After Being Mistakenly Taken for a Fellow Traveler by Emperor Long Aotian - Chapter 131

The clamor filled the sky, spreading from the north of the city to the east. The once dilapidated Zhou residence, with one-eighth of it collapsed, had now been renovated anew, adorned with lanterns and festoons everywhere. The faces of the people coming and going, whether genuine or not, were all beaming with joy.

 

“After the storm, the sun shines again…”

 

“A talented man and a beautiful woman…”

 

“Congratulations, congratulations, congratulations to Lord Zhou, congratulations to Minister Yan!”

 

Zhou Cai was dressed in the groom’s attire. His half a year in the northwest had not diminished his elegance in the slightest. The bright red wedding robe made his face appear as handsome as a jade, and his hair as black as ebony. He now dealt with people with even more composure and grace than before. Even those who previously found Zhou Cai a bit pretentious and didn’t get along with him had to admit that his time in the northwest had indeed matured him.

 

The high platform in the Zhou residence, originally meant for moon gazing, had now been transformed into a wedding hall for him and Miss Yan. Red silk ribbons inscribed with gold characters, bearing phrases like “Beautiful companion, fleeting years,” fluttered in the gentle breeze. A few folding screens neatly divided the space on the platform, with tall peach trees on either side, their petals falling gracefully onto the stage. The guests, seated on mahogany chairs, marveled at the groom’s thoughtfulness and the fine weather. As Zhou Cai and Miss Yan performed their wedding rites at the auspicious hour, the setting sun would perfectly align with the platform, casting a golden glow over their bow to each other before they descended the steps hand in hand to enter the bridal chamber.

 

From a distance, the sounds of the wedding procession could already be faintly heard. Zhou Cai turned his head and smiled at Yan Jia, saying, “Your sister is almost here.”

 

The young man, as steadfast as pine and bamboo, nodded slightly. He stood there with a calm and restrained expression, showing no signs of joy. Zhou Cai didn’t mind, placing a hand on Yan Jia’s shoulder and giving it a reassuring squeeze.

 

His eyes scanned the guests. As a groom, his attention should have been solely on the direction from which his bride would arrive, but it wasn’t.

 

Until he heard a different kind of commotion among the crowd.

 

“Is that the top scholar, Zhou? Zhou Zhuangyuan is here today too?”

 

The one who spoke was Grand Secretary Gu, who had named Zhou Xun as the top scholar during the imperial examination. Having some acquaintance with Minister Yan, he had come to the Zhou residence today. The people who had been praising the groom’s elegance turned their heads as if something had drawn their attention, their gazes now all focused on the entrance of the Zhou residence. At the entrance, a tall, slender figure stepped over the threshold, the source of all this commotion.

 

“The top scholar Zhou?” A guest who had just returned to the capital the day before looked at Zhou Cai in confusion. “Isn’t the top scholar right here?”

 

“Lord Zhou was the top scholar three years ago. This young man is this year’s top scholar,” Grand Secretary Gu said cheerfully, pulling Zhou Xun along with him. “It’s quite a coincidence, isn’t it? Back then, Lord Zhou was about the same age as the young Zhou when he became the top scholar. Both are exceptionally talented.”

 

At that moment, as Zhou Xun signed his name on the gift registry, he lifted his eyes. Through layers of red shadows, he and Zhou Cai, the groom, locked gazes.

 

Zhou Cai heard his heart pounding violently. He thought, this is his brother.

 

This is the one he hadn’t seen in half a year… his enemy and “brother.”

 

“The Yangtze River waves push forward the waves behind. Now I’m one of the former waves,” he said with a smile. “This new ‘top scholar Zhou’ is truly exceptional, not losing to my past glory.”

 

“The waves of the Yangtze River indeed push forward, but there’s no need for Lord Zhou to belittle himself,” Zhou Xun replied, walking towards him with an air of grace. “Lord Zhou has devoted himself to the court over the past three years, entering the Hanlin Academy with the title of top scholar and making a name for himself in the capital. Then, he served in the northwest, toiling in silence without complaint. Now that he has returned to the capital, Lord Zhou’s experience and character far surpass what I can compare to.”

 

Zhou Cai’s smile froze on his face.

 

Zhou Xun’s words, both openly and subtly, suggested that the only highlight in Zhou Cai’s life was the day he earned the title of top scholar.

 

The others, unaware of the feud between Zhou Cai and Zhou Xun, praised the new top scholar. Occasionally, someone would remark how they seemed like brothers, only to be quickly interrupted by another who whispered in his ear, “Everyone knows Zhou Xun is favored by the emperor, whereas Lord Zhou… wasn’t his transfer to the northwest a demotion? Whether he can rise again is still uncertain. Saying such things only curses Zhou Xun’s future prospects.”

 

Although spoken quietly, there were always those who heard, including Zhou Cai. Soon, no one dared to compare the new and old top scholars surnamed Zhou, for fear of offending Zhou Xun.

 

“You’re dressed quite normally today,” Zhou Cai whispered in Zhou Xun’s ear as the crowd began to disperse to greet the approaching bride. “I thought you wouldn’t show up, or that you’d come in black or white to ruin the event.”

 

Zhou Xun was indeed dressed quite normally today, wearing a light apricot robe with his hair tied back, looking every bit the part of a guest here to celebrate.

 

“Someone invited me warmly to watch the excitement, so of course, I had to come,” Zhou Xun smiled. “As for black or white, today…”

 

He glanced at the room filled with red decorations and smiled. “Isn’t it a joyous occasion?”

 

Zhou Cai frowned, wanting to say more, but the bridal sedan had already arrived. He hurriedly left in the midst of the celebratory shouts.

 

A servant said, “Master Zhou, please this way.”

 

Zhou Xun followed the servant towards the high platform. With all eyes on him, Zhou Cai dared not scheme anything like pushing him into a lake or leading him to the back courtyard to do something inappropriate. So, he felt safe coming alone.

 

As he sat in his seat, he heard Yan Jia’s voice: “I didn’t expect him to give you such a good seat.”

 

From Zhou Xun’s current position, he indeed had a clear view of the entire wedding hall. He replied, “Since he invited me to witness his joyous event, how could he not give me a prime seat to see everything clearly?”

 

Yan Jia fell silent.

 

They sat quietly, with nothing much left to say to each other. Once friends, they were now strangers. Yan Jia said, “I knew he’d invite you, but I don’t understand why you came. You shouldn’t be happy to see his big day…”

 

The Zhou residence echoed with wedding music, as the bride dismounted her sedan and was led by the joyous matrons, step by step, towards the high platform. Zhou Cai walked beside his bride, and they were to reach the platform’s base together, then ascend step by step, bowing to each other under the sunset’s golden rays.

 

“Today is your sister’s big day. You should be more concerned about your sister than an ordinary guest,” Zhou Xun said. “For example, is your sister happy?”

 

Yan Jia was taken aback. At the same time, the couple in wedding attire had reached the base of the platform. He stared at the bride, her face veiled in red, but he knew it was his sister.

 

Did he still remember what his sister looked like? Since he believed Zhou Xun had approached him to help his sister cancel the marriage only for revenge, since his fallout with Zhou Xun, since he was convinced by his father that his sister marrying Zhou Cai was the best choice, since he locked himself in his study, buried in books, following his father to various poetry and wine gatherings…

 

How long had it been since he truly looked at his sister?

 

Women are always meant to be married off. For a woman to remain chaste for the sake of honor is a great blessing. Having a virtuous sister not only benefits the reputation of the Yan family but also his own career. This was the simplest of truths. His father had taught him that to choose some things, you must give up others. To adhere to the “propriety” of a gentleman, to follow the “righteous path” in his heart, and to become a worthy heir to the Yan family, at the age of seven, he gave up the kite his father tore apart and chose the Four Books and Five Classics. At twelve, he gave up the first friend he made in school, and now, he had to give up his sister.

 

He once ran through the streets and alleys behind his father’s back just to find a book to make her happy. Now, he was no longer the helpless child who cried in the study when his kite was torn. He was the second highest scorer in the imperial examinations. Although he didn’t achieve the top rank, he was worthy of his father’s teachings. Who in the capital wouldn’t call him a true gentleman, a future pillar of the state, whose every action adhered to the principles of propriety?

 

But why did he suddenly feel so powerless at this moment? Why did he remember his seven-year-old self, the boy whose butterfly kite was torn by his father? The wet nurse who bought the kite for him was expelled from the manor by his father for corrupting the young master, and he ran through countless corridors, never able to catch up.

 

The two newlyweds walked step by step towards the steps, and in the wedding hall, Yan Sikong unveiled the red silk covering the painting.

 

“Today, I bestow this family heirloom painting as a dowry to my son-in-law, Zhou Cai. This painting, ‘The Smoke and Waves,’ was created by Lin Mingxi, a great artist of the previous dynasty. Lin Mingxi presented this painting to Emperor Wu as a plea for retirement, demonstrating his integrity by refusing to associate with corrupt individuals. Although a villain may temporarily enjoy the favor of the emperor, he will always be a sycophant. I believe that the truth will eventually come to light, and justice will prevail.” He spoke forcefully. Zhou Xun tapped his teacup, eyes downcast, a slight smile on his lips, as if unaware that the speech was directed at him. “Lin Mingxi remained loyal to his old master, showing his fidelity. A woman’s chastity is her virtue. My daughter has an engagement with the Zhou family, and regardless of wealth or poverty, she will never break her word. This is the Yan family’s principle and tradition. Today, we finally see the light!”

 

Everyone was astonished by Yan Sikong’s generosity and praised him. Only Gu, the scholar known for his expertise in this field, stretched his neck to get a better view. Initially excited, he then looked puzzled as if something was off.

 

“The bride and groom—arrive—”

 

The bride’s deep red skirt trailed on the ground, and beside her was the groom, dignified and majestic. They walked step by step from the platform amidst the voices of praise.

 

“I can’t do it. I can’t. And…” Yan Jia spoke softly amidst the noise.

 

He looked up at the painting: “Father always makes sense. I…”

 

“It’s not that you’re afraid of your father; it’s that you’ve already accepted his views.” Zhou Xun said, “Otherwise, you would have found a way.”

 

Yan Jia was silent for a long time. He watched the newlyweds slowly ascending the steps and suddenly laughed, “Yes, I believe my father is right. What’s wrong with that? And what can I do? It’s not my father’s fault; it’s my sister’s. If she had just agreed to marry in the first place, how could it have come to this?”

 

By the end, his voice sounded like he was crying, “How could it have come to this? But now there’s no way out…”

 

“Stop playing the victim!” Zhou Xun suddenly sneered and said slowly, “You received that letter, right? A few days ago, I had someone place a letter in your mailbox revealing the truth about your sister and Zhou Cai. You clearly saw it. I gave you a chance to save your sister. Why didn’t you stand up earlier and tell everyone that this engagement was a scam from the beginning?”

 

Yan Jia was utterly stunned. He trembled, staring at Zhou Xun as if Zhou Xun, who had ruthlessly exposed his thoughts, was his father’s murderer: “You…”

 

“Stop acting like a victim. Yan Jia, your sister is the victim, but you—did you tell Yan Sikong about the contents of that letter? I bet you didn’t. That’s why he can stand there today, proudly speaking of his noble act. You keep saying your father is the perpetrator, pretending to be a complete victim. But didn’t you choose to remain silent? Yan Jia, your sister is standing here today, marrying a fraud because of your own choice.”

 

The bride and groom were now standing on the stage, and the auspicious time for the wedding ceremony was approaching. Everyone looked at the couple with satisfaction. At that moment, Yan Jia also stood up in dejection.

 

He saw his vision blur, and through the wedding veil, he couldn’t see his sister’s face. Now, he didn’t dare to look at her—he lost the right to bless his sister’s marriage as her brother when he hid that letter.

 

He betrayed her.

 

He remembered that kite again. The kite his father had torn apart and thrown in the woods. He couldn’t retrieve the wet nurse, but he knew that if he had argued for her, he could have brought her back, but he didn’t dare. Just like he dared to search the entire capital for a book to make his sister happy but didn’t dare to confront his father about her sorrow.

 

At that moment, he suddenly heard the sound of horse hooves.

 

Clear horse hooves.

 

How could there be horse hooves at a wedding?

 

“If you want to save your sister, there’s still time.” Zhou Xun suddenly whispered in his ear.

 

Yan Jia turned his head and, in the next moment, everyone was stunned by what they saw.

 

A magnificent horse appeared abruptly in the Zhou residence. It passed through the gates, the garden, countless corridors, and now galloped toward the stage, like a general charging fearlessly.

 

It was dusk, and the woman riding the horse looked as if she were wearing a crimson battle robe. She wore a wedding dress, its hem edged in gold from the setting sun, fluttering like layers of red lotus petals in the wind. Her long, black hair tied behind her head also fluttered in the wind, like a flag.

 

The scene was absurd, but no one dared to criticize the woman’s rudeness. At that moment, she seemed like an ancient god on horseback, her commanding beauty stunning all the guests. No ancient god would wear a flaming wedding dress, but she, wearing it, seemed to burn.

 

“It’s the Princess…” someone said.

 

“Could it be for Lord Zhou Cai…” Clearly, someone noticed her red dress, “I heard the Princess and Lord Zhou Cai have always been at odds, but many women act this way when facing someone they like.”

 

The woman, known as the Princess, stopped her horse at the stage. Riding the horse, with servants hastily catching up behind her, she casually threw something to the ground and looked up at the people on the stage, saying, “I am not here to congratulate but to expose a story.”

 

She then looked at the figure in the wedding dress, her back to her, and loudly said, “Yan Ruoqi, I am the one who saved you! It was I, dressed as a man, who rescued you from the bandits at Baiyun Temple, not Zhou Cai! Yan Ruoqi, do you want to marry this fraud…”

 

“Or come with me?” Her voice was clear and penetrating, “I have a good horse that can travel a thousand miles a day. There’s still an hour before the city gates are locked. Do you want to see the clouds beyond the frontier with me?”

 

Everyone turned to look at the woman in the wedding dress on the stage, including Zhou Cai beside her. That slender, originally motionless body…

 

The bright red wedding dress ran towards the stage below. She hesitated at first, then ran faster and faster, her skirt fluttering in the twilight, edged in gold, like a blooming flower.

 

“Yan Ruoqi!”

 

Yan Sikong roared, and at that moment, Yan Jia stood up. He seemed to want to chase her back, but he saw the slowly falling veil, dropped because of her running.

 

And the face beneath the veil…was tear-streaked!

 

In that moment, countless memories flooded back. He remembered his childhood when his sister was also a child. She was always gentle and kind, smiling at everyone. Only when Yan Sikong wanted to beat him for the kite did she cry, crying so heartbreakingly…

 

He remembered now. The kite later returned to his room. It was left at his door, repaired by someone, even the embroidered wings perfectly restored.

 

He remembered who that person was. It was his sister!

 

That was his sister, bound by blood. Because of Yan Sikong’s strict gender separation, they were not as close as ordinary siblings, but she was the sister who grew up with him. And he, to uphold the so-called gentleman’s “propriety,” betrayed her!

 

He heard his voice, like a heart-wrenching cry. He thought he had finally lost a family member completely. But it wasn’t because of his sister’s departure; it was because of his cowardice in hiding that letter.

 

Zhou Xun was right. In this situation, he had no right to act as the

 

victim.

 

At that moment, the veil fell to the ground. The girl, resembling a red lotus in full bloom, charged toward the horse in the twilight. She ran faster and faster, her skirt fluttering like petals in the golden light.

 

She finally grabbed the Princess’s hand, her eyes filled with gratitude and tears. The Princess smiled at her, then turned the horse’s head.

 

The horse turned, and they both galloped out of the hall.

 

She, still wearing the wedding dress, sat on the back of the horse, holding the reins tightly, leaning forward, and her tears glistened like pearls in the wind, scattered on the earth.

 

Yan Sikong stood there, watching his daughter’s red dress gradually blur in the twilight. He felt a strange mix of emotions.

 

He didn’t chase after her because he knew that she had made her choice.

 

Yan Jia watched the fading figures of his sister and the Princess. His heart felt empty and hollow. He had lost her, not because she ran away, but because he failed her.

 

He turned back, and in his father’s eyes, he saw a deep disappointment.

 

In that moment, Yan Jia understood the true cost of his decisions.