Late Ming Dynasty: Starting with the overthrow of the county magistrate, a rebellion was launched to

October of the twelfth year of Chongzhen's reign: an auspicious month for marriage.

This date was personally calculated by Zhou Wenqu (whether it's accurate or not is another matter).

At this time, Shaoyang City had just experienced the ravages of war. Zhang Da and others saw that the people sent by the imperial court were only stationed in Xinhua to monitor them. So they guessed that they would probably not take any more action, so they decided to take this opportunity to have some good luck!

Finally, the entire Shaoyang County shed its somber atmosphere and embraced a vibrant celebration. From the county government offices to the main streets and alleys, from the city gates to the country lanes, everything was adorned with lanterns and colorful decorations—seventeen-year-old Zhang Da was to formally marry Zhou Nianhui, the daughter of the Zhou family from Renfengdu.

Of course, this was a large-scale operation, and most of it violated the established rules of etiquette; some of these transgressions would be subject to impeachment.

Overstepping authority? Impeachment? At least an official needs to be impeached, right?

The wedding was quite complicated. Zhang Da originally wanted to keep it simple, but everyone persuaded him—the more complicated the better, the more grand the better, to put people at ease.

So everyone searched through all the wedding customs and consulted the elders in the county, all in order to demonstrate the importance of this wedding.

So Zhang Da went through the betrothal, name inquiry, auspicious date selection, gift presentation, and wedding date setting... and finally the wedding ceremony itself—the most important step, where the groom must personally go to the bride's home to fetch her as a sign of respect.

In addition, Zhang Da was to undergo the coming-of-age ceremony for scholars and commoners in accordance with the "Collected Statutes of the Ming Dynasty," and the ceremony would be held in the main hall of the county government office on the morning of his wedding.

Wearing a black cloth cap shows that one does not forget one's roots;

Add Pi Ben to show that you can practice martial arts;

The addition of a noble title signifies that one is qualified to serve in the ancestral temple.

Zhou Wenqu officiated at the ceremony, choosing the name Shouyi, which signifies upholding one's principles and righteousness. Only after the coming-of-age ceremony was he considered an adult and eligible to formally marry.

This whole process was incredibly troublesome; even Zhang Da wasn't this exhausted when he was defending the city.

But that wasn't all. At that auspicious moment, the whole city resounded with drums and music.

Zhang Da, dressed in a bright red brocade wedding gown, with a jade belt around his waist, black boots on his feet, and a golden-flowered black gauze hat on his head, rode a tall horse, looking dashing and spirited.

Thinking back to Zhou Yu in his prime, when Xiao Qiao had just married him, he was a man of great talent and charisma. With a feather fan and a silk turban, he commanded armies and ships, and in the midst of laughter and conversation, they were reduced to ashes.

This must have been Zhang Da's first thought.

At this time, the wedding procession departed from the county government office, passed through the south gate, crossed the main street, went across Taiping Bridge, and arrived directly at the Zhou family residence.

The grand scene attracted people from all over the county to come and see, crowding the area so densely that it was impossible to move. People of all ages gathered to watch, cheering and exclaiming in admiration.

After all, since Zhang Da took office, the county had indeed become much more stable, and those exorbitant taxes and levies had disappeared without a trace. Now that he was getting married, it was natural for him to come and see.

Meanwhile, the Zhou family residence outside the county was also decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers, and Zhou Jizong led his relatives to welcome them at the gate.

Zhou Nianhui, dressed in a phoenix coronet and embroidered robe, wearing a nine-phoenix crown adorned with pearls and jade, her face covered by a red veil, and a bright red embroidered wedding gown with a hundred sons and a thousand grandsons embroidered on the hem, slowly stepped out, supported by her elder brother... As she boarded the sedan chair, the red silk fluttered gently.

Once the bridal sedan chair entered the city, all the prominent figures from both inside and outside Shaoyang attended the banquet.

The main hall, east and west side halls, and outer courtyard square of the government office were all set up with banquets, totaling 108 tables, which stretched from noon all the way to the street corner.

The scale and momentum were unprecedented.

Those seated at the head of the table were naturally prominent families from the four surrounding villages of Shaoyang, landlords and gentry from Renfeng, officials who had surrendered from Baoqing Prefecture, and even representatives of gentry from neighboring counties who had come to offer their congratulations.

The core members of the group were Zhang Daqi's core brothers, such as Zhang Wen, Li Er, Zhou Wenqu, Wang Tui, Li Dan, Liu Binghuo, and the widow and family members of Sun Liu.

Ordinary people, on the other hand, were in the outer courtyard, where a continuous feast was held with plenty of food and wine. Everyone had a smile on their face, expressing their gratitude for Zhang's great kindness.

As for the families of the fallen brothers, they were all invited to the seats of honor. Zhang Da specifically instructed that they must be treated with the utmost respect and not be neglected in the slightest.

We must take this opportunity to appease people and consolidate our strength.

Inside and outside the government office, the place was bustling with noise, the air filled with the clinking of glasses, and the aroma of wine and meat wafted for miles.

…………

The wedding banquet lasted from noon until late afternoon. Whether Zhou Wenqu's chosen date was auspicious or not was unknown, but the environment on this day was truly perfect for a wedding; the sunlight was slanting in, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere.

Zhang Da, dressed in wedding attire, went from table to table toasting, his face slightly tipsy, yet he remained sober throughout.

As the saying goes, a moment in the bridal chamber is worth a thousand pieces of gold; flowers have fragrance, and the moon casts shadows.

In order to properly enjoy his wedding night, Zhang Da naturally couldn't get as drunk as a dead pig, so he had to resort to some tricks—after each cup, he would turn his head and secretly spit into a hidden pocket in his sleeve while covering his mouth...

I'm not afraid of being caught, after all, I'm the head of a county.

As Zhang Dazheng was toasting, a guard rushed in from the outer gate, his expression tense yet solemn. He knelt on one knee and urgently reported in a low voice.

"Young Master! An imperial envoy has arrived outside the city, bearing a decree from Commander-in-Chief Yang. He says he has come specifically to offer congratulations and brings gifts from the imperial court!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the whole room erupted in uproar.

The banquet, which had just been filled with laughter and joy, suddenly fell silent, and the atmosphere became tense.

The crowd's expressions varied. Just a few days ago, they had fought a bloody battle against the imperial army outside the city, suffering countless casualties. Now, on their wedding day, an imperial envoy had suddenly arrived...

Zhang Wen, Li Er, and the others instantly stood up, their hands on their swords, their eyes sharp as they looked towards the mansion gate, waiting for Zhang Da's order to teach this foolish envoy a lesson.

And Zhang Da? Upon hearing the news, he was not angry but delighted, letting out a hearty laugh to quell the commotion in the room.

"Gentlemen, do not panic! The arrival of the imperial envoy is a blessing for Shaoyang and a great joy for Zhang Da! Quickly open the main gate, set up the ceremonial guard, and follow me to personally welcome him!"

After saying this, Zhang Da straightened his wedding attire and strode out of the mansion to greet them.

At this moment, three people stood on the official road outside the gate. The one in the lead was dressed in a blue round-necked scholar's robe and wore a square-shaped turban. He had a gentle and refined appearance and wore the seal of the Superintendent's Office at his waist. Behind him were two attendants carrying a vermilion gift box and a bright yellow scroll. These two attendants appeared somewhat flustered and nervous.

However, the three were generally able to maintain the dignity of the imperial court.

At this moment, Zhang Da also came out of the mansion gate to personally greet the group. The envoy was naturally surprised to see Zhang Da personally welcoming them.

This traitor doesn't seem as bad as the rumors say.

The envoy then bowed first, cupping his hands in a respectful gesture, his smile gentle, and his tone calm.

"On the occasion of Lord Zhang's wedding, I have come here on the orders of Governor-General Yang to offer my congratulations. The Governor-General is very pleased to hear that you, at such a young age, have brought peace to Shaoyang, pacified the people and secured the territory, defended the city against bandits, won the hearts of the people, and brought prosperity to the gentry. Therefore, I have prepared a small gift to express the court's appreciation."

The envoy spoke in a calm tone, as if the bloody battle beneath Shaoyang City had never occurred, as if Zhang Da and the imperial court had never clashed.

Zhang was overjoyed. He hadn't come to cause trouble after all! He quickly returned the greeting with a respectful bow.

"The angel has come from afar, weary from his journey, and now he disregards his fatigue to offer his congratulations. Is this how one treats a guest? Zhang Da is deeply ashamed! I am but a humble commoner, yet I have received the favor of the court and the kindness of the governor. I am truly unworthy of such treatment. Please come inside, take a seat of honor, and drink some wine. I will personally serve the angel a cup."

Having said that, Zhang Da quickly gestured for Zhang Wen and the others behind him to lower their hands from the swords at their waists, and together they greeted the envoy with smiles.

And so, just as they had done the first time they had welcomed Wang Chengzhu, everyone together ushered the three envoys into Shaoyang County...