Changing Marriages - chapter 3

Chapter 3

The third day of September was the day when the two young ladies of Zheng Mansion were to be married.

Originally, the Legal Mother had chosen this auspicious date for the Eldest Sister, but to ensure I could marry into the General’s Mansion on the very day Huo Yao departed for his campaign, Eldest Sister spent a long time persuading the Legal Mother, and only then did she finally agree to let us both wed on the same day.

Amidst the music and the sound of drums, I was carried into the General’s Mansion. Before I could kneel and pay my respects to my new parents, a chaotic clatter of horse hooves came charging through the vermilion gates.

The maidservants were orderly, and under the guidance of a gentle female voice, they led me into the bridal chamber.

After a brief wait, a pair of black boots stopped before me.

“Guiwan, an urgent order has come from the army. I must depart at once.”

The round fan was lifted, and the young man-handsome and resplendent in armor-looked at me with eyes full of apology:

“I’ve wronged you.”

I was momentarily stunned.

So this was Huo Yao, with such a fine countenance.

“My lord!”

I tossed aside the round fan, waved off the attendants, and took from a chest the Protective Talisman I had long prepared:

“My lord, last night I had a dream. I dreamt that on your wedding day you were summoned to Yanbei. The Supervising Officer, eager for merit, ordered you and Eldest Uncle to pursue the enemy, but you were ambushed and grievously wounded. Heavy snow sealed the roads, and supplies were cut off…”

The shock in Huo Yao’s eyes gradually turned to gravity.

Military matters in Yanbei were confidential-nothing a daughter from the inner chambers like me could possibly know.

I bit my lip and presented the Protective Talisman with both hands:

“My lord, I was raised in seclusion, ignorant of military affairs. I took it for a nightmare, but now that this has happened… I beg you to take it to heart, be cautious, and cherish your life. I, Guiwan, will quietly await your triumphant return in the mansion!”

Huo Yao did not speak.

The Protective Talisman lay in his palm, trembling lightly with the shake of my hand.

If I did nothing, the Huo sons could die on the battlefield, and I would remain a widow in the General’s Mansion. The Old Madam would treat me kindly, my father and Legal Mother would show me respect, and even His Majesty might bestow an Imperial Mandate upon me.

To me, the so-called loneliness of the inner chambers would have been a blessing instead.

But I grew up hearing stories of the Huo Family Army. My maternal grandfather did business at the border in his youth, and when the Southern Barbarians invaded, it was Old General Huo who saved his life.

Concubine Mother would pat my back and coax me to sleep, telling the tales of the Huo Family Army over and over.

I, Zheng Guiwan, a concubine’s daughter, have always been cautious, but I know what it means to have a conscience.

I could not bear to see the Old Madam, who had her natal kin add two sedan-chairs of dowry for me, turn white-haired overnight; nor could I bear to see the little child who sweetly reminded me, “Second Aunt, watch your step,” lose his family.

Even more so, I could not bear to see tens of thousands of soldiers lose their lives.

After a long silence, a large, well-defined hand took the Protective Talisman from my palm.

“Thank you.”