Rebirth: Making a Fortune in Ancient Times

Just when Xia Yu was feeling utterly exhausted, the day of the Emperor and Empress's wedding finally arrived. These past few days had been busy not only for Xia Yu, but also for Shen Jingheng, as neighboring small countries had submitted their credentials months earlier, expressing their intention to attend the Emperor of Da Huai's wedding. In the past few days, envoys from various countries had arrived almost simultaneously. Even though everything had been arranged, stories were unfolding daily within the envoy groups, leaving Shen Jingheng with no respite.

This was the first time since the founding of the Great Huai Dynasty that an emperor and empress had held such a grand wedding. Previously, emperors were already married when they ascended the throne, and the ceremony was merely the investiture of the empress. Zhou Luo and Jiang Xile's situation was due to various reasons. This was also what troubled Xia Yu recently. Because the Ministry of Rites did not have a formal ceremony for welcoming an empress, everything was being done on a slightly more elaborate scale, modeled after the wedding ceremony for princes.

On the wedding day, officials from the Ministry of Rites, acting as the wedding envoys, arrived at the Jiang residence with a ceremonial guard. First, the imperial edict was read aloud according to protocol, and then Jiang Pingda personally knelt down to accept it, expressing his gratitude for the emperor's favor and agreeing to the marriage.

Next, everyone respectfully welcomed the Empress's departure from her home. When the matchmaker called out this sentence, everyone present knelt down, leaving only a ten-foot-wide path in the middle for the Empress to pass through.

Dressed in an elaborate and exquisite empress's wedding gown, Jiang Xile held the sedan chair before her with both hands, and attended by dozens of palace maids, she walked step by step towards the nine-tiered bridal sedan chair outside the Jiang residence. It was specially made for her wedding by a hundred craftsmen who had spent three years crafting it. It was called the Nine-Tiered Pavilion because the sedan chair's design was complex and exquisite, with as many as nine tiers, resembling a palace from afar. Therefore, the craftsmen called it the "Ten Thousand Craftsmanship Nine-Tiered Pavilion."

A faint smile played on Jiang Xile's lips, displaying the poise of a noblewoman. Unbeknownst to her, she was inwardly overjoyed. She had long heard that the Emperor had ordered an exquisitely beautiful bridal sedan chair to be made for her, but she had never seen it before. Now, seeing it, it was indeed beautiful, even more so than the sedan chair of the former Princess Zhenguo. This was because she now held a newfound expectation for the Emperor.

Behind her lay the dowry prepared for her by the Jiang family, a dowry meant to rival that of the Eldest Princess, so as not to embarrass the Jiang family. In recent years, the dowries of Jiang family daughters had been less than half of what they used to be, which was why her sisters and nieces in the clan were very dissatisfied with her. They couldn't understand why she insisted on comparing her dowry to that of the Eldest Princess. Although the Eldest Princess of the State did not have royal blood, her marriage was still considered a royal wedding. Her dowry wasn't just provided by the Marquis's mansion; the palace also prepared a portion, and even the noblewomen in the palace had to receive one. You, Jiang Qile, are marrying into the royal family and will become a royal daughter-in-law. Why insist on comparing your dowry to a princess? Aren't you just asking for trouble?

Now look what's happened! For the sake of her own pride, the dowries of other girls in the clan have to be reduced. How can anyone not be angry?

Once inside the Nine-Story Pavilion, with the combined efforts of thirty-two sedan chair bearers, the sedan chair was slowly lifted and carried towards the palace amidst the joyous sounds of gongs and drums. Through the thin, red veil, looking at the people prostrate on the ground outside, Jiang Qile felt for the first time the wonder of power.

The moment Jiang Qile's sedan chair entered the palace, the solemn and dignified palace was suddenly filled with the sounds of bells and drums. Zhou Luo, dressed in the emperor's wedding robes, personally descended from the red wall to greet him and strode towards Jiang Qile.

With the help of palace maids, Jiang Qile carefully stepped down from the sedan chair, her beautiful eyes filled with shyness as she looked at the handsome young man approaching. Compared to ordinary young men, he possessed an air of imperial authority and the aura of a superior.

"Your Majesty, you've worked hard." Zhou Luo approached Jiang Qile, took her hand, and said gently.

"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I am not tired," Jiang Xile said, her cheeks flushed and her head slightly lowered.

"I will hold your hand and grow old with you. Empress, please come with me to receive the homage of the officials," Zhou Luo said gently.

"Yes."

So Zhou Luo personally led Jiang Qile step by step toward the throne that represented status and position, to receive the homage of the court officials.

After the court officials paid their respects, the Emperor and Empress, hand in hand, boarded the Emperor's imperial carriage and proceeded to the prepared palace, where they would hold their wedding ceremony. Empress Dowager Jiang, the imperial concubines, and members of the royal family were already waiting there; the hall was packed with people. Seeing the newlyweds arrive hand in hand, everyone began to exchange knowing glances and playful banter.

The current Empress Dowager Jiang is Jiang Qile's biological aunt. Seeing her niece from her maternal family being so highly regarded by this adopted son, she is very pleased.

The master of ceremonies stood beside the Empress Dowager, watching the Emperor and Jiang Qile, who were already in their designated positions. He shouted loudly...

"One Worship"

"Two hundred elders"

"Couple's Worship"

"Sent to the bridal chamber"

The two bowed respectfully. Because of their special status, no one dared to approach them or joke around. Everyone stood dignified and solemn, with polite and appropriate smiles on their faces.

Looking at the expressions on the faces of those around her, Xia Yu couldn't help but chuckle. Her laughter was quite abrupt in the hall. Some people looked in her direction with displeasure, but upon seeing Xia Yu's face, they quickly changed their expressions or hurriedly turned away, afraid that Xia Yu would see the impatient look on their faces.

Perhaps Xia Yu felt the imperial wedding was too solemn, or something else, but as Zhou Luo entered the bridal chamber, he saw a group of little kids waiting for them. Zhou Luo immediately spotted Tangtang, the prettiest of the little ones. Seeing Tangtang about to pounce on him, Zhou Luo winked at her, and the clever little girl immediately stopped, reaching out to pull back two other eager children beside her.

The two sat upright on the wedding bed, in the traditional wedding seating arrangement. Then, the palace maids brought dumplings and wine. Jiang Qile first took a bite of a dumpling, and then, amidst the teasing of the female relatives, blushed and said "raw," before sharing the nuptial wine with the emperor.

From this point on, the wedding was more than halfway complete. The little ones remembered the princess's instructions: after the emperor and empress had drunk their wine, they could kneel on the ground and say the auspicious words they had rehearsed beforehand.

Tangtang knelt on the ground first, clasped her hands together, and said in a childish voice...

"May His Majesty and His Majesty the Empress enjoy a long and loving marriage."

Jiang Xile was initially dissatisfied with the arrangement, finding it too frivolous. However, seeing such a pretty little girl kneeling there, earnestly offering her blessings, he was delighted. He immediately beckoned to his personal maid who had accompanied him to the palace, took several delicate purses from her, and handed one to Tangtang. He then gently stroked the little girl's cheek.

"The Princess taught us very well. Take this and play with it."

"Tangtang thanks Her Majesty the Empress for the reward." Tangtang kowtowed on the ground, speaking very clearly.

"Oh my, you're so well-behaved. Get up, get up. The ground is cold, be careful not to hurt your knees." Jiang Qile didn't like Xia Yu much, but her heart softened a lot when she saw this soft little girl.

"May the Emperor and Empress soon have a son." Then another little boy came up to offer his blessings.

Although Jiang Qile felt a little embarrassed after hearing this, she still rewarded him with a beautiful purse just like Tangtang's, only the pattern on it was slightly different.

Then each of the children offered a blessing and received a reward from Jiang Qile. It was quite lively for a while, which could be considered a kind of wedding night prank.

Then, the little ones were led out of the palace by the palace servants, after all, the most important step in the wedding was the bridal chamber. Once the little ones were out, the next part of the ceremony would begin.