We Agreed On Experiencing Life, So Why Did You Immortals Become Real?

The deafening sound of gongs, drums, and suona horns resounded throughout the entire capital.

On both sides of the Zhou Kingdom capital’s main avenue, commoners all raised their heads to watch the wedding procession.

At the very front of the wedding procession, Xiao Mo rode a bright red horse forward.

In Zhou Kingdom, wedding customs were roughly similar to those of ordinary families, except that the wedding ceremony after entering the palace had its own imperial rules.

So even though Xiao Mo was emperor, he still had to ride a horse to fetch his brides.

For the vast majority of Zhou Kingdom capital’s residents, this might be their only opportunity in this lifetime to see their emperor with their own eyes.

“Is that His Majesty?”

“His Majesty looks so handsome.”

“Who said His Majesty was six feet tall and weighed two hundred pounds? His Majesty is clearly so handsome.”

“Yes, I also think His Majesty looks so good, just like a Confucian scholar.”

“But I think His Majesty looks more like a general who’s fought on battlefields.”

“I also want to marry His Majesty.”

“What are you all saying? Be careful with your words, be careful!”

“Don’t discuss His Majesty, aren’t you afraid of being beheaded!”

Many women who saw Xiao Mo in his groom’s attire had eyes rippling with admiration.

In their impression, they had always thought the current emperor was a pot-bellied man but unexpectedly, he was born so handsome.

Aside from the women, many scholars also felt surprised.

After all, they had long heard that His Majesty was obsessed with immortal cultivation, and had even heard His Majesty spent all day in debauchery with palace maids but just looking at His Majesty’s bearing and full spirit, he didn’t seem like someone indulging in wine and women at all.

Just as the wedding procession from the palace gradually left the palace, processions from Lingxin Palace also arrived at Lion Bridge Village and the Qin Kingdom’s Envoy Manor.

Under the guidance of Lingxin Palace’s female officials, the two women boarded their bridal sedan chairs and simultaneously headed toward Zhou Mountain.

This mountain was located on the outskirts of Zhou Kingdom and was the origin of Zhou Kingdom’s dragon veins.

Zhou Kingdom’s founding ancestor had walked out from this very mountain and built a vast foundation with his own hands.

The importance of this mountain to Zhou Kingdom naturally went without saying.

Originally, according to normal procedure, the groom should go to the bride’s home to fetch her. However, because the two consorts had equal status, going to either place first would be inappropriate and would cause discussion.

So the Ministry of Rites and Lingxin Palace, based on ancient rites, established a new procedure—having Imperial Consorts Yan Ruxue and Qin Siyao wait at the foot of Zhou Mountain.

His Majesty would also go to Zhou Mountain to fetch both Imperial Consorts simultaneously.

Afterward, His Majesty only needed to lead the two Imperial Consorts around Zhou Mountain once, then offer incense.

This would count as announcing to heaven and earth and the ancestors, completing the bride-fetching.

This way, no one would be offended.

Half an hour later, the palace’s wedding procession arrived at the mountain’s foot.

The two bridal sedan chairs had already stopped at the foot of the mountain, waiting for Xiao Mo to arrive.

Xiao Mo dismounted and walked to the middle between the two sedan chairs.

Following the procedure everyone had already memorized, Madam Yan stepped forward, slightly lifted the sedan chair curtain, and used red floral silk to lead her daughter out.

Because Qin Mujiu’s relatives were all in Qin Kingdom and hadn’t come to Zhou Kingdom, Empress Dowager Yan led Qin Mujiu out of the sedan chair.

“Your Majesty, I entrust my Ruxue to you.” Madam Yan held back her tears and entrusted this to Xiao Mo.

“Your Majesty, Mujiu has come from Qin Kingdom to Zhou Kingdom. This foreign land will now be Mujiu’s home. Your Majesty must treat her well.” Empress Dowager Yan also instructed.

“Please rest assured.” Xiao Mo bowed. “Whether it’s Ruxue or Mujiu, I will definitely treat them with sincerity and will never fail them.”

Although these words weren’t wrong, when Xiao Mo said “treat with sincerity and never fail” to two women, it somehow felt a bit strange.

Madam Yan and Empress Dowager Yan handed the red silk in their hands to Xiao Mo.

Xiao Mo’s left hand and right hand each held a red silk ribbon.

The red silk in both women’s hands pointed toward him like red threads.

Xiao Mo raised his head and looked at his two wives.

Although they were both wearing red veils.

Xiao Mo could still vaguely sense their shy appearance with lowered heads.

“So these are my wives?”

This thought suddenly emerged in Xiao Mo’s mind.

In Xiao Mo’s heart, he had actually always felt that marriage was something very distant for him.

Moreover, perhaps because Xiao Mo hadn’t fully prepared to be responsible for other women, or perhaps worried whether he could take care of his other half.

So Xiao Mo was even vaguely somewhat afraid but when this matter truly happened.

It seemed marriage wasn’t so frightening after all.

“Your Majesty, it’s time to worship Zhou Mountain.”

Minister of Rites Yan Zhen stepped forward and said softly to Xiao Mo.

Xiao Mo nodded and led the two consorts’ hands in a circuit around the foot of Zhou Mountain.

After circling once around the foot of Zhou Mountain, when Xiao Mo led the two consorts back to their original position, the Ministry of Rites had already set up the altar.

Xiao Mo and the two consorts lit three incense sticks. He stood at the very front, with Yan Ruxue and Qin Siyao standing to Xiao Mo’s left and right behind him.

“Bow!”

Amid elegant music, Xiao Mo, Qin Siyao, and Yan Ruxue bowed together, worshipping Zhou Mountain.

The moment the three stood up, a colorful radiant light rose from Zhou Mountain’s peak, connecting to the Zhou Kingdom palace, like a rainbow after rain, but several times more beautiful than a rainbow.

Immediately after came dragon roars resounding through the clouds, echoing for hundreds of miles.

Hundreds of birds circled in the sky, making cheerful chirping sounds.

The commoners in the city, seeing this colorful radiance, called it an auspicious sign, their hearts both amazed and extremely joyful but in reality, in Xiao Mo’s view, this was just a little trick performed by some mountain cultivators the Ministry of Rites had hired.

After all, on such a joyous occasion as a wedding, not producing some auspicious signs would be unreasonable.

The other civil and military officials thought the same.

Even the Ministry of Rites officials looked toward their superior, thinking didn’t the Minister say that having immortals create auspicious signs was too fake?

But the Minister said it was fake, yet still hired them anyway, and created such a grand spectacle.

Only Minister of Rites Yan Zhen stared blankly at these auspicious signs.

Everyone thought these auspicious signs were created by Minister of Rites Yan Zhen but in reality, Yan Zhen knew nothing—he hadn’t hired any cultivators to create false displays at all.

Which meant… these auspicious signs were all real!

Could it be that His Majesty marrying his daughter and that Qin Kingdom princess would truly bring a renaissance to Great Zhou?!

After worshipping Zhou Mountain, Madam Yan and Empress Dowager Yan each led Yan Ruxue and Qin Siyao back to their sedan chairs.

As the suona and gong and drum sounds rang out again, Xiao Mo mounted his horse, and the wedding procession returned to the capital.

“They’re coming, they’re coming!”

“His Majesty and the two Imperial Consorts are coming!”

“Everyone look…”

At the palace gate, commoners lined both sides of the street in welcome.

Behind Xiao Mo, two sedan chairs proceeded forward side by side.

Looking at those two sedan chairs, many men’s eyes revealed envious expressions.

After all, Miss Yan was not only praised as Zhou Kingdom’s foremost talented woman but also Zhou Kingdom’s foremost beauty and that Qin Kingdom eldest princess was said to be no less beautiful than Miss Yan.

Now that His Majesty had won both beauties, how could they not envy him?

Women’s thoughts were similar to men’s, yet also opposite.

The women envied the two Imperial Consorts in the sedan chairs.

They thought if His Majesty was marrying them instead, how happy they would be.

Just as the wedding procession gradually approached the palace.

Officials from the Ministry of Rites knocked on the wooden door of a separate courtyard in the capital.

The door opened, and a woman wearing ordinary hemp clothes stood before the official.

On the woman’s shoulder, a winged “large dumpling” lay quietly.

“Greetings, Master Wangxin.” This Ministry of Rites official bowed. “Today, we must trouble Master Wangxin.”

“Mm.” Wangxin nodded. “Please lead the way.”

“Master Wangxin, please.”

The Ministry of Rites official invited Wangxin onto a sedan chair, then mounted another horse himself.

In less than a quarter hour, Wangxin was brought to the foot of a tall building.

Wangxin dismounted the carriage and, carrying little Hundun, walked alone up the tall building.

Today was the Zhou Kingdom ruler’s joyous day.

Today, Wangxin would pray and chant sutras for him.

Ascending the tall building, Wangxin sat on a meditation cushion. Only Wangxin was in the room.

“Migu migu…”

Little Hundun nuzzled Wangxin’s thigh.

“You’re asking, what if the person getting married really is Xiao Mo?” Wangxin asked.

“Migu!” Little Hundun nodded its chubby body.

“Even if it really is Xiao Mo, it’s fine.” Wangxin’s eyes blinked gently. “Him marrying and having children, isn’t that a good thing?”

“Migu…” Little Hundun shook its chubby body.

“What will I do?”

Wangxin thought for a moment, her clear eyes emanating a gentle light.

“I’m also fine.”

“If that Zhou Kingdom ruler truly is Xiao Mo, and Xiao Mo marries other women, my heart does feel a bit empty.”

“But it’s okay…”

“As long as Xiao Mo is well, I’m also well.”

“As long as I can find him, can silently watch over him, that’s enough…”

“Migu!” Little Hundun flapped its wings, lying on its master’s head, continuously patting her head lightly, as if angry at her for not striving, “Migu migu!”

“I really do think this way. I’m not lying…”

Wangxin gently lowered her beautiful face, her small hands unconsciously gripping her skirt hem, saying slowly.

“I really…”

“I’m not lying…”

…

Amid the commoners’ farewells.

The palace wedding procession had already entered the palace and just at this moment, the sound of Buddhist sutra chanting spread from a tall building in the capital.

The sutra chanting was ethereal yet solemn, like a female voice, yet also like a male voice, and also like many monks chanting together.

As the sutra chanting spread through the high sky, golden Buddhist lotuses drifted above the capital.

The Buddhist lotuses formed a golden lotus river, holy aura pervading every corner of the capital.

Xiao Mo raised his head and glanced toward the direction the Buddhist voice came from.

For some reason, Xiao Mo felt this voice carried some familiarity. However, speaking of which, the monk hired by the Ministry of Rites could cause such phenomena merely by chanting Buddhist sutras, showing the other party’s cultivation was indeed quite high.

Xiao Mo felt that high monk must be at least at the Immortal realm.

An incense stick’s time later, the sedan chairs stopped before the ancestral temple.

Xiao Mo led Yan Ruxue and Qin Siyao into the ancestral temple to worship the Zhou Kingdom ancestors.

The Director of the Celestial Observatory burned the birth dates and times of all three before the ancestors’ spirit tablets, seeking the ancestors’ blessing and protection.

After worshipping the ancestors, Xiao Mo and the civil and military officials proceeded first to the plaza at the Heaven Worship Altar.

They stood separately on the left and right sides, all looking toward the plaza’s main gate.

At the very front of the civil and military officials, Xiao Mo also looked at the gate, quietly waiting.

“The wedding ceremony! Begins!”

As soon as the Wei hour arrived, Minister of Rites Yan Zhen’s voice rang out across the plaza.

The plaza’s main gate opened with a rumble.

Yan Ruxue and Qin Siyao, led by the Empress Dowager and Madam Yan, walked in.

Beneath their long dresses, both Imperial Consorts’ long legs stepped forward, their square steps elegant and dignified.

Behind them, a total of eight palace maids carried their trailing skirts.

Spring sunlight reflected on their red garments, the gentle sunshine seeming to be dyed as red and bright as phoenix flowers.

Seeing this, everyone couldn’t help but sigh—so spring sunlight truly did have color.

Below the Heaven Worship Platform, the Empress Dowager and Madam Yan placed the red silk into Xiao Mo’s hands one last time.

Xiao Mo turned and led the two consorts step by step toward the Heaven Worship Platform.

On the Heaven Worship Platform, Minister of Rites Yan Zhen, who presided over the wedding, walked before Xiao Mo holding a jade plate with both hands.

On the jade plate was the edict Xiao Mo had personally written.

Xiao Mo picked up the edict he had written, word by word, his voice solemn as it entered everyone’s ears:

“I, Xiao Mo, bearing the mandate of Heaven, succeeding my ancestors’ legacy, governing the seven altars, presiding over all directions.”

“Today, on this day when heaven and earth unite in virtue, when the ancestral temple bestows its blessings, following the system of six rites, upholding the ceremony of paired jade discs, I marry Yan clan’s virtuous woman Ruxue and Qin Kingdom’s Eldest Princess Mujiu.”

“Both women are spiritually gifted and beautiful, chaste, quiet, upright and proper, worthy to be models of the inner palace.”

“Regarding Miss Yan, her family is distinguished and cultured, trained in poetry and rites, gentle and virtuous; Princess Mujiu of Qin, born of illustrious lineage, possessing a kind nature and orchid heart, with far-reaching dignified bearing.”

“I, according to the Zhou Rites’ regulations on women’s conduct and the Spring and Autumn Annals’ wedding ceremony, confer upon both the position of Imperial Consort.”

“Consort Xue is granted residence in Ning Xue Palace, Consort Mu is granted residence in Han Jiu Palace, each receiving gold and purple sashes, enjoying the honor of nine pheasants and four phoenixes.”

“May both consorts cultivate their nature through quiet chastity, serve sovereign and parents with gentle obedience, harmonize the six palaces through words, appearance, skill and beauty, lead the concubines through respectful frugality and humble gentleness, continue the imperial line to strengthen the nation’s foundation, jointly assist in managing the inner palace, coordinate pepper chamber affairs, making the palace solemn and dignified, the inner quarters’ standards clearly manifest.”

“May both consorts be like sun and moon shining together, like treasured vessels of equal value, demonstrating filial piety through serving meals morning and evening, promoting moral education through weaving and sericulture, harmonizing the nation through elegant music, so that all women under heaven look up to the pepper chamber’s virtuous example, all people of the nine provinces bask in the royal house’s exemplary virtue, enabling our Great Zhou to have ordered families and governed nation, continuing auspicious blessings forever.”

Xiao Mo finished reciting and put down the edict, arriving exactly at the auspicious hour.

Yan Zhen stepped forward and called out loudly, “The auspicious hour has arrived! Begin the ceremony!”

Sili came forward carrying a jade plate with incense sticks on it.

Xiao Mo, Yan Ruxue, and Qin Siyao each took three incense sticks.

At the same time, ceremonial music began to play.

“First bow to heaven and earth!”

The three lit the incense sticks and bowed to heaven and earth.

“Second bow to parents!”

Because Madam Yan and Yan Zhen were subjects and could not receive the emperor’s bow, Empress Dowager Yan stepped forward and stood beside the three.

The three bowed, paying respects to their elders.

“Husband and wives bow to each other!”

Yan Ruxue and Qin Siyao stood together, facing Xiao Mo, and all three bowed.

“The three bows are complete!”

“Civil and military officials bear witness, heaven and earth serve as testament!”

“From this moment!”

“The ceremony is complete!”