Ming Dynasty: The Crocodile King of Han Prince Zhu Gaoxu's Family

Chapter 203 Royal Wedding
Zhu Zhanhe waved his hand gently, and the palace maids from the Clothing Bureau around him nodded and withdrew.

Zhu Zhanhe was too lazy to change his clothes. He simply put on the wedding attire that was still being adjusted and headed towards the main hall to see what Yang Shiqi wanted to do.

"Grand Secretary Yang, may I ask what brings you to the Prince's residence?" Zhu Zhanhe arrived at the main hall of the Prince's residence and saw Yang Shiqi sitting leisurely drinking tea. So Zhu Zhanhe quickly stepped forward and greeted him.

"Your Highness, may you be well." Upon hearing the voice, Yang Shiqi put down his teacup, looked up and saw Zhu Zhanhe in his wedding attire. He then stood up and bowed slightly to Zhu Zhanhe.

"It's alright, it's alright, please have a seat, Lord Yang."

"This junior would like to ask, Lord Yang, what brings you to the Prince's residence amidst your busy schedule?" Zhu Zhanhe remained respectful towards Yang Shiqi, after all, Yang was a veteran official of two dynasties, and perhaps even a future veteran official of four dynasties. Therefore, Zhu Zhanhe asked Yang Shiqi again what he had come to the Prince's residence for.

"Your Highness, I have come here with two matters to discuss."

I am about to travel to Shandong to negotiate peace with the King of Han and the King of Zhao. I fear I will miss His Highness's wedding banquet in a few days.

The reason for this visit is twofold: firstly, to offer early congratulations to His Highness on his marriage.

Secondly, I wish to take something from the Prince of Han's residence to deliver to him. Yang Shiqi looked at Zhu Zhanhe, who was dressed in wedding attire, and raised his hand to congratulate him again. Then he said that he had come to retrieve something from the Prince of Han's residence.

Yes, Zhu Zhanhe's wedding was held in late April of the first year of the Hongxi reign. The date was chosen by officials of the Ministry of Rites and personally approved by the Hongxi Emperor.

"Oh? Lord Yang, please speak plainly." Zhu Zhanhe looked at Yang Shiqi with great interest, seeing his mysterious appearance, wanting to know what tricks Yang Shiqi was up to.

"His Highness the Crown Prince is about to get married, but the Prince of Han is not at home. However, out of filial piety, I feel it is my duty to send wedding invitations and some wedding wine to the two princes. It just so happens that I am going to meet the two princes, so I can take them with me."

As for the wine I'm bringing, I've heard that Prince Han buried several jars of fine wine during the early years of the Yongle reign, and I'd like to bring one of them with me this time.

"I wonder if Your Highness would be willing to part with it?" Yang Shiqi said this with such confidence that, from both a moral and logical standpoint, there was absolutely no problem with it.

After all, the son is getting married, and the father is not at home, let alone returning. As a subject, since he is going to meet the groom's father, the King of Han, wouldn't it be only proper for him to bring a pot of wedding wine?

"Alright! No problem, please wait a moment, Lord Yang." Upon hearing Yang Shiqi's words, Zhu Zhanhe immediately realized that Yang Shiqi was truly cunning and wicked. He could even come up with such a terrible idea to anger his father, the Prince of Han, and his third uncle, the Prince of Zhao. Wasn't he afraid of being killed on the spot by the two princes?
"Summon Steward Wei!" Although he had his own ideas, Zhu Zhanhe thought the suggestion was good, so he called out loudly to the eunuch outside the door.

"Yes." The eunuch outside the door quickly summoned Wei Jizhong.

"Your Highness, what are your orders?" After entering the room, Uncle Wei Jizhong saw Yang Shiqi sitting upright, but he acted as if he didn't see him and didn't even greet him. He only followed Zhu Zhanhe's orders!

"Summon a few eunuchs to the backyard and dig out a jar of the fine wine that the prince has buried."

"Lord Yang will be taking him away in a moment." Zhu Zhanhe stated his request directly.

"Yes." Although somewhat surprised, Wei Jizhong readily agreed, after all, the Crown Prince was now in charge of the Prince's residence.

"Your Highness, there are four jars of wine in total, but two of them have already been emptied, so there are only two left."

"Your humble servant has already had one jar dug up, and the remaining jar has been buried again." A moment later, Wei Jizhong returned to report, bringing with him some bad news: two of the four jars of wine that the Prince of Han had personally buried were now empty.

"It's alright, just keep one jar. Send the jar that was dug up to Lord Yang by carriage." Zhu Zhanhe was not surprised that some wine had gone missing, and simply waved his hand to indicate that it was not a problem.

"In that case, I shall take my leave." Yang Shiqi said, having finished his business.

"Please take care, Lord Yang."

"This junior wishes Lord Wang all the best on this trip." Zhu Zhanhe didn't try to persuade Yang Shiqi to stay for a meal or anything like that, because he knew he couldn't keep him there anyway, and it was better to just let him go.

"Your Highness, please wait. I shall take my leave." Zhu Zhanhe escorted Yang Shiqi to the door. Yang Shiqi watched as the wine was loaded onto the carriage, then turned and left.

"Your Highness..." Wei Jizhong, who was following behind Zhu Zhanhe, wanted to ask what was going on, not knowing the situation.

"My wedding is imminent, and the Emperor has sent Yang Shiqi to negotiate peace with my father. Grand Secretary Yang is here to bring some wedding wine for my father and his family," Zhu Zhanhe casually said to Wei Jizhong, but these words instantly left Wei Jizhong completely dumbfounded.

Zhu Zhanhe didn't offer any further explanation, but instead turned around and went back to the Prince's residence.

Time flies, and soon it was Zhu Zhanhe's wedding day.

The weather was perfect that day, with gentle breezes, bright sunshine, and clear skies.

On the Zhanghua Terrace in the Imperial Palace, Emperor Hongxi and Empress Zhang sat on the main seats of the high platform, while Princess Wei of Han and Princess Mu of Zhao sat beside Empress Zhang.

Zhu Zhanhe, dressed in a bright red wedding robe, stood respectfully beside Emperor Hongxi, while below him were officials from various departments, each with a different expression and seemingly lost in thought.

Meanwhile, the musicians around him played pleasant and joyful tunes, which filled Zhu Zhanhe with delight.

Soon, a young eunuch brought over an imperial edict. The contents were simple, filled with auspicious phrases like "royal marriage" and "a match made in heaven," which pleased Zhu Zhanhe greatly.

The process went very smoothly without any hiccups. Soon, a slender figure, dressed in a bright red wedding gown, was slowly helped into the main hall by palace maids.

"Hehehe~, go quickly!" Emperor Hongxi smiled as he watched his nephew's wife arrive, and whispered something to Zhu Zhanhe.

"Thank you, Uncle!" Zhu Zhanhe did not call the Emperor, but instead called him Uncle. However, in this situation, no one would say anything.

Then, Zhu Zhanhe slowly walked up to his wife and took her soft little hand from the palace maid.

Zhu Zhanhe could sense his wife's nervousness, as her hands were trembling slightly.

In contrast, Zhu Zhanhe gently squeezed her small hand, comforting his nervous wife.

"Bowing to Heaven and Earth!" Soon, an official in charge of ceremonies came out and interrupted Zhu Zhanhe's continued attempts to comfort his wife.

Immediately, Zhu Zhanhe pulled his wife and bowed in the direction outside the main hall.

"Bowing to the parents again!" the master of ceremonies shouted again.

Upon hearing this, Zhu Zhanhe took his wife's hand and slowly walked to Emperor Hongxi and Empress Zhang.

"Uncle, please have some tea!" Zhu Zhanhe pulled his wife to kneel down and offer tea to Emperor Hongxi. A clever eunuch handed them a cup of tea.

"Good, good, good, get up! Get up!" Emperor Hongxi took a sip of tea and smiled as he told the two to get up.

"Madam, please have some tea." Then came Empress Zhang.

"Get up, and live a good life from now on." Empress Zhang also had a smile on her face.

"Mother, please have some tea." When Zhu Zhanhe led his wife to his mother, Madam Wei, he found that her eyes were already full of tears.

"Good, good, good child, get up quickly!" Princess Wei looked at her son and then at her daughter-in-law, and felt that she could not stop her tears. She took a sip of tea and tears immediately fell into the tea.

"Sister, this is a joyous day for the child." Princess Mu of Zhao, who was standing to the side, looked at Princess Han, who was crying with emotion, and felt the same way. She also felt a little teary-eyed, so she repeatedly comforted her sister.

"Auntie, please have some tea!" Finally, Zhu Zhanhe and his wife offered tea to Princess Mu of Zhao.

"Good child, get up." Princess Zhao was truly envious of Princess Han. She had such a good son, and her daughter-in-law seemed so well-behaved and sensible. If her son could be so successful in the future, that would be wonderful.

(End of this chapter)