Edict No. 27: Imperial Decree Granting Marriage

"Madam!" A piercing scream shattered the silence of the courtyard; Yan'er collapsed into Fenghe's arms. Pan Yueyang, forgetting to rise and accept the imperial decree, dashed with Baili Mubai to Yan'er’s side.

Pan Yueyang kicked Fenghe away from Yan’er and scooped her up, rushing straight to the bedchamber. Baili Mubai withdrew his outstretched hand, gazing sorrowfully at their departing figures.

"Master Gao, please come inside for some tea. We have prepared the finest Biluo Spring," steward Shan Yunjie hurriedly offered.

Master Gao, not in the best of spirits, lowered his eyelids and snorted coldly. "No need. I must return and report." With that, he tossed the imperial decree into the air, certain no one would dare let it fall to the ground.

Shan Yunjie hastily caught the yellow scroll before it hit the floor. Troublesome, indeed!

"Who is that?" Master Gao pondered; the face was unfamiliar.

"Oh, that is the general's new bedchamber attendant. She’s never seen such imposing ceremonies—probably fainted from fright," Shan Yunjie wiped his brow.

"Such a lack of decorum. And she’s fit to be a concubine? If the Emperor or Princess learns how you received the decree, I fear..." Master Gao’s voice trailed ominously.

Shan Yunjie quickly pulled out a thick stack of silver notes from his sleeve. "Master Gao, your guidance is timely. These are gifts from the general, a token of respect. Please speak well of him before the Emperor."

Upon seeing the generous stack, Master Gao’s face lit up immediately. "Naturally! The general is soon to become the Emperor’s favored son-in-law. I am but a servant—serving my master as I should. Well, it grows late; I take my leave." With that, he departed with his guards.

Baili Mubai watched the departing eunuch coldly, his face twisted, spitting in disgust.

Worried, he thought of checking on Yan’er, feeling she could hardly blame his senior brother; the man was trapped by circumstances beyond his control.

Pin'er, however, showed little reaction. With her maid Doudou, she turned back to Autumn Courtyard, considering the item her lord had given her. With Yan’er’s health, continued use of it would surely doom her.

With the major and minor masters gone from the front courtyard, Shan Yunjie waved his hand and the servants dispersed to their duties. Such affairs were not theirs to fret over; do their work, earn their wages.

Shan Yunjie hurriedly called after a slow-moving servant to quickly fetch a doctor.

Pan Yueyang was somewhat vexed, looking at the unconscious Yan’er. Why did this woman faint so readily in front of everyone?

His heart tied to the child in her womb, he reached out to pat Yan’er’s face. "Yan’er?"

The doctor had examined her earlier—she’d fainted from stress and would soon awaken.

"Mm, Yueyang..." Yan’er sounded aggrieved, opening her eyes to see her beloved—the father of her child—her voice choked with tears.

"There, there, be good." Though he disliked her frequent fainting, he couldn’t truly resent this woman. Especially now, with her exquisite face tearful and gazing at him, his heart softened further.

"How did it come to this? You and I..." Yan’er could not finish her thought.

"Yan’er, I am a subject, born into a family bound to the throne. Many things are beyond my control; I hope you can understand." Pan Yueyang cupped her face, a pallor on his cheeks.

"No, Yan’er... Are you saying I truly cannot be with you, Yueyang?" She pressed on, unwilling to give up.

"I like you, you are in my heart—do you still care about those titles?" Pan Yueyang gazed earnestly at Yan’er.

"I told my parents I would marry you as your wife. If I am reduced to a concubine, what would they think?" Yan’er felt a lump in her throat, weighed down by sorrow.

Though a lady of a noble household, she was not as high-born as others, but neither was she suited to be a second wife.

"The imperial capital is far from Yangzhou. The child you bear will be my first. We will always be us; how would the Yan family know what happens here?" Pan Yueyang took her hand, rubbing it nervously. He didn’t want Yan’er to leave him.

"Yueyang, can you not be fair to me?" Yan’er withdrew her hand, looking at him with unfamiliar eyes. The man she remembered, the man she imagined, should be steadfast, courageous, fearless in battle, and gentle with her, showering her with love.

"Yan’er, I hope you understand—I cannot live without you." He embraced the struggling woman, unsure how to comfort her in her despair. Never before in his life had he begged a woman so humbly.

Yan’er remained silent, letting him hold her. The youthful longing for love faded bit by bit, forced to confront the cruelty of reality. She had thought she’d found paradise, only to realize how naive she’d been.

How laughable is the General’s residence, how laughable the man. I have my own pride—why must I cling to you like a parasitic creeper, circling around you, living only for you?

"Drive me out," Yan’er said coldly, gazing out the window. "Give me some travel money—it’s the least my body deserves."

Pan Yueyang was stunned. "What are you saying?"

"I said, drive me out," Yan’er’s voice was icy.

"Impossible. You are with child!" Pan Yueyang released her.

"This is my child. I will raise him well, but that has nothing to do with you!" A newfound strength made Yan’er’s words resolute.

"Are you insane? Before I lose my temper, you’d best take back what you said!" Pan Yueyang’s expression shifted.

"Then be angry—drive me out!" Yan’er refused to look at him, stubborn and aggrieved.

A sense of betrayal flooded her heart. She had followed him wholeheartedly, not caring that he’d taken her purity, but what about him? Faced with choice, he chose self-interest over her. Could he not resist, could he not tell the Emperor he already had a wife?

"Why? Just because of an imperial marriage decree? That’s the Emperor’s will, not mine!"

"Why didn’t you tell the Emperor you already had a wife?" Yan’er raised her voice.

"We haven’t married yet! People of our station never control their own marriages. Even if I marry you, you can only be a concubine!" Pan Yueyang blurted out the truth.

Yan’er’s eyes widened. "So you’ve been lying to me all along? Lied about marrying me as your wife, lied about telling my father you’d marry me—in truth, I’m just a bedchamber attendant, aren’t I?"

Fury filled Yan’er’s eyes; she was finally awakened from her dream.

"Yes!" Pan Yueyang’s face turned cold, glowering at her.

"Good. Very good. Now I finally know what I am to you." Yan’er wiped away her tears, stubbornly turning her head.

"I’m telling you: no matter your status, you have a place in my heart. So many things I’ve done for you—I’ve never done for any other woman!" It was part confession, part declaration; for the proud Pan Yueyang, this was his lowest threshold.

"I am your plaything—summoned and dismissed at your whim." Yan’er refused to interpret his words deeply, stating her own truth.

"Be reasonable! Imperial marriages are age-old customs to win loyalty; you’re a country woman—what do you know?" Pan Yueyang was flustered, words slipping uncontrolled.

"A country woman?" Yan’er sneered.

"I spoke harshly. You don’t understand imperial affairs." Pan Yueyang realized he’d been too severe; he truly hated to see Yan’er hurt. Pregnant or not, he loved her smile.

"Don’t touch me. I’m a country woman—don’t dirty the noble general’s hands!" Yan’er brushed away his hand from her hair.

"Don’t be like this—be good." He suppressed his anger, lips seeking her shoulder, hot breath against her nape, all attempts to please her.

"Don’t touch me! I neither understand your noble customs nor am I worthy of your gaze." Yan’er tossed aside his face from her shoulder.

"I’ve told you! For every high official, every young noble, marriage is beyond even parental control! I haven’t even met the princess; do you think I want to marry someone I don’t know?" Pan Yueyang truly shouted, his voice louder than ever.

"I’ve told you—you could refuse!" Yan’er simply couldn’t understand why he lacked the courage.

"You really are unreasonable. Men are the sky; taking wives and concubines is perfectly normal! You should learn from Pin’er—she’s my attendant too, never so ungrateful!" Pan Yueyang pinched Yan’er’s face, forcing her to look at him.

"I am not Pin’er! And I care very much about your Pin’er!" Yan’er shouted louder.

"Shrew! Is this your noble upbringing? Did your parents not teach you to accept your husband’s concubines?" Yan’er would never accept this.

"My parents taught me to accept my husband’s concubines, but not to be someone else’s concubine!" Yan’er retorted.

"In my heart, you are my wife!" The unthinking words stunned them both into silence.

Those words were a shock; Pan Yueyang wondered how he could have spoken so impulsively. Had he, unconsciously, truly fallen for this woman?

Yan’er, holding back her anger, suddenly felt sweetness at his forceful confession; her tone softened unexpectedly.

"I am not your wife. Your wife is the lofty princess. How could I ever be worthy?"

"My heart holds only one person," Pan Yueyang pulled her delicate hand to his chest. "Feel it—she’s right inside."

"I’m not a doctor or a fortune-teller. Why should I touch?" she said coyly, trying to withdraw her hand.

Pan Yueyang gripped it tightly. "Touch with your heart—she’s right here." Yes, Pan Yueyang’s heart was empty; ever since he met her, he’d learned, bit by bit, to cherish a woman, to sit sleepless through the night just to watch her sleep.

"I don’t understand you," Yan’er lowered her head.

"Bound by fate..." A rare flash of pain crossed Pan Yueyang’s face.