The Red Chamber begins with a bastard

Chapter 654: Your Majesty’s Message
Meanwhile, after Jia Huan left the princess's residence and returned to the second gate, Ahemaiti, the envoy from Hami Kingdom who was welcoming the bride, was waiting suspiciously. When he saw Jia Huan come out, his eyes darted around, and he stepped forward to ask tentatively, "Envoy Jia, what are Her Highness's orders?"

Jia Huan glanced at the man and feigned surprise, saying, "Why do you say that, envoy? I have not seen Her Highness the Princess."

"Huh? If it wasn't Her Highness the Princess who summoned him, why did Jia Huan take so long to go in?" Ahemaiti stared at Jia Huan, seemingly trying to glean some clues from the other's expression.

Jia Huan explained nonchalantly, "Just now, a few ignorant palace servants were arguing and fighting over some trivial matter. Duan Zhongshi was busy and couldn't spare the time, so I took care of it for him. That's why it took a little time. Please forgive me, Your Excellency."

Ahemaiti said with some doubt, "I see. Then these servants are indeed too ignorant. Today is the auspicious day of the princess's marriage."

As the two were talking, Duan Yong strode out from the second gate, calling out loudly, "Her Highness the Princess is out! Prepare to welcome her!"

Ahemaiti immediately straightened his clothes and looked into the second gate. He saw four strong women carrying a lavishly decorated sedan chair through the bright lights. Thirty-six elegantly dressed palace maids led the way, some carrying flower baskets, some holding ruyi scepters, some carrying guqin, some carrying golden basins, and some carrying jade vases. They were all graceful and beautiful, and Baochai, Xiangling, and Ying'er were among them.

Xue Baochai was naturally beautiful. Even though she was dressed as a palace maid, she still couldn't hide her dignified and elegant temperament. Her face was like the moon, her eyes were like apricots, her lips were red without lipstick, her eyebrows were green without makeup, and her teeth were white and her eyes were bright. She was as beautiful as if she had been painted. In fashionable terms, she had a face that looked like a picture of peace and prosperity. She was the most beautiful woman in the world, and she was also gentle and kind.

Ahemaiti's eyes lit up. He thought to himself, if the quality of these maids accompanying the bride is so high, how beautiful must Princess Kangle in the sedan chair be?
"Jia Huan, by imperial decree, respectfully welcomes Princess Kangle to her new home." Jia Huan bowed as he approached the sedan chair.

Ahmaiti quickly patted his chest and bowed in greeting: "Ahmaiti, the wedding envoy of Hami Kingdom, is here by order of the King of Hami to respectfully welcome Her Highness the Princess of the Upper Kingdom."

"You two wedding envoys, no need for formalities!" Lin Daiyu's familiar voice came from the sedan chair, gentle and graceful with a touch of the beauty of the Jiangnan region. It made Ahemaiti's heart itch like a cat, and he couldn't wait to go forward and lift the sedan curtain to see her beautiful face.

Jia Huan frowned slightly. Although Ahemaiti concealed it well, he still keenly caught a fleeting glimpse of eagerness in the other's eyes.

When Jia Huan first met Ahemaiti, he felt that the guy was up to no good. There seemed to be something hidden in his shifty eyes. Now it seemed to confirm this. Could it be that this guy really had evil intentions?
Before Jia Huan could think it through, the master of ceremonies announced, "Please, Your Highness, move your carriage to Fengtian Gate."

Eunuch Duan carefully lifted the sedan curtain, and Zijuan helped Lin Daiyu down from the sedan and onto a palanquin pulled by sixteen horses. Because she was wearing a red veil, Ahemaiti couldn't see Lin Daiyu's true face and was greatly disappointed.

As Lin Daiyu boarded the sixteen-horse palanquin, the master of ceremonies was about to order the music to begin the journey when a head popped out of the palanquin window. It was Zijuan, her personal attendant, who was just as beautiful as a flower. She beckoned to Jia Huan and said, "Huan... Jia Huan, please come here for a moment."

Jia Huan quickly dismounted and walked to the carriage, leaning close to the window and whispering, "What are your orders, Your Highness?"

"Huan Di, I'm suddenly a little nervous, my heart is beating so fast, what should I do?" Lin Daiyu whispered through the curtains.

Jia Huan glanced at Eunuch Duan, who was watching them like a thief, and whispered to comfort her, "Sister Lin, don't be nervous, I'll take care of everything. Why don't you let Sister Bao come to the carriage and keep you company for a while?"

Although Lin Daiyu was proud and talented, she was still only a seventeen-year-old young lady. The thought of bidding farewell to the emperor in front of the Fengtian Hall in front of everyone, and embarking on the journey to Hami for a marriage alliance, a journey of six thousand miles with an uncertain future, made her a little nervous. However, hearing Jia Huan's confident words, she felt inexplicably calmed down and softly hummed in agreement, saying, "Alright!"

At this moment, Eunuch Duan finally couldn't help but come over. He was really worried. After all, Jia Huan had once defied the imperial decree for the sake of Princess Kangle in the imperial carriage. He even dared not marry a real royal princess, which made the emperor furious and led to this marriage alliance with Hami. His task was to keep a close eye on this kid and make sure he didn't cause any trouble on the way to the wedding.

"What are your orders, Your Highness?" Duan Yong stopped Jia Huan and asked with an unfriendly expression.

Jia Huan didn't mince words and said directly, "The princess is about to have an audience with the emperor. It's her first time meeting the emperor, so she's bound to be a little nervous. She'd like Baochai to accompany her in the carriage."

Duan Yong frowned slightly. The request wasn't excessive or out of line, but he was still a little annoyed because Princess Kangle could have just approached him directly; there was no need to go through Jia Huan, the marriage envoy.

"Eunuch Duan, it's getting late. It takes about 15 minutes to get to Fengtian Gate from here," Jia Huan said calmly.

Duan Yong's expression darkened slightly. He turned and walked to Xue Baochai, instructing her, "Go and serve the princess in the carriage."

Xue Baochai gave a slight curtsy, then turned and boarded the imperial carriage.

Duan Yong then coldly said to Jia Huan, "This is not the Jia family home, and there are no Sister Bao or Sister Lin here. Envoy Jia, you must be careful. Furthermore, the Emperor has already shown great mercy by not losing his head for disobeying the imperial decree. Do not make the same mistake again and fail to live up to the Emperor's grace. As long as you return home safely after this trip, with your talent, you will surely still have a great opportunity to use your abilities. Remember this well!"

Jia Huan glanced at Eunuch Duan with surprise, gave a slight bow, turned around and returned to his mount, then mounted it.

Duan Yong also mounted his horse, and the wedding procession headed towards the imperial city with music and fanfare, arriving at Fengtian Gate about half an hour later.

At this moment, the first rays of dawn were already appearing on the horizon. A cold morning breeze swept across the land. Colorful flags fluttered in front of Fengtian Gate, and palace guards stood in rows, majestic and imposing. Civil and military officials lined up in two rows in the square beneath the imperial throne, solemn and dignified.

As the sun rose, Emperor Qiansheng's imperial carriage arrived as scheduled. He ascended the steps to the throne amidst the prostrations of his officials, while Prince Qing, Xu Wenye, and Prince Min, Xu Wenhou, stood on either side of the throne.

For reasons unknown, Emperor Qiansheng recently issued an edict ordering Prince Qing and Prince Min to attend court together to listen to government affairs, but made no mention of establishing a crown prince, leaving the officials somewhat bewildered and speculating.

"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"

After all the officials had performed the three bows and nine kowtows ceremony, Emperor Qiansheng raised his hand and said calmly, "All of you, rise. Summon Princess Kangle."

Chen Ju, the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, immediately stepped forward with a whisk in hand and announced loudly, "Summon Princess Kangle to an audience!"

The imperial guards shouted in unison, "Summon Princess Kang Le to an audience!" A moment later, Jia Huan and Duan Yong led Princess Kang Le and her entourage toward the steps of the Fengtian Hall. Lin Daiyu, dressed in a phoenix coronet and embroidered robe, her face veiled, was supported by Baochai and Zijuan, with several palace maids carrying her long skirt behind her, instantly becoming the focus of the entire audience.

Lin Daiyu walked up to the imperial throne and gracefully bowed. Emperor Qiansheng said with a gentle smile, "Princess Kangle, rise!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Lin Daiyu stood up with the help of Baochai and Zijuan, and Jia Huan and the others also took the opportunity to stand up.

When Emperor Qiansheng saw Baochai standing beside Lin Daiyu, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes. Prince Qing, Xu Wenye, standing beside the throne, was slightly lost in thought, thinking to himself, "This palace maid's appearance and temperament are so outstanding. It's such a pity that she's going to Hami as part of her dowry!"

Emperor Qiansheng felt a pang of regret, but the die was cast. He couldn't afford to lose face and hastily replace her with another woman, taking her into his harem. So he coughed lightly and said, "I consider the well-being of the nation, and all the people of the world are my subjects. Although the border regions are guarded by strong armies, I believe that for lasting peace, a marriage alliance is the best policy. Those small western kingdoms also possess unique cultures and brave people. Princess Kangle is exceptionally beautiful and well-mannered. If she were to marry into Hami, she would surely convey my goodwill and promote exchange and integration between the two countries. Therefore, such a marriage alliance benefits the present and future generations. My subjects should understand my intentions, unite as one, and create a prosperous era!"

As soon as Emperor Qiansheng finished speaking, all the civil and military officials immediately knelt down and shouted in unison, "Your Majesty is wise!"

Emperor Qiansheng's gaze then "kindly" fell on Lin Daiyu, and he said in a gentle tone: "Princess Kangle, your father, Lord Lin, was a man of great learning and talent, a man of great talent and integrity, a man of unwavering loyalty, who devoted himself to the country. It is a pity that he died young. I am deeply saddened by the loss of my right-hand man, and I am always heartbroken."

Hami may be a small country, but it is a friendly vassal state of our Great Jin. King Baiwa of Hami is young and promising, outstanding and extraordinary, knowledgeable in etiquette, loyal and filial, and has always admired the culture of our Celestial Empire. He is a good match for me!
"I hereby bestow upon you the title of Princess Kangle, and send you to marry in Hami. I believe that with your virtue, you will surely influence the people of that land, like warm sunshine illuminating a cold and barren land, bringing my goodwill and lasting peace to the people of both nations. Thus, the timeless tales of Princess Wencheng's journey to Tibet and Wang Zhaojun's departure to the border will be repeated."

Lin Daiyu listened to Emperor Qiansheng's high-sounding words, but inside she felt extremely disgusted. Fortunately, she was wearing a veil and could not see Emperor Qiansheng's hypocritical face, otherwise she might have vomited on the spot.

Seeing that Lin Daiyu was still standing there blankly, without kneeling down to express her gratitude and loyalty, the eunuch Duan Yong became secretly anxious. He then secretly winked at Xue Baochai and Zijuan next to Lin Daiyu.

Xue Baochai was secretly sweating at this moment. She held Lin Daiyu's hand and gestured to her, and the latter then bowed and said, "The orphan of the Lin family thanks Your Majesty for your great favor!"

Duan Yong felt a buzzing in his head, and a layer of cold sweat seeped out from his back. The scene was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.

Everyone knows that being made a princess and sent to Hami for a political marriage, although seemingly glamorous, is actually a miserable job. Otherwise, why not use a minister's daughter instead of a real member of the royal family? Moreover, the last princess sent to Hami for a political marriage was also Qi Wanruo, the daughter of minister Qi Qin, who has now passed away.

Although Lin Daiyu expressed her gratitude, her tone was flat, and she did not make any grand pronouncements of loyalty. She even referred to herself as "the orphan of the Lin family," which was quite ironic and highlighted Emperor Qiansheng's hypocrisy and ingratitude.

Unsurprisingly, Emperor Qiansheng's expression immediately turned cold on his throne, and Jia Huan's heart leaped into his throat. Fortunately, in this situation, although Emperor Qiansheng was furious, he could not lash out on the spot. In the end, he could only suppress his anger and nodded, saying, "Princess Kangle, rise. Summon the envoy from Hami Kingdom to welcome the bride."

Chen Ju, the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, quickly flicked his whisk and shouted, "Summon the envoy from Hami Kingdom to pay homage!"

Soon, Ahmaiti was brought forward, knelt down and bowed, saying, "Ahmaiti, the envoy from Hami Kingdom to welcome the bride, pays his respects to the Emperor of the Supreme Kingdom!"

Emperor Qiansheng raised his hand slightly and said, "Rise, envoy. Princess Kangle is of pure and kind nature, dignified appearance, knowledgeable and courteous. Now that she is marrying into Hami, you must ensure that Baiwa treats her well. If the princess suffers even the slightest grievance, I will not allow it, nor will the millions of people of my Great Jin."

Ahmaiti immediately made a solemn promise and expressed his loyalty, after which Emperor Qiansheng said, "I hereby bestow the marriage decree!"

"Jia Huan, the envoy escorting the bride, step forward!" Chen Ju announced loudly.

Jia Huan walked forward without looking to the side, knelt down on the imperial steps, and received the marriage certificate, also known as the birth chart, from Zhao Mingcheng, the Minister of Rites. The chart contained Lin Daiyu's birth year and date.

"This is Princess Kangle's marriage certificate. Envoy Jia, you must keep it safe and personally deliver it to the King of Hami. At that time, you must not disgrace the imperial majesty of our Great Jin Emperor, nor fail to uphold the etiquette of our superior nation. Remember this well!" Zhao Mingcheng looked at Jia Huan meaningfully.

"Jia Huan will certainly not fail the Emperor's command!" Jia Huan lowered his eyes and bowed his head, holding the marriage certificate.

Emperor Qiansheng nodded slightly.

Prince Qing, Xu Wenye, sitting beside the throne, had a mocking smile on his lips. He had heard that this kid had defied the imperial decree and refused to become the emperor's son-in-law, which had angered his father and led to his punishment. Now, he finally knew to bow his head and submit? Unfortunately, it was too late. He could only swallow the bitter pill and personally send his beloved woman to that small border country for a political marriage.

On the other side, Prince Min, Xu Wenhou, cast a worried look at Jia Huan. Based on his understanding of Jia Huan, he knew that the boy would not easily back down and was afraid that he would cause some trouble on this trip. But what could Jia Huan do to turn the tide?
Jia Huan put away the marriage certificate, and Lin Daiyu, supported by Baochai and others, was about to leave the court. Suddenly, a gust of wind blew her veil off, and Zijuan hurriedly picked it up and put it back on her.

Although it was only a fleeting glimpse, Lin Daiyu's unparalleled beauty still amazed everyone present. Ahemaiti was even more dumbfounded, just like Xue Pan back then, who was so captivated that he couldn't even walk.

"So this Lin family woman is truly stunningly beautiful, possessing all the beauty and charm of heaven and earth. No wonder Jia Ziming was willing to defy the imperial decree for her. Tsk tsk, even heroes can't resist the charms of a beautiful woman!" The ministers present couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

Emperor Qiansheng was already feeling sorry for Xue Baochai, but now, seeing Lin Daiyu's beauty, he felt that none of the beauties in his harem could compare to her. He suddenly understood why Emperor Yuan of Han, after seeing Wang Zhaojun's true appearance, was so angry that he beheaded the court painter and had him displayed in the marketplace.

After they boarded the imperial carriage again and left the capital, Xue Baochai finally breathed a sigh of relief and said with lingering fear, "I was almost scared to death by you, Daiyu, how dare you talk like that."

Xue Baochai was referring to the time when Lin Daiyu subtly mocked Emperor Qiansheng during the Emperor's farewell speech.

Lin Daiyu patted her chest lightly and said, "Sister Bao, you don't know, I was just being quick-witted at the time, but I was actually quite scared afterwards. Luckily, everyone was watching, and that person still cared about his reputation, otherwise it would have been terrible!"

Xue Baochai sighed inwardly. Well, things have come to this. Hopefully, nothing more will happen and cause trouble for Huan-ge.

(End of this chapter)