Wish You All the Best - Extra Chapter 6

Extra Chapter - If the Past Could Be Rewritten (Part II)

The Empress Dowager had passed away three years ago. On this day, the third anniversary of her death, the Crown Prince personally went to the Imperial Ci’en Temple to preside over the memorial rites. He returned to the palace by evening to see the Emperor of Wei.

The Emperor had caught a cold at the beginning of the year, which triggered a recurring illness. Although the imperial physicians had treated him with all their might, not only had his condition failed to improve over the year, but it had trended toward the worse. As the end of the year approached, he had not held court for many days. It was only a few days ago that he received a triumphant report from beyond the borders, informing him that the Duke of Wei had led his army to crush the Hu, and that the war, which had lasted for a year and a half, had finally ended in victory for Great Wei. The officials celebrated, the nation rejoiced, and the Emperor’s spirits had improved slightly. Hearing that the Crown Prince had come to see him, he ordered him to be brought in.

The Crown Prince entered, performed the kneeling kowtow, and reported on the day’s rituals. The Emperor handed the Crown Prince a report he had received that day, stating that the great army would be marching back at the beginning of spring. He then sighed, his tone filled with emotion: "Over these years, the Hu have been sharpening their weapons and feeding their horses, intending to seize Hetao; this has been a great burden on my mind. Now that the war has finally ended in victory, and the Hu have fled north in a panic, their strength severely crippled, I expect that within ten years, they will have no power to invade the south again. I can truly say that one of my heart’s worries has been lifted."

"Relying on the blessings of our ancestors and the immense fortune of Your Majesty above, and the dedicated loyalty of General Pei and the soldiers below, our Great Wei is invincible, and the world is at peace," the Crown Prince replied respectfully.

The Emperor stared at the Crown Prince: "I have another concern, which is the choice of the Crown Princess. My illness, I fear, will not be cured. You are the Crown Prince; the Eastern Palace has only concubines but no official consort, which is not in accordance with propriety. The matter of appointing a consort cannot be delayed any further..."

"Father’s fortune is guided by heaven; you have the protection of the divine. As for my own affairs, it would not be too late to discuss them after Your Majesty has fully recovered!"

The Crown Prince knelt down with a thud.

The Emperor waved his hand.

"I know of your sincerity and filial piety, but this matter cannot be put off any longer. Previously, it was because you were in mourning for your mother, but now that the mourning period has passed, once it is decided, you should hold the grand wedding as soon as possible. With that done, I can be at ease, and the court officials can also be at ease."

The Crown Prince kowtowed and said in a choked voice, "Your son will obey Father’s arrangements."

The Emperor signaled for a eunuch to pass a document to the Crown Prince.

"These three families—not only are their lineages prestigious, but their daughters also possess the virtues of a mother to the nation."

The Crown Prince took it, opened the document, and read it through quickly. He did not see the person he had in his heart and fell silent for a moment.

In his mind’s eye, the silhouette of another woman appeared.

Her mother, Lady Pei, had been a close friend of his mother, the late Empress, in their youth. The Empress had adored Lady Pei’s daughter and often summoned Lady Pei to bring her into the palace to talk.

Just like that, the daughter of the Pei family, as she slowly grew up, gradually entered his heart and became someone he thought of often.

It was just that by then, he had already been promised in marriage.

Later, the woman he was engaged to passed away, and at that time, she had not yet come of age.

The Crown Prince had found excuses to delay appointing a consort, silently waiting for the day she would grow up.

Later still, his mother, the Empress, unfortunately passed away. Three years had flown by, and she had finally grown up.

He had completed the three-year mourning period for his mother, and his father’s health was failing; it was within his expectations that the Emperor would choose a consort for him at this time.

But what he did not expect was, why was she not on the list of candidates for Crown Princess?

Without even mentioning her own reputation, in terms of family standing alone, the Pei family had been loyal for generations. The current Duke of Wei was highly respected at court, knew when to advance or retreat, and had just established great merit in this northern campaign.

Appointing his daughter as Crown Princess would have been logical and highly beneficial to himself.

According to what he had originally known, the Emperor had shortlisted the daughters of four ministers for this selection, and her name had been at the top of the list.

And yet, she was not among the candidates for Crown Princess. The Crown Prince found it hard to believe.

The Emperor said, "Among these three, I think the daughter of your Grand Tutor is the most suitable. Of course, there is nothing wrong with the other two. You may choose from them."

With the Emperor speaking in such a tone, how could the Crown Prince not understand? Appointing the Grand Tutor’s daughter as Crown Princess was the Emperor’s final decision.

The Crown Prince ultimately suppressed the infinite sense of loss rising in his heart, kowtowed, and respectfully said: "Your son will strictly obey Father’s command."

The Emperor smiled: "Very good, then it is settled. I will issue the decree tomorrow, choosing an auspicious date for the wedding to take place as soon as possible before the new year, so that the whole world may celebrate together."

The Crown Prince kowtowed once more to thank him. As he was about to take his leave, he heard the Emperor suddenly say: "Your third brother is currently on his way back to the capital and will surely arrive in a few days. He has been mischievous since childhood. Last year, he insisted on following General Pei to join the army. I had thought he would return after a while, but I didn't expect him to endure the hardship, not only gaining experience but also establishing military merit. It is clear he has grown into an adult, and my heart is greatly comforted. When he returns, I will grant him the title of Prince."

The Crown Prince was stunned, then joyfully said: "I thought Third Brother would only return with General Pei next spring. I didn't expect him to be back so soon. I will certainly go out of the city to welcome him."

The Emperor’s face beamed, and he nodded: "When brothers are of one mind, their strength can cut through metal. Once I have passed, I trust you will be able to treat your brothers well. If your two brothers assist you when you ascend to rule the world, then even when I am gone, I can rest in peace."

The Crown Prince replied respectfully and left. That very night, he received a report, and only then did he finally understand why, at the very last moment, she was not among the candidates for Crown Princess.

Just yesterday, while he was busy preparing for the memorial rites, something had happened that he was unaware of.

The Emperor had received a letter from his third younger brother, Xiao Lie.

That letter had been sent by Xiao Lie using an 800-li emergency courier, racing day and night all the way to the capital.

He himself was still on the road, but that letter had arrived in the Emperor’s hands before he did.

No one knew what was written in that letter, but it appeared that it was precisely because of receiving it that the Emperor had removed the name of the Pei family’s daughter from that list at the last minute.

The Crown Prince received this news and could not sleep all night; his mood was exceptionally complex.

This third brother, due to the Emperor’s favor, had possessed a flamboyant personality since childhood, acting like an anomaly in the palace.

Last year, when he requested to follow the army, in the Crown Prince’s eyes, this brother was merely an impulsive youth, ignorant of the hardships of war and lured by the novelty of it. After he joined the army, just as the Emperor had thought, the Crown Prince had firmly believed he would return to the capital before long.

What he did not expect was that not only had he persisted, but he had even established military merit, making everyone look at him with new eyes.

Xiao Lie’s birth mother was a distant relative of Lady Pei, so since childhood, Xiao Lie had often frequented the Pei residence.

The Crown Prince knew this.

But the Crown Prince had not expected that Xiao Lie would also be enamored with the daughter of the Pei family. Furthermore, he had not expected that this third brother, who was supposed to return next spring at the earliest, would arrive early.

Looking at his itinerary, it seemed like an impulsive, last-minute decision.

Especially that letter—it was even more suspicious.

Could it be that he had learned of his own intentions, and thus returned early specifically to claim her before he could choose the Pei daughter for himself?

A few days later, Xiao Lie returned to the capital and immediately entered the palace to pay his respects to the Emperor.

What happened afterward confirmed the Crown Prince’s deductions.

It was indeed because of the letter he had sent that the Emperor had crossed Pei Wenjing’s name off the list.

In the letter, Xiao Lie stated that his birth mother had passed away early and that he had been raised with the care of Lady Pei, and thus he had made a vow that he would marry none other than the daughter of the Pei family. He claimed that he had known he was unruly and had no achievements to his name, so he had not dared to speak rashly. Now that he had followed the army to the north and luckily gained a shred of merit, he was sending a letter back to the capital to beg the Emperor to propose marriage to the Pei family on his behalf, so that he might fulfill his long-held wish.

...

The setting sun shone in through a lattice window, illuminating a pot of orchids placed on the corner of the dressing table. The green leaves were lush and oily, and several plain-hearted white orchids had already bloomed quietly among the foliage, emitting a faint fragrance. The young girl wore a moon-white shirt, sitting intently before the mirror, holding a wooden comb, slowly combing the long strand of hair hanging over her chest. A silver bracelet suspended from her jade-like wrist swayed gently with her movements.

The girl seemed to have something on her mind. She finally put down the comb, her gaze falling upon the carved lacquer vanity box. Lost in thought for a moment, she reached out, opened the box, and retrieved a jade pendant from the bottom drawer.

The pendant was a vibrant emerald green with orchid patterns carved into it. Although the craftsmanship was not exquisite, it was simple and charming. The girl had tied a silk cord to it to match. As it lay quietly in her palm, the glowing green light of the jade almost permeated her slender hand, reflecting the bracelet on her wrist, making her look exceptionally gentle and moving.

The girl lowered her head slightly, staring at the jade in her palm, remembering that Lantern Festival night, the scene where that impudent youth had forcibly given it to her.

After that night, she had intended to find a chance to return it to him, but either it was inconvenient because others were nearby, or he simply refused to take it. As the days went by, the jade pendant was eventually kept, becoming a source of inner turmoil for her—a knot that could not be untangled.

Last year, before he left, he had been in a great hurry. On the night before he departed, he had asked his little eunuch, Li Yuangui, to deliver a letter to her. In the letter, he said he would wait for her outside the side gate in the southwest corner of her family’s back garden.

He said he wanted to see her one last time.

This was the first time in the years since that Lantern Festival that he had tried to meet her in private.

She still remembered that night. After dark, her heart had been pounding like a deer. She had even applied fresh makeup before the mirror and tried on all her fine robes.

But in the end, she had not taken that step to keep the appointment.

She had simply sent her personal maid to go in her stead and pass on a message, telling him to take care and return soon.

In the year and a half since he had gone, hearing news of her father and brother from her mother, and then imagining what he might be doing in the army, had become her small, daily, sweet delight.

It was only after he had left that she had truly and deeply felt that, from some unknown moment, this impudent fellow—who once made her feel both ashamed and angry just thinking about him—had quietly occupied her heart.

She could no longer forget him.

What she did not expect was that things would turn out like this.

The Crown Prince’s three-year mourning period had passed. Recently, she had faintly heard some rumors. The Emperor was going to select a Crown Princess, and it was said that she was one of the candidates—and that the possibility of her being chosen was extremely high.

Such an unparalleled honor, envied by many, left her feeling restless and anxious all day long, unable to eat or sleep.

If only it were all just hearsay. If only she would not be chosen. If only...

She could wait for the day he returned to the capital.

"A-Jing! A-Jing!"

Accompanying the sound of footsteps, her mother’s voice suddenly called out from outside the door.

Pei Wenjing was startled. She came to her senses, hurriedly placed the jade pendant back into the box, and turned around. She saw that the door had been pushed open, and her mother, surrounded by a group of matrons and maids, had come in, looking at her with a smile on her face.

"Congratulations, young miss. Someone from the palace came just now with good news!"

A matron beside her mother beamed with joy, speaking before anyone else.

The maids were also looking at her, all of them smiling.

Pei Wenjing immediately thought of the rumor. The blood drained from her cheeks. She steadied herself by leaning on the edge of the dressing table, slowly stood up, and looked at her mother, her eyes slightly vacant.

Lady Pei immediately sensed her daughter’s abnormality and hurried to her side.

"A-Jing, what’s wrong with you? Your palms are even so cold! Are you unwell?"

Lady Pei held her daughter’s hand and helped her sit down.

Pei Wenjing shook her head, saying she was fine. She finally managed to steady her mind and asked softly, "Mother, what news came from the palace?"

"Li Yuangui just came to say that the Third Prince has returned to the capital today. His Majesty intends to bestow a marriage, giving you to him as his wife."

Pei Wenjing was stunned. Her heart suddenly began to beat rapidly; she could hardly believe her ears.

She slowly raised her eyes to look at her mother, as if she were in a dream: "Mother, what did you say?"

"His Majesty wishes to bestow a marriage between you and the Third Prince. Li Yuangui said His Majesty’s intention is to arrange the Third Prince’s wedding after the Crown Prince’s grand wedding, and the imperial decree will be issued in the coming days. The news is a bit sudden, but Mother thinks, you and the Third Prince have known each other since childhood..."

"A-Jing, Mother thinks this is a good thing; you should be happy."

Lady Pei led her daughter to the side of the bed to sit down, pulled her into her arms, and looked at her, her eyes filled with comfort and relief as she spoke softly.

On Pei Wenjing’s pale cheeks, a blush gradually emerged, as bright as a flower.

"This daughter will obey everything Mother decides..."

She buried her face in her mother’s arms, closed her eyes in shyness, and said in a low, muffled voice.