Mountain and River Festival

Chapter 480 The Most Bizarre Wedding Procession in History
Ye Tinglan felt that she had become a bad person since she got together with Lu Xingzhou.

Such talk of assassinating the emperor and installing a puppet ruler would have made him frown in the past, and part of his disagreement with his sister stemmed from that. But now, hearing Lu Xingzhou say it, he doesn't see anything wrong with it at all.

Similarly, Shen Tang, who was originally a serious and virtuous prince, actually nodded in agreement upon hearing such words.

She really married a complete idiot.

However, testing the emperor's strength is not an easy task. If Ye Tinglan were to take direct action, even if it were just using divine sense pressure to test him, it would be a complete breakdown in relations. Was it really necessary to be so direct?
Lu Xingzhou thought for a moment, then smiled slightly: "You don't need to worry, I have a way."

Both women flew into a rage: "Whose husband are you? Go back to your Dragon Cliff!"

This matter cannot be resolved.

Ye Tinglan stormed off, ignoring even Shen Tang and Lu Xingzhou, before running away from the back of the hall.

Lu Xingzhou caught up with her, hugged Shen Tang tightly, and whispered in her ear, "Why don't we have one too..."

Shen Tang bit her lower lip: "Actually... given the current turbulent situation, it's not a good time to get pregnant."

Lu Xingzhou was well aware of this principle, but it's just that you guys care too much about Little Dragon Man...

Shen Tang lowered her head slightly, somewhat embarrassed: "But being pregnant isn't so easy. Shall we...shall we go and rest?"

The so-called "going to rest" is more like "going to make love." Now, the two of them can do whatever they want without any more concerns about their biological father.

Lu Xingzhou gently kissed her forehead and said softly, "The wedding is only two days away. Don't you want to save it for your wedding night?"

Shen Tang raised her head, her eyes sparkling.

Although he had already agreed wholeheartedly, with the wedding approaching, women naturally look forward to the nuptial cup on their wedding night, and he actually considered this small sentiment.

She thought that with so many women around him now, his tenderness would be somewhat diluted, but this respect and romance instantly dispelled Shen Tang's little worries and jealousy. Her heart was overflowing with tenderness, and she whispered, "Then hold me while I sleep."

"Yes, ma'am." Lu Xingzhou swept her up in his arms and strode into the dormitory.

In fact, this was the last day Shen Tang stayed at the Lu residence before the wedding. Previously, she could use the excuse that she had "no place to stay in the capital and was staying at her fiancé's house." But as the wedding date approached, if she still stayed at the Lu residence, what kind of wedding would she have? People would gossip about her.

Of course, moving out didn't mean living in the palace. There was a "Xia Prince's Mansion" in the capital, funded by the imperial court. However, there were just too many things to do recently. The mansion had only just been settled, and the two of them had slept together for one night. The next morning, Shen Tang ran off to move to the Xia Prince's Mansion.

Hmm... If this counts as part of the dowry, Lu Xingzhou has many houses in the capital... the Lu Mansion, the Huo Mansion, the Xia Prince's Mansion, as well as the Qingyao Garden that the Sheng family gave as part of their dowry, and the Pei family gave the Yanyu Tower as part of their dowry.

As for the betrothal gifts, Lu Xingzhou was originally quite wealthy. He had taken a lot of spirit stones and pills when he wiped out the Burning Incense Pavilion. Later, in other murders and robberies, such as the time when Duan Ning's ring in the Ancient Realm contained not only treasures like the Heavenly Net Umbrella and Soul-Gathering Pearl, but also spirit stones and pills. It would have been more than enough for a normal marriage. However, this time the marriage was of a much higher standard. Just looking at the dowry, few people could afford a matching betrothal gift, let alone the fact that the dowry was only "partial".

Fortunately, there was a kind-hearted family called the Huo family. All the wealth and property they had accumulated over the years of bad deeds naturally became Lu Xingzhou's property, and even the imperial court didn't dare to take it. This time, they were truly wealthy and powerful, giving away all kinds of properties and shops as dowry as if they were free.

Lu Xingzhou himself doesn't even know how much money or how many businesses he owns... The Huo family is just too rich. These past two days, he's had A'nuo follow Yang Dechang around, taking inventory and receiving assets. Life is booming, and A'nuo's mouth is practically stretched to her ears; she's happy every day.

Then they also wanted to sell the Huo family's house, because they thought it was bad luck.

As for the Huo family's servants, guards, and retainers, most were dismissed, while trusted and capable individuals were bought off and retained with substantial sums. These trusted individuals were those who participated in intercepting Huo Xingyuan that day—a pledge of loyalty.

Lu Xingzhou has now visibly built up his own power base. He doesn't have any first-rank retainers yet, but he has quite a few second and third-rank ones, at least more than the Tianxing Sword Sect... If we don't consider his status in the imperial court, just looking at his identity within the Tianxing Sword Sect, Sect Master Shen's family business is now not as large as Lu Keqing's.

Many people were confused before, since Lu Xingzhou had always served as an advisor and his power was all dependent on others. How could he possibly build his own personal power? Was he supposed to slowly accumulate it by working as a doctor in the officialdom? How long would it take for someone like Qi Tuizhi to accumulate such power? Now it's clear that this guy's goal from the beginning was to inherit the Huo family's estate.

Even in terms of the court's power, Lu Xingzhou's faction is now far stronger than the few remaining members of the former princess's faction...

Because in addition to money, property, and the subordinates of these powerful figures, the legacy also included an even more important group—the civil and military officials who belonged to the Grand Tutor's faction.

The Huo family was wiped out, and the entire family was executed in the marketplace as a result. Most of the disciples and former officials of the Grand Tutor's faction will be purged. Those who participated in the despicable events are basically doomed, or at least marginalized. Even those who did not participate but simply pledged allegiance and reliance will have a very bleak future.

Lu Xingzhou rightfully inherited the title and took over the mantle. Even if it was just to avoid being purged, these people would have to follow Lu Xingzhou.

This is the significance of Lu Xingzhou always retaining Huo Qing's identity.

With the original Grand Tutor Party at its core, plus the National Preceptor Party and the Princess Party who were essentially living off the government, as well as the already extremely abnormal Pei Party and the Sheng family who controlled the Demon Suppression Division, although they could not be considered Lu Xingzhou's own power, they were still powerful relatives by marriage. Overnight, the little doctor became incredibly powerful.

These past few days, Lu Xingzhou has been busy meeting with these officials to take over their power. Time flies by, and the wedding date has arrived.

Firecrackers were set off everywhere in the capital, lanterns were hung, and countless people lined the long streets to see what the groom, who was marrying three brides at the same time, looked like.

Any one of the three brides could be astonishing: the Prince of Xia, the Miss Pei, and the Miss Sheng, all marrying the same man. While onlookers reveled in the spectacle, they were also heartbroken by the situation, leaving young men in the capital with a deep sense of envy.

Lu Xingzhou, dressed in a bright red wedding suit, rode a tall horse and headed straight for the palace with gongs and drums.

Ah Nuo followed by me with a smile, dressed up as a delicate and adorable flower girl.

"I'm dead!" A commotion erupted down the street as a female onlooker screamed, "The groom really is that handsome! I want to marry him too!"

"I want to get married too! I want to get married too! No wonder the Xia King could share a husband with another woman. I'm willing too..."

"Come on, you wouldn't even get a job as a lowly maid."

"Then what are you willing to do? You won't even get a turn for gang rape."

fight.

The crowd was dumbfounded; it was the first time they'd ever seen a fight break out between people watching a wedding procession. This was outrageous! Was this Lord Lu some kind of male succubus from the Demon-Slaying Realm?

I once read a story about a handsome but frail man who was surrounded and chased by a crowd. In the ensuing chaos, he frightened the crowd so much that they fell ill and died. I thought it was just a story, but it turns out it really happened.

What's even more infuriating is that he's not only handsome, but also such a young marquis, a first-rank official at such a young age, with immense wealth and power—truly unmatched in the world.

Men's initial jealousy has turned into numbness; when the gap is too large, they can't even muster up any envy.

There are even more outrageous.

The outer gates of the palace were tightly closed. The groom dismounted, and the master of ceremonies began knocking on the gate.

Onlookers: "..."

I've seen people in the past call for someone to open the door at their homes, but I've never seen a gate like this one that belongs to the palace city.

Inside, a voice could be heard saying, "Brides, please have the grooms recite three poems. Only if you are satisfied can you open the door."

people:"……"

Damn, this is hilarious!

The groom even recited a poem: "The phoenix flies, the parasol tree is its support. Harmonious and melodious, blessings and prosperity return."

"Let us drink wine and grow old together. With zither and lute at our side, all is peaceful and serene."

"Auspicious smoke rises from the beaded curtains and embroidered screens, as the wedding ceremony marks a hundred years of auspicious union."

People then remembered that the groom was not only a first-rank cultivator, but also a renowned poet. The poem on the Qingyao Garden stele, which was praised as a masterpiece that would "suppress the capital," was written by the groom, but he was usually too lazy to do so.

They were shouting from inside again: "Opening fee."

The groom muttered, "This is a bad custom."

"Ok?"

Regardless of any outdated customs, when the palace gates are opened, all that remains is a sense of desolation. The groom himself wanted to laugh, but in the end, he still waved his hand, and three streams of light shot into the sky and landed behind the gate.

people:"……"

So your opening fee is a magic weapon? Three top-grade magic weapons!

The city gate finally opened to the satisfaction of the people, with three sedan chairs and three groups of people waiting behind them, but there were only two bridesmaids, one a little white-haired girl and the other Jiang Yuan.

Jiang Duxu really wanted to know why Jiang Yuan, who had said she was leaving earlier, was still here as a bridesmaid.

Ah Nuo happily scattered flowers, and the suona horns, gongs, drums, and firecrackers sounded again. People craned their necks and watched as three rows of people marched out of the city gate, beating gongs and drums.

Is that why you chose the palace? No other place is big enough, not big enough for three rows to stand side by side, right?
Luckily, our street is wide enough, otherwise, what would you have done?

Not far away, Su Yuan asked the dark-faced Holy Lord beside him with a forced smile, "Sect Master, actually no one can see what the bride looks like, why don't you participate?"

Ye Tinglan: "...Did I go public with it? Why are you asking this?"

Su Yuan turned his head away.

Please, why bother?
Ye Tinglan snorted: "If that fool Ye Fuyao won't do the job, I will. As his teacher, I can do it too."

Su Yuan rubbed his forehead.

Ye Tinglan had no time to pay attention to Su Yuan, and as she spoke, her beautiful eyes glanced in a certain direction.

Yuan Muyu sat quietly in the alley in her wheelchair. Saying that the wedding was like torture for her, and saying that she had gone home long ago, she was actually secretly sitting here to torment herself.

Ye Tinglan ignored her and, in a flash, arrived at the Lu residence ahead of time, sitting solemnly in the main hall.

Amidst the sound of gongs and drums, the groom rode ahead on horseback, and three sedan chairs were simultaneously carried to the entrance of the Lu residence.

The gate wasn't big enough to accommodate three sedan chairs side by side.

The groom waved his hand and said, "Tear it down!"

The flower girl next to him pushed with both palms, and with a "bang," the door and wall collapsed, and the three sedan chairs entered without any surprise.

A group of craftsmen, who were prepared in advance, stepped forward and began to work hard to build walls and erect gates on the spot.

People suppressed their amusement and craned their necks to look inside.

Just as the groom was about to lift the sedan chair curtain, he heard a scolding voice coming from all three sedan chairs at the same time: "What are you doing sitting in the hall?"

With a "whoosh, whoosh, whoosh," the three brides ran out on their own, thus avoiding the awkwardness of the groom having to lift which curtain first.

Following the gaze, people saw the Imperial Advisor sitting expressionlessly in the high hall, wearing a veil.

Su Yuan sighed. "So what? If you hadn't pulled this stunt, that guy Lu would have had a headache just lifting the curtain. Now that you've done this, aren't you just making him laugh his head off?"
(End of this chapter)