Chapter 21: A Simple Wedding

In her youth, Qin Keqing once dreamed of her own marriage: her ideal partner was a fair-faced scholar who, one spring when the apricot blossoms bloomed, would achieve the highest honors in the imperial examinations and come to her home to propose as the newly crowned top scholar.

In Qin Keqing’s eyes, although her family was modest, she possessed both figure and beauty, was well-educated, courteous, and carried herself with exceptional grace, no less than the daughters of prominent households.

Yet, this dream vanished like a fleeting bubble, swiftly erased by the relentless harassment of Master Zhen from the Ningguo Mansion.

Qin Keqing had never encountered such a repulsive man. They had only met once by chance at a temple fair, yet that very night, Master Zhen sent his retainers to her home, brazenly demanding to take her as a concubine.

What did this shameless old lecher take Qin Keqing for? Was she someone who could be bought so easily, vulgar and ignorant?

Fortunately, her father Qin Ye held the position of an official in the Ministry of Works, a rank of some standing in the imperial court. Having passed the imperial academy’s examinations and befriended many scholars, he knew well that court regulations and scholarly ethics forbade daughters of officials from becoming concubines; therefore, Jia Zhen could not impose his will too brutally.

Thus, Jia Zhen settled for a lesser scheme: he proposed that his son, Jia Rong, marry Qin Keqing as his legitimate wife.

By all logic, Jia Rong, as the eldest legitimate son of the Ningguo Duke’s household, was more than a suitable match for the daughter of a minor seventh-rank official like Qin Keqing.

For a time, both Qin Ye and Qin Keqing were at a loss as to how to refuse. To reject the Ningguo Mansion outright would be to invite enmity, with unpredictable consequences.

Yet Qin Ye was unwilling to let his precious daughter become the legitimate daughter-in-law of the Ningguo Mansion.

Jia Zhen, having proposed first to take Qin Keqing as a concubine and then as a daughter-in-law, was clearly determined to force this union, intending to sully her name. How could Qin Ye possibly push his beloved daughter into such a pit of fire?

Over the years, countless scandals had erupted within the Rong and Ning households. Jia Zhen had taken possession of every beautiful maid in the Ningguo Mansion, playing with them before selling them off, so much so that the legitimate wife of the household reportedly died of grief, a story that often circulated in Beiping.

Such a beast in human form, Qin Keqing longed only to avoid him—how could she willingly walk into the lion’s den?

After much thought, Qin Ye could only set an exorbitant bride price of ten thousand taels of silver, hoping to dissuade Jia Zhen from this absurd plan.

Qin Ye bitterly regretted his earlier decisions. Because Qin Keqing was known for her beauty, resembling a blossoming flower bud, several years ago the Grand Secretary Mei and the provincial official Hu had both sent matchmakers seeking alliance, but Qin Ye, hoping to wait for a better offer, rejected them.

Now, Grand Secretary Mei’s son was betrothed to the Xue family’s second branch in Jinling, and Hu had lost favor and office. Even if Qin Ye wished to marry Qin Keqing to Hu’s profligate son, Hu would no longer dare accept such a proposal, fearing the power of the Jia family.

In the past six months, Master Zhen had been desperately gathering silver, even attempting to seize the well-known “True Flavor” fast-food shop in Beiping, determined to wed Qin Keqing into his household. It was impossible for Qin Ye and his daughter not to feel anxious.

Under these circumstances, Qin Keqing was like a bird trapped in a cage, a turtle trapped in a jar, waiting only for the Ningguo Mansion to gather the ten thousand taels before sending emissaries to formally arrange the marriage.

Moreover, the Ningguo Mansion had placed several spies near the Qin residence, leaving no chance for Qin Keqing to flee.

As the saying goes, the arm cannot wrestle the thigh.

Regarding this marriage, Jia Zhen was resolute; Qin Ye and Qin Keqing had no choice but to consent, whether willingly or not.

In recent days, after returning from work, Qin Ye often sighed deeply; Qin Keqing hid in her chambers, weeping bitterly, her face covered by trembling hands.

Her two close maids, Ruizhu and Baozhu, worried for their own futures and wore perpetual frowns.

If not for the love for her aging father and younger brother Qin Zhong, Qin Keqing would have preferred death to being forced into marrying into the Ningguo Mansion, becoming a toy for the lustful Jia Zhen and his son Jia Rong.

At this critical moment, the matchmaker Lou, acting on behalf of Wu Tiande, paid a visit.

Lou said that Wu Tiande, the newly appointed captain of the Divine Mechanism Battalion, wished to marry Qin Keqing as his legitimate wife. Qin Ye and Qin Keqing’s first reaction was that Wu Tiande must be mad, as if he sought death.

Thanks to the growing fame of the “True Flavor” fast-food shop and Wu Tiande’s legendary reformation from a prodigal youth, Qin Ye and his daughter had some impression of him. They thought him clever and energetic, but beyond that, they were unsure.

They had heard of Jia Zhen’s attempts to seize the “True Flavor” shop from Wu Tiande. Although Jia Zhen had yet to succeed, he repeatedly sent large groups to harass Wu Tiande, clearly seizing the initiative. They feared that when Jia Zhen made his next move, Wu Tiande might not be able to resist.

Lou, eager to secure the match for Wu Tiande, spoke highly of him.

According to Lou, Wu Tiande was extraordinary—handsome, skilled in martial arts, shrewd and capable, commanding hundreds of personal guards, and owning several shops, making him quite wealthy.

“Such a good family is hard to find even with a lantern,” Lou said earnestly.

Her words were sincere, though dry from talking so much, yet Qin Ye and Qin Keqing merely regarded her as foolish.

“That’s all?” Qin Ye said disappointedly. “I fear that once word spreads, your so-called Wu master won’t live long.”

Qin Keqing advised, “There are countless good girls in the world, and Wu master is a promising young man. It’s better not to step into this mess.”

Seeing their reluctance, Lou grew irritated. “If you agree, say so. If not, say it plainly. Why beat around the bush? Marriage is traditionally arranged by parents and matchmakers. If it works, it works; if not, it doesn’t. Yet you two dodge with such lame excuses?”

Cornered and mindful that the Ningguo Mansion’s forced marriage scheme would soon become public, Qin Ye chose to be frank, sparing Lou and Wu Tiande any blame.

His tone was bitter, while Qin Keqing’s expression revealed the sorrow of youth trapped by fate.

But Lou was a strong-willed woman who despised such submission and obsequiousness.

She rebuked them, “Under the emperor’s gaze, the sky is clear and just. Jia Zhen can’t do whatever he pleases. You can refuse this marriage—even if it leads to life or death struggles, Jia Zhen would also suffer. Better a lose-lose than a one-sided loss.”

Qin Keqing’s eyes brightened at these words, but Qin Ye remained timid. “That may be, but how many have the courage to pluck hairs from a tiger’s head knowing the risks?”

Lou scorned Qin Ye with a sneer. “You must be scared silly by Jia Zhen, a paper tiger. These days, Wu master and his brothers at the Divine Mechanism Battalion have already surrounded the Ningguo Mansion. Anyone daring to leave is stopped and questioned. Wu master isn’t like your family, swallowing insults silently like turtles. In my opinion, it’s better if this marriage doesn’t happen.”

With that, Lou turned to leave. But Qin Keqing suddenly grasped her sleeve. “Sister Lou, are all your words true?”

Lou ignored her, but Qin Ye hesitated, “These past days, we haven’t seen any Ningguo Mansion servants nearby… Is your Wu master really that brave?”

He meant to say “foolhardy” but changed it to “brave” fearing Lou’s sharp tongue.

Qin Keqing pondered silently. With Ningguo Mansion’s pressure, no other suitable suitor would dare approach her. If she refused Wu Tiande, she’d be forced to marry Jia Rong and become the plaything of the lecherous Jia Zhen and his son.

Choosing the lesser of two evils, Wu Tiande seemed more bearable.

Firstly, Wu Tiande was just over twenty, in the prime of youth, reportedly somewhat handsome. Serving him alone would be far better than being at the mercy of the Jia family.

Secondly, Wu Tiande was clever and capable, backed by the powerful Wang family of Jinling. She needn’t fear retaliation from the Ningguo Mansion. Her younger brother Qin Zhong could serve as Wu Tiande’s personal guard, ensuring his safety.

“Why not invite Wu master over? The two young people should meet first; blind marriages are no good,” Qin Ye said, seeing his daughter’s flushed cheeks and subtle interest.

“Agreed,” Lou replied happily, not merely for the matchmaker’s fee but hoping for Wu master’s success.

Wu Tiande certainly achieved his goal.

He came personally to court her, his youthful, handsome, and refreshing appearance a stark contrast to the old, lecherous, and greasy Jia Zhen. This immediately won Qin Keqing’s heart.

Moreover, Wu Tiande’s background was clean, and he did not have numerous concubines vying for favor. He had only one maid, Qingwen, who was forcibly gifted by Madame Shi of the Jia family and had yet to be accepted.

This proved Wu Tiande was no depraved libertine like Jia Zhen.

Indeed, among the powerful elite, multiple wives and concubines were inevitable. When conditions allowed, Qin Keqing would not oppose her husband taking concubines and might even encourage it for the sake of family lineage.

But Wu Tiande’s ability to control his desires before marriage was already far beyond most. What reason did Qin Keqing have to complain?

Given the pressure from the Ningguo Mansion and mutual fears of complications, the marriage would be kept simple.

Jia Zhen’s period of closing off his household would not last long, and he might cause trouble at any moment, so Wu Tiande and Qin Keqing could not leisurely complete the entire traditional betrothal process.

That same day, Wu Tiande ordered Lou to hasten preparations for the wedding banquet, instructing many officials to prepare ten tables of food. He planned to invite comrades from the Divine Mechanism Battalion, Jia family relatives, fellow students from the Jia clan’s charity school, and nearby neighbors.

Wang Ren and Jia Lian, naturally, were present, as well as Jia Dairu and Jia Rui, grandfather and grandson, who came to support the occasion. The ten tables were full, creating a lively atmosphere.

This was partly thanks to Jia Zhen’s fear, who dared not reveal publicly his forced marriage scheme with Qin Keqing. Few knew the full story; otherwise, many Jia relatives, including Jia Lian, might have refused to attend out of loyalty to Jia Zhen’s dignity.

Wu Tiande’s uncle Wu Xindeng and cousin Wu Caiming also came to the banquet.

When Jia Zhen’s retainers attacked the Divine Mechanism Battalion, Jia She of the Rongguo Mansion also sent men. However, because Wu Xindeng still worked at Rongguo, Wu Tiande, who did not mix personal feelings with matters of duty, refrained from pressing the issue.

Rongguo’s leaders, realizing their misstep, sought to save face for Wang Zitong by admitting fault and handing over Wu Caiming as the culprit for Wu Tiande to deal with.

If Wu Tiande wished to pursue the matter further, he would first have to confront Wu Caiming. Rongguo Mansion’s move to sacrifice Wu Caiming was a clever gambit.

Wu Caiming, formerly Wu Tianming, had just been renamed by Lady Wang. Other servants renamed at the same time—Caiyun, Caixia, and others—were to be assigned to her.

By entrusting Wu Caiming to Wu Tiande, Rongguo effectively restored his freedom.

On this point, Wu Tiande was not only appeased but even expressed some gratitude to Rongguo Mansion.

He had been worried about lacking loyal aides, and Rongguo Mansion had sent him his cousin Wu Caiming—truly a gift before sleep.

Wu Tiande sought simplicity; Qin Keqing feared alarming the enemy and kept things as minimal as possible.

Qin Ye invited only immediate neighbors as witnesses. Distant relatives, official colleagues, old classmates, and familiar villagers were not notified—only one table of guests. Firecrackers were limited to two strings, merely to symbolize festivity.

Before curfew, the Qin family finished the meal, and Qin Keqing boarded a small sedan chair carrying two packages of dowry. Accompanied by Wu Tiande himself, and surrounded by Qin Zhong, Ruizhu, Baozhu, and others, she proceeded to the flagship “True Flavor” fast-food shop to wed.

With the Ningguo Mansion tightly closed and dusk falling, no one within several steps saw any unusual faces or suspected anything amiss.

The next morning, when Jia Zhen heard rumors and sent numerous retainers to inspect the Qin home, Wu Tiande had already consummated his marriage with the delicate Qin Keqing.

Thus, the union was sealed.