The old madam arrived at the estate with her entourage while Lan Murou was preparing to head to the Northern Palace. Upon hearing that the guests had already reached the main hall, she paused for a moment before hastening to greet them.
As she entered the hall, she found it filled with ladies, all adorned in elegant and dignified attire. She pursed her lips, entered the room, and offered a graceful bow.
“Murou, rise.”
Madame Yue Hua smiled and personally helped her up.
It was the first time the old madam had lowered herself to mediate with a young girl, and she appeared rather uneasy. Lan Murou listened to their words and quickly grasped their intentions. Images of her early years in Shangjing flashed through her mind, stirring a pang of sadness in her heart.
“This old woman knows we wronged you in the past, but now, we are all family. Let the grievances of the past fade away.”
Lan Murou couldn’t bring herself to cause her elders embarrassment, so she lowered her eyelids.
“Old Madam, you are too kind.”
Seeing her demeanor, the old madam’s displeasure eased slightly.
“Your marriage to A Ye has been announced to the world. The original wedding was disrupted, and we shall find an auspicious date to hold it anew.”
Lan Murou’s back stiffened, and she remained silent. The old madam paused, then stood and walked to her side, taking her hand and patting it.
“We were not good before; don’t take it to heart. From now on, we are all family.”
Lan Murou didn’t know what to say, her eyes cast down.
Second Madame, noticing the old madam’s signal, immediately handed over the makeup box she had prepared. The old madam took it and placed it in Lan Murou’s hands.
“This is for my legitimate granddaughter-in-law, a gift bestowed by the former Empress Dowager. Your mother also has a set. This one is for you.”
Lan Murou instinctively tried to return it, but the old madam pressed her hand down.
“We will be holding a banquet in a couple of days. You and A Ye will return together to acknowledge everyone.”
Madame Yue Hua, seeing Lan Murou’s silence, walked over and supported the old madam’s arm.
“Mother, the Grand Secretary’s wife is still waiting at the estate. Let us return first and have A Ye bring Murou back in a couple of days.”
The old madam said no more and left with her retinue. Lan Murou saw them off. After their carriage departed, she returned to the hall. She sighed as she saw the chests and boxes of gifts that had been delivered.
She acknowledged that Tantai Ye’s obsession meant he wouldn't let her go. However, she had never considered marrying him again. She sat in her room for the entire afternoon. Later, as night fell, Tantai Ye returned and found her curled up on the soft couch, her silhouette delicate and soft. He embraced her from behind.
“Why are you sleeping here?”
Lan Murou’s eyes were half-closed. Hearing his voice, she spoke.
“Your grandmother and the others have visited.”
Tantai Ye already knew and hummed in response.
“If you don’t want to go, you don’t have to.”
Lan Murou turned her head. “You’ve put me in this position, what am I supposed to do?”
“---”
“When I was unconscious, you arranged my identity without my knowledge and married me without my consent.”
His past actions brought up, Tantai Ye coughed lightly to conceal his embarrassment. However, seeing her displeased gaze, he immediately pressed his body close to hers, drawing her into his embrace.
“Whether you were conscious or not, you can only be my wife.”
Lan Murou couldn’t help but pound his chest heavily. Tantai Ye watched her actions, a smile playing on his lips, as he tightened his hold on her. When she was tired from hitting and had vented her frustration, she bit down hard on his chest. Their bodies pressed together on the couch, him almost pinning her beneath him.
“Rouer, Rouer—”
He whispered her name repeatedly by her ear, entwining their bodies. Lan Murou’s heart burned, and a wordless sensation spread through her limbs. The wind outside carried a chill as it blew in, and the flickering candlelight within cast the shadows of their entwined forms.
Later, Lan Murou did attend the old madam’s birthday banquet, appearing as Princess Anning. After all, the Empress Dowager had acknowledged her as a goddaughter, a fact witnessed by everyone in Shangjing. Although the marriage was disrupted by the southerners, it was an imperial marriage. Now that everyone saw she had returned safely, awake and looking radiant, they buzzed with talk. Some recognized her as the commoner girl Tantai Ye had kept by his side. However, seeing the Tantai family happily accepting her as their daughter-in-law, no one dared to speak of it openly, though whispers circulated behind closed doors. After all, which prominent family didn’t marry noble daughters for prestige? For the Tantai clan to take a commoner girl meant they would naturally elevate her status.
“It’s truly a pity that it was ruined by that scoundrel back then.”
In the longevity hall, the old madam listened to the Grand Princess’s words and chuckled.
“The ninth month is auspicious for weddings. We must hold the ceremony again.”
Lan Murou sat beside Madame Yue Hua, sensing the subtle gazes from all directions, yet she remained unruffled, calmly sipping her tea. She had never liked such banquets. Madame Yue Hua, knowing her personality and acting on her son’s instructions, didn’t constrain her. After introducing her to some people, she let her go outside with young ladies of similar age to admire the flowers, saving her from being pestered by the older madams.
As Lan Murou exited the garden, she saw Tantai Ye waiting at the拱门. A strange emotion welled up within her. She looked at him, remaining silent. Tantai Ye noticed her and strode over.
“Rouer.”
Lan Murou softly hummed an assent. Seeing him take her hand and lead her away, she didn’t resist, following him towards the bamboo forest behind. These birthday banquets were uneventful. Lan Murou kept to herself, and when the meal was over, she left with Tantai Ye, who came looking for her. The old madam insisted they stay at the ancestral home, but since Lan Murou hadn't officially married in yet, Tantai Ye, not wanting her to be gossiped about, declined.
After leaving the estate, they each returned to their own homes. However, in the dead of night, Lan Murou was roused again.
“Can’t sleep.”
He felt an emptiness in his heart if he didn’t hold her while sleeping. She was accustomed to it, rolled over, and closed her eyes again. Tantai Ye, holding her soft body, became restless and couldn’t help but reach under her clothes. Lan Murou sensed his movement, her back trembling. The tingling sensation throughout her body made her cheeks flush. She grabbed his hand and turned to look at him. Tantai Ye calmly pinched her before withdrawing his hand.
“I can’t help myself.”
Lan Murou didn’t want to discuss this in bed. She said, “Go to sleep quickly.”
Hearing her soft, sweet voice, Tantai Ye became more brazen, pressing his body tightly against hers and coaxing her by her ear.
“When can we?”
His breath enveloped her, gathering densely around her heart. Lan Murou ignored him, threw the quilt at him, and took another quilt to lie down on the innermost side. Tantai Ye was displeased. He lifted the quilt from her body, slid in, and held her tightly. Lan Murou gave in to him, too lazy to struggle, and nestled in his arms, falling asleep.
Recently, Tantai Ye had been behaving exceptionally well. He rarely lost his temper in front of her and no longer forced her to do anything. However, with the Tantai clan preparing to hold the wedding again, people frequently sent her stacks of items for the ceremony. The Tantai family also sent her several palace嬷嬷 to teach her etiquette, manners, and household management. In truth, she had grown up in a prosperous household, and her mother had educated her strictly. She was proficient in the zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and had also learned household management, but she disliked the complications of large families. Nevertheless, she grasped whatever the嬷嬷 taught her instantly. Those in the ancestral home heard of this and were very pleased.
But Lan Murou was in low spirits. She felt as though she had been placed in this position and was being manipulated. Before she could even process everything, various people were talking about her marrying him. Yet, she knew his temper well enough to know she wouldn't escape him in this lifetime. When Tantai Ye returned, he saw her frowning and understood instantly. He walked over and reached out to stroke her hair.
“If you don’t like it, let them leave.”
He then cupped her chin and lifted it. “But I am determined to marry you. It’s alright if you don’t want to marry now; I can keep postponing the wedding until you agree, and then we’ll find an auspicious date.”
Tantai Ye’s rogue words almost made Lan Murou laugh. She removed his hand and went to the washroom in the back to clean herself. Tantai Ye, clinging to her, followed her in. The palace嬷嬷 who taught her had instructed princesses. Most ladies from prominent Shangjing families wished to have a palace嬷嬷 teach them rules before marriage. Wei Qingge herself had been confined to her room for more than half a month of etiquette lessons. Lan Murou, with her good temper, despite feeling conflicted internally, obediently followed the lessons.
One day, as she was about to go to Yutang, she heard someone announce that the Princess of Dingbei had given birth. Lan Murou’s face lit up, and she hurried out to ask, “When was the baby born?”
“Imperial physicians went to the Northern Palace last night. Just now, news came from the palace saying the baby was born at the hour of Mao.”