Parsed with an automated reader. The content accuracy is not guranteed.
Chapter 49 The drama
A few days later, according to the rumors, the whole restaurant opposite of Fengya Pavilion had been reserved by a powerful and rich lord in the imperial city. The surname of this lord was Zhang and the reason he had reserved the whole restaurant was because he wanted to hold a feast of finding a husband for his daughter. Although, it was said that it was looking for a groom, but in fact, it was selecting a groom.
It was said that the lord with the surname Zhang had a daughter with a beautiful appearance and upright looks. She had a beauty that would captivate even the birds and beast and let the moon and flowers hide in shame. Moreover, she had a virtuous and kind reputation. She was the target that many talented and handsome youngster wanted to pursue.
Many people were very concerned about the marriage of this young lady. Just when she received the hairpin ceremony, many matchmakers came to her house to express the intention of wanting to take her as a wife for every great young master in the capital. They also didn’t know what the matter was with this lady. She was obviously looking for a groom and there were so many attractive and intelligent scholars, and distinguished and accomplished son of nobility, but that Lady Zhang fancied none.
Women in ancient china would receive the hairpin ceremony when they turn fifteen. This ceremony symbolized them becoming an adult.
Lord Zhang was anxious. Seeing that his beloved daughter was getting older, but she had not selected a suitable husband, he personally organized a feast of selecting the groom. He also promised that he wouldn’t object to whoever his daughter liked. After all, not only did Lord Zhang had some power, he also didn’t lack money. He wasn’t worried at all about what kind of person his daughter would choose. Lord Zhang also issued bold and visionary words; as long as the person his daughter took a fancy on wasn’t wicked beyond redemption, even if he was a poor scholar, he had the ability to turn him into a rich and honorable gentleman worthy of his daughter.
The restaurant reserved by Lord Zhang was covered with red ribbons and red balls. It looked festive and gorgeous everywhere. After this news came out, as long as it was someone from the capital who had heard about this news, no matter if they were talented people in their prime or poor scholars and even the beggars at the roadside gathered in front of the restaurant. No one didn’t not want to be chosen by this Lady Zhang by luck because this young lady’s legendary beauty alone was enough to make people tempted. Not to mention that she had such a powerful and rich father like Lord Zhang. Whoever who married her would get both the riches and the beauty! Who wouldn’t be tempted?
Moreover, it was said that the selection of the groom this time didn’t need the competition in literary or martial arts. Instead, it was throwing the embroidered ball that stirred up everyone!
Throwing the embroidered ball meant that no matter who you are, as long as you caught Lady Zhang’s eyes and had been hit by the embroidered ball in Lady Zhang’s hand, then you would soar to heaven and could embrace the beauty!
Everyone who heard this news couldn’t help but become excited!
The festively decorated restaurant was crowded with people. The entire long street in front of the restaurant was blocked. Some people who wanted to pass through had to take a detour. Even the people of the government didn’t hinder them. After all, as the old saying goes: one would rather demolish ten temples and not break one marriage. Not to mention such organized and premeditated selection of the groom. The people of the government must’ve also been secretly informed, so, naturally they wouldn’t cause trouble because of this matter. This resulted in a lively scene with a lot of people.
Even the business of Fengya Pavilion that was opposite the restaurant had been somewhat affected. The place for throwing the embroidered ball had been selected on the roof of the restaurant on the second floor. Standing there, one could see everyone’s figure and face clearly.
At this time, three people were standing beside a closed window in a private room on the second floor. From their body shapes, it could be seen that it was two women and one man. One of them was patrolling the crowd anxiously with her pair of watery and affectionate eyes and from time to time, she would look at Fengya Pavilion opposite the restaurant. She looked forward to the person she thought about day and night to suddenly appear out of there or elsewhere, walk into the crowd and then catch the embroidered ball she threw at him. From then on, they would happily become trees that grow together as one and be inseparable. However, she was destined to be disappointed.
Trees that grow together as one: conjugal union
The time to throw the embroidered ball was at noon and at this time, it was almost noon, but the person she was waiting for had not come yet. The other woman next to her looked at her nervously and wanted to speak but she seemed afraid to speak because of the other man.
That man walked to the table and sat down. He drank tea in silence. He didn’t communicate with the two other people. There was less than the time to burn half an incense stick before it was noon and the was time flew by. Seeing that the time to burn less than half an incense stick was about to run out, the man who had been drinking tea finally sighed. He looked at the woman who was still persistently scanning the crowd with her eyes and shook his head, “Ningan, is it worth the trouble?”
That was right. These people were Situ Ningan and Situ Yuanxiao and Situ Ningan’s personal maid Wei Er. Situ Ningan just murmured anxiously with blank eyes, “It is not time yet, it is not time yet…”
Situ Yuanxiao couldn’t help but berate her, “Ningan, how many times had you met him? Why do you think that he will like you and care about you? Why do you think that he will marry you? Moreover, do you understand him, know about him…”
“Enough!” Situ Yuanxiao’s words were abruptly interrupted by Situ Ningan. At this time, Situ Ningan was like a young girl who was about to be driven mad. She hugged her head, squatted on the ground and shook her head desperately, “Don’t talk anymore! Don’t talk anymore! Don’t talk anymore…”
While shouting, tears feel down. The original innocent and happy face was now full of tears and helplessness. Her big eyes were wide open in pain. Struggle and unwillingness were inside of them. Tears covered her stunning small face like running water, making the owner of this face look pitiful and in a sorry state.
“Princess!” Wei Er also hugged her (SN) head and started crying. At the same time, she began to hate the person who they only met a few times and who had rescued them! How could someone who made princess sad be a good person?!
Noon had arrived. Situ Yuanxiao looked at the two figures on the ground who were sad and clapped his hand without a word. An old and a young man walked into the room on the second floor and at the same time they curtsied and said, “Master.”
Situ Yuanxiao nodded and said, “Go.”
The two received the order. They walked out of the private room, stood on the balcony of the second floor and continued to look at this phony and meticulous feast of selecting a groom.
Lord Zhang looked at his “daughter” lovingly. His “daughter’s” eyes were full of tenderness and shyness. With fingers that were slender like green onion, she gently caressed the embroidered ball in her hand. She had her head lowered and didn’t say anything. A gust of wind blew the hair around her ears gently. She seemed shy and unlimited beautiful and touching.
The gentlemen in the audience were silent for a while and looked infatuated at the person on balcony. They all revealed gazes that wished that they could took her into their arms and love tenderly. They all thought that Lady Zhang really deserved her reputation. She was the best candidate to take as wife.
Lord Zhang spoke on the balcony about the importance and love he had for his daughter and how he would support his son-in-law after he married his daughter. The feast began under the fiery eyes of everyone.
“Lady Zhang” gently threw the embroidered ball at a handsome gentleman. Among the regretful and envy voices, the handsome gentleman was hit by the embroidered ball. His face was instantly flushed with excitement and the young lady was also looking at him with shy and affectionate eyes. The man was in love and the woman was interested; a perfect match. The feast of selecting a groom ended with the happy ending of the lovers and the heartbreak of many gentlemen.
The original plan that Situ Ningan designed shouldn’t have developed like this. It should’ve been Zhao Zhong who was deceived to here after he had received her letter asking for help. By that time, she would appear with a veil and threw the embroidered ball at him. Afterwards, he had to marry her and be inseparable. They would leave Liang capital forever and find a place where no one knows them and spend their life in happiness together.
However, why did it become like this? Why didn’t he come? Situ Ningan stared blankly out of the window and looked at that Lady Zhang and the man who was about to become her husband. Her eyes were misty.
She couldn’t understand. Why could they be together and the person she loved would treat her like this? Even if she had pretended that her life was in danger, he still didn’t want to come see her. Didn’t he know that she loves him?!
Because of love, Situ Ningan was willing to abandon everything and took such a big risk just to be able to be with him, but why? Why was it not like how she had imagined?
Could it be that Zhao Zhong didn’t like her? Could it be that he didn’t see the letter she had sent to him? Could it be that he shouldn’t like her? She likes him!
Situ Ningan thought in pain and confusion. Everyone loved her ever since she was young. They pampered, protected, loved and cherished her and gave her everything she wanted. But why wouldn’t he? She is a princess!
Situ Ningan didn’t know what she did wrong. What she took for granted that would happen had completely deviated from the track of what should’ve happen. It had become so incredible, incomprehensible and so cruel.
Her eyes were filled with blankness and pain. She didn’t understand why the emperor father who had loved her since young would marry her far away when she was obviously unwilling and the person she loved was so merciless to her. Why?
Situ Ningan looked at her fifth big brother as if she wanted to get an answer from him, but she seemed to flee timidly and refused to meet the gaze that Situ Yuanxiao looked at her with.
Situ Yuanxiao lowered his body and put his eyes on the same level as her. He didn’t allow her to evade in the slightest and said, “Ningan, you are still young. There are some things that you don’t understand and there are some things that are not as you imagine. Not everything would go according to your wishes. Even your fifth big brother, I, will have times that nothing goes according to how I wanted. Although you are a princess and of noble blood, but you also have the responsibility that you should bear because you are Great Liang’s princess. Fifth big brother is a prince, Great Liang’s prince. Princes also have the responsibility of a prince. We must assume it and can’t escape…”
Situ Ningan stared at him blankly as if she had understood but also didn’t understand. She was like a doll with only a trace of soul and had lost her original vitality.
Is it like that? Situ Ningan thought. She is a princess but also a woman. She also had someone she likes and hoped to put on a wedding dress for that person, give him all the happiness she could give and was willing to stick together in hard times with him and grow old together without separating. Was she wrong? Why was everyone running in the opposite direction as her?
Even the one she liked didn’t stand by her side.
However, what she didn’t know was that everything she thought was right was given to her by others because she is the princess and her identity is noble. So, she enjoyed everyone’s love and pampering. Hence, she was right. However, if one day her identity becomes useless or the person who gave her all the love and pampering took away all that love and pampering he gave her, then would she still be right? Obviously not, because all of this was originally not hers. What others gave her was only the moon and water in the mirror and a pavilion in the air.
Pavilion in the air: unrealistic Utopian construction.
The woman sat on the ground in daze, letting the dust stain her beautiful and noble neon clothes, letting her disappointment drown her affections and letting the tears that didn’t give her all, fall down.
She knew that she was self-guided, self-acted and believed herself to be infallible in a feast to select a groom. In the end, it was just a ridiculous drama. It was just a drama that everyone saw through and only she couldn’t see through. The drama was awkward and childish, and she made a wedding dress for others.
Make a wedding dress for others: worked hard but others reaped the benefits; fools ladle the water and the wise men catch the fish
[]