Chun Gui agreed to be with An Yizhi, and Yu Jiuzhou decreed that the Ministry of Rites would handle their wedding.
The imperial edict made it clear that having the Ministry of Rites arrange the wedding was an honor for Chun Gui, not for An Yizhi.
Furthermore, Chun Gui was enfeoffed as a Commandery Mistress, which was a type of noble rank.
The titles of Duke, Marquis, and Earl had to be earned through military merit. While there were instances of titles granted by grace, the names of those titles—such as Chengen or Zhongen—made their nature obvious.
Xia Qu had earned her title through military merit, so the outer court had no objections. But Chun Gui had no desire to serve as an official in the outer court, and granting her a noble title was bound to cause a stir.
However, Great Zhou had a system for rewarding meritorious Kun Ze.
The titles of Princess and Commandery Princess were mostly reserved for the daughters of emperors and princes. For meritorious Kun Ze, there were the titles of Lady, Commandery Mistress, County Mistress, and Township Mistress, which corresponded to the ranks of Duke, Marquis, and Earl.
The initial thought was to enfeoff Chun Gui as the Lady of Han, a first-rank state lady, which was much higher than An Yizhi. But to many, the word “Lady” still implied a title obtained through the efforts of the women in one’s family.
Historically, Kun Ze who were granted the title of State Lady were either sisters of an empress or favored consort, or they were the emperor’s wet nurse. It didn’t sound like something they had earned on their own.
“Commandery Mistress,” on the other hand, sounded like a title earned through one’s own efforts. It was also equivalent in rank to a Marquis, so Chun Gui was enfeoffed as a Commandery Mistress.
Fiefdoms no longer existed; everything was based on stipends. The stipend for a Commandery Mistress was substantial, equivalent to an annual salary of a thousand shi of grain. Even in the capital, one could live very comfortably.
Anyone with discerning eyes could see that Her Majesty was backing Chun Gui. She was not a mere Marchioness by marriage, but a Commandery Mistress in her own right. This was a clear message to the Marquis of Pingliang’s family, especially her clansmen, that they shouldn’t think of controlling Chun Gui.
When it came to the merit of being a dragon’s follower, who had contributed more than Chun Gui, Xia Qu, Qiu Lai, and Dong Ying, besides Chi Wan? They were the earliest investors, managing the imperial palace with impeccable order and raising the three highnesses. No matter which highness ascended the throne in the future, they would be handsomely rewarded. The comparison was enough to make anyone die of envy!
Chun Gui had received a noble title, the Ministry of Rites was handling her wedding, the expenses were covered by the emperor’s private treasury, and she had received numerous gifts. It was clear she was in high favor.
Moreover, An Yizhi’s military achievements were immense, and the Marquis of Pingliang’s Residence had a strong network of connections in the capital after many years, with ties to many of the old noble families. A hundred tables were not enough to seat all the guests.
On top of that, some had heard that Yu Jiuzhou and Chi Wan would also be attending, so more than half the court showed up. Since everyone else was coming, they had to follow suit.
The banquet was held at the Marquis of Pingliang’s Residence, but the wedding ceremony took place in the imperial palace. Chun Gui was also granted a Commandery Mistress’s residence, so after marrying, they could live wherever they pleased.
Holding the wedding in the palace was also a way of telling everyone that Chun Gui was not marrying into a family; she was simply getting married.
Chi Wan leaned against the doorway, with the Prince of Shunchéng beside her. Inside, Chun Gui was having her makeup done. Yu Jiuzhou was still dealing with state affairs and hadn’t arrived yet. The three little ones were inside, chattering about something, and loud laughter could be heard from the room.
The Prince of Shunchéng, Yu Xingchen, looked like she wanted to go in but was too embarrassed. She turned to Chi Wan and asked, “Why aren’t you going in, Your Highness?”
“Don’t call me ‘Your Highness the Prince-Sister.’” It sounded like the head nurse in a hospital ward.
Actually, it was acceptable for the Prince of Shunchéng to call her that. It was better than “Prince-Sister-in-law.” No, neither sounded good.
Seeing Yu Xingchen shrink back awkwardly, Chi Wan added, “Calling me ‘Sister Wan’ would sound better than ‘Prince-Sister.’”
Yu Xingchen was taken aback for a moment before she understood. She had to admit, “Prince-Sister” did sound a little strange.
Evidently, she preferred the address “Sister Wan,” as it implied a closer relationship.
Chi Wan looked Yu Xingchen up and down for a moment. “Why do you want to go in?”
Inside were Chun Gui, Xia Qu, Qiu Lai, and Dong Ying, plus the three little ones. There was nothing for them to do in there, and they might even get in the way.
Yu Xingchen gave a dry laugh. “Just curious.”
Just then, Xia Qu walked out. “Your Highness, we’re about to leave.”
Then she kicked Yu Xingchen in the rear. “We sisters are having a chat, and here you are, craning your neck to peek inside.”
“Xia Qu, I am a prince!” Yu Xingchen’s dignity was completely shattered after being kicked in the behind.
“You used to call me ‘Master’ when you were little, but now that you’re grown up, you use my name. Who gave you the nerve?”
Xia Qu drew the whip from her waist, looking ready to teach Yu Xingchen a lesson.
“I was wrong, I was wrong,” Yu Xingchen quickly admitted.
It seemed she was destined to be under Xia Qu’s thumb for life. She had learned martial arts from Xia Qu in her teens. Though they didn’t have the official titles of master and disciple, their relationship was exactly that.
Xia Qu’s personality was straightforward. Disobedient? A beating would fix it. Can’t learn? A beating would make you learn.
Over the years, Yu Xingchen had been beaten quite a few times.
Seeing another beating was imminent, she naturally apologized with great speed. Otherwise, she’d get another lashing.
Xia Qu was only joking. She no longer taught Yu Xingchen, so she wouldn’t actually strike her, though kicking her had become something of a habit.
Soon, Chun Gui emerged, dressed in a green wedding gown. Green was a relatively noble color; the empress’s ceremonial robes were pure green. For a Kun Ze to wear green for her wedding also signified nobility.
Looking at Chun Gui, Xia Qu couldn’t help but click her tongue twice. “When I get married, I’m going to wear armor.”
Chi Wan couldn’t hold back a laugh. “And where is this partner of yours?”
She talked a big game, but she hadn’t even started dating yet. Whether Qian Yuan or Kun Ze, their first reaction upon meeting Xia Qu was fear.
A general who had truly been on the battlefield naturally carried a certain aura. She usually kept it restrained, but when the time came, a murderous feeling would instantly manifest.
Xia Qu was robust, with a healthy look. She looked slim in clothes, but without them, one could see she could kill a person with a single punch. Her body was all muscle, and when she wanted to show off, it was visible even through a thin layer of clothing.
That said, she was quite popular among female Kun Ze.
Xia Qu became flustered. “What do you mean? Is Your Highness saying I can’t find a partner?”
Yu Xingchen immediately squeezed over. “I think Xia Qu is great. Someone will definitely like her.”
Chi Wan quickly waved her hands. “Of course, of course. With Commander Xia’s charm, there must be many who like her. But finding someone you both like, now that’s the difficult part.”
She glanced at Yu Xingchen. This one was acting strange!
In any case, Xia Qu felt that Chi Wan had a point. It wasn’t that she couldn’t find a partner, just that fate hadn’t arrived yet.
“Exactly. When fate arrives, I’ll naturally find someone.”
Hearing this, Qiu Lai, who was standing nearby, couldn’t help but laugh. “What kind of person is Commander Xia looking for?”
“A good-looking one.”
Well… she was definitely one for appearances.
Chi Wan’s gaze fell on Yu Xingchen, and sure enough, she saw her tidying her hair.
This one… could it be…
Her eyes lit up. She’d stumbled upon some gossip. No, wait, with Xia Qu’s personality, if one didn’t make a direct move, she might never realize it in her entire life. This pair was interesting.
It was just like Chun Gui and An Yizhi. If An Yizhi hadn’t insisted on returning to the capital to demand a clear answer, the two of them might have missed their chance.
Fortunately, the lovers finally got together.
That day, Chun Gui had asked An Yizhi, “Is it me you like, or Her Majesty?”
The two fell silent for a long time, as if they could hear each other’s heartbeats.
The question was both easy and difficult to answer. An Yizhi could have simply said it was Chun Gui, but that clearly wasn’t enough to convince her.
After pondering for a long while, she finally spoke. “I did like Her Majesty in the past. At the time, I thought it was deep love. In truth, it was because many people told me that since we grew up together, I had the best chance of becoming the princess’s consort. Everyone, including my clansmen, told me to be good to Her Majesty, so I felt that I was born to be good to her. I thought that when we grew up, we should naturally get married. I believe the late emperor thought so too, on the condition that I remained a down-and-out noble.”
She was the sole survivor of the Marquis of Pingliang’s line. She was a canary raised by Emperor Shengyuan, growing up alongside the Grand Princess as a symbol of his benevolence toward the descendants of meritorious officials.
If she had remained a bird in a cage, she might have really married the Grand Princess. But she had made a name for herself at a young age, leading a hundred thousand troops to defend the border in Yanbei. A powerful and influential Marquis of Pingliang, a female eagle that had already soared to the heavens—Emperor Shengyuan would never have let her marry the princess.
When she figured this out, she felt no regret. Defending the border and killing enemies for the country was her dream. Since childhood, she had wanted to achieve military merit, fulfill her dream, and carry on the legacy of the past Marquises of Pingliang.
If she were given the choice again, she would still choose to join the army and would never be a caged bird in Emperor Shengyuan’s hands.
She and Yu Jiuzhou were fated to meet but not to be together; there was nothing to be done. Even if Chi Wan had never appeared, that person would never have been her. Later, her obsession with Yu Jiuzhou faded.
She would not have been convinced if someone said she was inferior to Chi Wan, but since it was her own choice, she had fewer regrets.
And Chun Gui was the second person she had fallen in love with. It just so happened that she had already established her career and achieved fame. She no longer craved military glory as much. Years of campaigning had left her with many injuries, and she had already been thinking of returning to the capital to rest, but she hadn’t found a suitable replacement.
Later, when Chun Gui’s replies stopped coming, she suddenly had an epiphany. Her replacement as commander-in-chief was something Her Majesty and the Prince of Qin Yu should worry about. Why was she, a mere marquis, worrying about it? If it were any other emperor, they would think she was trying to control this army of over a hundred thousand. Wanting to find a successor even after resigning—what, did she want to treat these troops as a family heirloom to be passed down?
It was fortunate that Yu Jiuzhou was the emperor. If it had been Emperor Shengyuan, he would have surely found a way to get rid of her.
Having figured this out, An Yizhi stopped worrying about it. With Her Majesty and the Prince there, it wasn’t her place to worry. If someone with ill intentions found out, she would probably be impeached by many.
When she learned that the Chief Military Commission had appointed Chen Yuan as her temporary replacement, she thought it was acceptable. Chen Yuan lacked military merit and experience in commanding large-scale battles, but she was fine with small-scale conflicts.
Great Zhou had no strong enemies at present. Across the Blackwater River, there was a large nation, but it was far weaker than Great Zhou. The two countries were currently engaged in friendly trade, so it was unlikely a war would break out in the next few years.
An Yizhi was looking forward to a rest anyway. If a war did break out in a couple of years, she could go back then.
One could say that with Chun Gui, she had met the right person at the right time.
“So it’s impossible for Her Majesty and me to be together. The timing was wrong, and neither of us would give up anything for the other. What Her Majesty needs is someone who can help her become an emperor for the ages, to bring about a golden age of peace and prosperity. All I know is how to fight. Besides, my feelings for Her Majesty are more like those for a younger sister. I don’t love her that much.”
“It was probably after I fell in love with you, when I compared my feelings then to my feelings now, that I realized I never had that reckless impulse.”
She was young back then and should have been more reckless. How could it be that she was only feeling this way now, in her thirties?
An Yizhi smiled again. “Her Majesty and Chi Wan are very good together. They are well-matched. I could never be for Her Majesty what Chi Wan is, but I can be that for you.”
She didn’t even know what she was saying anymore. If she had to put it into words, it was that she loved Chun Gui now, very, very much. She just didn’t know how to express some of it.
Chun Gui smiled. “I don’t mean anything else, nor am I trying to compare myself to Her Majesty. Her Majesty is the most important person to me. Then come the three highnesses, and then Xia Qu, Qiu Lai, Dong Ying, and Her Highness the Prince.”
After listing several names, Chi Wan finally made the list. No, wait, An Yizhi hadn’t even been ranked yet.
“Between you and them, any one of them, I would choose them. Hmm… except for Her Highness the Prince.”
Chi Wan: “?” As expected of Chun Gui. What a good woman.
She silently gave a thumbs-up and shot a glare at the snickering Xia Qu. They had been worried that An Yizhi might get agitated during the conversation, so with Chun Gui’s permission, she and Xia Qu had hidden behind a screen in the hall. They would come out as soon as Chun Gui called.
She hadn’t wanted to listen to their conversation, but her internal energy was too profound, and she was particularly sensitive to her own name.
Of course, she had told Chun Gui this and asked if she should still be there. Chun Gui had said that although she didn’t think An Yizhi was the type to resort to violence, she understood everyone’s concern for her, so she let them stay.
Hearing this, Chi Wan couldn’t help but look at Xia Qu. “Did you understand that?”
Xia Qu tilted her head up proudly. “Of course.”
Chi Wan was suddenly reminded of certain middle-aged men. Just the thought of it made the corners of her mouth twitch, trying to suppress a smile. “Then explain it.”
Xia Qu: “?”
Weren’t they here to protect Chun Gui? How did it turn into a test?
She thought about it seriously and said, “An Yizhi used to like Her Majesty, but now she likes Chun Gui. Oh, no, she likes Chun Gui more.”
Well, I’ll be. You actually understood.
Chi Wan gave her a thumbs-up. “I told you, you’re a genius.”
Xia Qu looked as if to say, “Of course.” “I am very smart.”
“Indeed.”
They chatted for a moment before Chun Gui’s voice sounded again from the other side. “So, at first, I thought you might be trying to get close to Her Majesty through me. But in this life, I would rather die or remain alone forever than betray Her Majesty. Later, I thought about it and realized you’re not that kind of person. So why me? Perhaps you see me as a substitute for Her Majesty. But I, Chun Gui, am my own person. Her Majesty is the one and only Her Majesty, and Chun Gui is also the one and only Chun Gui.”
“To Her Majesty, I am her capable assistant. To Her Highness the Prince, I handle everything in an orderly fashion. She says I can do anything well. Others say I lack Xia Qu’s military merit for a title, that I’m not like Qiu Lai who is in charge of a whole department, nor do I have as much power as Dong Ying. I am just the grand steward of the imperial palace, what used to be the chief eunuch, a position everyone looks down on. No wonder Her Highness always says, Chun Gui is fortunate, at least she’s the emperor’s grand steward, a position of actual high standing. What about those Kun Ze trapped in the inner quarters? No matter how much they do, it will never be seen.”
“My situation is good because I am by Her Majesty’s side. But after I marry you, the imperial palace will surely no longer be in my hands. My career will end. And then what? I’ll become the grand steward of the Marquis’s residence, and everything I do will be taken for granted. Her Highness is right; a career is always more important than becoming someone’s wife. Although some say my position is not as good as Xia Qu’s and the others’, if you asked them to let their daughters take my place, they would probably go mad trying to get their daughters into the palace. Outside, people call me Official Chun Gui. Inside the palace, they call me Aunt Chun Gui. But if I marry you, I will just be the Marchioness of Pingliang.”
“It was not easy for Kun Ze to achieve their current status. I am one of the representatives of that progress. If I become the Marchioness of Pingliang after marriage, it will influence the choices of many other Kun Ze.”
Hearing this, before An Yizhi could react, Xia Qu nodded first. “Even though we have all become outer court officials, the kind who will be recorded in the annals of history, and Chun Gui is an inner court official, the few of us know that Chun Gui is our eldest sister. With her here, we have a home, and someone to take care of everything for us. To us, she is like a mother.”
Chi Wan was deeply moved. Through Chun Gui, she understood more profoundly the changes she had brought to this era. Although only a very small number of Kun Ze had changed, a single spark could start a prairie fire.
However, she gave Xia Qu a thumbs-up. “You really just promoted Chun Gui a whole generation.”
Chi Wan eyed the pastries on the table. “Do you think we should go interrupt them?”
After talking to this point, had Chun Gui essentially refused?
Chi Wan picked up a plate of pastries and was about to get up and go in when she suddenly heard An Yizhi say, “I can be your wife.”
Excellent. That one sentence was a fatal blow.
After their in-depth conversation, An Yizhi had figured out what Chun Gui meant.
Chun Gui didn’t want to give up her career, just as she herself had been unwilling to return to the capital after finally establishing herself and making a name on the border.
She could understand Chun Gui, so this was her answer.
“Unless there’s a war, I won’t go back to the border. You can transfer to the outer court.”
In Great Zhou, even between a mother and daughter, if the mother held a high position, the daughter’s position could not surpass the mother’s, unless the mother chose to take on a sinecure. It was impossible for them to advance side by side.
This was true even for partners.
“I…” Chun Gui was clearly hesitating. She didn’t want to give up her career, but what if she didn’t have to?
An Yizhi stood up, then knelt in front of Chun Gui, looking up at her slightly. “Can you consider it?”
It would be a lie to say Chun Gui wasn’t moved by such a humble posture, but she still hadn’t made up her mind.
Just then, Chi Wan and Xia Qu came out with pastries.
Chi Wan spoke up, “Don’t feel burdened. I’m here to handle things in the palace. Besides, you’ve trained so many people, and they’re all doing a fine job.”
“Her Majesty also told me that you handle everything so meticulously. If you’re willing, how about the position of Vice Minister of Revenue?”
This would also be a first. A traditional high-ranking official. After all, most of the positions currently held by Kun Ze were newly created or minor posts. Xia Qu was a military official; on the civil side, high-ranking Kun Ze officials were very rare.
Chun Gui was the grand steward of the imperial palace; making her the Vice Minister of Revenue was entirely feasible. In the future, she might even become a Minister. But a Vice Minister of one of the Six Ministries was already a high-ranking official.
An Yizhi was not surprised to see them emerge. When she had spoken with Chi Wan, Chi Wan had told her, “Xia Qu and I will be next door.”
Since Chun Gui was moved, there was no need for Chi Wan to say anything more. She and Yu Jiuzhou could help them eliminate their worries.
After working so hard for so long, they could certainly solve a few problems for their friends. Chun Gui was more than capable of being a high-ranking official in the Ministry of Revenue.
An Yizhi breathed a sigh of relief. With Chi Wan saying this, Chun Gui probably wouldn’t refuse, right?
Thank goodness for Chi Wan’s promise. Otherwise, her empty words might not have been enough to move Chun Gui.
She quickly said, “You and Her Majesty can rest assured. When I go back, I will put all the assets of the Marquis’s residence under Chun Gui’s name. And my salary, I will have it sent to Chun Gui’s hands every month.”
She didn’t know how to make Chun Gui feel secure, but what if she gave her everything? She was willing to, anyway.
Chun Gui finally agreed. She just didn’t want to give up her career; it didn’t mean she didn’t like An Yizhi. She cared about An Yizhi a great deal.
It was just that, relatively speaking, there were people she cared about more.
Once both parties agreed, the Directorate of Astronomy selected a date, and the Ministry of Rites organized the event. The venue was the imperial palace. After the ceremony, they would go to the Marquis of Pingliang’s Residence for the banquet.
Chun Gui’s Commandery Mistress residence was chosen to be next to the Marquis of Pingliang’s Residence. There would be a banquet there as well. In the future, they could choose to live wherever they wanted, or even connect the two residences.
The young couple would live their own lives from now on.
Chi Wan followed behind the procession, with Yu Xingchen beside her, looking envious.
“Envious?”
Yu Xingchen nodded.
Chi Wan snorted lightly. “The old Princess Consort has been urging you to marry for a long time. She’s even asked Her Majesty to issue an imperial decree for a marriage. You know that Her Majesty won’t decree a marriage unless the two are in love. But if the old Princess Consort keeps coming to cry, then it’s hard to say.”
It was because of this that Yu Xingchen had escaped that fate.
Thinking of her mother’s pressure to marry, Yu Xingchen’s face fell. “Then what should I do?”
Yu Xingchen was twenty-six or twenty-seven this year, which was considered late for marriage in ancient times. After thirty, some people would even call themselves old. The old Princess Consort would probably cry even harder.
So, to prevent the old Princess Consort from coming to cry, Yu Jiuzhou might really just decree a random marriage.
“You figure something out,” Chi Wan said with a raised eyebrow. Did she expect her to set her up on a blind date?
Her gaze fell on Xia Qu up ahead. Thinking about the look in Yu Xingchen’s eyes just now, a thought formed in her mind: could it be that Yu Xingchen likes Xia Qu?
She had felt that way just now, but she wasn’t so sure.
Should she ask?
But if it was Xia Qu, a woman even more straightforward than Yu Jiuzhou, then Yu Xingchen was truly in for it.
Then she heard Yu Xingchen say, “I want to get married too, but the person I like doesn’t like me.”
“Who do you like?” Chi Wan asked without turning her head.
“Uh…” Yu Xingchen shook her head awkwardly. “No one, no one.”
“Tsk. I’m going to find Her Majesty. You keep an eye on the wedding. If anyone makes any idle remarks, beat them up first and ask questions later.”
Yu Jiuzhou was the emperor and had many official duties every day. She might attend the ceremony, but she wouldn’t be here this early.
Yu Xingchen nodded quickly. “Don’t worry, Sister. I’ll definitely protect Sister Chun Gui.”
This one really called everyone ‘sister.’ No, wait, she had never heard her call Xia Qu that. It really fit that saying: the younger one who doesn’t call you ‘sister’ has a wild heart.
Chi Wan thought of Xia Qu’s habit of kicking Yu Xingchen. Could this one be a masochist?
She strode toward the imperial study. She had to talk to Yu Jiuzhou about this. It wasn’t that she was against the two of them, but the old Princess Consort’s destructive power was too great. If the old Princess Consort found out about Yu Xingchen’s feelings, there was no telling what kind of scene she would make.
She had to give Yu Jiuzhou a heads-up in advance, so she wouldn’t be completely in the dark and say something she shouldn’t.
Yu Xingchen was being too obvious. Even she could see it. The old Princess Consort was old and shrewd; it was unlikely she couldn’t see anything.
After all, the old Princess Consort was now bypassing her own daughter and going directly to Yu Jiuzhou to cry. If the emperor decreed a marriage, what could Yu Xingchen do?
