Before long, the twenty-third day of the third month arrived.
Although the formal wedding procession was set for the seventeenth of the fourth month, the journey from Bianjing to Qingzhou, where the Huo family resided, was long and winding, requiring both river and land travel. So Shen Lingzhen had to set out early that morning.
At the send-off, Duke Ying was teary-eyed, pointing at the endless line of bridal carriages stretching ten li into the distance. “Why not pack me in there too?” he joked.
The Princess Royal shot him a sharp glance. “Then go ask the Huo family if they’ll take in an old man like you.”
“I may hold no official post, but I still carry a noble title. Once I arrive in Qingzhou, surely they’ll say their humble home is honored by my presence!” The Duke grew animated, sweeping up his wide sleeves. “Hey, maybe I’ll petition His Majesty to let me take up a border post. We’ll move the whole household to Qingzhou. These days, who doesn’t have a bit of patriotism to spare?”
Listening to her father’s antics as she finished dressing, Shen Lingzhen couldn’t help but laugh through the tears that had been welling in her eyes.
She had already said everything that needed saying to her parents over the past few days. When the auspicious hour arrived, there was nothing left but repeated murmurs of “Take care, take care.” At the very end, she leaned close to her mother and entrusted her with one final request: “Mother, please don’t give up on finding my savior.”
The Shen family had searched every corner of the capital’s outskirts, but the man Shen Lingzhen described remained elusive, vanished, as if into thin air.
Now that she was marrying far away, she could no longer investigate the mystery behind the silk handkerchief or repay the life-saving debt herself. All she could do was leave it in her mother’s hands.
With her mother’s gentle reassurance—“Don’t worry”—Shen Lingzhen departed the Duke’s residence, accompanied by the bridal procession.
As befitted a noblewoman’s wedding, the entourage was grand and majestic, banners were fluttering, music was playing, the entire procession was a spectacle of joy.
And this time, the elders escorting Shen Lingzhen were no ordinary figures. In addition to her cousin from the Shen family’s second branch, there was also a royal cousin—the Emperor’s legitimate second son, younger brother to the Crown Prince. For someone of such exalted status to be assigned this task spoke volumes of the Emperor’s regard for the union between the Huo and Shen families.
Word of the wedding had spread far and wide, and when the hour arrived, crowds gathered at the docks to catch a glimpse.
But the capital’s excitement was not so easily accessed. Imperial guards stood tall, spears tapping the ground with authority, clearing the way with no room for negotiation. The people could only press against the roadside, straining to watch from afar as the bride boarded the boat.
Even though Shen Lingzhen was veiled from head to toe, her grace could not be hidden. In a single turn, a single step, she revealed a beauty so ethereal it seemed divine.
The late spring breeze teased the layers of her gown just so, stirring hearts and prompting onlookers to rise on tiptoe, craning necks and widening eyes for one last look.
That fleeting glimpse from half a li away would be enough to fuel gossip and admiration for weeks to come.
As early summer approached, petals carpeted the ground. The boat carrying her away glided slowly into the misty heart of the river, accompanied by the fading song of orioles.
Standing at the prow, Shen Lingzhen lifted a corner of her gauze veil and cast one final glance at the bustling, silk-draped streets of Bianjing.
Beside her, old Ji Momo urged gently, “The waves are high at the bow, Miss. Best come inside with this old servant.”
But the people of Bianjing were well-versed in water travel, this bit of turbulence was nothing. Shen Lingzhen waved off the concern, remaining until the shore had vanished completely from view. Only then did she hold back her tears and step into the cabin.
Ji Momo helped Shen Lingzhen settle into her seat inside the cabin. “Miss, you needn’t worry too much. The Princess Royal personally ordered this old servant to accompany you to Qingzhou. With me by your side, even if those fierce northwestern folk had three heads and six arms, they wouldn’t dare lay a finger on you!”
After crossing rivers and mountains, the bridal procession finally arrived at Qingyang, the administrative seat of Qingzhou, at dusk on the seventeenth day of the fourth month.
The welcoming party had long been waiting at the city gates.
This region lay near the border of Great Qi and had endured decades of war. The city walls had been destroyed and rebuilt more than once, and the patched-up gates could hardly be called dignified.
But Shen Lingzhen had no mind to dwell on such things.
Raised in quiet propriety, she had rarely ventured beyond the estate, barely even basked in the sunlight. Her body, pampered and delicate, now felt as though it might fall apart after twenty days of travel. She sat inside the carriage, forcing herself to stay upright despite the exhaustion gnawing at her bones.
Hidden behind the carriage door, unseen by those outside, she allowed herself a moment of rest, sitting only seventy percent straight.
As they neared the city gate, the procession slowed. Outside, Ji Momo slid open a narrow slit in the side window and whispered, “Second Young Master Huo came in person. Seems he does care, after all.”
Shen Lingzhen was surprised.
She had assumed Huo Liuxing would send someone in his stead. After all, traveling such a distance in a wheelchair was no small feat.
She leaned toward the window and asked softly, “How does he look?”
Ji Momo, ever composed, studied the man in ceremonial robes seated in the wheelchair. Though his legs were impaired, his back was straight, his posture dignified. Compared to the pampered noble sons of the capital, he was more refined than most. “He certainly fits the description of ‘graceful and elegant.’”
Shen Lingzhen had imagined someone sedentary would be round-faced and sluggish. She chuckled, “You’re always critical when judging people. If even you’re impressed, he must be some immortal descended to earth.”
“You’ll see for yourself tonight.” Ji Momo glanced again toward the city gate, this time letting out a sigh. “It’s just a pity…”
Though she didn’t finish the sentence, anyone with sense knew what she meant.
But Shen Lingzhen had long come to terms with it. A husband with limited mobility might just mean a peaceful, quiet life. Wasn’t that a blessing in itself?
Ji Momo closed the window and reminded her, “We’re almost there.”
Shen Lingzhen adjusted her sleeves and sat up fully. This time, with perfect poise.
Shen Lingzhen had always lived by the principle of reciprocation—if someone extended a courtesy, she would return it in kind. Since Huo Liuxing had strained his health to come personally, she felt it only proper to respond with due respect.
As she adjusted her sleeves, Huo Liuxing, watching the procession from afar, suddenly furrowed his brow and instructed the attendant behind him: “There’s a pothole ahead. Tell them to steer around it carefully. Don’t jolt the bride.”
The attendant spurred his horse forward, but he was a moment too late. The carriage wheel struck the dip in the road with a sharp jolt, startling Shen Lingzhen just as she had settled into her seat.
She gasped, clutching the golden rail inside the carriage to steady herself. Her phoenix crown nearly knocked against the wall.
Up ahead, the Minister of Rites and her cousins turned back in concern.
Ji Momo nodded to them, signaling that all was well, then scolded the coachman and ordered the carriage to continue.
The Huo family attendant, now awkwardly caught between duty and delay, sat stiffly on the horse. Advancing felt intrusive, retreating felt cowardly. He glanced back at Huo Liuxing, who sighed and shook his head, then gestured for him to return.
Inside the carriage, Shen Lingzhen composed herself once more. As the procession halted at the city gate, she heard several male voices outside—likely Huo Liuxing speaking with the Minister and her cousins, preparing to escort them into the city.
She remained in the carriage, attended by her maids, taking a moment to rest and refresh her appearance.
A short while later, Ji Momo tapped gently on the carriage wall. “Miss, Young Master Huo is here.”
By custom, Huo Liuxing shouldn’t be seeing her at this moment. Shen Lingzhen was surprised. She sipped her tea to soothe her throat and asked, “Is it something urgent?”
She had meant the question for Ji Momo, but before the old servant could reply, a voice came from just outside the carriage:
“Nothing urgent. I only came to ask Fourth Young Lady: “Were you frightened just now? ”
Shen Lingzhen’s head snapped up in surprise.
That voice…
She was momentarily dazed, forgetting to respond until Ji Momo gently reminded her. Regaining her composure, she called out through the carriage door, “Thank you for your concern, Young Master Huo. I’m all right.”
But though she had been fine before, she wasn’t anymore.
Because Huo Liuxing’s words—“Were you frightened?”—were exactly the same as those spoken by the man who had saved her from danger over a month ago. The tone, cadence, inflection, even the way he enunciated were identical.
“Very well. I’ll head to the front.”
Shen Lingzhen sat frozen. Hearing him about to leave, she blurted out, “Young Master Huo!”
The servant pushing the wheelchair halted. Huo Liuxing turned back. “I’m here.”
Realizing her own impulsiveness, Shen Lingzhen closed her eyes in frustration, trying to suppress the heartbeat that was threatening to leap from her throat. She steadied her voice as best she could: “The road is uneven… Please take care.”
Huo Liuxing seemed surprised by her words. He smiled toward the closed carriage door. “I will.”
Then he was gone and it felt as though her soul had drifted away with him. She sat like a shell, letting the maids redo her makeup, letting the matrons lift her into the bridal sedan. Amid the clamor of drums and gongs, she was carried into the ceremonial pavilion built in the southwest corner of the Huo estate.
Around her, the crowd bustled with joy, voices echoing with auspicious blessings. But Shen Lingzhen remained lost in her own thoughts, caught in a storm of doubt and wonder: That voice was unmistakable. But was the man truly the same?
The one who had saved her had moved with unmatched martial grace and there had been no sign of a limp.
Huo Liuxing was already waiting in the hall. As Shen Lingzhen stepped over the threshold, she lifted her eyes discreetly, peering through the sheer veil of her silk fan to study the man in the wheelchair opposite her.
His build… it did seem similar.
The auspicious hour arrived. The ceremonial official began to chant the rites.
As the ceremonial chant rang out, Shen Lingzhen bowed deeply, but halfway down, her gaze remained fixed on Huo Liuxing.
Her unabashed stare went unnoticed by others, but Huo Liuxing, seated directly across from her, saw it clearly.
During the bow, he finally gave in to curiosity and asked in a low voice, “Why do you keep looking at me?”
Caught in the act, Shen Lingzhen quickly averted her eyes and lowered her gaze.
Huo Liuxing, speaking in a tone only the two of them could hear, said, “It’s all right. You can keep looking.”
His words carried a subtle ambiguity, half teasing, half refined. Polished enough to be gentlemanly, yet laced with a faint trace of flirtation. It was impossible to tell whether he was being forward or simply sincere.
Shen Lingzhen’s cheeks burned. As the officiant sang the praises of the union, she hesitated, head bowed, and murmured, “It’s not appropriate right now… I’ll look again later…”
Huo Liuxing seemed amused by her earnestness and replied with a soft chuckle, “Then I’ll drink less at the banquet and come back early.”
