Reborn as King of South America

Chapter 343 The Wedding is Over

It was a perfect summer day, and a ray of sunlight shone through the window into the spacious room, bringing a gentle light.

Marrying and starting a family for the first time in his two lives, Li Mingyuan was not only grateful for marrying a good woman, but also felt a sense of responsibility as a husband and monarch. The fate of the country and the family rested on his shoulders. Looking at the tender and lovely faces of the two girls, Li Mingyuan knew clearly that if he had an accident or the country was destroyed, the two girls and their children would not be able to survive.

The country was initially stable. Li Mingyuan and his troops and people had families, lands, and ties. It was no longer possible for them to gamble the fate of the country and launch a war with all their might as they had done before.

Abandoning the early adventurous expansion strategy and instead choosing to enhance national strength, exploit conflicts among Western countries, and use superior force to seek territorial expansion and enhance national status will become the core of domestic and foreign strategies for the next twenty years.

"Your Majesty, today is the grand court meeting. You need to wear several layers of robes and robes. It would be better to let Xiaolan and Ying'er help you get dressed. This way it will be faster."

Zhang Baoyi looked at Li Mingyuan with a smile and said softly.

"It's almost time, let Xiaolan and Ying'er come in."

Li Mingyuan looked up at the Western clock hanging on the wall and accepted Zhang Baoyi's suggestion.

Xiaolan and Ying'er were the dowry maids of Wu Lingxuan and Zhang Baoyi respectively. The two girls were two years younger, only fourteen or fifteen years old. Their figures and looks had not fully grown, and they were about the same age as the girls in the second and third grades of junior high school in later generations.

"Xiaolan, Ying'er, is there anyone else in your family?"

Although the two maids were young, they were very nimble and helped Li Mingyuan put on several sets of court robes in a short while.

"Your Majesty, when I was six years old, my father sold me to a human trafficker. Later, I was lucky enough to meet the housekeeper of Master Zhang's house, who bought me. Since then, I have lived in the west courtyard, following my six older sisters and doing some housework."

The maid Ying'er lowered her head, not daring to meet Li Mingyuan's gaze, and said cautiously, "When I left home, I was still young. I only remember that there were five people in my family, my father, mother, brother, and sister. Later, I was away from home for a long time, and I can't remember what my father, brother, and sister looked like. I only remember the last time I left home, my mother hugged me and cried."

"At the age of five or six, you should be enjoying the company of your parents, but you were sold as a slave. It must be hard for you."

"I'm not suffering. It was a year of great disaster and there was no food at home. Daddy sold me to get some food to survive. I don't blame you at all."

Ying'er shook her head, her expression not fake as she said, "After entering the Zhang family, the young lady has always treated me very well, and His Majesty is also a very good man. It is a blessing for me to follow the young lady into the palace and serve His Majesty. I don't feel bitter at all."

"Ying'er, you are still young, so stay in the palace and take good care of your young lady. In a few years, when you are older, if you don't want to stay in the palace, tell your young lady and we will arrange for you to leave the palace and marry into a good family."

"I don't want to leave the palace. I want to stay in the palace and serve the young lady and His Majesty."

Ying'er shook her little head and said anxiously.

"Don't worry, no one is forcing you to leave. You can stay in the palace as long as you want."

Maids who come as dowries would usually be taken into the room of the male owner. However, due to the reforms of the Han Dynasty and the influence of later thoughts, Li Mingyuan thought that he should set an example and respect the wishes of Ying'er and Xiaolan. If they did not want to stay in the palace, he would let them go out to get married and start a family.

Unlike Ying'er's situation, Xiaolan's parents are Chinese from Songkhla who are dependent on the Wu family. When Xiaolan was four or five years old, she followed Wu Lingxuan and was trained as a personal maid. Therefore, her family conditions were much better than Ying'er's.

Li Mingyuan, served by Xiaolan and Ying'er, put on his crown and went to court. On the other side, Zhang Baoyi, after dressing up, left the palace and went home to visit her parents under the escort of a team of imperial guards. In the central district of Chang'an City, a large mansion purchased by the Zhang family earlier had just been replaced with a plaque of the Earl of Yanling. In front of the spacious Earl's mansion, the Zhang family members who came to welcome the imperial concubine stood in a row, and together with the people around who were watching the excitement, there were thousands of people.

"The young lady is back." Two rows of imperial cavalry led the way, and the carriage carrying the imperial concubine moved among the guards. A servant who had served Zhang Baoyi before saw the imperial concubine's plaque and shouted excitedly.

"Congratulations, Lord Yanling. The Imperial Concubine is deeply favored by His Majesty. She will give birth to a son soon. The Zhang family will surely prosper even more."

"Everything is a gift from your majesty. Zhang is just a merchant from a wealthy family. It is a great blessing for me to be listed among the nobles. I dare not have any unreasonable expectations."

Officials of all ranks in Gyeonggi Province frequently flattered and congratulated him, but Zhang Zhenxun could only respond with a smile.

"Master, the young lady's carriage has arrived at the street corner, and the ladies who are visiting are urging us to prepare for the reception."

A servant quickly ran to Zhang Zhenxun and reported.

"My Lords, my daughter's bicycle has reached the street corner. I'm sorry that I can no longer accompany you."

"It is most important to welcome the Imperial Concubine. Lord Yanling, please go and do your work. We will also visit the Imperial Concubine in person later."…………

"Miss, there are so many people outside."

Ying'er pulled open the curtain of the carriage, revealing a pair of bright eyes looking outside.

"Ying'er, many officials have come to our house today. When you get off the car later, don't say too much, otherwise other officials will find fault with you and may make His Majesty angry."

"Yes, young lady. I will be careful and cautious."

Ying'er responded in a low voice, raised her head and continued, "But Miss, I helped His Majesty change clothes today, and I felt that His Majesty was very kind and amiable, and His Majesty liked you very much. Even if the officials outside deliberately used some etiquette to embarrass you, His Majesty would not blame you."

"Your Majesty is busy with many things every day. As a concubine, we should consider your Majesty. We should pay more attention to some small matters of etiquette, so as not to distract your Majesty."

Zhang Baoyi was dressed in gorgeous Chinese costumes, and her fair face was full of seriousness as she said, "Ying'er, although we are master and servant in name, I have always regarded you as my sister. You will follow me and marry into the royal family. In a few years, I will beg His Majesty to take you into the room and give you a formal status, so that we will not be in vain as sisters."

"I just want to stay by your side and serve you. I don't dare to have any improper thoughts."

Ying'er's face turned pale, as if the other party saw through her thoughts.

"You followed me and married into the palace. Sooner or later, you will become His Majesty's person, unless you don't want to serve His Majesty. If that's the case, I will talk to His Majesty and ask him to let you leave the palace. His Majesty is an open-minded person and will not force you to stay in the palace."

"No, Miss, that's not what I meant."

"Okay, you've been with me for five or six years, I can't guess your little tricks, don't worry, I will help you in the future."

(End of this chapter)