Chapter 23: Chapter Twenty-Three

Perhaps it was a guilty conscience, but late at night Lu Bao'er saw Xie Junling linger, unwilling to go to bed, and assumed he was still angry. This thought really wronged Xie Junling; he was merely recalling some Gu family affairs, and intuitively felt that the Gu family's old fox now had a satisfactory son‑in‑law and would surely not let him off.

From now on, Lord Gu will patronize Shen Yun; just don't take the opportunity to step on him.

Lu Bao'er saw Xie Junling's brows and eyes grow ever colder and harsher in the candlelight, making her heart tremble. She thought of the dish the old grandma had brought her today, the honey‑filled pastry tasting good, sweet but not cloying.

After a moment's thought, she used her soft, boneless hand to pick up a piece of candy and handed it over, gazing pleadingly at Xie Junling with a somewhat endearing air, coquettishly saying, "Husband, would you like a candy? Grandma had the cook make this candy for me; it's delicious, and she added osmanthus honey."

Xie Junling looked at the candy Lu Bao'er held in her hand; its white surface was indeed inlaid with large and small dried osmanthus blossoms, and it smelled fragrant. Yet the candy was not as white as her hand, and he couldn't help but follow her hand with his eyes.

The wrist bone inside Lu Bao'er's sleeve was so white it was dazzling, her skin very tender.

He usually ate rich and spicy food, yet in just a few months he had become somewhat plump and pale. Xie Junling thought that if he bluntly called Lu Bao'er fat she would surely flare up, so he couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth, meekly accepting her candy and putting it in his own mouth.

"Don't forget to rinse your mouth before bed," Xie Junling cautioned her, "don't eat the candy and then immediately hop into bed to sleep."

Lu Bao'er thought about having to go to the outer chamber to rinse her mouth in such cold weather, and felt a bit lazy, responding unwillingly; she regretted having just tried to please Xie Junling by giving him candy to eat.

Lu Bao'er had been sleeping well these past days, and soon it was the day Li Jiao left her chambers; as she was the wife of Shen Yun's superior, this notice should also be sent to the mansion. Whether one marries a chicken or a dog, one follows them—no matter how prominent Li Jiao was before marriage, now that she has married down into the Shen household, she belongs to the husband's family and must observe its rules.

Therefore, many official ladies who had not originally wanted to attend the ceremony came only out of respect for the Gu family's face, bringing gifts to the Shen mansion. Liu Xiang watched the procession carrying the dowry pour mightily into the Shen mansion; in the distance lanterns were hung and banners raised, the crowd noisy, and she couldn't help feeling a little envious.

She muttered beside Lu Bao'er, "Miss Li's wedding is really grand in scale."

The old grandma knew Xie Junling and Lu Bao'er had not yet had a grand wedding, and feared Liu Xiang's remark would upset Lu Bao'er, so she hurriedly said, "Everyone's big wedding is like this; there's nothing new about it. Madam, look—the few ladies ahead have all gone to the bridal chamber; let's follow them."

At a grand wedding, lest the bride be neglected, they always seek out some married ladies to meet and chat with the bride. After all, the groom must spend the night toasting ahead of time, and when he returns no one knows what hour it will be.

Lu Bao'er today wore a lake‑colored satin vest with a light chrysanthemum pattern, paired underneath with a skirt woven with gold orchid‑grass flowers, and on her head she pinned a pale pink velvet flower tinged with red, hoping for the auspiciousness of a brilliant red. The velvet flower sounds like "ronghua," thus signifying prosperity and honor, bright and pleasing.

Shen Yun had lifted Li Jiao's veil and shared the nuptial cup with her. The ladies teased him, saying he was reluctant to leave the bridal chamber because he felt sorry for his newly wed wife.

Li Jiao saw Shen Yun's hesitant manner and also found it amusing. At least her husband liked her, which was good enough.

Shen Yun had just left when Lu Bao'er was helped inside by the old grandma. Li Jiao saw her, startled for a moment, not expecting her to come; after thinking, she realized it would be strange if she hadn't come, since their husbands were colleagues serving together in the Hanlin Academy.

For some reason, Li Jiao always found Lu Bao'er displeasing wherever she looked. Seeing Lu Bao'er wearing a velvet flower, she recalled that women in the capital customarily wear a red velvet flower when they marry, symbolizing wealth and honor. Although Lu Bao'er's flower was pink, why did she happen to choose a velvet flower for the bridal chamber?

This thought really wronged Lu Bao'er; she had merely heard the old grandma say that capital women all love velvet flowers, wishing she could wear one every season for good luck. Finding it amusing, she simply told the old grandma to order a few more from the jewelry shop.

Perhaps Li Jiao had previously been scheming for Xie Junling; now seeing the principal lady arrive, she felt guilty as a thief and also a bit jealous.

She said sourly, "What a coincidence—just now the maid who helped me with my hair told me that to marry one should wear a velvet flower for good cheer. I picked a red velvet flower and put it on, then turned and saw Madam Xie also wearing a velvet flower." This was a veiled mockery of Lu Bao'er's fine attire, implying she was trying to steal the bride's spotlight.

Lu Bao'er was no fool; not knowing why Li Jiao bore her such hostility, she answered with an innocent face, "Thinking that Madam Shen's husband will henceforth be a colleague of my husband, I am quite delighted, which is why I wore this pale pink velvet flower."

Hearing this, Li Jiao found it extremely grating to the ear; Lu Bao'er had deliberately pointed out that she was Xie Junling's wife, while Li Jiao's husband Shen Yun was Xie Junling's subordinate—did she think she could lord it over him? To swagger before Li Jiao like that made her fury rise from all sides.

Li Jiao had nothing else to say; she kept twisting and pulling the wedding handkerchief in her hands, nearly tearing it apart.