Chapter 725: The Beauty Arrives as Promised

As the days passed, the wedding date for Zhao Xu gradually approached.

The news of Yan Wang's grand wedding spread, causing almost the entire Yancheng to boil over with excitement.

On the day of the wedding, countless commoners of Yanzhou poured into the streets, hoping to catch some of the festive spirit.

During the years Yan Wang had governed Yanzhou, he had expelled the Northern Di and allowed them to live stable lives.

Now, every household had fields, the poverty and misery had been transformed, and everyone had food to eat and clothes to wear.

They even had spare money to order a few small dishes at a restaurant and warm a pot of Wine.

With the introduction of the new policies, their own children could even attend the Public School for free to study, and in the future, participate in the Official Examination to become officials or generals.

And these were things they had never dared to imagine before.

It was simply like the world had been turned upside down.

It was precisely because of this that they were extremely supportive of Yan Wang; if anyone were heard by the commoners saying something bad about Yan Wang, getting a beating was the least of their worries.

Therefore, Yan Wang getting married was something they were even happier about than their own children getting married.

And some people, upon hearing that the Princess Consort was the granddaughter of the Duke of Yi, were so scared they wet their pants on the spot.

Back when the Duke of Yi was selling tofu, quite a few people had once had designs on Yang Susu.

Thinking about it now, they were terrified.

While the commoners were jubilant.

The Yi Guogong Fu was packed so tightly that not even water could pass through.

The visitors coming and going had almost worn down the threshold.

Among these people were officials, members of the Royal Clan, merchants, and generals; a portion had come from Jinling and were well-acquainted with the Yang Family.

There were also generals and officials from Yanzhou, such as Liu Fu, Chang Wei, and Mo Yu, who had rushed back.

They carried gifts and offered congratulations without pause.

Yang Zhen and Yang Feng were at the gate welcoming guests, smiling from ear to ear.

This grand wedding had earned their Yang Family plenty of face.

Inside the mansion.

Yang Susu wore a red wedding dress, a coronet on her head, and was grooming herself in front of the mirror.

At this moment, her beautiful eyes darted about, and her cheeks were slightly flushed.

Thinking that she would soon board the sedan chair to head to the Prince's Mansion, she felt a wave of shyness in her heart.

Just then, a burst of melodious music faintly drifted over.

The two maidservants beside her exchanged a glance, smiled lightly, and covered Yang Susu with the bridal veil.

Before long, the Ministry of Rites officials arrived at the Yi Guogong Fu.

They offered congratulations to Yang Zhen and Yang Feng, and had Yang Feng and his son perform some wedding rites before the sedan chair was lifted, then respectfully invited, "Please, Princess Consort, board the sedan chair."

Supported by the two maidservants, Yang Susu walked out of her boudoir and, led by the Ministry of Rites officials, boarded the eight-bearer red floral sedan chair outside the mansion.

Following the "crackling" sound of Firecrackers, the Ministry of Rites official announced, "Lift the sedan chair."

The sedan bearers lifted the chair and headed in the direction of the Prince's Mansion.

At this time, Chang Wei, Liu Fu, and the others followed along.

They had finished causing a ruckus at the Yi Guogong Fu and now had to go cause a ruckus at the Prince's Mansion.

Yang Feng looked at the gradually receding procession and suddenly wiped away tears, "With Susu gone, this mansion will be much lonelier, sigh..."

Yang Zhen said, "Father, isn't there still me here to keep you company?"

"You?" Yang Feng sized up Yang Zhen, "Go wherever you should go, just get lost; looking at you is annoying."

Having said that, he wiped his tears while returning to the residence.

Leaving behind a depressed-looking Yang Zhen.

At the same time.

The Prince's Mansion.

Zhao Heng and Imperial Concubine Mi had arrived here early this morning.

Now the two were waiting in the Hui Ke Tang.

Unlike weddings among the common folk, which required the groom to personally go to the door to welcome the bride.

To manifest the dignity of the Imperial Clan, on the day an Imperial Prince marries, he only needs to welcome her at the gate of the Prince's Mansion.

After waiting for half an hour, wedding music arrived.

Zhao Xu, following the requirements of the Ministry of Rites officials, wore his wedding attire and arrived outside the Prince's Mansion gate.

He knew nothing of the customs of the Great Song Imperial Clan weddings, so he could only leave it to the Ministry of Rites officials to handle.

After all, this was their duty.

Before long, Yang Susu's sedan chair arrived.

Supported by the maidservants, Yang Susu stepped down.

The Ministry of Rites official ordered Zhao Xu and Yang Susu to stand side by side and walk into the Prince's Mansion along the path paved with red cloth.

Then, under the guidance of the Ministry of Rites officials, the two performed the nuptial cup ceremony and served tea to Imperial Concubine Mi and Zhao Heng.

After the trivial etiquette was over, Yang Susu was supported by the maidservants to the bedchamber to wait.

Meanwhile, Zhao Xu went to the banquet to entertain the arriving officials and generals.

This step was equivalent to attending the wedding feast.

After making a ruckus until evening, Zhao Xu chased Chang Wei, Liu Fu, and the others away before returning to the bedchamber, half-drunk and half-sober.

After performing some necessary minor wedding rituals in the bedchamber, the two maidservants who had come with Yang Susu departed.

The bedchamber suddenly became quiet.

At this moment, the moon climbed above the willow branches, and the candlelight inside the room shone upon Yang Susu, who was sitting on the edge of the bed.

After drinking the sour plum soup on the table, Zhao Xu felt his Wine-induced tipsiness ease slightly, and he looked toward Yang Susu.

In the past, he had only seen the cumbersome wedding customs and rituals of the ancients on television; he had not expected that he would now experience them himself.

Merely receiving and seeing off guests was enough to make one exhausted.

But fortunately, it was quiet now, leaving only him and Yang Susu, who was draped in a bridal veil.

Sitting down beside Yang Susu, Zhao Xu noticed that Yang Susu's hands suddenly clenched, clearly showing she was somewhat nervous.

He chuckled softly and suddenly lifted the bridal veil from Yang Susu's head.

He saw Yang Susu with her head lowered, a flush of crimson extending from her face down to her snow-white neck.

Zhao Xu could not help but reach out to gently lift her chin, turning her face toward him, and for a moment he was captivated by her bright and beautiful appearance; he said, "Are you willing to marry this Prince?"

Yang Susu's beautiful eyes darted about, and with a soft voice, she endured her shyness and said, "Among the women of the world, who would not want to be the Imperial Concubine of His Highness?"

Hearing this, Zhao Xu exchanged a smile with Yang Susu and pulled her into his embrace, immediately sensing a faint fragrance assailing his nostrils, stirring his soul.

The red bed curtains fell, and they spent a night of passion.