Li Chengqian of the Tang Dynasty: Please say long live His Majesty

Chapter 152: Three Kneels and Nine Kowtows, Entering the Bridal Chamber (Part )

The ninth day of the first lunar month is a good time to get married.

Above the palace road, red lanterns were hung on the treetops.

At the top of the branches, red silk swayed in the wind.

Inside the Eastern Palace, Li Chengqian was wearing a bright red python robe and bowed to everyone around him with a somewhat nervous expression.

The entire East Palace is now filled with guests.

Almost all officials above the fifth rank in Chang'an came today.

Many provincial and county governors who were supposed to return to their local areas after the New Year's Day court also came.

Of course, there are also foreign envoys from various countries.

Li Chengqian even saw the figure of the Xueyantuo envoy Shange.

The majority, of course, are the princes of the royal family. Except for Li Tai who was under house arrest, all other princes, dukes, princesses, and princesses who were able to come are here today.

Everyone looked at Li Chengqian with a smile.

……

Red lanterns are hung high and firecrackers are set off.

Joy and celebration, money everywhere.

Li Chengqian stood in front of Chongde Hall and looked behind him.

Wei Wei was dressed in a luxurious red and blue phoenix robe, with a nine-colored golden crown with flowers on her head, her face painted with exquisite flower makeup, and a peach-branch round fan in her hand to cover her face. She stepped steadily over the saddle and brazier, stepped on the red felt, and walked step by step to Li Chengqian's side.

After standing still, she looked at Li Chengqian in panic. At this moment, Li Chengqian also turned his head to look at her.

There was a clear sense of uneasiness in his bright eyes, just like a little white rabbit that could be frightened at any moment.

Their eyes met, and Li Chengqian nodded comfortingly, and Wei Wei's expression finally relaxed.

A red wedding silk was stuffed into Li Chengqian's hand, and the other end was in Wei Wei's hand.

They both held on tightly at the same time.

In front, Li Daozong, the Minister of Rites, walked to the side of the Heaven and Earth Table and shouted loudly: "Bride and groom, bow to Heaven and Earth, kneel!"

Li Chengqian and Wei Wei both knelt down at the same time.

Bow once, bow twice, bow three times.

"Stand up!" As soon as Li Daozon's voice fell, Li Chengqian and Wei Wei stood up at the same time.

The Heaven and Earth Table was moved to one side, and Li Dao Zong shouted, "Enter the hall."

Li Chengqian and Wei Wei, both holding the red wedding silk, walked forward step by step, and finally walked into the main hall side by side.

The emperor sat on the left side of the central hall, and Concubine Pei sat on the right side of the central hall.

Pei and Wei Zheng's wife Pei were sisters. Although their relationship was not close, they were related by blood after all.

Now the emperor and Pei were sitting together, and the emperor also gave it to Wei Zheng.

After all, the Crown Prince married Crown Prince Liangti, and Li Chengqian never went to Duke Zheng's mansion and did not kowtow to Wei Zheng. Now that Pei has replaced him, it can be regarded as a small explanation to Wei Zheng.

If it were usual, Changsun Wuji would inevitably argue a few words, but now Wei Zheng has retired and his health is not good, so Changsun Wuji didn't say much.

Li Dao Zong stood to one side and shouted, "Bow to your parents twice, kneel down!"

Li Chengqian and Wei Wei knelt down at the same time again and kowtowed three times to the Emperor and Concubine Pei.

Li Dao Zong shouted again: "Husband and wife bow to each other, kneel!"

Under the gaze of countless court officials, royal family members, relatives by marriage, and foreign envoys, Li Chengqian and Wei Wei stood opposite each other, looked at each other, and then knelt down directly.

Bow once, bow twice, bow three times.

"Fan it." The peach-branch round fan that Wei Wei was holding tightly in front of her was put down in an instant, and her beautiful and gentle face suddenly appeared in front of people.

"Get up, the ceremony is over, send her to the bridal chamber!"

……

At the gate of Cheng'en Hall, Li Chengqian held the wedding silk in his hand, and then walked into Cheng'en Hall with the cautious Wei Wei.

Eight maids stood on both sides of the bed. Under the wedding quilt, wedding fruits such as longan, lychee, red dates, chestnuts, and peanuts had been placed in advance.

Above that, there is a low table with a washbasin on it.

"Wash your hands."

Li Chengqian and Wei Wei put their hands into the copper basin at the same time.

Warm water was poured into the hands of both people. Li Chengqian moved forward slightly and covered Wei Wei's small hand with his big hand.

Wei Wei subconsciously wanted to shrink back, but at this moment, her soft hands had been tightly grasped by Li Chengqian.

Wei Wei's cheeks suddenly turned red with shame, then she raised her head carefully and looked at Li Chengqian timidly.

Under the golden crown of the nine-flower tree, the uneasiness in his eyes gradually faded.

"To share the same prison, we must exchange cups and untie our ribbons; to share the same high and low, we will never be separated."

Wei Wei raised her head and looked straight at Li Chengqian. Her black eyes were so bright and beautiful that people couldn't help but be deeply attracted by them.

Li Chengqian raised his hand, picked up two red wine glasses from the red tray beside him, and handed one of them to Wei Wei.

Cross your arms and look into each other's eyes.

At close range, Li Chengqian stared straight into Wei Wei's charming eyes, his eyes full of pity.

After finishing a glass of wine, Li Chengqian stood up, walked behind Wei Wei, and gently took off the engagement tassel from her head.

With her long hair draped down, at this moment, Wei Wei was no longer an unmarried girl, but the Crown Prince Liangti of the Eastern Palace.

Li Chengqian placed the engagement tassel on a tray at the side. At the entrance of Cheng'en Hall, a cheerleader immediately shouted loudly: "Respectfully inform heaven and earth, the ceremony is complete... the ceremony is complete..."

The sound echoed throughout the East Palace.

Li Chengqian looked at Wei Wei. Wei Wei lowered her head shyly, a blush appeared on her face and spread along her fair neck.

Suddenly, Wei Wei didn't know what she was thinking about, but her face turned pale.

Li Chengqian suddenly realized that there was no hair-tying ceremony.

For Li Chengqian, his only wife was Su Shu.

Wei Wei knew this, so she looked a little gloomy.

With a smile, Li Chengqian gently approached Wei Wei's ear and whispered something. She looked up with a slight surprise, her face full of joy.

Under the golden flower crown, there are rosy lips, a high nose bridge, dark eyes, and jade-like skin.

Her cheeks are so rosy that one can't wait to take a bite of them.

……

The house was filled with guests. Li Chengqian took Li Zhi and Li Fu and toasted from Guangtian Hall to Lizheng Hall, Chongjiao Hall and Chongde Hall, and toasted all the important officials.

Especially officials from the Menxia Province and the Censorate.

Many of them had worked under Wei Zheng, and even more of them regarded Wei Zheng as an idol.

He spoke frankly and gave honest advice, loved his king without regard for his own life, and became a famous official of his generation.

Although Crown Prince Li Chengqian acted somewhat absurdly in the past few years, after he broke his leg, he gradually showed his ability to accept advice and make wise decisions.

If this continues, he will surely become a wise ruler.

Now that the emperor is in the court, those who can actually walk up to him and speak to him are all important ministers who have served for many years. It is actually very difficult for the younger generation to make a name for themselves in this dynasty.

Ma Zhou and Chu Suiliang are already extremely rare people.

So more people turned their attention to Li Chengqian, hoping that he would treat them the same way the emperor treated Wei Zheng in the future.

Of course Li Chengqian would do so.

Following the example of his father.

If it is beneficial to you, you will listen and make changes; if it is not beneficial to you, you will just listen and not make changes.

You must do your best to keep up with the surface work.

This is his father.

Speaking of the emperor, he had already left. He did not stay long. After all, even if Wei Zheng was a famous minister, the emperor still had to consider the feelings of the Crown Princess.

When the feast finally ended, the prosperity burned out and the population was sparse.

Li Anyan escorted the guests out of the East Palace on behalf of Li Chengqian, while Li Chengqian stood in front of the Chongjiao Hall door and bowed to see the guests off.

He didn't have to do this, but...

"Duke!" Li Chengqian turned around, looked at Lu Chengqing, who was at the end, and bowed slightly.

"Your Highness!" Lu Chengqing returned the greeting and looked at Li Chengqian and asked, "Your Highness, do you know that Lu Hu's father and brother were both arrested and imprisoned yesterday?"

"Oh?" Li Chengqian looked at Lu Chengqing in surprise and asked, "Why? I've been busy with my own affairs recently and haven't paid much attention to the outside world."

Lu Chengqing smiled faintly, then said, "I heard that His Highness had someone transfer the official files of Lu Hu's father and brother?"

The matter of transferring official files from the Ministry of Personnel might be hidden from Chai Lingwu, but it definitely could not be hidden from Lu Chengqing.

"Oh!" Li Chengqian suddenly tapped his forehead and said suddenly, "I almost forgot. Those were things I arranged years ago. Later, that person was arrested and imprisoned in Qianniu Prison, and I forgot about it... But then again, there shouldn't be any problems with them, right?"

"No, the Wushui County Earl said they will be released tomorrow." Lu Chengqing looked at Li Chengqian and said, "As long as His Highness has nothing to investigate."

"There's nothing I need to investigate. I probably haven't had the energy to think about that lately." Li Chengqian smiled gently.

At this time, Lu Chengqing's expression became serious.

It seemed that the more relaxed and calm Li Chengqian was, the more serious he became.

"Your Highness, do you have anything to say to me?" Lu Chengqing bowed seriously to Li Chengqian.

Li Chengqian raised his head, looked at the sky above, and said softly: "My Lord, have you ever thought about where to go next?"

A hint of mockery flashed in Lu Chengqing's eyes, but then he bowed and said, "No, Your Highness, please give me some advice?"

"You don't need my guidance." Li Chengqian shook his head and said, "The affairs of the Central Government have always been ever-changing. I am at most an outsider."

"Oh!" Lu Chengqing looked at Li Chengqian in surprise, and bowed slightly, saying, "Your Highness, please speak."

"Your Majesty, Father is planning an expedition to the East. There's no need to elaborate further on this matter." Li Chengqian looked at Lu Chengqing and said, "Have you ever considered taking up a post in Hebei, Qi and Lu, or even Jiangnan? Perhaps it's possible. I hope Your Majesty can fully support Your Majesty. No, I hope the Lu family of Fanyang can fully support Your Majesty. That would be enough."

"Is that all?" Lu Chengqing looked at Li Chengqian in surprise.

"I've already said this, this matter has nothing to do with me." Li Chengqian smiled and waved his hand, saying, "Speaking of the Duke, Chang'an is too crowded right now, and the situation is turbulent. It would be best for the Duke to leave. You can come back after you've made some achievements. Who knows, by then, there may be more vacancies."

"One step back and the sky will be wider." Lu Chengqing nodded slowly, and after coming back to his senses, he bowed earnestly to Li Chengqian and said, "Thank you, Your Highness, for clearing up my doubts. If you have any questions in the future, please let me know."

"The best thing that can happen to me is for you, the Duke, to serve the country." Li Chengqian looked towards the sky above Chang'an City and said softly, "I am the Crown Prince. Everything that happens must follow the rules of the court. That is the best thing that can happen to me."

Lu Chengqing's expression turned serious. After a brief pause, he finally bowed and said seriously, "I will definitely act in accordance with the court rules."

"Send the Duke off." Li Chengqian smiled, took a step forward, and then bowed.

"Thank you, Your Highness!" Lu Chengqing breathed a sigh of relief, then nodded and bowed, turned around and left with a heavy heart.

Looking at his back, Li Chengqian smiled with satisfaction.

According to the imperial system, he was the crown prince.

As long as he doesn't make any mistakes, and as long as others can't find evidence that he made any mistakes, no one can destroy him.

What Li Chengqian wanted was the support of Lu Chengqing and the entire Fanyang Lu family under such circumstances.

He is the prince.

The crown prince is the only heir to the throne in the world.

The crown prince is also a king.

Li Chengqian's face turned cold.

When others make mistakes, when the emperor is not in Chang'an, at critical moments, Li Chengqian has the qualifications to decide people's lives.

This person could be Chai Lingwu or Li Tai.

(End of this chapter)