Lian Erye in the Red Mansion

The next day, before dawn, Wang Xifeng, Ping'er, and others respectfully saw Jia Lian off.

Upon reaching the stables in the east courtyard, as she watched Jia Lian mount his horse, Wang Xifeng, who had been holding back her tears for a long time, finally let them fall.

To avoid embarrassing herself in front of the servants, she forced a stern expression and said to Zhao'er and the other attendants, "Be more attentive when you're out there. Remember to remind your second master of things he hasn't considered."

Protect your second master well, and everyone will be richly rewarded when he returns safely!

Upon hearing this, Zhao'er, Zhang Yong, and the others immediately pounded their chests loudly.

Zhang Yong and several others knelt down on one knee and swore an oath in the manner of family retainers: "Second Madam, rest assured, as long as we have a life left, we will definitely protect Second Master's safety."

Anyone who wants to harm Second Master will have to step over our corpses.

"We swear to protect Second Master with our lives!"

Apart from Zhang Yong and a few others, the two rows of personal guards standing on the side were all complete greenhorns.

Seeing the arrogance and status of Zhang Yong, Feng Fei, and others after returning from Jia Lian's military campaign, they were all filled with excitement and enthusiasm.

Therefore, upon seeing Zhang Yong and the others' actions, they immediately knelt down in unison and shouted, "We swear to protect Second Master to the death!!"

They were all young men full of energy, and their sudden, unified roar had a powerful, overwhelming force.

The sound carried far and wide, waking countless people still fast asleep in both prefectures.

Wang Xifeng was also somewhat shocked by the scene before her. Fortunately, she was very composed and did not show any fear.

He was secretly surprised. How come these good-for-nothing lads, who used to be lazy and idle, all changed so much after becoming his soldiers?

Seeing their high spirits and the fact that they were kneeling before her alone, Wang Xifeng suddenly felt an indescribable sense of exhilaration.

Sure enough, this is the status and demeanor a general's wife should have.

Looking at Qingwen and the others beside her, no matter how favored they usually were, they could only stand obediently to the side, watching helplessly as she received the grand salute from Jia Lian's guards.

Not to mention them, even Madam Xing at this moment could not compare to her radiance. She had been startled just now and couldn't help but take a step back.

Fortunately, I didn't do what she did, otherwise wouldn't I have embarrassed Jia Lian?

"Alright, mount up, get ready to go."

At Jia Lian's command, everyone rose and mounted their horses in one swift motion, quickly forming a small cavalry unit.

Jia Lian cupped his hands in greeting to Madam Xing, then nodded to Wang Xifeng and the others. Having said all he needed to say, he turned his horse around and rode out of the east courtyard.

Then, twenty or thirty riders followed one after another. The horses galloped down the long street, creating a series of thunderous hooves.

The sound reached Ningguo Mansion.

In the brightly lit bedroom, Lady You, who had risen early because she couldn't sleep, stroked her slightly swollen belly with one hand, feeling the fresh breath inside, and murmured:

"Come back soon, we're all waiting for you..."

……

The marriage of a princess to a foreign ruler is a major diplomatic undertaking, enough to attract attention from the court and the public, and even cause the whole country to celebrate.

A huge platform for sending off the bride had already been set up in front of the Meridian Gate.

All personnel involved in the rehearsals of etiquette and music, as well as those related to the envoys and brides, took their places under the arrangement of the Court of State Ceremonial.

At the hour of Mao (5-7 AM), civil and military officials, members of the imperial family, and other dignitaries all lined up in formation, making the scene even more grand, majestic, and spectacular.

The Fairy Tree Romance

Before long, the princes, led by the crown prince, slowly arrived.

Beside the Crown Prince, besides the Third Prince, the Fourth Prince, and the close attendants who usually stayed by his side, there was also a tall, broad-shouldered young man.

Judging from his appearance, he could be considered handsome, which fits the aesthetic standards of the Central Plains. However, his slightly awkward demeanor and the fact that he had more hair on his face than the people of the Central Plains made everyone present guess that he was probably the third prince of the Oirat.

Yes, he will marry the eldest princess and win the heart of the beauty.

Therefore, many young people look at him with a hint of hostility.

Jia Lian glanced at it and then looked away.

Unexpectedly, after the Crown Prince and the Oirat prince had a brief chat, their gaze turned toward the wedding delegation.

The focus naturally fell on Jia Lian, who was in charge.

The crown prince then led the Oirat prince and others over.

"Greetings, Your Highness the Crown Prince."

Upon seeing the Crown Prince approaching, Jia Lian immediately straightened his posture and took the lead in bowing.

The Crown Prince nodded, then turned to the Oirat prince beside him and introduced him: "This is Jia Lian, a renowned talent of our Great Wei, a second-rank General Zhenyuan. He is also the envoy responsible for escorting our Great Wei princess to marry the Oirat."

"This is the third prince of the Oirat royal court," the crown prince introduced Jia Lian.

"So it's General Jia, I've heard so much about you."

This Oirat prince was half a head taller than Jia Lian, and he looked rather imposing.

However, he acted very modestly and even enthusiastically. After hearing the Crown Prince's introduction, he even clasped his hands in a salute to Jia Lian before Jia Lian could do so.

"I dare not... greet the Third Prince." Jia Lian returned the greeting with clasped hands. But his gaze couldn't help but scrutinize the Oirat prince's eyes.

To be fair, if he wanted his trip to go smoothly, he should have gone to pay his respects to the Oirat prince earlier.

Not to curry favor, but simply to coordinate things along the way, we should get to know each other first.

However, like many other talented young people, he harbored a natural hostility towards this Oirat prince.

Moreover, Jia Lian knew that this Oirat prince was fluent in Chinese and seemed quite capable. In the few months since he came to the capital, he had gained a very good reputation!

Therefore, Jia Lian would naturally suspect that this Oirat prince might know that Princess Zhaoyang almost married him.

Putting yourself in his shoes, this Oirat prince probably wouldn't have any good feelings towards him either.

He did not go to pay his respects, and the Oirat prince seemed to be culturally inept, showing no intention of contacting him whatsoever.

Therefore, it was only today that he met this Oirat prince for the first time.

"I just spoke with the Third Prince and learned that he has not yet met you, so I am making a special effort to introduce you two."

"This journey is long and arduous, and you two will need to coordinate and look after each other. Once our Great Wei and the Oirat have successfully formed a marriage alliance and become forever united, you two will be the greatest contributors!"

The crown prince said with a smile.

Jia Lian respectfully agreed, and the Oirat prince also nodded with a smile. Due to time constraints, the Minister of Rites had already taken a long speech to the stage to prepare for praising the emperor, so the parties exchanged a few polite words and then went their separate ways.

The Minister of Rites' pronouncements about the enlightened and mighty Wei imperial family, the prosperous and peaceful people, the vast territory and strong military, and the fact that the marriage alliance with the Oirat was a matter of life and death, and that there would be no regrets for a hundred years, were utterly meaningless.

Only a very few people listened with great enthusiasm and excitement.

After a sluggish half-hour, the Minister of Rites finally finished his speech amidst the curses of countless people.

After waiting for an unknown amount of time, the emperor finally appeared.

After the elaborate rituals, a eunuch summoned Jia Lian to the stage.

"Your humble servant greets Your Majesty."

"Rise."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Jia Lian stood up and saw that Emperor Ningkang, who was sitting on the dragon throne, actually stood up and slowly walked down.

Jia Lian's expression became even more respectful.

Emperor Ningkang looked Jia Lian up and down, and seeing his tall and handsome figure and extraordinary demeanor, he sighed inwardly.

As expected, the men of my Great Wei are still the most pleasing to the eye. Just now, the Oirat prince stepped forward to pay his respects as his prospective son-in-law, which made him feel quite uncomfortable.

If this kid hadn't disobeyed the Empress Dowager's orders back then, he would probably be my son-in-law by now!

Since things had come to this point, Emperor Ningkang's expression turned serious, and he said in a deep voice, "I entrust the princess's safety to you on this trip."

You must ensure that Zhaoyang is safely delivered to the Oirat royal court!

"Your Majesty, I obey your decree and will certainly not fail in your trust!"

Nodding, Emperor Ningkang turned and walked back, waving slightly at Dai Quan beside him.

Dai Quan understood and loudly proclaimed: "Bestow upon Jia Lian, Second-Class General of Zhenyuan and Envoy of the Wedding Procession, a sword from the Imperial Workshop!"

At Dai Quan's voice, a young eunuch bent over and presented a finely crafted sword.

Jia Lian didn't even have time to examine it closely. He took it with both hands, held it above his head, and bowed to Emperor Ningkang again, saying, "Your subject Jia Lian thanks Your Majesty and will certainly not fail Your Majesty's great favor!"

The legendary imperial sword is finally in my hands.

Although this thing wasn't a particularly rare item in ancient times. For example, according to the current dynasty's precedent, whenever an imperial envoy was ordered to leave the capital for special matters, he would generally receive a sword representing imperial power from the Shangfangsi (Imperial Workshop).

The authority associated with a sword varies depending on its design.

The weapon in his hand was merely average, far from the legendary weapon that could strike down a tyrannical ruler or execute a treacherous minister.

But for some reason, even he, holding this thing in his hands, felt as if he were holding supreme imperial power. Most of his worries about the upcoming trip to Wala vanished instantly!

Although the object is inanimate, it is endowed with supreme authority.

When Jia Lian returned to the delegation with the imperial sword bestowed by the emperor, he could clearly see that the way people looked at him was different.

Jealousy? Envy? Fear?

It is not possible to discuss each one individually.

With everything in place and the time auspicious, music and dance began.

Everyone looked over at the sound.

A magnificent and ornate phoenix palanquin, over ten feet in length and width, slowly emerged from the central gate.

Before and after it were long processions.

The procession consisted of a large number of palace maids and eunuchs. Some carried banners, some held precious fans, some carried golden pots, and some carried chests and boxes.

The imperial carriage paused briefly as it passed in front of the platform.

It seems to be a final farewell to Princess Zhaoyang, who is behind the gauze curtain.

But she didn't come down.

This left many who had hoped to catch a last glimpse of Prince Zhaoyang's golden face feeling deeply regretful.

……

The streets leading from the Imperial City to the West Gate were strictly controlled by the Military Command.

Only a very narrow area was left on both sides of the road for the people of the capital to watch the ceremony.

The princess's marriage to a foreign ruler was a joyous occasion that only happened once every ten years, so everyone who knew about it arrived early at the place where the princess was to be married, found a good spot, and watched the excitement.

Even those who didn't know beforehand joined in the fun after hearing such a commotion.

Jia Lian led a thousand soldiers to clear the way. Not far from the imperial city, they saw a sea of ​​people.

Not only on both sides of the street, but also on the nearby attics and high points in the distance, countless eyes were watching and cheering.

Jia Lian couldn't take in all the different figures at a glance. He thought to himself, "Perhaps my sisters at home, or even my own women, are among them?"

Unfortunately, he couldn't find them all.

As the envoy escorting the bride, he needed to maintain the best posture and etiquette at this moment.

Upon reaching the city gate, the procession paused.

The prince and his entourage only accompanied the bride to this point.

The fourth prince, on the other hand, arrived with a group of his personal guards, traveling light and simply, clearly indicating that he had obtained the emperor's permission to leave the capital.

As for where he intended to send him, even Jia Lian didn't know.

The fourth prince seemed to be in a bad mood, and he wasn't his usual cheerful self, so Jia Lian didn't go over and risk making a fool of himself.

……

"Here it comes!"

On a familiar hillside in the western suburbs.

Zhi Neng'er opened her eyes wide and stared straight in the direction of the capital.

Suddenly, dense spots appeared on the distant road, and more and more of them appeared. Faint music could be heard coming from them. Zhi Neng'er immediately shouted excitedly.

Behind her, on the slightly leveled ground, stood a low wooden table.

On the table sat an incense burner and a few scattered writing implements.

Facing due south, the maid held up a paper umbrella.

Beneath the umbrella, a woman, as pure and flawless as jade, sat gracefully at the table, pen in hand, her brows furrowed as she sketched the landscape before her.

It was Miaoyu.

Knowing that Jia Lian would be leaving the capital from this place today, she arrived here with her servants at dawn.

Bored with waiting, I happened to see a beautiful sunrise here, so I ordered my servants to go back to Muni Monastery to fetch writing brushes, ink, paper and inkstones.

Unfortunately, even though the maids and others ran themselves ragged, by the time they brought the items back, most of the beautiful scenery had already vanished.

Helpless, he could only turn to describing the pastoral scenery in the north.

I had already painted several pictures, but my desire for perfection led me to find none of them satisfactory.

She was frowning slightly when she heard Zhi Neng'er's report. She immediately put down her pen and stood up from the stool.

As soon as I stepped out of the shade of the paper umbrella, my fair skin felt the warmth of the sun.

He hesitated for a moment, then turned around, took the paper umbrella from the maid, and came to Zhi Neng'er's side, looking up at her.

Sure enough, it was him.

But with such a long distance and so many people, how can we be sure who he is?

"It's a pity we can't see where Second Master is."

Intelligent let out a helpless sigh, then turned to ask, "Girl, did you see it?"

Calling her "Miss" instead of "Master" was Miaoyu's instruction, and Zhineng dared not disobey.

Ignoring Zhi Neng'er, although she didn't see her beloved, the feeling of knowing he was right in front of her but not being able to find him suddenly nourished her heart like a spring of water.

Miaoyu took a deep breath, looked away, and walked back to her painting table.

Miaoyu handed the paper umbrella back to the maid, picked up her brush, and with a few strokes, completed a long scroll.

The painting depicts the sun and mountains, as well as a long line of cars.

Although it was only a few more spots and figures that made the faces unclear compared to the previous drafts, Miaoyu was very satisfied.

"Girl, the person is nowhere to be seen."

"Um."

Miaoyu nodded, and without any haste, she inscribed her name on the scroll, composed a poem, and then rolled it up and put it away.

He got up and glanced at the road in the distance, thinking to himself that with their speed, anyone could catch up with them.

I just wonder if that person can discern her true feelings from this painting...