Shuhan

When the Yellow Gate Minister finished reading the edict of enthronement, the cheers of "Long live the emperor" in the hall had not yet faded away when the Minister of the Chancellery Fei Yi suddenly stepped out from the crowd.

"Your Majesty!" Fei Yi's imperial scepter hit the blue brick floor hard, making a crisp echo, startling a night owl perched on the beam and causing it to let out a strange cry.

The official uniform of this official from the Eastern Palace trembled slightly, revealing the dent on his waist caused by years of wearing the imperial seal.

His beard trembled violently with excitement, and there was a gleam of worry in his eyes.

"The crown prince has been appointed, and the foundation of the country has been established. If we grant the King of Qin a hundred miles of land and allow him to open a government, I am afraid that this will cause discussion among the court and the public!"

These words were like a huge rock dropped into a deep pool, immediately causing a huge wave in the court.

The military generals were whispering to each other, and their armors were clattering against each other; the civil officials were whispering to each other, and the bamboo slips in their hands were rustling.

General Jiang Wei gripped the hilt of the sword at his waist, his eyes moving between Fei Yi and Liu Xuan; Zhuge Zhan, the son of the Prime Minister, frowned slightly and gently waved his feather fan, as if he was thinking about the pros and cons.

Fei Yi took half a step forward, the corner of his robe brushing across the cold floor tiles: "In the White Horse Alliance made by Emperor Gaozu, only the Liu family could be king, and only those who had made contributions could not be marquises. The Rebellion of the Seven Kingdoms and Wang Mang's usurpation of the Han Dynasty, which disaster was not caused by excessive fiefdoms? Now the King of Qin is in charge of the three counties in the Western Regions and has tens of thousands of elite soldiers under his command. If he is allowed to establish a government office..." His voice suddenly rose, and the bronze crane lamp in front of the hall shook in shock, and the candlelight cast flickering shadows on the faces of the ministers.

Liu Chan, sitting on the dragon throne, seemed to be out of the picture. He slowly picked up the bronze wine jar on the table. The four gods carved on the jar body flowed under the candlelight, and the amber wine swayed gently with his movements, reflecting the darkening sky outside the hall.

When Fei Yi finished his advice, he suddenly chuckled, and the laughter echoed in the empty hall, carrying a sense of desolation and domineering.

"Mr. Fei, do you know how far the Western Regions are?" Liu Chan's voice was neither fast nor slow, but every word was like a hammer.

He turned the decanter and watched the wine swirling in it.

"It takes more than 40 days to travel from Chang'an to Qiuci by galloping. There, the sky is covered with yellow sand and every drop of water is as precious as oil, my son," his voice suddenly paused, his fingers tightly clenched the wine bottle.

"With 30,000 troops, we fought our way out of the encirclement of tigers and wolves!"

The hall was completely silent, except for the sound of dripping water from the clepsydra. Liu Xuan, wearing a black royal robe with red patterns, knelt in front of the white marble steps, the jade pendant with dragon patterns on his waist swaying slightly with his breathing.

He looked at his father's calm face beneath the crown, and thought of the countless days and nights in the Western Regions - those late nights discussing military affairs with Cao Zhang and Su Ze, and those early mornings riding war horses across the quicksand, all of which now turned into dancing flames in his father's eyes.

"The Rebellion of the Seven Kingdoms? Wang Mang usurped the Han Dynasty?" Liu Chan suddenly slammed the wine jar heavily on the table. The wine splashed on the bamboo slips, spreading a large area of ​​dark red.

"My son, wherever you can conquer, I will give you a title there! If you can conquer Africa, I mentioned, you will be the King of Qin, not to mention the King of the World!"

His voice roared in the hall, shaking the copper bells under the eaves. The emperor stood up suddenly, the crown tassels shook violently, revealing the burning enthusiasm in his eyes.

The officials were horrified, some could not help but gasp, some whispered and discussed. Fei Yi's face turned pale in an instant, he opened his mouth, but could not find the words to refute.

When Liu Xuan expressed his gratitude, he looked into his father's eyes - the same phoenix eyes as his own, burned with the same burning ambition.

That gaze seemed to penetrate the hustle and bustle of the court, seeing the wider world, and seeing the territory of the Han Dynasty continuing to expand in their hands.

Dusk completely enveloped the Taiji Hall, and the palace lanterns outside the hall lit up one after another, illuminating the entire palace with golden splendor. When the enthronement ceremony was over, the ministers withdrew, but Liu Xuan stayed.

He walked slowly to his father's side and saw the wine stains on the dragon table. He suddenly remembered the time when he listened to "The Annals of Emperor Gaozu" on his father's lap as a child. At that time, his father always said that he wanted to complete the will of the previous emperor and restore the Han Dynasty.

"The Western Regions is just the beginning." Liu Chan looked at the night sky outside the palace, his tone calm but full of power.

"The burden on your shoulders is much heavier than these three counties." He reached out and patted Liu Xuan's shoulder, and the warmth of his palm came through the royal robe.

"Go and do what you want to do. I will be at your back."

Liu Xuan knelt on one knee and kowtowed solemnly: "I will live up to your expectations!"

When he stood up, he looked at his father's back and suddenly realized that even after he grew up, he still couldn't understand the once tall and majestic emperor.

The light in his eyes and the ambition in his heart have never been extinguished.

At the same time, due to the emperor's marriage arrangement, the Duke's Mansion was very lively.

South of Luoyang city.

The red lacquered door of the Duke's Mansion was tightly closed, and the bronze lion's mouth on the door knocker was shining coldly, but it could not cover up the sound of looms and the rustling of embroidery frames coming from inside the mansion.

Zhang Wanrong's embroidery studio is located in the quietest corner of the mansion, but at this moment it has become the most lively place in the entire Duke's Mansion.

Twelve embroiderers knelt on the scarlet felt carpet, their needles flying. Their fingertips were wrapped with colorful silk threads, shuttling back and forth on the tribute brocade from Shu, embroidering exquisite patterns. The main body of the wedding dress was made of the finest brocade, which was bright in color and soft in texture, and had a slight luster under the candlelight.

The picture of hundreds of birds paying homage to the phoenix embroidered with gold thread is so lifelike that every bird seems to be about to fly out of the fabric. What is even more amazing is that each feather is adorned with South China Sea pearls, as small as rice grains, round and plump, and gently sways with the movements of the embroiderer, making a fine and pleasant sound.

"Girl, how should the pearls be arranged on the cuffs?" The leading embroiderer asked carefully, holding up the cuffs of her wedding dress. The candlelight reflected on her calloused hands, and the silver needles moved flexibly between her fingers.

Zhang Wanrong put down the "Nujie" in her hand, stood up and walked to the embroidery frame. She was wearing a light blue skirt, a white mink coat, and a simple jade hairpin in her hair, but it could not hide her elegant and refined temperament.

Her fingers gently stroked the patterns on the wedding dress. The touch was delicate and smooth, and the pearls rolled on her fingertips, feeling cool.

"Arrange them like a peacock spreading its feathers."

She thought for a moment and said, her voice soft but with unquestionable determination.

"The phoenix is ​​the king of all birds, so naturally the birds around it should be the most beautiful to match it."

The embroiderer took the order and left. The sound of fine needlework could be heard again in the embroidery room.

Zhang Wanrong walked to the bronze mirror, in which her slightly pale face was reflected.

Three days ago, the Emperor's decree of marriage exploded like thunder, and the entire Duke's Mansion was plunged into busyness.

She never thought that her fate would be closely linked to the King of Qin who was so powerful in the Western Regions.

"Miss, it's time to try on the phoenix crown." Chuntao, the personal maid, walked in holding a vermilion lacquered wooden box, her face flushed with excitement.

The moment the wooden box was opened, bright light illuminated the entire embroidery pavilion.

Nine golden sparrows are lifelike, with three strings of oriental pearls in their mouths hanging down in front of their foreheads. The giant clams inlaid on their tail feathers are glowing with the unique halo of mother-of-pearl, and swaying gently with the flow of air.

Zhang Wanrong took a deep breath and let Chuntao put the phoenix crown on her head.

The phoenix crown was a bit heavy, causing her shoulders to bend slightly, but she still straightened her back, showing the demeanor of a lady from a noble family.

The oriental pearl hung down in front of her eyes, blurring the image in the bronze mirror but making her cheeks blush, just like the sunset in the sky.

"I heard that His Royal Highness the King of Qin killed thirty Xiongnu warriors in the Western Regions." Chun Tao lowered her voice, her eyes flashing with curiosity and awe.

"Miss, please be careful and don't be scared by His Highness's majesty." As she spoke, she carefully adjusted the tassels on the phoenix crown for Zhang Wanrong.

Zhang Wanrong's eyelashes trembled slightly, and rumors about Qin Wang Liu Xuan involuntarily emerged in her mind.

The figure who was so powerful on the battlefield in the Western Region seemed to be right in front of him.

It is said that he was wearing black armor, holding a long sword, and led the Han soldiers to charge into battle, killing the Huns and making them terrified.

Thinking of this, her heartbeat quickened a bit and her cheeks became hotter.

"Stop talking nonsense." She scolded softly, but her voice did not have much deterrent power.

Her fingers twisted the hem of her skirt unconsciously; the silk felt soft and cool.

She recalled her mother's expression when she learned the news of the arranged marriage, her eyes showing both relief and worry.

"Wanrong." Her mother said that day, holding her hand.

"The Prince of Qin is a prince that His Majesty values. When you marry him, you must fulfill your duties and assist him well." Suddenly, hurried footsteps were heard outside the embroidery pavilion.

Zhang Wanrong and Chuntao looked at each other, and a hint of nervousness flashed in their eyes.

The door curtain was lifted and Zhang Wanrong's mother walked in.

When the mother saw her daughter wearing the phoenix crown, a hint of tenderness flashed in her eyes.

"It looks good." She walked over to her daughter, her voice low and warm.

"It looks exactly like your mother when she got married."

Her fingers gently brushed the goldfinch on the phoenix corona, as if she was recalling the past.

Zhang Wanrong looked at her mother, and a warm feeling welled up in her heart. She knew that although her mother was not good at expressing herself, her love for her was deep and heavy. "Mother, I am a little scared."

She whispered, resting her head on her mother's shoulder.

"I don't know how to face His Royal Highness the Prince of Qin, nor do I know how to be a good Princess of Qin."

Zhang's mother gently patted her daughter's back and comforted her: "Don't be afraid, the King of Qin is a responsible man, he will not let you suffer any injustice. You just need to be yourself, be kind and strong, that's enough."

His words were like a reassurance, which gradually calmed Zhang Wanrong's originally uneasy heart.

As the night deepened, the candlelight in the embroidery pavilion remained bright. Zhang Wanrong took off the phoenix crown and placed it on the dressing table.

She walked to the window, looking at the bright moon in the night sky, with a lot of thoughts in her mind. The future was full of unknowns, but she knew that she had to face it bravely.

Because she is not only the daughter of Zhang Bao, but also the woman who is about to become the Princess of Qin. She shoulders the glory of her family as well as her own destiny.

And that dazzling phoenix crown is not only a symbol of her identity, but also a testimony of her new life.

Soon, the wedding day arrived.

At dawn, Luoyang City was still shrouded in mist, but was awakened by the sound of firecrackers. From the Imperial Palace to the Qin Palace, the locust trees on Zhuque Street were all covered in red and decorated with colorful ribbons, and the silk hanging from the branches fluttered in the wind like burning flames.

The shops along the street had removed their door panels early, and the shopkeepers stood on tiptoe to tie red silk with auspicious words on the door lintels. Children holding malt sugar were squeezing in the crowd, and the sweet fragrance mixed with the green smoke from the burning pine and cypress branches created an intoxicating aroma in the air.

At three quarters past the hour of Mao, nine cannon shots blasted, startling the white doves roosting on the city walls.

Liu Xuan was wearing a black wedding gown with gold weaving in it, and the white jade sword tassel at his waist fluttered with the steps of the Red Hare under his crotch, like a flowing galaxy.

He looked at the towering eaves of Zhang's mansion in front of him, and remembered that when he received the marriage decree in the Western Regions three days ago, Guan Xing patted his shoulder and laughed: "Your Highness, you must put away the iron halberd this time and hold the red silk instead!"

At this moment, beads of sweat appeared on the palms of the Second Prince, wetting the gold thread tassels on the reins.

In front of Zhang’s mansion, thirty-six armored soldiers stood with spears in hand, their red tassels fluttering in the morning breeze.

Liu Xuan dismounted from his horse, his boots crushing the wedding money on the ground with a crisp sound. The vermilion lacquered door slowly opened, and the housekeeper bowed to greet him: "Your Highness, the Prince of Qin, the auspicious time has arrived." After passing through the winding corridor, he suddenly smelled a faint fragrance. He looked up and saw a scarlet skirt swaying gently behind the bamboo screen of Concubine Xiang in front of the hall.

"That's the young lady peeking!" The voice of Chuntao, the personal maid, came from behind the screen with a mischievous smile.

Zhang Wanrong stopped half-lifting the red veil, revealing a pair of autumn-water eyes with slightly upturned corners and a bright smile.

The morning light shone through the carved window lattices onto her face, making the rouge on her cheeks look especially bright. The pearl held by the goldfinch in her hair trembled slightly, casting tiny spots of light between her brows.

Liu Xuan looked at those eyes and vaguely recalled a moonlit night on the battlefield in the Western Regions.

At that time, he was standing on the top of Yumen Pass, looking at the starry sky, wondering which girl would spend the rest of her life with him.

At this moment, the person in front of me has eyes that are more moving than the stars.

He calmed himself and performed the ritual of three bows and nine kowtows to Zhang's mother according to etiquette. When he stood up, he caught a glimpse of tears flashing in his mother-in-law's eyes, who was quietly wiping the corners of her eyes with her sleeves.

The wedding was held in the Qinglu in the back garden of Zhang's mansion. The bronze chimes played the Guanju, and thirty-six musicians, dressed in black and gold-embroidered formal clothes with cloud and thunder patterns outlined in gold thread on the hems, lined up in an orderly manner.

Liu Xuan and Zhang Wanrong knelt side by side on a brocade-covered futon, with a bronze basin and plate placed in front of them. When clear water poured from the basin, their hands overlapped in the plate, and the ripples reflected their intertwined shadows.

Zhang Wanrong's fingertips were slightly cold, but they trembled slightly when they touched the calluses on Liu Xuan's palm - those were the marks left by years of holding the sword.

"Tonglaoli Ceremony—" the master of ceremonies shouted. On the table were millet, which symbolized heaven and earth, and pork, which symbolized yin and yang. Liu Xuan picked up the copper dagger and cut the meat into two halves.

When the rice grains stuck to the corner of Zhang Wanrong's mouth, he almost subconsciously reached out to wipe them away. His fingertips touched her warm skin, which felt as delicate as silk.

The guests in the room burst into laughter. Chuntao covered her mouth and chuckled: "The young lady's face is redder than her wedding dress!"

Zhang Wanrong lowered her head in a hurry, and the pearls on the phoenix crown swayed, making a crackling sound.

The wedding ceremony brought the atmosphere to a climax. Two gourds were connected by a red string, and the bitter wine mixed with honey was inside.

Liu Xuan and Zhang Wanrong held each other's arms and drank. The wine tasted slightly bitter and sweet. Zhang Wanrong choked and coughed lightly, and a faint blush appeared on her snow-white neck.

Liu Xuan quickly put down the gourd and patted her on the back, his movements were natural and caring. The guests laughed at this scene.

Dong Yun stroked his beard and smiled, "The King of Qin is so powerful on the battlefield, but I didn't expect that he is such a kind person."

As the night deepened, the clinking of glasses at the wedding banquet became more and more lively.

Zhang Wanrong changed into a moon-white skirt and tied a gold-embroidered cassia belt around her waist, and stood gracefully under the candlelight.

Liu Xuan held her hand and toasted the guests. The warmth of his palm came through layers of clothes, calming her heart.

When she came to her mother's seat, Zhang's mother raised her glass and said in a choked voice: "Wanrong is entrusted to Your Highness."

Liu Xuan said solemnly: "Don't worry, mother-in-law, I will never let her suffer any grievances."

The bangzi sounded at midnight and the guests gradually dispersed.

Inside the Prince of Qin's mansion, red candles illuminate the new house with warmth.

Liu Xuan gently lifted Zhang Wanrong's red veil. Under the candlelight, her eyes were sparkling, as if filled with the Milky Way.

"When I was in the Western Regions, I thought I would have to live with swords and guns for the rest of my life." He suddenly said, reaching out to stroke her hair.

"Until I saw you half-lifting your red veil."

Zhang Wanrong's cheeks flushed as she looked down at the jade pendant on his waist - it was the heart-shaped jade pendant that she had embroidered on the lining of her wedding dress.

Suddenly, the sound of a night watchman's clapperboard was heard outside the window, startling the chirping of autumn insects.

She whispered, "Your Highness looks so majestic on the battlefield, but when you wiped the corner of my mouth just now, you looked like a..." Before she finished her words, she was interrupted by Liu Xuan's laughter.

"Like what?" He leaned closer, his warm breath brushing her ear.

"Like a..." Zhang Wanrong looked up with a smile in her eyes.

"Like a man who is afraid his wife will go hungry."

The red candle flickered, casting the shadows of the two people on the screen.

Outside the Prince of Qin's Palace, the lights in Luoyang City were still bright, as if they were going to burn this joy until dawn.

This marriage, which began with the will of the emperor, quietly blossomed with a different kind of tenderness under the witness of the ancient Han rituals. (End of this chapter)