Chapter 59: Newly Married "Isn't there something ready here?"

Entering the hall, Zhou Tinglan and Xie Zechuan saluted the emperor: "Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you."

The emperor raised his hand and said, "My dear minister, please stand up."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Zhou Tinglan stepped forward and asked anxiously, "Your Majesty, I wonder if you called us here because something urgent has happened in the palace?"

This shouldn't be the case. Prince Duan has already been executed. Could it be that there are still remnants of Prince Duan in the palace?

Thinking of this, Zhou Tinglan bowed again: "Your Majesty, are you in good health?"

Seeing Zhou Tinglan looking nervous, the emperor couldn't help but chuckle.

"My dear Lord Zhou, there is nothing else to worry about. I am in good health, please do not worry."

"That's good."

Xie Zechuan walked up to Zhou Tinglan's side and reported, "Your Majesty, we are fortunate to have you in good health. Repairs to the city gate are almost complete, and the people in the city have been reassured. I believe that Shangjing City will soon be restored to its former glory and flourish once again."

"Good! With you two, my dear ministers, helping me solve my problems, I can rest assured."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Zhou Tinglan's brows relaxed, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes. "I dare to ask, Your Majesty, is there something important that you urgently summoned me for today?"

The eunuch standing beside him understood and said loudly, "Your Majesty has decreed that the two ministers be granted special titles."

Zhou Tinglan and Xie Zechuan knelt down together to receive the order.

"By the providence of Heaven, the Emperor proclaims:

Valiant General Xie Zechuan, Iron Officer Zhou Tinglan, I have heard that you bravely led the charge, quelled the rebellion, turned the tide, protected our country, and saved me from danger.

Your loyalty and bravery are witnessed by heaven and earth, and I am deeply comforted. I bestow upon you all treasures of gold and silver, and confer upon the valiant General Xie Zechuan the title of Marquis of Yongyi, and grant him a mansion, and promote the Iron Officer Zhou Tinglan to the rank of Grand Minister of Agriculture, in recognition of his merits.

I hope you will continue to serve the country. I will not let you down. I decree this."

After the eunuch finished reading the imperial edict, he walked down the steps with a smile: "My two lords, please accept the edict."

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace."

The two thanked the emperor again. Xie Zechuan signaled Zhou Tinglan with his eyes. Zhou Tinglan nodded slightly before taking the imperial edict from the eunuch's hand.

"Thank you, eunuch."

The eunuch smiled and turned back to stand beside the emperor.

"The wedding date for your two beloved ministers has been interrupted due to Prince Duan's incident, and the former Prime Minister has already arrived in the capital. I will summon the Imperial Astronomical Observatory to calculate another auspicious date for your marriage."

The two bowed their heads in thanks.

Zhou Tinglan heard the emperor say that he wanted to choose another auspicious day. The last time she and Xie Zechuan got married, the date had been set before the palace banquet.

In order to allow Zhou Yiming and Qiao to return to the capital in time, Zhou Tinglan told the officials of the Imperial Observatory that the wedding date should be postponed a little, and finally it was set on the seventh day of the seventh month.

When Zhou Tinglan learned about this date, he complained in his heart, saying that modern people go to the Civil Affairs Bureau to follow the Qixi Festival trend when getting married, but you also went to the Civil Affairs Bureau to get married in ancient times.

Later, Prince Duan rebelled and postponed the wedding date. Although Zhou Tinglan did not hate getting married, she was extremely unhappy that the scheduled date was disturbed by a traitor.

After receiving the reward and the imperial edict, the two men bid farewell to the emperor and left.

**

August 11th is a good day for marriage

The whole room was covered with big red wedding characters, and various kinds of jewelry were placed on the table.

Four red carps swim happily in a white porcelain bowl. Two volumes of etiquette books and chopsticks are placed on a red cloth.

Zhou Tinglan sat in front of the dressing mirror, with her mother Qiao standing behind her.

"Lan'er, let your mother dress you up for the last time."

The wooden comb combed through her hair again and again, and Qiao's eyes were slightly red: "Lan'er, you must be good in the future."

"Mother, your daughter will."

Zhou Tinglan looked at herself in the mirror. Her hair had been tied into a concentric bun.

Seeing Qiao like this, she comforted her, "Mother, today is my daughter's big day. It's not like I won't be back, so don't cry."

The maidservant beside her also advised: "Yes, Madam, please don't cry."

"Okay, mother, don't cry." Mrs. Qiao wiped away the tears in her eyes and continued to dress Zhou Tinglan.

The phoenix crown is decorated with golden and red beads in an orderly manner, dotted with agate and tourmaline, and inlaid with pearls polished into flower shapes.

As soon as Zhou Tinglan put it on, he felt his head feel heavy.

It’s so heavy. Did women in ancient times wear an iron headband when they got married?

My neck will become crooked if I wear it for a whole day.

"Mother, can you please not wear these remaining hairpins? They are so heavy."

Zhou Tinglan complained softly.

Mrs. Qiao scolded her, "No, a woman only has this one chance in her life, so she naturally wants the best."

"Mother..." Zhou Tinglan hugged Qiao's arm and acted coquettishly.

The hairpin on the table was eventually inserted into Qiao's hair.

Zhou Tinglan took out the lip balm from the wooden box, put it between her lips and took a sip, her lips became as bright as fire.

There was a sudden knock on the door, and the maid's voice came from outside: "Madam, the son-in-law is here to pick up the bride."

"The son-in-law is here, the girl's wedding scarf!"

Covered with a bright red wedding veil, Zhou Tinglan lowered her eyebrows, held a wedding fan in her hand and went out, following Qiao's footsteps out of the room and walked step by step to the lobby.

In the lobby, Zhou Yiming was already waiting there and saw his wife coming over with their daughter.

Xie Zechuan bowed and greeted Qiao, his eyes fixed on Zhou Tinglan.

Although the pretty face was covered by a bright red veil, he had already imagined the face underneath in his mind.

Lan'er, I'm here to marry you.

Mrs. Qiao sat down next to Zhou Yiming and looked at the newlyweds kneeling in front of her.

Zhou Yiming's eyes revealed reluctance to part: "You must support each other in the future, encourage each other and respect each other, grow old together, and have children and grandchildren."

Xie Zechuan bowed and said, "I understand, son-in-law."

Zhou Tinglan also brushed her body and said, "My daughter understands."

Mrs. Qiao glanced at the sky outside and said, "It's getting late. Let's go so as not to miss the auspicious time."

"yes."

The two turned and walked out of the house. Qiao could no longer hold back her tears and they burst out.

She stood up and trotted a few steps behind him: "Lan'er, remember to come home often."

Zhou Tinglan followed Xie Zechuan down the steps at the entrance of the mansion.

The wedding procession at the door was quite long, with barriers on both sides. Zhou Tinglan couldn't see the end of it at a glance. There were servants holding cameras in their hands, and maids holding incense burners standing in the wedding procession.

The sounds of gongs, drums and suona rang out.

"Pressure sedan——"

"Please ask the bride to get into the sedan chair——"

Zhou Tinglan climbed onto the bridal sedan with the help of Xie Zechuan. Before getting on, she caught a glimpse of the sparkling light on Qiao's face out of the corner of her eye.

She stopped looking and stepped into the sedan chair.

"Lift the sedan—"

The sounds of gongs, drums and suona became louder and louder. Zhou Tinglan felt a little stuffy in the sedan chair. She slightly lifted a corner of her veil and fanned herself with a wedding fan.

There were several strings of pearls hanging on the wedding fan, and Zhou Tinglan didn't dare to fan it too vigorously.

It turns out that the beautiful fan is not practical and it is difficult to fan the air.

The sedan was very stable and Zhou Tinglan did not feel any bumps.

Soon, the sedan stopped.

Zhou Tinglan's expression froze. They arrived at Duke Xie's mansion so soon?

She adjusted her veil slightly and picked up the fan to cover her face again.

Zhou Tinglan heard the noise outside.

"Please ask the bride to get out of the sedan chair——"

She used her hand to push aside the curtain of the sedan chair, and the matchmaker shouted at the door of the sedan chair: "Please, bride, go slowly..."

The matchmaker pulled up the door curtain for Zhou Tinglan, and Zhou Tinglan happily covered her face with a fan as she stepped down from the sedan chair.

She walked to Xie Zechuan's side, covered her face with one hand, and grabbed the red silk he handed her with the other.

Duke Xie’s mansion was filled with red lanterns and red silk hung low in the sky.

The musician is dressed in a festive red silk costume, his fingers jumping and plucking on the strings, and the cheerful and melodious music flows in the air, expressing the joy of the newlyweds.

"Please invite the bride in."

"The auspicious time has arrived—"

Zhou Tinglan stepped over the threshold of Duke Xie's mansion.

"The Ceremony of Turning the Felt—"

The maids on both sides placed two red patterned felt carpets in front of the two people.

Zhou Tinglan followed Xie Zechuan's steps and continued to move forward.

"Blessings fill the world."

"A house full of children and grandchildren."

"Let's go on a long journey together."

"Please ask the bride to saddle——"

Zhou Tinglan stepped over the saddle in front of him with a smile on his face.

"Blessings and peace."

"Please ask the bride to cross the fire basin——"

Zhou Tinglan stepped over the brazier with burning charcoal.

"It's booming."

The two stood in front of Duke Xie and Lin.

The bridesmaid shouted, "Bow to heaven and earth."

"Bow to your parents twice."

The two of them bowed to Duke Xie and his wife and their parents respectively.

"Husband and wife bow to each other."

The two of them held the red silk and bowed face to face.

The matchmaker shouted loudly: "The ceremony is over!"

"Entering the bridal chamber——"

Zhou Tinglan followed Xie Zechuan and walked towards the new house.

Entering the bridal chamber, Zhou Tinglan sat on the bed, and Xie Zechuan placed the wedding fan in Zhou Tinglan's hand on the table.

He picked up the weighing rod to pick up the veil. Zhou Tinglan saw Xie Zechuan's hands trembling slightly through the veil, and couldn't help laughing.

Was Xie Zechuan so excited about getting married? He was shaking like this.

The first time Xie Zechuan failed to successfully lift the veil, the bridesmaids watching nearby teased him, "Groom, there's no need to do this. We have plenty of time for the two newlyweds tonight."

Xie Zechuan smiled and lifted the veil on Zhou Tinglan's head again.

Their eyes met, and they conveyed their feelings silently, which made the matchmaker laugh even louder.

"Please take a seat, groom."

Xie Zechuan sat next to Zhou Tinglan.

"Spread the tent—"

The matchmaker threw a few handfuls of beans at the two of them.

After spreading the beans, the matchmaker brought a small plate with a plump dumpling on it.

Zhou Tinglan picked up the food with chopsticks and put it into her mouth, but she immediately spit it back into the plate.

What the hell, he gave her raw dumplings on her wedding day.

Seeing this, the wedding lady finished her work and asked: "Are the dumplings raw or cooked?"

Zhou Tinglan immediately understood the purpose of the matchmaker bringing the raw dumplings, which was to ask her whether she could have a child.

She lowered her head and whispered back, "Raw."

The matchmaker was overjoyed. She turned to Xie Zechuan and said, "Groom, did you hear everything?"

Xie Zechuan nodded, and he looked back at Zhou Tinglan affectionately.

"The hair-tying ceremony—"

The matchmaker handed over a pair of scissors, and each of them cut off a strand of hair, wrapped it with a rope, and placed it in a red sachet.

The sachet was placed under the pillow.

When Hipa announced the last item.

"The wedding wine..."

They poured wine into a half-sized gourd ladle connected by a rope, and the two drank from it facing each other.

At this point, all the wedding rituals have been completed.

Xie Zechuan went out to greet the guests, and Zhou Tinglan fell exhausted on the bed.

"Marriage is so tiring. No wonder everyone says they don't want to get married again after getting married once."

A maid came in from outside, carrying food.

"Madam, it will take some time for the young master to greet the guests. I am here to bring you some food."

Hearing that there was food, Zhou Tinglan's empty stomach rumbled.

The smell of the raw dumplings was still lingering in her stomach, making her feel nauseous.

"Put it on the table, I'll eat it later."

Zhou Tinglan reluctantly got up from the bed. It was too tiring.

At this time, her ideal is to be a salted fish.

The delicious food comforted her stomach a little. Not long after she put down her chopsticks, she heard the voice of a maid outside the door.

"Young Master."

"How is the lady?"

The maid replied, "The food has been brought in, and the lady should be eating."

Xie Zechuan responded and walked in.

Zhou Tinglan was full and lay on the table watching Xie Zechuan walking towards her.

"Xie Zechuan..."

Xie Zechuan's voice was hoarse: "Madam, you are full."

"Fine."

"Madam is so mean that she doesn't even leave some for me."

Zhou Tinglan glanced at the mess on the table, feeling baffled. "Didn't you eat your fill outside? If not, I'll ask the maid to bring you some."

After she said that, she got up and went out.

Xie Zechuan stopped her and said, "Madam, there's no need to bother. Isn't it ready here?"

Zhou Tinglan was shocked. What did Xie Zechuan say?

She stammered, "Ready-made?"

Then, she was picked up by Xie Zechuan around the waist. Xie Zechuan chuckled, "Of course it's ready-made."

Zhou Tinglan sank into the soft bed, and Xie Zechuan leaned over.

"Madam, I will be gentler tonight."

The red candle burned until midnight, and the red waves surged, mixed with the woman's joyful moans.

With a low roar, the sounds in the red tent gradually faded away and returned to silence.

The next day, Xie Zechuan's screams of pain were heard from the bridal chamber.

"Madam, there's no need to murder your husband on your first wedding day!"