Chapter 50

He guessed that Yu Xi was simply planning a surprise gift for him, but since it wasn't his birthday or a holiday, he couldn't imagine why. Since Yu Xi wanted to keep it a secret, he didn't ask any more questions.

"The Sizhenfang and Sizhifang seem to be very busy recently?" Ling Huanchen asked casually.

Xiao Qi was stirring the charcoal fire when he heard the voice and immediately looked up. "Yes, ever since we finished making your winter clothes, the workshop has been busy, but despite being busy, there is no finished product. The news is very confidential, and the palace servants who are usually on good terms with me are also keeping their mouths shut."

The fact that the palace maid could keep this secret must be related to Yu Xi. Could it be that the surprise Yu Xi prepared was to make him a new dress?

At this time, Fu Changshi suddenly came to Yuluan Palace, followed by a group of palace servants, each holding a brocade plate covered with red silk cloth.

"Your Highness, I greet you."

Ling Huanchen looked them over. From Chief Shi Fu to the other palace servants, they were all dressed very festively today, even more so than on Yu Xi's birthday.

What's so special about today?

Fu Changshi waved his hand behind him, and the palace servants stood in a row in an orderly manner.

"The King is waiting for Your Highness in Fanglin Garden. Please change your clothes."

Hearing that he had to change clothes to go to Fanglin Garden, Ling Huanchen couldn't help but wonder what Youcheng custom he had missed?

He nodded, signaled Xiaoqi to take the palace servants to the inner hall, and he also moved over.

"Your Highness, please change your clothes."

Xiao Qi hurriedly took it, "I'll take care of it." He opened the silk cloth and couldn't help but widen his eyes when he picked up the new clothes.

A bright red brocade robe, with golden dragons embroidered on the sleeves and hem. Accessories also featured gold and red, making it clear when this was the right outfit to wear.

"This is... a wedding dress." Xiao Qi muttered softly, his face full of shock as if he had never seen the world before.

Ling Huanchen was stunned for a moment, then curled his lips. It turned out that this was Yu Xi's idea.

It was a big surprise.

Because the clothes were too complicated, with three layers from the inner garment to the outer robe, Xiaoqi was unable to handle it alone, so he asked the palace servants from the Sizhifang to help him change the clothes.

Wearing a wedding gown and tying her hair with a golden dragon hairpin, the palace maids in the hall were once again astounded. Ling Huanchen usually wore simple and elegant clothes, but this was the first time he wore such bright colors.

"Master, you... are so beautiful." Xiao Qi rubbed his hands, regretting that he was not well-educated and could not think of any words of praise.

Ling Huanchen followed the chief attendant out of the palace. The sedan chair had already been prepared at the palace gate. It was draped with red silk curtains, and even the palace attendants carrying it were dressed in festive attire.

Ling Huanchen was helped onto the sedan chair by Xiaoqi, and the palace attendants carried it steadily. The distance from Yuluan Palace to Fanglin Garden was not too far, but Ling Huanchen felt that it was a bit long.

Not only was the road long, he was also a little nervous.

The moment Ling Huanchen stepped into Fanglin Garden, he was still surprised by what he saw. Fanglin Garden was planted with evergreen trees, and a glass lantern hung from the branches of each tree. The entire courtyard was brightly lit, as if illuminating a path. At the other end of the path was Yu Xi, who was waiting at the pavilion.

Yu Xi was wearing the same wedding dress as him. When she saw him, she watched him from afar. When the sedan chair approached, she came out of the pavilion to greet him. When Ling Huanchen stood up, she held his hand and helped him walk into the pavilion step by step.

"Does Huanchen still like it?"

Ling Huanchen met his gaze and said seriously, "I like it."

Yu Xi led the group forward, turning into a long corridor where a seemingly endless red carpet stretched across the floor. Ling Huanchen was led by Yu Xi, and the two walked side by side down the corridor, with the palace attendants following behind them, lanterns in hand.

"Originally, the wedding should have been a banquet for all the ministers, but I thought Huanchen wouldn't like seeing the faces of those old-fashioned people, so I prepared a wedding for just the two of us."

Ling Huanchen also held Yu Xi's hand in return, "The one who understands me is Yu Xi."

The long corridor of Fanglin Garden leads to eight directions, one of which is the royal ancestral hall that he has never been to, and it is also a place that Yu Xi rarely sets foot in.

"I originally thought that Mother would not like to stay here, but today is an important day, so I will invite her here temporarily. Let them watch."

The tablets of successive Youcheng kings were enshrined in the front of the ancestral hall, and the spirit tablet of Yu Xi's mother was placed on the other side, and it was to the tablet of his mother that Yu Xi led him to kowtow.

"Mother, today I have brought Huanchen to pay my respects. Today is a great day for me. If you are still alive, please bless us, and may we stay together forever and grow old together."

The two smiled at each other, interlaced their fingers, and bowed three times to the tablet of the late queen.

"Once you step into the ancestral hall of the Youcheng royal family, you can't escape." Yu Xi joked, "If Huanchen regrets it, it will be too late."

Ling Huanchen glanced at him, as if to reproach him, but spoke seriously, "Ling Huanchen, I will never regret this life."

Yu Xi's eyes were deep, and she picked up Ling Huanchen and carried him sideways without waiting for him to stand up.

"Your Majesty!" Ling Huanchen sensed Yu Xi's change and glanced at the tablet beside him. "We are still in the ancestral hall."

How can this be so disrespectful?

Yu Xi didn't care. "I've already talked to my mother. She will definitely bless us. As for the rest, it's just for show and decoration."

The arrangements Yu Xi had made were a mandatory ritual for every Youcheng king's wedding. Entering the royal ancestral hall was a must; only then would the queen's name be recorded in the Youcheng family tree, and a hundred years later, she would be buried with the king in the mausoleum.

Yu Xi carried him out of the ancestral hall, and a few cold stars drifted towards him. Ling Huanchen reached out to catch them, and a few ice crystals fell from his hand.

"Your Majesty, it's snowing."

Since his previous life, he liked snowy days very much. He would always go out of the house when it was covered with snow outside, which made it difficult for Xiaoqi to run after him with his cloak.

"It seems the first snow fell a little late this year." Yu Xi tilted her head to look at the person in her arms, "Huanchen likes watching the snow?"

Seeing Ling Huanchen nod, Yu Xi immediately ordered the palace servants who were carrying the sedan chair to follow behind, and personally carried Ling Huanchen back to Yuluan Palace.

"Your Majesty, please put me down. Walking back like this will tire you out."

Yu Xi had no intention of letting go. "You are so light, how can you tire me out? The ground is wet, be careful not to get your shoes and socks wet."

Ling Huanchen was wrapped in a cloak, and only his outstretched hands could touch the snowflakes. Occasionally, a snowflake fell on his long eyelashes, causing him to blink. The snowflake melted, and tiny water droplets hung on it, making his eyes even more bright.

Yu Xi carried him all the way, and Ling Huanchen enjoyed the snow scenery along the way.

When the two returned to Yuluan Palace, the entire palace was decorated with lights and colorful lanterns, with big red wedding characters pasted on the doors and windows, and the air was filled with joy everywhere.

Yun He hurried over and took off their cloaks, "Your Majesty, Master, the room is ready."

Ling Huanchen looked back at Yu Xi and asked why Yun He was called away early in the morning and had not been seen for the whole day. It turned out that she was assigned a task.

In the bedroom, a wedding character was hung on the wall, red candles were swaying slightly, and the table was filled with the couple's favorite cakes and a green jade wine pot.

"We're going to drink the wedding wine tonight." As he said that, Yu Xi picked up two glasses of wine and handed one to him.

Ling Huanchen took it, lowered his eyes, and didn't look into Yu Xi's eyes. "I heard that the wedding wine should be drunk from the same cup."

Yu Xi smiled, "Huanchen knows so much, it's time to toast."

"Then...how do I hand it in?"

Yu Xi suddenly hooked his arm and said, "I'll teach you."

Ling Huanchen drank the wedding wine in a daze, imitating Yu Xi's behavior. For some reason, he was even more nervous than the first time they had sex.

Before he could regain his composure, Yu Xi had already started unbuttoning his clothes.

"This wedding dress looks great on Huanchen." Yu Xi took off his outer robe and whispered in his ear, "It's better if you don't wear it...

Ling Huanchen was almost blending into the wedding dress. He didn't know when the wedding dress he had put on with great difficulty had left him.

His king is still as dishonest as ever.

Once word spread that the two had worn wedding attire to pay their respects at the ancestral temple, those old officials in the court who had previously held onto some hope were completely dissuaded, leaving no trace of their hopes. These old-fashioned people were the most steadfast in their beliefs. Once someone entered the Youcheng royal ancestral temple, they were considered completely Youcheng, regardless of their origin or gender.

After the first snow, the New Year arrived, and the palace welcomed another grand occasion. Everyone in the palace began preparations early, with the Imperial Design Office and the Imperial Treasures Office all bustling with activity.

While others were preparing for the New Year, Ling Huanchen was busy teaching Qi Xian how to walk. It wasn't that he had to teach her early, but rather that Qi Xian was growing older and becoming less quiet. She was always making a fuss, but she couldn't walk. If the nanny wasn't paying attention, she would crawl to the floor. It was freezing cold, and even with a charcoal fire in the room, it wasn't good for her to crawl around.

Later, Ling Huanchen figured out that Qi Xian was eager to learn from the adults walking around all day, so he personally urged her to do the same. With him around, Qi Xian became even more enthusiastic. Although she still stumbled, she could at least walk a short distance without help.

"Xian'er, come here, come to Daddy."

Ling Huanchen stood at one end of the main hall and clapped his hands at Qi Xian. Little Qi Xian smiled innocently, broke free from the nanny's support, and fell after taking a few steps. But she didn't cry when she fell. She got up and continued walking as if nothing had happened, and finally fell to Ling Huanchen's feet.

"Our Xian'er is so great." Ling Huanchen was so happy that he bent over and picked up Qi Xian, letting the little guy smear his saliva on his face.

"Master, I asked the imperial kitchen to bring all the ingredients for making dumplings." Xiao Qi rushed into the palace and brushed off the frost on his body.

Ling Huanchen then remembered that today was New Year's Eve. He had told Xiaoqi two days ago that they would make dumplings for lunch in Yuluan Hall on New Year's Eve, and that a banquet would be held in the palace in the evening.

"Tell them to carry it in, and we'll pack it in the main hall."

When Yu Xi comes back from court, he will be able to eat the dumplings they made.

With Xiao Qi around, these trivial matters were taken care of quickly. The palace servants from the imperial kitchen were ordered to stay and help, mainly to teach these laymen how to make dumplings. Just kneading the dough and rolling the dough was a difficult task for them.

Xiao Qi, with his sharp eyes, just happened to see Yu Xi enter the hall, and hurriedly led everyone to pay their respects.

"Your Highness!"

Yu Xi was in a good mood and waved her hand for them to get up. "It's so lively today."

"Sister Wang, you guys are going to make dumplings by yourselves. I want to learn." Yu Zhaocong and Yu Xi rushed out from behind and immediately went to Qi Xian. "Xian'er, be good and wait for Uncle Wang to make you dumplings."

Yu Xi came to Ling Huanchen's side and stared at the dough in his hand, "I'll learn too."

The author has something to say:

Suddenly I remembered that today is Chinese Valentine's Day, and I happened to be writing about the wedding chapter. It must be God's will hahahaha

Happy Qixi Festival, have all the little cuties celebrated the festival?

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Thank you to "48032314", "Xue Muhan", "Da Wu Jian Huang Hun", "Jiu Zi Xu Li", "Si Yu", and "Wuli Ying Er" for their nutrient solution encouragement~