Chapter 73 - Marriage
The wedding of the Fourteenth Prince had long been held, and it was a grand affair.
Among the emperor’s many sons, the Fourteenth Prince was favored, particularly by Consort De. His background was distinguished, with his father holding a title and serving as a deputy in the Ministry of Rites.
The bride’s dowry was also quite substantial, even more so than that of the elder sister-in-law, the Ula Nara family. When the details of her dowry were revealed, it sparked much discussion. Although the princes only needed to ensure their dowries did not exceed that of the Crown Princess, this did not prevent comparisons among brothers, which inevitably led to gossip.
Yingyu, considering her elder sister-in-law’s dowry, intentionally reduced hers by two items for the sake of future harmony within the family.
Now, Luoyu, like Yingyu, had a dowry of one hundred and six items, having reduced it from the Ula Nara family’s one hundred and eight to avoid drawing too much attention.
Many items were kept discreet, but those who needed to know were still aware.
When the Fourth Prince received the dowry list for his concubine, his brows couldn’t help but twitch.
It was too extravagant; the settling allowance given by the emperor was even less than his concubine’s dowry?!
This left him with complicated feelings.
However, upon further thought, the emperor had so many princes and princesses. No matter how grand the family, they couldn’t afford such extravagance. The Lin family was different; they had few offspring, and their ancestral wealth was substantial. Plus, there was Concubine Yun, whose talents were truly remarkable.
The Fourth Prince recalled the information he had gathered: his concubine’s mother, Mrs. Yun, had a unique talent for cultivating flowers and plants, and a significant part of the concubine’s dowry was earned through her efforts. She even managed to accumulate this wealth by opening a shop during her tenure, surpassing the savings of many wealthy merchants accumulated over generations.
Her talent in this area was indeed praiseworthy.
Moreover, she had innovative ideas, and importantly, these ideas could be turned into reality.
The method of drying salt from seawater was her proposal, a significant achievement that allowed more common people to afford salt.
If it weren’t for the gender difference and their incompatible statuses, the Fourth Prince would have liked to meet her and seek her advice.
However, he believed there might still be an opportunity.
With his current tasks not yet complete, the time for rewards would come after. He was sure the emperor would be generous. Thinking of this, the Fourth Prince felt even more satisfied with the marriage.
Before the wedding procession, there was a step called “displaying the dowry,” which, as the name suggests, showcased the bride’s wealth, ensuring that no one would underestimate her.
When the Lin family delivered the dowry and displayed it, both Ula Nara and Li were present, and they were stunned to see the courtyard filled with the impressive dowry.
The dowry totaled one hundred and six sets, but compared to regular chests, the Lin family’s were about half again as large. If she had used ordinary chests, she could probably have amassed one hundred fifty or sixty sets.
What was displayed wasn’t even all of it; after all, the hidden savings wouldn’t be shown, but it was enough to leave them all in shock.
Especially Li, who looked particularly astonished at the lavish dowry, not to mention the other young ladies present.
A woman’s confidence comes from her family background—dowry, offspring, and a man’s affection. The Lin concubine had plenty of confidence in the first two aspects.
Sister Song was pregnant and close to giving birth, so she didn’t join the excitement but only listened as her maid described the scene. After hearing about it, she remained still for a long time before slowly lifting her hand to touch her belly.
Those things weren’t important; what mattered was the little prince in her womb. As long as he was born safely, it would bring her more joy than possessing such a vast dowry.
Yun Shuyao disapproved of daughters marrying so young, but in some situations, delays were possible, while in others, they were not.
When her daughter accepted it herself, Yun Shuyao couldn’t just intervene.
Fortunately, she had been carefully nurturing Luoyu, who had already developed, and with the New Year approaching, she would soon turn sixteen.
However, Yun Shuyao hoped she wouldn’t get pregnant and give birth so quickly; her body was still too young and hadn’t fully matured, making childbirth difficult.
As for contraception, not to mention the potential side effects, if discovered in a culture that values many children, it might lead to unfavorable judgments. Still, there were some methods worth trying to avoid pregnancy, like tracking safe and unsafe periods and taking appropriate measures afterward.
Listening to this, Luoyu felt her face flush so hot it seemed she could fry an egg on it.
“Mother, please don’t say any more…”
Her mother could draw, and to teach her these things, she created vivid illustrations, which made her feel so embarrassed.
She didn’t know where to look.
Yun Shuyao smiled at her daughter’s shyness. In their culture, discussions about these topics had always been strict. Young men and women lacked proper education and felt awkward addressing such matters. Yet, desires are universal; both men and women experience them. Enjoying these feelings can strengthen emotional bonds between the sexes.
Seeing her daughter blush, Yun Shuyao let her take a moment before encouraging her to keep listening.
Luoyu: “…”
That night, the heat on her face didn’t subside.
Though shy, Luoyu listened attentively, knowing her mother had a harmonious relationship with her father. These were likely her mother’s insights, and she wanted to manage her own life well.
Luoyu understood the importance of not getting pregnant too soon. She had studied medicine and had her own understanding, but she felt anxious. Even if she hoped for a pregnancy, she wasn’t sure it would be successful. She wondered what her life in the Fourth Prince’s household would be like. Even without his affection, she would have her status. As for the future… Luoyu remembered her willingness to go to the Fourth Prince’s residence.
She was a side consort eligible for the royal genealogy, a marriage arranged by the Emperor. Even if it didn’t work out, she shouldn’t feel too upset, right?
Luoyu thought about the Fourth Consort, the currently favored Sister Li in the back courtyard, and the soon-to-give-birth Song family. This brought her some comfort.
The Fourth Prince was strict about rules.
This was a characteristic Luoyu liked. Without rules, there could be no order; rules were both a constraint and a protection.
However, the old lady had a different view. She believed that getting pregnant and having children as soon as possible was best, as the Fourth Prince’s household lacked sons.
The only two sons belonged to Sister Li, who was quite arrogant and believed that if she hadn’t entered the household, it wouldn’t be surprising for Sister Li to be made a side consort. Now, with her granddaughter being betrothed to the Fourth Prince, it seemed to Sister Li as if her position was being taken away. Given the old lady’s findings about Luoyu’s character, it would be odd if she didn’t make things difficult for her granddaughter.
Additionally, there was Niuhulu, who entered the Fourth Prince’s residence two months earlier. Although her father held a lower official position, she was a Manchu and belonged to a prominent Manchu family, which was an advantage in the Fourth Prince’s household.
Not to mention Consort Ula Nara; although she had no biological children now, she had a long-standing bond with the Fourth Prince and hadn’t made any major mistakes over the years. She was the legitimate wife, and any children born to others would have to address her as “Mother.” Even without children, her status remained secure.
If Luoyu could give birth soon, regardless of whether it was a son or daughter, it would help her establish a stronger foothold and integrate better.
Originally, the Emperor would pay attention to the Fourth Prince’s household because of the issue of offspring.
The old lady didn’t pressure her granddaughter to get pregnant quickly after entering the household, but her analysis throughout made the implication clear.
Luoyu listened quietly. Her grandmother’s words were not without reason; they just emphasized different points, all for her benefit, she understood.
Thinking of this, Luoyu didn’t usually cry, but her eyes felt moist. Her sister had married, and soon, only the third sister would remain by their grandmother’s side; the concubine only had her younger brother.
Her sister would return from the Xilin Jueluo family periodically; as long as it wasn’t too frequent, no one would say anything. However, she was entering the Fourth Prince’s household, and she didn’t know how many opportunities she’d have to leave in the future. She noticed that the Fourth Consort and the others didn’t return to their families often, and she wondered if that was their choice or if the Fourth Prince had requirements.
The day before her wedding, the old lady also explained the manual to Luoyu. Looking at the unclear illustrations, some depicting fairies fighting, Luoyu thought, “…”
This was far from what her aunt had drawn. Her aunt’s work made her blush and her heart race, but now, looking at this, she not only didn’t blush but felt like laughing.
Seeing her expression, the old lady knew she had already seen it. She smiled and said, “I’ll let it go this time, but if you’re with others, remember to blush.”
Who else could she look at it with?
Of course, it would be the Fourth Prince, and this time, Luoyu turned red.
On the day of the wedding, similar to Dachun, the Fourth Prince also rode a tall horse to welcome his bride.
The ceremony for marrying a side consort is of a lower rank than that for a main consort, but it was still more grand than the previous one, with more attendees, especially many in yellow and red sashes.
Seeing this, Concubine Mei felt a pang of bitterness in her heart. If it weren’t for the old lady, her daughter’s beauty would have ensured her entry into the royal family. However, the possibility of becoming the main wife was indeed slim.
Ultimately, it was just her bad luck. If she had given birth to a son to support her daughter, perhaps her daughter would have been the one getting married, ensuring that any future children would be royal offspring, living a life without worries.
Grandmother Jia also attended, and the entire Jia household came out to witness the event. Looking at this scene, and recalling Luoyu’s dowry sent in advance, her determination to match Daiyu and Baoyu solidified. What had once been a vague idea now took shape.
Two “jades” forming a pair would not only reconcile past issues between the two families but also help Baoyu gain support from the Lin family, allowing him to stand firmly in the court—benefiting both sides!
As for the current low odds of success, it didn’t matter; both “jades” were still young and had plenty of time before they reached the age for marriage discussions.
Could the old Lady of the Lin family live that long?
Not necessarily.
Though Grandmother Jia had suffered a stroke before, she had since taken great care of her health, believing she would live to see that day.