During the time before the wedding, it was the most relaxed and enjoyable period for Qin Yuanxi. He was so happy that it seemed like bubbles of happiness would burst out any moment.
The whole affair of the grand wedding was entirely handled by Lu Bohuan. Qin Yuanxi only needed to give suggestions, alter plans, and share all the wedding details he desired with Lu Bohuan. All the other intricate matters were taken care of by Lu Bohuan.
The Emperor’s wedding was no trivial matter. When it came down to the actual preparations, Qin Yuanxi realized how troublesome it could be and how naive he was in thinking of keeping surprises from Lu Bohuan.
This matter was enormous; the Ministry of Rites held the primary responsibility, with various other departments coordinating their efforts. Practically everyone was assigned tasks, and it wasn’t something that could be quietly prepared in private. The scale of this endeavor was immense. If Lu Bohuan hadn’t been keeping an eye on it, Qin Yuanxi himself might not have been able to handle this entire affair.
At such times, Qin Yuanxi couldn’t help but marvel at his good fortune in having such a capable wife by his side to assist. His competence knew no bounds – he was truly impressive in every aspect!
The post-wedding scenario was no trivial matter either. The Ministry of Rites had outlined a series of procedures for Qin Yuanxi to review. At first glance, it seemed fine, but upon closer inspection, it was overwhelming. People often said that ancient rituals were intricate, but Qin Yuanxi hadn’t anticipated them being this complicated.
“So many rules, seriously?”
He had attended weddings of relatives before, where the newlyweds complained about the fatigue and hardship of the ceremonies. If not for family obligations, they surely wouldn’t have bothered with the hassle. Qin Yuanxi realized that compared to the Emperor’s grand wedding, modern weddings were like child’s play. Could they be any more relaxed?!
Before he could finish sighing, Lu Bohuan came over and tousled Qin Yuanxi’s head, saying, “We’ve instructed the Ministry of Rites to eliminate any irrelevant procedures. There won’t be many from the Lu family, and few royal relatives are coming. It’s merely a formality; it might be a bit taxing, but Your Majesty will have to endure for now.”
“No worries, having a sense of ceremony is a good thing. For a major event like marriage, it should be done grandly,” Qin Yuanxi grasped Lu Bohuan’s hand, speaking earnestly, “Don’t overthink it. I’m just not used to it. I’ve never been through such a pompous affair. It’s too much, you know? Who could have thought they’d become an emperor one day? And then have to get married as an emperor? If I had known, I’d probably have laughed myself awake from the dream.”
“Besides, I think having it grand is quite nice,” Qin Yuanxi looked at Lu Bohuan and grinned, “This is our lifelong affair. Of course, we should make it grand. Otherwise, how can I make it up to you? Don’t you agree?”
Even if the Emperor’s wedding was intended to be simple, Lu Bohuan never intended it to be so.
On the surface, he seemed quite gentle, but in reality, for someone who could be jealous, how magnanimous could he be?
This was not just the Emperor’s grand wedding; it was also his grand ascension ceremony. Naturally, it had to be done extravagantly. He wanted everyone in the world to know that the person was his, to prevent unnecessary thoughts from wandering and to end certain people’s aspirations. Through this grand wedding, Lu Bohuan aimed to quash any lingering doubts!
Under Lu Bohuan’s guidance, the preparatory work for the grand wedding proceeded methodically. Qin Yuanxi only did two major things. First, he released all the eligible women remaining in the palace. Unlike before, this time, they were released through legitimate channels. Those who remained were elderly maids without dependents and the eunuchs who couldn’t leave the palace. Almost all the marriageable young girls in the palace were released.
For those who were hesitant to leave the palace, Qin Yuanxi showed no mercy. He sent all those people directly to the villa. After all, the villa was far from the palace, and the Emperor was distant. Their stay or departure was no longer restricted. In short, they could no longer stay in the palace, and there would be no more recruitment of new palace maids in the future.
This decision sparked considerable debate. Even Lu Bohuan, during a nighttime conversation with Qin Yuanxi, brought up this issue casually.
“You released all of them from the palace. Who will serve now? And how will the palace’s daily chores and maintenance be handled? Isn’t this a bit excessive?”
“But,” Qin Yuanxi, feeling quite tired, rubbed his eyes and still shared his thoughts with Lu Bohuan, “You haven’t counted the personnel in the palace. There’s a surplus. Those eunuchs who can’t leave the palace are sufficient to maintain the daily operations of the palace. Most of the previous palace maids were serving in the concubines’ residences, more like doing menial chores. With no need for them now, and the few old concubines having their attendants, how many personnel do we need apart from the two of us and Xiao Bao?”
“No need to keep those girls here suffering needlessly,” Qin Yuanxi, barely keeping his eyes open, continued, “Another thing, even if I don’t say it, you know it too. Do you really think all those palace maids work? How many are hoping for a sudden rise to become the phoenix on a branch? As long as these people remain in the palace, that thought lingers. It’s better to let them find their own paths as soon as possible.”
Lu Bohuan held onto a lock of Qin Yuanxi’s hair for a while without saying a word. Just when Qin Yuanxi was about to doze off, suddenly he heard him ask, “Does Your Majesty not plan to take consorts in the future?”
The drowsiness instantly vanished.
Qin Yuanxi rubbed his eyes warily and looked at Lu Bohuan, “What do you mean?”
“Do you really not want to take consorts?”
Before Lu Bohuan could continue, Qin Yuanxi fiercely retorted, “Impossible! Don’t even dream about it!”
After saying this, still annoyed with Lu Bohuan, he wrapped himself entirely in the blanket, turned his back on Lu Bohuan, and refused to talk to him.
Lu Bohuan wasn’t upset; he simply moved closer, beside Qin Yuanxi. “Actually, if you want, I don’t mind. Throughout history, which emperor didn’t have multiple consorts? If you have someone you like, I can accommodate her!”
But if one listens closely to the latter part of the sentence, there’s a hidden dark undertone—a vortex that could engulf someone.
“I won’t accommodate!” Qin Yuanxi widened his eyes, kicking out at Lu Bohuan, “Are you serious? Taking consorts? I’ve bent over backward, even given birth to our child. Take in a bunch of women to cuckold me? Let me tell you, it’s impossible! Spare me these twisted notions. If I catch a hint of this again, sleep on the floor by yourself!”
“Not sleeping on the floor,” Lu Bohuan hugged him tightly, “That’s what you said. If I catch you having any thoughts about another woman, you’ll regret it!”
“Alright, alright, what’s gotten into you?” Qin Yuanxi impatiently said, “Are you having pre-marriage jitters? Why am I not worried about anything? It’s just an alliance, a wedding. Why complicate things? You never brought this up before. I just dismissed some palace maids. Look at your wandering thoughts! Tomorrow, I’ll find an empty place and set up a vinegar brewery just for you.”
Qin Yuanxi grumbled irritably while Lu Bohuan seemed rather happy. He kissed the nape of Qin Yuanxi’s neck and pulled him closer.
“I’m not afraid. I’m eagerly anticipating our grand wedding.”
“After the grand wedding, you’ll belong to me, announced to the entire world, solely mine.”
Following this conversation, Qin Yuanxi proceeded with the second major matter.
Before the grand wedding, he issued an edict officially proclaiming Lu Bohuan as the Empress. Simultaneously, he decreed advocating for monogamy, emphasizing the sanctity of one husband and one wife. According to this decree, only marriages with official recognition were legally acknowledged. This decree caused an uproar throughout the nation, mostly in opposition. But seated high on the dragon throne, Qin Yuanxi turned a blind eye and a deaf ear to it all. Monogamy was necessary, and the opposition arose because it infringed on the interests of the majority, especially influential families who maintained numerous mistresses. Of course, they wouldn’t approve.
Qin Yuanxi wasn’t in a rush. Presently, it was just a proposal. The actual implementation would be a long road ahead. For now, he was setting an example, starting with himself—dismissal of palace maids, refusal to take consorts, living a one-on-one life with his Empress. With time, setting an example would gradually have its effect. Eventually, this policy would naturally come into practice.
By the time he finished handling these two major matters, it was nearing the year-end. With the turn of the year, the grand wedding day approached steadily.
On New Year’s Eve, there was a palace banquet, a customary tradition. Originally, Qin Yuanxi wasn’t too eager. He wanted a family reunion dinner with just the three of them. But now, he had to attend this function. Annoying, isn’t it?
Which company’s boss lacks humanity to this extent? It’s New Year’s Eve, and they still drag the employees into team-building exercises. It’s downright outrageous!
However, the current predicament for this company’s boss was being coerced by the employees into participating in team-building exercises, and he was feeling extremely annoyed.
“The palace banquet is a necessity; it showcases His Majesty’s magnanimity. Celebrating the New Year’s Eve with His Majesty is a tremendous favor for the officials. Your Majesty might not be aware, but Minister Liu from the Ministry of Works prepared his brand-new court attire half a month ago, anticipating today’s palace banquet. Your Majesty cannot display a small temper.”
“When did I display a small temper?” Qin Yuanxi stretched out his hand, letting Lu Bohuan help him with his attire, “I just can’t understand why these people don’t go home for dinner. Is the palace food that good? If it’s good, let the palace chefs prepare some and send it to them.”
“It will be sent,” Lu Bohuan reminded, “The royal kitchen has already arranged it. Several high-ranking officials will receive food boxes. They’ll be sent when the palace banquet disperses, to showcase Your Majesty’s…”
“Magnanimous favor,” Qin Yuanxi slumped against Lu Bohuan, “I understand. And Xiao Bao? My son? Where’s the Crown Prince? Quickly go and fetch him. Let him experience the joyous occasion of family and country reunion ahead of time, even at his young age. While his father suffers here, he cannot indulge himself. We father and son must share hardships and fortunes together.”
“Why are you bothering him? He’s just a little child.”
“You’re worried about him; don’t you worry about me?” Qin Yuanxi was displeased, “He’s nearly two years old after the New Year. It’s time for him to learn and grow. A successor needs nurturing from an early age. He needs to become familiar with how to be an emperor. It’s better to start familiarizing him from the thirty-first.”
Seeing the situation might turn into a tantrum, Lu Bohuan had to relent, “Alright, alright, let him learn. Is that okay?”
Only then did Qin Yuanxi nod satisfactorily, “That’s more like it. My son likes you, I like my son, but you have to like me too. Otherwise, our family won’t be complete. If my son likes you and you favor him, I’ll feel unbalanced.”
“I favor only you.”
Xiao Bao, who had changed into new clothes, had no idea what he would experience or what lay ahead for him in the future.
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)
