Chapter Fifteen: The Bridal Procession Stretching Ten Miles

The darkness had not yet dissipated, and under the shroud of night, the imperial capital resembled a host of lurking beasts, concealed and ready to devour anyone at any moment. For the first time in this ancient era, Liu Ling’er found herself plagued by her old habit of being unable to sleep in unfamiliar beds. To make matters worse, she was in a foreign land, in an entirely different time and space—everything felt utterly alien to her. Though people in these times tended to retire early, Liu Ling’er found herself wide awake, suffering a splendid bout of insomnia.

After counting what must have been tens of thousands of imaginary sheep, she finally managed to close her eyes. Yet, as fate would have it, she began to dream. In her dream, she saw her parents, who had abandoned her to her master’s care, their hearts hardened against her pleas. Her master—a lecherous old man whom she often bullied—had forced her to study endlessly. Only when her inner strength surpassed his did he summon her to the mountain peak and solemnly declare, "Little Ling’er, you have graduated." Before she could even savor the moment, her master abruptly pushed her off the summit. The terrifying scene jolted Liu Ling’er awake in an instant.

She shot up from her bed, startling Xiao Tao, the little maid sleeping in the outer room. Rubbing her sleepy eyes, Xiao Tao entered Liu Ling’er’s chamber, glanced around to make sure there were no thieves or scoundrels, and muttered, "Miss, even if you are getting married, there’s no need to be this excited. I still have to rise early to dress you up! I’m not staying up with you—going back to sleep now!"

Though her voice was soft, the room was so quiet that Liu Ling’er heard every word, and she nearly spat blood in fury. What did she mean, "Even if you’re getting married, there’s no need to be so excited"? Did she think I was desperate to get married, or had never seen a man before?

Once again, countless sheep floated past her bedside, and Liu Ling’er finally drifted off. Yet she hadn’t slept for even an hour before she felt someone shaking her awake. Ignoring them, she turned over and tried to continue sleeping, but a cold draft swept over her body.

Whoever dared to lift her quilt was courting death. Not only did Liu Ling’er suffer from an inability to sleep in strange places, she also had a dreadful temper upon waking—so much so that even her master dared not disturb her in the morning.

Furious, Liu Ling’er opened her eyes. The sky was still dark, and outside, the fifth watch had just been struck. At this hour—barely three or four in the morning—most people were deeply asleep, but Liu Ling’er was rudely roused, her temper flaring.

Though she could see nothing in the darkness, her hands deftly caught the culprit who had lifted her quilt, and she launched a fierce attack. The matron assigned to dress her for the wedding was so terrified that her carefully applied powder cascaded off her face, leaving her ashen and drained of all color.

With a shriek, the matron pried Liu Ling’er’s hands off and fled in panic, as if pursued by wild beasts.

Xiao Tao entered with an oil lamp, and seeing Liu Ling’er flushed with anger, tentatively asked, "Miss, are you all right? I tried to persuade Matron Feng to let you sleep a little longer, but she insisted—after all, she’s from the Prince of Virtue’s residence and wouldn’t listen to me. Perhaps you should lie down again, and I’ll keep watch for you?"

"No need, I can’t sleep now," Liu Ling’er replied. She had no idea what ancient wedding preparations entailed, but her curiosity was piqued—especially since this was her first time as a bride. How could she possibly sleep? Did they take her for a pig?

Yet soon, she wished she could disappear. She was forced to bathe three times, and if a handful of burly, formidable maids hadn’t gripped her arms and legs, she would have bolted long ago. They dragged her to the dressing table, and without her consent, began to apply delicate touches of makeup to her face. If she hadn’t been pleased with the results, she would never have sat there for an entire hour—her poor backside was growing numb beyond belief.

Most infuriating of all, she was denied breakfast and had to clutch a bright red apple in her arms—pure torture.

When the master of ceremonies announced that the auspicious hour had arrived, the matron unceremoniously pressed a nearly seven or eight pound phoenix crown onto Liu Ling’er’s head, nearly crushing her small skull. She looked to Xiao Tao for sympathy, but the little traitor merely shrugged, helpless, provoking Liu Ling’er’s internal fury all over again.

Stepping out of the General’s mansion, Liu Ling’er peered through the half-lifted veil before her face and saw a wedding procession stretching out before the gates. Good heavens—a welcoming party extending for ten miles! Wasn’t this a bit excessive? It was almost on par with the grand farewell given to beloved Premier Zhou—a ten-mile-long send-off, indeed!