Bab 5: Lei Ming
Xinyi sat on the marital bed, sinking in depression. She did a good job by getting herself worked up by overthinking. Her mind ran wild with many horrible things about her so-called 'old' husband.
As for the husband, he delayed going into Xinyi's room. All the guests had left but Lord Lei Ming sat beside a man-made lagoon near his villa, drinking wine.
He hated this marriage more than anyone else. Lei Ming believed the first prince, Duan Ren, who disliked him, was the culprit influencing the king to pass this edict. They didn't even ask for his consent. The edict merely stated it was a benevolent gift from the king as the new governor of Fēngfù City.
"Hah, a first prince who knew nothing but forces people and if somebody voices his opinion against his plan would suffer like hell. Just like what I'm going through now." He drank another glass of wine. "**Fēngfù, hah, a name only depicted the past glories of this city than its present state."
It was just a year ago that he was one of the most promising scholars after the latest national examination. Lei Ming worked hard to get a royal ministerial post. He had to pass starting from the local exams, district, provincial, and the last and the most important one was in the palace. And to think, they only held exams after every four years. If he missed or failed, he had to wait for years, which was tormenting.
With good fortune and intelligence, he was the top one for both in martial combat and written exam, but because he argued with the prince's disaster preparedness program which not only could deplete the treasury but could also open for abuse with greedy officials… he was in this state.
Hah, just an argument between scholars and the outcome, Lei Ming received an edict to be the new governor of this Fēngfù City, a remote city near the borders. Taking him away from his dream of becoming a royal court minister. And not for long after he set foot in this governor's house, another edict came, marriage betrothal to this Xian lady.
He loved and dreamed of marrying a woman of his choosing. Marriage out of betrothal was a common practice but to think his wife was a daughter of the prime minister he hated not just for agreeing with the first prince to convince the king to send him here in Fengfu but also because of the proclamation the Prime Minister drafted to filter and limit the tradings of the city from merchants of other countries.
What were they thinking? Ah, curses of all curses. If the king was not adamant against polygamy and divorce, he would divorce her after a year or demote this wife to a mistress and take someone else as the main wife.
Was this Lord Xian Lang collaborating with the first prince? And sent him the unloved daughter to make him suffer. He never cared much about appearance, but the woman's virtue was his priority on finding a wife.
He did some investigation for this Xian lady. Her name was Xinyi. A pleasant name given for a doted daughter, but the parents sent her away when she was still a little girl to a far away ancestral land he had never heard of. That was worth taking note. Why did they send her away? A month ago, they brought her in Fēngfù to dwell in her maternal home in Evergreen Hills for the wedding while the prime minister's family stayed in the capital city, ***Fùyù.
There was no representative from their side in this wedding, nor they sent a dowry with the daughter. Only a single maid and a young male servant to accompany her. Therefore, he presumed the wife they sent to him was someone who would make him and his clan a laughingstock.
The king didn't even bother to reprimand Xian Lang for mistreating his own daughter, or probably the news reported back to His Majesty was plain fabricated stories.
Lei Ming didn't invite a lot of officials or guests to this wedding. He brought in just enough for a show. And he was thankful for his decision. Even the first prince didn't bother to send a representative. Thus, this wedding turned into nothing but a street performance to entertain the masses and announce to the world how devastating it was.
"Well, if the king will hear about the outcome of the wedding, there will be over one person who will be implicated. I'm sure they will keep this hidden or be imprisoned." He drank more wine. "Real cunning connivers."
He couldn't believe all of his hard work to reach his goal went down the drain.
----- o -----
Xinyi grew tired. She was getting hungry. Before coming here, they only gave her porridge. How could it hold her hunger pangs the whole day? It was already late in the evening and the table was full, but she couldn't take a bite because of the tradition. She couldn't believe getting married was a tiresome thing. From dawn until late in the evening, and it was still not over.
Then she heard someone talking outside. It was Gu Dai and the manservant.
"Hey! When will this ritual end? I'm getting tired," Xinyi asked.
"Don't worry, Lady Xinyi, the wedding rituals are always like this. The waiting will heighten the longing of two souls to become one," said Kong Hanying, giggling with what he said.
"Yes, My Lady. Just be patient and Lord Lei Ming will come soon," assured Gu Dai.
While they were talking, exhaustion took over and her eyes shut tight. At this moment, Hanying gestured for Gu Dai to come closer to him and whispered.
"Have you heard the latest rumor? Goding country is now preparing for an all-out war against other countries."
"What?!?" shouted Gu Dai and awakened Xinyi.
"Yes, and they might attack us too," continued Hanying.
Xinyi missed the first part but heard the last phrase. "Eh? Attack? Who's going to attack? Someone will attack my old husband. Does he still have the strength and stamina to fight?" Innocent Xinyi spoke without thinking. Her sleepiness got the better of her.
As for Hanying, he misunderstood Xinyi. "No worries, Lady Lei. Lord Lei would only attack one person tonight and you know who... You know the first night, your most special night." He giggled while speaking.
"Knock it off. Don't ruin the atmosphere by scaring our innocent Lady Lei." Gu Dai rebuked Hanying.
"Why? Is she not expecting it?"
"Of course, but..." Gu Dai bit her lower lip while hitting her two fingertips to each other. Afraid to mention that her mistress grew up with no interaction with men or matters between a man and a woman.
"Scare me of what? Expect what?" asked Xinyi, yawning with her mouth wide open where a fly could enter easily if there was one doing a night shift.
"Hehe, expect the thing, you know what that is. The thing newly wedded couple will do on their wedding night with lights off, sleeping together on bed and more... hehe, My Lady," Hanying replied as he chuckled.
Gu Dai froze. She didn't know what to say from stopping the blabbermouth Hanying. Xinyi's forehead furrowed, trying to process what Hanying was talking about… and… suddenly grasped what he meant. "Ahhh!" she exclaimed.
Just a while ago, she was so worked up to exhaustion thinking of the possible severe scenario with the old husband and had forgotten them. And now, Hanying reminded her again.
Then she heard someone coming. "Lord Lei is here, My Lady," announced Hanying.
----- o -----
**Fēngfù - rich, plentiful
***Fùyù - Prosperous
Hadiah
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