Chapter 3: A Mistake in the Melody (Part Two)

◎ The Wedding ◎

Yin Xiangru was silent for a long while before saying, “Alian, I see now that you’ve grown up.”

She gently stroked Qu You’s hair, her eyes glistening with tears. “Your father always thought you were delicate, but I’ve always known you to be someone with a mind of your own. If you can find peace in this, then it’s for the best. But as your mother, I still believe you deserve someone better. What if he turns out to be utterly despicable…?”

Qu You calmly responded, “I won’t let myself be taken advantage of, Mother. Please don’t worry.”

She knelt by the bedside and gave Yin Xiangru a respectful bow. Though she had reservations about the ancient practice of kneeling, Yin Xiangru’s teary gaze reminded her of her own mother back in her original world.

Her father had passed away when she was very young—she didn’t even remember his face. Her mother, a busy lawyer who never remarried, had raised her alone. That was why, in her confusion after finishing the college entrance exam, she chose to study law.

Her mother had always been overworked, rarely smiling or speaking much. The only time Qu You saw her cry was when she decided to switch majors for graduate school. She still remembered how cold her mother’s hands felt that day: “If it’s what you want, go ahead. Just know that from now on, I won’t be able to help you anymore.”

She wondered how her mother was doing now.

Looking at Yin Xiangru lying weakly on the bed, Qu You felt a rare pang of sorrow. Even though she knew these people were figures from a thousand years ago, a mother’s love for her child was undeniably moving.

Two days passed in the blink of an eye.

On the night before the wedding, Qu You found herself unable to sleep. Tossing and turning on her bed, she struggled to believe that she was now living in a history that she had only ever read about in books.

Eventually, she rose and allowed two indifferent maids sent by Ren Shi to dress her in her bridal gown, arrange her hair, and apply her makeup.

The imperial decree had come suddenly, and with Ren Shi’s people worried that Zhou Tan might die at any moment from his injuries, they hastily set the wedding date.

Holding a small silk fan, Qu You was just about to leave when her two younger sisters, Qu Jiaxi and Qu Jiayu, burst into the room and stopped her.

Qu Jiaxi, the daughter of Concubine Zhao, had always been close to her and their mother. Without hesitation, she threw her arms around Qu You and began sobbing loudly, “Elder Sister…”

Qu Jiayu, on the other hand, was usually prickly and ungrateful toward Qu You. To her surprise, today she approached hesitantly, head bowed, and slipped a jade hairpin into Qu You’s hand.

Qu You looked at her in astonishment, and Qu Jiayu immediately glared back. “This is something I’ve been saving. Today, I’m giving it to you to add to your bridal adornments. Our family may have fallen on hard times, but we’re still a scholarly household—we can’t let others look down on us! And Elder Sister, stop crying so easily. Don’t give others a reason to bully you!”

Qu You patted her head gently. “Jiayu, you mustn’t act so stubborn anymore. Take good care of your younger brother and sister.”

Qu Jiayu’s eyes instantly reddened. Trying to hide her emotions, she stomped her foot angrily, wiped her eyes, and said, “I understand!”

Then, she ran to the door, dragging out a twelve-year-old boy. “This brat has been crying all night. Go on, say whatever you want to say quickly. Don’t waste time and delay Elder Sister’s auspicious hour.”

The boy being dragged along was none other than Qu Xiangwen, her half-brother.

Qu Cheng’s wife, Yin Xiangru, was frail and often ill, and had only one daughter—Qu You. To continue the family line, Qu Cheng had taken several concubines. Fortunately, Qu Cheng prided himself on being a virtuous scholar-official and strictly maintained the hierarchy between his wives and concubines. As a result, the concubines remained respectful and obedient.

Qu Jiaxi was the daughter of Concubine Zhao, who had always been close to Yin Xiangru. She was innocent and lively. Qu Jiayu and Qu Xiangwen, on the other hand, were born to Concubine Fang, who had been sent from their hometown. While Concubine Fang dared not make overt moves, she often subtly incited her children to fight for the family inheritance.

However, based on Qu You’s observations, Concubine Fang’s schemes were clumsy and often backfired. Neither Qu Xiangwen nor Qu Jiayu turned out badly, suggesting that Concubine Fang wasn’t inherently malicious. After Qu Cheng’s imprisonment, she had returned to their hometown to borrow money and had yet to return.

Qu Xiangwen was a little pedant. At first, when Qu You tried teaching him household chores like sweeping and cooking, he would protest, quoting, “A gentleman stays away from the kitchen.” Eventually, though, he complied.

Now, clutching his fists tightly, he called out, “Elder Sister…”

“Xiangwen, you must study hard,” Qu You sighed. “You’re growing up now. Look after your sisters and don’t let them worry about you.”

Qu Xiangwen nodded vigorously. He smoothed the creases on Qu You’s skirt and whispered, “Elder Sister, I promise I’ll study hard and earn a title. By then, I won’t be afraid… I won’t fear that man surnamed Zhou. If he dares to mistreat you, I’ll stand up for you.”

Qu You smiled softly. “Good.”

Holding her silk fan in front of her face, she went to the main hall to bid farewell to her mother. Yin Xiangru cried so hard she could barely hold her teacup, repeatedly murmuring, “If only your father were here…” Finally, she was helped away by Concubine Zhao.

As Qu You was lifted into the modest bridal sedan chair, she finally felt a twinge of sadness—and belatedly realized a hint of fear creeping in.

The original owner of this body bore a striking resemblance to her former self, except that years of pampering had made her more refined and delicate. She was beautiful, and in her previous life, many had pursued her. Yet, she stubbornly yearned for some intangible “meeting of minds” and had never fallen in love.

Now, in one fell swoop, she had traveled through time straight into marriage—with someone who was a key figure in her historical research. Whether this was a blessing or a curse remained to be seen.

But life, like her historical records, was all about exploring the unknown.

Qu You dabbed at her face with a handkerchief, internally grumbling that she had never been this sentimental before.

The sedan chair passed through the streets of Bianjing and soon arrived at Zhou Tan’s residence. Too injured to rise, Zhou Tan’s distant cousin, Ren Shiming, stood in for him to welcome the bride. When they reached the main hall, someone brought out a rooster adorned with red silk to perform the wedding rites alongside her.

Given Zhou Tan’s infamous reputation, very few guests attended the wedding—not even enough to fill the hall. His parents were deceased, and there were no other elders to pay respects to. Only two memorial tablets rested on the rosewood table before them.

Following the instructions of the elderly matron earlier, Qu You performed the ritual with a slight bow, avoiding full prostration. As long as she didn’t kneel, she could endure it as an immersive experience of the wedding ceremony.

When she bowed to the rooster tied with red silk, she heard muffled laughter from the crowd below.

After completing the ceremony, she was about to follow the wet nurse’s lead to the bridal chamber when suddenly, a murmur arose. Through the silk fan covering her face, she saw a youth with a high ponytail enter, clad in worn armor.

One of the wet nurses couldn’t help but gasp, “Second Young Master!”

Zhou Tan did have a younger brother.

After their parents died tragically in Lin’an, Zhou Tan, still young himself, brought his younger brother to the capital to seek refuge with their distant relatives, the Ren family. He then worked tirelessly, achieving the highest honors in the imperial examinations, bringing glory to both the Zhou and Ren families.

However, after the Candle Tower Incident, the head of the Ren family and Zhou Tan’s uncle were implicated and sentenced to exile three thousand miles away. The Ren family begged and borrowed to keep him in the capital, but during this time, Zhou Tan showed no emotion and didn’t contribute a single ounce of silver.

From then on, the Ren family severed ties with Zhou Tan. Even Zhou Tan’s own younger brother, Zhou Yang, formally cut ties with him in the family ancestral hall and willingly entered the Ren family genealogy instead.

Had it not been for the imperial decree and the lack of other relatives, they would never have sought out the Ren family.

The Ren family likely didn’t want to deal with this either.

Zhou Yang had joined the army earlier in the year and hadn’t stepped foot in the Zhou residence since. No one expected him to show up today, and everyone was astonished.

Ren Shiming took a few steps forward and asked quietly, “Ayang, why didn’t you let us know you were coming?”

“Forgive me for worrying you, Brother,” Zhou Yang replied.

Clad in his military uniform, whip in hand, and even his dagger still strapped to his waist, Zhou Yang briefly explained his presence to Ren Shiming. Then, with a casual swagger, he approached Qu You.

This was highly improper, but no one in the hall dared to stop him. Seeing this, one of the wet nurses quickly stepped in front of Qu You, shielding her. “Second Young Master, your elder brother is gravely injured… Surely you should visit him.”

“Nanny Yun, isn’t that why I’m here?” Zhou Yang smirked, holding his whip loosely. “He’s getting married. Of course, I had to come. Even if it’s not to congratulate him, I need to discuss with my new sister-in-law how to prepare for his funeral in a few days.”

Nanny Yun trembled with anger. “Second Young Master…”

No one in the hall dared to speak up. Ren Shiming even chuckled softly from the side. Zhou Yang brushed past the wet nurse and approached Qu You, reaching out to grab the silk fan in her hand, attempting to force a glimpse of her face.

Without resistance, Qu You simply yielded to his strength and lowered the fan.

Zhou Yang faltered, caught off guard. Before him, the woman revealed a faint smile. “Is this the Second Young Master? Shall I call you ‘little brother’? Would you be willing to answer?”

She had kept her face hidden behind the fan until now. As the silk dropped, the entire hall fell silent—even Zhou Yang was momentarily stunned.

Everyone had heard of the famed “Bianjing Twin Beauties.” Gao Yunyue was often seen at banquets, her beauty likened to a solitary white plum under the moonlight. But this woman before them was like a dew-kissed bud in a peach grove.

Her bridal makeup was heavy, a flush of rouge accentuating the corners of her eyes. With every blink, her gaze sparkled, breathtakingly beautiful.

Her crimson and emerald wedding attire, far from appearing garish, lent her an ethereal charm. Her hair flowed like mist, and amidst the flickering candlelight, she stood out as the most radiant figure in the room.

Such a beauty…

The thoughts of those present varied, but at this moment, all were lamenting that such a stunning woman would marry a dying sycophant. It was truly a pity.

Finally regaining his voice, Zhou Yang stammered, “If Sister-in-Law calls me, I… I wouldn’t dare refuse.”

Qu You studied him for a moment, then lightly brushed the dust off his shoulder with her fan. In a gentle tone, she said, “Seeing you come all this way, covered in dust, to attend your brother’s wedding fills me with joy. Why don’t you go bathe and change? Your brother can’t rise, so it’s up to you to uphold the occasion.”

With that, she raised her silk fan once more to cover her face and tugged at the stunned nanny beside her. “Nanny Yun, why have you stopped leading the way?”

Coming to her senses, Nanny Yun immediately guided her toward the bridal chamber.

Zhou Yang stood rooted to the spot. Ren Shiming patted his shoulder, jolting him back to reality. With a mocking smile, Zhou Yang muttered, “He’s really gotten lucky.”

“This sister-in-law of yours is no ordinary woman,” Ren Shiming said, watching Qu You’s retreating figure. “From the imperial decree to the betrothal gifts, the welcoming ceremony, the wedding rites, and even dealing with you—everything was handled perfectly, without a single misstep.”

“She deflected your disrespect with just a few words and sent you off to greet guests. Anyone else might have been flustered when you rudely grabbed for her fan.”

Zhou Yang replied, “That’s exactly why I say he’s gotten lucky. A… a dying man, yet he still marries such a refined and beautiful woman.”

Ren Shiming didn’t respond, only saying, “Enough. Go bathe and join us for drinks.”

Nanny Yun led Qu You by the red silk ribbon, and they didn’t walk far.

She supported herself against the doorframe, stepping into the simply decorated bridal chamber. Sitting on the bed, she watched the dragon and phoenix candles burn brightly together. From the side came the mingled scent of incense and blood.

The words from the historical texts, the young man who appeared in her dreams—now, he was truly by her side.

He would never know that the person before him had spent countless nights poring over his life story, reading the 149 poems he would write in the next decade, and losing sleep over them until dawn.

Thinking of the cold, sparse wedding ceremony and the complete disregard shown by his relatives, Qu You felt a rare surge of pity.

Taking a deep breath, she lowered her fan.