Chapter 5 — Article Phu Dinh Duyen

I thought he only saw her as a sister. Later I realized that what he liked was her appearance. And I'm too quiet, so quiet that it makes him feel bored. He once said: "A Le, she's good at everything, just too quiet." At that time I didn't understand. Now I understand. He didn't criticize me for being quiet, he just didn't like me. A few days later, Ta Minh Vien arrived. He barged in late one night. I heard a noise outside the courtyard door, followed by Thuy Nhi's exclamation. "Thank you, general, you can't come in! The lady is already resting." A series of heavy footsteps came from far and near, finally stopping in front of my room door. Before I could stand up, the door to the room was kicked open. The sound of the door latch breaking echoed in the night, extremely deafening. Ta Minh Vien stood in front of the door, his whole body reeking of alcohol. I sat by the bed, looked at him, said nothing. He staggered in and knelt down in front of my bed. "A Le." His voice was hoarse. “Look at me.” I didn't move. He grabbed my hand and pressed it on his chest. "Look at me. I'm more miserable than you. Do you know how I live every day?" I used my strength to withdraw my hand. "Ta Minh Vien, you're drunk." He knelt in front of me, his forehead resting on my knee. His tears soaked my dress, hot and humid, carrying his body temperature. "Ta Minh Vien, you dirty my dress." Ta Minh Vien was stunned and suddenly burst out laughing. He put his hands on the ground and staggered to his feet. He didn't look at me anymore, turned around and walked out. Then he left. The sound of unsteady footsteps gradually disappeared into the night. 11The day the prince invited me to go to the Eastern Palace to see the apricot blossoms. In my heart, I vaguely guessed a few things. After winter, the apricot flowers in the Eastern Palace bloomed. He sent someone to pick me up, saying there were some beautiful apricot trees blooming and invited me to come and see. After I arrived, he didn't take me to see the apricot blossoms, but took me to the study room. The study room was burning coal, extremely warm. When I walked in, he was standing in front of the window, his back facing me. Hearing the sound of footsteps, he turned his head and smiled softly: "Here we are." "Didn't your highness say to look at the apricot blossoms?" "The apricot blossoms are right outside the window, you can also watch them sitting here." I sat down. He also sat down, poured two cups of wine, and pushed one cup in front of me. I raised my glass of wine and took a sip. It is a pear flower wine, with a sweet taste, not spicy. He was silent for a moment, then said: "Minh Le, I called you here today because I have something to tell you." I put down the wine cup and looked at him. He did not avoid my eyes. He looked into my eyes and said: "I want to marry you." I was stunned. He spoke again, his voice not loud but extremely steady: "I want to marry you. It's not just a sudden impulse. From the day I met you at the hunting range until now, I've thought for a long time. I want to marry you, not because your poem is well written, nor because your handwriting is beautiful, but because of who you are." "I don't care, nor do I believe the wild slanders of others. What I care about is whether or not you are willing." Having said that, he immediately stopped. He didn't rush me, he just waited quietly. The apricot blossoms outside the window are blooming beautifully, the thin apricot branches are tilted, the fragrance spreads silently. I looked at the apricot branch outside the window for a long time. Then I said: "Your Highness, can I ask you a question?" Tong Giac looked at me seriously: "Ask." "What do you like about me?" He thought, then said: "Like you, it's obvious that it hurts but doesn't cry. She was bullied by others, but she can still write such a poem. Liking her in front of me is neither arrogant nor self-conscious, like a tree, a tree that I want to lean on." "Quan Minh." Le, you are not a flower,

she is a tree. The flowers will wither, the trees will not." I bowed my head, looking at the cup of osmanthus wine in front of me. The wine was clear, reflecting the light outside the window. "Okay." He was surprised: "What's the matter?" "I agree." He looked at me, as if he still hadn't had time to react. Then, his eyes lit up, like the midday sun that day at the hunting range. 12 The day Song Giac came to propose, he brought with him one hundred and twenty boxes of bride gifts. The bride gifts continued from From the beginning of the street to the end of the street, red silk formed into large flowers, stretching along the entire street. Everyone in the capital came out to see the excitement, crowded on both sides of the street, pointing and chatting. I stood behind the screen and heard him say to my father: "I want to marry your daughter as my main concubine. In this life, there is only her alone, absolutely no concubine." Father was so frightened that his voice trembled: "Your Highness, this young lady had her marriage annulled..." Tong Giac said: "It's not your fault. On the contrary, fortunately that person has blind eyes." Hearing that sentence, my eye sockets suddenly turned red. Tong Giac walked to the front of the screen. He did not turn around, just stood away from the screen and said to me: "Quan Minh Le, your poem, I have framed it." From a screen, I looked at his silhouette. In my heart, I also completely understood. On the big wedding day, thousands of people in the capital flocked to the streets.