"Spring Wedding in the Capital City - Part Two"
The three individuals entered the palace separately and exited in the same manner, each followed by over a dozen attendants.
The Old Empress herself had given orders, fearing that the two sides might come to blows after leaving the hall. Four female officials, accompanied by more than ten palace servants, escorted the three all the way to the palace gates in an impressive procession.
Ying Xiaoman stood beside the Yan family's carriage, reluctantly holding Yan Rongshi's hand.
"Seventh Brother, you must come visit me when you're free," she pleaded.
Yan Rongshi glanced at Yan Erlang standing nearby.
"Official duties haven't been too demanding lately. I'm usually free after we're dismissed at 4 PM. However—"
However, Xiaoman had become an adopted daughter of the Yan family on the Old Empress's orders and was now living in the Marquis of Xingning's residence, clearly waiting to be married.
The Old Empress certainly had good intentions.
But the head of the Yan household, the Marquis of Xingning, didn't concern himself with the affairs of the younger generation. His troublemaking second wife had been sent to a temple to "cultivate herself" last December, and his younger brothers had been cowed into submission. Yan Erlang had essentially become the second-in-command of the Yan family.
Yan Rongshi had tried to visit Xiaoman at the Yan residence two days ago but was directly refused entry.
The reason given was quite proper: "It's inappropriate for the betrothed to meet privately before the wedding ceremony."
"The wedding date is set for the third day of the third month," Yan Rongshi said as he helped Xiaoman into the carriage and carefully arranged her long skirt.
"It's less than twenty days away. We'll be able to see each other every day soon, so there's no need to rush."
Xiaoman counted the days and felt dejected. "Still seventeen days to go. Can't we see each other at all until then?"
Yan Rongshi glanced again at Yan Erlang, who had somehow drawn near, and remained silent.
Yan Erlang leaned against the carriage with his arms folded, looking askance at the pair of lovebirds who seemed unable to part.
"Thank you for your trouble, Seventh Brother, in helping her into the carriage. Now that Xiaoman has become a member of our Yan family, it's my duty as her elder brother to look after her. I shouldn't need to explain the rules about maintaining propriety before the wedding. Where are you putting your hands? Don't you care about Xiaoman's reputation? Remove your hands and be on your way."
Yan Erlang was seething inside. When they were still cousins, he had thought he might have a chance to compete for her affection.
But then the Old Empress had decided to adopt Xiaoman, and it wasn't just a verbal acknowledgment. She had officially informed his father and held a family banquet in the palace where his father formally recognized Xiaoman as his adopted niece. Xiaoman was now ranked among the Yan family's younger generation as their Third Young Lady!
He had gone from being her second cousin to her second elder brother. There was no way he could compete now!
Yan Rongshi was actually right. As the legitimate son and heir of the Yan family, and with the Old Empress attaching great importance to this marriage, it would most likely fall to Yan Erlang to escort the bride.
Damn it all...
Yan Rongshi's gaze swept lightly over Yan Erlang. He chose not to engage in a war of words with his future brother-in-law outside the palace gates. Instead, he lifted the carriage curtain and gave Xiaoman some careful instructions.
Just before he lowered the curtain, Xiaoman suddenly leaned half out of the carriage and hugged him tightly.
"Seventeen days is too long. Seventh Brother, please come see me when you can."
The two embraced, reluctant to part. Yan Rongshi's heart was in turmoil.
They had been separated for far more than seventeen days.
Since their parting in their hometown of Jingzhou last year, he had missed her throughout the entire winter and the New Year.
But he didn't show his emotions in his expression or words. He simply responded with a mild, "Alright."
Yan Erlang scoffed from the side. What did he mean by "alright"? As if they'd be allowed to meet before the wedding!
"If you want to marry into the Yan family, you'd better follow the rules. It's only seventeen days, just wait it out."
The carriage slowly proceeded along the Imperial Avenue for quite a distance, with Yan Rongshi on horseback, gazing after it. The curtain remained raised high, and Xiaoman's bright eyes were wide open, glaring angrily at Yan Erlang who was riding beside the carriage to escort them. She looked as if he had forcibly separated the two lovebirds.
Yan Erlang felt a sour taste in his mouth that was hard to describe.
He coughed and tried to explain, "Don't glare at me. Your brother is only looking out for you." Even as he said it, it sounded unconvincing to his own ears.
Xiaoman snorted and dropped the carriage curtain.
As the carriage was about to turn towards the east side of the city, Yan Erlang asked Xiaoman inside, "The shops nearby are bustling. If there's anything you want to eat or play with, just tell me. We can buy it right here and take it home."
The curtain that had only just been lowered was lifted again. Xiaoman's bright eyes stared at him for a moment before she spoke, "Drive the carriage west. Stop for a while near West Gate Inner Street."
Yan Erlang pondered this request for a moment, then suddenly realized what she meant.
"You're about to marry into the Yan family and become the Vice Minister's wife, yet you're still thinking about that meat shop? You don't need to go there yourself. I can send someone to run the errand for you, close down the shop, and bring back all the items."
Xiaoman was furious. "It's my family's meat shop. What right do you have to decide to close it for me? Are you going to stop the carriage or not? If not, I'll go by myself."
Seeing that she was gathering up her long skirt as if about to jump out of the moving carriage, Yan Erlang hurriedly ordered the carriage to slow down and instructed the driver, "Head west! To West Gate Inner Street."
Xiaoman sat back down.
Once she was settled in the carriage, Yan Erlang's heart, which had been in his throat, returned to his chest.
He didn't dare scold her, but he couldn't help making a few lukewarm comments: "You have quite a temper. The carriage was moving so fast, yet you were ready to jump out? Aren't you afraid of cracking your head open and bleeding? Do you want to be a laughingstock throughout the capital, with your head wrapped in bloody bandages on your wedding day?"
Xiaoman didn't care. She brushed off the dust from her long skirt and wrinkled her cute nose. "I wouldn't. I'm very steady on my feet. At worst, I'd roll on the ground a couple of times and dirty my dress."
Yan Erlang was quite upset. "Such a pretty young lady, talking about rolling on the ground! Aren't you ashamed to do that in the street?"
"Are you the one who'd be ashamed?" Xiaoman's clear eyes glared at him. "You're so long-winded. Do you really think you're my brother now? Just let me off at the meat shop." With that, she dropped the curtain and ignored him.
Neither of them spoke for the rest of the journey.
The carriage headed west, onto West Gate Inner Street, past the Ministry of Justice, and stopped beside the large steamer sign of the meat bun shop.
This was Xiaoman's first time back at the meat shop since returning to the capital in February. She had either been in the palace or in the Yan family's residence.
The old couple who ran the shop were surprised and delighted to welcome her in.
"Half of February has passed, and we haven't seen you, young miss. Just yesterday, the old man and I were wondering if something had come up in your hometown that was keeping you from returning to the capital."
The shopkeeper's wife warmly brought out a steamer of hot meat buns and a bowl of spicy soup to warm the stomach in the winter-spring season. She kept saying, "It's good that you're back."
Xiaoman felt a warmth in her heart. "I'm back. I'll tidy up the meat shop in the next couple of days and reopen for business. We'll have to close for a while at the beginning of March, but we should be able to continue business by the end of the month."
"Oh my, why do you have to close again right after reopening?" the shopkeeper's wife asked in surprise. "Closing for half a month in March will likely affect business."
"There's no choice," Xiaoman explained apologetically. "I'm getting married at the beginning of March. Seventh Brother says he can take half a month off from his side, so I plan to take half a month off as well."
The old couple offered their congratulations. They vaguely remembered the well-spoken young man who had accompanied Xiaoman last year to discuss the transfer of the shop.
"Yes, it's him," Xiaoman said with a smile in her eyes. "I'm marrying Seventh Brother in March."
By the time Xiaoman came out of the old couple's meat bun shop, Yan Erlang had been sitting in the wind for so long he felt full just from breathing the air.
"Finally, you're out? Do you usually chatter endlessly with the old couple next door, and Seventh Brother just waits for you? He never loses his temper with you?"
Xiaoman ducked into the carriage. "Of course he waits for me. What else would he do?"
"Tch, I can't match him in that regard," Yan Erlang admitted, for once being honest. "If I hadn't run into an acquaintance just now, I would have gone in to hurry you up eight hundred times already."
As for who he had met, Yan Erlang refused to elaborate, only hinting vaguely, "Someone from your future husband's family. We were discussing the arrangements for your wedding day when you join the Yan household."
As the carriage moved slowly, Xiaoman asked curiously, "What arrangements are there for the wedding day? Isn't Seventh Brother just coming to pick me up?"
Yan Erlang chuckled.
Sitting on his saddle, he lazily dropped four words: "You'll see soon enough." No matter how much Xiaoman pressed him, he refused to say another word.
Xiaoman eyed him suspiciously for a long time.
His smile seemed off, as if he was up to no good!
As the carriage traveled from west to east down the main street, they soon approached Dongming Bridge. The shops lining both sides of the bridge formed another famous bustling market in the capital.
Yan Erlang asked again, "The shops at Dongming Bridge are lively. Is there anything you want to eat or play with? We can buy it right here and take it home."
Ying Xiaoman thought for a moment: "We do need to buy something, south across the bridge."
Learning from the earlier incident of jumping off the carriage, Yan Erlang was smarter this time. He didn't say anything unnecessary and directly instructed the driver to cross the bridge.
Amidst the bustling crowd, following Ying Xiaoman's directions, they headed straight south, and further south...
The carriage passed through the entire Anding Ward. The bustling shops were left far behind.
Looking at the increasingly desolate and shabby houses, Yan Erlang suspiciously knocked on the carriage wall: "Do we keep going south? If we go further, we'll reach Tongluo Alley. You're not going back to visit old neighbors, are you?"
Ying Xiaoman answered from inside the carriage: "Not going to Tongluo Alley, turn east up ahead. Near the East City Gate."
The carriage curtain was suddenly lifted from the outside.
"What precious item are you buying that can't be found in the city shops, only near the East City Gate?"
Yan Erlang's eyes gleamed suspiciously. He suspected he was being tricked.
Ying Xiaoman looked at him puzzled.
"Buying sheep!" she answered righteously: "The merchants selling whole sheep in the Capital City have fenced off an area near the East Gate. I always go there to pick sheep. Where did you think the mutton for my butcher shop came from?"
"..."
Yan Erlang choked on his words, unable to swallow them. After a while, he chuckled softly.
"Fine. You want to buy sheep. Buying a whole sheep means you'll have to slaughter it. So tonight you'll be slaughtering sheep in the backyard of my Marquis of Xingning mansion. And in the morning, after the sheep is slaughtered, are you planning to push your little wheeled cart to open your butcher shop?"
"What else?" Ying Xiaoman asked puzzled in return.
"I've already talked to the meat bun shop next door and cleaned up the butcher shop, putting up a notice on the front. We're opening tomorrow."
The masters' conversation inside and outside the carriage was overheard by all of Yan's long-time followers.
Sensing something wasn't right, a trusted follower quickly interjected: "Third Young Miss, this won't do! Now that Third Young Miss has become an adopted relative of our Yan family, you have the status of a noble lady in the Capital City. How can you go back to running a butcher shop? People will laugh at us!"
Another follower joined in the earnest persuasion: "It's not just that Third Young Miss can't wield a knife and be a butcher anymore, even Third Young Miss's family members, Old Mrs. Ying and Little Miss, can't run a butcher business anymore. It's simply losing... "
He swallowed the words "losing face" and changed it to: "The marriage between the Yan family of Mogan Lane and the Yan family of Changle Lane, both sides would lose face."
The carriage curtain that had just been lowered was raised again.
Ying Xiaoman stared at Yan Erlang on horseback: "Are we going or not? If we're not going, I'll go by myself."
Yan Erlang's expression was inscrutable, changing from gloomy to clear twice, before suddenly breaking into a smile.
"We've come all the way to the East Gate. Why not go? Continue east, let's buy sheep!"
He was the one who couldn't let it go!
The future wife of the Vice Minister, who was to marry next month, continues to run her family's butcher shop selling mutton. Wasn't he the one losing face?
Didn't Xiaoman always think that he, Yan Erlang, had a bad temper, and that Yan Rongshi had a good temper?
He wanted to see if the Ying family's sheep butcher shop continued to operate, whether that good-tempered Seventh Young Master from Changle Lane would maintain his good temper.
The Yan family had been a prestigious family for many years. Could Yan Rongshi tolerate his newly married wife continuing to wield a knife in a common business for a year or two, let alone a lifetime?
Whoever felt embarrassed could argue with Xiaoman themselves.
Yan Erlang's expression changed from stormy to clear. Not only did he enthusiastically help buy sheep and insist on paying, but on the way back to the Yan family home in Mogan Lane in the east of the city, he even hummed little tunes happily the whole way.
Ying Xiaoman: ?
She held the bleating fat sheep, vigilantly watching Yan Erlang the entire journey.
Although she didn't understand what this "Second Brother" was so happy about, it was clear he had no good intentions!
*
That evening, the inner courtyard of the Marquis of Xingning mansion in Mogan Lane was in turmoil.
There was a faint smell of blood in the air, and the maids who had never seen such a scene were pale with fright, running around spreading the news: "They're slaughtering... slaughtering... slaughtering sheep in the backyard! Such a quick knife, such ruthless hands!"
In a certain backyard of the Yan family where the Ying family had just settled, the long-absent sound of water washing could be heard.
Ying Xiaoman efficiently washed the bluestone ground of the courtyard with buckets of water, her adoptive mother helped wash the sheep offal, and Zhi helped put the sheep bones into a small wooden bucket.
With twenty catties of fresh meat prepared for the morning stall, Ying Xiaoman changed into clean clothes, washed her hands, looked up at the sky, and discussed with her adoptive mother: "It's getting late, Mother and Zhi should eat first, I'll wait for Seventh Young Master."
Her adoptive mother had concerns: "The Yan family has talked about many marriage customs. I heard that before the wedding, the bride is not allowed to go out? The big households in the Capital City all keep the bride at home doing needlework."
In the few moments of their conversation, the sun in the west had sunk another notch.
Ying Xiaoman shook her head: "I'm marrying Seventh Young Master, not marrying the customs of the Capital City. Seventh Young Master also said this morning that he would come to see me when he had time. I'll wait for him."
This wait lasted until the time for lighting lamps.
The sun had completely set in the west. The bright red evening glow in the sky gradually changed to golden, deep purple, light purple. The last trace of the evening glow was about to dissipate.
Her adoptive mother and Zhi had finished the dinner sent by the Yan family, but Ying Xiaoman was still waiting in the courtyard.
She still said: "Let's wait a bit longer for Seventh Young Master."
*
In Mogan Lane in the east of the city.
Under the impressive black and gold-mud plaque of the Marquis of Xingning mansion, the main gate of the Yan family opened a narrow crack, revealing the apologetic face of the doorkeeper.
"Vice Minister Yan, I've already passed on your message," the doorkeeper said with difficulty. "The Marquis left early this morning to listen to opera. The Second Young Master who manages affairs at home, well, he's not here either. I can't find anyone in charge to make decisions."
"Second Young Master is not here?" Yan Rongshi stood motionless in his original spot, raising his hand to press on the door ring, blocking the action of closing the door.
"How come I heard that Second Young Master returned to the mansion with the Third Young Miss newly adopted by the Old Empress at noon, and hasn't left since? How can such a big person just disappear?" The doorkeeper visibly became nervous: "Second Young Master went out in the afternoon. He didn't use the main gate. He left through a side gate..."
"The east side gate, west side gate, or north side gate?" Yan Rongshi took out two pieces of paper filled with dense writing from his sleeve and flipped through them: "Your mansion has three side gates, but in the entire afternoon's entry and exit list, there's no trace of Second Young Master coming or going."
Cold sweat suddenly broke out on the doorkeeper's back.
As expected of the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice who investigates cases, he's so... so perceptive! Who knows how many eyes they've secretly placed to watch the Yan family...
The doorkeeper swallowed and lowered his voice to plead: "Second Young Master is indeed at home. But Vice Minister Yan, let's be reasonable, the wedding is on the third day of next month, at this crucial time, it's not wrong for Second Young Master to not let Third Young Miss out to meet you..."
Now that the doorkeeper had revealed the truth, Yan Rongshi put the two pieces of statement paper he had casually taken out back into his sleeve.
He took out another prepared piece of calligraphy and instructed the doorkeeper: "I won't make things difficult for you. Just quietly deliver this piece of calligraphy to Third Young Miss in the backyard. Once you've delivered it, I won't linger outside your gate."
The doorkeeper's eyes lit up, repeatedly saying "That's good," and carefully took the calligraphy. He tentatively tried to close the door.
As promised, Yan Rongshi let go of his hand and no longer blocked it.
The doorkeeper successfully closed the main gate, let out a long breath, and ran like the wind towards the backyard to deliver the calligraphy.
*
When Ying Xiaoman received the calligraphy, the sky had already turned completely dark.
She opened the calligraphy under the light of the stone oil lamp lit in the small courtyard, and was greeted by a small diagram.
It roughly sketched a square courtyard. The high surrounding walls were labeled in order: "East, South, West, North."
At the southwest corner of the courtyard wall, a narrow alleyway was prominently drawn, with a bold arrow pointing towards the wall.
In the alleyway, a small gentleman was drawn. The small gentleman was holding a strip of cloth, on which two small words were written: "Seventh Young Master."
Ying Xiaoman blinked.
Pfft, she laughed.
Her slender and delicate fingers rested on the small gentleman's head, affectionately rubbing it.
She stood up and called into the room: "Mother, where's my cowhide bag for the flying claw? Which trunk is it in?"
Her adoptive mother called back from inside: "It's in your room, in the large trunk against the wall where clothes are kept! It's stacked with your father's pair of iron claws, heavy enough to weigh down the bottom of the trunk!"
Ying Xiaoman rummaged through the trunks looking for the flying claw.
Her adoptive mother called again: "What are you looking for the flying claw for so late at night?"
Ying Xiaoman called back: "Going out for a while. Seventh Young Master is waiting for me outside."
The two maids sent by the Yan family to serve had finished cleaning the plates and dishes and were bringing in steaming hot supper from the kitchen. They put the supper in the room but couldn't find any trace of Ying Xiaoman.
Her adoptive mother calmly ate supper in the room while holding Zhi.
"The person? Just went out."
"You didn't see? I didn't see either. Anyway, the person went out."
"How did she get out? Don't ask me. What news are you reporting? Just wait a bit, she'll come back on her own."
"Oh, that's how all the girls from our Jingzhou are."
*
The southwest corner gate of the Yan family compound was always locked. The narrow alley rarely saw any traffic, with broken branches and dead leaves scattered on the ground.
With a soft swish, a shiny iron claw suddenly appeared over the top of the courtyard wall.
In the deep darkness of night, a slender figure flashed over the wall like wisps of smoke, silently landing in the narrow alley.
Faint footsteps echoed from the depths of the alley.
Ying Xiaoman held back her laughter. She had spotted the person from atop the wall earlier, but now deliberately pretended to look around. As the footsteps behind her quickened, crunching on twigs and leaves, she intentionally turned and walked towards the entrance of the alley, not slowing her pace.
The footsteps behind her hastened. Yan Rongshi deliberately made his steps heavier, took two strides forward, and embraced the mischievous young lady in his arms.
Ying Xiaoman burst into joyful laughter.
She wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing close affectionately. "Seventh Brother!"
Yan Rongshi supported her waist with one hand and cradled her knees with the other, effortlessly lifting her into a princess carry.
The position came naturally to him, and he gave her plump bottom a light pat.
"You knew I was waiting by the wall, yet you deliberately walked towards the alley exit. Trying to make me anxious."
Ying Xiaoman was stunned for a moment, then moved to cover her bottom. "Where are you patting?"
Yan Rongshi's eyes were full of mirth as he reached up to pinch her rosy cheeks.
Ying Xiaoman cried out, "Ah! I'm going to fall! I'll fall!"
"Shh~ Be quieter. Don't attract the Yan family's attention. Hold onto me and you won't fall."
"Stop pinching me and put me down on the ground."
"Hold on tight, don't wriggle around."
The fox fur cloak wrapped around both of them as they emerged from the narrow alley, still whispering and muttering to each other.
A horse had been prepared in advance in the alley. To prevent the horse from neighing, a bit had been placed in its mouth, and its hooves were wrapped in cloth.
Yan Rongshi helped Ying Xiaoman onto the horse's back, then carefully removed the cloth wrappings from all four hooves and took out the horse's bit.
Ying Xiaoman watched curiously.
Yan Rongshi rubbed the horse's ears, fed it a handful of grass, then turned to explain to her: "It's a military tactic for surprise attacks on the enemy, to prevent horses from making noise. Tonight, we used it to get you out."
Ying Xiaoman held back her laughter as she grasped the reins.
After laughing for a while, she suddenly realized something was amiss: "But I don't know how to ride a horse!"
Yan Rongshi patted her tense hands reassuringly, taking hold of the reins himself and wrapping them around his hand a couple of times.
"I'm right here. Since you've never learned to ride, tonight we'll just go slowly like this."
"Where are we going?"
"To Changle Alley. We missed the Lantern Festival lights in the Capital City, so tonight I'll take you to Changle Alley to see the colorful flowers in the lane."
"We're going to Changle Alley like this?" Ying Xiaoman sounded a bit worried. "Isn't it too far?"
"It's not far." Yan Rongshi held a lantern in his left hand to light the way, while his other hand loosely gripped the reins. He gazed at the young lady on the horse, as vibrant and eye-catching as a spring blossom.
"With you by my side, even traversing the entire Capital City wouldn't feel far."