Parked in front of the Prime Minister’s residence were three horse drawn carriages. Servants were rushing about loading their lady’s dowry, trunks of gold, silver and jewels, onto these carriages. As well as an endless amount of pots of medicinal plants and medical pellets.
Inside the mansion was Fan Yun Luo and her mother, hugging each other while crying. Her father, Fang Xuan Ling stood to side watching, tears sliding down his face.
“Luo-er Marquis Qi was a hero when he was younger, and still is upright and honourable. He is even liked by the Emperor himself; he certainly will be a good husband.” Fang Xuan Ling was in the same faction as Qi Er Lun and knew his character well. Handing his daughter over to him, he couldn’t be more satisfied or pleased.
It was only because she was this couple’s first daughter, and grew up along side her master, learning the art of healing that the mother and father were so reluctant. After all it was only two years ago that she returned to them after learning the art of healing, and now, at nineteen she was to be wed away. This mother and father pair were really reluctant to part with her, and to such a far place also. This would make visits to each other highly inconvenient.
Luo-er’s knowledge in medicine was very extensive. When she returned, she heard that the Empress was chronically sick and asked for an audience with the Emperor to treat the Empress. Surprisingly, not only did she cure the Empress, both the Emperor and Empress grew very fond of her. The Emperor even asked Luo-er to become his Imperial Concubine, but she boldly declined.
He still remembered that day where his Luo-er tactfully rejected the Emperor. She boldly proclaimed that she did not wish to enter the Royal Court and it’s rivalries, and even stated how she believed men should not have three or four wives but should love only one. As she openly scolded the Emperor, as her father, he was sweating profusely.
Since then, the Emperor discarded the idea of making her into his Imperial Concubine, but he never forgot her.
This coincided with Qi Er Luns victory over the Turks. The Emperor knew that his Grand Marshal wanted to retire and did not wish to marry with a Han woman. In order to force him to stay and make his descendents have Han blood flowing within their veins, he proposed the marriage. Without even thinking about Luo-er’s feelings, he made his decision.
Though this little bit of political information Fang Xuan Ling did not tell his daughter. He only hoped that Qi Er Lun would grow old together with Luo-er for that would be the best. Whatever little problems that lie between then and now, are only small problems.
“Father, mother, your daughter will become the best wife, so do not worry for her.” Fang Yun Luo knew that her parents worried about her “I can’t be bothered with small matters” personality. If not for the imperial decree and fear that nine generations of her family would be killed, she would have refused the arranged marriage.
Fang Yun Luo not only did not like to curry for other’s grace, she also wanted to live a peaceful, ordinary life. She wanted to live with her Patriarch, master and disciple sisters in the mountain. Practising their healing skills, pellet making skills and the four arts all day long.
(TLN: The four being zither, go, calligraphy and painting.)
Thinking of her master brought made her seethe with rage. That heartless master; as soon as he heard she was going to marry, he just left a note saying “I hope we meet again”, returning to Mount Changbai by himself.
“Back then, you should have entered the Royal Harem and become a Imperial Concubine. Tai Yuan is such a distant place, what if my Luo-er got bullied. We would be too far to help put out the fire!” Madam Fang choked out sobbing.
“Madam, Luo-er’s status is now the Princess of the Governor of Tai Yuan. The Marquis has over ten thousand men under him, so who will dare bully her? Furthermore, even if Marquis Qi were to have a concubine, they would be unable to take her position, not even twenty concubines would. You just rest your heart in a.s.surance!” Fang Xuan Ling stated, but he could not openly say his daughter was very crafty and quick-witted. It was just those years of journeying with her master had caused her personality to be a bit out of control.
“Mother, father is correct. I will be fine. And you know that my skill in medicine is very high, so if anyone dared to bully me, I will put laxatives in their food and make them never be able to leave the toilet.” Truthfully, she was still unwilling to leave, and only said those words to rea.s.sure her parents.
Listening to this, Madam Fang turned her tears into laughter: “This child!”
“Luo-er, it is time. If you were to be behind schedule, it will cause much trouble.” Fang Xuan Ling gently reminded his daughter.
“Miss let us leave!” Jin Xiu, her handmaid said while helping her up.
“Jin Xiu, look after the Miss well. You are the brightest of all the maids here, so you know what to do once you arrive?” Madam Fang reiterated.
“Madam please rest a.s.sured, this Jin Xiu will never let others bully her easily. Jin Xiu has already sworn on her life to protect her Miss from all harm.” Jin Xiu solemnly vowed as she said this.
“Jin Xiu, the Miss is only leaving to marry, not go into a life threatening situation. Why are you talking about risking your life to protect her!” Fang Xuan Ling replied, shaking his head.
Jin Xiu’s intelligence and craftiness were learnt from Luo-er these past two years, and sometimes she could be even more fearsome than his daughter. He was afraid that this master and servant duo will cause Marquis Qi many headaches.
Jin Xiu feared she had said the wrong words, so she pursed her lips and lead Fang Yun Luo outside.
After walking a few steps, Fang Yun Luo turned around and said: “Father, mother, you do not need to send Luo-er out. Otherwise Luo-er is afraid that she will be unable to leave.”
“Wait a minute Luo-er!” From within his sleeves, Fang Xuan Ling took out a golden medallion and letter and handed them to his daughter. “This medallion was given to you personally by the Empress. She said that if in the future you need anything, as long as you showed this medallion, she and the Emperor would do anything to complete it. This letter your father wrote to Marquis Qi, please give it to him.”
Taking the medallion and letter into her sleeves, Fang Yun Luo took one last look at her parents and quickly ran out of the room to avoid them seeing her tears.
When she left home to travel the world with her master, she wasn’t this sad. But this time she was going to lose her freedom.
Seeing her daughter run out of the room, Madam Fang asked: “My lord, did you write to Marquis Qi to properly take care of our Luo-er?”
“I have Madam.” This was a comfort to the Madam. The letter was filled with his wishes to the Marquis to properly look after his daughter and guide her.
In the Tai Yuan prefecture, many businesses were flourishing, with the Governor’s Mansion located in the center of Tai Yuan’s main city.
The mansion itself was very extensive and was divided into four main wings; the East, West, South and North Wings.
In the East Wing, resided the Marquis and his Princess with a beautiful garden, the Main Pavilion, ponds and courts. While the West Wing housed the lord’s concubines, and it was furnished with the same designs as the East Wing, but it’s decorations were obviously inferior.
“My Lord, why am I residing in the West Wing? Why was I not welcomed in a sedan chair lifted by eight people?” Lan Yun fired out a bunch questions.
Since she was already her Lord’s woman, she naturally a.s.sumed she was the Princess. All day everyday she awaited the day where the Marquis would openly announce her presence and marry her. Then her betrayal of her Uncle would be worth it.
That year, she was sent out by her Uncle to determine whether he had lived or died. Just as she found him being rescued by his men, she became mesmerised by his appearance and fell in love at first sight. Brazenly, she betrayed her Uncle and followed him back to his camp.
(TL: Bah! Love, you like his appearance not his personality you minx! (►˛◄’!)/)
Qi Er Lun admired her beautiful features and her nicely curved body. Her beautiful face and the fact that she saved saved him, made him agree to marry her. Also the pleasure of her body every night, made him want to make love to her endlessly in bed.
“Lan Yun, I must be honest with you. I was ordered by the Emperor to marry the Prime Minister’s First Daughter as my wife. She has already departed and will arriving shortly to wed me. I asked you over so I could make you my concubine.”
Concubine?! Lan Yun was momentarily brought to tears: “You can’t treat me like this. You have already promised to let me become your wife!”
“If you do not want to be wronged, then you may leave. I do not want to wrong you and if you do leave, I will provide you a large sum of money. Otherwise if we were to disobey, the Emperor will sentence nine of our generations to death.” Not only did she save him, she was also the most beautiful woman he had ever met and the most sensitive too, but he didn’t want to force her to do anything she didn’t want to.
(TL:: -_- men….. ED: what? he doesn’t want to force her. are you saying that’s a bad thing. well clearly a woman would force a man to do something against his wishes. d.a.m.n women.)
Most unwillingly, Lan Yun replied after a while: “I agree to become your concubine, but you must promise me to never ignore me. I never wanted to share you with other women.”
“I will never ignore you. Not only will I not ignore you, I will also let you bear my heirs. The woman that I am marrying will only have the Princess t.i.tle and will receive nothing else from me.”
“By your words, I may still be able to become your Princess in the future? Do you know much I long to belong your wife and bear your children.” If her son were to become the heir, then she would have permanent wealth. She was tired of an unstable life, with no knowledge her future.
(ED: See, freaking women, she just wants to use him for her own ends. Doesn’t care about him. Man, scary world with women in it.)
“Of course it is possible. If she were have an early death or break one of the seven rules of marriage, I will definitely divorce her. Whereas you on the other hand, if you were to bear my heirs, then you would be able to become my Princess.”
Breaking one the seven rules of marriage or dying early? Then she most definitely would be able to become the Princess. “You will not have more concubines right? Otherwise I will have to fight with others for the place of Princess.”
“Even if I were to take more concubines, if you make an effort and give me my heirs, then you will become my Princess.” Of course this t.i.tle had a condition. For whenever he was with her, he felt as if he was still missing something. What was that fragrant flowery perfume back then?
Heir? The she must use all her efforts in order to make him stay on her bed.
(TL&ED: -_- G.o.d who wants to stay with such a manipulative conniving woman)