The bridal chamber was decked out in red silk, and bathed under the warm glow of the lanterns, it appeared very festive.

Yan Shi strode into the inner chamber and saw that Hua Ling’s head was still covered with the red veil as he sat in an upright posture. Seeing that he had arrived, the maidservants that were waiting to one side came forward to greet him. Yan Shi casually waved his sleeves and ordered them to leave. [1]

Soon, it was just the two of them left in the big house. The silence stretched on for a period of time, with only the occasional sounds produced from the burning candles.

Yan Shi let out a cold smile as he stared at the man in his vicinity. This Duke Kang Le was Prince Zhao’s man, and Prince Zhao’s mother was currently the succeeding Empress. This succeeding Empress was the blood sister of Yang Shi, and was also the mother of the prince who was harmed fifteen years ago.

So even a fool wouldn’t believe that there isn’t anything suspicious about this marriage!

Yan Shi was just about to turn around and leave when he heard a gurgling sound. Looking at his Wangfei again, he saw his hands moving quickly to cover his stomach.

“I – I’m sorry.” Unlike the crying voice that he heard during the day, this voice is light and clear. It carried the clean and pure tenor of youths, and the sound was soft so that one wouldn’t be able to hear it if they weren’t listening carefully.

“You’re hungry? There are snacks on the table, you can help yourself to it.” Yan Shi’s interest was piqued. He had thought that this new Wangfei of his would behave in a similar manner as he did during the day, crying and complaining that he came back too late, thus causing him to starve while waiting.

“I – I’m wearing a veil. L-Look I can’t see where I’m walking.” The small voice drifted out and there was even a faint tremble, could he be afraid?

Yan Shi thought for a moment, forget it, this marriage was already more or less completed, one veil wouldn’t make a difference. Yan Shi didn’t expect him to wear a veil, so he didn’t prepare the wedding staff. [2] He simply went forward and lifted the veil with his hands.

Hua Ling’s head was lowered and he couldn’t see his appearance.

“Alright, you can go and eat by yourself.” Yan Shi wasn’t curious to have him look up and see what he looks like.

Hua Ling grabbed the hem of his clothes with both hands and took a hesitant step on the ground. His butt had just left the bed when his entire body pitched forward. Fortunately, Yan Shi had quick reflexes and grabbed him.

“Ah – “ He was so scared that he let out a shout, but then he felt himself being wrapped in a warm embrace and he turned red to the tips of his ears.

“Many, many thanks.” Hua Ling struggled out from his arms and stood up, “I’m too useless, my legs have turned soft after only sitting for a while.”

It was only then that Yan Shi saw his appearance. Hua Ling had a face more beautiful than a woman’s, yet it did not contain a trace of feminity, and none would mistake him for a woman. Especially those big, round eyes, it added a bit of innocence to his face and made him look a few years younger, appearing as if he was but fifteen or sixteen years old.

Yan Shi was caught in a daze. It wasn’t that he had been mesmerized by a beauty, but that he didn’t expect his Wangfei to look so good. The doubts in his heart grew.

“It’s alright,” Seeing that he was steady on his feet, Yan Shi asked, “Can you walk by yourself now?”

Hua Ling answered a little cautiously, “Y-yes.”

Seeing that Hua Ling had made his way to the table, Yan Shi once again wanted to leave.

“Ge ge – “ [3] Hua Ling’s clear voice drifted from behind.

Ge ge? No one has ever addressed him as that, within the royal family, they would only call him imperial brother. [4]

Yan Shi turned his head and asked in suspicion, “Is there anything else?”

“Ge ge, aren’t you eating?” Hua Ling brought a plate of snacks toward him, his eyes blinking and full of expectation.

“I’m not eating, you go ahead.” Yan Shi tried his best not to look at those eyes.

“But if you’re not eating, then I can’t eat either.” Hua Ling’s eyes suddenly filled with disappointment, and his lips wobbled.

Yan Shi, “You go ahead and eat by yourself, no need to bother about me.”

Hua Ling asked, “Ge ge, aren’t you hungry?”

If he didn’t mention it he wouldn’t have felt so, but now that he said it, Yan Shi did indeed feel a bit hungry. After running about the entire day, even though there was a wedding banquet just now, he had only drank a few glasses of wine, and didn’t eat anything else.

As if he had noticed Yan Shi’s hesitation, Hua Ling went up to him and gently tugged on his sleeves, “Ge ge, why don’t you sit down and eat with me.”

Perhaps it was because he was too hungry, or Hua Ling’s appearance was too pitiful, but in short, Yan Shi went along with him and sat down by the table.

Hua Ling picked a few delicious looking pastries and placed them before Yan Shi, “Ge ge, here, eat this.”

Seeing that Yan Shi had eaten, he then happily took the pastries he had picked out and began eating it in small bites.

Yan Shi looked at both their pastries and asked, “Why are ours so different?” It was obvious that the one Hua Ling had given him was a lot better than the one he took for himself.

Hua Ling hurriedly placed the half-bitten snack down and swallowed the contents in his mouth before replying, “I have to leave the better snacks for ge ge, it’s always been like this even back home.”

“Back home? Aren’t you the older brother?” Yan Shi never had a good impression of Hua Qiancheng, and had always thought that the children of the Hua family were the arrogant and domineering sort, all supercilious dandies. He didn’t expect the Wangfei he married to actually be so sensible.

“Mother said, I should leave all good things for my parents and siblings.” Hua Ling said all prim and proper, this mother referred to Yang Shi.
Yan Shi asked curiously, “Then what kind of things are yours?”
“Naturally, it’s the things that are leftover after my parents and siblings have had their fill.”

“Don’t you feel wronged?”

Hua Ling glanced at him with a strange look, “ Ge ge, don’t you know the story of Kong Rong giving up his pears?” [5]

Yan Shi was slightly stunned, then he smiled, “I naturally know about it.”

“Since you are older than me and I’m younger than you, then I should leave the good things for you. My siblings are all younger than me, as an elder brother, I should give in to them.” Saying this, Hua Ling’s eyes strayed to the pastries on the table.

“Quickly eat.” Yan Shi first took a bite, Hua Ling upon seeing him eat, then picked up another pastry and bit into it. After eating five or six pastries in one go, it seemed as if he was full, and he poured a cup of tea and placed it in front of Yan Shi. “Ge ge, please have some tea.”

After Yan Shi took a sip, he then poured a cup for himself and drank it as he stared at Yan Shi with big eyes.

Yan Shi wasn’t in a hurry to leave, “Your mother, she teaches you often?”

“That’s right!” Hua Ling seemed to be less reserved, “She taught me many things, Qin [6], chess, calligraphy, and weaving clothes, I know all these things.”

Yan Shi knitted his brows, Qin, chess and calligraphy could be justified, but what about weaving clothes? Wasn’t that what women should learn?

“Ge ge, look, the pattern embroidered on the side of the veil was done by me.” Hua Ling held the veil up with pride.

Yan Shi received it to have a look, embroidered on the veil was a pair of mandarin ducks playing in the water. The stitches were neat and beautiful, and overall it was extremely pleasing to the eye. There was also a gold circle sewn around the veil which made it look graceful and luxurious. Previously, he did not pay any attention to the veil, he only thought it was made by one of the people within the Kang Le residence, and didn’t expect it to have actually come from Hua Ling himself.

Yan Shi lifted his head, and seeing Hua Ling’s expectant look, he coughed lightly and said, “It’s, it’s pretty.”

“The wedding dress I’m wearing was also made by me” Hua Ling continued, “When I was young my mother often told me, I must properly learn all these women skills, so that in the future my husband’s family wouldn’t dislike me.”

Yan Shi frowned, when he was young? Often? Did they never think of getting him a wife?

Yan Shi’s marriage clothes was similar to Hua Ling’s, but his was made in the palace. He had thought that Hua Ling’s clothing were also made there, but he never would have thought that Hua Ling personally made it by himself.

“You – “ Yan Shi paused slightly before he asked again, “Have you ever learned archery and horseback riding?”

“No, I’ve never learned those,” Hua Ling shook his head and smiled, “My mother said I didn’t have to learn them because they are too difficult, I could just leave them to my younger brother. Even though she’s not my real mother, but she really takes care of me, and can’t bear to see me suffer.”

“Then what about your academics?”

“Well,” Hua Ling replied, “I can write poetry.”

Yan Shi, “Then, make one and recite it for me.”

“What kind of poem should it be?” Hua Ling briefly scanned the room, “I’ve got it, since today is our big day, I shall go with this topic.”

Hua Ling cleared his voice gently, and began reciting –

“Today there was a happy occasion.”

Yan Shi nearly spat out the tea he had just drank.

“Gege and I got married.”

Yan Shi took a heavy breath as he continued to listen to him reciting.

“From then on our hearts are one.”

“Um……” He seemed to be stuck on the last sentence. Hua Ling cocked his head, his brows creasing as he thought for awhile, “Lovingly spending a hundred years.”

Having finished the poem, Hua Ling didn’t forget to ask, “Gege, how was my poem?” Although he asked this, his face was full of confidence.

“Not, not bad.” Seeing that smiling face, Yan Shi went against his conscience and praised him.

“My mother also said that I’m good at composing poems,” Hua Ling who just got praised smiled happily, “She often praises me, and even said that my younger brother’s poems are too complex and aren’t as good as mine.”

“Then is that what the tutors think as well?”

“At the beginning there was a tutor who said that I wasn’t good at writing poems. My mother said he wasn’t cultured and have wrongfully shamed the young, [7] so she chased him away. Then she invited another tutor over. This tutor is widely read and also often praises me.”

“Then did you mother say when you can participate in the imperial exam?” Yan Shi continued, “After all, after all since you excel in your studies, it is reasonable that you register for it early and serve the court.”

Hua Ling, “My mother said I don’t have to take the exam to gain eminence, anyway this Kang Le title and deed will become mine in the future. Since to accompany a king is akin to accompanying a tiger, [8] then it is better to be a carefree duke in the countryside.”

Hearing that, Yan Shi had basically already found out everything that he wanted to know. What a clever woman with such a devious strategy.

His little Wangfei was looking at him with his beautiful big eyes, and he seemed to be thinking of something. Yan Shi silently sighed to himself, what a poor little fool.

Toward Hua Ling, Yan Shi had already lowered most of his defenses, but he wasn’t completely unguarded, that still required a period of observation in the future.

Originally, Yan Shi had decided to be a husband in name only, but perhaps because they shared a similar history of losing their mother while young, his heart was moved. Yan Shi silently made two decisions in his heart – if you carry any hidden intentions towards me, I will get rid of it ruthlessly; but if you are truly as pure as you seem, then I will treat you well and let you go.

  

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Translator’s Notes:
[1] Waved his sleeves – a gesture that basically conveys to others to do away with the greetings
[2] Apparently there is a special staff used specifically to lift the bride’s veil
[3] Ge ge 哥哥 = Older brother. It is also an affectionate/flirtatious way for girls to address older guys 😉 Like how Korean girls address their oppas.
[4] Imperial brother 皇兄 (Huang Xiong) is a less intimate way of addressing one’s royal brother
[5] This is a reference to a short Chinese classic targeted at children and meant to teach them to be virtuous. You can read it here.
[6] 琴 (Qin): a traditional Chinese musical instrument.
[7] 误人子弟: ‘shamed the young’ (it roughly translates to this. If you have a better suggestion, let me know!)
[8] A Chinese proverb 伴君如伴虎 Because the favor of a king (toward his courtly officials) is always uncertain.

  

dreamxx: Sorry for the late update!! I was really busy last week with my internship. And unfortunately, school is starting soon and it’s my final semester in university T.T so I’ll probably be getting busier. In light of that, I’ll probably only be able to do regular updates for one of the ongoing projects… which I have decided to be TEIE. So please expect only sporadic updates for Aggrieved Fish Sprite from now on :’) I’ll work on it only when I have additional time to spare. However, if anyone is interested in translating it, please let me know and go ahead with it.

PS: I’m soooo excited for chapter 4~!

  

Thank you for your support! ( ˘ ³˘)♥

  

Chapter 2Chapter 4