Time Travel: The Best Doctor in Ancient Times

Chapter 653: Chapter 499: The Grand Bride-Pride Ceremony

The procession that was set to continue forward came to an abrupt halt with that one call, and everyone’s gaze swiftly turned to the person who had spoken.

”Elder of the clan?” Zhou Mu turned his head back in surprise, his eyes and brows exuding a chilly aura.

”Ahem!” Under his gaze, the venerable elder took a step forward, clearing his throat with a grave expression, ”Isn’t there a tradition of displaying the betrothal gifts? How can my Great Zhou Imperial Family marry off a prince and lose face in the process?”

Just like Emperor Zhoulin, he too looked down on a woman like Gu Changsheng becoming Zhou Mu’s principal wife. However, Emperor Zhoulin’s intentions were also those of the Zhou Family Clan!

The Great Zhou cannot be without Zhou Mu; neither can the millennia-old foundation of his Zhou family!

Zhou Mu heard this and slightly raised his eyebrows almost imperceptibly, yet he made no move to stop the elder.

Seeing his tacit agreement, the elder took another step forward and waved at Yuan Bao and the others, ”Come, show the betrothal gifts! When Great Zhou is offering a Princess Consort, it’s not like there’s something to hide. Zhou Mu, you’ve bankrupted your family to acquire a wife; are you afraid your subjects will find out?”

As Yuan Bao heard this, he blinked, catching his master’s cue, and obediently took a few steps forward.

The onlookers’ sight instantly shifted to the only tray of betrothal gifts present.

The elder speaking was dressed in bright yellow attire, and he even addressed His Highness Prince Mu by name with such familiarity; one could tell he was no ordinary person. Likely, he was a senior member of the Zhou Family Clan. But him saying that His Highness Prince Mu has bankrupted himself for a wife—what did he mean by that?

The family fortune of His Highness Prince Mu, is it just this one tray of betrothal gifts?

That one tray was obviously very modest, covered in red brocade with merely a slight bulge underneath!

Curiosity abounded among the crowd!

Zhou Mu, holding two large geese, casually teased them, looking completely at ease.

Before the watchful eyes of the crowd, Yuan Bao slowly uncovered the red brocade that draped over the tray of betrothal gifts.

”Uh...”

”What’s this?”

”...”

As the crowd got a clear view of the betrothal gift, they became utterly perplexed.

A key!

A single key!

”The key to the treasury rooms of Prince Mu’s Mansion, my master offers his entire family wealth as a betrothal gift...” Gazing at the key, Yuan Bao’s mouth twitched too. After more than a decade of fighting in the south and quelling conflicts in the north, Prince Mu’s treasury might not be as profound as Mountains of Gold and Silver, but to say it was wealthy enough to compete with a country was not an exaggeration!

Wasn’t this key the only key to Prince Mu’s Mansion treasury?

Under the puzzled gazes of those around, Yuan Bao picked up the gold-trimmed, bright red Betrothal Gift Note lying next to the key, cleared his throat, and began to read aloud, ”From the Great Zhou Imperial Family’s Zhou line, the twelfth-generation heir Zhou Mu, charmed by the name of Madam Gu Changsheng, has long held her in regard and requests her hand in marriage! To seek such a wife, with the title of Prince added to her, offers his entire land as a betrothal gift, his fortune as the dowry, devoting all he has to have you as his wife, committed to you alone, to form a bond like that of Qin and Jin! Witnessed by heaven and earth, with the Founding Ancestor as proof, in this life we shall bear joys and sorrows together, never to part even in death!”

Yuan Bao’s voice was resounding, and as the crowd listened, they were struck dumbfounded!

Granted a Prince’s title? Offering his territories as a betrothal gift? His fortune as the dowry? Committed to you alone?

This...

This is truly a betrothal Letter of Appointment that’s unprecedented and extraordinary!

Unprecedented and unheard of!

Seeing the crowd dumbstruck and speechless, the elder’s eyes betrayed a hint of satisfaction!

This is the shock that the imperial family’s offer of marriage should invoke upon the populace; this is the reaction they should have!

”Bring it here!” The elder signaled to a member of the Imperial Clan standing behind him, and someone immediately came forward with what he had requested.

After receiving it, the elder unraveled the scroll, and the characters for ’imperial edict’ came into view of everyone present.

Seeing clearly the dragon totems on it, the onlookers fell to their knees in awe and reverence, not daring to even breathe heavily!

Apart from Zhou Mu, who merely lowered his head slightly as a sign of respect, not a single person stood!

With a contemplative look in his deep black eyes, Zhou Mu was quite curious about the contents of this imperial edict.

Having subdued Liaodong and returned from the campaign, he had not entered the Capital City despite receiving three successive imperial summons. So, what was the purpose of this edict?

Could it be that he, the Emperor, still wishes to obstruct his marriage? In that instant, a trace of coldness flashed through Zhou Mu’s eyes.

The elder glanced at Zhou Mu, shook his head slowly, and spoke in a solemn voice, ”By the Founding Ancestor’s Order of the Great Zhou Imperial Family, the twelfth-generation heir, Zhou Mu, hereby marries Gu Changsheng. In accordance with Zhou Mu’s wishes, His Majesty bestows upon Gu Changsheng the title of Prince Changsheng, assigns the Liuzhou Region as her fief, rendering her patronage over ten thousand households, awards the Dragon Patterned Imperial Robe, and from this day forth, proclaims it to all under heaven, for universal celebration!”

”Prince Mu of the Commandery has achieved countless merits in battles to the south and north and has recently stabilized the turmoil in Liaodong, contributing greatly to the nation’s fortune. Accordingly, he is granted the title of the first-class Prince Mu, assigned the Liuzhou Region and its surrounding hundred cities as his fief, with patronage over ten thousand households, proclaimed to all under heaven, for universal celebration!”

”The betrothal of the Emperor’s grandson is a joyful occasion and should be celebrated by all under heaven. Thus, the Great Zhou’s autumn taxes are hereby reduced by thirty percent in celebration! We hear that Prince Changsheng has a son, who is intelligent and clever. As he becomes part of the Imperial Family, he should be treated equally. He shall retain the Gu surname and is bestowed the Commandery Prince title, to be called Yaoyao!”

When Zhou Mu heard this part, he couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. Even Xiao Gu Ze was being rewarded; what exactly was the intention here?

The elder looked at Zhou Mu and sighed before continuing, ”The Emperor’s grandson has the intent to commit to one wife for a lifetime; however, as filial piety decrees, not having descendants is a grave fault. Hence, should Prince Changsheng turn thirty without producing an heir, he shall be required to take concubines! Let this be decreed!”

Turning thirty without issue? Zhou Mu relaxed a little upon hearing this, his eyes revealing a mix of emotions.

Was this the Emperor’s way of consenting to his requests?

”Now, does anyone still think our betrothal gifts are insufficient?” Without waiting for Zhou Mu to respond, the elder raised an eyebrow and looked towards the crowd around them.

They shook their heads! One after another, they shook their heads! They were still coming to terms with the shock of the imperial edict!

”Tell him that our grand wedding with Changsheng will be held in the Capital City!” Zhou Mu, with a calm and breezy tone, glanced at the clan elder before turning and walking towards the Gu Residence, along a path laid with red brocade.

That woman must be getting impatient by now, surely she can’t wait any longer!

Zhou Mu had already walked a few steps away when the clan elder finally snapped out of his surprise with joy. Did this mean that Zhou Mu was finally willing to return to the capital and accept the arrangements of the Imperial Clan?

This... this is truly a joyous occasion!

Thus, the faces of the clan members also showed smiles, this time genuine smiles from the bottom of their hearts!

Watching the betrothal procession depart into the distance, the kneeling citizens on the street slowly rose to their feet, their faces still filled with shock and disbelief.

”Godfather, someone pinch me, this can’t be real, can it?”

”A Princess! The first in the Great Zhou since its founding! Indeed, a woman must marry the right man!”

”The betrothal gifts from Prince Mu were already excessive, but who could have imagined that the Emperor himself would agree to all of them! All of them! Just by elevating the young master of the Gu family and exchanging him for a rule against bringing in concubines until he’s thirty! This... this is simply the most astonishing betrothal gift ever seen!”

”Indeed! Which family uses a prince’s title, fiefs, and the income of ten thousand households as a betrothal gift?”

”Don’t hold me back! Hold nobody back! I’m going home to have a daughter! Damn it, to have a daughter and marry her off well is like having smoke rise from the ancestral grave, it brings glory to the lineage!”

”Who’s to disagree! This truly is a miraculous and unheard-of event! Rising early to witness this was not in vain!”

”Move, move, move! Let’s go to the Gu Residence to see the excitement!”

”...”

...

”Madam, madam! Hurry, hurry! Hurry up and take off those clothes, change your clothes!” Si Xi, who had gone out to gather news, ran in frantically, and was shouting even before he entered.

Gu Changsheng, upon hearing this, was stunned. Are you kidding her? What’s wrong with the clothes she’s wearing? Were the clothes not made according to regulation early in the morning? It took a great deal of effort to put them on, so why take them off?

While Gu Changsheng was pondering, Si Xi came running in with a set of clothing in both hands.

Seeing the clothes in Si Xi’s hands, Gu Changsheng was admittedly taken aback.

Imperial Brocade!

Imperial Brocade exclusively used by the Imperial Family! This shade of pure red was specially reserved for the Empress! But whereas the Empress’ Imperial Robes were embroidered with Phoenixes, this set of Imperial Robes... was embroidered with... dragons!

”Si Xi pays his respects to His Highness Prince Changsheng! Your Highness, please change your clothes quickly, the betrothal procession has arrived and is now waiting!” Si Xi approached and knelt down.

His Highness Prince Changsheng? What ghost? Upon hearing this, Gu Changsheng was suddenly dumbfounded.

Seeing her reaction, Si Xi did not wait for her to call him to rise but got up from the ground—he knew his madam was an utterly unruly person and probably wouldn’t abide by such formalities.

Giving a meaningful look to Xia Cui, who was equally shocked, Si Xi immediately stepped forward and started to strip his madam of her clothes.

”Hey, hey! Hold on, what on earth is going on here? Is the bride-pride ceremony still happening?” Gu Changsheng regained her senses to intervene.

”Of course, it is! But first we need to go out to receive the imperial edict! Make haste, quickly put on the Dragon Patterned Imperial Robe, everyone in the world is watching, we cannot be disrespectful to the ceremony!” Si Xi said urgently as he continued to strip the clothes.

Receive the imperial edict? Gu Changsheng, upon hearing this, was again utterly confused!

Before she could ask, Si Xi no longer had time to entertain her questions.

”No good, this makeup does not suit the Dragon Patterned Imperial Robe!” From there, a damp cloth was slapped onto Gu Changsheng’s face.

Scrubbing and scrubbing more, trying his best to remove the existing makeup, Si Xi left Gu Changsheng utterly dazed!

”No good, this hairdo doesn’t suit wearing the Crown!” As such, the meticulously arranged hairdo was instantly disheveled!

Changing into the King’s Robe, donning the Crown, applying makeup...

A total disarray!

After being redressed and looking at the person in the mirror, Gu Changsheng was stunned.

Adorned in the Imperial Brocade Dragon Patterned Imperial Robe and wearing the Dragon and Phoenix Imperial Crown, she radiated nobility, majesty and endless authority...

Is this her?

Is this Gu Changsheng?

Before she could collect herself, she was ushered by Si Xi and Xia Cui toward the front courtyard. Along the way, the congratulating guests all watched, mouths agape in astonishment...

She saw him, the man wearing the Purple Gold Python Robe, no! It was a Purple Gold Imperial Robe!

This attire, when worn by him, made him appear as though he hailed from the Divine Residence!

That evildoer! Always so captivating, impossible to look away from!

Her hand was grasped by a warm, large hand, and Gu Changsheng was pulled to kneel on the ground by Zhou Mu!

In all the time she had known Zhou Mu, Gu Changsheng had never seen him bend the knee!

Yet this time, he kneeled on both knees, bowing in full view of everyone, and performed the ceremony!

He even made sure to press her head down...