by La Mi Tu
“Your Highness, she already knows she’s wrong. You don’t have to say that.” This time Duyi helped Taji Guli speak in turn.
“Humph!” Longze Jing Tian humphed coldly and turned to Mu Hua. “Thank you, prime minister, for your warning. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be standing here!”
“Don’t mention it, Your Highness! By the way, everyone, it’s getting late. You all better follow me to get out of town!” Mu Hua took Longze Jing Tian, Duyi and Taji Guli to his study. He opened the secret door, stopped at a spot and then lifted open the blanket on the ground. There revealed a locked wooden board.
“This is a secret passage that this old man had dug before, leading to the outside of the city. Now that Feng Cang has sealed off the city, you all can’t get out. It’s safest to leave from here!” As he spoke, Mu Hua had already opened the wooden board and walked down the secret passage first.
Longze Jing Tian brought two people with him, plus Duyi and Taji Guli. A total of five people followed Mu Hua and went into the underground passageway.
This passageway wasn’t dug very high. You must walk inside by bending your back. If you weren’t careful, you would hit your head. After walking through the passageway for a long time, they finally reached the other exit. To the surprise of Longze Jing Tian, this exit turned out to be an abandoned dry well.
After the others climbed up the fallen vines, Duyi squatted down in front of Taji Guli. “Come on, I’ll carry you!”
Taji Guli was a bit surprised and didn’t say anything. She stepped forward to lie on the back of Duyi, and the two finally went out.
At this moment, the sky was already dark. Mu Hua cupped his fist towards Longze Jing Tian and the others. “The recent circumstances are bad. Everyone, please stay away from trouble! My prime minister’s residence will always welcome you!”
“Thank you very much, prime minister!” Longze Jing Tian and the others cupped their fist to express their thanks. Everyone knew clearly that if it weren’t for Mu Hua who had this underground passageway, Feng Cang might had already found them. These people at present wouldn’t stand here safe and sound.
Inside the regent’s palace, Feng Cang had a serious face. “Eighteen people? No Taji Guli? Where would she go then?”
In one day, the Eagle troop had searched more than half of the capital. The only ones left were the houses of the high officials and nobles at the east of the city, and the Imperial Palace. Those eighteen people were obviously accomplices of Taji Guli. But what surprised Feng Cang was that Taji Guli didn’t go back. So where would she hide?
“Wangye, tomorrow is the turn of the eastern region and the Imperial Palace. Should we search or not? Forgive this subordinate’s direct words. If someone in the court is really in collusion with Taji Guli, then it’s still possible to hide a person. Even if we try to look, we may not find her.”
Feng Cang knew clearly that Nalan Xin’s words were reasonable. If he couldn’t find her in the common people’s homes, then Taji Guli was definitely in the official’s home. But there were so many officials in the capital. It would be time-consuming to conduct inspections one by one, and there were also many family members and servants in the high officials and nobles’ homes. It was originally a very easy thing to hide a person. This matter was really difficult to handle.
“Withdrawn the people. Return everything to normal tomorrow. Just check carefully all the people that go outside the city. Afterwards…let the people of Fo Sheng Men look for the whereabouts of Taji Guli. At the same time, look for Longze Jing Tian. I’m worried that these two people will gang up together. At that time, it won’t be a good thing.”
After these arrangements, Feng Cang went to Tingsong Building.
Although Feng Xiao experienced those things during the day, but he didn’t seem to have been frightened at all. He had drunk his milk and entered the dreams with Feng Qi Qi’s ballad.
“Slept?” Feng Cang came to the bed and looked at Feng Xiao who was in Feng Qi Qi’s arms.
“Hm!” Feng Qi Qi nodded and carefully put Feng Xiao in the bed.
“This brat didn’t even cry today! I don’t know if he’s brave enough or what.” Mentioning his son, Feng Cang had a special feeling of proudness. He thought that Feng Xiao had performed well today. It was very unusual. He wasn’t an ordinary child.
After seeing the proudness in Feng Cang’s eyes, Feng Qi Qi chuckled. She put the curtains down and pulled Feng Cang to the side.
“Did you find her?”
“Only found her accomplices but didn’t find Taji Guli herself.”
“Oh?” Feng Qi Qi frowned. “Where did she hide then? Could it be that there is someone sheltering her? Who will it be?”
“Alright, Qing Qing. Leave this matter to me. Don’t think so much! You must be frightened today! Let’s take a rest earlier. This is a man’s business. Let me solve it!”
Of course, Feng Qi Qi was happy that Feng Cang took the matters into his own hands. She nodded and said, “Alright.” Feng Qi Qi leaned into Feng Cang’s embrace. “Cang, when this matter is over. Shouldn’t we let Ah Kang and Su Mei held their wedding? We mustn’t delay them because of our affairs! After they get married, let’s go to Nan Feng. What do you think?”
Feng Cang naturally fully supported the suggestion of Feng Qi Qi. He had always taken Wanyan Kang’s marriage to heart. Originally, he intended to quickly let Wanyan Kang embrace the beauty. Now that Feng Qi Qi mentioned it, it was just what he thought too.
“I have someone looked for a date. The 18th of the second month is a good day! I also don’t want Ah Kang to always come bother our two-person world. Let Su Mei go over to take care of him the sooner the better!”
* * *
Shizi: heir of the first-rank prince/ crown prince by the main wife
Chapter 187: Wanyan Kang And Su Mei’s Wedding (2)
* * *
At the same time in Xiaoyao’s wangfu1, Wanyan Kang sneezed. He touched his nose after sneezing. He absolutely didn’t know that Feng Cang and Feng Qi Qi had already decided his future for him.
Mu Hua originally thought that Feng Cang would definitely turn the capital upside down. He didn’t expect that the next day everything had returned to normal. Except for the Eagle troops at the city gates checking the passing pedestrians, everything else vanished like smoke in thin air. It was as if yesterday’s fierce search of the city was just ‘a false alarm’.
The behavior of Feng Cang was even more confusing to Mu Hua. According to Feng Cang’s past personalities, he would never give up if he hadn’t catch Taji Guli. Could it be that this man had changed his temper after marriage and had become gentle?
How could Mu Hua know that outside Yan capital, the people of Fo Sheng Men and Moyu had already put out an inescapable net? The portraits of Longze Jing Tian and Taji Guli were sent to every province and every county. Those people who left Yan capital lived a life of hiding and dodging every day. Whether it was from the court or the jianghu2, there were people looking for them.
An inescapable net: a trap
Feng Cang used the ‘beat the grass to scare the snake’ method to deal with Taji Guli. Since they (FC) didn’t know where they (TG) were, they (FC) simply created an anxious and desperate situation, which made these people (TG) unable to sleep calmly day and night. The soldiers of the imperial court were in the open, whereas the people of Fo Sheng Men and Moyu were undercover. There would be a day where they (TG) would reveal themselves. At that time, they (FC) needed only to catch everything in one net.
To beat the grass to scare the snake: to act rashly and alert the enemy
To catch everything in one net: to capture them all in one go
When Feng Qi Qi told Dongfang Lan to prepare the wedding of Wanyan Kang and Su Mei, this great empress dowager was very happy.
Dongfang Lan had seen Su Mei many times and liked this natural and poised girl very much. However, what made Dongfang Lan most pleased was the tall figure of Su Mei. In her words, Su Mei had an appearance of good
breeding (can bear offspring).
When Dongfang Lan said this, Wanyan Kang and Su Mei were beside them. Wanyan Kang was smiling foolishly the whole time, while Su Mei was blushing.
“Girl, quickly join the household! After joining the household, you can call me grandmother!” Dongfang Lan held Su Mei’s hand. The more she saw Su Mei, the more she liked her. In the end, she simply took off a bunch of gold bracelets from her hand and put them on Su Mei.
“Great empress dowager, this can’t be done….”
Su Mei wanted to refuse but was stopped by Wanyan Kang. “If imperial grandmother gave them to you, just accept it! This is a gift! After accepting this gift, you are the daughter-in-law of my Wanyan’s family!”
For the first time, Su Mei didn’t bicker with Wanyan Kang. Instead, she blushed and showed the loveliness of a young girl.
Time passed quick and the 18th of the second month arrived quickly. Early in the morning, Su Mei was woken up. Feng Qi Qi personally did the makeup of Su Mei, while Su Yue tied up her hair. The phoenix coronet with the wedding gown and jewelry had already been prepared by Feng Qi Qi. After being tortured for a long time, Su Mei had finally become a bride.
“Really beautiful!” After Feng Qi Qi put the finishing touches to Su Mei’s eyebrow, she put down the eyebrow pencil.
“Our Su Mei is the most beautiful bride of the world today!”
“Miss….” Su Mei stood up and knelt in front of Feng Qi Qi. Feng Qi Qi was taken aback for a moment by her (SM) sudden action. She then quickly helped Su Mei up but was rejected by Su Mei. “Miss, Su Mei can exist today is inevitably because of you! Su Mei is very grateful to you!”
After saying that, Su Mei kowtowed three times to Feng Qi Qi. “Su Mei thanks Miss!”
“Su Mei, get up quickly!”
There were also some moist in Feng Qi Qi’s eyes. Last time, when Su Yue got married, Feng Qi Qi wasn’t so sad. This was because Nalan Xin was a subordinate of Feng Cang, so Su Yue was still married into the wangfu. However, Su Mei was different. She was now getting married off and, in the future, she also couldn’t meet her every day.
“Don’t cry! The bride can’t cry!” Feng Qi Qi carefully wiped the tears from the corner of Su Mei’s eyes and reapplied her makeup. “Ah Kang is a good man and will certainly love you dearly! Moreover, we live so close to each other. You can still come back often and we three can still meet up frequently. It’s not like we’ll be apart and will never see each other again! Don’t cry, dear!”
While the three master-servant were talking, the palanquin to escort the bride had already arrived at the regent’s palace. Wanyan Kang rode on the tall horse and was dressed up in all red. He looked full of joy and handsome.
“The bridegroom has come to pick up the bride!” Along with the arrival of the voice, Feng Qi Qi quickly put the red veil on Su Mei. Su Yue also stuffed a red and big apple in the hands of Su Mei. “Hold the apple well. Don’t lose it!
Apple symbolizes peace in China. The word for apple in Chinese is ping which is a homonym to peace.
The matron of honor helped Su Mei out of the room. Then they walked all the way through the wangfu and finally got to the entrance.
After seeing Su Mei come out, Wanyan Kang immediately dismounted. He wanted to go support her but was stopped by Feng Qi. “Wangye3, it isn’t your turn yet! Wait till you get to Xiaoyao’s wangfu, then you can be more active!”
Feng Qi’s words made everyone laugh. Wanyan Kang also got a big red face and could only look at Su Mei entering the palanquin.
After the bright red curtain of the palanquin was put down, only then did Wanyan Kang’s heart settled down.
“Raise the palanquin!”
A grandiose team of bride’s escort moved towards Xiaoyao’s wangfu. Su Mei who was in the palanquin clenched the apple tightly, and her heart jumped like the jolt of the palanquin, up and down.
She never thought that she would one day marry the person who loved her, and never even thought she would marry a country’s wangye. Things that she had never dared to think about, had now become a reality. Her beloved man was now out there. They are going to her new home. All these things made Su Mei feel very happy.
In order to welcome the new mistress, Xiaoyao’s wangfu had been decorated anew. Wanyan Jie and Dongfang Lan had already arrived here. Wanyan Jie was sitting upright on the chair. Although his face was pretending to be calm, the excitement in his eyes couldn’t hide his childish heart.
This was the first time that Wanyan Jie had attended a wedding ceremony, and he was also to officiate the wedding of Wanyan Kang. It made him feel fresh and very happy.
“Emperor, great empress dowager, wangye has brought wangfei4 over!” Wanyan Kang just arrived at wangfu, there was already someone notifying them.
“Great-grandmother, zhen5 wants to go and see!” As soon as he heard this, Wanyan Jie couldn’t sit still. He was eager to know how the welcoming of the bride looked like. He was very curious and wanted to go ahead to see.
After seeing Wanyan Jie’s excited appearance, Dongfang Lan took his hand and patted it gently. “Emperor, you are the marriage officiant today and a marriage officiant shouldn’t walk around!”
“Oh….” Wanyan Jie was a bit disappointed. He couldn’t go out, so he could only stretch his head and kept his eyes on the outside. He wanted to see Wanyan Kang and Su Mei sooner.
After waiting for a while, Wanyan Kang finally appeared in front of the crowd. He led the red satin that connected him to Su Mei, while the matron of honor carefully supported Su Mei. The two people came in one after another.
“The first bow to heaven and earth! The second to the great empress dowager and the emperor! The last for the husband and wife! Ceremony completed! Bring them to the bridal chamber!”
After Su Mei was sent to the bridal chamber, she finally woke up from the dream. She got married! She had become the bride of Wanyan Kang! Su Mei who was holding the apple, was somewhat nervous. From time to time, there was some laughter from outside, and Su Mei could feel that there were several maids in the room. Fortunately, the phoenix coronet on her head was modified by Feng Qi Qi. It wasn’t so heavy, otherwise, she would have a sore neck and headache after waiting for so long.
After waiting for a long time, so long that Su Mei didn’t know what time it was. Only then a voice came over. “Wangye has come!”
Wanyan Kang came?! Su Mei’s mood was somewhat complicated. The extreme excitement was essential, but apart from her happiness, there was still some nervousness. At this moment, Su Mei felt a thin layer of sweat in her hands. Due to her head being covered by a red veil, she couldn’t see the outside. She could only lower her head and look at her fair-skinned finger on the apple.
“Congratulations wangye! Congratulations wangfei!”
“Hm! You all… withdrawn!” Wanyan Kang waved his hands to let everyone go. After only he and Su Mei were left in the room, Wanyan Kang took a deep breath and went to Su Mei.
Su Mei knew that Wanyan Kang had come. At this moment, her heart jumped so hard until the moment Wanyan Kang’s shoes appeared before her. Su Mei’s heart almost stopped beating.
Time was so static, and the surrounding was so quiet. So quiet that Su Mei could hear her own heartbeat and Wanyan Kang’s breathing from afar.
Wanyan Kang’s eyes slowly filled with love and looked at Su Mei under the red veil with deep love. After a long time, he uttered a long sigh. “Little Mei er6, I have finally taken you as my wife!”
Accustomed to Wanyan Kang mischievously face, Su Mei didn’t know that he also had such a calm and deep side. Wanyan Kang’s hand reached out and placed Su Mei small hands on his own palm. He laughed softly after he felt the sweatiness of Su Mei’s hands.
“Little Mei er, you are nervous!”
This laughter made Su Mei very embarrassed. She wanted to pull out her hands, but it was tightly held by Wanyan Kang.
“Let it go!” Su Mei scolded softly.
“No! Not going to let go. I�
�ll never let go of it!”
Wanyan Kang grabbed Su Mei’s hand. Then he searched his body blindly for a while and pulled out a golden box. Didn’t wait for Su Mei to understand, Wanyan Kang had already knelt down in front of her. “Su Mei, are you willing to marry me?”
The appearance of Wanyan Kang made Su Mei think of the situation when Feng Cang proposed to Feng Qi Qi. She once said to Wanyan Kang that she was very envious of Feng Qi Qi! It was said that the man has gold under his knees, but Feng Cang was willing to kneel for love, for his beloved woman. This was really not easy to do. She (SM) didn’t expect he (WK) took her unintentional words to heart.
The man has gold under his knees: a man should have dignity and not grovel or bow down. In ancient times, men would only bow to their ancestors and someone of a higher rank. Kneeling to anyone other than that, especially kneeling towards women was a shameful thing.
Wanyan Kang opened the box with a sapphire ring inside. Only by looking at the style, Su Mei knew that this was designed by Feng Qi Qi. Could it be that Feng Qi Qi also participated in this matter? When she thought of the good things that Feng Qi Qi did to her, Su Mei’s eyes became moist.
“Su Mei, would you like to marry me?” After seeing Su Mei didn’t utter a word, Wanyan Kang was somewhat anxious and moved the box closer to her. “Are you willing or not?”
One sentence, Wanyan Kang repeated it three times. This made Su Mei couldn’t help but uttered a ‘fool’ in her heart. She had already sat in the palanquin and did the wedding ritual with him. How could he still say such foolish things?!
Su Mei deliberately made things difficult for Wanyan Kang. Anyway, she had a veil covering her head now. Wanyan Kang couldn’t see her expression and didn’t know that she was doing it intentionally.
The beauty behind the red veil didn’t say a word made Wanyan Kang completely anxious. He simply picked up the ring and directly put it on Su Mei’s ring finger.