Chapter 81: The Red Phoenix Star Isn’t Moving
The Capital City, Prince Rui’s Mansion.
On a small building in a corner of the garden, Gu Yan, wearing a golden crown and a sapphire blue brocade long gown, with a jade belt, stood by the window, tilting his head slightly, looking with interest at the pavilions and warm pavilions built along the small mountain opposite.
Inside the pavilions and warm pavilions, ribbons fluttered, and laughter and cheers filled the air, making it very lively.
Today, the Princess Consort of Prince Rui had invited young ladies from various families in the Capital City, ostensibly for plum blossom appreciation, but everyone knew the real reason.
The Heir of Prince Rui was already twenty-two years old!
The young ladies who came to appreciate the plum blossoms were all dressed more beautifully than the flowers themselves.
As for the marriage of Prince Rui’s Heir, setting aside its nobility, how handsome the Heir was!
Before, there was Miss Shi, his childhood sweetheart, and the two families had been engaged for a long time. The young ladies from other families had never had a chance, and thus never harbored any thoughts.
Ever since Prince Rui’s Mansion broke off the engagement with the Shi Family, that exceptionally handsome Young Lord had become the object of desire for almost all the young ladies.
Because of this, the liveliness of this year’s New Year celebrations had increased significantly compared to previous years.
Beside Gu Yan, the Crown Prince, wearing a dark gray plain satin-faced silk wadding thin cape, was carefully flipping through a booklet that was more than half a foot thick. After finishing the last page, the Crown Prince patted the booklet with his hand and exclaimed repeatedly, “Your mother must have put all her effort from this entire year into this booklet, right? She’s truly put her heart into it.”
Gu Yan turned his head and glanced at the booklet.
Before the New Year, as soon as he returned home, before he could even finish a cup of tea, his mother, as if presenting a treasure, thrust this booklet in front of him, saying that all the eligible girls in the Empire, from north to south, who were a suitable match for their family, were in this booklet. She told him to look through it carefully, and that he should be able to pick one out.
“Look at this, the detail! Their appearance, character, talents, temperament, habits, how they grew up, what books they love to read, what dishes they love to eat, what tea they love to drink, tsk! It’s all so clear and understandable! These portraits are all works by famous artists; did your mother bring people to paint them?” The Crown Prince clicked his tongue in admiration.
“I’m already twenty-two, it’s only natural for her to be anxious.” Gu Yan picked up the thick booklet from in front of the Crown Prince, tossed it away, and the booklet flew across half the room, hitting the low table on the opposite side.
“Since you know you’re already twenty-two, why aren’t you picking one quickly!” The Crown Prince’s gaze followed the flying booklet, then returned, pointing towards the pavilions and warm pavilions opposite.
“Didn’t the great monk from Da Xiangguo Temple say that my Red Phoenix star hasn’t moved yet? If the Red Phoenix star hasn’t moved, how can there be any marriage fate?” Gu Yan said with a smile.
“Don’t talk nonsense with me.” The Crown Prince chuckled, “Tell me, what exactly is wrong with Miss Shi? Don’t tell me it’s because you’re too familiar and see her as a sister; that’s nonsense. What’s the real reason?”
Gu Yan looked at the Crown Prince, was silent for a moment, then shifted his gaze, “Mother thinks her talent and cunning are top-notch, and it’s rare for her to have such a gentle, virtuous, and good-natured disposition. She’ll be an excellent helpful wife for supporting her husband and raising children. I always thought so too.”
Gu Yan’s words paused, and he looked at the Crown Prince.
“Their family’s health regimen dictates that when sleeping, the head should be cool and the feet warm, and one must wear socks. Her younger brother dislikes sleeping with socks on and will always kick them off when no one is looking. So, she had someone sew the socks permanently to the trouser legs, and then sew the trousers and top together. The next morning, they had to be cut open with scissors.”
The Crown Prince frowned slightly upon hearing this.
“I found an opportunity to test her once and asked her what she would do if her husband were not virtuous, since she aspired to be a virtuous wife. Do you know what she said?” Gu Yan looked at the Crown Prince.
“Hmm?”
“She said that a wife who tolerates her husband’s mistakes is not a virtuous wife; only one who assists her husband’s virtue is a virtuous wife.” Gu Yan let out a light laugh, “But whether the husband is virtuous or makes mistakes, is it her judgment or mine? If I believe everything I do is for the country and the people, and she believes my actions are detrimental to the nation and its people, what would she do?”
The Crown Prince frowned, his expression becoming serious.
“The Empire has prospered to this day, reaching extreme opulence, but also extreme decay. This is what you’ve told me most about and worried about the most in recent years. What you want to do is what I want to do.
“But this matter is like cutting flesh and scraping bone, like swimming against the current. When it comes time to clean things up, how many people will be able to see clearly? How many will know that this is unavoidable, a century-long plan, and an urgent necessity? How many will think I am being willful and acting recklessly, bringing disaster to the nation and its people?”
Gu Yan’s voice was low, filled with intense indignation and resentment.
The Crown Prince’s expression was stern. After a long while, he sighed softly, “Miss Shi is indeed a bit too stubborn.”
He paused, then looked at Gu Yan, “You’re heading south again after the first lunar month. Since you know you’re already twenty-two this year, then hurry up and pick someone and settle down, to put your parents’ minds at ease. If you don’t pick someone soon, by the time you return from this trip south, another year will have passed, and you’ll be twenty-three.”
“It’s also true that my Red Phoenix star hasn’t moved, so what’s the rush? Look at our family; those who marry early have sons late, and those who marry late have sons early. It’s better to wait a few more years.” Gu Yan said with a serious expression.
The Crown Prince chuckled, “I’m not asking you to have sons; you’re not young anymore, you should get married.”
“I think my marriage fate is in the south.” Gu Yan said with a smile, looking at the Crown Prince.
“Hmm?” The Crown Prince’s eyebrows immediately shot up. “Have you found someone you like? Which family’s daughter is it? Are there any prominent families in Pingjiang Prefecture? The Lu Family?”
“Where are you going with this? There’s no particular girl, and certainly not from the Lu Family. I just feel that girls from Jiangnan, with their Wu Nong soft language, even when they scold, sound charming and lovely. I was just speaking casually.
“Before the New Year, I went south. In just half a year, what I saw was far more rotten and corrupt than we had anticipated. Right now, I only want to quickly grasp the general situation and find a starting point. I truly don’t have the time to think about marriage fate.
“Besides, early marriage is not auspicious for Prince Rui’s Mansion, and even less so for me. Early marriage will surely bring bad luck. Let’s talk about it in a few years.”
Hearing the last part, the Crown Prince glanced at Gu Yan and said slowly after a while, “The two of us have been playing together since before we could crawl. What can you hide from me?
“Never mind, since you don’t want to say, I won’t ask further. As for your marriage, I’m not in a hurry anyway.”
“There really is nothing going on. If something were to happen, I would definitely write to you that very day.” Gu Yan said seriously.
“This summer and autumn, I plan to go south to take a look, traveling along the coast.” The Crown Prince sighed, as if unintentionally.
Gu Yan raised his eyebrows. The Crown Prince glanced at Gu Yan and nodded, “Father’s energy is not what it used to be. After this trip south, I probably won’t be able to leave the Capital City anymore.”
Gu Yan’s face turned slightly pale. After a while, he softly hummed in acknowledgment.
“Since you don’t plan to pick a wife, then stop looking. How about going out of the city for a ride?” the Crown Prince suggested.
“Okay!” Gu Yan stepped aside for the Crown Prince and followed him downstairs and out the door.
