Chapter 79: The Grand Wedding

"Crackle-pop!"

The deafening sound of firecrackers echoed across the grassland, making the young men greeting guests at the gate repeatedly click their tongues in amazement.

"These firecrackers are truly loud; the crackle-pop can be heard from a great distance."

"That's right. I heard that in the Jin Kingdom, these things are only set off on important days; they are quite rare. If it weren't for Shaman Nie wanting to make this wedding magnificent, we wouldn't get to see them. Let me tell you, my brother is getting married inside today."

A child, looking extremely proud, finished speaking and instantly attracted envious glances from the other children.

"Let me tell you, my brother is one of the main figures of this wedding. Not only will everyone in the tribe attend, but my lord the Shaman will also personally write a poem to celebrate them."

After the child finished speaking, he tilted his head back, face turned to the sky. Feeling the envious gazes of the children around him, he felt this must be the most wonderful moment of his life.

Just as he was enjoying the envious glances of the children around him, a timid voice interrupted his enjoyment.

"Brother Muha, what is a poem?" a child with a runny nose asked with a look of curiosity.

"Tch, you don't even know what a poem is?" Muha said with disdainful scorn, then deliberately elongated his syllables to prepare how to explain what a poem was.

After all, he didn't know what a poem was either, but admitting he didn't know was impossible; after all, just a second ago he had said my lord the Shaman was going to write a poem to congratulate his brother, and now he didn't even know what a poem was—that would be too embarrassing.

However, he quickly sorted out his thoughts and said, "I heard my brother talk about this thing called a poem. A poem is something spoken by people with great learning specifically to congratulate others on very important days. Such words are very particular; people without great learning simply cannot speak them."

The children around heard this and one by one wore expressions of "so that's how it is." As for Muha, he let out a long sigh in his heart; finally, he had fooled them, otherwise he would have been slapped in the face.

Meanwhile, the newlyweds were already circulating at the banquet toasting their relatives and elders. After each couple toasted everyone at the banquet once, they finally toasted Guo Jing and Nie Huaishang.

During the process of toasting the two, the grooms were somewhat better off; after all, through contact over this period, Guo Jing and Nie Huaishang's approachability had eliminated most of the fear in their hearts, so their expressions were still relatively natural.

But the brides trembled as they raised their wine cups, daring not to face the two's gazes; without the grooms' support, they would have instinctively knelt down.

After all the newlyweds finished toasting, Guo Jing and Nie Huaishang walked onto the stage smiling. Nie Huaishang half-joked, "These past two days, I've been rushing back and forth between the market and the tribe to procure supplies for a lively wedding banquet. My face is covered in dust, making these brides think we are man-eating hungry ghosts."

"Actually, looking dusty and travel-worn on ordinary days isn't a big deal, but scaring people when you come out is wrong, don't you agree?"

The grooms on stage burst into laughter. The brides were a bit uncomfortable; would their husbands really not be punished for making fun of my lord the Shaman?

"Today is a great happy day for the warriors; if we scare the brides badly and delay the wedding night..."

"... then for men, that would be a terrible suffering. Don't you agree, Old Guo? Get up and say a few words; you bear half the responsibility for scaring people." After Nie Huaishang finished speaking, he handed the simply made microphone to Guo Jing.

Guo Jing took the microphone and said awkwardly, "Here, I first apologize to the Misses. It was wrong of me to come out without properly tidying up. I truly didn't mean to scare anyone. Scaring people is my fault, but the grooms getting married today are innocent. Please don't let me delay their wedding night."

The entire banquet burst into laughter again, while the brides on stage stood there with flushed faces, at a loss for what to do.

"Alright, stop making these jokes; can't you see the Misses are embarrassed?" Nie Huaishang snatched the microphone from Guo Jing and shouted loudly, "Since the Misses are no longer afraid of us two man-eating devils, let the wedding continue. Next, Guo Shaman and I will each ask the grooms and brides two questions. Old Guo, you ask the grooms." As Nie Huaishang spoke, he handed the microphone to Guo Jing.

Guo Jing took the microphone and asked solemnly, "Grooms, tell me, are you willing to take the woman beside you as your wife? Whether in poverty or wealth, whether in sickness or health, are you willing to spend the rest of your life hand in hand with her, protecting her, caring for her, and respecting her until the end of your lives?"

"We are willing!" the grooms on stage shouted in unison.

Guo Jing pointed to his own ear and said, "Sorry, the volume was too low; I didn't hear. Grooms, tell me loudly if you are willing or not."

"We are willing!" Instantly, the sound echoed across the grassland like Lei Ting, shaking every inch of the land.

Nie Huaishang took the microphone from Guo Jing and said, "Alright, our young men have already given their promises to the brides here. Next, I will ask the brides the questions."

Nie Huaishang cleared his throat and asked gently, "Dear brides, today is the most important day of your lives; you will spend the rest of your lives hand in hand with the person you love. I will ask you this."

"Are you willing to become wives to the young men beside you? Whether in riches or poverty, whether in health or sickness, are you willing to support each other and spend your lives together? Are you willing to give him your trust, respect, and love without reservation? In the days to come, no matter what difficulties and challenges you encounter, are you willing to stand side by side with him and face them together?"

"We are willing!" the brides said in unison.

"Good. Now, let the parents of both sides witness the marriage of the two newlyweds here. Then, open a hundred banquet tables, and let the newlyweds enter the wedding chamber."

The lively group wedding lasted for three full days. After marriage, each family gained one more person, and in the future, several more might be added. Everyone felt the burden on their shoulders was heavier, so everyone made a firm resolve in their hearts to improve themselves to the fullest, hoping to grow into someone who could shoulder the heavy burden of a family in the future.

Regarding this situation, Nie Huaishang joked in class, "It is indeed true that women are the best teachers for men. In just one short night, we five hundred rough and ready young men have turned into men capable of shouldering responsibility."