Chapter 41 – Ancient Era: A Dance to Enchant the City—The Emperor’s Celestial Fairy (11)
When the Emperor takes a consort, it naturally cannot be done hastily. The Imperial Astronomer took both the Emperor’s and Bai Tang’s birth charts, calculating repeatedly. He found that apart from a good date four days later, the next most auspicious day would be August 17—three years from now.
Jiang Liangwu narrowed his eyes and ordered everyone to prepare with full force—the wedding would take place in four days. He had originally wanted to give Bai Tang the very best, which would have required a long preparation time.
But three years? He couldn’t wait that long. This was a treasure he had found—who knew when someone else might come along and steal him away?
The palace was thrown into a frenzy. Servants worked tirelessly through the night, cleaning every corner of the imperial residence and making wedding preparations. The Ministry of Rites labored around the clock, rushing to complete the wedding robes…
Many ministers whose own children had not been chosen were sour with jealousy. What on earth did Bai Tang feed His Majesty?! They muttered, He better not turn out to be another treacherous consort who brings disaster to the nation!
As colleagues, these rumors inevitably reached the Prime Minister’s ears. Unwilling to let his son be accused of deliberately climbing the social ladder, he put all his effort into preparing Bai Tang’s “dowry.” The Prime Minister’s residence was bustling with servants coming and going, completely overwhelmed with work.
Meanwhile, the most relaxed place was Bai Tang’s small courtyard. He felt no joy at all from Jiang Liangwu’s confession of love. Instead, his mind was fixated on the Emperor’s three palaces and six courtyards.
Three palaces, six courtyards… A harem of three thousand concubines. Three thousand!
As a little squirrel, Bai Tang had always been highly possessive. In the past, if he didn’t want to share his pine nuts, no one could take them from him. And now… Hmph! Of all the things to be, why did he have to be the Emperor?!
Bai Tang couldn’t figure out how to monopolize a person’s love. Pouting in frustration, he directed his resentment toward Jiang Liangwu, who was currently overseeing the wedding preparations in the imperial palace.
While the people of the empire initially gossiped about Bai Tang’s controversial position, Jiang Liangwu swiftly issued an imperial decree: in celebration of the royal wedding, all citizens would be exempt from taxes for one year.
Immediately, public opinion took a complete U-turn. The common people erupted in cheers—What a great marriage! Our new consort is truly a blessing!
Rumors even spread that the Emperor’s consort was a celestial being sent from the heavens to aid the ruler.
Bai Tang & the System: ???
Early in the morning, before the sky had even begun to brighten, Bai Tang was dragged out of his warm bed by the joyous wedding matron and her attendants, his face promptly washed with hot water.
The little squirrel, rudely awakened from his slumber, sat before a bronze mirror with a disgruntled expression, forced to endure the maids dabbing and smearing various powders and rouges on his face—without being able to move.
By the time they were finally done applying layer after layer of white and red makeup, Bai Tang let out a big yawn, causing a single tear to well up at the corner of his eye.
“Oh dear, my little young master, don’t smudge the makeup! If we miss the auspicious hour, it will be bad luck,” the wedding matron fretted. She had only just turned around when she caught Bai Tang reaching up to rub his eyes, and she quickly stopped him.
“Oh~” So sleepy, I just want to go back to bed…
At the entrance of the Prime Minister’s residence, the crackling of firecrackers resounded nonstop. From within the thick smoke, Jiang Liangwu dismounted from his horse and strode forward.
The gathered townsfolk were completely stunned—The Emperor actually came in person to fetch his consort?!
For generations, Empresses had always been carried into the palace in a grand bridal sedan. When had an Emperor ever personally come to retrieve his spouse?
But Jiang Liangwu didn’t care for convention. Familiar with the layout of the residence, he made his way directly to Bai Tang’s courtyard—only to be stopped by the Prime Minister’s wife.
“Your Majesty, this is against tradition,” she said firmly. Being a woman of strict principles, she was delighted that the Emperor cherished her son, but she also feared that breaking customs could bring misfortune.
Facing his mother-in-law, Jiang Liangwu was indulgent, extending his affection to Bai Tang’s family as well. Without putting on any airs as Emperor, he simply nodded and said, “I was being impatient.”
Since Bai Tang was not a woman, the ceremony wasn’t overly formal, and he did not have to wear a red bridal veil.
Dressed in a luxurious red wedding robe, his long black hair was tied up high with a crimson silk ribbon. His flawless, jade-like face was lightly adorned with makeup, and the slight redness around his eyes—caused by his desperate attempt to stay awake—only made him look even more pitiful and alluring.
It made people want to bully him, just to see if his teary cries would sound even more beautiful…
Author’s Note:
For a long while after this, the female lead won’t have much presence. Let’s just send her off to wander the martial world and collect her handsome men~