Chapter 25 - Face Sp

  The bridal sedan chair had been stopped at the gate for quite some time, as the guards had yet to finish their inspection. Word had spread quickly through the capital, and curious onlookers had gathered in droves. The wedding of the Duke was already a highly anticipated event, and now with the growing crowd, the gates of the Marquis’s residence were surrounded so tightly there was no room to squeeze through.

  The eborately carved windows and the grand sedan chair draped in vibrant red silk were clearly not items a common family could afford. But that wasn’t the most shocking part—dozens of bridal sedan chairs had already been carried out of the Marquis’s residence, and more were still being brought out continuously. The Duke's mansion was several miles away, and the first dowry had already arrived there, yet the rest hadn’t even finished leaving the Marquis’s residence. It was truly a “Ten-mile Dowry Parade,” a sight that stunned all who saw it.

  But even this dispy paled in comparison to what came next. Dozens of carriages from Yangzhou had arrived, each packed full of cargo. Several strong horses struggled to pull the weight, and some of the carriage frames were visibly warped under the load—proof that every cart was filled to the brim with dowry items. Guards were inspecting the boxes one by one, but even after a long while they hadn’t finished. When the curtains were lifted, onlookers caught glimpses of the contents—carved cquer furniture, fine jade, emeralds, gold, and jewels. Not a single piece was ordinary; every item was dazzling and jaw-dropping. People jostled to get closer for a better look, eager to go home ter and tell their wives all about it.

  The Duke was a hero in the eyes of the people. He had fought on the battlefield from a young age, and now that the borders were peaceful and the country stable, the Emperor had introduced policies of rest and recovery. The people credited much of this peace to the “Jade-faced War God.” Upon hearing that the Duke was still unconscious, and that the Emperor had arranged a wedding to bring good fortune, the public had come out in full to offer their blessings to the couple.

  There were rumors that the eldest daughter of the Marquis’s residence wasn’t favored at home and wasn’t known for her beauty. After all, if she were truly beautiful, wouldn’t tales of her looks have circuted in the capital? People specuted that she wasn’t a worthy match for the Duke. But the moment they saw the dowry, all rumors were silenced. Whether or not she was favored by her family no longer mattered—such a vish dowry could not have been prepared for someone unworthy. Clearly, she was both lovely and kind, beloved by her true family. It was now evident to all that she and the Duke were a perfect match.

  Inside the residence, Jiang shi grew puzzled after waiting a long while without the procession leaving. She frowned and asked, “What’s going on? They were in such a hurry earlier, why the dey now?”

  Nanny Guan gnced outside and saw porters still carrying dowry chests. Unsure herself, she called over a maid returning from the front hall and asked, “What’s happening out there?”

  The maid gave her a look and replied softly, “It seems the young madam’s family from Yangzhou sent dozens of carts filled with dowry gifts. They say it’s even more than what our own house provided—boxes of gold and jewels as if they were free. People are saying that even a princess wouldn’t have such a grand wedding.”

  Jiang shi went pale at once and stood up sharply. “What did you say? Say that again!”

  The maid knelt down in fright. “It wasn’t me who said it. That’s just what everyone is talking about.”

  Jiang shi’s expression didn’t change, but her heart was in turmoil. She clenched a silk handkerchief in her hand, her face slowly twisting. “That little brat married a penniless merchant—how could she possibly receive so much dowry? You must have heard wrong! It’s impossible!”

  The maid nearly cried in fear. She was just an outer-courtyard servant and knew nothing of the inner-family conflicts. Judging by the old madam’s reaction, it seemed she disliked the young dy. But the maid hadn’t lied.

  “Old Madam, I didn’t mishear. All four young masters from her family came too—they’re right at the gate on horseback. Someone in the crowd recognized them and said…”

  “Said what?” Jiang shi’s eyes narrowed.

  “Said… said those four young masters are sons of the richest man in Yangzhou. The young madam’s husband is now the wealthiest man in Yangzhou. He’s in the medicinal trade and also a major salt merchant. All his ventures earn massive profits.”

  Jiang shi swayed unsteadily. If not for Nanny Guan’s quick support, she would have colpsed. While outsiders didn’t know, Nanny Guan did. Jiang shi had always hated the young madam’s birth mother, jealous that she had once held the Marquis’s affection. That concubine had been the Marquis’s favorite. If not for Jiang shi’s schemes, who knows how many more children she would’ve borne. Thankfully, only one daughter had been left behind before the concubine died early due to poor health. Yet even in death, she haunted Jiang shi—the Marquis visited her grave every Qingming Festival and sat there all day.

  After the Marquis passed, Jiang shi had married off the young dy to a supposed pauper in Yangzhou, assuming she’d live a humble life without status or support. Who could have guessed that this so-called pauper would become the richest man in Yangzhou?

  It was no wonder the Marquis’s house had no idea—after all, the marriage had happened 20 years ago, and Yangzhou was far away. The Marquis’s house had long since cut off contact. Jiang shi had never cared for this illegitimate daughter and eventually stopped asking about her altogether.

  “Well done! Song Chaoxi dared to deceive me. Truly remarkable!” Jiang shi shouted in anger before fainting dead away.

  Firecrackers continued to go off outside. Song Chaoyan sat in her courtyard, restless and irritated. The maids passing by whispered in hushed tones. The Marquis’s residence was bustling with guests, and even the Emperor was rumored to be attending the wedding banquet at the Duke’s mansion. All of this honor and splendor had been stolen by Song Chaoxi—this was supposed to be her marriage, her glory, and her fortune.

  She coughed behind her handkerchief and frowned. “Why haven’t they left yet?”

  Songzhi sneered, “Maybe the Duke woke up and decided he doesn’t want to marry her—he might be annulling the wedding now.”

  Just as Song Chaoyan started to feel relieved, she overheard more gossip from the maids: “Did you hear? The young madam’s family in Yangzhou is the wealthiest there. Her four brothers came personally with carts of dowry—gems, silk, gold bars, all of it. People say salt merchants are rich, and it’s true. Everyone thought the eldest miss wasn’t fit for the Duke, but turns out she was hiding her true status. No wonder she didn’t care for the Marquis’s wealth when she returned—she’s been living like a noble dy all along. Folks say her dowry even outshines a princess’s.”

  Song Chaoyan’s face turned pale as the words sank in. What? Her cousin’s family was the richest in Yangzhou and gave her such a grand dowry? How could that be? Wasn’t her family supposed to be a failing merchant house? Hadn’t everyone said Song Chaoxi lived a hard life in poverty?

  Yet now, it turned out they had given her all this?

  Song Chaoyan's throat itched, and her coughing grew more severe. A bitter, unspeakable emotion surged in her heart. Why did all the good things in the world fall into Song Chaoxi's hands? Why was fate so unfair? All she ever wanted was a healthy body and a husband who cherished her—yet those simple wishes remained out of reach. Meanwhile, Song Chaoxi, without scheming much, easily gained everything.

  Her heart felt like a crumpled piece of straw paper—no matter how she tried, it couldn’t be smoothed out.

  Songzhi looked at her worriedly and whispered, “Miss, please don’t be like this. We shouldn’t compare ourselves to her. She’s the one who ruined your engagement. Heaven won’t let her get away with it—she’ll eventually get what she deserves. The Duke’s life is still uncertain. If she marries him, it will just be as a widow. And what’s the use of marrying well if you’re a widow? People will still look down on her. Miss, your best days are still ahead.”

  Song Chaoyan coughed again and forced the tears back. Songzhi was right—Song Chaoxi was celebrating too early. If the Duke passed away, she could simply have Rong Heng send the widow away. At that time, marrying Rong Heng herself wasn’t out of the question. Then, she would still be the future Duchess, while Song Chaoxi would just be a discarded widow. She couldn’t afford to give up.

  Finally, the inspection was done, and the four cousins joined the bridal escort. Song Chaoxi once again covered her face with the golden-embroidered wedding veil, this time with a smile on her lips as she sat in the bridal sedan, ughing all the way. These four brothers were her true family. With them escorting her, she didn’t feel alone.

  It was taboo in wedding tradition to retrace the same route back. Although the way they had come was shortest, they had to take a longer detour to return. The sedan swayed for a long time before arriving at the Duke’s residence. Song Chaoxi, veiled in red, stepped down from the twelve-man bridal sedan and was guided into the main hall. She couldn’t see anything, so she lowered her head and silently counted her steps, just hoping it would be over quickly.

  When it came time for the ceremony, the master of ceremonies suddenly remembered that, by tradition, a second wife must first pay respects to the former wife’s quarters. He went to consult the Old Madam for a decision. The Old Madam rotated the prayer beads on her left hand and, after a moment, said, “Our Duke’s household doesn’t fuss over such formalities. The bride is here to bring fortune to the Duke—she’s a benefactor to our family. These eborate rites can be skipped.”

  The officiant nodded and agreed, though he understood well—old noble families valued ritual above all. For the Old Madam to dismiss them as “unnecessary formalities” made it clear she intended to protect the bride. What was thought to be a reluctant marriage for the sake of luck now looked like something the Duke’s household was taking very seriously. No wonder the Emperor personally arranged the union.

  After they left, Rong Heng finally emerged from the corner of the corridor. Firecrackers roared, and red silk banners adorned the mansion, but none of the festivity felt connected to him.

  Originally, it was supposed to be his wedding, meant to bring joy to his ailing father. But in the end, Song Chaoxi had married his father instead. These past few days, he had been deeply unsettled. His motives for marrying Song Chaoxi hadn’t been pure—it wasn’t her fault for pnning her own future. He had thought he didn’t feel anything for her, but tely, he had been inexplicably irritable and distracted. Even while reading or writing, he often drifted off in thought, no longer like himself.

  If his father weren’t unconscious, would he like her? Maybe. Even his grandmother said she wasn’t like other noblewomen. Now that his grandmother favored her and gave her dignity and kindness, perhaps it was for the best.

  Rong Heng stood by the screen, gently tracing the floral pattern on the fan, watching from afar as the veiled bride was helped through the ceremony. Even though her face was covered, he could tell her posture was elegant—different from anyone else.

  Song Chaoxi knew none of this subtle tension. All she knew was that her neck was about to snap. The golden-embroidered bridal robe and matching headdress sent from the Duke’s household were indeed luxurious—but they were unbearably heavy. She had worn them since morning and was almost colpsing under the weight. Thankfully, the old matron was considerate and cut out many of the formal steps. After the ceremony, a rge red sedan carried her straight to the keside cottage.

  When Song Chaoxi learned she would be living at the keside cottage, she inexplicably felt relieved. It was quiet and secluded there—almost like living outside the main residence—with far more freedom and ease. The only downside was that it was far from the front of the Duke’s mansion, and even by sedan chair it was a long ride.

  As the red candles flickered, Song Chaoxi sat on the bed, vaguely seeing the shadows dancing on the curtains. After a while, the door closed and Qingzhu came in with a sigh of relief. “Miss, it’s finally over.”

  Song Chaoxi lifted the heavy veil herself. “Aren’t they going to py wedding games?”

  “The Duke needs peace to recover,” Qingzhu replied. “Who would dare cause a ruckus? Not afraid of the Emperor’s wrath? They’re probably skipping all that. I heard the Emperor himself is coming to the banquet tonight. Miss, your husband has serious clout—everyone important in the court came today.”

  Song Chaoxi smiled faintly. If even the Emperor came, how could anyone else refuse? Her husband really had great influence.

  She drew back the yers of gauze curtains and hung them up. Qingzhu and Dong’er leaned in to peek at the Duke on the bed and were startled. Dong’er excimed, “Miss, he really is as handsome as the rumors say! No wonder they call him the Jade-Faced War God!”

  Qingzhu also paused in surprise. “Who said rumors can’t be trusted? The Duke is even better than they say!” She teased as she looked at Song Chaoxi. “Miss, didn’t you once say the Duke’s beauty was all exaggeration? What do you think now?”