Chapter 105: Delayed Wedding Reception (Part 1)
The marriage sedan was swaying for a minimum of two hours, it finally stopped, fortunately, the sedan chair was spacious, so Zhuo Qing did not feel stuffy inside, even if the sound of the firecrackers and drum were irritating her ears all the way, she could only hear a yell from the outside of the sedan chair: “The new bride can enter the door!!”
The hanging curtain of the sedan chair was lifted open softly, Zhuo Qing raised her eyes to see Lou Xi Yan whose face had the same relaxed smile and he stretched his hand to her, he did not have any slightness of weariness on his face, so Zhuo Qing suddenly had some admiration towards him!
Zhuo Qing stretched her hand, and followed him to get down from the sedan chair, the front door of the Prime Minister’s manor was crowded with people. The original big and stylish lintel (of the door) was filled with crimson lanterns, one could see clearly the red silks everywhere. The red remnant of the firecrackers that were left behind on the ground of the Prime Minister’s manor with jubilation.
The most dazzling was going to be regarded as the huge rectangle brazier that was in front of the door, the blazing charcoal that was still making pow pow sounds. Zhuo Qing sighed secretly, she should not have to drag her cheongsam to step across that thing, right?!
“The groom and bride will step across the brazier, may you live a long and happy life together like the prosperous red flame!”
Sure enough! The matchmaker was yelling to declare their destiny, fine, ok, they just had to step it across, ok, fortunately, her wedding dress could not be regarded as complicated! She should be able to jump over.
Zhuo Qing raised up the corner of her skirt, intended to jump over, a clear, bright and mocking loud sound said noisily: “Is the groom not supposed to carry the bride to step over the brazier? The flame is very intense, it may burn and injure the bride oh!”
Zhuo Qing leaned her head to look at a strange white clothing person who was winking his eyes.
“Yes ah, yes ah.”
“Prime Minister Lou has to carry Madam to go in, ok!!”
Someone was heckling so naturally someone would cater to the heckling, for a moment, the outside door was bustling with noises and excitements, no matter if it was the ordinary people or the high officials and noble people, they all were following to create confusions.
Releasing her hand from the skirt, Zhuo Qing mockingly looked towards Lou Xi Yan, however, those people were shouting oh!
Lou Xi Yan laughed heartily and cupped his hands in obeisance, when Zhuo Qing had not yet reacted, she already felt that her legs were light and Lou Xi Yan had already carried her waist up. The family servants were stepping forward hurriedly to lift up the lower corner of his jacket, lightly jumping, Lou Xi Yan was carrying her to cross the brazier.
There was an unavoidable cheer from outside the door. Zhuo Qing was leaning on his chest lightly, and she was still able to feel his thoracic cavity was shaking when he was laughing. He appeared to be very happy today, he accepted without questions with regards to everyone’s heckling. His normal faint and light smile was changed into an intoxicated big laughter today, she was not used to this type of him, this brimming excitement and feeling made her heart feel warmth.
Lou Xi Yan was carrying her to the main hall beside the private room, the crowds still wanted to follow them over to heckle. Xue Xian Xin hurriedly stopped them, laughingly said: “Ok, ok, if you want to disturb the privacy of the bridal room (a custom that guests will banter and play pranks on the newlyweds), you still have to wait until in the evening! Thank you for everyone’s trouble, everybody can go to the front hall, ok, where we have already prepared food and drink.”
Lou Xi Yan prepared this private room for her to rest, before they pay respect to each other, there was every type of cakes and drinks inside the room. Lou Xi Yan finally put her down, Zhuo Qing lifted open the head covering immediately and urgently, and fanned her face up, this covering thing was making her suffer for a few hours!!
The servant girl who was standing behind Zhuo Qing was lowly smiling when she saw Zhuo Qing lifted open the head covering like that. Lou Xi Yan did not actually say anything, taking the head covering that was on her hand and put it aside, and then leading her to walk to the front of the short bench, he gently said: “You rest for a while, and eat some stuff, the servant girl will come to ask you in a moment when it is time to do the wedding ritual (again, the actual words are the ritual kneeling to heaven and earth by the bride and groom). If you are very tired, you can just take a nap for a moment.”
“En, ok.” Nodding, she was feeling sleepy now, she were already busy from dawn up until now.
Xue Xian Xin urgently rushing over, looking at the two people who were still chatting, she hurriedly said: “Xi Yan, you go out quickly, there are many guests who are waiting for your greetings.” Who could have thought that these officials came this early, really, she was busy and could not even rest her body!!
Slowly getting up, Lou Xi Yan was patting her cheek lightly, smilingly said: “I will go out first.”
Looking at his appearance who was especially excited today, Zhuo Qing was pulling his hand, and she said: “You have to take care of your health also, do not drink too much wine!” Those people who were outside love to heckle, if he did not control a little bit, she estimated that they did not need to wait for the wedding ritual, he would already be collapsed!
Lou Xi Yan answered with a serious face: “Yes, Wife. Husband will surely bear it in mind!!”
Zhuo Qing stared coldly for one glance at him, Lou Xi Yan was laughing when he came out of the private room.
Not interested with the cakes that were on the table, Zhuo Qing laid down on the soft couch that was nearby and closed her eyes to rest, her heart felt strange, where did Gu Yun go?!
*****
When the marriage sedan arrived in front of the Prime Minister’s manor, looking at a lot of those people who were noisy, Gu Yun decided to leave, she could come over in the evening to drink and eat the wedding feast and it would be fine, she had never liked this kind of bustling with noise and excitement situation anyway!
Gu Yun walked back to the General’s manor, she just happened to collide with Su Yu at the front door. Gu Yun did not intend to bother him, but Su Yu’s face was surprised when he saw her: “You…… why do you come back?”
Gu Yun stopped her footsteps, lowly said: “Can I not come back?” Qing’s marriage was not her marriage either, she could not see this small mission ah and look at her bad complexion, Su Yu wrinkled his brows, lowly asked: “Is there or is there not any matter happening at the Prime Minister’s manor?”
Gu Yun narrowed her eyes slightly, Su Yu was really strange today?! Remaining calm and collected to look towards him, Gu Yun asked: “What matter will happen at the Prime Minister’s manor?”
Gu Yun only asked this one sentence, it made Su Yu unable to know if she knew or did not know about this, he could only smiled embarrassingly and said: “Nothing, nothing ah! I am only asking conveniently!” If she did not know, then he should not be so talkative!!
Gu Yun was staring at him coldly, Su Yu felt uncomfortable all over, and lifted his legs to go out of the door, a delicate hand stopped his steps, Gu Yun questioned intensely: “What are you lying about?” What matter could happen at the Prime Minister’s manor, Su Yu clearly knew it, then it would be related to the General’s manor!!
“Lying….. how am I lying!! You are playing a joke!” When he lied the last time and she saw it through with one quick look, Su Yu swallowed his saliva.
Sure enough, he was pretending to be calmed but it still let Gu Yu saw it exceptionally clear, her heart was anxious what matter would happen to Zhuo Qing, Gu Yun urgently said: “What has happened?!”
“I…… I do not know!!” Persistently shaking his head, Su Yu turned his back, and walked to the inside of the General’s manor again. He was really a lowly criminal, nothing to do but to pick a quarrel with this difficult woman!!
Grabbing Su Yu’s shoulder, how could Gu Yun agree to let him off, with a stern voice, she called out: “Speak the truth!”
Su Yu turned his body around in defeat, pityingly sighed and said: “I really do not know, Big brother was announced to enter the Imperial palace early this morning, Second brother also urgently entered the Imperial palace a moment ago. I heard that Second brother caught that two ring leaders of the traitors who wanted to rebel. After entering the capital, they asserted arbitrarily……”
Speaking until now, Su Yu paused for a moment, facing to look Gu Yun’s interrogation eyes, slapping his head, Su Yu still said in a low voice: “The people who were collaborating with them during that time, and plotting for the gold case, were exactly the Prime Minister’s father and son!”
“What?!” Gu Yun’s hand that was on Su Yu’s hand shaking frighteningly, this…… this was impossible, ok! Not only saying that she believed that Lou Xi Yan and his father’s personal characters, it was also because she was present on the scene when they surrounded the traitors. There was really a clear indication at that time that the traitors were collaborating with the Imperial Central Minister, but it should not be Lou Xi Yan and his father!! Lou Mu Hai helped in surrounding and destroying the traitors in this matter, it could be regarded as ones contribution that could not go unnoticed!
Thinking deeply for a moment, Gu Yun asked: “What kind evidences did they provide?”
Su Yu helplessly shook his head: “Big brother and Second brother are still in the Imperial palace, I do not know what kind of evidences that Second brother has brought back!” He only knew about this matter when he eavesdropped the issued decree from the Ministry of justice’s official earlier and then Second brother said that the criminals whom he escorted back asserting arbitrarily that they were colluding with Prime Minister Lou and his father, making Second brother to enter the Imperial palace immediately!
Actually, any oral confession about the traitors’ rebellious plan would not be the most important, Lou Xi Yan was the country’s Prime Minister, it was impossible to knock him down due to some oral confessions from several small traitors. The most important thing was what kind of evidences that they could provide, and if this was a deliberate set up from the same member of the Imperial Central Minister, or they were acting together! Lou Xi Yan was going to face an even bigger pressure!!
Gu Yun let Su Yu go, turned around and came out of the General’s manor, Su Yu urgently followed her up: “Where are you going? You cannot inform them ah!” They were not clear what the circumstances were related to this matter, everything was from his eavesdropping that he got a little clues. If everything was a misunderstanding, and she was talking some rubbish, would people not want to ridicule her? If the matter was really related to the Prime Minister’s manor, and she wanted to disclose the information, then if they found out, the criminal charge would not be as small as Gu Yun’s narrowed eyes, she answered with a cold voice: “I have my own propriety (in making the decision)!”
His heart could not feel relieved either, so Su Yu was following her to arrive at the Prime Minister’s manor.
*****
The ordinary people who were gathering outside the Prime Minister’s manor were not many anymore, all of the people with powerful connections were attending the wedding ritual inside of the Prime Minister’s manor, all levels of officials. Even though there were not as many people as in the early morning, but the Prime Minister’s manor was so crowded and impenetrable.
Gu Yun urgently looked for Zhuo Qing who was resting in the room, looking in a distance at the hall that was crowded with people who were standing in a circle to watch, she narrowed her eyes to only see Lou Xi Yan who was leading Zhuo Qing along to walk to the main hall.
Gu Yun pushed away everyone, and entered the main hall with great difficulty, she could only hear the wedding ceremony official who called out in a loud voice: “The newly-weds’ wedding ritual!”
Lou Xi Yan’s expression was clear and bright, his complexion was somewhat redden, one could reckoned that he drank quite a few of wine. Standing at the main hall and trying to decide, Gu Yun intended to wait until they finished the wedding ritual, and then looked for Qing to speak about this matter!
“One, kowtow to the heaven and earth!”
The ceremony official’s voice was echoing and reverberating.
The newly-weds were bowing to heavens deeply and firmly.
“Two, pay respect to the parents!”
Turning their bodies around, and facing their parents, one side was Lou Mu Hai, and the other side was Qing Ling’s paternal uncle. Lou Mu Hai’s face still looked like before as there was not many joyous feeling, but in any case, it was his only son’s big wedding day. Even though he did not like his daughter in law, but he should not make things difficult on them deliberately.
Both of them were bowing their bodies deeply at both parties.
“Husband and wife……”
One’s speaking voice raised strongly, an even more dignified’s male sound interrupted the final respect.
“The Imperial edict has arrived!”
Everybody turned around to see only Su Ling and Dan Yu Lan who came together, his hand was clasping a bright Imperial edict. All of the people thought that the Emperor could not come personally so he would congratulate the Prime Minister’s big wedding with an Imperial decree. Everyone opened up the path one after another to let these two people to enter the middle room smoothly.
Gu Yun looked one glance at Su Yu who was behind her, Su Yu felt like shaking his head, and in a low voice, he said near her ear: “Be quiet and do not be excited, we will take a look first and then discuss it again!!”
Lou Xi Yan’s phoenix eyes slightly narrowed, they appeared to have some emotions, but his complexion was still tranquil as before, he slightly cupped his hands towards Su Ling and Dan Yu Lan.
Lou Mu Hai laughed heartily and heroically, and said: “General Su, Dan Daren, I still think that the two of you can not keep up with these wedding wine!” He always admired the Su family’s army, they surrounded and destroyed the traitors this time, and was able to fight alongside the Su family’s army, he felt completely satisfied all along! Facing towards Su Ling’s impression, he felt even better!
Su Ling and Dan Yu Lan’s complexions were somewhat rigid, lowly smiled and said: “The Old General is too courteous!” He was afraid that they could drink these wedding wine!!
Lightly coughing, Dan Yu Lan’s clear voice said: “Prime Minister Lou, please accept the Imperial decree.”
The entire people who were in the main hall knelt down, the sound of the drum also stopped, the main hall that was crowded by the people became exceptionally quiet in a quick second.
Dan Yu Lan was holding the Imperial decree, for a long time, then with a clear voice, he read it out loud and said: “Receive and accept the Mandate from Heaven, the Emperor’s Imperial order says, the entire Xi Bei’s traitors had been destroyed, the traitors had confessed that they were colluding with the Lou family’s father and son to steal the public treasury, and intend to plot a rebellion. The Criminal Prison Division’s Dan Yu Lan, and the country’s General Su Ling will hear this case collaboratively today. The Lou family’s father and son will be sent to the Imperial prison right away, bestowed by the Emperor!”
They would be sent to prison!!
This…… how was it possible?!
The big main hall was in deathly stillness one more time, nobody knew how they should react, who would have thought that the extremely flourishing’s Lou Xi Yan would be sent to prison? Nevertheless, it was during his big wedding day!! What was the Emperor thinking after all?!
Gu Yun’s heartbeats were extremely quick, what was the evidence that the other party could provide after all?! That it could make Yan Hong Tian wrote down an Imperial decree to send Lou Xi Yan to prison!!
This scene was really dramatic, the Emperor of Qiong Yue would unexpectedly imprison Lou Xi Yan! This was extremely interesting. Bai Yi’s dark eyes narrowed slightly, and looking up and down unobtrusively at Lou Xi Yan. Comparing to everyone’s imposing look, he showed an exceptional tranquil expression, it seemed that the request to imprison was not the same as his! The legend said that Lou Xi Yan was always calm and in control of himself, the Tai’s mountain could collapse but his face would look the same as before with no change in color, it seemed that the words were actually not empty words! Furthermore, there was Su Ling, today was the first time that he could be in the close range with this person whose knowledge was well-known in the whole world as a God of war!
Lou Xi Yan and Su Ling, these two men were absolutely the big hindrances for Liao Yue to take a leading role in the whole world!
Lou Mu Hai recovered, immediately in a fury and he said: “Absurd! This is absolutely a set up!! I will go with you immediately, then I will confront that group of traitors face to face!” The Lou’s family sacrificed for the country, how could people defame and ruin them!!
Lou Xi Yan did not speak all along, Dan Yu Lan could only step forward one step, he asked with an invitation posture: “Prime Minister Lou, sorry to bother you, and offend you!”
“Hold on!” The white hand raised lightly, the captivating red head covering fell on the ground, along with a clear and cold voice of a woman that echoed unhurriedly.