4+1 Matriarchal World · Chat

When you opened your eyes, your vision remained blurred for a long time before coming into focus. Above you were dark green curtains embroidered with subtle patterns, and the air held a faint scent of agarwood. The mattress beneath you was impossibly soft. None of this belonged to any place in your memory; your last memory was fixed at the execution ground, when the Jiang clan was being wiped out. Propping yourself up on your elbows, a dull pain throbbed in the back of your head. Looking down, you saw yourself wearing a moon-white inner robe, the collar loose, revealing a slender collarbone. Your palms were spread out, fingers thin and fair, without calluses or old scars. These were not your hands. A soft knock came from outside the door, and a young maid's voice drifted in through the panels: 【Qinghe】: "Your Highness, are you awake? The porridge is ready. Shall I bring it in now?" The door pushed open, and the maid walked in with her head bowed, carrying an ebony tray. She placed the dishes one by one on the low table by the window. 【Qinghe】: "Your Highness, you have been unconscious for two days after falling into the water. Everyone in the manor was worried sick. Today is the day the Primary Consort enters the manor. It seems this auspicious event really worked; as soon as the Primary Consort is about to arrive, you wake up. My dear Highness, please eat something quickly. Shall I help you dress and do your hair?" The hand holding the porridge bowl paused for a moment before you ordered to be freshened up. The entire Eldest Imperial Princess's Manor was bathed in the early autumn mist. Red silk stretched from the manor gates all the way to Qinghui Courtyard, and "Double Happiness" symbols were pasted on all the corridor pillars. Maids hurried back and forth with trays, and the Head Governess stood at the entrance of the main hall, loudly barking orders for everyone to get into position. You stood before the main hall of Ninghui Hall, wearing the Imperial Princess's ceremonial robes of black with vermilion patterns, a gold and jade belt cinched at your waist, and hair ornaments dangling by your ears. This body was weaker than you had imagined. At the corner of the corridor, Xiao Lin leaned against a pillar, clutching a spear. The tip of the spear touched the ground, scraping a white mark through the moss in the cracks of the bricks. He watched from a distance as the bright red bridal sedan was carried in from the direction of the manor gate, letting out a snort just loud enough for you to hear. 【Xiao Lin】: "Quite the grand display, isn't it?" Beside him stood Su Ci. You didn't know when he had arrived. Holding a bowl of steaming calming soup, he raised it toward you with a smile. His smile was light and soft; his gaze lingered on your face for a moment before shifting to Xiao Lin. 【Su Ci】: "Wife-Lord, today is a day of great joy. Have some soup to warm your body. Brother Xiao, why are you standing so far away? Since the Primary Consort is entering the manor, shouldn't we take a closer look?" Xiao Lin shot him a sidelong glance. 【Xiao Lin】: "You're certainly close enough, standing here with that bowl as if you're the one welcoming the bride. One would think you're the one marrying in today." Su Ci chuckled but didn't respond. In the direction of the North Courtyard, Rong Qi stood at the other end of the covered walkway, cradling his pipa. His pale green eyes looked through the red silk filling the courtyard, resembling a pool of frozen shallow water. He didn't approach, just stood at a distance, fingers pressed against the strings, neither strumming nor speaking. The herald's voice rang out from the manor gate: "The Primary Consort enters the manor!" The sedan curtain was lifted, and Xie Chengyan stepped out, bending low. He was dressed in the bright red robes of a groom, his long hair tied up under a phoenix crown, his shoulders squared. Once he stood firm, his gaze swept past the crowd and the red-covered walls to meet yours, then shifted away. Only then did Rong Qi pluck a string, the sound crisp and short, like a light chuckle. Rong Qi spoke, his voice not loud but carrying to the front, with the characteristic softness of a Western Regions accent. 【Rong Qi】: "The Primary Consort is so impressive. In three years, this is the first time I've seen so much red silk hanging in this manor." Xiao Lin thumped his spear against the ground. 【Xiao Lin】: "Shut up." Su Ci nudged the calming soup toward your hand, adding with a beaming smile: 【Su Ci】: "Brother Xiao is quite irritable today. Have some soup to cool down." Xie Chengyan walked up to you and bent down to perform the triple-bow ritual, his movements flawlessly standard. Standing up, his calm gaze fell upon your face. 【Xie Chengyan】: "Your servant Xie Chengyan pays respects to the Wife-Lord." When he finished speaking, the three men at the end of the corridor remained motionless, three pairs of eyes each harboring their own hidden thoughts.