◇ Chapter 107 Daily Life After Marriage: Lianzhi’s Coming-of-Age Ceremony (Part 1)
After March, it is Lianzhi's birthday.
Previously, Bai Kang had never known Lian Zhi's birthday. He hadn't held a birthday celebration during his reign, and after their reunion, no birthday had been mentioned. Bai Kang himself didn't care about birthdays, so he hadn't thought to ask.
When they remarried, Lianzhi did tell him that she had come to celebrate her birthday when she ascended the throne, but she died before she could celebrate her birthday. Actually, he had never celebrated his birthday since he was a child. Eunuch Wen and General Xue had told him that his mother had always remembered it, but unfortunately, she passed away when he was very young. Since then, he and Eunuch Wen had been the only ones to celebrate for him in the cold palace.
This was half true and half false. Lianzhi didn't really care about birthdays, but was more trying to win Bai Kang's sympathy. Bai Kang didn't realize he was pretending to be pitiful. His eyes were red with heartache, and he vowed to arrange every birthday for Lianzhi in the future.
This year was the first birthday that Lianzhi and Baikang celebrated together after their marriage.
It was also his twentieth birthday, the day he came of age.
When Mrs. Bai heard that Bai Kang was planning to hold a coming-of-age ceremony for Lianzhi, she was still unsure. She had initially assumed that Prince Zhulan was from the North Sea and wouldn't adhere to their Daning customs. But then she realized that Prince Zhulan was not only from Daning, but also a member of the Bai family.
Although she and Sister Yang failed to protect Concubine Li's child, at least they have saved Concubine Li's nephew, who has grown up to the age of twenty.
Mrs. Bai was a little excited, but soon her face turned pale and she fell to the ground. Bai Kang was stunned and hurried to help her. Mrs. Bai stood up tremblingly, her voice trembling: "Bao Kang, tell me, shouldn't the Queen of the Helan tribe be in charge of the prince's coming of age ceremony? This coming of age ceremony has always been presided over by the elders. If we interfere, we will get into trouble!"
"Don't worry, mother." Bo Kang was at a loss whether to laugh or cry. "Lian'er has already discussed this with Queen Helan. They don't have this tradition, so of course they won't care."
Mrs. Bai was finally relieved. Without an elder, Bai Kang and Mrs. Bai would crown the bride. But there was still one person missing, and they couldn't find anyone. They wanted to ask another elder to take over, but Rongcheng currently lacked a noble family of high rank and high prestige. But missing one step, and Lianzhi was wronged.
"Don't worry, brother." Lianzhi flipped through the dress Mrs. Bai had sent, and replied with a distracted look. "Sister will come. Can you help me decide which is better, ivory or moon white? I'll have to wear a black crown, right? So how about I wear this scarlet one in the end?"
"You look good in anything." Bo Kang answered subconsciously, then looked at the clothes he held up, "Why are there six?"
"Of course I have to choose a lot, because I have to add three crowns and change three sets of clothes." Lianzhi said happily.
Bo Kang had no objection. After all, the clothes were already made, and if Lianzhi wanted to change to six sets, he would support her. He was about to send someone to put the clothes away when he suddenly remembered what Lianzhi had said: "The eldest princess will come to crown you, so there must be two... That's not right."
If it was the eldest princess, Lianzhi would call her "Imperial Sister". And if she could be called "Ajie" by Lianzhi...
"The crown prince of the Helan tribe?" Bai Kang asked in surprise.
Lianzhi nodded, threw the clothes that he had rolled up into a mess into the brocade box, and asked Geerer to come in and fold them for him. Bai Kang was still a little confused: "How can our humble home afford to entertain the Crown Prince when he comes to visit us? And if we don't report this to His Majesty, we will invite many people from Rongcheng to come on your coming-of-age day. If we are discovered, won't we be punished..."
Lianzhi saw that he was talking incoherently and that he was about to die. She couldn't help but laugh, "Sister and Yuyao came here secretly. It's the Helan tribe's annual early spring sacrifice day. Sister won't stay long, so you don't have to worry."
"Then the Crown Prince came in plain clothes. If he encounters any danger..."
He was currently on leave at home, so if he were to receive someone in the name of the Ministry of Rites, he would have to report this to His Majesty. Although it was common knowledge that he had married the exiled young prince of the Helan tribe, the nature of his marriage to Lianzhi was different from the nature of his reception of the Crown Prince.
"Don't worry, brother." Lianzhi pushed him out the door, "I will never cause any trouble for you! Go out quickly, I need to change my clothes."
Bai Kang nodded helplessly and went to the study. Lianzhi slammed the door shut and turned around to see Geerer firmly closing the brocade box lid, his movements heavy, as if he was sulking.
"Who offended you?" Lianzhi asked.
"Your Highness, I still feel this is inappropriate." Ge Ri'er said angrily as he sorted through the boxes. "Why did you stay in Daning for Lord Bai and introduce him to the Crown Prince? He's not sincere to you at all. You've been deceived by him!"
Huh? Lianzhi's eyes were stern. "What's going on? Tell me quickly."
It seemed that if Geerer said no to Bai Kang, he would beat Bai Kang up the next second.
"Didn't you notice that Lord Bai's address to you was wrong?" Geerer was heartbroken. "There are two swords in his study, given by Emperor Ling of Daning. Aren't swords tokens of love? You look alike to Emperor Ling, he must be using you as a substitute! When the Crown Prince comes, why don't we take him..."
Geerer made a gesture of wiping his neck. Lianzhi was amused by him. He had never thought about that aspect. Before he contacted the Helan tribe, he didn't know that in the North Sea, swords were used to seal love.
He thought that after so long, Geerer had noticed something, otherwise he would not have stayed with him when he said he wanted to stay in Daning.
"Don't worry, Bai Kang is not that kind of person." Lianzhi said kindly, "I won't suffer any loss."
Even so, Geerer still didn't believe it. When Bai Kang came back, he also stared at him with a resentful look. Bai Kang's scalp tingled under the stare. It must be said that the demeanor of the master and servant was really similar.
"What happened to him?" Bai Kang asked, pointing at Geer's back.
Lianzhi then told Geer's guess, and at the end she couldn't help laughing, laughing so hard her stomach hurt. Bai Kang was also at a loss for words: "What should I do? Baby, you didn't explain to him, and you've ruined my reputation."
Lianzhi chuckled twice more, then suddenly groaned, "My stomach hurts from laughing. It's all your fault."
Bai Kang sighed, picked up Lian Zhi and rubbed his belly. Suddenly, Bai Kang thought of something.
Even Gezhier misunderstood him, so the Crown Prince must be...
No way.
At the end of March, it is Lianzhi’s birthday, which is also the day of the Spring Equinox.
He could fool Yuyao and the crown prince, who were unfamiliar with Daning etiquette, but he couldn't hide it from Geerer, who had also lived in Daning for several years. Helian Zhulan's birthday was in autumn, not spring. Lianzhi didn't explain, waiting for Geerer to discover it himself.
The main hall was thick with the scent of sandalwood, and between the vermilion lacquered beams and pillars, pots of verdant pine and cypress trees were placed on both sides of the hall. A group of Rongcheng officials, dressed in official uniform, gathered in the corridor.
Lord Bai's wife was coming of age, and this was their first time attending such a ceremony. It was incredibly absurd. However, Bai's father held some prestige in Rongcheng, and Bai Kang held a high position, so there were many people who wanted to curry favor with their family.
Bai Kang stood in front of the hall to greet the guests. There were quite a few people coming today, and he was almost tired of laughing. Another carriage stopped outside the mansion gate, and a servant led the newly arrived guest into the courtyard. Just as Bai Kang was about to speak, he noticed that the guest was not wearing official uniform, but an overly loose dark brown gown, and his long hair was braided into several small braids that draped over his shoulders, looking out of place.
Putting aside his out-of-place attire, Bo Kang carefully examined him, then bowed and said in the North Sea dialect, "Greetings, Prince."
"Lord Bai, you actually recognized him!" Behind her, Yu Yao jumped out and greeted him.
Bai Kang recognized her immediately. The prince's men's clothing was more realistic than Yu Yao's, but her female figure was still visible. The three of them walked to the corner and were about to speak when a surprised voice suddenly came from the house behind them: "Sister."
Lianzhi had already changed into her formal attire, now wearing a plain, pale green gown. Her long hair was loose, draped over a furry white collar. The wind was strong in the corridor, and Lianzhi wrapped herself tightly in her fur coat, looking like a chubby, fluffy little white cat.
He rarely wore light colors. When he traveled with the envoys, he always wore a veil, hiding his face. His white clothes made his face look even more innocent and pure. If there weren't so many people around, Bo Kang would have wanted to hug him and give him a good rub.
Bai Kang stepped back, wanting to leave the place for Lian Zhi and the others to talk. But Lian Zhi took his hand and said, "I told you about this, Bai Kang."
……Um?
When did Lianzhi mention him?
What followed was a long passage in the North Sea dialect, which Bo Kang couldn't understand. They talked for a long time until Qing He came over to remind them that the time was almost up. Only then did Lian Zhi reluctantly say, "Let's go to the front hall first and talk later."
After saying that, he pulled Bai Kang to the main hall. Now that they were alone, Bai Kang asked, "Are you happy?"
"Yeah." Lianzhi nodded and pursed her lips. "They are also my relatives... I don't have any other relatives, brother. I am very happy today."
Bai Kang's heart suddenly softened, and he put his hand on his soft hair, but he felt a little empty in his heart.
"Baby." He lowered his head and whispered in Lianzhi's ear, "I swear I will treat you well for the rest of my life."
How to say this? Lianzhi turned her head away: "Go faster."
At the coming-of-age ceremony, the elders performed three ceremonies: the cloth crown, the leather cap, and the rank cap. Only then was the crown officially recognized as adulthood. King Mu and his wife also attended the ceremony. Bo Kang had originally wanted to ask King Mu for the honor of crowning Lianzhi. However, that would have been too conspicuous, and even if King Mu agreed, no one else would have been willing.
Lianzhi thought with a little regret that if he could restore his former identity, it would be natural for King Mu to crown him, after all, they were relatives.
Maybe I will never be able to restore my identity in this lifetime.
In the main hall, the guests sat on both sides, and Lianzhi knelt on a cushion in the center. The ceremonial officer said loudly: "The auspicious time has arrived—"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
