It turned out that ever since the emperor issued the imperial decree of marriage, Lu Chao had immersed himself in studying the customs and rituals of the Great Yuan Dynasty.
In the Great Yuan Dynasty, there had always been strict marriage traditions. Unless it was during wartime, when ceremonies had to be simplified, it was considered a violation of etiquette—and would invite public scorn—for a woman to discuss marriage before undergoing the coming-of-age ceremony known as the "hair-pinning rite."
Xiao Zheng was born at the end of the year, and when she came of age last year, Shuozhou was engulfed in war. The Xiao family had no time to arrange such a ceremony. Remembering this, Lu Chao resolved to hold the rite for Xiao Zheng before their wedding, no matter what.
However, organizing this proved quite challenging. Xiao Zheng’s closest relatives had long passed away, and there were no elders in the capital to oversee the ceremony.
At first, Lu Chao considered asking Mrs. Zhou, the mother of Zhou Qingyuan, to serve as the principal officiant. Mrs. Zhou was known for her kindness and held considerable prestige among noblewomen in the capital. It would have been ideal if she could preside over Xiao Zheng’s ceremony. Unfortunately, Mrs. Zhou was far away in Yingchuan, celebrating the birth of her eldest son’s child, and was too busy with family affairs to travel to the capital.
Left with no choice, Lu Chao turned to Prince Kang for help. The prince had always treated Lu Chao like a brother and agreed without hesitation.
Yet, when noblewomen in the capital heard that the ceremony was for Xiao Zheng, they hesitated. In the eyes of these traditional and conservative ladies, Xiao Zheng was far too "unconventional." They wanted nothing to do with such "trouble," fearing it would tarnish their family reputations.
Choosing an ordinary family to officiate would have been a disservice to Lu Chao’s heartfelt intentions and an insult to Xiao Zheng’s illustrious military achievements. After much deliberation, Prince Kang suddenly had an idea—the Grand Princess.
In her youth, the Grand Princess had been famously bold and unyielding, openly scoffing at rigid Confucian norms. Upon hearing about Xiao Zheng, she had privately admired her, considering her a rare woman of courage and spirit, one who could rival any man.
But when Prince Kang suggested she officiate the ceremony, she refused at first. Like others, she had assumed Lu Chao was merely currying favor with the imperial family, putting on a show to gain reputation and benefits.
However, after observing Lu Chao closely that day, she noticed the clarity in his eyes and the unconscious smile that appeared whenever he mentioned Xiao Zheng. He didn’t seem like the power-hungry opportunist rumors painted him to be. He respected her without fawning, and despite his youth, he remained remarkably unswayed by power and beauty. He was, indeed, a good young man.
The Grand Princess lowered her head, taking a sip of tea to hide her slight embarrassment. Well, she had always been lenient toward beautiful people.
Lu Chao hadn’t expected things to go so smoothly. His carefully prepared arguments went unused. He sighed inwardly—doing good deeds really did pay off!
"No wonder I heard magpies singing on my way to Taoyuan Mountain today—good fortune was waiting here! Thank you for your kindness, Grand Princess! General Xiao is both brave and wise, a woman who rivals heroes. Once you meet her, you’ll surely adore her!"
The usually composed young man suddenly seemed a bit silly, making the Grand Princess chuckle.
"And how do you compare to her?"
Lu Chao grinned.
"I fall far short!"
The Grand Princess studied him. Despite Xiao Zheng’s controversial reputation, Lu Chao showed no trace of shame or timidity. Instead, he openly admitted she surpassed him, even sounding a little proud. This only deepened her curiosity about the pair. It was as if a kitten were playfully scratching at her heart, making her eager to pull Lu Chao aside and interrogate him. But with the banquet still underway, she restrained herself.
"Then pick a day and bring Xiao Zheng to visit me. This old woman would like to meet the Great Yuan’s famed female general. As the officiant of her ceremony, we’ll be seeing much of each other—it’s best we get acquainted."
"Your humble servant obeys!" Lu Chao replied respectfully, bowing slightly. His smile dazzled the noble ladies present, some of whom blushed.
The older matriarchs shot disapproving glares at their daughters. Watching Lu Chao and the Grand Princess chat so casually only deepened their disdain—what a fox spirit of a man!
Had Lu Chao known their thoughts, he would have laughed heartily. A fox spirit? What a straightforward compliment!
As the banquet concluded, the noble ladies showcased their meticulously prepared talents. Unsurprisingly, Miss Wang emerged victorious.
Though the others were displeased, they couldn’t help but admire the composed demeanor of Madam Wang and her daughter. Such was the grace of an aristocratic family. Now, the only question was whether the position of princess consort would go to the Wang or Song family.
Meanwhile, Lu Chao’s thoughts had already wandered far away. Had Xiao Zheng returned home? He needed to discuss the ceremony with her. Counting the days, he realized the letter must have already reached Yuxi County. He wondered how Lord Lu and Lady Lu would react.
In the Yuxi County magistrate’s office, the atmosphere was slightly different from usual—bustling with a hint of excitement.
Lord Lu and Lady Lu sat facing each other, discussing banquet arrangements.
"My dear, I don’t know why His Majesty summoned me back to the capital so urgently for a debriefing. My heart won’t stop pounding."
Just yesterday, while distributing seeds to the commoners with his clerks, a group of guards suddenly appeared, escorting an imperial envoy.
The edict had come out of nowhere, demanding his return to the capital next month. The eunuch who delivered it had given him a strange look, sending chills down his spine.
"Don’t overthink it, my lord. Going early is good—we can even see Yuanzhao off to his exams!"
Lady Lu smiled reassuringly, her entire demeanor relaxed. It had been years since she last visited her family, and with both sons now in the capital, she longed for a reunion.
"My lord, my lord!! A letter from the third young master!"
Lord Lu stood and took the letter, stroking his beard.
"Ha! That boy must have gotten wind of things through Prince Kang. Let’s see what he has to say."
"Perhaps he wants us to bring along the treasures he’s been hoarding since childhood," Lady Lu teased, leaning in to look at the yellowed paper.
"This—! Preposterous!!"
Lord Lu stared at the words. Individually, he recognized every character, but strung together, they made no sense!
"My lady! My lady! Are you all right?!"
Lady Lu had gone deathly pale, clutching her chest with one hand, her brow furrowed. Lord Lu quickly helped her sit down.
How could this be? Out of nowhere, their Chaochao had been betrothed—and to that… that female general!
Stories about this woman had spread far and wide. Rumor had it she stood nine feet tall, built like an ox, with a cruel and bloodthirsty nature. Their Chaochao couldn’t even subdue a chicken—how could he possibly spend his life with such a woman?!
At the thought of that sudden imperial decree, Lord Lu slumped his shoulders in dejection.
The next day, during the banquet, the sharp-eyed officials of the county yamen quickly noticed something amiss. Though Lord Lu's eyes appeared calm after his promotion, his expression carried a shadow of gloom.
Whispering among themselves, the officials assumed he was reluctant to leave Yuxi County—his deep affection for the land moved them so profoundly that their eyes reddened. One after another, they thumped their chests and vowed to uphold Lord Lu's legacy, pledging to protect Yuxi County in his stead. The group of grown men nearly broke down in tears, embracing each other.
"My child..."
