The Cloud Feather of the Red Chamber: A Marriage Arranged with Gong Yuanzheng at the Start

After dinner, Qingyu sat upright at her desk practicing calligraphy, while Daiyu diligently looked through the light-body skill manual that Xue Gongzi had given her.

These inner cultivation techniques seemed obscure and difficult to understand to others, but Daiyu understood their meaning after only one explanation from Xue Gongzi.

Lin Qingyue sat down opposite them and casually handed them a stack of drawing papers.

"Yu'er, Qingyu, can you help me decide which wedding dress looks the best?"

Daiyu took the stack of papers, and as she and Qingyu looked through them, she asked:

"Big sister, have you and Yuanzheng set a wedding date? What day is it?"

"On the day I came of age."

"Huh?! What?!"

Daiyu froze for a moment, thinking she had misheard. She blinked and slowly looked up at Lin Qingyue.

"Big sister, what did you just say? I didn't hear you clearly."

Seeing Daiyu's adorable face, Lin Qingyue couldn't resist touching it, but considering the current situation, she suppressed her restless hand and repeated what she had just said.

Daiyu's expression was somewhat conflicted, but she didn't seem angry. She just sighed like a little adult.

Lin Qingyue chuckled and poked her cheek. "What did you mean by that sigh?"

Daiyu looked wistful. "Gong Yuanzheng's intentions are as clear as day."

She didn't understand before, but after secretly reading a few storybooks with Young Master Xue...

Even though she was young and had little understanding of matters of love, Daiyu was keenly aware that Gong Yuanzheng valued Lin Qingyue exceptionally much.

"I guessed he wanted the wedding to happen as soon as possible, but I didn't expect him to be so impatient and so ruthless!"

At this point, Daiyu still couldn't help but feel a little angry.

Lin Qingyue couldn't help but laugh, "Look at the words you used!"

Daiyu turned around and threw herself into Lin Qingyue's arms, holding her tightly.

"Big sister, I can't bear to part with you."

Once she gets married, her older sister will belong to another family, and she can no longer cling to her older sister like she does now.

You can sleep with your older sister now, but you won't be able to anymore.

Lin Qingyue also pulled her into her arms, comforting her.

"Yu'er, you and Qingyu still need to recuperate."

"We will be living together for a long time."

“Even after you have recovered, you can still stay with your sister.”

"Moreover, Yuanzheng and I will definitely be staying in Yangzhou with Brother Shangjiao from now on."

"At that time, you can also live with us in Yangzhou."

Daiyu knew in her heart that she could stay at the palace gates while recuperating.

Once Qingyu's health improved, they had no reason to stay there.

The palace gates didn't mind that they had been living here.

But the rules of etiquette would not allow it. She and Qingyu could stay at the palace gate for a while, but if they stayed here for a long time, there would probably be a lot of gossip outside.

Qingyu tilted her head, somewhat puzzled by her second sister's sudden sadness.

He is too young to understand the meaning of marriage.

In his mind, the eldest sister was supposed to marry the brother who was going to fight.

Isn't getting married early or late the same?

The next day, upon seeing Daiyu, who looked perfectly normal, Gong Zishang was curious about how Lin Qingyue had managed to appease her.

Lin Qingyue smiled and looked at her, "Yu'er's intelligence is unmatched by other children."

She didn't need to say anything; Daiyu had already figured it out for herself.

He handed the drawing paper in his hand to Gong Zishang.

"These are the wedding dresses that Yu'er and Qingyu helped me choose. I would like to trouble Sister Zishang to find someone to sew them for me."

Gong Zishang smiled and accepted it, "Don't worry! I've got it covered!"

"I have already prepared your coming-of-age ceremony dress."

Meeting Lin Qingyue's surprised look, Gong Zishang smiled with a hint of sincerity.

"You gave me a coming-of-age dress, so I will definitely return the favor with an even better one."

Lin Qingyue smiled and didn't refuse Gong Zishang's offer; the two of them had long since stopped paying attention to such formalities.

"Then I would be disrespectful."

There is only a little over a month left until Lin Qingyue's coming-of-age ceremony. If she were to get married from the Lin family mansion, the time would be very tight.

After discussing the matter via carrier pigeon, it was decided that Lin Qingyue would be married off from the Zhiren Palace.

The Hall of the Blade and the Palace of the Auspiciousness can also be set up in a hurry.

The Horn Palace and the Shang Palace did not need special decorations, but they were both draped in red silk.

Lin Qingyue needs many unusual items, but the palace warehouse has sufficient stock. If not, it's not too late to send someone to purchase them immediately.

Some of the things were strange and unusual, so Gong Zishang simply asked her to draw them out and then had someone refine them for her directly from the blueprints.

Just as the entire palace was busy preparing for the wedding, Gong Ziyu suddenly arrived at the Zhiren Hall.

"You want to leave the palace?" Gong Zishang didn't react for a moment and stared blankly at Gong Ziyu.

Gong Ziyu looked noticeably thinner, and Gong Zishang suddenly realized that she hadn't seen Gong Ziyu in a long time.

Gong Ziyu looked determined, as if she had made a great decision.

Before coming to the Blade-Holding Hall, he had already dismissed all the servants of the Feather Palace and given each servant enough silver.

This money couldn't make up for everything they had suffered, but it was all he could do now.

“Sister, given A-Yun’s identity, it’s impossible for her to stay at the palace gate. I’m in an awkward position here now, and I want to leave with her.”

Hearing this, Gong Zishang felt a mix of emotions.

Gong Ziyu's words made sense. After Mingwu Ji's identity was revealed, the entire Yu Palace was in an awkward situation.

The servants showed considerable respect on the surface, and under Gong Zishang's management, they refrained from gossiping behind Gong Ziyu's back. However, their words and actions towards Gong Ziyu inevitably carried a hint of disdain and contempt.

This is something Gong Zishang cannot control.

So much has happened in the past few months that her relationship with Gong Ziyu is no longer what it used to be.

The gap between them was too wide and too deep. The revelation of those truths meant that her relationship with Gong Ziyu could never go back to what it was before.

Seeing Gong Zishang's expression, Gong Ziyu suddenly smiled, "Sister, I've wanted to leave the palace for a long time."

"It's just that the palace gate restrictions and various other issues have kept us from leaving."

"Now I've found the person I want to spend my life with, and I want to see the world with her."

Gong Zishang nodded, "Since you've made your decision, I won't keep you any longer."

"I wish you and Miss Yun a long and happy life together, a harmonious and respectful marriage."

Gong Ziyu accepted Gong Zishang's blessing with a smile.

Ayun hasn't fully accepted him yet, but he believes that with his persistent efforts, Ayun will see his sincerity and one day they will get married.

Seeing the smile on Gong Ziyu's face, her lips moved, but she never said the words, "Come back to the palace gate when you have time."

Gong Ziyu understood her meaning and smiled wryly. He also knew that once he stepped out of the palace gates today, there would probably be no more time for them to meet.

Feeling the brocade box in his hand, Gong Ziyu stepped forward and placed it on the table in front of Lin Qingyue and Gong Zishang respectively.

“Princess, I won’t be able to attend your wedding with Yuanzheng, so I’ll send this gift in advance.”

Lin Qingyue stood up and accepted the gift. "Thank you, Young Master Yu."

Gong Ziyu looked at Gong Zishang one last time. Compared to Gong Shangjiao, he was indeed not a qualified younger brother.

In recent days, he had also heard some news that Gong Zishang was willing to arrange a marriage between the Gong family and the thirteenth prince.

Gong Shangjiao used all his merits to obtain an imperial decree granting Gong Zishang the freedom to marry.

These are true siblings, genuinely caring for each other.

Gong Ziyu will never forget how she felt when she heard the news.

Compared to Gong Shangjiao, he felt ashamed of Gong Zishang's love and care over the years and was unworthy to be Gong Zishang's younger brother.

"Sister, I'll send your gift in advance."

After a pause, Gong Ziyu looked at Gong Zishang earnestly and slowly said, "Sister, I'm sorry."

This apology was for both Gong Hongyu and him.

Gong Zishang felt her eyes getting hot for no reason, so she immediately turned away, not looking at Gong Ziyu, and didn't say anything.

Gong Ziyu lowered his head, took several steps back, bowed, and then turned and left the Hall of Blade Master.

When they arrived at the palace gate with Jin Fan, they were stopped by someone.

Jin Mao arrived swiftly, carrying two brocade boxes.

"Young Master Yu, this is a wedding gift from Zhi Ren and the Princess to you."

Gong Ziyu was stunned for a moment before accepting the brocade box.

"Thank them for me."

Before leaving, Gong Ziyu took one last look at the majestic palace gate, and without hesitation rode away.