The last day of the eleventh month was clear.
At morning audience, the director of the Directorate of Astrology reported: "This day follows the auspicious path of the sun, with the stars gathered around favorable lights and all deities in their proper places. Nothing is forbidden."
Auspicious for marriage, setting the bridal bed, gathering with family and friends, the formal proposal, and asking the name.
Inauspicious for-nothing.
And so the Capital's festive cheer began with those words: "Inauspicious for nothing."
Censor Wang was getting married. Wang Kan, Assistant Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, was taking the daughter of Left Censor-in-Chief Yao Zhen as his wife.
The Censorate would finally have one bachelor fewer.
The first morning light filtered into the small courtyard of the Wei Residence.
Inside, Fu Niang had already been busy for an hour.
Wei Nisheng sat before the hall, drinking tea, in no hurry as he waited.
Cui Fu stood beneath the corridor eaves, craning his neck, anxious on his master's behalf.
"Young master, is madam still not ready?"
"What's the rush?" Wei Nisheng said. "The ceremony isn't going to run away."
"But..." Cui Fu muttered, "won't Miss Yao get tired of waiting?"
Wei Nisheng glanced at him. "You're more impatient than the bridegroom."
"When you marry Miss Chen someday, I'll hurry you along just like this."
Cui Fu's face flushed scarlet. "Y-young master!"
The door curtain lifted, and Fu Niang emerged.
She wore a lotus-root pink embroidered jacket beneath a snowy white rabbit fur cloak, with a pure-gold hairpin adorned with kingfisher feathers and pearls in her coiffure and tiny pearl pendants at her ears, setting off the fresh clarity of her features.
Standing there, she resembled an early plum blossom in winter, blooming crisp and clear in the reflected light of snow.
Wei Nisheng set