Chapter 91: He

It was a large dowry of corn from the Xu family.

The residents of Bianjing had also seen the new grain spoken of by official families.

Two young, high-quality horses, led by servants, were placed in the middle of the procession.

As if well-trained, the two horses were not startled by musicians or passersby.

Xu Pingmei held her round fan and entered the Gu household with Gu Tingyu, paying respects to Gu Yan Kai and Bai Shi.

Both Gu Yan Kai and Bai Shi looked at Xu Pingmei with beaming smiles.

Although Gu Yan Kai favored Da Qin Shi, he did not want Gu Tingyu to follow his own path and marry a wife who struggled to bear children.

The ladies of the fourth and fifth branches, Gu Jun Kai and Gu Lun Kai, regarded Xu Pingmei with assessing glances.

But when they saw Xu Pingmei put down her round fan,

they were startled by the Xu girl’s beauty.

The fifth branch had nothing to criticize, so they rolled their eyes and muttered, “So tall.”

Entering the bridal chamber, amid Gu Tingye’s teasing, the newlyweds completed the rituals, and Gu Tingyu was escorted out by friends and relatives.

As cups were raised and exchanged,

citing his weak health as a child, Gu Tingyu was not forced to drink much wine.

Some guests were still drinking; the Gu household had spare rooms ready for those who overindulged.

Gu Tingyu was escorted back to Fuyao Courtyard by You Qing.

Entering the room, Gu Tingyu looked at the woman inside and exhaled deeply, the scent of wine heavy on his breath.

Xu Pingmei, already changed into new attire, sat on the bridal bed, holding her round fan, her face flushed with shame.

As the newlyweds shared tender moments, Qing Xia’s voice came from outside the window.

It turned out Gu Tingye had been chased away from beneath the window.

Of course, this young couple had not gone so far as to count land deeds on their wedding night.

When dawn broke,

Pingmei rose to dress and styled her hair into a married woman’s coiffure.

She served tea to Gu Yan Kai and Bai Shi with her husband.

She received six different hairpins,

a magnificent seven-jewel Yingluo necklace,

six different armlets,

a pair of heavy gold bracelets,

eight sets of earrings to match different garments,

and twelve rings.

If Xu Zaijing were here, he would realize that even just these six hairpins, each one more exquisite and valuable than the nine-twist gold hairpin he had ever seen.

Qing Xia, Qing Zhi, and the other maids attending Pingmei were stunned by Bai Shi’s generosity.

The next day, Gu Tingyu returned to his own courtyard and saw the embroidered painting of “Five Blessings of Plum Blossoms” hanging in his study.

“Wife, this embroidery is truly exquisite—did you make it?”

Pingmei, wearing one of Bai Shi’s hairpins, walked beside Gu Tingyu and gazed at the embroidery:

“It was a wedding gift from someone else; I’m studying its stitching technique.”

Looking at Gu Tingyu’s profile, Pingmei added, “Impressive, isn’t it? Only two colors of thread were used to depict these plum blossoms defying snow.”

“Yes, especially that single brushstroke of a flying eave in the corner—it carries great charm.”

“By the way, husband, one of the dowry chests contained imperial silk and brocade gifted by the Empress. Choose whichever you like—I’ll make you a new robe.”

“Good.”

Then Gu Tingyu frowned, eyeing the new items on the table:

“These items look like imperial styles—where did you get them?”

Pingmei smiled. “My fifth brother gave them to me as a sister.”

As the couple spoke in the study, Qing Xia watched them with an aunt’s knowing smile.

Qing Zhi entered, spoke a few words, and turned to leave when Qing Xia chased after her:

“From now on, whenever you leave this courtyard, you must have a senior maid accompany you—do you remember?”

Qing Zhi replied, “Yes, Sister. Will we now call her Da Niangzi?”

“You’re sharp. Go.”

On the third day, the two returned to the Xu household.

On the road, they saw a procession of music and drums; after asking, they learned it was the eldest daughter of the Dongchang Marquisate being taken as a second wife.

At the Xu home, Pingmei was asked by her mother and sister-in-law about married life; Sun Shi, hearing of the gifts Bai Shi had given Pingmei, was stunned.

Xie Shi stared in amazement at Pingmei’s jade armlet with hidden mechanisms, marveling at its craftsmanship.

Later, at the banquet, Pingmei noticed her sister-in-law constantly and unconsciously guarding her abdomen.

After asking, she learned her sister-in-law was pregnant.

This was double joy; she declared she would send generous gifts when her nephew or niece was born.

At the Shen hour,

around three or four in the afternoon.

The family saw off Gu Tingyu and his wife.

Gu Tingyu had been heavily drunk by his three younger brothers-in-law at the Xu home.

“Big Brother said that from now on, every Xu daughter marrying out must bring two horses—Jing Ge said this is now a fixed rule. Wife, your Xu brothers truly dote on their elder sister.”

Pingmei smiled faintly.

Giving horses as dowry was not only for show; it also ensured the bride had her own mount in case of emergency.

It also signaled: if you dare mistreat her, your in-laws will arrive at this speed to beat you.

The Xu family

had been over half a month since the eldest daughter’s return visit.

At the riding field, the horses in the stable were eating corn stalks cut by the cleaver.

Because Xu Minghua had returned to Bianjing, the empty stalls were quickly filled by the horses of personal guards and young clansmen.

A few of Xu Zaijing’s familiar guard brothers had not returned to Bianjing—some had been promoted, others had fallen on the battlefield.

Seeing Xu Zaijing’s discipline, veterans returning from battle naturally came to spar with him.

Though they were no match for Xu Zaijing, they still used many underhanded and dirty tricks against him.

Xu Zaijing, weighted down with sandbags mimicking metal armor, stepped into a pit dug by the guards in the riding field.

Dug deep in the middle of the night, they lured him into it during sparring, claiming it was filled with water—he’d drown if he couldn’t climb out.

Indeed, warfare is deceit.

On the battlefield, there are far deadlier tactics than those used by the guards.

After an hour of training, Xu Zaijing returned to the nearby room to bathe; sparring with these battle-hardened guards drained not just his strength, but his mind and energy.

At the estate,

the long-cultivated bai die flowers—or cotton—were harvested again, dried, carded, and turned into fluff.

Since ancient times, rarity commands value.

Cotton cultivation was never widespread, and processing techniques were discovered only by the Xu family.

Thus, cotton clothing and quilts became rare treasures across Bianjing.

To spread them among Bianjing’s residents and throughout the Zhou realm still required time.

Driven by high profits, the Xu family, together with Wu Niangzi, the Bai family, and the Cao family, had begun seeking more cotton seeds and finished goods in the northwest and south.

After arranging her eldest daughter’s wedding, Sun Shi had not rested.

This lady continued visiting the Zhu family’s residence in Bianjing to assist her sister-in-law in organizing Zhu Qinghu’s wedding.

The Zhu family were military officers and had long observed mourning.

Moreover, Zhu Qinghu was already of advanced age—marriage was urgent.

Xu Zaijing and his cousin brothers, along with Zhu Qinghu’s closest comrades-in-arms, naturally came to help.

This made nearby families notice the fine horses and luxurious carriages parked at the Zhu gate; after inquiries, they learned this low-ranking imperial guard officer had ties to a Marquisate.

Within Wansheng Gate’s main street

Xiao Ya Alley

Ni’s residence

The Ni family’s daughter waited for the wedding procession, aided by neighbors’ wives and mothers.

Several women in noticeably richer attire were also in the house—relatives sent by the groom’s side, since the bride’s family was small.

After conversation, they learned they were from the Sun family near Xishuimen.

As the mothers chatted, they even discovered distant kinship.

They were glad this unfortunate girl had found a home.

They had assumed it was just an ordinary imperial guard officer with distant ties to the Sun family.

But when Zhu Qinghu arrived on a tall steed, flanked by seven or eight elaborately dressed young men and several imperial guard officers,

they felt these men’s clothing was excessively luxurious.

Especially some of the cuts and fabrics—they had never seen anything like them before.

The Ni family girl burned incense for her deceased parents, offered prayers, and was escorted out of the house by the elder women.

Three children, aged between ten and seven, were immediately hoisted onto the noble youths’ horses and taken together to the Zhu household.

Upon entering the Zhu household, the Ni family girl discovered that besides the Xu woman she had met once, there was another woman dressed in extraordinary splendor.

After being introduced by the master of ceremonies, she learned this was Sun Shi, the lady of the brave and resolute Marquis Xu family, whose reputation had grown steadily in recent years.

After the wedding ended, the three little Ni children had been assigned to sleep in the side chambers, where several other children from the distant Zhu manor in Xiangzhou also rested.

The Ni family girl also saw her husband, Zhu Qinghu, enter.

Zhu Qinghu, on his wedding night, had been protected by his three cousins and had no intention of drinking too much.

But he could not resist his brothers, who had shared life and death with him, and drank a bit more—though he was not drunk.

He pushed open the door to the bridal chamber.

He saw the girl seated on the bed, holding a round fan, dressed in green wedding robes.

The Ni family girl set down the round fan; her face was not stunningly beautiful, merely an ordinary woman with fair skin.

The Ni family girl watched her husband, drunk and lost in thought, her eyes filled with unease, fearing she was being rejected.

But after boldly observing his hesitant expression, she said, “Husband, let us retire.”

One night passed.

The next day, Sun Shi watched as her niece-in-law presented tea, then gifted her a valuable piece of jewelry.

She also specially sent clothes and writing implements to the three little Ni children.

Zhu Qinghu and his wife returned to their own courtyard.

Zhu Qinghu, uneasy, looked at his wife and said, “I, I, I have—”

The Ni family girl said calmly, “Do you have a concubine?”

Zhu Qinghu’s face flushed with urgency. “No, I don’t. I only have an unseemly request.”

The Ni family girl sighed. “Husband, speak.”

Zhu Qinghu took a deep breath and said solemnly, “Girl, have you heard of how I broke through enemy lines to deliver military intelligence in the western army?”

“Of course I have. It was how you earned your rank. You should call me Madam.”

“Yes, yes! Back then, of the fifty brothers under my command, fewer than ten survived.”

“The one closest to me and I made a pact: whoever lived, if they married, would burn incense and paper to inform the other.”

“So I wish to ask—”

The Ni family girl stared at Zhu Qinghu. “Husband, you want me to join you?”

Zhu Qinghu glanced at her. “Yes.”

“Husband, you are the master of this household—how can you say ‘ask’? I am unworthy. Yet to burn incense and paper for a hero who defended our home and country is my honor.”

“I knew you were extraordinary.”

Then, the Ni family girl followed Zhu Qinghu into the adjacent room. As he lit the incense, he said:

“At the moment of breakout, he gave his life to draw away the pursuers. He always hated his name and wanted to change it to Liu Dabao.”

The Ni family girl bowed respectfully before the spirit tablet inscribed with the name Liu Xiao Mao.

Zhu Qinghu stuck the incense into the censer, his voice thick with emotion.

“Little Cat, my wife’s good, isn’t she? She came to burn incense for you! If you’d lived, you’d have been lucky to find a wife.”

He discreetly wiped a corner of his eye.

The Ni family girl, seeing the tears glistening in Zhu Qinghu’s eyes, felt a quiet easing in her heart: *Someone who understands gratitude and remembers his sworn brothers cannot be bad.*

“Come, we must see your uncle and aunt back to their residence.”

“Yes, let’s go, Madam!”

Thank you all for your support!

Again, thank you!

If you find typos or awkward phrasing, long-press and tap to correct—the author will fix it immediately upon waking.





(End of Chapter)