Chapter 7 — Wedding Day Switch: My Husband Traded Me Away

He gazed at me, and the remorse churning within his eyes seemed on the verge of spilling over. Indeed, how could he not feel regret? He had cast aside a phoenix perched high upon the ninth heaven, choosing instead to cradle a common jungle fowl as if it were a rare treasure. Was there ever a spectacle more absurd than this?

“Ah, that reminds me.”

As if suddenly recalling something of importance, I turned my gaze toward the maidservant standing respectfully behind me.

“Bring forth the ceremonial gifts that the Prince prepared for my esteemed father and my younger sister.”

The maid acknowledged the order with a soft voice, and within moments, two exquisite brocade boxes were presented before us. I personally lifted the lid of the box meant for my father. Resting within was a millennium-old ginseng root, its form plump and robust, its fibrous tendrils completely intact—a rare and precious marvel at a single glance.

“Father labors day and night for the sake of the nation; I pray that you take utmost care of your health.”

My father stared down at the legendary root, his hands trembling slightly as he reached out to receive it. Next, I turned to open the brocade box intended for Shen Rou. Every neck in the vicinity stretched forward with palpable curiosity. Inside the box lay a solitary, unassuming book. The Precepts for Women. The entire grand hall plunged into a dead silence in the span of a heartbeat. To gift the Precepts for Women—what a devastating humiliation was this! The color drained from Shen Rou’s face, instantly flushing a mottled, angry red akin to a pig’s liver.

“Elder sister, you...”

“My dear sister, your constitution is frail, and it is hardly fitting for you to wander about freely,” I interrupted her smoothly, wearing a smile of utmost gentleness. “It is quite fortuitous that you may now remain within the confines of your chambers to copy sacred scriptures and cultivate your virtue; it will surely aid in your recovery.”

“Would you not agree, dear brother-in-law?”

Finally, I lifted my eyes to look directly at Gu Yan. His fists were clenched so tightly that his fingernails bit deep into his palms, drawing crimson crescents. Yet, for all his boiling fury, he dared not utter even a half-syllable of dissent. Because he dared not.

This homecoming visit unfolded like an exquisite, peerless theatrical play, and I was its sole protagonist. As for Gu Yan and Shen Rou, they had been reduced to mere clowns trampled beneath my feet, serving only to accentuate my hard-won glory. When the midday banquet commenced, my father arranged the feast according to the most illustrious protocols, with rare delicacies and exotic wines flowing in a continuous stream. Throughout the banquet, my father repeatedly raised his cup to toast Feng Yuan, every word and gesture dripping with obsequiousness and flattery. Yet Feng Yuan maintained his customary glacial indifference, occasionally sipping his wine, but refusing to engage in idle chatter. Gu Yan and Shen Rou attended the banquet as well, though their seats were relegated to the far corners of the hall. For the entirety of the meal, they kept their heads bowed, consuming their food as though it tasted of ash. I could vividly feel Gu Yan’s gaze repeatedly drifting toward me, laden with bitter regret, unyielding resentment, and a lingering infatuation that he himself had likely not yet acknowledged. Men were invariably creatures of this sort—they only learned the true value of a treasure once it was lost. When he finally realized that what he had discarded was not a worthless stone, but a peerless pearl, the agonizing sting of untimely remorse would slowly gnaw at his very bones. As for Shen Rou, she wept in secret throughout the entire meal, heavy tears splashing silently into her rice bowl with a pitiful air meant to evoke sympathy. Alas, the assembled guests looked upon her with nothing more than profound contempt and mockery. A concubine’s daughter who had resorted to despicable wiles to usurp her elder sister’s husband had now become the greatest laughingstock across the entire capital. Following the midday banquet, Feng Yuan and I prepared to take our leave. My father led the entire household out to escort us to the outer gates, a display of reverence far surpassing the reception we received upon arrival. Just as I was about to board the carriage, Shen Rou suddenly lunged forward, desperately clutching at my sleeve.

“Elder sister!”

She cried out through her tears.

“Tell me the truth, did you plan all of this from the very beginning?”

“Did you deliberately follow our lead simply so you could marry the Prince Regent?”

She seemed desperately to desire an answer from me that might soothe her battered pride. If my triumph had been meticulously planned from the start, it would at least prove that she had not lost to me in fairness, but rather fallen to my foresight. I stared down at her tear-streaked face and smiled coldly.

“My dear sister, you flatter yourself far too much.”

“Neither you nor your petty, shallow cleverness are worthy of entering my chessboard.”

I gently brushed her hand away from my garment.

“Sometimes, whether an event brings fortune or disaster depends entirely upon one’s moral character.”

“Your virtue is crooked; no matter how immense the fortune that falls into your hands, it will ultimately curdle into a catastrophe.”

With those final words, I dismissed her entirely. Supported by the steady hand Feng Yuan extended toward me, I stepped gracefully into the opulent carriage.