Paying Respect
When a bride was to meet her in-laws, it was a matter of hiding one’s thoughts. Before entering the city, I had already dressed up in the inn.
My Yi Zumu, Empress Dowager Liu, treated me very well. Before she passed away, she personally conferred my dowry. All the jewellery was from the Palace. I did not use any gold or pearl hair ornaments as they were too eye-catching. One should not show off too much and should not be too simple. Instead, one must show one’s family influence in a low profile manner.
I chose a hawksbill turtle comb ornament with an exquisite carving of flowers, phoenixes and birds, which one can tell that it was not a common product. One must also put a lot of thought into the clothes that one was wearing. It was a brocade from a few years back. Even though the colour was not eye-catching, it was a rare material in this chaotic period.
Wei Tan and I got married during the course of the expedition. Now that I was here in the Prime Minister Residence, this will be the first time the elders saw the bride.
The hall was filled with people, be it men, women, young or old. It seemed like other than the males that were on the expedition, the rest of the Wei Clan that was in Yongdu was all present. As soon as I entered the door, all sorts of gazes landed on me from all directions. There seemed to be a moment of silence, where a pin drop could be heard.
With my back that was as straight as a ramrod, I took on the most dignified manner, lowered my eyes, and stepped forward after collecting myself.
“Furen, Shao Furen Fu Shi pays her respect.” Zhang Shi, who led the way, bowed respectfully.
“Shao Furen, do come forward.” A voice said slowly.
I slightly lifted my eyes and saw a woman sitting on a higher ground, and silently thought that it was probably the matriarch of the Wei Family, Guo Furen.
I had a rough understanding of the Wei Family’s situation. Wei Tan’s biological mother, Wu Furen, was Wei Jue’s first wife. While Guo Furen was originally Wei Jue’s concubine. Although she came from a poor and humble family, she was Wei Jue’s favourite. Six to seven years ago, Wu Furen died due to an illness, and Guo Furen became JiShi, thus becoming my current mother-in-law.
The embroidered mat was already spread in front of me (to bow). I folded my hand together at my front as I bowed towards her: “Er Fu, Fu Shi, pays respect to GuShi
Guo Furen said with a smile on her voice, “Shao Furen must be exhausted after the long journey, quickly get up.”
Zhang Shi came over and helped me get up and unsurprisingly, my gaze met with Guo Furen’s measuring gaze.
She was neither old nor young, and seemed to be in her prime years. It could be seen that she attached great importance to this meeting as her clothes were starched until creases were not seen. Her dark black hair was combed into a heavy and towering bun, but there were not many accessories. The powder on her face and the carefully drawn eyebrows made it difficult to see her expression.
“One heard that there are frequent rains in the East. One wonders if the journey was smooth?” Guo Furen pulled my hand over and asked in a harmonious voice.
I smiled and said, “Thanking GuShi for the care, the journey was not bumpy.”
Guo Furen nodded and smiled kindly. After the greeting, she invited the Wei Clan members in the hall to greet me one by one.
The Wei Clan was from Hexi, and although was considered a high ranking and noble clan, it was not a big clan. Instead of moving all the Clan’s members to Yongdu, Wei Jue only brought a few capable brothers and nephews. All their wives and children stayed together and currently they were all in this room.
Standing beside Guo Furen was a male and a female of similar age, both were wearing embroidered clothes, with clear brows and eyes, like a pair of children in painting. When Guo Furen called them out, they came to greet me.
The boy was named Wei An who was twelve years old this year, and he shares the same mother as Wei Tan, both born by Wu Furen. The girl was called Wei Rong, fourteen years of age, and was born by Guo Furen. Wei An called me “ZhangSao(eldest sister-in-law)” and quickly withdrew his gaze. Wei Rong however kept looking at me with eyes full of curiosity.
Beside Wei Rong, Guo Furen also gave birth to the Er GongZisecond young master, Wei Zhao. During the journey, I heard Zhang Shi said that Wei Zhao also followed Wei Jue on the expedition, and now the only children left in the Wei Residence were Wei An, Wei Rong, and two babies that were still in swaddling clothes.
“Your older brothers are out on the expedition, so ZhangSao is like an older brother; you all have to show filial piety in mind and do not disobey.” Guo Furen said to the children seriously after the customary introduction ceremony.
“Understand.” Wei An and Wei Rong bowed.
Wei Tan’s courtyard was on the East side. It was a very spacious courtyard. There are two entrances in total, one in front of the main hall and the other one in the back for the sleeping chambers. When I moved in, I only saw plants growing luxuriantly inside the courtyard, with a very simple arrangement in the room. There was furniture like the bed, the couch, the desk and others, with only one piece of each type. The mattress on the bed and the dressing table inside the inner room were still new.
According to the servants, it had been not many years since the Emperor chose Yongzhou as the capital and Wei Tan would often be away all year around. As such, this room was not used often.
I felt a sense of deja vu. No matter where this person is, his things were all very simple, there were no unnecessary things added.
I also did not have much chest, just those few items. However, Guo Furen added a lot of things to the courtyard and thus, the servants were all busy going in and out, and I was busy setting all the things up, almost started running around in circles.
My newly acquainted younger sister-in-law, Wei Rong, was not afraid of strangers at all and refused to leave as she found this place novel and fresh (new). She kept looking at all the things around the room and seemed to be amused by seeing my brows beaded with sweat.
“ZhangSao is so beautiful and is more beautiful than all those noble ladies from Chang'an.” She leaned over a new desk and looked at me.
I smiled and said, “The noble ladies from Chang.an? Who does Meimei know?”
Wei Rong turned around and drew out her hand to count, “Many. Xin Fang, Ru Hui, Yu Zhu, and their families are all officials from Chang'an. Mmm, there is also Xu JieJie.”
“Xu JieJie?”
“It is the HuangHou,” Wei Rong said. “Her real name is Xu Ping and she is the daughter of Xu ShaoFu.”
I remembered. This person, indeed I knew her.
Xu Ping, from the Xu Family of Fenyang. When she was a child, she came to Chang'an with her father, Xu Jing, who at that time took an official position in the capital. It was said that Xu Jing and Wei Jue had a close relationship since they were young. When Wei Jue had offended influential officers that were appointed to Luoyang, Xu Jing, who was the ShaoFu at that time, had even spoken for him before.
Although Xu Ping and I knew each other, we were not very familiar with each other. Firstly, there was some age gap between us and secondly, when girls played together, there would always be some groups, and she belonged to another circle. However, she had an extremely elegant appearance and would never offend others, thus she had an outstanding reputation.
Unexpectedly, she actually became the Empress.
“Does ZhangSao know her?” Wei Rong asked.
I nodded, “I know.”
Wei Rong’s lips were half opened, as if she wanted to say something but then took it back. After a moment, she smiled and said mysteriously, “ZhangSao, do you know where MuQin is going to take you tomorrow?”
“Don’t know. Where?”
She leaned into my ears, “Tomorrow, she will take you to see the Emperor.”
The Wei Family seemed to be very eager to show me, the new daughter-in-law, to everyone. On the very night of the customary introduction ceremony with the Wei Clan, Guo Furen sent Zhang Shi to inform me and told me to prepare and go to see the Emperor the next morning.
To be honest, although I knew the power Wei Jue held in the Imperial Court, I was still a little surprised when I first heard this news from Wei Rong.
When I was in Chang'an, it was not a trivial matter to see the Emperor. Like the Late Emperor, he was considered a diligent Emperor and would be burying his head in government affairs and sometimes would not even have time for drinks and beauties. Thus when there was an audience, it must definitely be an important matter that could make the Emperor stop everything on hand and bother to look at your face or listen to your words. I still remembered those years ago, how many people had sought Father for help, just to see the Emperor once.
And now the Wei Clan can easily arrange this matter as easy as entering one’s backyard. I then deeply understood that the circumstances had changed for the current Emperor.
A fragrant incense hanging at the four corners of the lacquered carriage as it strode through the streets. The soldiers called out to clear the road and the pedestrians quickly walked away.
When the Palace was approaching, I took a look outside the carriage. The carriage’s curtain that was made of thin bamboo cut the scenery outside into thin strips, and when it was lifted up, there was only grey and motley old Palace Wall. No matter how structure this place was, this Yongdu’s Palace was far from comparable to the tall luxuriousness of Chang'an. But those magnificent scenery had been burned by He Kui, and the Emperor did not have any other option other than following Wei Jue’s opinion and staying in Yongdu.
The guards who were guarding the Palace Door were very respectful towards the people who came from the Prime Minister’s Residence. Without any delay, the horse carriage galloped into the Palace.
After getting off the carriage, an attendant came over and led Guo Furen and me into the main hall of the Inner Palace.
The Emperor was sitting at the highest seat of the hall wearing the official robe and the crown on his head made his young face look thinner. Sitting beside him was a woman with a splendid dress, that was his Empress, Xu Shi, named Ping.
“Greetings, BiXia. Greetings, HuangHou.” Guo Furen led me and bowed to the Emperor.
“Furen, MianLi.” The Emperor said with his clear and familiar voice. Upon lifting my head, his gaze landed here and a slight curve appeared on those lips.
I looked at that face, even after countless months had passed, one heart couldn’t be helped but filled with sadness.
If Empress Xu and I could be regarded as acquaintances, then the Emperor and I could be regarded as close friends.
The Emperor was named Chen. When he was twelve years old, his birth mother, Empress Gao, passed away, and since then he was raised by the Empress Dowager.
We are only two or three years apart in age. Because the Empress Dowager was my Yi Zumu(Grandaunt), I often visited her in the Palace, and thus got familiar with Prince Chen.
Back in those years, I was not considered mischievous, but was very gluttonous and loved to take small advantages. At that time, Prince Chen’s diet was often quite exquisite. Thus I would constantly thicken my skin and take his snacks for myself.
Prince Chen did not mind it at all, and even asked me what I liked to eat. He would especially request the kitchen to specially prepare them whenever I went over to play.
This happy eating guest relationship continued until Empress Dowager Liu passed away. At that time, Prince Chen was so weak and powerless as he lost his sole protector, the Empress Dowager, that he was even unable to eat snacks.
Not long after that, the Late Emperor married me off to Laiyang. I still remembered when I left, Prince Chen was still wearing mourning clothes for Empress Dowager Liu, his eyes were red.
Formerly playmates, seeing each other again under such circumstances, who would have expect how things has changed.
After the formal greeting, Empress Xu attentively watched me with a gentle smile on her lips, but said nothing.
The Emperor was an emperor after all, and his expression had always been calm. When one was seated, one only heard him speaking to Guo Furen, “ChengXiang is handling the country, working hard on suppressing the rebels from all sides, making Zhen’s heart extremely worried. The day before yesterday, one heard that Da GongZi had married and one had not congratulated yet.”
Guo Furen smiled and bowed on the spot and said, “The matter of one’s child reaching adulthood and marrying is a normal matter. How can one dare to receive the Emperor’s congratulations.”
Even though that was said, it was only a matter of courtesy. Since Guo Furen brought me here for an audience, it was naturally so as to receive congratulatory gifts from the Emperor. After the cursory greetings were exchanged, the Emperor ordered the attendant to bring a chest over. Upon opening it, one could see that there were pearls, jade and fabric and right at the top, was an exquisite fragrant agarwood, holding a golden jade hair ornament.
“This belonged to Zhen’s birth mother, the LingHui Gao Huanghou. Back in those years, Shao Furen had taken a liking to it so Zhen will use this item as a congratulatory gift.” The Emperor said.
When Guo Furen saw it, her face was filled with smiles and she gave her thanks. For the Emperor to use the Late Empress’s belonging to reward the new bride of an official, the value was secondary but the honour was unparalleled.
My gaze landed on that dangling ornament and it froze for a moment.
The gold strings were twisted together to form branches and the gold sheets were made into leaves surrounding the blooming flowers carved from white jade. When the ornament was inserted to one’s hair, as one walked, it would sway like branches of flowers, making it look exceptionally beautiful. That year, I had seen Empress Gao wearing it and had loved it so much that I kept begging Mother to look for craftsmen to make one for me.
At that time, Mother laughed at me for being ignorant, as others can’t have the same thing as the Empress’s stuff.
I also remembered that I seemed to have mentioned this matter to the-then Prince Chen and did not know if it was a coincidence that he bestowed me this item now.
“Thanking BiXia for the reward.” I followed Guo Furen and thanked the Emperor.
The Emperor gently smiled.
Empress Xu who was sitting beside him looked at me with a calm and quiet gaze.