Yue Er wore a bright red peacock feather cloak, her feet in red deerskin cashmere boots, and underneath, a pure white brocade robe.
Her hair was elegantly tied up, adorned with various exquisite pearl and gemstone accessories in a scattered yet harmonious arrangement.
Normally, such an ensemble would evoke a sense of nouveau riche ostentation, but Yue Er’s features were quite refined, her demeanor noble; these treasures seemed naturally matched to her.
Rather than being burdensome, they added a touch of nobility.
County Princess Yilan, on the other hand, wore a snow-white fox fur cloak, paired with a light blue seamless jacket beneath, under which was a pleated skirt embroidered with intricate blue-and-white flowers.
Her hair was completely tied up, with a bun resting at the back of her head adorned with a white jade pomegranate hairpin and a pair of black jade pendulum earrings.
If Yue Er was a lively and vibrant red plum blossom, then Yilan was a delicate and fresh yet unique white magnolia.
The two of them walked hand in hand into the forest.
Accompanied by the blanket of white snow and the branches either filled with exuberant or budding red plum blossoms, the scene resembled a painting.
"It’s truly beautiful!"
Yue Er breathed in the fresh air outside the palace.
Yilan couldn’t take her eyes off the world filled with red plums, her gaze shimmering brightly.
"Indeed, it’s beautiful!"
"Way larger than the plum blossoms in the back garden of Prince He Mansion!"
Yue Er laughed.
"Then why didn’t you come earlier? You had to be called by me?"
"Since you’ve decided to let go, you should live well, enjoy life as you please!"
"Now you’re free, no one can control you. Or... haven’t you really let go?"
Yilan raised an eyebrow.
"That’s, of course, impossible!!"
"How could I not move on because of him?"
"Besides, if I don’t go out, it’s not for that man, but entirely for myself!"
"What do you mean by that?" Yue Er asked, puzzled.
Yilan spoke slowly.
"I just got married not even three months ago, and I’m always running outside, showing my face everywhere!"
"If the word gets out, what would people say?"
"They won’t blame the Nan Family; they’ll say my parents didn’t raise me well!"
Yilan casually broke off a branch of plum blossoms, holding it in her hand, and continued.
"Now the only thing I can do is rest and recuperate!"
"We’ll talk about other things later!"
Yue Er remained indignant.
"Even if you do nothing, you shouldn’t take this lying down!"
"At least make that Nan Yunze guy suffer a bit!"
Yilan shook her head.
"We’ve sworn not to interfere!"
"Yue Er, thank you, but let’s not talk about this matter anymore!"
Not wanting to lose to him, nor wanting to break her vow.
Yue Er glared at her helplessly.
"Is this what happens after getting married?!
"Being cautious, fearing wolves in front and tigers behind!"
Yilan smiled bitterly.
"Indeed!"
From the moment a young woman dons her wedding attire, she no longer belongs to herself.
She becomes someone else’s wife, her in-laws’ daughter-in-law, her future children’s mother, and the family matriarch and Madam Imperial Concubine, among other roles, large and small.
Failure to fulfill any of these roles adequately becomes a reason for others to criticize her, even a pretext to criticize her family.
More severely, it might tarnish the reputations of other women in the family, affecting their prospects for marriage.
Reality is indeed so cruel.
It steadily wears away all their edges, erodes their distinctive personalities.
Turning them into people without self or character.
Yue Er regretted with a sigh.
"Had I known, I wouldn’t have urged you to marry!"
"We should’ve waited, perhaps you’d meet someone who liked and understood you!"
Yilan smiled bitterly.
"Do you think I’m like you? Marrying when you want, not marrying when you don’t!
"As the saying goes... with aspirations higher than the sky, fate weaker than paper! I suppose this is how my life will be!"
"Yue Er, you must live well for me!"
Yue Er was at a loss.
"What nonsense are you spouting?"
"What do you mean your life is just like that? You’re too lacking in confidence!"
Yilan shook her head.
Just as she was about to continue speaking, her gaze suddenly fell into the distance.
First curious, then disbelief, followed by a face full of anger and shock.
"That’s..."
Yue Er finally reacted and looked in the direction of her gaze.
In the pristine white snow, two rows of footprints suddenly appeared.
One large and one small, one deep and one shallow, one to the left, and one to the right.