The Wedding
Since Chen Luxian returned to the Chen manor last time, sneaking out had become increasingly difficult. The palace had sent guards to protect the future consort, though Luxian privately suspected this was more about monitoring him.
While the eldest son of the Chen family diligently practiced court etiquette, he also had to refine his skills in the Four Arts and even needed to sew a pillow for the wedding night. Meanwhile, Zhao Qirong, upon learning of his impending marriage, rushed to the palace to confront the emperor.
Initially, Zhao Qirong planned to use the wheelchair Luxian had lent him for his visit. However, realizing he wouldn’t be able to explain its origins if questioned, he opted instead for a special sedan chair to take him to the Qianqing Palace.
After hours of discussion, Zhao Qirong received only a simple response from the emperor,
"You’ve grown up, and with your injuries, it’s only fitting for you to have a consort to help care for you."
When Zhao Qirong pressed further as to why it had to be Chen Lu, the emperor simply replied,
"It’s fate."
No matter what the emperor said, Zhao Qirong couldn’t bring himself to believe that the selection of a notorious figure like the eldest son of the Chen family for his consort wasn’t deliberate.
But with the imperial decree already announced and irreversible, Zhao Qirong had no choice but to accept it. To add to this, before he left the palace, the emperor granted him a newly built residence as the bridal home.
Qi Wang then moved into the new estate, now adorned with red decorations for the wedding, in a quiet, understated manner. There was little fanfare or attention. The estate itself was grand, intricately decorated, and fitting for his newly granted title as Qinwang, a rank he had recently received.
At this point, Zhao Qirong was the only imperial prince with the title of Qinwang. Many believed that the title and the imperial marriage were merely gestures of consolation, a way of signaling that Zhao Qirong would no longer have any claim to the throne in the future.
However, no one could have foreseen that these seemingly trivial gestures would one day become the foundation of Zhao Qirong’s power, enabling him to contend with his siblings for the Dragon Throne....
Every week, Rongqi and Shaochang visited Luxian at the Hall of Lu Yue for follow-up treatments. The Fourth Prince’s recovery in the palace remained a secret. The shadow guard who played the role of the bedridden Fourth Prince still continued his duties. Zhao Qirong was now unwilling to rely on imperial physicians any longer. He disguised himself as one of the injured soldiers and was recovering in a room inside the new estate. With so many subordinates under the Eastern General’s command, no one paid attention to the injured soldier occupying a modest room.
...
One month passed, and the grand day finally arrived: the wedding of Qi Wang Zhao Qirong and the eldest son of the Chen family, Chen Lu.
The bridal dowry procession, prepared by the Chen family and supplemented with imperial gifts, stretched as far as the eye could see. Despite the rumors and scandals surrounding Chen Lu and his lack of support from any political faction, it was undeniable that he was about to become the primary consort of Qi Wang.
No matter the controversies, the wedding had to be a grand and prestigious affair befitting the occasion.
On this day, Chen Luxian awoke at dawn. He donned the full ceremonial attire of the Consort of Qinwang, a luxurious outfit in bright red—the auspicious color of marriage. The robes were intricately embroidered with a phoenix, a design reserved exclusively for the Empress, the Crown Princess, and the Consort of Qinwang. Traditionally, the Consort of Qinwang would also wear a phoenix coronet adorned with many more intricate headpieces, but as Chen Luxian was a man, his head was only adorned with a simpler phoenix-patterned coronet.
For this special day, General Chen Rizhong set aside his duties at the military camp. He personally sent off his eldest son, lifting him onto an eight-bearer bridal sedan with his own hands. According to the official explanation, Qi Wang’s health was still poor, so he could not personally escort his bride. In reality, however, Zhao Qirong had recovered well enough to walk unaided and could now use his left arm almost as before.
Despite his recovery, the mastermind behind the previous assassination attempts remained at large, and suspicions lingered over the unexplained agitation of the Eastern General’s warhorse. Furthermore, Divine Doctor Xian—who had been treating Zhao Qirong since the beginning—had strictly forbidden him from engaging in dangerous activities. Sword training, horseback riding, and archery were all prohibited. Given Zhao Qirong’s status, if he could not yet move freely as he had before, he shouldn’t make a commotion and alert the snakes.
As of now, only a few people knew the true state of Qi Wang’s injuries: Deputy General Qin Muwen, Eldest Young Master Yuan Shaoqi, Second Young Master Yuan Shaochang, and Zhao Qirong’s closest confidants.
The honor of representing Qi Wang to escort his Primary Consort fell to Yuan Shaoqi, a distant cousin of the Empress. Unfortunately for Chen Luxian, aside from the veil obscuring his face, he now had an additional red bridal veil covering his head. As a result, he had no idea that the person leading him to Qi Wang’s manor was Yuan Shaoqi—the very friend he had picked up on the roadside two months ago.
Following Yuan Shaoqi’s guidance, Luxian was led inside and handed a ceremonial red silk ribbon by the matchmaker. Shortly after, he felt someone else take hold of the other end of the ribbon.
It was Qi Wang.
This was the man with whom he would share the rest of his life. As long as Zhao Qirong didn’t cause too much trouble or make life difficult for him, Luxian didn’t think living in Qi Wang’s manor would be much of an issue. In fact, as Primary Consort, he could use his status to his advantage and indulge in his dreams of exploring this ancient world. After all, Dr. Chen wasn’t someone who feared death or clung to life like ordinary people. Even dying and waking up in someone else’s body had turned into an exciting adventure for him. Visit novelping(.)com for the full chapter.
Before entering Qi Wang’s manor, Chen Luxian had already been briefed on the wedding day’s schedule. Due to Qi Wang’s supposedly poor health, many formalities were simplified, leaving only the Heaven and Earth ceremony and the bridal chamber ritual.
The usual celebratory banquet was omitted. The guest list was sparse, consisting primarily of members of the Yuan family. Yuan Sanwen, the elder brother of Empress Yuan and Zhao Qirong’s maternal uncle, attended with his wife and three children. Other guests included close friends and subordinates such as Deputy General Qin Muwen, along with those sent by the Emperor and Empress to deliver traditional wedding gifts. The rest were eunuchs, palace maids, and guards from Qi Wang’s household.
After completing the Heaven and Earth ceremony, the new Primary Consort from the Chen family was escorted to the bridal chamber. However, after sitting and waiting for more than half the day, Luxian’s new husband had yet to appear.
Is he really abandoning me on our wedding night?!
As Chen Luxian’s patience was about to run out—just moments before he planned to storm out and demand a look at his new husband to ease his curiosity—there came a knock at the door.
“This servant, Chun Gong Gong, greets Primary Consort.”
When the door opened, Luxian saw a man in his early fifties bowing deeply at the entrance.
The bridal veil had been torn off within the first hour after the ceremony, leaving only a thin mask obscuring Chen Luxian’s face. Chun Gong Gong eyed the veil skeptically, wondering if the eldest son of the Chen family truly matched the rumors.
“His Highness has instructed me to inform you that there is no need to wait and please take a rest, Your Highness.”
Hearing this, Luxian immediately understood—he had truly been abandoned by his husband on their wedding night!
“Is his condition that severe?” The Primary Consort Chen made no mention of being left alone but instead asked about his husband’s health.
“Indeed, His Highness is very fatigued. He exerted himself greatly today and has already retired to his bedchamber,” Chun Gong Gong explained.
Luxian, however, had his own interpretation: Qi Wang clearly wanted to set boundaries with him from the very start.
“I see. Thank you, Gong Gong.”
Initially, Luxian had planned to check on his husband’s condition—or at least confirm if Zhao Qirong truly was who he suspected. But from the looks of it, a Primary Consort from the Chen family was far from one that Qi Wang intended to embrace.
As luck would have it, today was also the day he had scheduled to check up on his friends, Shaochang and Rongqi. Sitting idly in the bridal chamber wouldn’t solve any mysteries or benefit him in any way, so Luxian decided to make a discreet trip to the Hall of Lu Yue.
He called for his maid to help him change out of his ceremonial attire and instructed his trusted attendants to monitor Qi Wang’s quarters. He planned to find out if Rongqi appeared at the Hall of Lu Yue—and, if so, whether Qi Wang remained in his manor.
Luxian slipped out of Qi Wang’s manor through a back exit with minimal guards. Using the cover of darkness and wearing black stealth attire, he hid behind a tree for nearly half a ke until the guards changed shifts, seizing the opportunity to sneak away.
However, Zhao Qirong’s shadow guard followed him closely.
As expected from the General of the Eastern Army.
Luxian thought as he quickened his pace, trying to shake off the tail. Thankfully, after five months of practicing his light-footed techniques, he wasn’t easy to catch. Once he reached the bustling marketplace, the shadow guard lost him in the crowd.
For Luxian, a man like the Eastern General was no ordinary individual. But if he were truly bedridden as rumored, would he still have the energy to carefully assign someone to tail him?
Eventually, Luxian reached his Hall of Lu Yue. When he opened the door, he found his four friends seated together, chatting as usual. Their clothing was neat and ordinary, with no signs that they had just attended a grand wedding.
“Why are you dressed like that?” Rongqi asked, puzzled. The black stealth attire was something Luxian had worn in front of them before, so it wasn’t entirely unusual. What was odd, however, was the loosened cord around his waist, which dangled awkwardly.
“I had to sneak out of the manor. It’s not as easy as it used to be. My new wife is no ordinary character. I don’t even know what my mother saw in her,” Luxian said, plopping down with a casual air, legs crossed. After spending enough time with his friends, he had long since abandoned formalities in their presence.
“A most unusual wife indeed,” Rongqi remarked with a laugh, though his tone carried a subtle hint of mischief.
“Yes, truly unusual.”
"She probably doesn’t trust you," Muwen remarked. "Women in the martial world place great importance on having only one spouse, unlike the tradition among nobles of having three wives and four concubines. If you keep sneaking out of the manor late at night, how could she feel secure?"
"That’s probably true. Even I can’t figure out why she sent people to keep tabs on me. Let’s just assume she’s jealous," Luxian said jokingly, his gaze then shifting toward Rongqi. New chapters come out on novelping dot com first.
"Come here and let me check your wound first," he said, prioritizing the matter at hand. After examining Rongqi and confirming his recovery was progressing well, the group ordered food and chatted casually as usual.
"I just got married," Rongqi suddenly blurted out during the conversation, leading the topic in an unexpected direction.
"So, the question I asked before..." Luxian began.
"No," Rongqi interrupted. "I married the daughter of an officer of the Eastern Army. My father recently arranged the marriage for me. It was a simple ceremony, nothing grand, so I didn’t invite you. I apologize."
"Why didn’t you tell me before?" Luxian asked like a friend seeking an answer. Based on the information he had, he still couldn’t piece things together.
"He was forced into it," Shaoqi interjected on Rongqi’s behalf.
"I’m curious to know what kind of lucky woman she is to marry someone as handsome as you. But you really seem displeased about it," Luxian continued, probing further.
If this man truly was Qi Wang, he wasn’t acting very princely...
Rongqi didn’t respond verbally but gave a slight nod, indicating his agreement.
"Rong Rong, my friend, sometimes you just have to give it a chance. Even if you were forced into marriage, was your wife at least willing to marry you?" Luxian teased.
"What about you? Since your mother arranged your marriage, you and your wife must have never met before. If you’ve never met, there’s no love involved. Don’t you think you might want to take concubines later?" Rongqi asked, redirecting the question.
"I don’t have that right," Luxian replied flatly.
Being in the position of a Primary Consort appointed by imperial decree, he can’t divorce or remarry. Breaking those rules would mean execution...
"What I mean is, I’ve decided that I’ll only marry once in my lifetime. Even if there’s no love or harmony, I won’t pursue a divorce or take additional wives to complicate matters. I don’t believe in having multiple spouses at the same time. And since I don’t understand love, marrying anyone is all the same to me," Luxian answered earnestly. It was true that he didn’t know how to love, perhaps due to a childhood scar that had never healed. He believed that if he couldn’t protect someone, it was better not to have anyone at all.
He still grieved for the friend he’d lost in his youth. If it had been someone he loved...
"What about the rest of you?" Luxian shifted the conversation to his companions.
"There’s been a drought in the Xinan region. The Emperor has ordered the great general to handle it personally. He was waiting for the Primary Consort’s wedding to pass. We’ll set out tomorrow," Muwen said.
"As for me and my older brother, there’s not much going on. However, now that Rongqi is married, our parents are pressuring us to marry too," Shaochang added, while Shaoqi nodded in exasperation.
They continued their idle chatter for a while longer before parting ways.
...
At Qi Wang Manor, in a simple and unassuming guard’s quarters, Zhao Qirong sat leaning against the headboard, reading a sheet of paper filled with detailed information, his expression thoughtful.
"Qi Yi, you’re certain that my consort had disappeared near the market?"
"Yes, Your Highness," Qi Yi, the shadow guard, replied firmly.
"The situation in the Chen manor was never a secret, but General Chen never took the time to investigate thoroughly. The rumors about Primary Consort being gravely ill are untrue. The truth is, Primary Consort was scarred due to the abuse inflicted by his two younger sisters," Qi Yi emphasized.
This was one of the key pieces of information Qi Yi had spent the past month uncovering since the imperial marriage decree was announced. It was critical for Zhao Qirong to know this beyond the details already written in the report.