Xinyi trembled while thinking of the possible age of the owner of the hand reaching into her carriage. She remembered the female servant, Gu Dai, who went to Forsaken Valley a month ago. She brought a letter from her parents.
[Dear Xinyi,
I hope you are well these years you're away from us. We miss you but business is flourishing, so we can't easily leave for a visit. I hope you're not angry with us after sending you there. Your sister is also in marriageable age by now and after your second Ma died, I have to look after this myself.
As for you, don't worry about your marriage. We haven't forgotten you even if you're separated from us. This girl Gu Dai is now your servant. We will send more after you entered the house of Lei Ming, your husband. The new governor of Fengfu City.
The king sent an edict betrothing you to this governor. Leave with Gu Dai and Yan Ma will go back to the capital city. Don't bring anything else. But remember, don't show your powers to anyone else, even your husband or you risk being considered demon-possessed. Your life and ours depend on it.
I wish you joy in your marriage. We are happy for you to marry a good and well-respected man. May you have more fortune and live a long life.
Xian Lang]
Once, Xinyi read the letter, she spat on the nearby grass. She wanted to say more or find the best description she could utter about the letter, but the only word that came to mind was, "Trash."
'Was he really missing me and happy for me in such a very short letter after all these years?' She considered the letter a summon more than anything else. After all, she couldn't see any sign of affection within the words of the letter nothing that felt like the love of a doting parent.
While it still affected her, Xinyi knew that obtaining love from her parents was a lost cause, she took a deep breath and recalled the words Yan Ma said, "Your name means heart, mind, and soul in harmony or in joy. Live according to the meaning of your name and all luck will show up on your doorstep."
Xinyi looked toward the sky and took a deep breath while thinking, "It's best to live life without those heartless people."
BUT, seeing this hand offered to her right now, she couldn't help but pity herself. She was nothing but a pathetic game piece of her father. Why was she born to this type of family? If she could, she would choose to be a farmer's daughter than to be a high-ranking official's child.
"They even send Yan Ma back to keep a tight lip of my power. Geez, some parents are they. Just you wait. I'll snatch that servant registration form and release Yan Ma. No wonder they sent for me. It turns out this governor is an old geezer. If he was a handsome young man, they won't dare bring me in and let that sister of mine marry him with no second thoughts."
She was utterly oblivious of the real reason of the dispute.
Xinyi cringed as if someone forced her to eat a very bitter-tasting medicine as she stared at the frail, crumpled skin, likened to a skeleton and skin mixed hand offered to her.
'Is he sixty or seventy years old? Or maybe a step away to his deathbed and requested for a young bride? No way.' If she was allowed to throw away this veil or could see where she was heading, she would love to walk on her own without his assistance.
Outside the carriage, this poor old man was no one other than the governor's caretaker who he pushed to do the task for him while he strode away inside his mansion. The old man trembled because he had no idea what to do in this matter. Even the bride inside didn't hand over her hand. He looked around and saw a boy attendant Kong Hanying and the young girl Gu Dai sent to them yesterday from the Xian household for this new first lady of the house.
While Xinyi was having an internal debate, the old man pulled back his hand and told the two to take over his place. Thus, Gu Dai offered her hand and Xinyi saw it. Her relief could never be fathomed and held Gu Dai's hand like a life-saver.
She stepped out and saw multiple pairs of feet standing around by the roadside. At her left was a male servant's feet. At her right was the girl Gu Dai who held her hand all this time.
Then Xinyi recalled stories of weddings in books and wondered what part of the wedding ceremony she would go next? Was it the three bows? The couple would bow to the heavens, to parents(who were shameless to be absent), and to the people. Or maybe directly to a banquet?
"Where are we going? What else do I need to do?" asked Xinyi.
"Ah, actually, Lord Lei Ming decided to skip the other rituals and Lord Xian Lang agreed to relieve you from more stress. So, we'll go straight to your room and you only need to wait inside. Later, you will exchange drinks with Lord Lei Ming and nothing more."
Xinyi nodded, appreciating the explanation and the information but pondering on the oddness of the agreement of her father with the governor.
'Was it because the governor was very old and had to rest early? What else lies ahead of me? Most of all, what am I going to do with an old man as a husband?'
After she was sent to her room, her face grew dim while sitting on a red silk bed.
This beautiful silk bed reminded her again of the thing Yan Ma said which would take place on this wedding night, "Naked bodies and smooching." She couldn't stop herself from thinking of the possibility to witness an old man's hand undressing her and later would be naked in front of her.
"AHH! No, I don't want to see a naked shriveled body in front of me." She took the veil off, feeling miserable. Her smooth fair skin face glistened with sweat. Those big beautiful eyes with long eyelashes dropped in frustration.
What registered in her mind was the drawing in one of the books brought to her by a powerful grandma she befriended back in the valley. The drawing was a stooping old man with a cane in hand and the upper part was bare. There, the body's rib cages and clavicles obviously protruding and with the skin withering dry.
Then she was reminded of the next course of events to happen. That would be the smooching. "Wahhh! Noooo. Kissing wrinkled lips on a sunken face with deep eye sockets. Noooo!"
She wished she could run away, but she had to consider her servants. They could be implicated for neglecting her. For sure, she couldn't just drag them with her. It would be unfair on their side to run away like fugitives.