Author note: in this chapter Pei will be going by his royal character of Yan.
Getting the bride
Yan stared out of the open window, the room was already decorated for the wedding, his staff had relished in the outfitting. They were eager for their master to get a wife, as did their entire capital it seemed. Yan's fingers glided over the handkerchief with the embroidered love peas. Thinking back to that night when Su had nervously had presented the handkerchief to him. It had filled his heart with love, but he hadn't been able to resist the temptation to tease her. That was the first time he had mentioned children and the idea had taken root in a way he hadn't thought possible. Today was a big step in his life, a life that had always been about the best for the empire and now he would share everything with Su. He couldn't wait. "Your Highness." Yan turned: "Don't stand on ceremony." He said acknowledging Zihou. "His Royal Highness has arrived."
"Already? He is early." Yan indicated to Ziyou to lead the way. Today Ziyou was discharged from his duties as captain of the Royal Guard to be able to accompany Yan to get Su. His brother was at the gate still and Yan quickly bowed, the emperor immediately told him not to stand on ceremony. "Your Highness, I did not expect you here already." The emperor smiled: "I wish to accompany you to fetch the bride. It is my duty as your brother. And my wish as your friend." Yan smiled: "It would be an honor to have his majesty at my side." Then he indicated for the emperor to follow him to one of the more private pavilions in his mansion. As they sat down Yan asked Zihou to gather the fetching party. Fei Yuan came to serve the tea and as they drank the emperor said: "You are going to need my help…mother had already left for Pei Mansion before I set off to Qi Mansion."
"What!" Yan exclaimed. The emperor laughed heartily as he saw his brother's dismay. "Mother reasoned that as Su has no family left, she would need some help. So she went to help her get ready." Yan groaned and the emperor smiled again: "Are you worried brother?" Yan shot his brother a withering glance. The emperor simply sipped his tea, enjoying this moment in which they could just be brothers. "I'm actually more worried about you brother." Yan replied. "Me? Why?" Yan picked up his tea and took a sip before continuing: "Well, with my marriage arranged, mother is sure to turn her attention to your marriage." He relished the fleeting terror in the emperor's face. Yan leaned forward a little and silently said: "Have you prepared?"
"Please don't remind me, mother has on different occasions pointed out all the attributes of Su as the model to which I should hold my own choice." The suffering emperor sighed. "Well I certainly can't fault mother on that." Yan said. Before they could continue their conversation Xie Beiming stepped on the pavilion, halting when he saw the emperor and bowing: "Your majesty."
"You may rise." The emperor said swiftly. Yan also rose, looking at Brother Xie: "I believe it is time for me to go and fetch my bride." Xie nodded: "Brother Pei everything is ready." The emperor rose and came to stand next to his brother: "Who else is joining us?" The three men walked to the front gate. "Zihou, Brother Xie, Fei Yuan and you." Yan said, seeing Fei Yuan and Zihou standing at the gate. Next to them was also prince Shuomo. Yan looked at him inquiringly. "Do you have space for another?" Shuomo asked. "Please join us. Did you manage to find princess Yunchuan?" Yan asked Shuomo and Zihou simultaneously. Shuomo answered the question: "Yes, she was at the same place where we apprehended the intruder. Rushuang and Brother Xie were there as well. Rushuang invited her to stay with her and detective Su. So she is with them in Pei Mansion." Internally Yan groaned, this was going to be more of a hassle than he had thought.
To his surprise the front gate of Pei Mansion was actually closed and two of the maids of the staff where standing in front of it. After some bartering and exchange of red packets they allowed the group to enter. Then Yan saw Rushuang and princes Yunchuan in the first pavilion, they seemed to be amused and he knew this 'getting the bride' was going to be an actual challenge. He looked on ahead past the first pavilion to her room. The door was closed, but he knew she was there, waiting for him. He sighed and stepped up to the pavilion and saw Rushuang standing behind the table which had several bowls with food on it. "I am here for my bride." Yan said to Rushuang. She responded: "Will you stand by her through bitter, salty, spicy and mellow times?"
"I shall."
"Then proof it, eat these foods." Yan glanced down, taking in the different dishes, if he could survive Su's soup, he would also survive this. Quickly and not trying to taste too much Yan ate the different foods. When he had finished he said: "Now can I get my bride?" Yunchuan stepped forward: "Did you bring her shoes?" Yan turned and took the small red shoes from Zihou and gave them to Yunchuan. Yunchuan accepted them, turned around and left. Yan started to follow her, but Rushuang stepped in front of him. "No wait, I can't let you go." Brother Xie stepped forward and stood in front of Rushuang: "He has waited long enough." Rushuang stood firm and replied: "He can wait a little bit longer. We are not yet ready here." And then she presented the next challenge.
In the meantime Yunchuan brought the shoes to Su. "Please put them in the right cabinet, the one with the dagger." Su said, while one of the maids finished putting the hair pieces in, before placing the crown on her head. The dowager empress was seated at her desk. Earlier in the morning when Su had finished her exercises, knowing Yan would do them at the same time but at his own mansion, Rushuang had come to her in a rush, telling her the dowager empress had come. Su had quickly followed Rushuang, when they reached the pavilion where the dowager empress was seated, they had bowed. After the dowager empress had invited them to rise Su had asked: "Might we know how we are so honored to have your highness come to Pei Mansion?"
"As you have no family of your own I have come to help you get ready." The dowager empress had answered. Su had bowed in acceptance. "I am most honored Your Highness."
"Don't stand on ceremony. After all today you will become my daughter-in-law. Come let us get you ready. Knowing Yan he will not wait long to come and get his bride." The Dowager empress had smiled and then risen from her seat. Before they left for Su's room Rushuang had said, smiling: "Don't worry Your Highness, Princess Yunchuan and I have prepared some challenges for him." When she saw the smile on Rushuang's face Su started to worry in earnest. "Rushuang, I won't appreciate it if our first night together would be spent with me trying to take care of a wounded or sick husband. Do restrain yourself."
"Don't worry sister Su, he just has to show he really wants to marry you and is willing to care for you for the rest of his life." Thinking back on their adventures and all the times Yan had already shown his commitment to her happiness, Su concluded that the challenges were hardly necessary and she said so to Rushuang, who merely lifted her shoulders and said: "Still, it's part of this day and just a bit of innocent fun. Besides he'll have Fei Yuan, Beiming and commander Fu to help him."
"Su Ci, there is no reason to worry. After all Yan is our God of War, these challenges will be nothing compared to what he has encountered in his earlier life." The dowager empress said. Su considered this and gave a short nod of acknowledgement, remembering the many scars on his body and the stories they held. Then she turned and led the others to her room, where her dress was already laid out.
When Yunchuan turned to leave, after she had placed the shoes in the cabinet, Su stopped her: "When Yan gets here please give him the letter that is on my desk." Yunchuan started to walk towards the desk, but the Dowager Empress already had the letter in her hands and said: I will do that, I have one last challenge for him before he can enter." Internally Su sighed: this was going to take so long. All she wanted was for Yan to be here and take her home. The maid had finally finished and Su could hear the ruckus outside. She could hear laughter from Rushuang. Pushing her impatience aside she stood and asked the maid to leave her. She knew the dowager empress could not be asked to leave so she said nothing, but simply walked to the cabinet where the memorial tablet of her parents stood. She lid the incense and bowed. As she had gotten used to Su told her parents about what she was going to do and what this day meant to her. And as her thoughts went to her parents and especially her mother she felt the tears start to trickle down her cheek. With Yan she had decided they would come here on the third day of the wedding and transfer the tablet to Qi mansion, where it would be placed next to the memorial tablets of his own parents. To Sus's surprise she felt the hand of the dowager empress on her shoulder. Su turned into the arms of the dowager empress to cry as she should have done with her own mother. The dowager empress thought back to the conversation she had had with Yan in which he had been so frank with her and told her he worried about Su over the wedding, knowing she still felt the loss of her family and mother so acutely. The dowager empress smiled. After a few moment Su calmed down. The dowager empress wiped her eyes and smiled: "Come, I can hear the men approaching. Time to put on your veil, though he knows your face perfectly and the road from this resident to his other resident is known to you. I even suspect both of you will come here again." Su followed the dowager empress and sat down on the bed. The person who had helped her dress came and placed the veil over her head. Su was thankful that it was slightly see-through, so she could at least see something. "He'll be here soon." The dowager empress said, then she rose and stood behind the door. "Your highness, could you take the handcuffs and hairpin with you? After you step outside, lock the door with the handcuffs and give him the hairpin. He'll understand." At that moment they could clearly hear Yunchuan say: "No you can't go in." Then they heard the voice of the emperor: "Who are you to deny my brother entrance?" The dowager empress looked at Su and said: "It seems like they are using everyone they have. I was wondering whether my son would come with his brother. I'll go now, we'll see you soon." Su smiled behind her veil. It seemed like everyone was enjoying this enormously, she was less sure of Yan. Keen on hearing what was happening outside, she concentrated on all she could hear.
With his brother at his side Yan saw the doors open. Yunchuan stepped aside and there before the closing door stood the dowager empress. She saw no surprise on the faces of her son and stepson. "I am the one denying you." The emperor and Yan were wise enough not to speak against her. Before she continued the dowager empress turned to the closed doors and locked them with the handcuffs. Yan smiled when he saw them. Then the dowager empress spoke: "First prove you are worthy to stay at her side." Then she stepped forward, behind her several Feiyan soldiers stepped in line. She then gave Yan the hairpin, the message from Su and a blindfold. "Your father taught you to fight blindfolded, later this became a necessity. But can you still? If you succeed use the hairpin to access her room, there: find the shoes, the note contains a clue. Do all this and then you may take the bride to your home and stay at her side." Yan looked at the objects in his hand. He knew two of them, the note was new. He placed it and the hairpin in his pocket. The red blindfold, the same he had worn on the day he had seen Su for the first time, he bound around his head. It felt so familiar, fighting blind had on many occasions been necessary and he knew he was more then capable of fulfilling this challenge. He focused, he could hear people shuffling and taking steps back. And then in front of him he heard the first, hesitant, steps of the warriors. Yan waited, letting them take the first move, but when they stepped within reach he moved quickly, effortlessly, to take the first warrior down with a swift hit. What followed was a demonstration of his fighting skills and as they had always been, they were direct, effective and the absolute best in the empire. Within a short amount of time he had all warriors down. Hearing no more he took of the blindfold and stepped to the door. He took the handcuffs in his hand and quickly examined them. They were indeed the handcuffs he had given Su. Smiling Yan took the hairpin out of his pocket and opened the handcuffs. He opened the door and there she was: seated on her bed, bare feet and in a beautiful red gown. The veil covered her head, but he could smell it was Su seated there. "Did I not tell you not to leave your feet bare?" Yan said as a way of greeting. "Please find my shoes so my feet will no longer be bare and I can go with you." Su replied. He opened the note he had gotten, it said: 'With the most priced possession'. Yan smiled knowing exactly where the shoes where. Before he went there he bowed for the memorial tablet. Then he walked to the closet where his dagger was always kept when Su didn't have a need for it. Indeed next to the dagger were the red shoes Zihou had give Yunchuan. Yan took the shoes and dagger out and walked back to Su. He knelt before her and softly placed the shoes on her feet. Su relished the feel of his hand on her ankles, remembering the times that he had put her shoes on and when he had taken care of her injured ankle. Yan helped her up and together they walked to the open door. Zihou took the dagger from Yan and Xie extended his hand to guide Su to the sedan waiting for her. Yan led the entire party to the entrance gate before Xie and Su started to walk, so as to give everyone enough time to get ready to depart.
Author note: Please read and review, let me know if I'm making unforgivable mistakes concerning the Chinese culture, so I can correct them.