Spring arrives and the land smiles

"Hey, I'm getting married." The girl's voice wasn't loud, but it struck the man's heart little by little. The man's hand, which was pushing the swing, suddenly stopped when the words fell.

“It’s not about getting married, it’s about taking in a husband,” the man corrected, his voice flat.

"Is this your answer?" The girl turned to look at the man, her tone revealing her dissatisfaction with his attitude.

"Or should I say, congratulations on your birthday, Princess?" The man continued pushing the swing, but his words were laced with a strong sense of sarcasm.

"Finally, it's back to normal." The girl tossed her long hair with satisfaction as she swayed on the swing, her petite body bobbing proudly to the rhythm.

"Ning Yuan, what if the prince consort bullies me?"

"He won't."

"I mean just in case."

"and me."

“But if I take a husband, you won’t be able to stay with me often.”

"It's alright, Yan'er can confess me as well."

"What?" The girl stared at the man with wide eyes. "Are you serious?"

The man smiled faintly: "Really?"

"No regrets?" the girl asked incredulously.

"I'm glad you don't regret it." The man tightened his grip a little, and the girl swung even higher on the swing.

The following day, with only half a month left until the princess's wedding day, before Qingyan could even speak, the Longqing Emperor had already issued an imperial edict: appointing Ningguo Duke and General of Chariots and Cavalry Ningyuan as his secondary consort, to be married on the princess's wedding day.

Princess Longqing married two husbands in one grand wedding. Although Emperor Longqing accepted the Fu family's surrender, he did not forget to slap them in the face, giving the Fu family a warning, though not insignificant, for their neutrality over the past twenty years.

Finally, imperial power once again triumphed over kinship. Regardless of whether the imperial edict suited Qingyan's wishes, Emperor Longqing had won; regardless of whether Empress Shangguan's persuasion was her own intention or her deliberate instruction, Emperor Longqing ultimately triumphed; he had both exploited and trampled upon kinship. Qingyan smiled bitterly, forced to feign joy despite being manipulated by her closest relatives—it was a pitiful sight, or perhaps a lamentable one.

The Crown Prince's Eastern Palace, Xuanhua Palace, was decorated with festive decorations at the fastest speed. The carved beams and painted rafters were inlaid with jade and gilded gold, and even the windows were covered with double happiness window decorations with dragons leaping over the sun and phoenixes singing towards the sun. Qingyan was momentarily dazzled by it. It was completely different from her elegant Chuyou Pavilion.

On her wedding day, Qingyan didn't know how she got through it. She felt like a puppet on a string, numbly completing all the procedures under the guidance of her governess. Finally, after exhausting all her patience, she was sent to the bridal chamber.

The flickering red candles on the table cast dappled light on the thin red silk veil, and through the light, the first thing that caught the eye was the exquisitely carved dragon and phoenix bed. Perhaps, given the bed's craftsmanship, it should be called even more luxurious. Reaching out to touch the bright red phoenix and dragon bed curtains, Qingyan blushed and her heart pounded at the sight of them.

"Please, Prince Consort, lift the veil for the princess and weigh the embroidered veil to ensure everything goes smoothly." The matchmaker handed the scale to Fu Yunxuan, saying auspicious words.

"Alright, you can all leave now." Qingyan was getting impatient, and the added formalities were driving her crazy.

“But Princess, this ceremony…” the matchmaker said hesitantly.

"Get down." Qingyan didn't want to say more and abruptly lifted the veil, interrupting the matchmaker.

The palace maids were terrified. The ceremony was not yet complete, and the princess was being so unconventional. They were so frightened that they hurriedly left the bridal chamber.

Before long, only the bride and groom remained in the room.

Qingyan stood up and saw the groom smiling at her from a short distance away. She then began to observe him closely with great interest.

"Lord Fu looks truly dashing today."

The groom was tall and slender, with willow-leaf eyebrows and bright eyes, and a handsome face. Even in his gorgeous wedding attire, he couldn't hide the scholarly air that emanated from him. What an elegant and handsome man! Qingyan couldn't help but admire him.

After they came of age, the two mostly met in the imperial court. Qingyan rarely saw Fu Yunxuan dressed up so meticulously. Regardless of the state of their marriage, the male protagonist in front of her was at least very pleasing to the eye.

Fu Yunxuan was the eldest grandson of the Fu family patriarch. His talent, good looks, and mastery of both literature and martial arts were already well-known tales in the capital's storytelling tradition. Qingyan clearly remembered that in the eighteenth year of the Longqing reign, Fu Yunxuan, before even reaching adulthood, topped the imperial examinations, becoming the youngest Zhuangyuan (top scholar in the imperial examinations) since the founding of the Great Qi Dynasty. He was then promoted all the way from the Hanlin Academy to this position, reaching the rank of a third-grade official in just three years. Although a third-grade official in the capital was not rare, in terms of power, in the current official system of the Great Qi Dynasty, the position of Dali Temple Minister was the uncrowned head of the Nine Ministers.

Of course, unlike Fu Yunxuan in officialdom, Qingyan was actually quite familiar with him in private. Leaving aside the fact that before he was six years old, his mother said he had called him "Brother Fu" several times, and later, he was also set up as a role model by his father, often being dragged out to demonstrate for Qingyan, and of course, helping her cheat. Those childhood friendships, though scattered, could not be easily erased.

However, Qingyan felt that she couldn't be as intimate as Ning Yuan, let alone bring herself to do it.

In Qingyan's eyes, such a person is someone to be worshipped from afar and admired up close, but when faced with him face to face, Qingyan felt that she could only say goodbye to him.

"Your Highness is too kind," the handsome young man said with a slight curtsy, his voice steady and composed.

In Fu Yunxuan's memory, Princess Qingyan today is beautiful, but not as lively as he remembered her.

Before the age of six, Qingyan was gentle and adorable. As she grew a little older, she became mischievous and would pretend to be pitiful, occasionally asking him to help her cheat. As she grew even older, she became more radiant, charming, and lively like a spring.

Yunxuan still remembered accompanying his father to the palace a year ago. Due to a moment of carelessness, he got lost and stumbled upon the little princess who had sneaked out to play by the lotus pond. The princess, just turned fifteen, was still at the age where the lotus buds were just beginning to sprout, yet she already possessed a graceful and elegant appearance. The summer lotuses in the pond were in full bloom. Free from the constraints of formalities, the little princess, barefoot, hopped and skipped happily on the artificial rocks in the pond. Her laughter involuntarily escaped from her pink lips, like swallows emerging from a valley, utterly melodious. She was completely different from the princess he had seen in the court and at official banquets, and he was somewhat mesmerized by her. It wasn't until the little princess slipped and made a loud noise that he came to his senses. Fortunately, the pond was not deep, and General Ning appeared in time, so the princess was unharmed, only her skirt was wet. This small accident did not affect the little princess's mood for playing in the water at all. She jumped onto the artificial rocks, her face still radiating a bright and spring-like smile. And so, that one glance made him completely unable to turn back.

A year later, the charming little princess has grown into an even more beautiful woman. The red candlelight illuminates her slightly flushed face. Although her scrutinizing aura is somewhat intimidating, she cannot hide the shyness and bashfulness of a new bride when being stared at.

"How can you say it's an overstatement, Lord Fu!"

Qingyan looked around somewhat awkwardly. The double cups of nuptial wine, made of dragon and phoenix, caught her eye. She walked over, picked up the cup, and gently swirled it around to her nose. The aroma of the wine filled the air. Hmm, not bad, excellent Zhuyeqing.

"Please." Qingyan raised the wine glass beside her to Yunxuan.

As expected, Fu Yunxuan remained as mischievous as ever. He smiled nonchalantly, calmly walked to the table, sat down, picked up another cup to drink with Qingyan, but saw that Qingyan had already drunk it all by herself.

After drinking the nuptial wine alone, Qingyan felt a little regretful. Both of them were victims of political marriage, so why should she take her anger out on someone who was equally innocent?

So she picked up the wine pot and poured herself a full cup. "My lord, please." She drank the nuptial cup with him. From this day forward, they would be husband and wife, sharing the same bed in life and the same grave in death, a lifelong union of hearts. Regardless of the truth, this was necessary and essential.

Looking at the man beside her, who was supposedly her closest confidant, Qingyan felt a pang of sorrow: the interests of the nation and the glory of the family are both shackles that bind us for life, whether we are fortunate or unfortunate.

"Another cup, please." Qingyan filled both glasses, touched them lightly with Yunxuan's glass, and then drank them in one gulp.

Qingyan clinked glasses with him, but Yunxuan did not drink.

"On this joyous occasion, Your Highness, you must grace us with your presence!" Despite saying this, Qingyan didn't care whether he drank or not. Taking advantage of her drunken state, she poured herself another cup and drank it down.

In the same way, three cups were downed again.

Looking at Qingyan's drunken and charming appearance, Yunxuan chuckled. He was surprised that his new wife would try to avoid their wedding night in this way.

Yunxuan summoned the princess's personal maid, Zhui'er, and instructed her to take good care of the princess until she fell asleep. He then stepped out of the bridal chamber.

"Can't accept it?" Yunxuan smiled and shook his head. "There's plenty of time. Don't rush it."

"Have they left?" Qingyan secretly opened her eyes.

"Let's go." Zhui'er cautiously peeked out the window.

Whew—, Qingyan breathed a deep sigh of relief, and felt a bit more favorably disposed towards Fu Yunxuan.

All the close officials who had attended the royal family banquets knew that the Princess could drink a thousand cups without getting drunk. Fu Yunxuan, as the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, couldn't possibly be unaware of this. It seemed that Fu Yunxuan had no intention of forcing her, or perhaps he simply had no interest in her and was just finding a way to save face. However, whatever the reason, from today onwards, everyone would automatically and consciously treat each other with respect, which was a good thing. Qingyan chuckled, drawing a sly smile from Zhuier.

"Princess, are you going to the West Warm Pavilion to find General Ning?" Zhui'er asked mysteriously, her tone carrying an undisguised ambiguity.

Today's wedding has two male protagonists. Qingyan smiled shyly, turned around and glared at Zhuier, "Mind your own business."

Just as she was about to leave the new house, Qingyan hesitated again: "I'm too tired today, I'm sleepy."

Qingyan slowly retreated to the inner chamber, sat on the bright red wedding bed, her fingers tracing back and forth on the gorgeous brocade quilt. After a moment of contemplation, she said, "Zhui'er, call the prince consort back to his room before dawn tomorrow."

Since a political marriage is unavoidable, she can only accept it. The Fu family is a powerful and influential clan, and offending them would bring nothing but harm. Besides, Fu Yunxuan has taken the initiative to let her off the hook tonight, and she cannot refuse him.

After taking off her bright red wedding robe, Qingyan lay quietly on the bed. The exhaustion of the whole day overwhelmed her, making her fall into a deep sleep.

Ning Yuan, Fu Yunxuan, perhaps this is our fate. I accept it, and you must accept it too.

Yunxuan came out of Caiyi Palace and went to the East Warm Pavilion prepared for him.

According to ancestral custom, none of the prince consorts could sleep in the main hall of Xuanhua Palace without the decree of the eldest princess, except on their wedding day. Therefore, separate sleeping quarters were set up for each prince consort in Xuanhua Palace.

The plaque above the East Warm Pavilion is a flowing, regular script inscription: "Bo Lan Zhai," meaning "Studying a Wide Range of Books," subtly implying the owner's exceptional talent. The Princess bestowed this pavilion upon him, her praise evident in her words. It seems that he has considerable merit in her eyes, and his ten years of hard study to become the top scholar have not been in vain.

In fact, when Fu Yunxuan became the top scholar in the imperial examination a few years ago, Emperor Longqing had the intention of making him his son-in-law. To express his intention, he hosted a banquet for the father and son in the palace. However, at that time, Qingyan's identity was not yet confirmed, so the elders of both sides decided to postpone the wedding. Therefore, Yunxuan was not surprised by today's wedding, but Qingyan's attitude made him feel somewhat helpless.

Without thinking further, Yunxuan reached out to push open the door of Bolanzhai.

Just as he was about to push the door open, his hand hesitated and stopped on the door knocker. After thinking it over again and again, Yunxuan decided to return to Caiyi Palace. It was not a pleasant thing for the groom to be left out of the bridal chamber on his wedding night. If someone with ulterior motives found out, it would affect more than just the face of the Fu family.

Yunxuan returned to Caiyi Palace and went straight to the study. He didn't want to be seen, but he accidentally bumped into Ningyuan, who was dressed in plain clothes.

The wedding robes had long been changed, and Ning Yuan, bathed in moonlight, appeared less heroic and more refined, while the unique imposing presence of a soldier was always present between his brows.

The two met unexpectedly. Yunxuan thought that the princess should be in Ningyuan's Chongying Pavilion at this time. Lovers are destined to be together. On this precious spring night, why is Ningyuan not enjoying the soft fragrance of the jade in his arms under the hibiscus tent, but wandering alone outside Caiyi Palace?

Ning Yuan was also quite surprised. Although today was his wedding day with Yan'er, he wasn't the only groom. Feeling frustrated and annoyed, he unconsciously strolled to Caiyi Palace, only to find another groom lingering outside the study. Although the bedroom and study were separated by only a corridor, Yun Xuan seemed to have no intention of going in. Ning Yuan was surprised but also felt a nameless sense of joy, and his frustration lessened somewhat.

"Master Fu."

"General Ning."

The two looked at each other and spoke at the same time, breaking the awkward silence.

"The princess is unwell and it is inconvenient to disturb her," Yunxuan hesitated, but finally spoke.

"Is Yan'er unwell?" Ning Yuan blurted out upon hearing this.

Yan'er... Yunxuan gave a bitter smile. A gentleman helps others achieve their goals. Since the princess is concerned about his feelings, why shouldn't he do her a favor?

"It's a joyous occasion today, and the princess had a few too many drinks. She should be fine, but if General Ning is worried, you might as well go and check on her."

Did she drink a few too many glasses? This girl's alcohol tolerance is more than three Ning Yuans combined. It's probably not the alcohol that got her drunk, but her personality!

Thinking of this, Ning Yuan felt inexplicably happy. "Since it was just a few extra drinks, I won't disturb the princess's rest any longer."

At this moment, the third watch of the night was announced. Ning Yuan raised his hand and bowed to Yun Xuan, saying, "Lord Fu, it's getting late, I'll head back now."

"General, please wait. May I say one more thing?" Yunxuan called out to him, clearly having misunderstood his meaning. His intention to help was misinterpreted as scheming. Yunxuan felt quite frustrated at being turned away. Before Ningyuan could give permission, he said, "Yunxuan knows that the General and the Princess are deeply in love. Today's matter is truly beyond the Emperor's control. Since the situation is settled, we will eventually be family." He paused there.

Yunxuan's words surprised Ning Yuan, so he stopped and turned around, waiting thoughtfully for him to continue.

"Therefore, from now on, the responsibility of protecting the princess will be shared by the Ning family army and the Fu family."

After speaking, Yunxuan looked at Ning Yuan without showing any emotion.

Ning Yuan smiled slightly: "Then I'll thank Brother Yunxuan on my behalf."

Watching Ning Yuan's departing figure, Yun Xuan felt as if a heavy weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He breathed a sigh of relief, turned around, and entered the study, feeling a surge of gratitude towards Qing Yan.