The Later Three Kingdoms: Slaying Deng Ai, and Reviving the Han Dynasty

Wealth, household, carriages and horses, drums and trumpets.

This enormous wedding procession seemed to radiate warmth, dispelling the chill and making the onlookers feel cozy.

"I'm afraid I'll only see such a wedding procession once in my entire life. Truly worthy of the Chen family."

"As a merchant family, Chen Yong married his daughter to a prince and established a kinship with the Yu Yuan Li family in the south. This was a good business for Chen Yong."

The onlookers whispered amongst themselves, creating quite a commotion.

Most of them are envious.

But there are also those who are jealous and hateful.

A carriage was parked by the roadside, and the people in the carriage, dressed in their finery, were looking at the wedding procession with envy.

It was Lin Zhong.

After the collapse of the three-way meeting between He Sui, Chen Yong and his son, he listened to He Sui's advice and deliberately distanced himself from Chen Yong and his son.

The two families no longer have any contact.

Although he firmly believed that what he was doing was right, he was also jealous. This was because he originally coveted the Chen family's wealth and wanted his son to marry a daughter of the Chen family.

Lin Zhong, consumed by jealousy, gritted his teeth and said, "When a country is about to perish, disaster is inevitable. The emperor is not like an emperor, and the king is not like a king. A merchant's family marrying into a princely family. What a strange story, what a strange story!!! Don't be so smug. When the Liu Han dynasty falls, the princely kings will not escape death either. Your plans, Chen Yong, are nothing but a dream. Hmph."

He snorted coldly, told the driver to turn the carriage around, and drove off. So much wealth! Just looking at it now would break his heart.

The interior of the exquisite and luxurious main carriage.

Chen Mingzhen wore light makeup, making her look even more radiant and beautiful than usual. Dressed in brocade and adorned with precious jewels, coupled with her innate elegance, she was truly of immeasurable nobility and wealth.

She appeared calm when she was with her mother. But when she was alone, she felt anxious.

"I have now left home to become a queen."

The journey from Fanxian to Chengdu did not require water transport; the massive convoy traveled directly along the wide road to Chengdu.

The Chen family owned a large mansion in Chengdu. However, the wedding processions of princes and queens were arranged by the imperial court.

The sheer size of the dowry astonished even the well-traveled people of Chengdu.

This further cemented Liu Chen's reputation for greed.

Since ancient times, people have chosen wives based on virtue, but the King of the North chose a wife based on wealth. It's truly absurd.

How can such a person be the ruler of a country? And be called the ruler of the North?

The title "King of the North" is not much different from the demonic characters like Huang Hao's.

Under the arrangement of the imperial court, the Chen family's entourage settled in in an orderly manner until the auspicious hour.

It was almost dusk that afternoon.

The Chen family's entourage left the residence arranged by the imperial court, exited the city gates of Chengdu, and headed towards the palace of the Northern King.

The King of the North sent a royal envoy to welcome him, and his entourage of riders and officials crisscrossed the road as he inquired about the route.

Inside the royal palace.

Countless people came to offer their congratulations.

It mainly includes Liu Chen's brothers, Liu Chen's maternal relatives, the Li family of Nanzhong, and the wives' families of his brothers.

The Zhang family, including Empress Zhang.

Liu Chen's sisters, brothers-in-law, nephews, etc.

Almost none of the court officials came to offer their congratulations.

Huang Hao, on the contrary, had a legitimate reason to send someone to deliver congratulatory gifts.

Among the many guests, the people sent by Huang Hao were quite conspicuous.

Li Qiu sighed from time to time.

Zhuge Zhan suppressed the urge to go find Liu Chen; his eyes were like blades, as if he wanted to chop the men Huang Hao had sent into mincemeat.

At dusk.

The wedding ceremony is underway.

After the elaborate wedding ceremony, Queen Chen Mingzhen, surrounded by eunuchs and palace maids, went to her bedchamber.

Liu Chen stayed behind to host a banquet for the guests.

The wine was good, and the banquet was good too.

However, Liu Chen was stingy and had no singers or musicians at home. The singers and musicians at this banquet were borrowed from his fourth brother.

The problem is not big.

Liu Chen drank with his guests, toasting and drinking with everyone. This was the first time since he transmigrated—no, since he was born—that he had been utterly drunk.

After he got drunk, he was supported by his left and right arms as he walked. Liu Zan caught up from behind and took out a porcelain bottle from his sleeve and handed it to Liu Chen.

Liu Chen was already drunk, but the cold wind made him somewhat sober. He asked curiously, "Brother, what is this?"

"I guarantee you'll be as mighty as General Zhao Zilong, charging in and out seven times," Liu Zan said with a smile, revealing a set of white teeth.

Liu Chen was momentarily stunned, but after a moment he realized what was happening and laughed loudly, "I am young and vigorous, as strong as a bear or tiger. Brother, you should use this yourself."

After saying this, he returned the items to Liu Zan and then had his attendants help him back to his palace.

"They really don't know what's good for them," Liu Zan muttered, feeling a pang of heartache. The fifth brother's words were hurtful.

A man emerged from the main hall, handsome and dashing, with imposing robes and an extraordinary bearing. It was Mi Zhao.

He is now an official in charge of the Tiger Cavalry, commanding the Tiger Cavalry Battalion, and is one of the military commanders in the Imperial Guard.

His position was awkward, but he still came. He kept a low profile at the banquet and hardly spoke to Liu Chen.

"Zhao, you don't shy away from suspicion. You're a true brother." Liu Zan was also very familiar with Mi Zhao, and, taking advantage of his drunkenness, he put his arm around Mi Zhao's shoulder.

"The king is drunk." Mi Zhao withdrew his gaze and helped Liu Zan back to the main hall to continue drinking.

"Congratulations on your marriage, Wang," he thought to himself to Liu Chen.

...............

Supported by those on either side, Liu Chen returned to his palace. It was cold outside, but his mind was clear.

Upon arriving at the palace, he found it warm with a burning charcoal fire. He became drowsy again and almost couldn't stand up straight.

The queen was sitting on the bed waiting, with five concubines standing on either side.

The Queen took over Liu Chen's care, helped him to bed, and carefully undressed and washed him.

Immediately afterwards, Chen Mingzhen ordered her attendants to undress her and go to bed with Liu Chen.

The curtains were drawn, and the bed was plunged into darkness.

Nothing happened.

Liu Chen snored loudly, and Chen Mingzhen lay beside him, listening to her husband's snoring, but she tossed and turned.

After a long while, she couldn't help but sit up and, using the faint light shining in from outside the curtain, examine Liu Chen's face.

Suddenly her heart raced, and her face flushed red. She lay back down and covered herself and Liu Chen with the blankets.

The next morning, Liu Chen woke up refreshed, as if he hadn't been drunk the night before.

Chen Mingzhen woke up earlier than him, feeling a little sleepy, but still okay.

The couple looked at each other, somewhat embarrassed.

Liu Chen ordered the eunuchs to open the curtains, and the couple washed, changed clothes, ate breakfast, and then boarded their respective carriages to leave the palace and enter the Chengdu Imperial Palace.

Pay respects to the Emperor, Empress, and Consort Li.

The emperor did not pay much attention to Liu Chen.

Liu Chen was not the Empress's biological son; the Empress was merely being polite.

When it came to Consort Li, she was like her own flesh and blood. Consort Li held her daughter-in-law's hand and said many things.

Joy's tears fell.

Liu Chen and his wife stayed in the palace all day, not leaving until dusk. By the time they returned to the palace, it was already dark. They had dinner together and then went to their sleeping quarters.

Upon arriving here, Chen Mingzhen's face flushed red, her heart pounding wildly, thinking, "Last night, the king was drunk, so that doesn't count. Tonight..."

Liu Chen ignored her as well, and after undressing, he lay down on the bed and fell fast asleep.

Chen Mingzhen's face turned deathly pale, and the maids and eunuchs around her also showed strange expressions.

"Is the king looking down on the merchant's daughter because he covets Chen's dowry?" the eunuch wondered to himself.

Chen Mingzhen thought the same thing, and felt dizzy. But she had been mentally prepared for this.

A merchant's daughter rising to marry into the household of a feudal lord. This was already a remarkable story.

A resolute look appeared on her small face as she stepped forward and knelt before the bed, saying, "Your Majesty, I dare to ask you to speak plainly. Does Your Majesty despise my humble origins?"

Liu Chen did not answer, and began snoring loudly.

"If Your Majesty does not answer, I will remain kneeling and not rise," Chen Mingzhen said, taking a deep breath and bowing.

The eunuchs, maids, and palace women around were all moved with pity upon seeing this.

A merchant's daughter, married into a noble family at a young age, became a queen. But the king didn't love her. How would she endure the rest of her life?

But they also admired Chen Mingzhen's determination.

Whether he is dead or alive, you must give me an answer.

"I just couldn't bring myself to do it because you're too young," Liu Chen thought to himself. He was having a headache. He wanted to brush it off, but Chen Mingzhen didn't seem easy to fool.