Princess Pingyang's marriage alliance with Northern Flame was a momentous occasion for the kingdom.
At the third quarter of the Chen hour (around 7:45 AM), the sunlight, imbued with ardent warmth, bathed the white jade steps. The entire Imperial Palace was enveloped in a golden hue, magnificent and imposing.
A scarlet carpet, subtly patterned with hibiscus and threaded with gold, stretched from the palace gates all the way to the Hall of Supreme Harmony.
Princess Pingyang wore a crimson wedding gown embroidered with the auspicious motif of a hundred birds paying homage to the phoenix. A golden embroidered sash accentuated her slender waist. Her abundant black hair was tied up, her elegant eyebrows delicately drawn with light court makeup, and her lips were like vermilion. Her entire demeanor exuded an air of noble, cool composure.
"Pingyang bids farewell to Imperial Father. Your humble child departs now, uncertain when I shall next behold Imperial Father's benevolent countenance. I earnestly pray Imperial Father takes good care of himself!" Pingyang stood upon the high steps, bowing gracefully towards the Emperor.
The Emperor's heart ached, thinking of the many hardships his daughter had faced in life.
"Pingyang, you, too, must take great care." It is this Imperial Father who is incompetent, he thought.
Princess Pingyang performed the three bows and nine kowtows, then was helped up by a female official.
She then turned, looking down at the jade steps, her expression serene.
From the apex of the palace towers, trumpets blared.
The music of Shao sounded ceaselessly, and the multitude of officials bowed in homage.
"Respectfully send off Her Royal Highness Princess Pingyang!"
The echoes resonated repeatedly, grand and powerful, reverberating ceaselessly within and without the palace.
Jun Ce, standing nearby, stepped forward and said, "Imperial Sister, let us go."
Pingyang withdrew her gaze, looking back once more at the Imperial Palace behind her, as if to etch everything into her very bones.
This place held both sorrow and joy.
Her first meeting with him was within the palace, and the last time she received the tragic news of him was also within the palace.
Princess Pingyang said coolly, "Let us go."
The female official supported her as she walked down step by step.
Yan Lin, I am about to be married off. Will you blame me?
Among the officials, some were pleased, while others sighed.
The pleased ones naturally rejoiced because a princess being married off could exchange for peace between Tianqi and Northern Flame, and Northern Flame had also promised to supply Tianqi with horses and and weapons.
Those who sighed lamented that Tianqi actually needed to rely on a marriage alliance to obtain these things.
The marriage alliance procession departed from the Imperial Palace and set off towards Northern Flame.
Pingyang, who had not left the palace in a long time, sat inside the carriage. Although ice basins were placed inside, her heavy court attire still made it difficult for her to breathe.
The female official beside her saw her pale face and whispered, "Princess, perhaps we could ask the Third Prince to halt the procession ahead? We have already traveled for half a day; let's rest a bit before continuing our journey."
Pingyang nodded. Once they reached a post station, she would change into lighter clothes. The journey would still take more than ten days; if this continued, she would surely suffer from heatstroke before even reaching Northern Flame.
The female official lifted the curtain and called out, "Halt the carriage!"
Jun Ce rode his horse over and asked, "Lady Zhao, what is the matter?"
The female official replied, "Third Highness, let us find a place to rest for a while. The Princess has never traveled far, and her body is finding it a bit hard to bear."
A Northern Flame envoy came over and said, "Resting again? Didn't we just rest an hour ago?"
The female official said, "That was less than a quarter of an hour; how can that be considered a rest? The Princess is unwell, and it's not good to rush the journey too much. As long as it doesn't delay the wedding date, it should be fine."
Jun Ce looked ahead and said, "It was my oversight. In that case, there's a post station just ahead. The sun is too scorching. Let's rest until the Shen hour (between 3 and 5 PM) before we set off again."
The female official nodded gratefully and said, "That would be for the best."
After Jun Ce left, the Northern Flame envoy muttered, "Tianqi women are just too delicate."
The female official heard this but dared not speak her anger. She lowered the curtain and said to Princess Pingyang, "Princess, we can get a good rest in a little while."
Upon reaching the post station, Pingyang alighted from the carriage.
Jun Ce said, "Imperial Sister..."
"Third Brother, you can just call me Fei'er," Jun Fei interrupted him and said.
The address "Third Brother" made Jun Ce pause. He had been away from the Imperial Palace for many years and had little contact with this sister. But her single call of "Third Brother" instantly imbued him with a heightened sense of fraternal responsibility.
"Alright, Fei'er, go in and rest well," Jun Ce said gently. "If you need anything, just tell your Third Brother."
Jun Fei nodded and entered the room with her female official and maids. After bathing and changing into lighter clothes, she felt comfortable all over. The weather was muggy; after a few bites of food, she lost her appetite.
She walked to the window and happened to hear two Northern Flame people talking in the courtyard below.
"Master Wen, why do you think His Royal Highness the Crown Prince insists on marrying a Tianqi woman? Although she is a princess, I heard she's already twenty-four!"
The Northern Flame man, addressed as Master Wen, said, "That, I wouldn't know. The Crown Prince visited Tianqi a few years ago. Perhaps he found Tianqi women beautiful."
"Tianqi women may be beautiful, but they are just too delicate. We've only been traveling for half a day, and she already looks sickly. If she reaches our Northern Flame, will she even survive?"
...
Jun Fei walked to the table and sat down. She knew that Northern Flame and Tianqi harbored mutual disdain; Tianqi considered the Northern Flame people barbaric and uncouth, while Northern Flame found Tianqi people effete and pedantic.
Deep down, Jun Fei felt a repulsion towards the Northern Flame people. Solely because Yan Lin had died in the great war against Northern Flame. She didn't know why the Northern Flame Crown Prince still proposed this marriage alliance. Once she arrived in Northern Flame, how was she to conduct herself?
Jun Fei sighed. "Well, it is what it is," she thought. "How much worse could things get? Whether I am in Tianqi or Northern Flame, it really makes no difference."
Just then, the female official entered, followed by two tall women.
"Princess, these are maids sent by the Northern Flame envoy," the official said. "They are to stay by the Princess's side and incidentally teach the Princess some Northern Flame etiquette."
Jun Fei nodded, looking at the two maids, and asked, "What are your names?"
"My name is Liuyun, and hers is Ziyue," one of them replied. "We are both from the Crown Prince's Residence."
Ziyue, standing nearby, looked at Jun Fei and frowned. "Princess, why have you taken off your wedding gown? This is against custom."
Jun Fei found it amusing internally. Northern Flame people are accustomed to being informal; when did they start caring about such rules?
"Does this Princess have to wear this single wedding gown throughout the entire journey? In this scorching heat, for more than ten days, wouldn't it stink by the time we reach Northern Flame?"
Ziyue's face fell as she said, "Even so, it's against custom. If His Royal Highness the Crown Prince finds out..."
"Let him know then," Jun Fei retorted. "The formal wedding gown is only to be worn when the wedding ceremony takes place in Northern Flame. These are merely formalities." Jun Fei could not possibly wear that cumbersome wedding gown for more than ten days in a carriage.
Ziyue wanted to say more, but Liuyun quickly pulled her aside and said, "Then, Princess, please rest. We will withdraw for now."
Once outside the door, Ziyue said discontentedly, "Why did you pull me?"
Liuyun said coldly, "Don't think I don't know what you're thinking. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is not someone of our status who can be aspired to."
Ziyue said with a guilty conscience, "What are you talking about! I'm just teaching the Tianqi Princess proper etiquette!"
I don't know what His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is thinking, insisting on marrying a Tianqi woman.What she didn't expect was that this princess, despite being twenty-four, was still so beautiful! Even more beautiful than the Seventh Princess!
Liuyun scoffed coldly. "The Crown Prince sent us here not to teach rules. This princess looks frail, but I see her as outwardly gentle but inwardly strong. If you go too far and she truly holds you accountable, even Master Wen won't be able to protect you!"
Ziyue retorted angrily, "Liuyun, you and I are both maids, what right do you have to lecture me? You may fear the Tianqi Princess, but I, Ziyue, do not!"
How could Tianqi possibly compare to Northern Flame? Using a princess to exchange for goods, this princess isn't that noble!
Seeing that she wouldn't listen, Liuyun stopped trying to persuade her. "Act at your own peril," she said, and with that, she left.
Ziyue watched Liuyun's retreating back, then looked towards the room. She let out a cold snort.
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