Chapter 3:
Xie Wanning’s grandfather Xie Mingde had served as Minister of the Ministry of Justice during his lifetime and had two legitimate sons and one concubine-born son.
Eldest son Xie Wen inherited the title and is now an official in the court, serving as Third Rank Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. Xie Wanning is his eldest daughter.
Second son Xie Shu serves as Libationer of the Imperial Academy, while the concubine-born third son Xie Guangren was transferred to Xuanzhou to serve as Prefect.
The three brothers all hold high-ranking official positions in the court, and Imperial Consort Shu in the Imperial Palace is Xie Wanning’s direct paternal aunt. Looking across the entire Capital City, the Xuanping Marquis’s Estate can indeed be called a prominent and illustrious family.
Upon arriving at Jinxiu Hall, Mama Li at the door saw Xie Wanning, slightly curtsied with a smile in greeting, lifted the curtain, and welcomed her inside.
Madam Zheng sat on the soft chair. Seeing her daughter enter, she said with slight surprise, “Why are you back so early today?”
Xie Wanning curtsied, smiled, and said, “Mother hasn’t had breakfast yet, right? I came to have it with you.”
“You didn’t say anything yesterday. Mother didn’t prepare any of your favorite sweets here.” Even as she said this, Madam Zheng turned her head and instructed the maidservant at her side to have the small kitchen quickly prepare a few simple sweets.
She pulled her daughter’s hand over, looked her up and down, and said, “Are you going to the Wuyuan Marquis’s Estate again today? Mother isn’t trying to restrict you, but with your wedding date approaching, it’s not proper to run to your future husband’s family every day.”
Which bride-to-be doesn’t stay in her room embroidering her wedding dress instead of going out every day without staying home?
“This isn’t because before Lu Ziyan went to Bianzhou, I promised him I would go to the Lu Family more often to keep his family elders company?” Xie Wanning said softly, “It wouldn’t be good to break a promise, right?”
Mentioning her future son-in-law, Madam Zheng’s expression shifted slightly as she asked, “By my calculations, Ziyan has been away suppressing bandits for over two months now. With the wedding date approaching, has he sent you any letters saying when he’ll return?”
……Letters?
Xie Wanning smiled bitterly in her heart but said on her face, “He has. He should be back in the capital in these couple of days.”
In truth, Lu Ziyan would never send her letters.
They grew up together, with their engagement set since childhood. In the early years, he would patiently coax her, but starting from when his father, elder brothers, and uncles died in battle one after another at age twelve, he rapidly matured that year, transforming from a flamboyant youth in fine clothes and riding spirited horses into his current cold, aloof, and silent temperament.
For the womenfolk of the Lu Family, he held up the sky, and he was no longer that childhood sweetheart who wrote letters to coax her.
From then on, only Xie Wanning chased after him. No matter where Lu Ziyan went on official business or how long he was away from the capital, he never sent her a letter.
She pitied the great pressure he bore for the Lu Family and never complained to him, nor ever threw a tantrum at him.
She always thought they would be a couple for life, so she had to understand him and love him, not just blindly act spoiled and demand he coax her.
Thinking about it now, was that really right?
Mother and daughter had breakfast together. Madam Zheng lightly fanned herself with the round fan in one hand and tapped her daughter’s forehead with the other, laughing, “Go on then. Don’t keep your future husband’s family waiting too long. Remember to come back early. If you don’t want to embroider the wedding dress, at least stitch a few needles on the wedding veil.”
“Got it.” Xie Wanning wasn’t embarrassed and casually agreed before stepping toward the door.
The current dynasty had open customs. Noble ladies didn’t have too many rules for going out. The Xie Family didn’t rigidly adhere to outdated ways in raising their daughters. Xie Wanning had studied poetry, books, and etiquette since childhood, and hadn’t neglected riding and archery or horsemanship either. She looked up at the clear blue sky, gave up the idea of taking the carriage, didn’t even wear a veiled hat, and directly rode out on horseback.
Passing by an old-established pastry shop on Zhuque Street, Xie Wanning hesitated for a moment, then still dismounted, went inside personally, and bought a few packages of food that the several Madams of the Lu Family liked.
No matter what, the Lu Family treated her extremely well at present.
Mistress and servant carried the food boxes out of the pastry shop. Xie Wanning was about to untie the reins and mount up when, looking up, she saw her elder brother Xie Yanyu talking with a friend at the entrance of the teahouse across the street, her expression freezing slightly.
Her eldest legitimate brother had a face as refined as jade and an extraordinary demeanor. Even among all the sons of prominent families in the entire Capital City, he was exceptionally handsome. Even Lu Ziyan’s face placed before him might not compare. But from where did he befriend this friend who vaguely outshone him?
Just a distant glance brought a stunning impression rushing forth.
Xie Wanning had always thought herself not superficial. Her devotion to Lu Ziyan was only because of their childhood sweethearts’ affection, having nothing to do with his face that had grown increasingly icy over the years. But seeing this person now, she was truly stunned for several breaths.
……When did the Capital City have such a person?
She muttered a few words to herself inwardly, quickly withdrew her gaze, not wanting to go over and disturb them at all. Just as she was about to mount and leave, she saw Xie Yanyu approaching this way with his friend, clearly having spotted her.
Xie Wanning’s hand on the reins paused, her expression somewhat stiff.
Xie Yanyu was the eldest legitimate son of this generation of the Xie Family. Sensitive and fond of learning since childhood, though from a prominent family, he didn’t rely on family connections to enter officialdom but took the imperial examination route. At seventeen, on the Golden Hall, he was personally selected by His Majesty as the Third Scholar, with high expectations placed on him.
Now not yet twenty, he still had no marriage proposal, truly a walking delicacy in the eyes of high-door Madams, who dreamed of snatching him back as their own fast son-in-law.
But Xie Wanning felt a bit of a headache toward this elder brother. Xie Yanyu was cold and distant to everyone outside, keeping a strong sense of distance, but toward her, this younger sister, he had a full old-father mentality, managing her even more strictly than their own father. She was about to develop a shadow from his nagging.
Looking at the people who had already come near, Xie Wanning slightly curtsied, squeezed out a dry smile on her face, and said, “What a coincidence, Elder Brother. Aren’t you on duty? You even have time to stroll in a teahouse.”
“Today is the fifteenth.”
Officials of this dynasty had rest days on the first and fifteenth.
Xie Yanyu glanced at his younger sister, his gaze falling on the food box carried by the maidservant behind her. His expression softened slightly as he said, “Specially bought for Mother? You are thoughtful.”
“…” Xie Wanning choked, somewhat suspecting he did it on purpose, but dared not say these were for the Lu Family.
Probably no elder brother would like seeing his unmarried younger sister running to her future husband’s family every day, carrying pastries to fawn over her in-laws. What’s more, Xie Yanyu valued her greatly and had protected her since childhood.
He even felt somewhat dissatisfied toward Lu Ziyan, this brother-in-law.
Although the two families were a perfect match, Lu Ziyan always kept an icy face, making it impossible to see his feelings. To anyone watching, it only seemed Xie Wanning was the more eager one in this marriage.
……And the facts seemed to be so.
She fell silent, not daring to speak. What didn’t Xie Yanyu know? His gaze immediately darkened. He opened his mouth wanting to lecture his younger sister but, minding the outsider nearby, finally just shook his head and said, “In the future, when riding out, remember to wear a veiled hat.”
“Why?” Xie Wanning frowned, surprised. “Elder Brother, have you really become pedantic from reading? You nag me daily about this not allowed and that not permitted, but now you want me to cover my face too?”
