Within The Sound of Swallows - Chapter 7

Chapter 7: A Joyous Wedding

Shen Guiyan fully understood the old saying: ‘A man may be innocent, but he will be blamed for simply possessing a treasure.’ That was why she had always endured and always yielded. After turning eight, she had never shown her brilliance again, and never competed with her siblings for anything.

But who could explain to her why, after enduring so much, even to the point of not fighting back when beaten, she still ended up losing the marriage she had awaited for eight years? Why was her beloved mother, who had cherished her for so many years, murdered? And why was there not a single person left who could stand up for her?

Madam Qin lay there quietly, unable to answer her questions.

Outside, the rain poured harder and harder. Shen Guiyan remained by Qin Yiniang’s cold body, silently keeping vigil all night. When Lord Shen sent someone to escort her back to the Swallow Pavilion to rest, Shen Guiyan only shook her head. “Let this be my final farewell to send Qin Yiniang off at the end of her journey.”

Behind her, Baoshan wept quietly, her sobs muffled by grief. Shen Guiyan, however, no longer shed tears. She simply stared at Qin Yiniang’s peaceful face, silently lost in thought.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister’s residence was bustling with festivity and bright decorations. Prime Minister Gu, a key figure of the Kingdom of Fan, had served the emperor with integrity and loyalty for thirty years, earning praise from both the court and the public. Thus, many had come to attend his eldest son’s grand wedding.

Prime Minister Gu had three sons and one daughter. The eldest, Gu Chaodong, was by far the most accomplished—knowledgeable, talented, modest, and dignified, embodying all the virtues of a true heir to his father’s legacy. The second son, Gu Chaonan, though not as accomplished as his eldest brother, had nevertheless entered the Imperial Academy by the age of twenty. The daughter, Gu Chaoxi, who was still residing in the inner chambers, was widely regarded as a gifted young lady. If not for the presence of the fourth son, Gu Chaobei, the Gu family would have been rightly praised as a family with “a tiger father that bears no dog sons¹.”

Unfortunately, there just happened to be an extra Gu Chaobei.

Gu Chaobei was the fourth son of the Prime Minister’s household. It was said that his birth mother had passed away early, and his conduct left much to be desired. He was notoriously known for being a troublemaker, often seen hanging out with a group of his rascal friends in the red-light districts of the capital. Although already seventeen, he knew nothing of decorum. He even dared to talk back to the Prime Minister and often beat or scolded the household servants, causing the Prime Minister to have a great headache all the time.

When it came to the Gu family’s sons, Gu Chaodong and Gu Chaonan were well-regarded and would earn nods of approval from everyone. But when it came to Gu Chaobei, even the vegetable-selling aunties on the street were unwilling to marry their daughters off to him.

At this moment, the troublesome Fourth Young Master Gu was sitting right in the wedding hall with his legs crossed, watching the bride being carefully escorted in.

“The eldest young master is truly fortunate. I heard that Miss Shen was personally chosen by the Prime Minister years ago. She’s well-educated, sensible, gentle, and virtuous. Truly a perfect match!”

“Indeed,” another chimed in. “A talented man deserves a beautiful wife. I once caught a glimpse of the grace and beauty of the Shen family’s Third Miss. Together with Young Master Gu, they’re a match made in heaven.”

Gu Chaobei found all these formal pleasantries dreadfully boring. He yawned and looked at the bride, who was taking cautious steps forward. He didn’t find her the least bit dignified.

After a series of ceremonial rites, the bride was assisted as she prepared to enter the wedding hall to pay her respects. Suddenly, Gu Chaobei clicked his tongue and, in a moment of mischief, picked up a walnut and threw it at the bride’s feet.

As Shen Guiya stepped on the walnut, she nearly fell. However, she was quick; she braced herself with a hand on the ground and gracefully landed in a steady crouch.

The nearby wedding matron was startled and hurried over to help, only to see Shen Guiya stand up and yank off her bridal veil.

“Who tried to sabotage this young lady?!”

The wedding hall erupted in an uproar. Even the firecrackers outside seemed to quiet down a little. Prime Minister Gu and Madam Gu were seated at the head of the hall, surrounded by members of the Gu family: the uncles, aunts, several young masters, and the third young lady of the Gu family. Shen Guiya hadn’t even made it to the bridal chamber yet, and she’d already unveiled herself?

Even Gu Chaobei was surprised, but then he took a good look at her face and let out a muffled chuckle. “Wasn’t everyone saying the third young lady of the Gu family had peerless beauty that could topple a kingdom? So why does she look like this?”

Gu Chaodong turned his head to look at her, his face suddenly drained of color. “Fifth Miss?”

Murmurs began to ripple through the wedding hall. Not many people recognized Shen Guiya, but plenty knew what Shen Guiyan looked like, and this girl clearly wasn’t her. Just how bold was the Shen family to dare play such a trick on the Prime Minister’s household?

“What is going on here?” Prime Minister Gu stood up.

Shen Guiya was about to glare fiercely at the person mocking her, but when she looked over, she saw a young man with red lips and pearl white teeth, and his hair bound with a jade crown. He sat in a casual manner, lacking proper posture, but still exuding a charming air. His face was exquisitely handsome, with a slightly mischievous smile that almost captivated her.

So much so that even when Prime Minister Gu was standing right in front of her, she still hadn’t come to her senses.

“Fifth Miss!” Gu Chaodong’s expression was grim. He gave a hard tug on the red wedding knot, finally snapping Shen Guiya out of her daze.

“…Huh? Oh. My name is Shen Guiya, the fifth daughter of the Shen family. Since Third Sister’s birth mother passed away suddenly, and I’m also pregnant with Young Master Gu’s child, I went ahead and got into the bridal sedan today.” Shen Guiya still looked a little dazed as she turned her head and blurted it all out.

What she didn’t understand was that people in ancient times didn’t appreciate such bluntness at all. To them, this girl clearly had no sense of shame or decorum. She spoke with no humility and no honorifics. Did she just blurt out everything and openly announce in front of everyone that she was pregnant with a man’s child?

And she wasn’t even married yet.

Prime Minister Gu’s face darkened. After meticulously preparing this wedding for so long, it had now become a laughing stock throughout the whole kingdom because of this scandal. The daughter-in-law he had chosen, did the Shen family really think they could just casually swap her out on a whim?

“Wait a moment, you said you’re carrying the eldest son’s child?” Madam Gu, however, caught the most important part. “How could that be… You and the eldest son…”

“Mother,” Gu Chaodong clenched his fists and lowered his gaze. “The child in Fifth Miss’s womb is indeed mine. It was not my intention, but since the child exists… I will certainly take responsibility.”

After all, when it came to lineage, nothing was more important.

Prime Minister Gu furrowed his brows deeply and let out a cold laugh. “So what you’re saying is, you intend to marry the Shen family’s Fifth Miss today?”

“Since it has come to this,” Gu Chaodong took a deep breath and said, “then so be it.”

“And what explanation do you plan to give to the Third Miss?” Prime Minister Gu snapped. “I taught you to be a man of responsibility, but not the kind who takes responsibility in one place while betraying another!”

Gu Chaodong felt like he could barely breathe. No one found today’s events more absurd than he did. Shen Guiya was actually pregnant with his child… He truly cared for Yan’er, but the child…

From the sidelines, Gu Chaonan let out a soft chuckle, idly fiddling with the jade ring on his finger. Behind him stood one of his concubines, her belly already beginning to show.

“I will personally go to the Shen residence and apologize to the Third Miss,” Gu Chaodong declared.

The room was filled with murmurs and whispers, but Shen Guiya still had the leisure to stare openly at Gu Chaobei. She was certain he had been the one who played that trick on her earlier. Is it to get her attention? Shen Guiya mused to herself: someone this good-looking… could he be the “second male lead”?

Gu Chaobei was currently enjoying the sight of his always-favored eldest brother getting scolded by their father. But as soon as he felt Shen Guiya’s gaze on him, he looked back.

This woman had a rather impure look in her eyes, more repulsive than the dancers in a pleasure house. Gu Chaobei gave a cold snort, directly meeting her gaze as he let out a soft whistle.

He despised such women the most. But he also enjoyed watching how they acted like they were special. This was Fourth Young Master Gu’s particular hobby, a twisted form of amusement.

Shen Guiya, however, wore a bashful expression, utterly convinced that his reaction meant he was definitely interested in her. The face she had after time-traveling looked pretty much the same as her modern one, and she was quite satisfied with it. With a bit of makeup and styling, she was certain she could be breathtakingly beautiful. After all, ancient people’s beauty standards weren’t all that high, in her opinion.

“Since that’s the case, let’s carry on,” Prime Minister Gu said through gritted teeth, taking several deep breaths to suppress his fury. He attempted to sit down, but in the end, he felt utterly humiliated. Unable to bring himself to accept the couple’s formal bows, he flung his sleeve and left the hall.

Madam Gu had mixed feelings. She remained seated and accepted the couple’s ceremonial bows, but when Shen Guiya presented her with the tea, she set it aside without drinking it and merely handed over a red envelope in return.

Everywhere, the guests were whispering and gossiping about how the Shen family was so bold to pull off a stunt of switching brides. Only Shen Guiya remained pleased with herself despite the situation, waiting patiently in the bridal chamber as if nothing was amiss.

“Her birth mother passed away?”

Gu Chaobei, slightly drunk, was walking through the garden when he overheard his eldest brother’s anxious voice.

His attendant, Feng Xiao, replied respectfully, “It is said she passed away right when the Third Miss was preparing for the wedding.”

Interesting. The bride was already waiting in the bridal chamber, and yet his eldest brother was still worried about the Shen family’s Third Miss? Gu Chaobei raised an eyebrow and slipped behind a corridor pillar to eavesdrop.

“Yan’er must be heartbroken… surely, she needs me right now,” Gu Chaodong murmured, his tone suddenly calmed. “This might be for the best. When I go to the Shen residence in a few days to help with the funeral arrangements, she might find it easier to forgive me then.”

***

✒️ TL Note:

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