Lu Bohuan noticed that these days Qin Yuanxi appeared secretive. After the failed wedding surprise event last time, he clearly had other plans in mind. His schemes were numerous, yet it was unclear what exactly he intended to do. Lu Bohuan attempted to ask, but Qin Yuanxi remained tight-lipped. He dodged the questions skillfully, only willing to reveal tidbits and insisted that Lu Bohuan wait patiently to find out.
Thus, Lu Bohuan could only bide his time.
Previously, the first thing Qin Yuanxi did after court sessions was to visit Xiao Bao. Now, he didn’t bother, disappearing right after court sessions. To prevent further surprises from going awry, Qin Yuanxi repeatedly cautioned Lu Bohuan against prying. He emphasized that as long as Lu Bohuan patiently waited, he would eventually be informed when the time was right.
Given these instructions, Lu Bohuan pretended everything was normal. He feigned ignorance of Qin Yuanxi’s covert actions, acting as if he didn’t notice anything, simply waiting to see what Qin Yuanxi was up to.
Qin Yuanxi didn’t keep him waiting too long.
Once again, after court, Qin Yuanxi vanished. Lu Bohuan had grown accustomed to this routine. Placing Xiao Bao on his lap, he reviewed official documents while amusing the child. Despite being quite young, Xiao Bao liked to play with the official documents Lu Bohuan handled. He found pleasure in reading interesting reports to Xiao Bao, regardless of whether the child understood the words.
As the heir apparent, proper education was crucial and had to start from a young age.
Midway through reviewing the documents, Lu Bohuan heard commotion outside. Raising his head, he saw several eunuchs approaching with joyful expressions, holding something. Before he could inquire, they eagerly announced the news.
“His Majesty has sent a gift for the Prince. Would the Prince like to see it?”
Accompanying them was Xiao Bao’s nanny, also beaming as she carried the child away. “His Majesty instructed that the young prince should study today and not be disturbed.”
Lu Bohuan chuckled and shook his head. “What excuse did you come up with? What book is Xiao Bao reading?”
The nanny replied smoothly, “Naturally, it’s the storybook His Majesty prepared for the young prince. His Highness enjoys it very much and insists on reading it daily. He hasn’t read today’s portion yet, so I’ll take him to study now.”
Xiao Bao was a bit reluctant to part from his father, stretching out his little arms, wanting to be held. Since birth, this child had always been fond of sticking close to Lu Bohuan. When Lu Bohuan had been away from the palace for a while, although Xiao Bao was quite young, he had been constantly anxious. Since his parents came back, except during morning court sessions, they had hardly been apart. Even with the nanny’s care, Xiao Bao stayed close.
The child was clever; noticing it wasn’t yet bedtime, he wasn’t too keen on leaving his father.
Lu Bohuan pinched the chubby hand of the little one, negotiating with him, “Dad and your Father Emperor have something to attend to. How about you play by yourself for a bit, and when we’re done, Dad will bring Father Emperor to see you. Good boy, Xiao Bao.”
Lu Bohuan’s approach to educating his child was quite progressive, with a little credit owed to Qin Yuanxi. They didn’t treat their child like just a child. Despite being very young, it didn’t stop them from reasoning with him. Regardless of whether the child could understand, they believed that reasoning had to start early, that cultivation should begin from a young age.
After soothing the child for a few moments, Xiao Bao reluctantly waved goodbye to his father.
Then Lu Bohuan freed his hands to inspect the gift Qin Yuanxi had sent.
“Why did he send me clothes?”
Not just any clothes—Lu Bohuan examined them, noticing they were produced by the Jiang Nan Embroidery Workshop, not from the palace. It was the favorite brand of current officials and dignitaries. It was said to be popular in the capital, and even Lu Bohuan, who usually didn’t pay attention to such matters, had heard of it, indicating the workshop’s considerable reputation.
The fabric felt exquisite, with plain colors bordered by golden edges, both elegant and lavish. The cuffs had intricate patterns sewn with some silk thread, resembling rippling water, enhancing the fabric’s liveliness. Clearly, this garment was meticulously crafted.
“The servant is here to assist the Prince with changing clothes. His Majesty is waiting for the Prince in the Yu Qiong Hall.”
As they say, clothes make the man. Lu Bohuan had never thought he would rely on clothes to dress himself. As he changed, standing before the mirror, he almost didn’t recognize himself. He felt something was different, though he couldn’t pinpoint exactly what. Perhaps he just looked a bit more appealing?
Reflecting on this, even Lu Bohuan felt a bit embarrassed. Who would praise themselves for looking good?
He must really have thick skin.
The eunuch guided Lu Bohuan all the way to the Yu Qiong Hall. At the door, he stopped and didn’t proceed further inside, smiling gently at Lu Bohuan, “It wouldn’t be appropriate for the servant to follow any further. Please, Prince, go ahead.”
Saying this, he helped open the door.
Lu Bohuan knew it was Qin Yuanxi’s doing. Whatever surprises he had been busy with lately, Lu Bohuan had initially thought it was just a fleeting fancy, letting him go along with it. Yet, when he reached the door, he felt a hint of nervousness. Stepping forward, he almost didn’t know which foot to move first.
Shaking his head and inwardly chuckling bitterly, he found himself feeling this awkward.
As the grand doors slowly closed behind Lu Bohuan, he was genuinely left standing there dumbfounded.
The palace comprised numerous disorderly halls, scattered about. Despite spending considerable time in the palace, Lu Bohuan was only truly familiar with the Emperor’s chambers and the Moonlight Pavilion where he had previously resided. Beyond that, he was basically clueless. As for the Yu Qiong Hall where he currently stood, it was completely unknown to him.
Naturally, he had no idea that this palace was filled with flowers—red, pink—names of these flowers escaped Lu Bohuan. The petals were small but intricately delicate, not as prestigious as the rare blooms in the Imperial Garden, yet they possessed a unique gracefulness. The courtyard was filled, presenting quite a stunning sight.
Surveying the surroundings, Lu Bohuan didn’t spot Qin Yuanxi. As he was about to search, he noticed a small mark tied to a branch not far away—a tiny arrow beneath a red rose. The flower was in full bloom, seemingly adorned with dewdrops, obviously carefully tended to after being brought in from outside.
Taking down the rose from the arrow, Lu Bohuan noticed another one ahead, identical arrow, identical rose. It was a directional marker. Following these arrows, he gathered roses along the way, picking so many he lost count. Holding an armful of roses, Lu Bohuan felt a bit foolish.
Why had he picked these flowers? What if there were more ahead? Wouldn’t it be impossible to carry them all?
Luckily, his worries didn’t come true because he saw Qin Yuanxi ahead.
After turning around a moonlit gate, Lu Bohuan spotted Qin Yuanxi standing on an arched bridge adorned with various meticulously arranged flowers. From afar, Lu Bohuan noticed that Qin Yuanxi’s clothes seemed to match his own outfit, the same style, with the only difference being the trim and some details. Qin Yuanxi’s attire lacked intricate patterns and embellishments; his cuffs were tied, giving him a more elegant appearance.
Furthermore, Qin Yuanxi held a bouquet of flowers, seemingly the same roses Lu Bohuan had been picking along the way. However, the bouquet Qin Yuanxi held was noticeably more luxurious than the ones Lu Bohuan had gathered, with larger, more delicate blossoms, looking even more beautiful.
As Lu Bohuan approached, suddenly, music echoed from somewhere, unlike any he had heard before. The tune was lively and cheerful, distinctly different from the elegant melodies of the court’s music. Accompanied by the music, Qin Yuanxi walked towards Lu Bohuan. When he was at a distance, he suddenly knelt, holding the bouquet in his hand.
His kneeling startled Lu Bohuan; the roses in his arms scattered on the ground. Lu Bohuan hurried over, intending to assist him up.
“What are you doing?! Your Majesty, how can you—”
“Hey, why are you interrupting me?” Qin Yuanxi sighed in frustration, quickly pulling away from Lu Bohuan’s grasp. “I’m proposing! I haven’t even started speaking yet! I have more planned! Stop meddling, just stand there, behave! Yes, stay right there, don’t interfere!”
Lu Bohuan, grabbing his arm, refused, his expression turning sour. Qin Yuanxi could sense his annoyance creeping in and took a quick bite of Lu Bohuan’s earlobe.
“Let me tell you, this is our tradition. Before a wedding, this ceremony is necessary to receive blessings. Only after this can we hold the wedding. It’s a prerequisite.”
“Be reasonable; different places have different customs. Just go along with me a bit, follow my tradition first, okay?”
“What tradition requires you to kneel to me?” Lu Bohuan objected. “Since you’re in Great Qin now, you should follow our customs. If I say no kneeling, then no kneeling.”
“Come on, why are you so stubborn?” Qin Yuanxi was annoyed; his carefully prepared proposal was about to be ruined before it even began. How could he let this happen?
“Are you doing this on purpose? Intentionally trying to mess with me? Let me tell you, I put in a lot of effort into this. Today, you have to listen to me. Stand there, it’s just a matter of kneeling down, it’ll be over in a jiffy, or we’ll be here till dark!” Qin Yuanxi pushed Lu Bohuan forward. “Go, go over there, just stand there. Don’t move. Listen to my command, stand properly! Can’t you smile a little? I don’t owe you money. Hurry up, smile!”
The muscles on Lu Bohuan’s face twitched. It was hard to tell if he was smiling or on the verge of tears. It definitely didn’t feel right.
Qin Yuanxi didn’t delve further into it. He kneeled down, lifting a bunch of pretend roses he had prepared, and cleared his throat, speaking solemnly, “Ah Tuo, today is a special day. We’ve been together for a year. On this special day, I have something to say to you. Before meeting you, I never thought about spending my life with anyone. Where we’re from, young people can even remain single for their entire lives. I’ve thought that if I didn’t meet the person I love, my life would be spent in loneliness.
But by chance, I met you. I was attracted to you at first sight. I knew from the beginning that you had the face I liked. I admit I’m quite conventional; I’m just an ordinary person. Later, we went through a lot together, and I realized you are the person I’ve been looking for. Everything about you aligns with my tastes. Besides being good-looking, your temperament, our easy-going relationship, even our perfect compatibility in bed—everything fits. You are the person I want to spend my life with.
Ah Tuo, I like you, I love you. I’m willing to give you everything. For the rest of my life, I hope you’ll be by my side. Will you marry me? Will you spend your life with me?”
“I…”
Before Lu Bohuan could speak, Qin Yuanxi, fearing he might mess things up, quickly intervened. “Just say ‘yes.'”
“Yes, I do. Can you get up now?” Lu Bohuan’s eyes were a bit teary.
Qin Yuanxi took out a ring from the center of the flowers and smiled at Lu Bohuan, “You can wear this. Give me your hand.”
Not knowing what he was up to, Lu Bohuan obediently extended his hand, only to be rejected by Qin Yuanxi. “Left hand.”
Then, his finger felt a slight chill as the silver ring slid onto it. It seemed to be a ring, but unlike any Lu Bohuan had seen before, it was exceptionally unique.
After putting on the ring, the first thing Lu Bohuan did was pull Qin Yuanxi up, embracing him tightly. “Is this okay now? No more of this, okay?!”
“I got it, I got it. Just this once. Proposals are once-in-a-lifetime events, you know. They’re very important,” Qin Yuanxi brushed it off, pulling out another ring from the flower bouquet. “Quick, help me put this on. This is our wedding ring. After wearing this ring, remember, you’re a married man. Be mindful, don’t get swayed by the people outside.”
“This is a wedding ring from our place, it’s no ordinary ring. Don’t look at it as just an ornament, it holds significance. When you wear this ring on your hand, everyone will know you’re married. It’s a symbol of a married person’s status. Understand?” Qin Yuanxi explained, touching the ring on Lu Bohuan’s hand. “After wearing this ring, you’re mine. No one else can even think about it.”
“It was always yours, and no one would dare think otherwise.”
“And this flower.” Qin Yuanxi presented it like a treasure. “I couldn’t find roses. In our place, roses symbolize love. But this flower looks similar, so I’m using it as a substitute. This bunch has 99 flowers, representing a lifetime. I’m giving it to you, giving you my lifetime.”
“Not good,” Lu Bohuan took the bouquet, a bit dissatisfied. “Why just a lifetime? We’re meant to be together for eternity. How many roses do we need for eternity?”
“Well…” Qin Yuanxi seemed a bit puzzled. “Maybe 999?”
“But there aren’t that many! Even these few, I spent a fortune to acquire them. They’re rare, especially this season. Finding these ten flowers was only possible because of my status as the Emperor,” Qin Yuanxi coaxed Lu Bohuan. “Let’s stick with a lifetime for now. In a couple of years, we can cultivate and have acres of them for eternity. How about that?”
Finally, Lu Bohuan reluctantly softened his stern expression.
Hello, everyone ヾ(＾∇＾). I hope you enjoyed the story! If you’re feeling generous, please buy me a coffee, share/comment on my translated works! Check out the link below for early chapters. (๑>ᴗ<๑)
