Chapter 178: The Bridal Sedan Chair

Chapter 178

The Bridal Sedan Chair

Once she saw that no one was around, An Le lowered her voice and spoke quietly.

"Sister Nie, I have a secret to tell you. Right now, Father is staying in Huangjing City, and Mu Zhao Yi, a relative of Mu Rongying, is with him. Do you think there will be any problems?"

Nie Shuang’s eyes widened in shock.

"Huangjing City?"

"He traveled there in secret, without prior planning. Recently, Father has had issues with his lungs, so he decided to stay somewhere warmer for a while. It just so happens that he’s fond of Xiangyun’s tea and wants to watch the tea ceremony, which is why he chose Huangjing as his destination."

Hearing this, Nie Shuang couldn’t help but feel worried for Mu Rongying. When they were together in Huangjing City, Mu Rongying had shared stories about her family. The Mu family was a large and influential family, raising their children under strict rules. Each family member had to compete to stand out and gain favor with the elders. There was hardly any familial warmth between them, and even Mu Rongying’s brothers from the same mother were indifferent toward her, seeing her more as a tool for advancing their careers at royal court.

Nie Shuang wasn’t sure what kind of person Mu Zhao Yi was, but if she intended harm toward Mu Rongying, it would be difficult to prevent it.

"Thank you, Your Highness, for telling me this. I’ll need to think carefully about how to handle the situation."

"Mu Rongying is your adopted sister, which makes her my sister too. Soon enough, we’ll all be family. If there’s anything I can help with, just say the word."

Nie Shuang smiled gratefully at An Le. Ever since they’d become acquainted, An Le had always been kind to her. In any era, a true friend like this was rare and precious.

"Thank you, Your Highness. Though you haven’t met Young Miss Mu, you’ve likely heard stories about her from Wang Dongpo. You probably know about her connection with Kang Wang. If anything happens, I’m sure Kang Wang will step forward to protect her."

"When I first heard that my elder brother had a relationship with her, I was surprised. Ever since Kang Wang left the royal palace, there have been rumors that he’s lived like a monk, never touching a woman. Even Father has spoken of him with admiration. Who would have thought that he’d break his resolve because of Young Miss Mu?"

"Let’s set aside Young Miss Mu for now. Lately, Second Brother seems anxious about the wedding. He mentioned having something he wants to consult with you about."

At the mention of Song Ren, An Le’s face lit up with excitement.

"He wants to talk to me?” Then, her face turned gloomy. “But how can I meet him when Grandmother won’t let me leave the palace until the wedding?"

Nie Shuang smiled knowingly.

"Second Brother understands these traditions. Men and women aren’t supposed to meet before the wedding. Don’t worry, Your Highness." With that, she took a letter from her pocket. "He asked me to deliver this letter when he found out I was coming to the palace."

An Le’s eyes sparkled as she eagerly took the letter and opened it at once. She stood reading it for a long time, smiling to herself.

"What did Second Brother write? Surely it’s not about wedding preparations as he claimed."

When Nie Shuang teased her, Princess An Le finally looked up from the letter, her cheeks tinged with a soft pink.

"What wedding preparations? He wrote some poem about flowers and the moon. I didn’t understand any of it."

Hearing the princess’s complaint, Nie Shuang laughed.

"If you didn’t understand it, why is your face all red?"

"Hehe, Sister Nie, even though I’m not good with poetry, I know enough that scholars often compare a woman’s beauty to flowers or the moon. Isn’t he trying to say that I’m beautiful? When I see him, I’ll make sure to reward him well."

An Le made a mischievous face, her spirits lifting just by thinking of Song Ren’s face.

As the two women walked back to the palace, they heard laughter from a distance. Could it be that the three little troublemakers were up to something again? When the Empress Dowager saw them return, she smiled warmly.

"Young Song Furen, you’ve returned. You’re not in a hurry to go back to your manor, are you?"

The Empress Dowager’s question didn’t really need an answer. It was clear she wanted the children to stay longer. However, Nie Shuang realized it was getting late, and soon it would be time for their nap, so she respectfully took her leave. The Empress Dowager didn’t object, but she did ask that they bring the children back to the palace more often.

Meanwhile, Kang Wang, upon being asked by Xian Fei about Mu Rongying’s status, realized that things wouldn’t be as simple as he had thought. After thinking for a moment, he lifted his head and replied to his mother.

"Mother, this matter cannot be rushed. I will send someone to discuss with the Mu family how best to handle the situation."

Xian Fei didn’t object. After speaking for a while, it was time for lunch, and she invited Mu Rongying to join them. As Mu Rongying stood up from her chair, she suddenly felt dizzy and had to grab Chunmei’s arm. Kang Wang immediately rushed over to support her.

"Yingying, are you alright?"

Inside, he blamed himself for her condition. She probably hadn’t gotten enough rest last night because of him, unable to restrain himself. Xian Fei’s gaze sparkled with a strange glint as she ordered a doctor to be summoned.

"I’m fine, Your Highness. I just felt a little dizzy,"

Mu Rongying said, trying not to be a bother. However, Xian Fei scolded her.

"You don’t even know how to take care of your own health. How can I trust you to take care of Wuqian in the future?"

"Mother, it’s my fault. Don’t blame Yingying,"

Kang Wang quickly defended her, causing his mother to shake her head in exasperation.

Soon, the royal doctor arrived. After checking Mu Rongying’s pulse, he confidently reported,

"This young lady has an auspicious pulse, and her body is otherwise in good health."

He gave a brief report before leaving, not wanting to know too much about the woman whose pulse he had just taken, fearing that knowing too much could bring him trouble. Once they were alone, Kang Wang spoke up joyfully.

"Mother! Yingying! I’m going to be a father!"

Yingying felt like she was dreaming. She had once hoped to have a child with him, ever since the night she gave him her first, but she hadn’t become pregnant then. Now, unexpectedly, she was carrying his child.

Xian Fei was also overjoyed.

"In that case, we can’t delay the wedding any longer. If your pregnancy starts to show, people will gossip. Forget discussing things with the Mu family for now. I’ll have someone find a good date for the wedding and arrange to bring Yingying into the household as Liang Di[1] first."

Mu Rongying didn’t object. She hadn’t been expecting any grand title, but Kang Wang frowned.

"Mother...I don’t want Yingying to be just a secondary consort..."

Xian Fei glared at her son.

"Can her pregnancy wait? The wedding ceremony for Kang Wang cannot be done haphazardly. The Ministry of Rites will need several months to prepare everything. As you are a prince born of a consort of high rank, there are many protocols involved, and numerous parties to consider. Today, you can take her as Liang Di, and later, we can hold a proper wedding to elevate her status."

Kang Wang couldn’t refute his mother’s reasoning. He held Mu Rongying’s hand and made a promise to her.

"Yingying, even though I cannot make you my Wang Fei today, rest assured, I will never break my word. You will be my only primary consort. Once you’ve given birth to our child, we can hold the formal wedding ceremony."

Mu Rongying agreed obediently. The atmosphere between the two was filled with affection, as though the world consisted only of the two of them. Xian Fei cleared her throat, breaking the moment, and called for her trusted servant to give orders.

"Find an auspicious date quickly. Kang Wang will take a secondary consort. Prepare the bride price and engagement gifts fittingly. The ceremony must be completed within a month."

She then turned to Mu Rongying with kindness.

"For now, your pregnancy is still unstable, so rest as much as you can. Wuqian and I will handle everything else. Don’t worry about anything."

That evening, the Emperor listened to Xian Fei’s report without much surprise. Since Nie Ying came from a merchant family, it was reasonable for Xian Fei to grant her the title of secondary consort. Thus, preparations for the ceremony began immediately.

Before long, news of Kang Wang taking a secondary consort spread throughout Huangjing City. When it was revealed that the lucky woman was none other than Young Miss Nie Ying from Xiangyun Tea House, no one was particularly surprised. It wasn’t surprise that a beauty such as Young Miss Nie would captivate Kang Wang. Young men and women across the city began lamenting. Although Kang Wang had never shown interest in any woman, the fact that he had remained unattached had given the unmarried women of the city hope to dream. Meanwhile, the young man, especially scholars from Huangjing Academy, composed poetry expressing their sorrow. After all, their rival was Kang Wang—defeat was inevitable before any competition could even begin.And within a month, thanks to Xian Fei’s arrangements, the bridal sedan chair from Wang’s palace arrived to escort Young Miss Nie Ying into the palace.

[1] Liang Di (良娣, liáng dì) means a secondary consort of a prince.