Chapter 22: The Substitute Bride

On the day of the grand wedding, just past the hour of the Ox (1:00 AM), the maids arrived at the bedchamber carrying the five-pheasant phoenix coronet to attend to Xia Qiqi’s bathing and dressing. Wishing to avoid having others witness the process of her removing and reapplying her makeup, Xia Qiqi dismissed everyone except Chun Tao.

"Miss, the medicinal bath is prepared."

Xia Qiqi nodded slightly, disrobed, and stepped into the bath. Outside the window, it was not yet dawn, and snowflakes drifted in the air. Inside, the charcoal fire burned brightly, sending up clouds of steam, and the room was filled with the scent of agarwood—a fragrance Xia Qiqi had personally concocted, not only for its lasting aroma but for its skin-nourishing properties.

Watching Xia Qiqi emerge from the bath, Chun Tao could not help but tease, "Miss’s skin is truly as flawless as jade. Even I am mesmerized, let alone His Highness, the Prince of Jin..."

Xia Qiqi wiped the droplets from her skin and stood before the faceted mirror, layering on her wedding robes. In the reflection, her eyes were alluring and soft as autumn ripples, and her exquisite face was flushed from the heat of the bath. It was a pity, she thought, that she would soon have to cover this with a new look—one she herself did not care for.

No sooner had she finished applying her makeup and pinning the phoenix coronet to her head than the voice of Nanny Wu sounded from outside the door: "The auspicious hour has arrived. I pray the Princess Consort to please board the sedan."

*Princess Consort!* Xia Qiqi paused for a moment. This was the start of the trial for her, a substitute maid. Whether she could deceive everyone and successfully complete her seven-month assignment as the Princess of Jin depended on passing this first hurdle: the wedding itself.

At the gates of Yuhua Garden, Nanny Wu, her eyelids slightly swollen, bowed respectfully as she ushered Xia Qiqi into the sedan. Though curious, Xia Qiqi asked no questions. Once outside the garden, she knew she might be under the surveillance of Chu Hanjiao’s spies; any slip in her conduct could invite unnecessary trouble.

The sedan carried Xia Qiqi straight to the gates of the Prince of Jin’s residence. Guided by the protocol officer, she held her round fan and stepped down. Because this was a marriage into a distant house, she was required to travel by carriage to the royal ancestral temple in Jin City to perform the temple-visiting rites with Chu Hanjiao before she could be officially brought into the Prince’s residence.

Before she had transmigrated here, Xia Qiqi had attended a few weddings of her classmates, but she had always arrived right at noon just in time for the feast, dropped off a red envelope, and left. She had never imagined that in this ancient world, one had to go to a temple to burn incense before the wedding ceremony!

Peering through her round fan, Xia Qiqi curiously observed her surroundings. The entire road from the Prince’s residence to the royal ancestral temple was lined with awe-inspiring imperial guards. At a glance, there were at least a thousand of them!

The *yandi* carriage Xia Qiqi rode in was decorated with crimson brocade, and even the guards trailing the carriage in a V-formation wore caps adorned with red silk flowers. It was a joyous scene. It seemed that under the dual pressure of the Emperor’s decree and the Empress’s edict, even Chu Hanjiao was forced to treat this alliance with the Prime Minister’s estate with importance.

As Xia Qiqi lowered her head and stepped into the carriage, she felt a sharp, penetrating gaze fixed upon her from afar. Was it Nanny Jingfang from the palace? Or perhaps the Emperor’s favorite, Princess Zhaoyang? No, she sensed that the owner of that gaze must be someone with exceptional martial arts skills. Could there be someone else lurking in the shadows, watching her?

Xia Qiqi suddenly felt as if she were walking on a tightrope—one wrong step, and she would be doomed.

Supported by Chun Tao, she moved with extreme caution. With every step, she replayed the way Liu Mingyu walked in her mind, imitating every subtle movement. Only when the red curtains of the carriage were drawn shut did she breathe a small sigh of relief.

"Miss, I have something to say." Halfway through the journey, Nanny Wu peeked through the curtains, then leaned close to Xia Qiqi’s ear. "The Prime Minister sent word: Princess Zhaoyang will be at the wedding today."

Xia Qiqi only replied with a soft, "Oh."

The information had already been gathered by Xiao'ai, so it failed to stir her. Nanny Wu’s expression darkened. "Princess Zhaoyang was the eldest daughter’s closest childhood friend!" Ever since Xia Qiqi had confiscated the dowry list, the nanny’s mood had never recovered. She had hoped this news would terrify the naive substitute, giving her leverage to force Xia Qiqi to return the list.

Xia Qiqi simply replied, "Oh," again, seemingly indifferent to the Princess's arrival.

Nanny Wu frowned, looking at her with thinly veiled contempt. "Aren't you afraid the Princess will recognize that you are a substitute?"

"I am! I'm truly terrified!" Xia Qiqi nodded, though her tone remained nonchalant. "If the Princess recognizes me, I fear you will be the first one to be sent away."

Nanny Wu was incensed. She stared at Xia Qiqi, the hairpins on her head trembling with rage. She couldn't understand why this substitute acted as if she held a grudge against her. She didn't know where Steward Yan had found her; she was nothing like the maids in Youlan Garden, who were always so respectful!

Xia Qiqi glanced at Nanny Wu and, too lazy to engage further, leaned over to pull a white cat from beneath the cushions. "Xiao'ai," she whispered, taking a small square pastry from her sleeve. "You must be starving. Have a little snack."

[Xia Qiqi, you finally remembered me! Meow!]

Xia Qiqi set aside her fan, placed Xiao'ai on her lap, and stroked the cat affectionately. "I'm a bride for the first time, I have no experience at all. Didn't I bring you your favorite osmanthus cake?"

[Meow! Xia Qiqi! Can you believe those girls were so busy with the wedding they didn't even cook my meal!]

Xia Qiqi: "I believe it! Guo'er said a bride can only drink water on her wedding day, so they didn't give me any food either!"

[Meow! Osmanthus cake? Delicious!]

Xia Qiqi: "I knew you'd like it! Eat up; once the ceremony starts, I won't be able to look after you."

[Meow, meow! That old hag was actually right, though. You really should think more about how to fool Princess Zhaoyang.]

Xia Qiqi sighed, feeling helpless. "What can I do? If soldiers come, block them; if water comes, cover it with earth!"

Nanny Wu watched them, stunned. Had this substitute maid lost her mind? Not only did she ignore her, she was actually talking to a white cat! Yet, the more she looked at her, the more she felt a sense of familiarity. Especially the way she held that cat—the natural intimacy was exactly like that lowly maid from Youlan Garden!

Xia Qiqi? No, that was impossible! Could a lowly maid really stand in for the eldest daughter as the Princess of Jin for seven whole months? It was unthinkable! Nanny Wu dared not dwell on it further; if Steward Yan found out she had suspected something, she would truly be the first one to be sent away.