Chapter 5 Wedding Ceremony

Liu clan’s long crown

Bronze hill censer inlaid with gold

A’Shu looked around and saw a tall young man standing straight on the slow-moving carriage. It was the bridegroom, Lord Liu Xun.

He was dressed in a dark ceremonial robe, wearing the Liu clan’s long crown on top of his head. His bearing was impressive. The gentle and warm smile on his handsome face was especially spectacular. One would almost think that he was very happy and satisfied with his marriage.

However, when he stepped down from the carriage and reached out a hand to A’Shu, she saw that under his charming smile, his eyes were clear and cold.

Liu Xun, also known as Zhongyuan, was twenty-six years old this year. He was born in Dongjun. As a descendant of Emperor Wu, he had the same ancestry as the Late Emperor Liu Kuan. However, due to the order of expending favors, the generation of Liu Xun and his father had long been in decline. Although they were still royal clansmen, they were merely the County Magistrate of Puyang.

His brother, Liu Chang, was not short of lofty ambitions. When Emperor Cheng abruptly died, his consort clans wrecked havoc in court. To fight against harsh taxation, as well as to “restore the Han empire”, the powerful clans in Dongjun rose up with thousands of common people. Later, he served the Prince of Liang after meeting his army on the way.

In these short five years, Liu Chang had shown his impressive feats to the full extent. On the contrary, due to his modest and prudent nature, Liu Xun kept a low profile. Although he always followed his elder brother’s footsteps, he rarely made enemies.

However, A’Shu knew that all of this was just for show. He seemed kind and forebearing but in fact he was warm outside and frosty inside.

That day in Changle Palace reappeared in her mind. The warm face in front of her gradually overlapped with the indifferent face of that day. A’Shu felt the pain all over her body. The cold hand in his palm slightly shook.

Noticing the movement, Liu Xun raised his eyebrows in astonishment. However, in a moment, he did not look at her again as if nothing had happened. He carefully helped her to the carriage like a gentleman. Then, he quickly let go of his hand, tied it with the bridal knot and unhurriedly walked away in the eyes of many people.

Liu Xun was granted the title of Prince at the beginning of the year. He did not have a residence. He temporarily lived in the Grand Excellency’s manor which belonged to Liu Chang. The wedding ceremony was also held in the Grand Excellency’s manor.

Onlookers littered on the street. He was all smiles and meticulously attentive. A’Shu was on the side, not daring to relax. Although frightened, she straightened her back with great effort, displaying the air of a daughter from an upper class family.

This wedding ceremony was a farce. If she couldn’t even pass this ordeal, how could she stand on her feet in the future?

At dusk, the carriages arrived at the Grand Excellency’s manor. A distance away, they heard the sounds of bells, drums and zither-like instruments, occasionally mixed with laughter and ridicule, coming from the mansion. Everyone was dressed in new colors. On the surface, they looked happy, however, at a closer look, the guests had been divided into several groups. There were the cronies of Empress Dowager Zhang and Geng Yun, who came specifically to spy or humiliate. There were also Liu Xun’s faction. All of them looked grim and unhappy.

However, most of them still assumed a wait-and-see attitude and join in the bustle of ordinary courtiers.

The decoration of the house deeply conformed with Liu Xun’s simple style, but without looking shabby.

As soon as A’Shu stepped into the gate, she heard a voice spouting hateful words. “The Grand Excellency of the Masses once had the ambition of his great ancestors. He was open-minded and straightforward, heroic and unrestrained, but his younger brother does not seem to have the aspirations of his elder brother at all. It is really pitiful and regretful.”

His voice was so loud as if fearing that others would not be able to hear him.

Everyone looked at the direction of the voice. It turned out to be the Palace Councellor, Peng Sheng, who by the order of the Empress Dowager on that fateful day taunted Liu Chang, instigating him to speak insolently, leading to his death.

He was originally born as a bandit. Versed in artful speech and having read some books, he defected to the Princess Consort of Liang. Under the Empress Dowager Zhang’s wings, he soared up all the way and thus, he was disliked by many upright courtiers.

At this moment, he talk a lot of nonsense on the wedding ceremony obviously to provoke Liu Xun into misbehavior, so that he could end up like Liu Chang.

Everyone held their breath and looked askance at the newlyweds crossing the threshold. They only wanted to see whether the newly ennobled Prince of Xiao would lose his composure and vanish as quickly as a meteor.

A’Shu’s chest also tightened. She looked slightly sideways.

She was only a few steps away from him. She could clearly see the ominous flash in his drooping eyes and the clenching fists under the wide sleeves. However, in a moment, the stiffness disappeared, and the warm and joyful appearance was restored.

He took A’Shu’s hand and walked into the hall. Under the watchful eyes of spectators, he said with a loud laugh, “Today is a happy day. It’s a fortune to get such a wife as this. Gentlemen, please refrain from talking about anything else.” After speaking, he nodded to the ceremony officer.

When they heard his response, their eyes shifted to the bride beside him.

Everyone was stunned. They wish they could clasp their hands and let out a big sigh. They had heard of Lady Zhao’s reputation a long time ago, and sure enough her reputation wasn’t exaggerated at all!

As light as a swallow, the bride’s fair and exquisite appearance was even more graceful and slender under the dark dress. The more people looked, the more beautiful and pleasing she was to the eyes. Everyone stared in a daze.

Even Peng Sheng, who had just made a rude remark, was speechless at the moment.

For that cheap Liu Xun to marry such a beautiful woman! If one was to see her face, even if there was the fate of restricting the Emperor star, the world never lacked of heroiJc men who would flock to her like a swarm of ducks.

No wonder Liu Xun could forget the pain of losing his elder brother!

For a moment, the people fell silent, casting meaningful looks between the couple.

Feeling prickles on her back, A’Shu straightened even more and tried to ignore the watching eyes as the ceremony officer led her all the way forward.

If she didn’t know any better, she herself would have been deceived by his plausible words and would actually believe that he was very satisfied with the marriage.

In the full view of everyone, A’Shu and Liu Xun went through the rituals of washing hands, sitting opposite to each other, sharing meat and drinking the nuptial wine. Finally, they were sent out to the felicitations and toasts of the guests.

So far, the ceremony was completed.

As dusk approached, the guests scattered to drink and eat. Peng Sheng seemed to be still in the mood to create trouble. In a loud voice, he shouted drunkenly at Liu Xun, “There are no restrictions in all wedding banquets. Now that that Prince of Xiao has got a beautiful wife, how can such a happy event be without singing and dancing? It’s better to invite the Prince of Xiao to show his style and share his joy with others.”

As the proud representative of Empress Dowager Zhang and the Grand Marshal, it was his mission to see Liu Xun lose color. He refused to believe that Liu Chang’s death truly left him untouched.

When the voice fell, several people readily took the hint. “Please sing and dance, Prince of Xiao!” The crowd rose and shouted.

The old followers of Liu Xun were all openly disgusted. There were even a few who were past endurance and were ready to take action.

In ordinary wedding ceremonies, the groom was expected to entertain with songs and dances to express his joy. However, this marriage was forced. Currently, it was already a taboo for Liu Xun to marry before the period of mourning was over. To sing and dance at this point was even worse. Anyone could see that Peng Sheng was intent on bullying.

However, Liu Xun still kept his cool. He calmly stood up and laughed at the audience, as if he had not noticed the insult and disdain in Peng Sheng’s words. “What you said is not wrong.”

He looked thoughtfully at the bride and said with a smile, “In this case, I will sing The Beauty Song for you to make you happy.”

He strode forward and stood in the hall. Then, he motioned the musician to play. Brushing his clothes and stamping his feet, he began to sing and dance heartily in full view of the public.

“A ravishing maiden from the North. The rarest beauty on earth. One glance confounds a city. Another glance dooms a dynasty. Who cares what cities and states are built for, when my fair lady is gone and no more?”

This song was a masterpiece written by musician Li Yannian a hundred years ago. Liu Xun sang it to praise the bride’s beauty which could make a man lose his grand ambition. His words and deeds seemed not fake.

Could it be true that he was so happy to get this woman that he forgot himself?

The people looked at the bride again. With such an appearance, it was indeed reasonable.

Forget other people, even A’Shu herself was in a trance. No one could tell what she was feeling at the moment. She did not regain her senses until the maidservants escorted her into the bridal chamber.

The bridal chamber was located in Liu Xun’s bedroom.

The room, neither old nor new, was divided into two rooms. The outer room was equipped with a sitting table, with lacquered cups and other objects on top. Behind the table was a bamboo-plaited screen. In the inner room, there were daybeds and long narrow couches, a few lampstands and trunks. Every furnishings were plain. The only extravagant item was a cloud-patterned bronze hill censer inlaid with gold where a green smoke curled up as the incense burned.

The flickering lights from the scattered candlesticks illuminated the room, making it as bright as day.

As it was getting late, A’Shu went to the bedside to sit and wait. She was still in a trance, feeling more and more bewildered as she remembered what had happened just now.

All the servants left except for one maid, Que-er.

Que-er was of the same age as A’Shu. She was the daughter of a tenant farmer in Handan. Later, because of famine, her parents died, and she was left wandering around. She sold herself to the Zhao family as a slave. Because she was young and had a broad face, even when she became skin and bones from starvation, the Zhao Patriarch could still distinguish the auspicious face, so he selectd her to be his daughter’s maid. The two grew up together. Although they were masters and servants, they had a deep friendship.

Seeing that no one else was around, she took the chance to chat with her master as she helped her clean up and change clothes. “A’Shu, just now, the Prince of Xiao is very pleased with you. In this way, you can rest assured,” Que-er artlessly remarked.

A’Shu frowned and shook her head. Away from the noise of the banquet, her blurred mind sobered a lot.

“How is he pleased with me? If I’m not mistaken, it’s all fake.”

Que-er’s eyes widened. The round face was full of amazement. “How could it be? He just said it so. He sang so well and he was born so handsome. How could it be fake?”

A’Shu chuckled and reached out to pinch Que-er’s hand. “I think you are bewitched by his handsome face. He seems gentle but in fact his heart is very cold and hard.”

Men or women, with a good appearance, could win the hearts of the people without even lifting a finger. Such as the case with Liu Xun. He was born with an impressive presence and a face like a crown of jade. With his usual courteous and gentle manner, he conquered the hearts of people without them being aware of his inner thoughts. In contrast to other exceptional men in the world, although he was self-effacing, it was better to moisten things silently and influence imperceptibly.

Just as in the hall earlier, most of those who watched the ceremony believed in his acting.

Que-er was still puzzled and was about to speak again when someone outside shouted, “The Prince of Xiao is here.”

The feast was still in full swing but Liu Xun already came back.

The door was pushed open and he stepped into the room under the starlight. He was tired and drunk. He must have drunk a lot just now. It must be that Peng Sheng still did not want to give up and encouraged others to make him drink.

A’Shu and the Que-er looked at each other, their voices stopping abruptly.

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A/N: The Beauty Song is from Li Yannian of the Western Han Dynasty.

It was a custom of the Han Dynasty to sing and dance at weddings regardless of status.

Order of Expending Favors (Tui’enling 推恩令)
» a ploy suggested by Zhufu Yan to weaken the various feudal princes by introducing empty titles instead of granting them territories

» Under the principle of primogeniture, only the eldest son of the legal wife of a king was entitled to be his heir. Since a king usually have more than one son, the rest of his sons get nothing. This does not conform to the principles of benevolence and filial piety. Hence, a king (accdg to Zhufu Yan) should divide his land among his sons and brothers and the Emperor may make them marquises. Following the Emperor’s edict, the kings expended their favors to their sons and brothers and distributed land to them. Emperor Wu granted them titles and put them under the jurisdiction of prefectures. From then on the kingdoms became divided and much weaker.