Jinting Han people

When Liu Xian set off from the main group, Yang Nandi had already sent a messenger ahead to inform Qiuchi Mountain that Liu Xian had agreed to the marriage. Upon receiving the news, Yang Maosou immediately made it public, so that all the people on Qiuchi Mountain would know, and every household would hang lanterns to celebrate.

When Liu Xian arrived, looking up from the mountain path to the summit, he saw a sea of ​​fluttering silks and colorful robes, almost thinking he had come to the wrong place. Upon reaching the top, the surrounding tribespeople immediately surrounded them, warmly greeting Yang Nandi and Liu Xian. Looking around, it was the transition between autumn and winter, and the people of Qiuchi, with nothing much to do, were busy at home, seemingly preparing a lavish feast to entertain nearby relatives. People strolled through the streets and alleys, all wearing cheerful faces.

Through Yang Nandi's explanation, Liu Xian gradually understood the reason. It turned out that the Bai Ma Di's enthusiastic reaction was not only out of respect for the Great Chanyu, nor simply out of affection for the little princess, but more importantly, it was due to a special local custom.

Qiuchi was, after all, a Di people's state, and their marriage system was not the Han-style solitary marriage, but rather group marriage. In the past, every spring, the tribe would organize a grand feast by the river. All eligible men and women would attend. If a man and woman were mutually attracted, they would drink together and exchange gifts. Then, the man would go to the woman's house that night, and the next morning, he would abduct her to his own home. After living together for two months, if the man could ensure the woman's safety, he could formally propose marriage to her family.

Of course, as a Han Chinese, Liu Xian could not adopt this kind of wedding ceremony; he basically followed Han customs. But the Di people would not let this important day pass by, so they unanimously set their weddings for this time, preparing to celebrate with the Great Chanyu. Therefore, the entire Qiuchi Mountain was filled with joy and excitement.

After Liu Xian arrived, the excitement reached a whole new level. Some prayers to the White Horse God had already begun. They erected a two-zhang-tall statue of the god, threw offerings into a roaring fire, and shamans performed strange dances, praising the heavens, earth, mountains, rivers, sun, moon, and stars, ultimately praying for blessings from the White Horse God. The Di people also joined in the singing, the music changing daily, supposedly praising different secondary gods who would bring different blessings to the Di people.

Four days later, the day before the wedding, the festivities came to an end. The remaining minor chieftains of Qiuchi Kingdom gradually arrived. They first offered their congratulations to Lord Yang Maosou and brought small gifts, such as fox fur, agate, and gold beads, all specially for Princess Yang Hui'ai.

After presenting their gifts, the forty or fifty tribal leaders gathered together to drink.

The conversation naturally revolved around the wedding, and at the beginning, everyone solemnly offered their blessings to the Great Chanyu's family on this joyous occasion. However, after a few rounds of drinks, the topic drifted off to other things.

By this time, everyone knew that Liu Xian did not intend to marry Yang Hui'ai as his principal wife, and some people began to discuss: Is this marriage worthwhile? Will the Duke of Anle abandon us after he succeeds? I've heard that Emperor Guangwu of the Later Han Dynasty, when he was establishing his dynasty, arranged a marriage for military purposes, but after his foundation was laid, he turned around and killed his father-in-law and deposed the empress. Will history repeat itself this time?

Someone immediately rebuked, "What are you saying? On such a joyous day, you're talking about something so unlucky!"

Immediately, someone came to mediate, saying, "Oh, don't be angry, sit down! You're right, no matter what, the two families becoming one is always a happy event. Without this marriage alliance, would the two families have ended up fighting?"

"Alas, true power must be earned through one's own efforts. We live in a time of great strife, so what if we fight a few battles?" Some busybodies even argued that we shouldn't consider any marriage alliances. If we can win, we can fight; if we can't, we can continue to be kings of Chouchi. There's nothing wrong with that.

"No, no, ultimately, it's about the harmony and mutual affection between husband and wife! I've heard that the little princess is indifferent to everyone else, but she's in love with this Duke Anle. What more can be said? It's all about love between a man and a woman. The little princess will get married sooner or later!"

The leaders drank and discussed amongst themselves, but came to no valuable conclusion. Although they kept talking about the marriage, debating which family had lost out and which had gained, Yang Chu, who was in charge of entertaining them, suddenly had an idea and said to Yang Yi beside him:
"These people have such a narrow vision, brother. I think the one who really suffered a loss must be someone else!"

He was Yang Jian's eldest son, while Yang Yi was Yang Nandi's eldest son. Both were only fourteen or fifteen years old, and as cousins, they were quite similar in appearance and build. However, Yang Yi had a more simple and honest demeanor, while Yang Chu was more cunning.

The two young men were drinking together when Yang Yi asked, "Third brother, tell me, who really suffered the loss?"

Yang Chu laughed and said, "Of course it's the Li family in Chengdu. They fought hard for three or four years and finally gained a foothold in Chengdu, but they haven't completely eliminated Luo Shang yet. Then another major enemy came from the north. How could they not suffer losses?"

Upon hearing this, Yang Yi was taken aback at first, then laughed and nodded, saying, "You're absolutely right. My father also told me that once this wedding is over, next year, we'll probably have to officially clash with the Li family."

"So, it seems we'll both be going to the battlefield together," Yang Chu said thoughtfully.

"Yes, what's wrong, Third Brother? Aren't you afraid? The Li family these days is full of famous generals!"

“What’s so scary?” Yang Chu laughed. “There are so many wars going on now, and there are famous generals everywhere. The Li family has dozens of people, and they are all said to be good at fighting, but in my opinion, the only people in the Li family who are truly capable, besides Li Xiong, are Li Xiang and Li Feng, and at most, half of Li Shi.”

He pointed at Yang Yi and said, "I've heard that our new uncle has at least five such famous generals. Add my uncle and my father, and if we were to fight them, it would be like sweeping away fallen leaves in the autumn wind."

Yang Yi shook his head and said, "Hey, Third Brother, don't underestimate the enemy."

“Brother, there’s no such thing as underestimating or underestimating the enemy. If we hadn’t made that judgment, Grandfather wouldn’t have married Aunt to Uncle.”

Speaking of Liu Xian, Yang Chu asked Yang Yi, "By the way, how is Auntie feeling now?"

"What's wrong? Why do you ask that?"

"Didn't they say that my sister-in-law didn't become the legal wife? She wears her heart on her sleeve, and she's capricious. Who in the family isn't afraid of her? Don't ruin tomorrow's wedding."

Yang Yi spread his hands and chuckled, "Actually, it's alright. My aunt doesn't have any objections. She's absolutely smitten with our new uncle. Hearing he's coming, she dresses up every day, afraid of revealing anything inappropriate. I suspect she'd give him her life without hesitation, even if he wanted it!" "Is that so?" Yang Chu was somewhat taken aback. He had been worried about whether the marriage between the two families would be stable, given his aunt's temperament. But hearing this news, he couldn't help but become curious: "I remember, my aunt and this uncle only met once five years ago! How could it be like this?"

"It's not surprising. The men here are more than capable in martial arts, but lack refinement. They certainly can't compare to the men of the Central Plains in terms of manners. Our uncle, on the other hand, is not only of noble birth, but also achieved fame at a young age. He is skilled in both literature and martial arts, and would be a first-rate figure in the Central Plains. Given our aunt's pride and arrogance, after meeting him once, how could she possibly be interested in anyone else?"

Yang Chu thought about it and agreed, and couldn't help but chuckle as she said, "Women are just like that. I think we should keep our affairs and secrets away from my sister-in-law in the future, lest one day she sells our whole family to this uncle."

“That’s a decision for the adults,” Yang Yi said. “According to my grandfather, he doesn’t expect anything from my aunt. He just hopes that she can have a son soon after she marries into the family. Once we have a cousin, everything will be easier.”

"This is too early. Let's complete the vows and get married first."

As they talked, the two walked to the back of Qiuchi Mountain. They peered out the window and could see a bonfire at the highest point, where some figures could be faintly seen. Though indistinct, the two boys recognized them. At that very moment, Liu Xian, witnessed by the Yang father and son, was writing an oath in ox blood and throwing it into the fire to pledge his vow.

The conditions of the oath were public and known to everyone in Qiuchi; there were approximately three:

First, if Anle Gong has a son with Yang Hui'ai in the future, he will make that son his heir.
Second, Anle Gong will treat Yang Hui'ai no differently than his legal wife;
Third, the Duke of Anle and the Duke of Qiuchi were from the same family and were related by marriage in their time.

The oath-taking ceremony was nearing its end. The shamans were sprinkling the ashes from the burned oath paper into bowls, then pouring hot wine for the people to drink. The surrounding Di people were singing, chanting the names of the mountain spirits in fox-like tones. When the song ended, the oath was officially completed.

Yang Chu then joked with Yang Yi, "Alright! Brother, from now on, we will work together to restore the Han Dynasty."

Meanwhile, the group emerged from the back mountain, all looking relaxed, and no one noticed the whispers between the two boys. Liu Xian was talking to Yang Maosou, the Duke of Qiuchi, who was patiently instructing him: "Duke Anle, I'm entrusting my daughter to you. No matter what, I hope you can treat her well. She hasn't suffered too much injustice, so I hope you can be a little more tolerant."

Liu Xian readily agreed, promising, "Please rest assured, I will take good care of Adie and won't let you worry about anything."

Yang Maosou smiled and said, "Don't think I'm going too far. I'm already over fifty years old, and I don't have much of a future. Besides thinking more about my descendants, I don't care about anything else. You are a person with a heart for the world, but one day you will understand my feelings."

Yang Maosou truly valued his daughter highly. The following day, when the wedding began, his grand wedding procession carried a considerable dowry. The list included thirty tiger skins, fifty leopard skins, eight hundred bear skins, two thousand deer skins, six hundred barrels of lacquer, two thousand horses, and one thousand catties of gold. Among them was a magnificent, tall, and powerful grey-white steed, a gift specifically for Liu Xian, named Feishanji. It carried the bride along the mountain path with unwavering steadiness, as if traversing flat ground.

The wedding procession stretched for over a mile, circling Qiuchi Mountain. When the shaman at the head of the procession sang a Di folk song, the procession stopped. As the women performed their dances, the procession moved forward with a rustling sound, awaiting the next blessing song from the White Horse God. Along the way, the Di people prepared wine to celebrate Yang Hui'ai's wedding, entertaining those in the procession.

Knowing she was leaving her hometown, Yang Hui'ai frequently looked at the scenery along the way. She knew she was about to leave and didn't know when she would return. She could only wave goodbye to the people passing by.

But the residents of Qiuchi had no idea about this. They were simply celebrating, and many people took the opportunity to get their children married. They sang and danced, and the air was filled with laughter and the aroma of fine wine.

As the wedding procession circled halfway around the mountain, from the eastern end to the western end, Liu Xian and his group of more than ten people stopped there. It was nearing dusk. Holding torches, Liu Xian looked at the distant crowd, a pang of sadness rising in his heart, for he recalled his own first wedding. Back then, he was a young man yearning for love between men and women; now, time had passed, and his heart was hardly stirred by anything.

The wedding procession finally arrived, and Liu Xian quickly recognized Yang Hui'ai in the crowd. She wore a narrow-sleeved blouse of dark green and a long skirt with a shawl, and a gold hairpin made in the country; her attire was quite magnificent. More than five years had passed, and she had lost some of her childishness, blossoming into a graceful and elegant young woman. However, unlike Green Pearl and A'Luo, she did not possess the quiet elegance of a noble lady, but rather a lively and spirited air.

Liu Xian stepped forward to take the reins, then led the horse slowly up the mountain until they reached their temporary residence. There, the two first washed their hands and feet, then shared a cup of wine and tied their hair together.

Although it was a temporary residence, Qiu Chi had still meticulously prepared it, making it as spacious and luxurious as Yang Maosou's own residence. However, since there were no relatives of Liu Xian's side in the hall, it was somewhat deserted. But Yang Hui'ai didn't care about this; on the contrary, she was quite happy, as if she was glad to have a good opportunity to be alone.

After everyone else had left, Liu Xian was about to speak when she suddenly pressed herself against him without any hesitation. She carefully stroked Liu Xian's eyebrows and eyes with her slender fingers, staring at him blankly, and then said in a reproachful tone, "How come you've aged so much? You even have white hair."

This left Liu Xian speechless. He sighed and said, "What, Miss A-Die, have you changed your mind?"

To everyone's surprise, she laughed lightly, her soft body instantly leaning against Liu Xian's chest, and said sweetly, "It's okay, I'll be old soon too. In another ten or twenty years, we'll look like a perfect match. In another forty or fifty years, we'll be surrounded by children and grandchildren."

Yang Hui'ai is eighteen years old this year, but in the blink of an eye, she has already planned for her sixties. Holding Liu Xian's hand, she said with great confidence, "We will have five children, two boys and three girls. Forty years later, each of them will have five more children, and we will have thirty children and grandchildren."

Ah Die's smile was so joyful that only now did Liu Xian finally feel a sense of reality as a newlywed. (End of Chapter)