The Marriage Decree

"By the mandate of Heaven, the emperor decrees: We have heard that Yan Wanning, the eldest legitimate daughter of the first branch of the Duke Yan Household, is accomplished in both talent and the arts, virtuous and kind. Prince Anbei, now twenty-two, has rendered outstanding service to our Zhaoyuan realm and remains unmarried. We hereby grant the two a marriage, and command the daughter of the Yan family to depart for the Northern Borderlands in three days to wed. Respect this decree!"

"Long live His Majesty! May he live ten thousand years, ten thousand times ten thousand years!"

Eunuch Xi, the chief eunuch, handed the imperial edict to Duke Yan. "The Duke's Household must make proper preparations and not disappoint His Majesty."

"Rest assured, Eunuch. I will not fail His Majesty's expectations."

"Very good."

Eunuch Xi flicked his horsetail whisk and led a group of young eunuchs away. Duke Yan gazed at the bright yellow edict in his hands, a complicated look in his eyes. At last, he sighed.

Chen Shi, Duke Yan's wife, looked at the edict in his hands. Fury burned in her heart, though none of it showed on her face. When the two returned to their room, each with their own thoughts, Chen Shi could no longer hold back. "That little wretch spends her days in this household. Just what tricks did she use to attract His Majesty's attention?"

Duke Yan frowned in thought, unable to make sense of it either. Chen Shi's incessant prattling truly annoyed him. "No matter what, the edict has been issued. We must see that everything is arranged properly. If anything goes wrong, no one in the Duke's Household will escape blame."

"For the next few days, you had best put aside whatever schemes you have in mind. Do not let a moment's mistake ruin this important matter. Send people to attend to Wanning properly, and do not arouse suspicion."

"Rest assured, husband. I know my limits." Chen Shi lowered her eyes, concealing the resentment in them.

However furious she was, she dared not let it show, so she forced it down. That little wretch truly was a troublesome one.

Hmph! The little bastard born of a vixen was a vixen herself.

Chen Shi looked up to find that Duke Yan had left the room. Before her stood her daughter, who had grown ever more lovely and graceful.

Yan Wanwen wore a pale blue long robe with a subtle woven pattern over a blue skirt adorned with white flowers. Her figure was slender, and she looked rather demure, but the anger covering her face now completely spoiled that impression.

"What is wrong, my child?"

Yan Wanwen pouted, looking aggrieved. She came close and wrapped her arms around Chen Shi's forearm. "What gives that little wretch the right? She was lucky enough to become Princess Consort of Anbei, even though she is nothing but an orphan," she said, clearly indignant.

"Why upset yourself over her, my child? Even if she becomes Princess Consort of Anbei, so what? The Northern Borderlands are bitterly cold. With her delicate constitution, whether she can even make it north for the wedding is another question. If something happens on the road, she might lose her life." Chen Shi gave a cold smile and patted her hand soothingly.

"What if she is lucky enough to survive?" In her view, that wretch would not die so easily.

"Why worry about that? Even if the little wretch is lucky enough to reach the north and marry, what ability could an orphan like her have to win Prince Anbei's favor? I hear he has led troops into battle for years and has a cold, hard temperament. He knows nothing of cherishing a delicate beauty. How could her days in the distant north be pleasant?"

Hearing this, Yan Wanwen felt reassured, and laughter entered her voice. "You are right, Mother."

"Stay in your room these next few days and do not provoke her. Word has recently spread that the crown prince is choosing a consort. Your father has already made arrangements, so stay in your room and prepare yourself."

Yan Wanwen's smile grew more pronounced, and a blush colored her fair, delicate cheeks. "I will do as you say, Mother."

Clear Autumn Pavilion

Beneath the windowsill, a young woman stood silently, her mind full of worries and her delicate brows tightly knitted. Her skin was as smooth as warm jade, soft and lustrous. Her small, cherry-like lips were naturally red, vivid and dewy, while the strands of hair by her cheeks brushed gently against her face in the breeze, lending her an added touch of allure.

Behind her stood a young maid in pale green, her hair arranged in two buns. Her round, charming face also showed concern.

"Please do not worry so much, Miss. You will make yourself ill."

"Xiao He, I am not worried."

Yan Wanning flopped limply onto the embroidered daybed. A smile slowly appeared on her lovely face, and she said in a soft, sweet voice, "We have been trapped in this household for more than ten years, and now I have reached marriageable age. If His Majesty had not granted this marriage, Second Aunt dislikes me so much that she would certainly have pushed me into a pit of fire. His Majesty's decree came at just the right time. I will be leaving the Duke's Household, and I am very happy."

Xiao He sighed softly. "That may be so, but I have heard that Prince Anbei's temperament..."

"They are only rumors. How can we take them all as truth? If he truly does not like me in the future, he probably will not make things too difficult for me out of respect for His Majesty's decree. It would not be so bad to be a husband and wife who treat each other with courtesy."

Prince Anbei, Si Yunqi, was the only prince in Zhaoyuan who did not share the imperial surname, and he held great power and authority. The ancestors of the Si Household had helped the founding emperor conquer the realm, and the household had remained utterly loyal to the imperial family, earning its deep trust. For generations, the Si Household had guarded the Northern Borderlands, protecting home and country. Each generation had passed down through a single line, and Si Yunqi was the eighth.

Yan Wanning thought that a man like Si Yunqi, whose heart was set on all the people under heaven, would not devote it to one woman. Perhaps, to him, a woman was someone he could have, but did not need.