Swallow on the Beam

Volume 1: Winds Arise Chapter 1: The Grand Wedding In the twenty-third year of Mingde, on the Mid-Autumn Festival. A time for reunion, but ill-suited for weddings. As day broke, a woman, dressed in a gown of delicate peach blossoms and a bold, crimson sash, delicately made her way into the heart of the inn, carrying a tray bearing auspicious tokens. A group of young maids followed her, stepping softly in her wake. Inside, Yan Jun stood with his arms outstretched. Xiang Lan, the chief maid, meticulously helped him dress, layer after layer, until the final, rosy tippet was affixed. By the time the ordeal had finished, Yan Jun was perspiring profusely, tired by the endless fussy adjustments. However, when he finally turned and saw his reflection, resplendent in his red wedding attire, he was momentarily struck speechless. His naturally pale complexion, accentuated by the vibrant red, appeared even more alabaster. His untamed, lengthy hair, yet to be styled, cascaded down to his waist. The person staring back at him from the mirror seemed simultaneously familiar, and yet distinctly alien. Having donned his wedding garments, Yan Jun took a seat before the bronze mirror. As the maids began to preen him, the extended wait induced a creeping sleepiness. He drifted into a dream, a vision of the time before he had plunged into this tale. * Indeed, the world author Yan Jun now found himself in was that of a novel, a story spun from his own imagination. He had been an obscure writer, until one day, fortune smiled upon him. His latest book had set the online world abuzz, and under the unyielding pressure of his editor, he had to keep up the momentum. After three grueling nights of relentless writing, Yan Jun finally met his editor's high expectations. He saved all his new chapters, powered down his computer, and surrendered to sleep's sweet call. In his sleep-fogged state, he heard his phone ring. He picked it up in a daze to hear his editor's ecstatic voice. "Yan Jun, you've made it! Film and TV companies are lining up for your story's copyrights, and there's even a manga adaptation on the table..." He didn't catch the rest of his editor's words, as his room began to tremble, causing his mind to reel. Could it be an earthquake? * "Miss, Miss, time to wake up." Startled awake from his dream, Yan Jun mumbled, “Sell them, sell all my copyrights. I’m going to be rich, ha-ha-ha.” A maid beside him, not understanding his words, assumed he had given some instruction, so she asked, “Is there anything for me to do, Miss?” The term “Miss” jolted Yan Jun fully awake. He stared at the beautiful figure reflected in the mirror, befuddled mind slowly gaining clarity. There had been no call from his editor, no earthquake. He had simply woken up to find himself in the world of his own creation, given the peculiar mission of "To return home, you must rewrite the destiny of one individual." And that individual was the man who was to marry him today. Soon after, the clamour of drums and gongs filled the air outside the inn. The Lucky Lady, clutching a handkerchief, gracefully entered the room, “Miss Lin, the prince’s wedding procession has arrived.” Nodding in acknowledgement, Yan Jun took the moon-shaped ceremonial fan handed over by Xiang Lan and answered, “Thank you for your hard work today, lady. Xiang Lan, give her the gratuity.” Xiang Lan slipped a silver ingot from her sleeve and passed it to the Lucky Lady, who beamed with delight. She then busied herself helping Yan Jun out of the room and down the stairs. Yan Jun’s current identity was that of Lin Yan, the young Miss from the Lin family in Yangzhou, who was set to wed the fourth prince, Liang Chen. The prince's marriage was no small affair in ancient times, prompting the city of Jian'an to be decked in fluttering red silk. The procession carrying the dowry prepared by the Lin family stretched from one end of the street to the other, drawing cityfolk from all corners to gawk. As Yan Jun sat in the bridal palanquin, clutching the ceremonial fan, he could hear the conversations of the bystanders. “Look at the dowry! The Lin family is indeed wealthy. Would you say the Lin family is marrying up or Lord Jing is?” “Surely it’s the Lin family. In the hierarchy of scholars, peasants, artisans, and merchants, merchants rank the lowest. The transformation of Miss Lin to Lord Jing’s wife is nothing short of a crow turning into a phoenix.” “Wrong, wrong, wrong. My sister works for an official's family, and she said that Lord Jing is a harbinger of doom, a curse to those around him. Even his birth mother was claimed by his curse. Do you think Miss Lin will suffer the same fate?” “Oh, poor Miss Lin!” Cursed by him? Yan Jun, face hidden behind his fan, couldn't help but chuckle. He was rather curious to see how this Liang Chen would bring about his demise. As the firecrackers exploded, the palanquin settled onto the ground. Maids rushed to help Yan Jun out amidst the smoke. Once steady, Yan Jun adjusted his fan down slightly, his gaze cutting through the smoke to fall upon the striking figure in red waiting at the entrance of Lod Jing's mansion. That man was Lord Jing, Liang Chen - his mission target. In the original novel, Liang Chen was a young hero. At the age of five, due to circumstances, he was sent to live with the Xiao family in the North. At seven, he joined the army camp; by ten, he was waging battles. At fourteen, he gained renown with one victorious battle, successfully repelling the Dang Sui and ensuring five years of peace for the North. Unfortunately, he wasn’t born in the fittest era. The Great Kingdom of Liang was crumbling, and due to his circumstances, he was trapped in the capital, helpless as the North fell. He could only watch as the Xiao family of the North was wiped out. And at the age of twenty-seven, he too fell in battle. A generation's hero, his tale was buried beneath the yellow sands. Dressed in red, Liang Chen stood in front of the mansion. His lips were sealed, his eyes expressing a hint of indifference. It was as if he had experienced life and death, rendering everything in this world insignificant. Yan Jun was puzzled because this version of Liang Chen seemed to be at odds with the character he'd written. "The auspicious hour is here, Your Highness, Your Majesty. It's time for the ceremony," the Lucky Lady’s voice brought Yan Jun back to reality. He was guided to Liang Chen, who gave him a brief, indifferent glance before turning to enter the mansion. Yan Jun followed him into the main hall. The guests witnessing the ceremony stood along both sides of the room. At the head of the room, where the emperor and empress were supposed to sit, there was only a regal woman. Once Yan Jun and Liang Chen had approached, she spoke indifferently, "Your father suddenly felt unwell and asked me to preside over your wedding. I hope you don't mind." Liang Chen, as if expecting this, replied insipidly, "The health of the Emperor should be prioritized. As long as the Empress is present, the wedding can proceed." The Empress simply hummed in response, her face expressing slight impatience, before waving her hand to signal the start of the ceremony. As the official announced, "Bow to heaven and earth," Yan Jun and Liang Chen turned to bow thrice towards the entrance. They proceeded in the same manner through the following ceremonies, "Bow to the high hall," and "Bride and groom bow to each other." Upon the declaration of "Wedded by hair," Yan Jun felt a bit dazed. He was in his own novel, marrying a character he'd created, who also happened to be a man. It was utterly unthinkable. Two maids then approached. One held a tray with a pair of scissors entwined with red thread and a small silk pouch. They came to Yan Jun's side, and under his puzzled gaze, cut a lock of his hair. They did the same to Liang Chen, tying their hair together with the red thread and placed it in the pouch, which was handed to Yan Jun. He stared at the pouch, the words "Wedded by hair" flashing across his mind. Hair-tied, husband and wife, love without suspicion. The romantic and ceremonious wedding finally drew to a close with the hair-tying ceremony. What should follow would be the exchange of cross-cupped wine and consummation, but Yan Jun felt Liang Chen would not proceed with these rituals. As it turned out, Liang Chen indeed did not. Not long after Yan Jun returned to his room, he was sitting on the edge of the bed, thinking about removing the heavy phoenix crown that was almost choking him when a woman's voice suddenly sounded outside the door. "Your Majesty, the prince drank too much today. To avoid disturbing your rest, he has chosen to stay in the study tonight. Please rest early. You and the prince are to visit the palace tomorrow morning." Indeed, Yan Jun sighed internally, speaking up to the outside, "I see, but could you wait for me for a moment? Yan Jun walked to the bronze mirror, asked Xiang Lan to help him remove the phoenix crown and put up a simple bun. Then he got up and walked outside. The maid who had come to deliver the message saw Yan Jun come out. She thought he was upset because the prince hadn't come to the bridal chamber and immediately knelt down, "Your...Your Majesty." Yan Jun didn't expect such a strong reaction from the young maid. He quickly helped her up, "Don't kneel before me. I have something to discuss with your prince. Could you lead me to the study?" "Ah?" The maid was stunned for a few seconds before she answered, "Your Majesty may not know, but the study is a restricted area. Only those summoned by the prince are allowed to enter." "Oh, no problem, just lead me there." The maid hesitated to look at Yan Jun. Yan Jun thought she was worried about being punished, so he reassured her again, "How about this? You take me near the study and I will go by myself. That way, it won't be your responsibility." Seeing Yan Jun's determined expression, and considering that he was the prince's wife, she didn't dare to offend him. She could only nod and lead him to the study. Jing'an City is the capital of the Great Liang. Although Lord Jing's mansion is a royal residence, it was not as large as half of the Lin family's estate. The maid led Yan Jun around the artificial lake in the front courtyard and through a rock garden. Then she pointed to a bamboo grove not far away. "Your Majesty, that's the study. I have other duties, so I won't accompany you there." "Sure, thank you." When the maid walked away, Yan Jun turned to look at the forest of purple bamboo. A breeze stirred the bamboo leaves, making a rustling sound. Every sound seemed to tickle Yan Jun's heart like feathers and make it beat faster. After taking a deep breath and cheering himself up, Yan Jun walked towards the bamboo forest. The two guards outside the study were feeling drowsy because of the autumn wind, but they were martial artists. When they heard footsteps approaching, they quickly opened their eyes and stopped Yan Jun. "Who's there? The study is an important place in the mansion. No one can enter without the prince's order." Yan Jun immediately stopped and looked troubled, "No, no, no, I am the wife that your prince just welcomed into the mansion. I have something to discuss with the prince. Could you let me in?" Only then did the two guards notice that the newcomer was a somewhat tall woman in a red dress. Considering that this was the future mistress of the mansion, they softened their tone slightly, "Your Highness, this is an important area of the prince's residence. Unless we receive an order from the prince himself, we cannot let you in. We hope you understand." "Okay," Yan Jun replied dejectedly. Just as he was about to turn around and leave, he suddenly pointed up at the sky and yelled, "Look, a plane!" The attention of the two guards was indeed drawn away, and Yan Jun took this opportunity to slip inside. The guards were taken aback and by the time they reacted, he had already entered the study and closed the door behind him. Locking the door, Yan Jun couldn't help but laugh softly, "Humph, trying to outsmart me, you're still too green." He then turned around to take a detailed look at the study. The study wasn't large, but it contained quite a number of books and paintings. Yan Jun went over to take a closer look. The paintings were fine, as he could easily make out what they were. But the books gave him trouble since they were all in traditional characters. Many of them were unfamiliar to her. After years of rigorous study, he still felt like an illiterate at this point. After some time, Yan Jun lost interest and started to approach the man resting on the couch in the inner room. As the maid had said, Liang Chen had indeed drunk a lot of alcohol today. His handsome face was slightly flushed. Yan Jun crouched beside him, observing him closely. It's said that men who've been in war would have dark or tanned skin, but this young general was not only not dark, he was almost fairer than her, which felt quite unfair. However, on second thought, he found it absurd that two grown men were comparing who was fairer. He couldn't help but chuckle at the thought. In his sleep, Liang Chen seemed to be having some kind of dream. He started to murmur something, but Yan Jun couldn't hear it clearly. He leaned closer to hear better, noticing that his brows were furrowed, as if he was having a bad dream. Unconsciously, he reached out his hand to smooth out his wrinkles. Just as Yan Jun's hand touched Liang Chen's forehead, his eyes flew open, and he grabbed his wrist, pulling Yan Jun towards him. "Who's there?" Their faces were extremely close. Liang Chen's breath, heavy with alcohol, blew onto Yan Jun's face, making him feel slightly tipsy himself.