Chapter 84: The Moon as Matchmaker

“Why didn’t you wear something festive before coming?”

“Sister, it’s common for you women to wear red. Have you ever seen a man wear bright red or bright green clothes?”

Inside the boudoir, Lin Hansu was dressed in red, while Ding Sui’an wore a moon-white brocade robe.

The clash of red and white was neither auspicious nor aesthetically pleasing.

This couldn’t be blamed on Young Master Ding. Ever since the two confessed their feelings in Lanyang City, Lin Hansu had personally taken charge of his wardrobe, having embroiderers make Ding Sui’an a collection of subtly flamboyant moon-white and deep blue brocade robes, leaving him no other colors to wear.

Lin Hansu looked around and finally fixed her gaze on the brand-new red satin quilt embroidered with mandarin ducks playing in water, which had just been delivered tonight.

She turned to fetch scissors from the dressing box and walked back to the bedside.

*Snip—*

In just a few breaths, the satin surface of the perfectly good red satin quilt was cut off by her.

She immediately draped the red satin over Ding Sui’an and stepped back. “That’s much better now!”

“Give me the scissors.”

Ding Sui’an looked down, took the scissors, cut a square piece of red cloth from a corner of the red satin, and then walked up to Lin Hansu.

She immediately guessed the Young Master’s intention. Her Phoenix eyes curved into crescent moons, and the corners of her lips turned up. The genuine happiness made her beautiful face appear even more radiant.

Lin Hansu lowered her head slightly, and Ding Sui’an took the opportunity to place the red satin over her head.

“Let’s bow to something.”

Inside the red bridal veil, Lin Hansu proposed again.

“Bow to what? We can’t exactly invite my father and your father over right now, can we?”

“Then let’s bow to the Bright Moon!”

“Done.”

Ding Sui’an walked to the window and pushed open the sash, then brought two cushions. Finally, he led Lin Hansu to the cushions, and they knelt down one after the other.

“Should we say something?”

“Young Master, wait, let me think.”

After about five or six breaths, Lin Hansu suddenly raised her arms, right hand in front, left hand behind, and performed a formal bowing ceremony toward the Bright Moon visible through the window. She then whispered, “Bright Moon above, I, your humble servant Lin Hansu, am willing today to be the wife of the Ding Family Gentleman, Sui’an. From this day forward, I shall respect him, love him, and support him, internally managing the household and externally alleviating his worries and burdens. Upward, I shall show filial piety to my father-in-law; downward, I shall be worthy of our descendants. Even if the rites and laws do not permit it—”

At this point, the voice inside the red bridal veil choked slightly, pausing for two breaths, but then continued with a more determined tone: “Even if the rites and laws do not permit it, the world dislikes it, and my elders forbid it, I will not change this heart! Regardless of joy or hardship, we shall never betray each other; I only wish that in this life, we live side by side and are buried in the same grave. I ask Heaven to bear witness, and the Bright Moon to be our matchmaker.”

When she finished speaking, tears gathered at her rounded chin and dropped from beneath the veil.

The Bright Moon hung high in the sky.

In the silent Huguai Garden, orioles sang sweetly.

Red candles wept wax.

In the fragrant boudoir, spring scenery unfolded several times.

*Dong—Dong—*

“Midnight. The weather is dry, beware of candlelight fires~”

The sound of the watchman beating the gong on Suimian Street drifted faintly.

Lin Hansu lay prone on the bed, her Phoenix eyes half-open, half-closed.

Black hair, damp with fine sweat, clung to her slender, snow-white back.

Like cherry blossoms fallen after the rain.

Exhausted and listless, delicate and weak.

“Do you want some water?”

Ding Sui’an asked, turning sideways.

“Mm.”

Slowly recovering her senses, Lin Hansu blushed the moment her eyes met Ding Sui’an’s, and she quickly pulled the quilt—now missing its satin cover—over her face with both hands.

“Ding Sui’an! Tell me the truth, have you been with anyone before?”

Under the quilt, Lin Hansu’s muffled questioning rang out.

“No. Maintaining my virtue is my baseline principle.”

“Then how… how do you know so much?”

“I learned it from you. You love looking at Erotic Paintings.”

“Pfft~”

Her previously blank mind rebooted. Lin Hansu sorted out her thoughts and poked her head out from under the quilt, but the moment their eyes met again, she couldn’t help but blush.

Lin Hansu simply avoided looking at him and said, “Young Master, I need to discuss something serious with you.”

“…Sister, a moment of spring night is worth a thousand pieces of gold. Is now the time for serious matters?”

“Don’t move around!” Lin Hansu was temporarily subdued, and she quickly clamped down on Ding Sui’an’s arm. “The day before yesterday, I went to the Bureau of Music and Entertainment and saw Xia Tieying!”

“Huh? There’s another story behind the Bureau of Music and Entertainment incident. Xia Tieying and I didn’t even meet—”

Lin Hansu’s little trick succeeded; she had indeed diverted the Young Master’s attention. Before Ding Sui’an could finish, she said, “I’m not stupid, of course I know what you intended to do! I visited Miss Xia at the Bureau of Music and Entertainment on Your Highness’s orders.”

“Your Highness’s orders?”

“I think you all underestimate Your Highness and His Majesty.”

“What do you mean?”

“That day, even if you hadn’t gone, Miss Xia would have been fine. Your Highness had already arranged backup to protect her.”

“In that case,” Ding Sui’an rested his head on his arm, looking at the ceiling, and asked doubtfully, “Your Highness and His Majesty knew Duke of Zhenguo was wrongly accused?”

“Of course they knew!”

“Then why punish the descendants of the Xia Family?”

“This is a long story,” Lin Hansu pulled Ding Sui’an’s arm and nestled into his embrace sideways, continuing, “The Duke of Zhenguo is a veteran general in the military, constantly in charge of the Imperial Army. It’s not an exaggeration to say he’s His Majesty’s trusted confidant. Punishing him, whose reputation and authority is being undermined?”

“Are you saying someone wants to use this incident to attack His Majesty???” Ding Sui’an was shocked.

“In any case, there are many in the Imperial Court who advocated for punishing the Duke of Zhenguo! Think about it: the Duke of Zhenguo died in battle, yet His Majesty still punishes his family. Isn’t this trying to paint His Majesty as a muddle-headed ruler? His Majesty likely just went along with it, appearing to follow the court officials’ suggestions and punishing the Xia family descendants, but in reality, His Majesty is waiting for this group of people to become complacent and expose themselves one by one.”

A few strands of black hair clung to Lin Hansu’s pink cheek. Perhaps feeling itchy, she lifted her pinky finger to brush her cheek, but failed to push them away.

Ding Sui’an reached out and tucked the loose hair sticking to her cheek behind her ear. “Did Princess Xingguo tell you?”

Her face, rosy and tender after their intimacy, bore a sweet smile. “How could Your Highness tell me about such a major affair? I merely guessed it from the official documents I handle every day.”

“Impressive!”

Even though it was a guess, Ding Sui’an felt that Lin Hansu’s explanation was the most logical.

Encouraged by his affirmation, Lin Hansu grew bolder and voiced her bigger, more outrageous speculation: “Even the disastrous Southern Expedition… has a great deal of trickery involved. Ten thousand troops were sent out, but eighty percent of the casualties were from the Imperial Army. I think the Southern Expedition was a conspiracy from the very beginning, not meant for victory, but only to weaken the court’s Imperial Army.”

Lin Hansu gazed at Ding Sui’an with eyes still lingering with spring affection. After a moment of mutual gaze, they spoke in unison: “State Religion!”

The witness who delivered the order for Qin Shou to retreat was the Purple-robed Hierarch of Central Heaven.

If Lin Hansu’s analysis was correct, the struggle among the upper echelons of Great Wu had already reached a fever pitch.

Moreover, both the civil and military factions of the Imperial Court had been heavily infiltrated.

But to the common people, the State Religion and the Imperial Court still seemed inextricably linked, sharing prosperity and loss.

The next day.

Ding Sui’an could be a beast, but he couldn’t treat Lin Hansu like one, especially since it was her first time.

Therefore, they spent the latter half of the night talking.

mao hour.

Ding Sui’an had to return before dawn. Lin Hansu originally wanted to get up with him and personally help him dress, fulfilling her duty as a new wife.

Unexpectedly, as soon as she stepped out of bed, her waist and legs went soft, and she fell to her knees on the floor.

Facing Ding Sui’an’s teasing smile, Lin Hansu rolled her eyes irritably.

“You continue to sleep. If you can’t manage, just send someone to Princess Xingguo’s side to ask for leave.”

Ding Sui’an carried her back to the bed. Lin Hansu softly agreed but had no intention of skipping work just because of this.

7-9 am.

Granny Zhang entered the New Ji Pavilion and called up from downstairs, “Madam, it is 7-9 am. Are you still going to Ziwei Ward today?”

Lin Hansu had taken a second sleep and recovered some energy. Hearing the call, she put on her dudou and underpants under the quilt before saying, “Nanny, please come up and help me tidy up.”

Quarter Past 7-9 am.

After washing up, Lin Hansu sat in front of the mirror, drawing her eyebrows and eyes.

Behind her, Granny Zhang was tidying the bed alone. Seeing the faint ‘peach blossom’ stains on the sheet that wouldn’t wash out, she whispered, “Madam, should this old woman take the sheet to be burned?”

Lin Hansu’s hand, which was drawing her eyebrow, paused. She thought for a moment. “Wash it and put it away. Don’t give it to the laundry maids. Please trouble Nanny to wash it personally.”

“Yes.”

Keeping this kind of thing carried a bit of risk.

But burning it, she felt a little regretful.

“Nanny~”

Granny Zhang wrapped up the sheet and was about to go downstairs, but hearing Lin Hansu call out, she stopped in place. “Madam’s command.”

“From now on, you don’t need to call me Madam when we’re at home.”

“Yes, Princess Consort.”

“Nor do you need to call me Princess Consort.”

“Then…” Lin Hansu confused Granny Zhang. “This old woman is slow-witted. How should I address Madam in the future?”

“Call me by the address I used before I was married~”

“Yes, Third Miss.”

“Mhm~ Nanny, you can go and busy yourself now.”

Lin Hansu applied the final stroke to her willow eyebrows in the mirror, then tilted her head left and right, admiring the result.

The person in the mirror had a face like peach blossoms and was radiant with energy.

Lin Hansu smiled at her reflection and whispered, “Madam Ding, good morning~”

I revised it several times, but this is the best I can write.

Starting tomorrow, the daily update times will be 12 PM and 8 PM.