crown Prince's face had been appearing before her too often lately, that she'd started having such random dreams.

It definitely wasn't that she harbored any feelings for the Crown Prince!

Having settled that in her mind, Liu Yun stopped dwelling on it and went back to sewing the pink fox doll for County Princess Kangning.

After making the outer shell, the rest was simple—within a single day, a pink fox doll wearing a pretty little dress was finished.

She wrapped it in a layer of fine silk, placed it in an ornate brocade box, and handed it to Jin He, saying, "Please trouble Sister to personally deliver this to Princess Changyang's residence."

She didn't want to keep running over to Princess Changyang's mansion, afraid of running into something she shouldn't see again.

Jin He accepted the order and left, and soon arrived at Princess Changyang's residence.

Inside the mansion, Changyang smiled as she watched her younger brother lounging on her soft couch, legs propped up, knowing full well what was on his mind.

"It seems my dear brother has been quite idle lately, always coming to my place—anyone would think I've got some treasure stashed here."

Changyang wouldn't pass up such a perfect opportunity to tease him without restraint.

Having been through this so many times, Xiao Hang had developed a rock-solid composure, saying without so much as a blush or a racing heart, "I'll always remember Sister's kindness. Isn't Sister fond of that hot spring palace at Wushan? How about I go and get it for you?"

Princess Changyang's eyes lit up, joy spreading across her face as she laughed, "Perfect! Perfect!"

The warm atmosphere in the room hit its peak when a maid announced a visitor.

"Your Highness, someone from the Liu family is here."

Changyang glanced sideways and, sure enough, saw her brother, who'd been lounging lazily just moments ago, straighten his back, staring intently at the door.

Changyang smiled to herself, her lips curving up.

But unfortunately, only a maid carrying a brocade box walked in—no one else.

Xiao Hang's expression visibly changed, his gaze dimming as he leaned back against the couch.

"Why didn't your mistress come herself?"

As his sister, Changyang still wanted her brother to get what he wanted.

Jin He respectfully replied, "To answer Your Highness, my mistress said she didn't want to keep troubling you, and due to the heat, she's feeling a bit unwell, so she sent only this maid."

Changyang was about to ask what was wrong and show concern, but someone else beat her to it.

"What's wrong with your mistress?"

The voice was indifferent and haughty, every word dripping with an air of superiority—hard to mistake.

Fortunately, the mistress and maid had agreed on a reason beforehand. Facing the Crown Prince's unexpected question, Jin He answered, "The weather is too hot, causing my mistress to feel dizzy and nauseous, so she's not fit to go out."

As the heat grew stronger, the ladies of the capital had become more sluggish at gatherings, preferring to stay home whenever possible.

Liu Yun feared the heat, and even if it weren't Princess Changyang's mansion, she wouldn't want to go out much either.

Hearing this, the siblings fell silent for a few breaths, then let it go and had Jin He escorted out.

Once the door closed, Xiao Hang glanced at the brocade box by his sister Princess Changyang's hand and said casually, "Shouldn't Sister send a gift in return to show gratitude?"

Princess Changyang feigned ignorance, putting on a troubled expression, "That's true, but I can't think of what to send."

Seeing this, Xiao Hang stopped beating around the bush and said directly, "Then that ivory and gold-threaded bamboo mat."

Changyang's face showed reluctance upon hearing this, saying, "Only three were tributed from Persia, and I barely got one. Besides, it's already been used by me and your niece—how could I give it away?"

Changyang's thoughts were a bit slow, but catching the calm confidence on her brother's face, she suddenly understood and laughed, "Oh, I was confused—I forgot you still have one."

Seeing his sister had caught on, Xiao Hang didn't need to say more, giving a reserved "Mm" and urging, "Then send that as the return gift."

Changyang laughed, "Not even married yet, and you're already rushing to send things for the bedchamber—shameless..."

Xiao Hang ignored her, his skin growing thicker as he paid no mind to such jabs, calmly saying, "It's only a matter of time, so what's the issue?"

"I'll have the item sent over right away—just don't forget, Sister."

With that, Xiao Hang didn't linger at the princess's mansion and returned to the Eastern Palace, somewhat listless.

Author's note:

Update.

The plot from the synopsis is almost here—should be around the V-chapter. Dear readers, please look forward to it!