In South Kingdom, Spring always comes early. Streets and courtyards where the ground predominantly start to become green, trees grows and flowers bloom. However, this year is somewhat different, it has entered February and just a night before, suddenly it was snowing and weather became colder.
The snow caught Yu city people off guard. There is one more thing equally as unexpected as the sudden snowfall that suprised people. That is a news of General Ji Feng Li about to marry General Hua Mu’s daughter from Pingxi.
From family point of view, this marriage is a perfect marriage, equal status and blessing from heaven. Nevertheless, in Yu people eyes, gap between the bride and the groom is a bit too wide. General Ji Feng Li is a legendary figure. He is hardly unknown. With his outstanding talents he made a name for himself at a young age. He was given a rank as General at nineteen by Emperor, making him the youngest General in South Kingdom. Despite having outstanding talents and status, he is a down to earth person, he is close to common folks. In these three years, he do a lot of things that benefits common folks therefore he is loved by many people. Moreover, he is said to be handsome, gentle and elegant. He is the best lover who adored by young ladies over Yu city and whole South Kingdom.
Now, this best lover is about to be someone else’s lover, do not know how many woman have their hearts broken. Although they know they are unworthy of General Ji, but they hope General Ji would marry a suitable woman so that they might feel better. However, the woman he is going to marry is a daughter of General Hua Mu.
In Yu city, there are many beautiful and talented ladies from a good family background, some are well known. Most famous is a daughter of Wen Tai Fu, Wen Wan. She is said as the best lady in South Kingdom, not only very beautiful, but also excelled in poetry and painting, she is a rare talented lady. In the palace, there is third princess, Huang Fu Yan, likes to play Qin, it is said her Qin skill is amazing. A daughter of a minister called An Rong, though not as beautiful as Wen Wan, her emboridery skill is well-known throughout Beijing.
People will be able to count few talented young ladies in Beijing to ten in one breath, but for General Hua Mu’s daughter, they do not even know her name, let alone count her in. Such unsightly, unvirtuous, and very mediocre lady, certainly is not fitted to be General Ji’s bride. Even G.o.d does not feel fair that suddenly it is snowing at this time.
Anyway, the snow was not be able to stop this marriage, first day of February, Hua young lady was carried to General Ji’s Residence.
Night, a bank of snow driven by wind started piling up.
Hua Zhu Yu is sitting on the bed, lifts her red embroidered bridal veil up which covering her face. Red curtain, red draperies, red dragon and phoenix candles make it clear she is a bride. After all, she cannot escape! Even if she could avoid this marriage, in the future she still would face another marriage. Though she never met her husband before, she is still looking forward to seeing him.
“Miss, your face is too pale, let slave helps you to apply some make-up, you like this, fear would scare General Ji.” Tao Se, a dowry maid whispered.
Although Tao Se has been her maid in Hua residence since childhood, but Hua Zhu Yu did not live in Fuchu before, so that Tao Se does not know her personality. She really cannot understand why her miss purposely appears unattractive.
These days, she hears a lot of injustice rumors about how her miss is not good enough for Xiangye. In her eyes, her miss is more beautiful and talented than those beauties in Beijing, but her miss has reputation as an unsightly, lack of talent and unvirtuous lady.
Hua Zhu Yu jokingly raises her eyebrows, laugh lightly: “If he was scared by my appearance, then better just leave him, he was not deserved to be my husband.”
Hearing what Hua Zhu Yu said, Tao Se who adores Ji Feng Li like those Yu city ladies say “Xiangye will not be scared.”
Distant footsteps from outside can be heard, Tao Se anxiously motions for Hua Zhu Yu to cover the bridal veil. Looking at Tao Se’s nervous state, Hua Zhu Yu smiles brightly, brighter than spring bloom. Her fingers just put down the veil, brocade curtain of the door is open, a sharp cold air rush in.
“All of you withdraw.” An elegant voice sounded, the tone was light and it conveys a sense of grace and composure. Tao Se bows her head and with few maids withdraw together. After a period of time, there is still no movement, because of the veil covering her face, Hua Zhu Yu did not know what was Ji Feng Li doing that he have not lifted her veil yet.
A long silence….
Hua Zhu Yu is sitting on the bed leisurely. She will not lose her patience easily. Finally, there is a sound in the room, wine being poured into a cup. A slender hand hands a cup of wine to her. The cup is light, light red and has relief decorations, The wine is dark red, brilliant color like a beauty’s blushing cheeks. She don’t know what wine it is and never drank wine before. She takes gulp down the cup of wine. At first, the wine was tasted bland then slowly reveals hints of sweetness and pleasant fragrance, which lingering longer, it is a really good wine. She is about to put her cup down and hands a cup of wine to Ji Feng Li but the cup slips from her hands. It falls to the the floor and breaks into large and small pieces, each piece is gleaming with bright light.
Hua Zhu Yu frowns and lowers her eyes to see her hands weakened suddenly.