Chapter 237 Welcoming the Bride

The fifth day of the fourth month in the ninth year of Zhaowu.

In the bustling commercial district of Tamsui, Tainan, the shops were deserted. Red paper strips were pasted on all the shops, all saying the same thing: "The owner is having a happy occasion, so we are closing for three days."

Because of Qin Mo's unified plan for Danshui City, only local residents were allowed to open shops in Danshui City. Merchants from other places could only trade in the protected areas outside the city. Therefore, those who could open shops in the commercial district of Danshui City were either local residents of Dayuan or Qin Mo's subordinates.

On the sixth day of the fourth month, Qin Mo took a concubine and made it clear that anyone from a high-ranking official's household could come and have a drink. How could the servants of the high-ranking official's household, who could openly and legitimately profit from their master's household, let go of such an opportunity? They stopped doing business and closed all their shops early. One of them, who liked to joke, said, "Let's empty our stomachs in advance and go to the master's house to eat our fill."

Merchants from Daxia, Goryeo, and Fusang, who live in the protected area, all complained about Qin Mo's actions. They argued that even the old farmers who drive manure carts to collect manure in the protected area deserve to have a drink and a spoonful of food. They are not short of gifts, so why can't they invite us?

But they never considered how much farmland the old farmer who drove the cart owned, nor did they think that the old farmer had followed Qin Lan through half his life, and that Qin Mo would call him "Uncle" when she saw him. He was a standard member of the Heng Prince's retinue, and naturally qualified to eat at the Heng Prince's family banquet.

It wasn't that Qin Mo looked down on people, but there was a big difference between taking a concubine and marrying the principal wife. According to the custom of the Great Xia Dynasty, no one from outside the palace would be invited to witness the ceremony. Qin Mo was afraid that the people from outside the palace would criticize her for being too fond of the two girls, so she didn't invite them.

Qin Mo clearly overlooked his current status and position. Even if he were to take a concubine, let alone a secondary wife, it wouldn't be without interest. On the fifth day of the fourth month, as if by prior arrangement, a large group of people arrived one after another at the Danshui Port to offer their congratulations.

Qin Yumu, the heir apparent of the Marquis of Kaiyang, is now a favorite of the imperial family. His Shenji Battalion rose to fame in the northern lands, and as its commander, he is naturally a figure of considerable importance. Qin Yuanze, who is by his side, is also the heir apparent of the Prince of Hejian's mansion, a man of noble status. The fact that these two brothers came together shows considerable respect for Lin Ruoxi and Kaihime.

The rest of the people were mostly sons and legitimate sons of powerful families in the Great Xia Dynasty. They all brought gifts to offer their congratulations, hoping to maintain a good relationship with the high-ranking official.

"Mozi, this is too much! How could you forget your brothers on your wedding night? You're in big trouble this time, I guarantee I'll ruin your wedding night..."

Qin Mo first laughed heartily and hugged them to greet them, then smiled sinisterly and said, "If you dare to cause trouble in the bridal chamber, I'll find you a tigress, hehehe!"

Qin Yuanze, the handsome young man who was smiling on the side, was unfortunately caught in the crossfire and immediately looked miserable. After Qin Leshi had taken care of him, he basically said goodbye to his flowery world and focused on watering a flower. The bitterness he endured was beyond words.

"Qin Mo, stop teasing me. You're not going to have a good future either. Your official wife might not be what you want. She'll probably be betrothed to someone else. Humph! Let's talk about it again in ten years."

Qin Mo was taken aback. He couldn't just marry any woman, because the Emperor forbade it, but he also wouldn't accept an arranged marriage. "A marriage arranged by His Majesty? Sorry, I have a peculiar preference, you'd better give up!"

What if someone like Qin Yuanze was betrothed by the Empress? ...Come, Wang Yushi, let's have a little competition in bed skills and see who can subdue whom. Whoever wins gets to do what they say.

Qin Mo first greeted the two brothers, then exchanged pleasantries with the large group of second and third-generation members of the Great Xia Dynasty behind him. He thanked them for coming to attend the ceremony and introduced them to several prominent business figures in the region, hoping they could get to know each other better and contribute to boosting the region's GDP.

The arrival of a group of second-generation nobles disrupted Qin Mo's plans. Their elders were all powerful and influential figures in the Great Xia Dynasty, and it would be unacceptable to neglect them. So Qin Mo had no choice but to prepare more than a dozen tables in advance that night and drink with them until she was half-drunk.

"Qin Mo, Qin Mo, it's almost dawn, hurry up and get ready to welcome the bride."

Just as Qin Mo was soundly asleep, his personal maid, Shia, called out from outside the door in a strange voice, shattering his sweet dream of a threesome.

Qin Mo opened the door in a daze, then spread her arms and let Xia do as she pleased. The groom's suit was very complicated, and it took Xia a while to clumsily get it right for her. After she came to her senses, Qin Mo finally came out and met up with the groomsmen and Allen.

Lin Ruoxi and Kaihime lived quite far apart, one in the Lin family mansion inside the city and the other in a winery outside. No one dared to decide who to welcome first and who to marry later. In the end, Qin Mo made the decision, sending her sworn brother Allen to welcome Lin Ruoxi in her place while she went to welcome Kaihime. They would depart and return at the same time, and be of similar age.

Alan awkwardly slung a big red flower over his shoulder, mounted his tall horse, and headed to Lin Ruoxi's house with his best man, Qin Yuanze. Originally, Qin Yumu wanted to get acquainted with the top expert of the Grand Elf, but the Great Elf disdainfully pushed him aside. Qin Yuanze, who was known as the "Flower of the Zero Shadow Royal Family," still had a reluctant expression on his face, which made Qin Yumu feel sad and speechless.

The city gates of Danshui City opened early, and the guards were all dressed in new clothes, with a red flower hanging on their chests, making them look very spirited. They were all very excited to see Qin Mo's wedding procession. "The prince has finally come of age! The prince is not the kind of person with special fetishes."

Kaihime's winery is located on the banks of the Tamsui River outside the city. A bridge connects the winery to the main road outside Tamsui City. There is a dock on the riverbank where large quantities of sugarcane are unloaded, juiced, boiled, and used to make wine.

The bridge is now adorned with colorful lanterns, and the glass lanterns unique to Tai Wan are decorated with various shapes of the character for "happiness," radiating a rosy glow and bringing a sense of joy.

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