Married By Decree
Married By Decree – Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Xu Duanyi didn’t know that Cao Da had arrived; she was still busy in the kitchen.

Holding the menu handed to her by the palace servant in charge, Xu Duanyi read it while slowly speaking to those around her. “Aunt has been a bit irritable these past two days. This braised lamb should not be served, as it might aggravate the heat. Let’s replace it with a lighter fish soup.”

“Also, add a dish of crispy yellow bean curd. Aunt loves this, and make sure to drizzle it with the new osmanthus sauce from the autumn harvest.”

The palace servant in charge had no objection.

She immediately agreed with a respectful tone.

Relieved, the servant complimented Xu Duanyi, “It’s fortunate that you’re here, Your Highness. Otherwise, if we sent this food without your guidance, we might have upset the Empress Dowager.”

Xu Duanyi smiled.

“Aunt already does enough,” she said as she handed the red lacquered menu back.

The servant quickly bowed and took the menu from her.

“I’ll follow your instructions and have the dishes prepared,” she said, then added, “The kitchen smells of heavy oils and meats. Your Highness should return to the Empress Dowager to avoid absorbing the smell. If the Empress Dowager knows, she will surely worry.”

Xu Duanyi nodded, stood up, and walked outside.

The palace attendant bent low, personally accompanying her out.

She had been with Empress Dowager Zhao Yu for many years, so in the palace, who wouldn’t show her some respect? Even when meeting the new emperor, she wouldn’t be treated with such great deference.

But Princess Jia Shun was different.

If not for the passing of Crown Prince Wen Zhao, the one in charge of the imperial harem would have been this very princess.

The people in the palace were perceptive.

If their mistress valued someone, they naturally had to show that person more respect.

Since the passing of Crown Prince Wen Zhao, Empress Dowager Zhao Yu only had Princess Jia Shun by her side, and she was the only one who could still sway the Empress Dowager.

Moreover, across the entire empire, only this noble lady could persuade the Empress Dowager. Therefore, the palace attendants all held great respect for this princess, hoping that one day they could get her help with a request.

“The snow is falling and the road is slippery, Your Highness, please be careful.”

“How about I send someone to fetch a palanquin for you, so you won’t have to walk and get your shoes and socks wet?”

“No need, it’s only a few steps,” Xu Duanyi gently declined.

The palace attendant didn’t insist upon hearing this.

Bixi was waiting outside.

She was holding Xu Duanyi’s white fox fur cloak.

It had been dampened by the wind and snow earlier, so she had used a heater to warm it up. Now, seeing Xu Duanyi come out, Bixi hurried forward, carefully helping her put it on, and also handed her the hand warmer wrapped in Shu brocade to prevent her from catching a cold.

The palace attendant, seeing her, politely greeted, “Miss Bixi.”

Bixi nodded in return and greeted, “Aunt Fang.”

Xu Duanyi had two close maids, Bixi and Shiyu, both of whom had followed her into the palace since they were young, so their bond was naturally different.

Knowing how much Xu Duanyi valued them, the people in the palace also treated them with great respect.

Bixi then supported Xu Duanyi out of the small kitchen.

The snow was still falling.

Bixi walked alongside Xu Duanyi, holding the umbrella over her.

Xu Duanyi motioned for her to move a bit closer so she wouldn’t get soaked by the heavy snow.

Bixi smiled and complied.

The two of them walked side by side.

As they had just exited the small kitchen, and with no one else around, Bixi informed Xu Duanyi of the news she had heard earlier: “Mistress, Eunuch Cao has come.”

Xu Duanyi furrowed her brows. “What does he want in such cold weather?”

“I heard it’s about the engagement between Miss Baozhu and the Prince of Nanan, but…” Before Bixi could finish, a voice suddenly called from ahead, “Princess.”

Upon hearing this voice, Bixi immediately stopped speaking.

Xu Duanyi also glanced up through the umbrella, looking in the direction of the voice.

Not far away, Cao Da, wearing a gray squirrel fur cloak and holding a heater, was being shielded by a young eunuch holding an umbrella. He was walking toward them through the snow.

The young eunuchs around him were almost turned into snowmen, while Cao Da’s body remained untouched by the wind and snow.

This chief eunuch, who had managed the inner court for many years, was now almost fifty, and the little bit of hair he had left had turned gray.

A smile tugged at his lips, giving him an appearance of being approachable.

However, Xu Duanyi didn’t think he was an easy person to talk to. Anyone who knew who he was wouldn’t think that either.

“Master Cao.”

Xu Duanyi greeted him politely.

Cao Da smiled and walked over to speak with Xu Duanyi. “I hadn’t seen Your Highness earlier and thought I wouldn’t be able to greet you today. On such a cold day, where could Your Highness have gone?”

Xu Duanyi responded, “My aunt hasn’t had much of an appetite lately, so I went to the small kitchen to check today’s menu.”

After hearing this, Cao Da sighed. “No wonder the Empress Dowager dotes on you so much, like you’re her own flesh and blood.”

“But Your Highness need not worry, the matters troubling Her Majesty will be resolved soon,” Cao Da said, still smiling at Xu Duanyi.

This smile made Xu Duanyi feel uncomfortable for some reason.

She didn’t want to converse further with Cao Da and was about to excuse herself when she heard him continue with a smile, “It all depends on whether Your Highness is willing to lend a hand.”

“Help?”

Xu Duanyi looked back at Cao Da, frowning in confusion. “I don’t understand what you mean, Master Cao.”

Cao Da smiled and explained, “Her Majesty is concerned about Prince Nan’an’s marriage and had hoped to choose a suitable lady from the noble girls in the capital. But there are very few young women who are of the right age, unmarried, and with a suitable background for Prince Nan’an. So, I’ve recommended Your Highness to Her Majesty…”

“What?”

Bixi, unable to hold herself back, widened her eyes and spoke out.

But Cao Da didn’t look at her; he continued smiling at Xu Duanyi. “Your Highness is of the right age and noble birth. Having you marry Prince Nan’an would be the most appropriate choice.”

“If Your Highness agrees, the foreign officials and the Nan’an Prince’s family will no longer hold any grudges about the possible cancellation of the engagement with the Duke of the Guardian’s family, and they might even praise Her Majesty.”

“By then, the foreign officials will have no more objections, and Her Majesty’s worries will be lifted, so she won’t be troubled anymore.”

Cao Da only said these few words.

Without waiting for Xu Duanyi to respond, he was already preparing to leave.

“I still have many matters to attend to, so I’ll take my leave now.”

With that, he nodded slightly to Xu Duanyi without offering any formal bow, then left with the young eunuchs.

“Master, what should we do?”

Once Cao Da had left and his figure had disappeared, Bixi hurriedly spoke up, “Her Majesty won’t really marry you off to Prince Nan’an, will she?”

Unlike Bixi, who was anxious, Xu Duanyi briefly spaced out but soon regained her composure.

Seeing Bixie’s anxious face, Xu Duanyi still had the mood to joke with her.

“Didn’t you previously want me to marry the Prince of Nan’an?”

“Master!”

Bixie said anxiously, “I thought about it, but didn’t I immediately regret it? The current Prince of Nan’an is not like before. If you really marry him, how will he treat you in the future? What if he makes you suffer?”

“No, this marriage, you cannot accept!”

Thinking about the Prince of Nan’an’s reputation outside the palace, surrounded by his many courtesans and his endless scandals, Bixi felt a headache coming on.

Her head buzzed.

Bixie murmured, “Fortunately, the Empress Dowager loves you. She would never let you marry him. She would never allow it…”

Xu Duanyi didn’t speak.

No one knew the fleeting moment of emotional turmoil she had earlier.

“Let’s go back,” she said.

—-

Outside.

A little eunuch followed Cao Da closely.

The wind and snow were harsh, stinging painfully against the skin.

But the little eunuch didn’t dare tilt the umbrella towards himself even a little. He could only hold the umbrella high, serving this powerful elder in the midst of the cold wind and snow.

“Ancestor, do you think the Empress Dowager will agree?”

After Cao Da was settled into the sedan chair, the little eunuch asked him.

Cao Da sat comfortably in the sedan chair, sheltered from the wind and snow. Hearing the question, he only sneered lightly and said, “Even if she disagrees, our Princess Jia Shun won’t be able to bear seeing her aunt suffer with this headache anymore.”

“Besides—”

Cao Da scoffed, “Our Empress Dowager is as clear as a mirror in her mind. She’s more afraid than I am of the Prince of Nan’an rising again.”

“The little Prince of Nan’an is nothing but a drunken fool. You haven’t seen him lately. He’s no longer the spirited young man he once was.”

“Only his face is still decent.”

“The last time I went out to deliver an imperial decree, oh, the smell of alcohol on him was so strong… I could smell it from far away and couldn’t help but frown.”

The little eunuch spoke with a look of disgust.

It seemed he still smelled the alcohol lingering in his nose, wishing he could fan it away.

“Actually, if you ask me, Ancestor, why bother making the Empress Dowager angry today? Princess Jia Shun is the Empress Dowager’s heart and soul. Even if you really want to investigate the Prince of Nan’an’s household, just like the Empress Dowager said, reward some people, send a few obedient women over, and wouldn’t that be enough?”

“After all, the little Prince of Nan’an is just a drunken fool wrapped in a fine quilt.”

The little eunuch recalled the scene earlier when the Empress Dowager had become angry and thrown her cup. He felt a little frightened.

Cao Da held the hand stove, closing his eyes with a sneer, “What do you understand?”

The little eunuch naturally didn’t understand, and hurriedly replied, “Ancestor, could you enlighten me?”

Cao Da snorted, “Our Empress Dowager has held great power for many years. Her pride has grown, and she’s forgotten the promises she made to our family.”

“By doing this, I am reminding her that our relationship is a partnership, not that I am her servant to be scolded and slapped as she pleases.”

“And secondly…”

The little eunuch waited but didn’t hear the rest of the sentence, so he asked, “Secondly, what?”

Cao Da suddenly opened his eyes and chuckled, “Doesn’t Xu Pingyi hate us lowly servants the most? I want him, and everyone, to know that even we, as servants, can determine fate and control life and death.”

“When he spoke about me to His Majesty the Emperor that day, did he ever think that one day, it would be me who would decide the future of his precious daughter?”

The young eunuch finally understood why the ancestor insisted on marrying the Princess Jia Shun to the King of Nanan. At that moment, he dared not say anything further.

He quickly began to flatter and compliment the ancestor outside.

“What is the Marquis of Wuan even worth? Forget about his daughter, even our Emperor now has to show the utmost respect to the ancestor.”

The snow fell heavier.

Cao Da sat comfortably in the palanquin, feeling quite at ease.

—-

On the other side, Xu Duanyi first returned to her palace to change into a new outfit, then proceeded to the main hall.

She did not have anyone follow her.

Carrying her own umbrella, she walked towards the main hall.

Bixi watched her retreating figure, her brows furrowing in worry.

Shiyu, who was peeling pine nuts nearby, noticed her troubled expression and couldn’t help but ask, “What are you doing? Your face looks as bitter as a bitter melon.”

Bixi turned to look at Shiyu.

She saw her with wide, dark eyes, staring at her in confusion.

Annoyed, Bixi scolded her, “Fool,” and went off to do some needlework by herself.

Shiyu tilted her head, her dark eyes flickering with confusion.

But as she was always straightforward, when Bixi refused to explain, she just shrugged and went back to peeling pine nuts.

She divided the nuts into a few piles: one for herself, one for the mistress, one for herself, and one for Bixi. Heh heh, she was thoroughly enjoying peeling the pine nuts.

Out of the corner of her eye, Bixi noticed Shiyu’s actions, and her headache grew worse. Finally, she turned her face away, choosing to ignore it and avoid feeling bothered.

After all, this matter would depend on the mistress’s own will.

If the mistress didn’t want to marry, no one could force her.

Similarly, if the mistress wanted to marry, no amount of persuasion would be of any use.

She sighed and decided not to think about it any further.

“Your Highness, why did you come here holding your own umbrella?” The palace attendants at the main hall, seeing Xu Duanyi coming with her own umbrella, quickly ran out, dusted off the snow from her fox fur, took the umbrella from her hands, and personally helped her inside.

Xu Duanyi smiled and said, “It’s only a few steps. I didn’t want to bother anyone to accompany me.”

After entering the corridor, she glanced inside but did not see her aunt’s figure, so she asked, “Aunt hasn’t rested yet, has she?”

The palace servant was gathering the umbrellas when she heard the conversation and shook her head, saying, “Not yet, Lord Cao just left.” She lowered her voice and reminded Xu Duanyi, “Earlier, the Empress Dowager got very angry and even threw a teacup.”

Xu Duanyi guessed why her aunt was upset and nodded, “I’ll go inside and take a look.”

After saying that, she went straight into the inner hall.

—-

Inside the hall, the nearly fifty-year-old Empress Dowager, Zhao Yu, was resting with her eyes closed, reclining on the purple sandalwood throne inlaid with jade chrysanthemums by the window.

Her brows were tightly furrowed, and her lips were slightly pursed, clearly showing signs of irritation and frustration.

Standing behind her was Aunt Danfeng, who had been attending to her, gently massaging her temples.

Seeing Xu Duanyi enter, Danfeng was about to greet her, but Xu Duanyi raised her hand to stop her.

Xu Duanyi glanced at her aunt, who still had her eyes closed but was clearly frowning, showing her displeasure.

She softly walked over and switched places with Danfeng.

Danfeng went to pour tea, while Xu Duanyi continued massaging her aunt’s temples.

The Empress Dowager opened her eyes and immediately saw Xu Duanyi behind her. She said, “I knew the pressure wasn’t right.”

After saying that, she sat up and refused to let Xu Duanyi continue massaging.

She held Xu Duanyi’s hand and pulled her to sit beside her, not letting go, keeping her hand warm. “Early this morning, Danfeng told me you went to the small kitchen. Why would you go there on such a cold day? Aren’t you afraid of the cold?”

Xu Duanyi didn’t refuse, smiling as she sat beside her.

“I’ve been staying inside, and since the snow wasn’t too heavy this morning, I decided to take a short walk,” Xu Duanyi said with a gentle smile, her voice soft and soothing. “I had the small kitchen make some crispy yellow dumplings for you, and I specifically told them to add more osmanthus jam.”

Only then did the Empress Dowager show a little smile.

Danfeng, having finished pouring the tea, smiled and added, “The Princess knows what the Empress Dowager likes. With these crispy yellow dumplings, the Empress Dowager will surely eat more at lunch today.”

The Empress Dowager held Xu Duanyi’s hand and smiled, saying, “Zhao Zhao knows me best.”

“Zhao Zhao” was Xu Duanyi’s childhood nickname, given to her by her mother before she passed away. It meant “bright,” wishing for Xu Duanyi to have a bright and smooth life.

But Xu Duanyi’s life had been far from smooth.

She lost her mother at the age of six, and at ten, she was promised to her cousin, Prince Wen Zhao, a marriage that everyone envied. But by the age of eleven, Prince Wen Zhao passed away because he failed to win the emperor’s favor.

Xu Duanyi’s life, though seemingly bright, had been full of setbacks.

That was why the Empress Dowager had given her the title “Jia Shun” when she came of age, hoping to ease the hardships in her life.

They continued talking as they sat together.

The Empress Dowager asked a few questions about lunch but never brought up the matter that Lord Cao had mentioned earlier.

She never intended to discuss it with Xu Duanyi.

Everyone in Shoukang Palace had already been ordered not to mention it to Xu Duanyi.

But she hadn’t expected Xu Duanyi to already know.

“Aunt, I ran into Lord Cao when I came back earlier,” Xu Duanyi suddenly said.

The Empress Dowager’s smile immediately vanished. Her brows furrowed as she looked up, seeing Xu Duanyi’s face, and she realized that Xu Duanyi already knew.

Anger surged back onto her face.

The Empress Dowager scowled and reprimanded, “Eunuch Cao, you scoundrel!”

“You don’t need to worry. I won’t let you suffer like this. My Zhao Zhao, how could she marry such a wastrel?”

She had always treated Zhao Zhao differently.

Even though she feared the Wang family of Nanan and the border army of Jizhou, she would never sell out her own niece!

To her, Zhao Zhao was different.

In addition to the years of companionship, she was the only blood relative her sister left behind in this world.

She had once depended on her sister for survival.

Her sister had even been harmed and violated to protect her.

At that time, she swore she would protect her sister’s honor and give her the best of everything in this world.

Later, when her sister passed away, she took Zhao Zhao in, raised her as her own daughter, and even arranged for her marriage to Qi’er, hoping Qi’er could protect her forever.

Unfortunately, Qi’er’s fate was poor and he left too soon.

After Qi’er’s death, she and Zhao Zhao relied on each other.

Now, in this world, the only person who could soften her heart was Zhao Zhao.

How could she let her marry such a wastrel?

Eunuch Cao was a scoundrel.

She knew perfectly well why he wanted Zhao Zhao to marry Xie Qingya.

Just as she was about to comfort Zhao Zhao, Xu Duanyi suddenly held the Empress Dowager’s hand and spoke before she could.

“Aunt, let me marry him,” Xu Duanyi said.

“I am willing to marry him.”

1 comment
  1. vanillasparrow. has spoken 4 weeks ago

    I love that your chapters are long … thank you for translating. It’s too early to tell if I will like it so I won’t comment about that, yet. But, the FML marrying a scoundrel, even if she like him, will she be happy? It’s better to not marry at all — to be with someone you like that will break your heart day to day >> a drunk + womanizer = bad mix! bad idea! <<

    Reply

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