Mo Chou pursed her lips. Although she was sowhat unconvinced, she finally said:
"Call it my short-sightedness back then. This ti, let him win you over."
Though she spoke this way, after experiencing so many hardships, Mo Zhaorong had already wholeheartedly accepted Zhao Douan. If anyone in this world could be a match for the Empress, it was only him.
Xu Zhenguan could not help but laugh. As wise as the Empress was, how could she not see through Mo Chou's thoughts? She earnestly said:
"I have no family left. Sun Master has also passed away. You are my last family mber."
Tears stread from Mo Chou's eyes. She tightly grasped the Empress's hand and choked up:
"This servant will never marry and will serve by Your Majesty's side all my life. Once Your Majesty births a royal son, this servant will then serve the Prince."
The Empress's cheeks flushed. Just as she was about to speak, a lady official walked in from outside the palace:
"Your Majesty, the Prince Consort has already arrived outside the ridian Gate."
...
The royal wedding was full of elaborate ceremonies.
Zhao Douan entered through the ridian Gate, exchanged pleasantries with the officials for a mont, and was then led by the palace's lady officials and the Ministry of Rites' officials to the South Gate. There, he changed into the formal Prince Consort's robes, and offered gifts such as a wild goose and silk cloth.
This is the "Wild Goose Ceremony," symbolizing loyalty, a lifeti of companionship.
After completing the Wild Goose Ceremony, Zhao Douan and the wedding procession took their seats, waiting for the auspicious hour.
At this mont, it was inevitable for the officials to co forward one by one to offer their congratulations.
"Congratulations to the Prince Consort and Your Majesty on their union of joy."
Ma Yan, tall and beardless, approached, making others instinctively step back, indicating his notorious presence.
Zhao Douan smiled and said, "Over the years, I've been grateful for Lord's care."
Ma Yan, flustered, earnestly replied, "It's Heaven's blessing upon Yu Country that brought the Prince Consort to us."
Hehe, even you with your stiff personality can flatter now... Zhao Douan found it amusing.
After Ma Yan left, Yuann Li approached, his face bearing a smile full of the vicissitudes of life, having survived nurous political upheavals as a senior official:
"I knew from the first ti I saw the Prince Consort that he was a person of outstanding talent."
Zhao Douan softly laughed and said, "Since when did Mr. Yuan learn to flatter? Say a few more words, let hear?"
Yuann Li was taken aback.
Zhao Douan laughed heartily.
Yuann Li smiled gently, whether divine or as Imperial Consort, he remains the sa person.
"Grandmaster. Aren't you ho resting? How did you also make it here?"
Zhao Douan looked at the elderly man in a wheelchair being pushed by Dong Da, who was now even more aged than before but still looking well. Dong Xuan smiled and said:
"I am the emcee of this wedding, how could I not co?"
The marriage of the Emperor and the Human Immortal was a difficult task.
Originally, if Zhang Yan Yi had not died, he would have been the most suitable. Now, after many considerations, it was eventually placed on Dong Xuan, the Emperor's Master.
Zhao Douan sincerely said, "Thank you, Grandmaster."
Then he glanced at Dong Da and smiled slightly: "Mr. Dong, I hope you've been well."
Having been hardened by war, Dong Da was now much darker but didn't seem nervous at all. He took out a piece of paper from his sleeve:
"In the past when I set out for battle, the Prince Consort gifted a poem. Today, on the day of the Prince Consort's wedding, I should repay the favor."
"Oh?" Zhao Douan was greatly surprised, gladly accepting it. After sending off the grandfather and grandson, he unfolded the paper to find that there was no "poetry" at all, but just one line:
"No more philandering."
Zhao Douan's expression stiffened, thinking to himself this is slander... This is slander... Back then when I went to Green Lotus Small House to see Little Ya, it was to investigate a case, alas, tis have changed, even Little Dong, after the trials of war, has beco wily.
Crying out silently in his heart, crying out silently... he then started to laugh.
What lofty deity?
This is what he truly liked about the mortal world's cheerfulness.
"The auspicious ti has co!"
At this mont, Eunuch Hai, dressed in a brand-new python robe, ca out wielding a horsetail whisk.
Zhao Douan solemnly rose, grandiosely leading a group towards the sleeping quarters, where the Empress was already waiting.
At this mont, the Empress, dressed in a bright red wedding gown, was supported by Mo Chou as she walked out of the sleeping quarters, followed by a row of lady officials.
Monarch and ministers.
Man and woman.
Their eyes t, and they smiled at each other.
Having weathered the storms, monarch and minister remain, eting and smiling, a hundred charms are born.
"Please, the couple, enter the Grand Temple!" Eunuch Hai called out again.
This wedding was held at the Grand Temple, a decision made together by the monarch and minister.
Though it defied customary rites, the monarch and minister were the rites.
The Empress slowly ascended the vermilion palanquin, while Zhao Douan rode on horseback.
All the way there were loud drums and music, adorned with fresh flowers, as everyone arrived at the newly decorated Grand Temple. By now, the place was already filled with people—officials of the court, the families of the ministers, noblewon.
There were also You Jinhua, Zhao Pan, and other mbers of the Zhao family.
As well as Yu Xiu, Jin Jian, Gongshu Tianyuan, Han Zhao, Li Wushang Dao, and other priests from the Heavenly Master Mansion who ca to observe the ceremony.
Even the distant Bodhisattva from the Martial World sent a wedding gift.
No one could endure a bow from the Empress's wedding, so many of the spirit tablets in the ceremonial hall were temporarily removed, leaving only the Ancestor Xu's, and the Old Heavenly Master's spirit tablets, which were alone set aside by Zhao Douan.
Better than high halls, they served as high halls.
Everyone's faces lit up with smiles, offering sincere congratulations to the couple.
Grandmaster Dong, in his capacity as Emcee, presided over the events, and the monarch and minister bowed in sequence.
Finally, with the announcent of "Ritual complete!", Zhao Douan, holding a red silk, looked towards the Empress with the veil covering her face. Their divine senses intertwined, their gaze lingering, everything went unspoken.
...
...
The lively and intricate wedding concluded, and the banquet at the Imperial Palace was to last all night.
As the bright moon hung high, Zhao Douan, reeking of alcohol, pushed open the doors to the sleeping quarters adorned with the character for happiness.
Under the flickering lights, the Empress of Yu Country sat quietly on the bed. Sensing his arrival, the Empress's fingers, resting on her lap, clenched tightly.
"Your Majesty," Zhao Douan picked up the golden rod, lifted the veil, and gazed dazedly at the Empress, radiant under the lamp's light, softly whispering: "Your subject..."
Xu Zhenguan raised her eyebrows, feigning displeasure: "Still calling monarch and subject?"
Zhao Douan's heart was stirred: "My lady..."
The Empress's cheeks flushed a rosy red, like a drunk.
In the romantic atmosphere, the door closed, Zhao Douan sat by the Empress's side, not interested in ceremonial toasts, hesitating to speak.
"Whatever you wish to say, just say it."
Xu Zhenguan felt the heat of the body beside her, like leaning against a furnace, her neck turning red.
Zhao Douan slowly leaned closer to her earlobe, whispering:
"About my brother's Dual Cultivation... what do you think..."
Brother? Isn't there only a sister in the Zhao family? The Empress was taken aback, then let out a low exclamation, her whole body lifted into the air, and then fell into the red quilt, her face shy and pretending to resist yet welcoming:
"You sll of alcohol, go wash..."
Zhao Douan's qi chanism flowed through his eight extraordinary ridians, and the sll of alcohol vanished completely.
"Tomorrow, don't go to court..."
He propped himself up on the bed, accompanied by the sound of fabric tearing, a rustling whisper.
On the window paper of the new chamber, shadows overlapped, turning the red waves.
After a long while, divine and mortal fused once more, ascending Mount Wu.
(The End)
————
ps1: There will be a closing statent later.
ps2: For new book updates, you can follow the author on Douyin, search for "Ten Thousand Vegetable Group" on Douyin to find it, and occasionally there are live broadcasts.
ps3: Thank you all. Sincerely.
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