Chapter 112 After all, Xiao Che's importance is not insignificant...
Lin Yan held the gold-flecked red paper in his hand, feeling that it was even more daunting than reviewing ten kilograms of Ministry of Revenue account books.
He and Xiao Che were nestled in their small study by the water in Dan Garden, facing a table full of exquisite paper, writing brushes, inkstones, and other writing materials, undertaking an unprecedented and momentous project—writing their wedding invitations.
It sounds simple, right? It's just writing an invitation to a wedding banquet, right? But when it came to actually putting pen to paper, Lin Yan realized that expressing the joy and solemnity he and Xiao Che felt—a joy they couldn't share with the public, yet desperately wanted to proclaim to the whole world that "we're together"—within such a small space was an incredibly difficult task.
Xiao Che was clearly more nervous than him, or rather, he was using too much force.
A thick book of "Regulations of the Ministry of Rites" was laid out in front of His Majesty the Emperor, with "Selections of Refined Literature of Zhaoming", "Classic of Poetry", "Songs of Chu" piled up next to it, and even a book on parallel prose writing called "The Four-Six Methods".
He frowned slightly, his gaze sweeping back and forth between the books and red paper, the purple-tipped brush in his hand unable to write the first word for a long time.
"Your Majesty," Lin Yan couldn't help but speak, breaking the silence that had lasted for almost an incense stick's time, "we're just inviting Chu Ye and a few other people we know well to dinner to witness this, there's no need to write it up like a sacrificial prayer to heaven, is there?"
He was really afraid that Xiao Che would start quoting grand imagery like "Only the harmony of heaven and earth is the origin of yin and yang" in the next sentence.
Xiao Che raised his head, his eyes unusually serious: "Hanzhang, you are mistaken. The marriage certificate and invitation are the beginning of our vows and the proof of our commitment. How can we treat them lightly? Even if there are few people attending the ceremony, we must still be sincere, respectful and solemn, so as not to betray our hearts."
Lin Yan: "..." Okay, you're right.
Seeing Xiao Che's tense demeanor, as if he wanted to condense all his knowledge into a single invitation, I still found it a bit funny.
Lin Yan leaned over, took the pen that Xiao Che was gripping tightly from his hand, placed it on the pen rack, and then reached out and pressed his hand on Xiao Che's slightly furrowed brow, gently rubbing it.
"I know Your Majesty values it." Lin Yan softened her voice. "I value it too, but we're writing wedding invitations, not the memorials Your Majesty usually approves. Just imagine when Chu Ye receives the invitations, opens them, and sees them filled with phrases like 'the universe is in harmony' and 'the zither and lute are in perfect harmony.' Won't he think we're possessed by something?"
Xiao Che's brow relaxed a little from the massage, and he took the opportunity to grasp the other's hand in his palm, but his tone remained stubborn: "The proper etiquette cannot be disregarded, and besides, I want to give you the best wishes."
"Isn't the best blessing the fact that we're getting married itself?" Lin Yan grasped his hand in return, scratching his palm with her fingertips, her eyes sparkling. "Besides, isn't the best blessing Xiao Zhaolin himself?"
Xiao Che looked into Lin Yan's smiling eyes, where his own image was clearly reflected, along with unreserved love and openness. The tension in his heart caused by his excessive seriousness strangely eased a little.
"Then, according to Hanzhang's opinion, how should it be written?" Xiao Che handed the choice over to his groom.
Lin Yan stroked his chin, looking at the stack of beautiful red papers, his eyes darting around: "If you ask me, let's keep it simple and sincere. For example, Lin Yan and Xiao Che are deeply in love and wish to become husband and wife. We cordially invite you to a banquet at Dan Garden on the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, to witness this love together. What do you say?"
He felt that his words were both factual and elegant.
After listening, Xiao Che remained silent for a moment, then slowly shook his head: "It's too straightforward, and it doesn't specify the auspicious date or location, nor does it use polite language for the invitation."
Lin Yan: "..." Well, His Majesty the Emperor has quite a few formatting requirements.
"Then what does Your Majesty think should be changed?" Lin Yan decided to let Xiao Che do it.
Xiao Che indeed picked up his brush again, dipped it in ink, and wrote on a piece of draft paper:
On the fifteenth day of the eighth month of the second year of Jinghe, coinciding with the auspicious Mid-Autumn Festival, Jinzhan held his wedding at Danyuan Garden in the south of the city.
Mr. Lin Hanzhang and Ms. Xiao Zhaolin respectfully offer this humble feast and await your presence.
Brother Chu Yeji
Mr. Helian Feng
We are delighted by your presence.
Lin Yan craned his neck to take a look, and wow, the time, place, people, and event were all there, the format was neat, and the wording was elegant and dignified enough that there was no fault in it.
But he felt it was a bit too formal, like a perfectly formatted official document rather than a joyful, personal invitation.
Is this an occupational hazard of emperors?
“If only this invitation could be presented like a memorial to the throne, it would be respectable no matter how it's written,” Lin Yan muttered under his breath. “I doubt Your Majesty could just write a long invitation, from how we met to how many children we'll have in the future… uh, never mind that.”
Xiao Che's ears twitched slightly, as if he was genuinely considering the possibility of Lin Yan's "long-winded speech," which startled Lin Yan, who quickly grabbed his hand: "Stop!"
I'm really afraid that if Xiao Che gets excited, he'll start explaining the profound meaning of their love and its positive impact on the country.
Ultimately, after some friendly negotiations, the two decided to use Xiao Che's version as the basis, but softened the wording slightly, making it more like a formal invitation between friends rather than an official notification.
Xiao Che was in charge of writing. His handwriting was naturally elegant and restrained, and it was indeed a pleasure to read when written on the gold-flecked red paper.
Having written the invitations for Chu Ye and Helian Feng, Lin Yan carefully blew away the ink, placed them in a specially made envelope, and planned to deliver them to Chu Ye personally.
Among his colleagues, only Chu Ye knew about his relationship with Xiao Che and even sponsored a lot of "study materials." It was only right and proper for him to make the trip himself.
Chu Ye's residence was not far from the offices of the Six Ministries. It was said that Helian Feng had paid for it so that it would be convenient for him to go to and from work.
Upon arriving at the Chu residence, after being announced, Lin Yan was quickly invited inside. Chu Ye was in his study reconciling accounts when he saw Lin Yan arrive. Somewhat surprised, he greeted him with a smile: "Brother Lin? What brings you here today? Is there some urgent matter at the Ministry of Revenue?"
"No, no," Lin Yan waved his hand, glanced around the study, which was decorated in an elegant and comfortable style, showing the owner's taste. "Is Mr. Helian not home?"
"Him," Chu Ye said, inviting Lin Yan to sit down and personally pouring him a cup of tea. "A few days ago, he led a caravan north again, saying he had discovered a batch of fine pelts and wanted to go and discuss it. I'm all alone at home."
Lin Yan nodded, holding his teacup, and casually asked, "Speaking of which, I haven't heard Brother Chu mention his family yet. Are your uncle and aunt well?"
He hadn't meant to ask, but he noticed that Chu Ye's hand holding the teacup paused slightly, and the smile on his face faded a little, but there wasn't much sorrow in it, only a sense of calm as if he had seen through the ways of the world.
“I don’t have any family anymore.” Chu Ye said casually, as if he were talking about something that had nothing to do with him. “Or rather, I’m no longer family. I’m a child who was abandoned by my parents.”
Upon hearing this, Lin Yan's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately regretted his abruptness: "Brother Chu, I'm sorry, I..."
"It's alright." Chu Ye smiled and interrupted his apology. "It's all in the past. My parents had three sons. I was the second oldest. They had an eldest son who was valued by my parents, and a youngest son who was loved by my parents. As the middle child, I was insignificant. Back then, there was a lot of war in the north, and many families migrated south to escape. The journey was difficult, and every extra mouth to feed meant an extra burden. So I became the abandoned burden."
Chu Ye spoke casually, but Lin Yan felt a heaviness in her heart.
Being abandoned by one's parents during times of war is almost a fatal blow.
"Fortunately," Chu Ye said, his tone shifting, a genuine warmth appearing in his eyes. "I was destined to survive. I encountered the Helian family's caravan. At that time, A-Feng was just a teenager, but he had a kind heart. Seeing me huddled by the roadside, cold and hungry, he picked me up and took me home. His family was kind-hearted. They not only took me in but also used their connections to find me a well-off scholar's family to be my adopted son. They also supported my studies and the imperial examinations."
Chu Ye's tone was filled with undisguised gratitude and affection: "Later, when I passed the imperial examination, it was also thanks to A Feng that I was able to get to where I am today. It can be said that without A Feng, there would be no Chu Ye today."
Lin Yan was deeply moved, both by Chu Ye's childhood experiences and by the profound friendship between him and Helian Feng.
He sincerely praised, "Mr. Helian is a man of great loyalty and righteousness. Brother Chu, you have now achieved great success and support each other with Mr. Helian. Your friendship is deep and profound. Let bygones be bygones."
Chu Ye smiled broadly: "That's exactly right. I'm doing well now. I have achieved fame and success, and I have close friends by my side. What's wrong with that? I've long since stopped thinking about those old things."
Lin Yan breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that he was indeed relieved, and was genuinely happy for him.
Remembering the purpose of his trip, Lin Yan couldn't help but smile. He took out the carefully prepared invitation from his pocket, handed it over with both hands, and said with barely suppressed joy and a little bit of pride, "In that case, Brother Chu and Mr. Helian must come to this wedding."
Chu Ye took the exquisitely crafted gold-flecked red paper with a puzzled expression, and asked with a smile as he opened it, "An invitation? What's so special about Brother Lin's home...?"
His words came to an abrupt end.
My gaze fell on the words "Lin Hanzhang" and "Xiao Zhaolin" side by side on the invitation, followed by the four words "Wedding Ceremony".
Chu Ye's eyes widened instantly, his mouth opened slightly, and his hand holding the invitation trembled as if the thin red paper weighed a ton.
He abruptly raised his head, looking at Lin Yan in disbelief, his voice trembling:
"Brother Lin? You're getting married to His Majesty!"
Lin Yan was amused by his reaction. He touched his nose, a little embarrassed but also with a hint of uncontrollable pride: "Well, for the Mid-Autumn Festival, we'll have a simple party at Dan Garden with a few close friends."
Chu Ye's eyes were still somewhat unfocused, and his gaze fell back on the two names side by side on the invitation, as if to make sure he wasn't seeing things.
After a long while, he seemed to finally digest this shocking news, let out a long breath, and a genuine smile bloomed on his face.
"Great, great!" Chu Ye slapped his thigh, his voice booming. He stood up and paced back and forth excitedly. "Brother Lin, this is incredibly joyous news! His Majesty...you..."
Chu Ye seemed to want to find more flowery words to express his blessings, but in the end he just patted Lin Yan's shoulder firmly, everything was understood without words, "Congratulations! Congratulations to you both! May you have a long and happy marriage, and be forever united in heart!"
Lin Yan's shoulder went numb from the pat, but his heart felt warm: "Thank you, Brother Chu."
After the initial excitement, Chu Ye seemed to suddenly remember something crucial. His smile faded, replaced by a subtle expression that mixed concern, inquiry, and "I understand."
He leaned closer to Lin Yan, lowered his voice, and his tone became sly.
"But Brother Lin," he winked, "getting married is a good thing, but how are your preparations for your wedding night going?"
Lin Yan was taken aback by his question, her cheeks instantly flushing slightly. She forced herself to remain calm and said, "W-what preparations? Of course, of course, I'll get some rest!"
Heaven knows that he and Xiao Che haven't even taken the final step yet. On one hand, Xiao Che cherishes him and always says he'll save it for their wedding night. On the other hand... Lin Yan is indeed a little unsure. He's learned a lot of theoretical knowledge, but practice is another matter! Especially when the opponent is someone like Xiao Che, who is exceptionally talented and has an outstanding learning ability.
Upon seeing his reaction, Chu Ye immediately understood. He chuckled, revealing an expression of "I knew it," and turned to walk to a locked mahogany cabinet in the corner of the study, quietly taking out the key and unlocking it.
“We’re brothers, and you’re involved in such an important matter as His Majesty’s affairs. How can I, as your elder brother, let you go to the battlefield unprepared?” Chu Ye said without turning his head as he rummaged through the cabinet, his tone just like an old father worried about his son’s life.
"Ah Feng recently acquired some more good stuff, supposedly rare picture albums from overseas, and..."
Chu Ye pulled out a palm-sized, uniquely shaped white jade box from deep inside the cabinet, turned around and stuffed it into Lin Yan's hand, with a mysterious smile that said, "You know what I mean." He continued, "And this is top-quality stuff brought by merchants from the Western Regions. It's said to be made with dozens of rare flowers and herbs and beeswax. It warms to the touch, is smooth and nourishing, and has excellent effects. It will never hurt you... cough, you know what I mean."
Lin Yan looked at the warm, smooth white jade box in his hand. It felt slightly cool to the touch and was carved with lotus patterns. It looked exquisite and elegant, and didn't seem like anything "improper" at all.
But combined with Chu Ye's winking expression and ambiguous words, he instantly understood what was inside—lubricating balm.
With a "boom," Lin Yan felt a rush of heat to his head, his cheeks, ears, and neck instantly turning bright red, even the fingertips holding the box felt frighteningly hot. He felt like he was holding a red-hot coal and almost threw it away.
"Brother Chu! You, you..." Lin Yan's tongue was tied, and he could barely speak. "This, this is too... I, I can't use it!"
When Chu Ye saw that his neck was red, looking like a boiled shrimp, he was even more amused. He lowered his voice and said earnestly, "This is a good thing. It's better to be prepared. His Majesty is so vigorous. If you don't prepare in advance, what if... cough cough, there are some inconveniences on your wedding night? You'll be the one who suffers. You have to believe me. I've been there."
The phrase "someone who's been there" precisely struck at Lin Yan's deepest, most hidden worry.
He recalled the dark fire that often surged in Xiao Che's deep eyes, almost threatening to devour him, and the tense muscles and heavy breathing of Xiao Che as he forced himself to stop when he was on the verge of losing control... Lin Yan subconsciously clenched the white jade box in his hand, the icy touch seemingly unable to suppress the burning heat in his palm.
It seems like we should make some preparations?
After all, Xiao Che was no small figure.
"Then, thank you very much, Brother Chu." Lin Yan's voice was barely audible, almost squeezed out from between his teeth.
Seeing his shame and indignation yet forced to accept it, Chu Ye felt that he had made an indelible contribution to his colleague's happiness.
He picked up the invitation again with a serious expression, beaming: "Don't worry, Ah Feng and I will definitely be there on time for the Mid-Autumn Festival. How could we miss such a grand event?"
Chu Ye winked and said, "If you have any questions before the Mid-Autumn Festival, feel free to come find me."
Lin Yan: "..." Oh no.
-----------------------
Author's Note: The next chapter won't be 3,000 words, so I've updated it all together today. Please scroll down! [heart emoji]
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com