I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

Qingdeng shrugged:

"Then I'll just wait without any expectations."

"Give me hope!"

After the two chatted idly for a while, Tenshōin's facial expression gradually softened.

"Sheng Qing, congratulations! Time flies. In the blink of an eye, that young man who was so naive back then has now started a family, and a big one at that."

"Although I don't know those three girls well, since they can make you so devoted, they must be very good girls."

You must cherish them!

Upon hearing this, Qing Deng couldn't help but chuckle.

"Judging from your tone, you sound like an 'old mother who has finally seen her beloved son get married and start a family'?"

Tenshōin smiled and curled his lips:

"In terms of age, I may not be your mother, but I am certainly your older sister."

She paused at this point.

When she spoke again, her tone was filled with deep emotion.

"Thinking about it carefully... I'm really not a good older sister."

"As the older one, it is our duty to protect the younger one."

"But in the end... it was you, as my 'younger brother,' who often protected and supported me."

"In short, congratulations on your marriage! It was worth coming all the way from Edo to witness your grand wedding!"

Faced with the sincere congratulations from Tenshōin, Seidō smiled again—this time, his smile was full of gratitude.

"Your Highness, thank you. To be honest, I am very pleased that you came."

"Haha, you flatter me. I'm not anything special. To put it bluntly, I'm just an ordinary woman with nothing remarkable about me except for my status and titles."

The two, who always joked around whenever they met, now had a rare serious conversation.

However, their serious conversation didn't last long... Suddenly, Tensho-in raised his hand to cover his lips and chuckled softly.

"Hoo hoo hoo~~ Sheng Qing, look at how impatient you are. You must be eager for tonight's 'wedding night', right? Too bad, it's still broad daylight, and there's still some time before sunset."

"..."

"Why aren't you saying anything? Shouldn't you be vehemently refuting me at a time like this?"

"Because I've already anticipated your thoughts. If I hurriedly refute you, I'll definitely be subjected to further teasing from you. In that case, it's better to frankly admit it and express my acquiescence by remaining silent."

"Oh dear... so unlovable. I was actually looking forward to seeing you all flustered... but then again, you're really quite 'honest,' so straightforward in admitting that you're really looking forward to tonight's 'wedding night.'"

"No normal person could be uninterested in their wedding night, right? To say you don't look forward to your wedding night would seem hypocritical, wouldn't it? I don't want to be that kind of hypocrite. One of my life principles is to face my inner feelings honestly."

"What you said...is quite convincing..."

After saying that, Tianzhangyuan waved his hand.

"Alright, I've said 'Happy Wedding' to you in person now."

"I won't bother you anymore. You must be quite busy right now, with so many familiar guests here."

“If you stay here, I'm afraid people will notice me and discover me.”

Since Tianzhangyuan had said so, Qingdeng did not hesitate for long. After nodding slightly, he slowly stood up.

"Your Highness, please don't stand on ceremony. Enjoy the feast to your heart's content. The reason I spent so much money to make this wedding banquet so lavish and grand is to ensure that all guests have a wonderful time. Have a pleasant day."

Tianzhangyuan smiled slyly:

"Well then... I wish you a wonderful and exciting night."

Qing Deng Wan Er:

"If that could be done, that would be wonderful."

After leaving those words, he turned and left without lingering.

Tianzhangyuan, who remained where he was, stared intently at Qingdeng's receding figure.

His facial expression slowly underwent subtle and meaningful changes, as if he were recalling the past or envisioning the future, a complex and indescribable emotion.

Even after Qingdeng's figure had disappeared from her sight, she did not look away for a long time.

Before long, she murmured softly in a voice only she could hear:

"To marry the one you love...it's so wonderful..."

As soon as he finished speaking, a hint of envy flickered in his eyes...

……

……

That night--

Qinjin Fan, Dajin, Judi——

As the lord of a domain, Aoto should rightfully reside in Otsu Castle.

The old Dajin City had long since turned to ashes, while the new Dajin City hadn't even had its foundation laid yet.

Therefore, before the castle was completed, Aoto had to find another place to build a residence in Otsu.

Upon learning that Niou was troubled by the issue of housing, a wealthy merchant generously sold his unused mansion to Aoto at a very reasonable price.

This residence is located in the heart of Otsu, with a large area and convenient transportation. It includes four elegant courtyards, making it a truly fine home.

Thus, Qingdeng purchased the house and had a new home.

This house thus became known as the "Orange Residence" among the locals.

Because the situation in Kyoto is not yet fully stable and Aoto still needs to be stationed there for a long time, he rarely returns to the Tachibana residence to rest.

However, he has no choice but to go back tonight.

After all... tonight is their "wedding night"!

It would be far too hasty to spend the grand "wedding night" in the newly established village.

At this very moment, a "delicate" scene is unfolding in Qingdeng's bedroom... or rather, his bridal chamber.

Qingdeng: "..."

Sanako: "..."

A-Wu: "..."

Souji: "..."

One man and three women sat facing each other.

Neither of them uttered a word... The huge bedroom was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Although the wedding ended early today, the subsequent banquet continued until evening.

How much alcohol did I drink today?

At first, Qingdeng was quite interested in counting them.

But by noon, he had completely lost count.

He only remembered meeting one guest after another, laughing and drinking one glass of wine after another.

Fortunately, the drinks served at the banquet were all low-alcohol sake and shochu, rather than vodka, which can be used as fuel.

Thus, even after drinking a large amount of alcohol, with the support of talents such as "God of Wine +3" and "Beef Liver", Qingdeng was still able to remain largely sober and did not black out.

After the banquet, the guests, having thoroughly enjoyed themselves, gradually dispersed.

Aoto and the three women also rode in a carriage back to the Tachibana residence in Otsu.

For the guests, today's wedding is now completely over.

But for Qingdeng and the three women... today's wedding has only just begun!

As soon as they returned to the mansion, they went to the bathrooms separately—the mansion had no shortage of bathrooms, even if each person had their own, there would still be plenty left—to wash away the dust and fatigue of the day, and to prepare for their "wedding night".

When Qingdeng, dressed in white pajamas and still steaming from her shower, entered the bedroom, she saw the three women who had already returned to their rooms.

The three women sitting side by side were all dressed in white pajamas, barefoot, with their long black hair flowing freely.

Because they had just taken a shower, they were all in their "pure, natural state" without any makeup.

The three women didn't usually wear makeup.

Therefore, compared to their elaborate makeup at today's wedding, Qingdeng felt more familiar and comfortable with their current "natural state".

Qing Deng let out a long breath, and then, as if heading to the "boss room," slowly moved to the front of them and sat down with her knees bent.

He shifted his gaze, scanning the faces of the three women one by one.

The moment their eyes met in mid-air, it was as if they had touched boiling water; the woman quickly looked away and gazed elsewhere.

Sanako raised her head and stared intently at the ceiling above her, counting its patterns.

A-Wu's gaze darted around frantically, finally settling on the tatami mat in front of her knees, and she exclaimed, "Wow! This tatami mat is so tatami!"

Only Souji seemed relatively normal. However... under the influence of the current atmosphere, her demeanor was quite reserved, her shoulders were hunched, and her hands were repeatedly rubbing together.

Despite the dim lighting in the room, Qingdeng was able to clearly see three rosy cheeks thanks to his innate "night vision".

In this state, they practically had "nervousness," "shyness," and "coyness" written all over their faces!

It's no wonder they would act this way.

After all... this is their "wedding night"!

In modern times, the "wedding night" has become a mere formality, and the public regards chastity as nothing.

Even in the Edo period, when feudal ethics were still prevalent, the "wedding night" was still a solemn ceremony that symbolized "the great harmony of life" and made men and women blush.

Although they had prepared themselves mentally, the three women were still more nervous than Qingdeng had expected.

Qing Deng was initially quite relaxed, but upon seeing the three women's expressions, he couldn't help but feel uneasy.

Perhaps influenced by the current atmosphere, Qingdeng felt increasingly hot all over, and fine sweat began to appear on his back.