In the bustling city of Shuoxia, the Shen family’s home was abuzz with activity. After a long night of preparations, Shen Tanqi finally found a moment to rest. Yet, the incessant chatter of his sisters Shen Tanjiu and Lin Tanjiu filled his ears.
“That pinkish-red veil doesn’t look good. My brother prefers something more vivid; it should be bright red, just like in a traditional Chinese wedding.”
“But this pinkish-red looks better with the overall theme. Why not let Cousin try it on first?”
Before Shen Tanqi could protest, his sisters had dragged him out of bed and into a chair in front of a bronze mirror. They placed a bright red veil on his head.
With a resigned smile, Shen Tanqi removed it and said, “I don’t need this veil. Just use a red string to tie my hair back.”
Wearing this veil and long wedding gown would make it hard for him to move. He’d be mortified if he tripped and fell flat on his face during the ceremony.
“That won’t do, the tradition is to wear the bridal veil,” Lin Tanjiu whispered in protest.
Shen Tanjiu, however, laughed and said, “There are too many rules. I also think the veil doesn’t look good on our brother. Besides, everyone here today is family, so we don’t need to worry about these small formalities.”
Besides, Shen Tanqi looked incredibly handsome in his bright red wedding attire, with his rosy lips and sparkling teeth. It would be a shame to hide such a distinguished face under a veil.
Unable to win against her two siblings, Lin Tanjiu sighed softly and joined in the laughter. “Alright, alright, we’ll do it your way. The bride and groom are the most important today. But little Shen, do you want to take a nap?”
Last night, Shen Tanjiu had stayed up late, helping her pick out clothes and do her makeup.
They had agreed that one would be called Little Lin and the other Little Shen, one wearing green and the other blue, like real sisters.
Shen Tanjiu was indeed tired. She rubbed her eyes and looked at Shen Tanqi, her gaze softening. “I won’t sleep. I want to watch my brother get married.”
When she was alone in the modern world, no matter how much money she had, she couldn’t be happy. The thought of missing Shen Tanqi’s wedding made her heart ache terribly. But luckily, fate was kind. She was transported here just in time for his wedding.
She used to read those transmigration novels, always thinking that being transported into a book would mean facing endless hardships, especially in a world of cultivation. In those stories, the male lead often killed his wife for power. When she first read those books, she worried endlessly about Shen Tanqi, fearing his partner might be like those male leads, and she lost sleep over it.
But then Shen Tanwu reassured her, telling her that Ah Qi’s man was a good one—great with children and devoted to his family. He wasn’t a bad guy.
She had seen Yu Ce—honest, pure-hearted, and good-looking too. Only someone like him could make her feel secure in entrusting Shen Tanqi to his care.
Their family had endured so much hardship from childhood until now, and finally, things were starting to look up. With Ah Qi marrying Yu Ce, she could focus on Shen Tanwu’s situation. She wondered if her older brother was as lucky as her second brother. But even if he wasn’t, it was okay. She was ready to stand by her brother’s side for life.
“It’s fine if you stay with me for now,” Shen Tanqi said softly, giving her hand a gentle pat. “They’re probably still setting up the banquet in the main hall. I heard the ceremony won’t start until nearly dusk, so there’s no rush.”
A couple of soft knocks interrupted their conversation. A servant from outside arrived with a few bowls of vegetarian dumplings.
“Come on, have some to keep your energy up,” Lin Tanjiu said with a playful smile, nudging Shen Tanjiu. “You can skip sleep, but if you don’t eat, you’ll be too hungry to last through the evening.”
The aroma of the dumplings made Shen Tanjiu’s stomach growl. She swallowed hard, clearly hungry, and handed a bowl to Shen Tanqi first. “Here, have some, second brother.” Since today was Shen Tanqi’s special day, she made sure he got the first bowl. On a normal day, she wouldn’t have been so polite.
Shen Tanqi chuckled and took the bowl of dumplings. The mustard greens filling was incredibly delicious. As he began to eat, his two younger sisters joined in.
“The cooks in the Shen family are really skilled,” Lin Tanjiu praised, then seemed to recall something. “After lunch today, will they still be having drinks in the evening?”
Hearing this, Shen Tanjiu caught on to her hint and looked at Shen Tanqi with curiosity. Teasingly, she asked, “Brother, does Yu Ce drink?”
At her question, Shen Tanqi remembered a day when he had tried to get Yu Ce to join him for drinks. Yu Ce had firmly refused, sitting straight-backed and resolute. Since the Rongyun Sect prohibited alcohol, Yu Ce had never drunk a drop.
As for how much Yu Ce could drink, Shen Tanqi wasn’t really sure. He was curious to see what Yu Ce would be like after drinking.
“You don’t know either?” Shen Tanjiu whispered with a sly grin. “I’ve heard that big brother and your Rongyun Sect brothers are planning to get him drunk.”
Shen Tanqi was speechless. He had suspected that Shen Tanwu wouldn’t let Yu Ce off easily. His older brother had a long memory for grudges. After Yu Ce had given him a rough time on the trial platform, Shen Tanwu had been muttering about finding a chance to settle the score.
Looks like he was just waiting for the right moment. Shen Tanqi hoped Yu Ce had a good tolerance for alcohol—otherwise, if he ended up throwing up right away, they might be in for a long, sleepless night… in the literal sense.
After breakfast, Shen Tanqi was summoned by the family head to the peach blossom grave to offer ancestral sacrifices. After honoring their ancestors, it was time to pay respects to his late mother.
Kneeling in the middle of the hall, Shen Tanqi clasped his hands together, closed his eyes, and whispered, “Mother, it’s me, Ah Qi.”
The family head watched him solemnly, then signaled to the attendant beside him. The matron immediately called out, “The groom will now recite the ancestral tribute.”
Shen Tanqi took a deep breath and looked at the gentle, smiling face in the portrait. His heart trembled. Despite knowing she couldn’t hear him and not feeling particularly nervous, his palms were still sweaty.
“Your son has come to pay his respects and asks how you are.”
“Today, I am leaving the house. Please don’t worry about me. The debt of your kindness is hard to repay, but I promise to return in the next life.”
He bent down again and spoke softly, as if talking to himself. “Mother, next time I’ll bring Yu Ce to see you. You’ve seen him; he’s grown up now and is coming to marry me and take me home.”
The hall was filled with a profound silence. Shen Tanqi lifted his gaze and saw his mother’s serene smile in the portrait. Her eyes seemed even gentler than before, Shen Tanqi momentarily lost his focus.
It wasn’t until the attendant’s voice broke the stillness that he snapped back to reality.
“The newlywed should return; the banquet is starting.”
Reluctantly, he gazed at his mother’s smile for a long moment before slowly standing up. At the attendant’s gentle prompting, he stepped over the threshold, and slowly left.
After he left, a faint spirit lingered quietly, watching him with a smile. “My son looks so handsome in his wedding robes.”
Beside her, more spirits appeared out of thin air.
“Well, look at my great-grandson, he’s grown up to be even more handsome than his father!”
“Who wouldn’t agree? I wonder which family is lucky enough to marry our great-grandson…”
The woman turned to the chattering spirits and said with a smile, “Old Madam, Ah Qi is getting married!”
At her words, the other spirits looked at each other in surprise.
One of them opened their mouth to say it didn’t seem proper, but then paused. After all, they were all dead—what did propriety matter now?
“Who is he marrying?”
“He’s marrying… someone I knew as a child.” Tears welled up in her eyes, but she smiled warmly as she wiped them away. “I personally chose him. He’s a very good boy.”
Yu Ce, it’s Yu Ce…
So, it turns out that Ah Qi’s beloved is Yu Ce.
With this, she could finally rest easy, ready for her next reincarnation. Ah Qi, live happily with the happiness she’s passed on to you.
In Shuoxia City, firecrackers exploded and gongs and drums created a lively uproar, signaling the start of the wedding feast.
The Shen family’s celebration was grand, fitting for Shen Tanqi, and the head of the Shen family had spared no expense. With help from Rongyun Sect disciples, the banquet stretched from the east of the city all the way into the heart of town. The locals were showered with copper coins, while beggars and the poor were given free meals for half a month. Even stray dogs had their fill.
After the grand midday feast, the Shen family head decided to host another banquet in the evening. By then, all the guests who had been delayed during the day had arrived.
Shen Tanwu sat at the main table, surrounded by seven or eight jars of plum wine, said to be the strongest liquor in Shuoxia. He had been waiting all day for the moment to teach Yu Ce a lesson. He made sure he had enough room in his stomach, determined to challenge Yu Ce to a drinking game and have him in tears by the end of it.
As he sat there, a strange little bird caught his eye. It stood quietly, its bright feathers gleaming, and its black eyes intently watching the bustling crowd—and especially Shen Tanwu.
Shen Tanwu noticed the bird too. It was a pretty bird, with shiny feathers and dark eyes.
However, he couldn’t figure out what kind of bird it was, only thinking it looked like some sort of protected species.
Shen Tanwu stared at the bird for a while, and suddenly, it transformed on the tree branch into a young boy with a pale face and dressed in black, his gaze lowered as he stared directly at Shen Tanwu.
“You…!”
The boy placed a finger to his lips and whispered, “Shh.”
Shen Tanwu scratched his head and softly asked, “We meet again so soon. Have you made up your mind?”
The boy glanced at him, his voice indifferent. “Who cares about you? I’m just here to deliver a wedding gift.”
Shen Tanwu was speechless… Still as proud as ever.
The boy casually tossed a small wooden box wrapped in golden silk down from the branch and said flatly, “Take this to your brother and tell him it’s the Demon Lord’s seal. With this seal, it’s as if the Demon Lord himself is present. He might need it in the future.”
He knew that after Shen Tanqi’s wedding, in three years, he would start working to foster harmony between the daemon and human clans in Shuoxia City. With the demon clan likely causing trouble, it wouldn’t be an easy task. This gift was to let Shen Tanqi know that he would handle any issues from the demon clan.
Hearing this, Shen Tanwu quickly tightened his grip on the seal, surprised. “Something this valuable… You’re giving it to my brother. What about you?”
The boy, who had been ready to fly off, paused and looked back at him, saying, “The seal is just for those demons who don’t know their place. If anyone dares to challenge me, it means they don’t want to live.”
Shen Tanwu was silent for a moment before saying, “Alright, confidence is a good thing.”
He hesitated, then seeing the boy about to leave, he raised a jar of pear blossom wine and grinned, “Kid, how about a drink before you go?”
He remembered that day when Jing Wei had seemed ready to end it all, and there had been the scent of alcohol in the air—it was likely Jing Wei had been drinking.
“I don’t drink,” Jing Wei said with narrowed eyes, speaking in a low voice. “Just deliver my message, understood?”
Shen Tanwu rubbed his nose and muttered, “You’re really not polite. I think you’re just scared to drink with me. Hurry up and leave; I’ll find someone else.”
Jing Wei: ?
His fingers clenched tightly around the tree branch, almost tearing into the bark. Jing Wei’s eyes darkened as he leaped down from the treetop. Before Shen Tanwu could react, the wine jar was snatched from his hand. Jing Wei, his face pale, downed the liquor in one go, then shot a scornful glance at him.
Shen Tanwu was stunned but clapped his hands in surprise. “So you can drink after all! I underestimated you…”
But before he could finish, Jing Wei, unable to handle the alcohol, suddenly collapsed right in front of him.
Shen Tanwu sighed with a soft chuckle, gently ruffled Jing Wei’s hair, and pulled him into his arms, murmuring, “Little Demon Lord, sometimes you don’t have to be so tough.”
In the courtyard, the festive drums began to beat.
Dusk was approaching, and the sky grew dim. It was said that in ancient times, people chose to marry at dusk because the word for ‘marriage’ sounds the same as ‘dusk’1‘婚’- ‘marriage’; ‘昏’- ‘dusk’ – The belief was that getting married at dusk symbolized the transition to a new stage in life, much like how the day transitions into night. It added a symbolic layer to the marriage, implying that the couple was entering a new phase together..
“The groom is entering the main hall—”
Shen Tanwu immediately looked up, anxiously gazing toward the entrance where newlyweds would appear.
Outside the courtyard, Yu Ce slowly walked in, holding the hands of three beautiful, jade-like children. His expression was calm and upright, dressed in bright red robes that looked like they were painted on, making him appear like an immortal who had descended to the mortal world, carrying a touch of earthly warmth.
Shen Tanwu’s excitement waned instantly when he saw Yu Ce arriving first. He lazily pulled Jing Wei closer and downed another drink.
Why was it this annoying brat? When was Shen Tanqi going to show up?
Just as he was pondering this, the drums sounded again, and the attendant called out, “The bride is entering the main hall—”
Shen Tanwu immediately straightened up, even pushing Jing Wei aside, his eyes fixed intently on the entrance.
At last, the moment everyone had been waiting for arrived. Shen Tanjiu and Lin Tanjiu, each holding Shen Tanqi’s hand, slowly walked through the door.
Everyone’s eyes turned toward him. Shen Tanqi saw many familiar faces—his brother, Fang Wenxun, Xiao Qingyu, Xiao Yu, the elders of the Danfeng Peak from Rongyun Sect, elders and young disciples from the Qingliu Sect, and more…
Everyone had come to see him. Shen Tanqi was thrilled, but more than that, he felt a bit shy and embarrassed.
Looking further ahead, he saw Yu Ce’s figure in the main hall, standing tall and straight in his wedding attire. As he noticed Shen Tanqi’s arrival, Yu Ce and the three children turned to look at him.
In that instant, seeing Shen Tanqi in his wedding robes, Yu Ce’s eyes brightened, and he let out a soft sigh of relief, almost involuntarily.
The attendant beside him quietly nudged him, reminding, “Don’t steal glances; you’ll have plenty of time to see later.”
Yu Ce bit his lip, reluctantly tearing his gaze away from Shen Tanqi. His fingers, hidden in his sleeve, tightened a little more.
There would be plenty of time to look later.
“Daddy looks so good.”
“Of course, Daddy looks best in red.”
The children whispered excitedly.
Shen Tanqi couldn’t hear their whispers, but seeing Yu Ce’s reluctant glance only made him more nervous. Even though they had practiced the ceremony countless times in private, now that it was actually happening, just a glance made him feel all tingly, as if he didn’t know what to do next.
“Step over the fire basin to ward off evil—”
The attendant’s loud call snapped Shen Tanqi out of his daze.
His heart pounded heavily as he lowered his eyes to the fire basin in front of him. With his sisters carefully supporting him, he stepped over it.
“After stepping over the fire basin, all will be auspicious!” the attendant announced, using mugwort to pat and bless him with a few more words of good fortune before leading him into the main hall.
Entering the main hall, Shen Tanqi stood in the center, gazing up at the high seat where the family head and Consort Shen were seated.
The two elders watched him with serene smiles, and his nervousness seemed to dissipate in that moment.
After all, this was his own home, filled with his closest family and dearest friends. What was there to be nervous or afraid of? Even if he stumbled and fell flat during the ceremony, everyone would just laugh and help him up, brushing off the dust.
He had family and friends; there was nothing to fear.
Shen Tanqi gave a small, reassuring smile as he heard the attendant call out, “First bow to heaven and earth!”
He was familiar with this part of the ceremony, having seen it often in dramas. Both Shen Tanqi and Yu Ce turned to face the sky and earth outside and bowed deeply.
“Second bow to the parents!”
Shen Tanqi and Yu Ce then turned to bow to the family head and Consort Shen, offering their respectful salutes.
“Finally, the couple bows to each other—”
As the words were spoken, Shen Tanqi turned and looked at Yu Ce.
Everyone held their breath, their eyes fixed on the couple.
Yu Ce turned to meet Shen Tanqi’s gaze. The two shared a knowing smile and then slowly raised their hands to perform the bowing ceremony.
Yu Ce’s low voice reached Shen Tanqi’s ears. “Ah Qi, please continue to bear with me and the children in the future.”
Shen Tanqi blinked, glancing at him with a sly look. “So formal?”
“Of course,” Yu Ce replied with a serious tone.
Before Shen Tanqi could respond, someone in the silent hall murmured, “It’s time for the tea ceremony. I heard that the one who serves tea first secures the highest status in the family.”
Sure enough, the attendant called out, “Serve tea to the parents—”
Immediately, Yu Ce reached for the tea from the tray, moving ahead of Shen Tanqi to serve the family head.
Shen Tanqi was a step behind, grabbing Yu Ce’s sleeve and threatening, “Don’t you dare.”
He had just praised Yu Ce for being polite, but now he was rushing to claim the top spot in the family hierarchy.
Yu Ce was stopped, and with a smile, he said quietly, “Ah Qi, don’t worry. I just want to serve tea to your parents.”
“Serve tea,” Shen Tanqi shot him a glance, “You wait your turn.”
Yu Ce sighed in resignation and stepped back, waiting patiently behind Shen Tanqi.
It seemed he was destined to have little status in this family. But… he was enjoying it.
After the tea was served, with Yu Ce, the little rascal who was about to steal his son, calling him father, the family head was on the verge of tears. He had to force himself to hold back the tears and quickly urge them to move on.
“The wedding night is upon us, the auspicious hour has arrived. Let us send them off…”
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)
