On her wedding day, Aibei wore a bright red wedding dress and sat in the bridal sedan chair.
Jiaxi, also dressed in a bright red wedding robe, rode a white horse and brought Aibei from the post station to his home.
Along the way, countless idlers gathered to watch the spectacle, and even children clapped their hands and shouted.
The Li family wasn't stingy either; they threw out two baskets of copper coins and countless wedding cakes and candies, attracting even more people to gather around, making it so crowded that it was impossible to move.
Fortunately, Jiayi and Liu Yang brought a group of soldiers who shouted to help clear the way and protect the team, so everything went smoothly.
The Li family never skimped on their banquets, and the dishes they prepared were renowned throughout Quanzhou for their excellent color, aroma, and taste.
Moreover, there is innovation every time, resulting in dishes that are both surprising and delightful.
This time, Tao Hongying spent more than a month figuring it out and presented the grand finale of the recipe – Buddha Jumps Over the Wall.
Last night, a stove was set up in the corner of the courtyard, with a half-person-high earthenware pot placed on it. The pot was simmering over a low flame, and by the time the bride was welcomed into the house, the aroma had already filled the entire street.
So much so that during the wedding ceremony, Jiaxi could clearly hear the rumbling sounds coming from Aibei's stomach.
He tried his best to suppress his laughter, escorted his wife into the room, and then hurried to find Wenjuan. "Sister-in-law, hurry up and prepare some food for your sister-in-law, otherwise she will become the first bride in Tianwu to faint from hunger!"
Wenjuan laughed heartily and urged Jiaxi to go to the front to offer toasts, while she took her maid and personally fetched a bowl of Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, along with rice and two refreshing side dishes, and delivered it to Aibei.
As soon as Aibei took off her hair crown, she saw Wenjuan like this and happily hugged her.
"Sister-in-law, you saved my life!"
The maids couldn't help but laugh along, and the bridal chamber was filled with a joyous atmosphere.
The guests who came to offer their congratulations today were so focused on the food that they didn't try to get the groom drunk, allowing Jiaxi to escape a "disaster."
After the guests had eaten and drunk their fill, it was time for them to take their leave.
The Li family also prepared extra thank-you gifts. The male guests each received two bottles of fruit wine, brewed from a unique fruit from the Kingdom of Jinfo. The wine had a pleasant aroma and was not too strong, making it perfect for a light and refreshing drink.
The female guests each carried a pair of sachets, made of brocade and embroidered with the unique patterns of the Golden Buddha. They were filled with dried flowers, exuding a cool, subtle fragrance that was refreshing and pleasant to smell, especially in the summer.
Everyone happily accepted the gifts and went home satisfied.
The Li family members were exhausted, but more than anything, they felt at peace.
Especially for Old Mrs. Li, as her children and grandchildren gradually got married and established their own careers, the burden on her shoulders as the head of the family became lighter and lighter.
The Golden Buddha statue was too far away, so the tradition of returning home on the third day was abandoned.
But on this day, Zhao Yuru still personally took her daughter-in-law for a walk around the streets and bought her a lot of things she liked to eat and play with, as a way of comforting her.
Aibei was moved to tears, hugged her mother-in-law, and cried out that she wanted to stay in the Li family for the rest of her life.
She was intelligent by nature and more decisive and strong than ordinary women; otherwise, she would not have been able to sit on the throne of the Golden Buddha Queen.
But ultimately, her current situation is largely due to the pressures of the circumstances.
Her father was sickly, her younger brother was still young, and powerful families were eyeing her power. If she couldn't seize the throne, none of her family members would survive.
If she had been born into the Li family, with someone to love and protect her, there would be no Golden Buddha Queen in the world.
Having been in Tianwu for the past two months and become the granddaughter-in-law of the Li family, she has almost forgotten her own identity.
Unfortunately, she still had too many responsibilities to bear at Golden Buddha, and she couldn't escape them.
After staying for another half month, Jiaxi took the things prepared by his family, which filled seven or eight large boats, and went back to Jinfo with Aibei.
Even though Grandma Li and the others were reluctant to part with him, they knew that Jiaxi was a boy and was used to traveling at sea, so they soon stopped thinking about him.
However, Jia'an, along with his superior sent by the imperial court, began to support the Quanzhou branch of the Foreign Affairs Department.
This superior, surnamed Zhu, is a seasoned veteran in officialdom, steady and cautious, and extremely adept at weighing pros and cons.
This time, he brought his family along and rented a three-courtyard house.
Quanzhou was considered far from the capital, and many officials in the prefectural government wanted to use Lord Zhu to find out news from the imperial court.
However, the Zhu family's gates were tightly shut, and apart from Lord Zhu going there on official business morning and evening, the rest of the family members never received guests.
Officials in the government office privately say that Lord Zhu is unreasonable and lacks empathy.
When Li Zhensheng heard about it, he specially invited Jia An to have dinner at his restaurant. When talking about the matter, he instructed, "This Lord Zhu is a smart man. He is being considerate of you and does not want to steal your limelight."
“Although he is your superior, our family has already established itself in Quanzhou, and he is unwilling to antagonize us.”
Jia'an nodded and replied, "Uncle is right, I've sensed it too. These past few days, Lord Zhu has never objected to any of the tasks I've mentioned. He also often says that I'm young and have many ideas, and that I should do my best."
“Silly boy,” Li Zhensheng said with a smile, placing a piece of steamed fish on his nephew’s plate. “He’s your boss. If you do your job well, he’ll benefit too, taking half the credit. Of course, he’ll encourage you to take on more responsibilities!”
"But this is good too. You're still young. Take this opportunity to do more errands and accumulate more experience."
"Don't worry, Uncle, I'm not stupid. I'll consult Lord Zhu on everything and get his signature. If I really make a big mistake, he won't be able to escape either. I can't have all the good things and not pay any price at all." Jia'an raised his hand to pour wine for his uncle, smiling mischievously.
Li Zhen finally felt relieved. He had forgotten that this nephew was also a sly fox.
Everyone in the family says that Jiaxi is the naughtiest of the seven boys. But to be honest, Jiaxi is a complete airhead. Every time he gets into trouble, it's Jia'an who comes up with the ideas...
The uncle and nephew both enjoyed the meal very much.
As they parted, Li Zhensheng asked again, "Jia'an, about your marriage..."
Jia'an shook his head and smiled, "Uncle, I don't have any particular thoughts about my future wife. As long as Grandma and my mother like her, that's fine. Of course, she also has to be good to my sister."
"If I can do these things, I will naturally live a life of mutual respect and harmony with her."
“Although my third brother is highly regarded in the Hailan Army, it’s not enough to tie the Tang family and our family together. Therefore, marrying Miss Tang is the best choice for me.”
Li Zhensheng felt a bit conflicted. What he said made sense, but he still felt that the child was being wronged.
He patted his nephew on the shoulder and replied, "You brothers have really grown up; you all know how to share the burden of the family now."
Jia'an smiled sincerely, "Uncle, wait a few more years, until we brothers grow up a bit more and take over the family affairs, then Uncle can enjoy his retirement in peace."
A hint of surprise flashed in Li Zhensheng's eyes, and he asked in a low voice, "When did you find out, kid?"
“Uncle, your nephew is now a minor official, in charge of the Foreign Affairs Department. Outsiders may not know his background and therefore may not pay attention, but how could I not know?”
Jia'an pointed southeast and said, "Brother Xi also left with a mission, right? Uncle, you can't hide it from me anymore. It's time for me to lend you a hand."
"Alright, I was planning to take you out to sea in a couple of days anyway. I didn't expect you to find out first, you little rascal, I really underestimated you. You're the smartest of all your brothers!"
Li Zhensheng patted his nephew twice and, smiling, led him out the door.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com