Ties of Love, Ruan Wan

Sun Shishi knew her piano skills were mediocre and was afraid of being outshone by Ruan Wan, so she didn't dare to come up and play.

Who knew that Ruan Wan would ask her to play? If she refused, Ruan Wan would definitely make fun of her later.

Sun Shishi was not about to give in to Ruan Wan's wishes. She walked confidently to the zither and actually played a piece called Guangling San.

Her piano skills were indeed quite good, but she lacked a certain carefree spirit and instead showed too much sentimentality.

After Sun Shishi finished playing, everyone applauded. Sun Shishi looked at Ruan Wan with a smug expression, and Ruan Wan responded with a smile.

Immediately, a maid brought flower baskets and placed them behind the people who had just played the instrument. Everyone then placed camellias into their favorite flower baskets.

Ruan Wan also picked a flower and put it in Miss Fang's basket. Ruan Wan liked her generosity the most.

After the voting ended, the group turned around. Young Master Hu and Young Master Zhu had the most camellias in their baskets, followed by Miss Wang and Miss Fang. Miss Fu had two camellias in her basket, while Sun Shishi had only one.

The flower in Sun Shishi's basket was put there by Miss Wu, who was close to her.

Sun Shishi was clearly shocked by this result; she was still better off than Miss Fu.

Cui Mo counted the camellias in the two young masters' baskets: "Young Master Hu has eleven, and Young Master Zhu has nine."

It wasn't that Young Master Hu's musical skills were better than Young Master Zhu's, but rather that Young Master Hu's father held a higher official rank than Young Master Zhu's father.

There aren't many perfectly matched couples in the capital; girls all want to marry up.

The men's families on the invitation list were all of the second to third rank, while the women's families were all of the third to sixth rank.

So most of the girls gave camellias to the two young masters, and the young masters gave them to several young ladies, except for Sun Shishi.

Sun Shishi's birthday is in the first month of the lunar calendar. She will turn twenty in two months, making her the oldest girl here.

Ruan Wan hoped she could understand this point; if she continued to delay, she would really have no choice but to go to a temple and practice Buddhism while still keeping her hair.

Ruan Wan had Qiu Shuang deliver the camellia flowers to Young Master Hu, saying, "Congratulations, Young Master Hu, on winning first place!"

Young Master Hu was quite modest, saying, "If the Crown Prince's wife were also involved, she would surely be chosen."

At this moment, Lou Qianyuan walked up to Young Master Hu and asked, "May I pluck a flower?"

Young Master Hu picked up the teacup and said with a smile, "Please make yourself at home, Your Highness."

Lou Qianyuan plucked a camellia, walked up to Ruan Wan, and gently tucked it into her hair, creating a perfect picture of a beautiful woman wearing a flower in her hair.

Lou Qianyuan smiled and said, "These flowers are for my wife."

The crowd cheered, and Ruan Wan blushed in front of everyone.

Everyone went back to admiring the flowers, playing games, or chatting, while Sun Shishi stood there forlornly.

Ruan Wan walked over and said, "Do you know why no one sends you flowers?"

Sun Shishi, with a cold face, said, "It's none of your business to laugh at me."

Ignoring her, Ruan Wan continued, "You'll be twenty next year. Among all the unmarried men and women here, you're the oldest. Although you're nominally backed by the Lou family, your parents are no longer alive, so you're essentially an orphan."

Sun Shishi stared at Ruan Wan with wide eyes, but Ruan Wan ignored her and continued, "In the past few years, some second-rank officials would consider your marriage because of the Lou family's status. Now, even third- or fourth-rank officials won't consider you. If this drags on any longer, you'll only become a concubine or end up practicing Buddhism in a temple."

"You like Lou Qianyuan and insist on marrying him, but you've never asked Lou Qianyuan's opinion, whether he actually wants to marry you or not?"

Sun Shishi stared blankly at Ruan Wan. She was well aware of these predicaments; many people secretly mocked her for being an old maid, but what could she do?

Ruan Wan had said all she wanted to say; whether Sun Shishi would come to her senses was up to her.

After seeing the guests off, as Qiu Shuang removed her makeup that evening, she unusually praised Ruan Wan, saying, "Miss, this camellia suits you very well."

Ruan Wan glanced at herself in the bronze mirror. A pink camellia flower indeed made her look fresh and refined.

Ruan Wan looked at it for a while, then picked the camellia and placed it in her palm. This camellia was bound to wither eventually.

Ruan Wan casually placed the camellia on the dressing table.

For the next few days, Sun Shishi kept claiming to be sick and did not eat with Ruan Wan and the others, nor did she try to get close to Lou Qianyuan.

Lou Qianyuan smiled at Ruan Wan, "I didn't expect your trick to actually work. In a few days, I'll choose a good family, write a letter to my father, and arrange her marriage."

Ruan Wan was a little worried. What kind of person was his cousin? Lou Qianyuan might not have seen her true self. How could he give up so easily?

Ruan Wan remained vigilant, wary of what mischief she might be plotting.

Towards the end of the year, good news kept coming, and the date for Rong Yufen to marry into the Seventh Prince's household was set.

The emperor originally did not want Xia Changfeng to marry a concubine so soon.

Princess Linglong of Chu has been married into the country for less than a year, and Linglong is not pregnant yet, so there is no opportunity at present.

The emperor thought that Xia Changfeng had finally come to his senses and wanted women, so he told Xia Changfeng to take a few concubines first, and then marry Rong Yufen next year or when Linglong was pregnant.

Linglong herself went to the palace to request the imperial decree to marry the concubine on the auspicious day of the fifth day of the twelfth month.

As Xia Changfeng's cousin, Lou Qianyuan naturally had to attend and offer his congratulations.

Before setting off, Lou Qianyuan repeatedly confirmed, "Wan'er, if you don't want to go, you don't have to. I can talk to Changfeng, and he'll understand."

Ruan Wan smiled and shook her head, saying, "I can't hide forever. If I don't go, it'll make me seem guilty."

Lou Qianyuan had no choice but to say, "If you feel unwell at all, tell me, and we'll come back early."

Ruan Wan nodded. What was there to be uncomfortable about? It was their wedding, of course; she was just there to attend the celebration.

They can just quietly eat and drink on the sidelines; what could possibly happen?

The carriage stopped at the Seventh Prince's residence. Ruan Wan looked up at the vermilion gate with a sense of irony.

She thought she would never have the chance to enter this door again, but today she entered as his cousin's wife.

The entrance was bustling with activity, with the steward greeting guests at the door and servants leading them into the inner hall.

Everything was in perfect order, exuding royal elegance. Although the butler appeared to be chatting with the guests, his eyes were actually keeping a close eye on the entire situation.

When the Seventh Prince's Chamberlain saw Lou Qianyuan and Ruan Wan arrive, he handed the guests in front of him over to a servant to lead them to the inner hall, and then hurried forward to greet them.

After exchanging pleasantries with Lou Qianyuan, he personally led Ruan Wan and Lou Qianyuan to the inner hall.

The concubine has been moved into the bridal chamber, and the guests have been seated and are waiting for the auspicious time to begin the banquet.

When a concubine enters the mansion, there are no formalities such as a wedding ceremony. Instead, a bright red sedan chair is carried in through the side gate, though the royal family adds a touch of grandeur.

In an ordinary family, they would simply be carried in by sedan chair, and the family would have a meal together and that would be it.

After all, these are daughters of princes and ministers, so everyone should offer their congratulations.

Lou Qianyuan was Xia Changfeng's cousin, so he naturally sat in the seat of honor at a table with the princes.

Ruan Wan was seated at a table with a group of wives; sure enough, the treatment of married people changed immediately.

Looking at the ladies of the court beside her, some old and some young, Ruan Wan didn't recognize any of them, but she guessed they all knew each other and started chatting animatedly.

Ruan Wan felt very awkward sitting among them. They kept glancing at her, making her very uncomfortable.

Ruan Wan thought she should just treat herself as someone who was there to eat at a banquet, and eat and drink whatever was available without worrying about the others.

Firecrackers went off, and there was no toasting ceremony. Everyone stood up, raised their glasses, and drank their wine. The banquet then began.

Ruan Wan hadn't realized it before, but after experiencing her own wedding, she understood the ancients' attitude towards titles and status.

One wife and one concubine are worlds apart. The more formal the marriage, the more perfunctory the concubine.

Ruan Wan couldn't understand why Rong Yufen and Sun Shishi were so desperate to become concubines.

Living under someone else's roof all day, still serving her husband and wife, is a complete sign of social demotion.

Given their social standing, they could easily find a decent man, marry a respectable wife, and avoid these grievances.

Xia Changfeng looked dashing in his wedding attire; indeed, a joyous occasion truly brings a radiant spirit.

Linglong was also busy greeting the guests, acting like the hostess, truly a virtuous wife.

In ancient times, a wife who helped her husband take a concubine was considered generous and virtuous, and would be praised.

Ruan Wan found it hard to imagine whether she would willingly help Lou Qianyuan take concubines if she were truly willing to marry him and become his real wife.

After a few rounds of drinks, everyone started drinking. The noisy environment was quite uncomfortable, and with a few more drinks, Ruan Wan felt a little dizzy.

Although Lou Qianyuan was seated at the head of the table, his eyes never left Ruan Wan, as if afraid that she had suffered some injustice.

Xia Wuxiu turned Lou Qianyuan's head around and said, "In public, your wife isn't going to disappear into thin air. Come and drink with us."

Everyone burst into laughter. Lou Qianyuan chuckled awkwardly and could only drink with Xia Wuxiu and the others.

Ruan Wan watched as the people around her chatted animatedly, and she was tired of the food in front of her, so she could only listlessly drift off into her own thoughts.

The second seat at the head of the table was occupied by the bride's parents and some high-ranking officials from the capital.

In an ordinary family, when a daughter gets married, the parents would sit in the main hall, waiting for their daughter and son-in-law to kowtow.

Now, things are different between the emperor and his subjects; they can only sit in the second seat, accompanying the guests.

General Rong did not look very well, and he could only force a smile when the guests toasted him.

It was already known that Rong Yufen had been unable to marry into the Seventh Prince's household, not because Xia Changfeng disagreed. With a father-in-law who held military power, he was naturally willing.

General Rong had been the one who disagreed, but he couldn't persuade his daughter that she was willing.

The Rong family is now firmly part of the Seventh Prince's faction, and what's laughable is that the Emperor tacitly approves of this behavior.

Isn't this just encouraging infighting among the princes?

Lou Qianyuan's table was quite lively. For a banquet like this where he was marrying a concubine, the important officials naturally didn't need to attend in person; they all sent their eldest sons.

They were all young talents, full of vigor and ambition, and they drank themselves into oblivion.

Such occasions, coupled with alcohol, could pave the way for their career advancement, so how could they let such a golden opportunity pass them by?

While entertaining the guests, Lou Qianyuan would occasionally glance sideways in Ruan Wan's direction.

Lou Qianyuan knew that Ruan Wan couldn't drink many cups of wine, so he was a little worried that the wives of officials would force her to drink.

Xia Yunqian chuckled, "I've long heard that Young Master Lou loves his wife dearly; seeing it today, it's certainly true."

Upon hearing Xia Yunqian's words, Liu Cong, the eldest son of the Zhangzhou Prefect, said with a flourish, "You don't know, this new Lady Lou is the most beautiful woman in the capital! So many people were captivated by her back then, of course Young Master Lou can't rest easy."

Liu Cong was completely unaware that Xia Changfeng's expression had already turned rather unpleasant.

The people sitting with him also dared not speak.

Lou Qianyuan stood up and begged for forgiveness, saying, "Please forgive me, everyone, I'm going to change my clothes."

Lou Qianyuan got up and left his seat. Everyone watched him walk towards his wife. Xia Yunqian laughed again, and the others also smiled awkwardly.

Who knew that Xia Changfeng would go along too.