As a result, the prince was not able to return to the capital until the end of summer.
The affairs of two small tribes did not need to be so time-consuming and laborious.
It was just that the people of the Blazing Flame Nation interfered, causing unrest between the two sides and making life miserable for the people living in the border areas.
There are rumors that the matter was finally resolved because the prince made a deal with the Tuoba clan of the Chiyan Kingdom. After returning to Beijing, the prince only told the emperor the content of the deal, and no one else knew it.
Over the past six months, the emperor has become increasingly obsessed with seeking immortality.
In the past, when the emperor first saw Concubine Sun, he was attracted by her strange magic. He showed her favors all the way and made her a concubine. From then on, he was obsessed with her.
In late spring, a Taoist priest arrived in the capital, claiming to be a divine fortune teller. No one knew his origins or his real name, but it was known that he had become famous in the capital for his ability to predict fortune and misfortune. The emperor summoned him, finding him to be a kindred spirit, and appointed him Imperial Preceptor. He also ordered the construction of a pavilion within the palace specifically for him, named the Heavenly Secret Pavilion, where he could divine the emperor's fortune and predict the fate of the country.
Rumor has it in the palace that on the day the prince returned to the capital, the emperor talked with him in the imperial study for an hour. After that, the emperor went to the Tianji Pavilion and talked with the imperial teacher for three hours.
No one knows what they talked about.
All we know is that not long after, the marriage between the prince and Xu Yun was put on the agenda.
As the Princess of Han, Qiao Si naturally had to attend.
The prince's marriage was scheduled for the third day of August.
The wedding was held in the imperial palace, and all the ministers and their families attended the ceremony. The scene was grand and unprecedented.
Qiao Si put on the gorgeous clothes he had ordered long ago and went to the palace with Li Guanghan.
Li Guanghan still didn't have a good face towards Qiao Si. Although they were riding in the same carriage, it was unusually quiet. Zhang You and the others were walking outside and didn't hear any sound from inside.
Zhang You and the others hadn't originally planned to go with them into the palace this time. After all, there was an unknown figure, Sun Chanyu, and they didn't want to risk their lives. However, if they didn't go, they were worried something might happen if Qiao Si was alone with Jingzhu and Cuiliu, so they decided to go together. They just had to make sure they stayed by Qiao Si's side.
Jinlu slowed down his pace, walked from the front of the carriage to the back, and approached Zhang You and Chunhua. He said in a chuckle, "Chunhua, Xiahe, you haven't been to the palace for so long. You'd better follow me closely to avoid the same thing as before."
"It's dangerous to follow you, right? Last time, the princess walked back to the mansion by herself! The prince's mansion is so far away from the imperial palace, and the princess is so precious. You humiliated her like this, and now you pretend to be kind to her? No matter how dangerous the palace is, is it as dangerous as you?" Zhang You pushed away the person who was approaching and brought up old grudges with him.
"That... was the prince's order..." Jinlu muttered softly, knowing that he was in the wrong.
"Yes, yes, how innocent are you? This has nothing to do with you? Then why are you saying all this?" Zhang You rolled his eyes, pulled Chunhua, walked faster, and kept a distance from him.
When he followed Li Guanghan to bully them, he didn't seem to be so kind.
"Eh? Don't be so mean to me, I'm just doing my job. After all, you are from Prince Han's Mansion, and I have to be responsible for your safety."
The two of them were arguing, with Chunhua occasionally interjecting a few words, and in the blink of an eye they arrived at the palace.
Inside the palace, one must be cautious everywhere. Zhang You and the others restrained their playful expressions and even spoke only after careful consideration.
The Crown Prince's wedding required a grand ceremony. The sound of bells and drums filled the air. Li Yuanzhuo, dressed in his wedding gown, stood in the main hall, beaming with joy, awaiting the Crown Princess's arrival.
Qiao Si and Li Guanghan, like the other courtiers, stood inside the hall, awaiting the ceremony. Zhang You and the others followed Qiao Si closely, keeping a close eye on everything around them. The Emperor still sat with Concubine Sun on the high throne, while the other concubines stood quietly in the lower seats.
As the joyful sound of bells and drums rang out, a figure stepped into the hall.
Everyone was looking forward to it, whispering about how well-matched the prince and Xu Yun were. Some sensible ministers had already begun to compliment Prime Minister Xu. Xu Zhicheng smiled subtly and laughed them off modestly.
Xu Zhicheng's smile gradually faltered amid the crowd's puzzled cries.
Behind that figure was a woman in a red wedding gown. Their wedding gowns were identical, and from their appearance, it was impossible to tell their identities apart.
Xu Zhicheng's expression suddenly turned cold, and he suddenly raised his head to look at the high seat. The emperor smiled and held Sun Chanyu, whose shoulders were half exposed, while observing everything in the palace without any surprise.
What else doesn't Xu Zhicheng understand?
This was something that the emperor and the crown prince had already secretly decided on.
Xu Zhicheng withdrew his gaze and looked at the two brides again, his smile no longer on his face.
The people in the hall were all surprised by this scene, whispering to each other. Some of the brave ones approached Xu Zhicheng to ask what was going on, but were dissuaded by his gloomy face.
Zhang You and the others were also a little surprised.
Li Yuanzhuo actually married two wives, one of whom was the daughter of Prime Minister Xu, and the identity of the other one was unknown, which could make Li Yuanzhuo disregard Xu Zhicheng's face so much.
The official from the Ministry of Rites, dressed in a dark blue robe, saw the two brides standing still and then stepped forward and shouted, "The auspicious time has arrived. The newlyweds are to perform their ceremony."
The two brides stood side by side, sandwiching Li Yuanzhuo in the middle. The red silk in their hands connected the three of them, and the atmosphere was strangely harmonious.
The envoy took out a thick scroll, opened it, and said in a loud voice, "Today, the Crown Prince's wedding is truly a joyous event for the nation. The Crown Prince is kind and respectful, possessing both virtue and talent. The two Crown Princesses, one is virtuous and intelligent, while the other is well-educated, well-mannered, and dignified. They are truly a perfect match, a match made in heaven."
"May the Crown Prince and his two consorts live in harmony and love. Such a perfect match is made in heaven, just like twin lotus flowers growing from the same root, or two butterflies dancing side by side in the spring breeze."
The woman on Li Yuanzhuo's right paused a little stiffly after hearing what was said, but she did not make any unusual movements. She just stood there quietly, waiting for the ceremony to end.
Everyone in the audience listened to the speech, each with their own thoughts. Xu Zhicheng's face was gloomy, but he could only suppress it.
After the official finished his congratulatory speech, he began to preside over the wedding ceremony. He shouted loudly: "Bow to Heaven and Earth."
The three newlyweds bowed solemnly toward the temple gate. The temple was completely silent, with no human voices, only the sound of fluttering robes and the sounds of joy.
"Bow to your parents." The three turned to face the emperor and bowed deeply. The emperor nodded with satisfaction, and Sun Chanyu smiled, as if she had just watched a good show.
"Husband and wife bow to each other." During this bow, the three of them stood facing each other, forming a triangle, and bowed towards the center.
The scene was extremely weird for a while.
"The ceremony is over."
As the announcement of the ceremony's completion rang out, all those who had been sitting quietly and pretending to be silent just now smiled and loudly congratulated the Crown Prince and the Emperor.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
