If one were to name the most unfortunate groom, Qing Yan would undoubtedly be unmatched. On the night of his wedding, he was forced to follow his master around instead of enjoying his nuptial chamber. And it wasn't even for any pressing or urgent matter—Murong Jing He merely wanted to patrol the defenses and security of Jingbei City, with the added intention of having breakfast outside.
By the time they returned to the palace, it was already after the hour of the rabbit. Activity had already started in the courtyard. Murong Jing He stopped Qing Yan, who was about to head back to his room to freshen up and change clothes, instructing him to do so in his own quarters instead. In fact, Qing Yan had a place to rest in the central courtyard, for the sake of conveniently serving Murong Jing He. Now that he was married and had a family, it made sense for him to find a separate residence.
Qing Yan clearly understood the reason behind his lord’s peculiar behavior but felt a bit resentful himself, so he pretended to be oblivious. With his usual expressionless face, he said, “If I don’t return soon, A-Mei will surely worry. I’ll go and reassure her, then come back to serve you.” He emphasized the last few words, thinking that, even as a prince, Murong Jing He couldn’t possibly monopolize his subordinate’s honeymoon.
At the mention of "A-Mei," Murong Jing He felt a twitch at his brow, an inexplicable surge of irritation rising within him, though he had no way to vent it, leaving his expression somewhat unpleasant.
Qing Yan, with his head bowed, pretended not to notice anything.
Murong Jing He glared at him for a while, finally conceding with a wave of his hand. As he returned to his room alone, he discovered that his palm still had fragments of porcelain embedded in it as a servant brought him hot water to wash up. Rather than having the servant tend to it, he painstakingly removed the pieces himself, watching as fresh blood welled up from the wounds. As he did so, the image of Mei Lin in her radiant red wedding dress, smiling beautifully, flashed through his mind, making the pain in his hand suddenly unbearable. He wrapped it haphazardly in a cloth before turning to the inner room to pore over maps of Dayan and its neighboring countries, forcing himself to focus.
With just over a month until the new year, as the weather grew colder and people longed to return home, the situation became increasingly dire. If the war dragged on any longer, Dayan would be in grave danger.
When Qing Yan returned, dressed in his usual attire, Murong Jing He made a decision.
“We leave for the capital today? What about your marriage to General Luo Mei? When will that take place?” Qing Yan was surprised. He had assumed that all this trouble Murong Jing He was causing was to ensure he could marry Luo Mei, but now, just as that goal was within reach, Murong Jing He was planning to leave for the capital to request permission to go to war.
Murong Jing He suddenly found the word “marriage” incredibly grating and shot Qing Yan a sharp look, replying irritably, “Her parents are in the capital. Naturally, we’ll hold the wedding there.”
Qing Yan felt suspicious but didn’t let it show on his face. He merely responded with an “Oh” and left to make the preparations.
Murong Jing He called him back, hesitating for a moment before Qing Yan’s patience started to wane, then said nonchalantly, “You just got married. Being away from... well... her for too long isn’t good. Take her with us.” He could barely bring himself to say the word “wife.”
Qing Yan respectfully acknowledged the command, but after turning away, he couldn’t help but show a trace of helplessness on his face, thinking to himself that his lord’s attachment to his servant’s wife was becoming far too obvious.
When Mei Lin heard they were heading to the capital, she felt a twinge of reluctance. She had hoped to see Jingbei in February, knowing that if she missed it this time, she might never get the chance again. But she was now married to Qing Yan, and though they hadn’t shared the wedding wine or tied their hair together, they were officially a family. It was only right for her to stay by his side. These thoughts remained unspoken as she quickly began to pack when Qing Yan told her.
Packing wasn’t much of a task—just a few sets of clothes. As she picked up her bundle and stepped out of the room she had stayed in for just one night, she saw a tall man standing outside.
The man looked to be in his early thirties, with an extremely ugly appearance, but his eyes were pure, giving an impression of honesty and reliability. Mei Lin squinted, feeling a vague sense of familiarity in his somewhat evasive eyes. Just as she was pondering, the man respectfully bowed to her and addressed her as “miss.”
A sudden realization struck Mei Lin, and her eyes widened in surprise.
“Corpse Ghost? Corpse Ghost!” She reached out to grab him, but though she couldn’t speak, her eyes were filled with joy. She hadn’t expected to see Corpse Ghost here, and it seemed that he had been doing well. He looked stronger, his back no longer hunched, and he appeared much younger.
Corpse Ghost initially flinched in fear, but seeing her happy expression, he couldn’t help but chuckle a couple of times, though he quickly glanced cautiously at the stern-looking Qing Yan.
“What are you doing here?” Surprisingly, Qing Yan, usually so composed, now wore a displeased expression.
Mei Lin noticed the strange tension between them and, recalling the events of the previous day, began to piece things together. Seeing Corpse Ghost scratching his head, unable to speak, she decided to help him, pulling him in front of Qing Yan and gesturing that she wanted to bring him along.
“No way. The prince won’t allow it,” Qing Yan immediately shook his head, shifting the blame to Murong Jing He.
Corpse Ghost’s expression dimmed. Qing Yan turned away, not looking at him.
Mei Lin wasn’t fooled by Qing Yan’s excuse. She wasn’t usually one to meddle, but Qing Yan now meant more to her than others. If happiness was within reach, why should it be sacrificed for someone who wasn’t involved?
She reached out to tug at Qing Yan. He turned back, and seeing the pleading looks on both their faces, he suddenly felt a headache coming on.
“Fine, but hurry up and pack. If we’re late, don’t blame me.” He sighed, watching Corpse Ghost leave with a spring in his step, and couldn’t help but sigh again. “A-Mei, you...” He understood her intentions, but not everything was as simple as it seemed.
Mei Lin tilted her head, giving him an innocent smile.
That smile made Qing Yan’s heart skip a beat, a subtle sense of being seen through washing over him. Maybe things weren’t as complicated as they thought; maybe it was just that he and the prince had made their lives so complicated that those who lived simply had to suffer alongside them.
He had always known that this woman was smart, smart enough to know when to hide her brilliance and when to be obsequious, never too much or too little. He had always thought she was like them, calculating every step to weigh the gains and losses. But during the wedding yesterday, when she looked at him, he suddenly realized that she was, in fact, very simple.
She just knew more clearly than anyone what she could have and cherished it all the more.
“Let’s go. Don’t keep the prince waiting.” He smiled, taking her hand in his as they walked outside.
From now on, he would do his best to ensure she was never wronged again.
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