Chapter 502 The Grand Wedding
A 23-year-old Grand Secretary is a rare talent, not only in terms of achieving great things, but also in the entire history of China.
After the court session, officials, both familiar and unfamiliar, came forward to offer their congratulations. Upon returning home, Jiang Yu went to the ancestral hall and stood before the Jiang family's memorial tablets for a long time.
Are you happy to have achieved success at a young age?
Naturally, she was delighted; high office, generous salary, and a powerful family were among the ideals of anyone entering the court. But at this moment, she forced herself to remain calm, remembering the principle that prosperity inevitably leads to decline.
After leaving the ancestral hall, she instructed Lu Yifang to gather everyone in the manor. Standing before them, she spoke with an air of authority: "Since the founding of the Chu State Duke's Mansion, there have been many ups and downs. Now, our Chu State Duke's Mansion is honored by the Emperor's grace, but the more so, the more cautious we must be in our words and actions."
From this day forward, everyone within the manor must act with humility and discretion, and is forbidden from displaying power, bullying men and women, or oppressing the common people. Anyone who violates this rule will not be spared.
The crowd below quickly agreed, for everyone in the household knew how capable she was.
After admonishing everyone, she met with Marquis Anyuan and Duke Wei, instructing them to also strictly discipline their families. Marquis Anyuan and his family, being of advanced age, naturally understood the principle that prosperity inevitably leads to decline, and all promised to keep their families in check.
The following day, Jiang Yu took office as the Grand Secretary. But he had barely sat down and hadn't even begun to familiarize himself with his work when the new emperor's personal eunuch arrived. "Duke of Chu, His Majesty summons you to the Imperial Study."
Jiang Yu got up and followed her to the imperial study, where she saw the new emperor dressed in a black robe embroidered with gold, sitting behind a desk, looking down at the memorials. For a moment, Jiang Yu was in a daze, and the image of the late emperor sitting behind the desk appeared in her mind.
She composed herself, lifted her robe, and knelt on the ground, saying, "Your subject greets Your Majesty."
The new emperor raised his head, his gaze lingering on her for a moment. "Grand Tutor, please rise."
Jiang Yu stood up and stood respectfully to the side, watching the new emperor take out the plain silk she had written herself and unfold it. Then she heard him say, "Grand Tutor, tell me how to achieve the Great Qian Dynasty."
Jiang Yu stepped forward and, just as he had explained to the late emperor, recounted the overall plan. Then, he went to the map and pointed out the future layout of the river map.
Upon hearing this, the new emperor, though trying his best to restrain himself, could not hide his excitement. He stared intently at the map and asked, "Grand Tutor, when do you think this plan can be achieved?"
Jiang Yu remained calm and said, "When the late Emperor was alive, I advised him to first eliminate the King of Lingnan. Once the country was stable, we could proceed with other plans. Now that the King of Lingnan has been eliminated, the next step is to develop people's livelihood, education, and weaponry. Once the national strength has been greatly enhanced, Your Majesty can then expand the territory. The specific timing will be determined after each department makes reasonable plans and targets."
The new emperor looked at the map and nodded, "This matter will be coordinated by the Grand Tutor."
“Yes.” Jiang Yu pointed to the edge of Qiongzhou and said, “Now we should prepare for the naval forces.”
The new emperor stared at Qiongzhou on the map and asked, "Grand Tutor, do you think there is a country far away in the ocean?"
Jiang Yu nodded affirmatively, "The world is vast, far beyond what we can see. The territory we are currently conquering and the Qiongzhou sea area in front of us are just a corner of the world. The vast ocean can carry ships and teem with fish and shrimp, so it is highly likely that other people are also living there."
If that's the case, and if we become aware of each other in the future, whether we maintain friendly relations or become enemies, we must remain vigilant in our maritime domain.
The new emperor nodded, walked back to his desk, and carefully examined the contents of the silk scroll. After a while, he said, "To develop a navy, the first thing to do is to build ships capable of long-distance voyages and attacks."
Jiang Yu also walked to the table, saying, "Your Majesty is wise."
The new emperor tapped his fingers on the table, looked up at Jiang Yu, and asked, "Grand Tutor, who do you think is suitable to handle this matter?"
Jiang Yu paused for a moment, then uttered a name: "Xie Ning'an."
The new emperor frowned slightly, and then heard Jiang Yu explain, "The Xie family has served two dynasties and has a deep foundation of resources. Xie Ning'an is an excellent person in terms of coordination, overall planning, and temperament. Moreover, he needs an opportunity to make the Xie family rise again. If he gets this opportunity, he will definitely cherish it very much."
After a long silence, the new emperor said, "I will consider this matter carefully."
"yes."
"There is one more thing," the new emperor looked up at her, "Some members of the imperial clan have advised me to establish an empress as soon as possible, and I expect that court officials will also submit a memorial on this matter soon. I do not want the maternal relatives to be too powerful, nor do I want to follow the old path of the late emperor. Grand Tutor, what kind of woman do you think would be suitable for me to establish as empress?"
Jiang Yu frowned and pondered for a moment before saying, "The court is currently stable, and Your Majesty does not need to use the harem to balance the court. Moreover, I have always believed that while the harem may seem to have advantages in balancing the court, it has more drawbacks. Your Majesty would be better off not considering family background and finding a woman who is agreeable and capable of shouldering the responsibilities of an empress."
The new emperor nodded, "I will consider it."
After finishing her business, Jiang Yu took her leave. As she exited the Imperial Study, she saw Prince Rui standing not far away. She quickly walked over, and a hand warmer was thrust into her hand. Jiang Yu smiled at him, "Have you been waiting long?"
"No, I just arrived."
The two left side by side. Inside the imperial study, a eunuch whispered to the new emperor, "Prince Rui has arrived, but it seems he has come to pick up the Duke of Chu."
The new emperor paused for a moment while reading the memorial, then grunted in response before continuing to read it.
Sure enough, a few days later, a court official submitted a memorial requesting the new emperor to appoint an empress. The new emperor agreed, but stipulated that the empress should be chosen from among commoners or daughters of officials of the fifth rank or below. This caught the officials who had designs on the new emperor's harem off guard. They submitted another memorial to protest, but the new emperor's attitude was firm, and they had no way to resolve the situation.
Some even approached Jiang Yu, urging her to persuade the new emperor to reconsider, but she refused. After a brief uproar, seeing that the new emperor showed no sign of changing his mind, the ministers had no choice but to give up.
The new emperor's selection of consorts proceeded smoothly, but various matters concerning the grand opening of a prosperous era were also being advanced, keeping Jiang Yu extremely busy. Prince Rui picked her up from her duties almost every day. One day, Jiang Yu was busy at the government office until late at night, and Prince Rui waited for her in his study.
He drank cup after cup of tea, watching Jiang Yu busy with her head down, then slammed the cup down on the tea table and walked out. Jiang Yu heard the noise, looked up, and asked, "Where are you going?"
After enduring so many days, even the good-tempered Prince Rui could no longer bear it. He said, "Let's go to the palace and ask our new emperor if there's anyone who can be so devoted to one person."
Jiang Yu smiled and stood up, took his hand and sat down, saying softly, "It has nothing to do with Your Majesty. I'm just preparing for our wedding."
After the New Year, Jiang Yu will be out of mourning, and in the royal family, one day of mourning is counted as one year. This means that after the New Year, they can get married. Now Jiang Yu needs to finish her work in advance so that she can apply for leave later.
Prince Rui sighed and hugged her, "It breaks my heart to see you working so hard."
Jiang Yu tiptoed and kissed him on the lips. "I'm enjoying it."
She turned to leave after speaking, but her waist was tightly embraced, and before she could utter a sound, her lips were sealed with a kiss...
At the end of the year, the emperor issued an edict ordering Xie Ning'an to build ships in Qiongzhou. After receiving the imperial decree, Xie Ning'an solemnly thanked Jiang Yu. Jiang Yu asked him, "When do you depart?"
"After the New Year," Xie Ning'an replied with a smile.
Jiang Yu: "Wishing you a safe journey in advance."
Xie Ning'an took his leave and bumped into Prince Rui as soon as he stepped outside. He quickly bowed and said, "Your Highness Prince Rui."
Prince Rui nodded and stepped into Jiang Yu's study. Xie Ning'an lowered her eyes, a bitter smile curving her lips, and strode away. For the past two months, the story of Prince Rui and the Duke of Chu had been the talk of the town throughout the capital.
For example, Prince Rui received the Duke of Chu every day.
Prince Rui bought all the jade in the Linlang Pavilion and personally crafted accessories for the Duke of Chu.
Prince Rui practically wore out the threshold of the Duke of Chu's mansion.
For example, Prince Rui and the Duke of Chu were a perfect match, both talented men and beautiful women.
.........
After leaving the gates of the Duke of Chu's mansion, he turned back for a long look, then boarded his carriage and left. He didn't know when he would return to the capital.
After the New Year, in the third month of spring, the new emperor finished selecting his concubines. The empress was the daughter of the prefect of Linxi Prefecture. At the same time, three other concubines were also selected: one was the daughter of a commoner, one was the daughter of a merchant, and the other was the daughter of a seventh-rank county magistrate.
In April, the Emperor and Empress were married, and Prince Rui waited for the Ministry of Rites to arrange his wedding with Jiang Yu. However, two months passed without any news.
The weather was fine that day. Outside the Imperial Study, Li Delu, the new emperor's chief eunuch, was quietly giving instructions to several junior eunuchs in the corridor. Turning his head, he saw Prince Rui striding over with an angry expression.
Li Delu hurriedly went over to pay his respects, but Prince Rui strode towards the Imperial Study without stopping. Seeing his hostile demeanor, Li Delu quickly whispered, "Your Highness Prince Rui, the Empress is inside. I must inform her first."
Prince Rui ignored him, took a few steps to the door of the Imperial Study, stepped inside, and glared angrily at the new emperor. "What are you going to do?"
The new emperor remained calm and said to the empress, "You may leave now."
The Empress carefully bowed and withdrew, but as soon as she stepped out the door, she heard the new Emperor's voice: "Close the door, and get out of here."
Li Delu hurriedly closed the door to the imperial study and waved for the young eunuch to leave. The Empress, startled, also quickly left. She had only taken two steps when she heard the new Emperor roar, "If I hadn't done this, would you have come to see me?"
Knowing she shouldn't listen any longer, she quickened her pace and left.
Inside the imperial study, Prince Rui and the new emperor stood facing each other, glaring angrily. Prince Rui, thinking of the agonizing wait for the wedding day, and seeing the new emperor's deliberately hostile expression, picked up a teacup from the table and smashed it on the floor.
"Very well, then what do you want me to do to get married?" Prince Rui stared at the new emperor and said, "Will you strip me of my princely title, or remove me from the royal family?"
"Let you get married? Ha!" The new emperor chuckled. "After you get married, you'll be the husband of a Grand Duke of the First Rank and a high-ranking official in the court. Won't you have to avoid me even more?"
Prince Rui remained silent with a stern face. The new emperor looked at him and said, "You are heartbroken that your father and grandmother are gone. Have you ever thought about me? You are my only family member since I was a child. What nonsense do you have about the distinction between ruler and subject? Since I ascended the throne, how many words have you spoken to me? You are always hanging around the Duke of Chu. You have completely disgraced the royal family."
Prince Rui was amused by this, and the anger on his face vanished. The new emperor snorted again, walked behind the table and sat down, saying leisurely, "The difference between ruler and subject! You are so rude, aren't you afraid I will punish you?"
Prince Rui knew his temperament; he was just being stubborn. But he didn't soften his tone. Instead, he said, "I want to get married next month, and you will preside over the ceremony yourself."
After speaking, he turned and left, hearing the new emperor snort. Prince Rui raised the corners of his lips and stepped out of the imperial study. Li Delu and the eunuchs stood at a distance, all silent and trembling. Seeing Prince Rui emerge, his expression much better than before, they all breathed a sigh of relief.
After bowing respectfully and watching Prince Rui leave, Li Delu carefully entered the Imperial Study. He then heard the new emperor say, "Have the Imperial Astronomical Bureau select an auspicious day next month for my uncle's wedding."
"Yes." Li Delu withdrew, thinking to himself: The Emperor is just being affectionate with Prince Rui.
Here, Prince Rui went straight to Jiang Yu's official residence after leaving the palace. After meeting her, he told her what had happened in the Imperial Study. Jiang Yu couldn't help but laugh after hearing this, "The Emperor is only in his twenties after all. He has to maintain the dignity of the Emperor every day, and be diligent and self-disciplined in his duties. It must be quite tiring for him. And you've been avoiding him. Given your childhood friendship, of course he'll find fault with you."
Prince Rui couldn't help but laugh, "I'm not thinking that he's the emperor. There's a difference between ruler and subject, and you hold an important position, so it's best to keep your distance."
"Let nature take its course. We can't worry about things that haven't happened yet." Jiang Yu also hoped that the new emperor would remain true to his original aspirations.
Prince Rui put his arm around her waist and whispered happily, "We're getting married next month."
Jiang Yu smiled happily, "Yes, we're getting married."
...........
June 6th is an auspicious day according to the Chinese calendar, suitable for marriage.
The Duke of Chu and Prince Rui were married, and the new emperor personally presided over the wedding, which was an unprecedentedly grand occasion.
Lu Yifang, Jiang Chengye, Jiang Mingchang, and Cheng Yunxiu sat in the main seats, while Jiang Yu, dressed in wedding attire, knelt to pay respects to her parents. Lu Yifang and Cheng Yunxiu couldn't help but shed tears, as did Jiang Mingchang. Jiang Chengye, seeing this, felt somewhat awkward; should he cry or not?
"The groom has come to fetch the bride!" the matchmaker shouted.
Lu Yifang and Cheng Yunxiu helped Jiang Yu up, and Jiang Jiamu walked over and bent down, saying, "Brother is seeing you off on your wedding."
Jiang Yu, her eyes red, clung to his thin back. Jiang Jiamu carried her out the door slowly but with unusual steadiness. When they arrived before Prince Rui, he handed Jiang Yu over to him, saying, "I hope Your Highness will treat my younger sister well."
Prince Rui nodded emphatically, "I will cherish it dearly."
The bridal sedan chair was carried to Prince Rui's residence with joyous music playing all the way. The new emperor was already waiting and personally presided over the wedding. Watching the two bow to heaven and earth, the new emperor suddenly felt a sense of pride, as if his son had come of age. He also set aside his status and sat at the main table to celebrate with his ministers. In the end, he was carried back to the palace.
Prince Rui, still thinking about his emperor nephew's insensible behavior that delayed his wedding night, strode steadily into the bridal chamber. Seeing his beloved sitting on the bed, whom he had longed for day and night, he hurried over.
At this moment, the matchmaker brought out the wine and announced loudly, "Please, Your Highness and Your Highness, take up your wine cups and perform the nuptial cup ceremony!"
The matchmaker's voice was bright and clear as she laughed and proclaimed, "With wine in hand, our hearts are bound together; with cups intertwined, our love will last forever!"
The two raised their glasses, smiled at each other, crossed their arms, and drank it all in one gulp.
Everyone left, and Prince Rui held Jiang Yu tightly, whispering in her ear, "My wife."
Jiang Yu looked at her and replied, "Husband."
They gazed at each other tenderly, then slumped together onto the bed...
(over!)
It's finished. Thank you all for your support.
First of all, I apologize to everyone. During the serialization of this book, some things happened at home, and I was not in the right state of mind for a while, so I stopped updating for a period of time, which affected everyone's reading experience. I sincerely apologize.
I've been writing diligently for eight or nine years, and this is the first book I've had to stop updating consecutively, for which I feel very guilty. I don't ask for forgiveness, only for self-reflection.
Having written for many years, I've gone from a novice to someone with some experience, and I strive for perfection in every book I write. However, when I review each book after completion, there are always some flaws, but thankfully, everyone has been there for me. Only by continuing to work hard and improve can I repay everyone's support.
Thank you everyone!
See you in the next book.
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