Li Zhi came to the house together with Empress Wu.
It was just as night fell, and the British troops were stationed outside the palace to clean the streets, with flags like a forest, and Li Ji led Li Siwen and Li Qinzai to greet them outside the palace gate.
An hour after burning incense, Emperor Luan's car arrived.
Li Ji hurriedly bowed to Luan Jia with his family members. Luan Jia stopped. Li Zhi helped Empress Wu get out of the car and stood in front of Li Ji's family.
"I pay my respects to Your Majesty and the Queen," Li Jigong said respectfully.
Li Zhi held up Li Ji's arm with both hands and said with a smile: "Old General, you don't have to be polite. Today is Jingchu's wedding. How could I not come to congratulate you and join in the fun? Old General, don't be surprised if I come here without telling you."
Li Jilian said he didn't dare.
Li Zhi looked at Li Qinzai, who was dressed in auspicious clothes, and said with a smile: "Jingchu, congratulations on your wedding. May the newlyweds grow old together happily."
Li Qinzai quickly thanked him.
Li Zhi took a careful look at him and smiled with satisfaction: "Looking at your happy face, it seems that you have married the right person. When I was at Ganjingzhuang, I saw the lady of the Cui family, who behaved elegantly and virtuously, and was right with Jing Chuzhuang." It’s a perfect match, and it finally bears good fruit today.”
Then he smiled at Li Ji and said: "I also want to congratulate the old general on his beautiful son and wife, and his prosperous descendants. The three generations of the Li family have made great contributions. I only hope that the Li family will prosper and bring out more old generals and Jingchu for the Tang Dynasty." Such talents are truly a blessing to the country."
Li Ji looked touched and was about to bow to thank him when Li Zhi held his arm again.
Empress Wu looked at Li Qinzai and smiled slightly, and said: "On Jingchu's wedding, the Tian family cannot but express their gratitude. Your Majesty and I have prepared some small gifts. Don't think it is shameful."
A group of eunuchs and maids came forward with gifts in their hands. Li Qinzai glanced at them and was slightly surprised.
It is said to be a "small gift", but it is worth a lot of money.
Coral beads are just appetizers. Not only that, there are also jade belts made of gilt brass, gold maces made of pure gold, clear green jade Ruyi, and tributes from various places, such as Bozhou silk, Shu brocade, and tribute porcelain. etc.
The dazzling array of valuable gifts not only moved the Li family, but also shocked the guests.
Li Zhike had never come personally to a courtier's wedding, let alone come with the queen and gave him such a heavy gift.
The royal family of the grandson of the British Duke is definitely more generous than everyone imagined. It is obvious that Li Zhi and Li Qinzai are not just a monarch-subject relationship, but are even close friends in private.
When the Wang family's ancestral home in Taiyuan was burned down and the courtiers participated in the impeachment memorials, why did things suddenly turn around in the end? Today, it seems that it is not just as simple as the emperor wanting to knock on the family members, but he may also have some intention to protect Li Qinzai in his heart. .
After accepting the gift from the Tian family and thanking Li Ji's family, Li Qinzai respectfully invited Li Zhi and Empress Wu to enter.
Li Zhi and Empress Wu walked into the courtyard, and the guests came to pay their respects.
Li Zhi smiled and let the guests enjoy themselves. He and Empress Wu were invited into the backyard. Li Ji arranged a separate room for the banquet, with three generations of grandparents and grandchildren accompanying them.
After Empress Wu sat down, she smiled slightly, took out a brocade bag and handed it to Li Qinzai, saying, "Jingchu, please give this to Madam."
Li Qinzai took it with both hands and said curiously: "This is..."
Empress Wu smiled and said: "This is the Five Blessings Coin. I have carried it with me for many years. You are getting married today. It would be tacky to give you something valuable. However, this thing can represent the feelings of Your Majesty and me."
Li Qinzai was still confused, but Li Ji was moved and stood up to salute: "Old minister, I would like to thank the queen for this generous gift. My grandson Qinzai is stubborn and I really don't dare to accept it."
Li Qinzai was confused, why didn't he dare to take it? What was the Five Blessings Money? Grandpa looked like the Five Blessings Money was more valuable than those gifts.
Seeing Li Qinzai's confused face, Li Siwen was so angry that he almost slapped him, gritted his teeth and whispered in his ear to explain.
It turns out that the Five Blessing Money is a custom of the Tang Dynasty. It probably means that a woman who has been married and has children will give the Five Blessing Money, which has been worn for many years or has been blessed by a monk, to the newly married woman's best friend, which means that she will give birth to children. Good luck to her.
This five-blessing money is not given lightly. Unless you have a very good relationship with a close friend, it is worth giving it away. The hidden meaning is that your good luck is also given away.
For someone as noble as a queen, she was willing to give Cui Jie the Five Blessing Money that she had worn for many years. This was a very serious thought. No wonder Li Ji was so flattered.
Li Qinzai immediately stood up and thanked Empress Wu.
Empress Wu smiled and said: "There is no need to be polite Jingchu. You are a meritorious official who is highly valued by His Majesty. The Tian family never treats meritorious officials poorly. We also hope that Jingchu will make more new contributions to the Tang Dynasty and live up to the good fortune of the emperor and his ministers."
"With Jingchu in the Tang Dynasty, things are becoming more and more different. I can feel it deeply even if I live in the palace. Your Majesty is in the prime of life and has the ambition to reach the top. If Jingchu doesn't give up, why not become a helping force?" Your Majesty is so blessed by the wind, your Majesty is so lucky, and the country is so lucky."
Li Qinzai lowered his head and said, "I am willing to do my best for Your Majesty in this life."
Li Zhi smiled and said: "Don't scare Jingchu on his big day. When you have time in the future, you might as well come to the palace to have a few drinks with me. You don't have to come to the palace to see me only when you have something to do. Even if you are with Jingchu, I also benefited a lot from our initial chat.”
After drinking a few glasses of wine with Li Ji and his family, Li Zhi and Empress Wu said goodbye and left.
It is a great honor for the emperor and the empress to come to the palace in person, so naturally they cannot stay for too long.
After sending off Li Zhi and Empress Wu, the wedding banquet came to an end, and the guests took their leave in a sensible manner.
Li Qinzai was already seventy or eighty percent drunk, so he was helped into the backyard by the maid.
Standing outside the bridal chamber decorated in red, with a gentle breeze blowing, Li Qinzai sobered up a little from his drunkenness. He didn't push the door open, but asked: "Where's Qiao'er?"
The maid said respectfully: "In the west wing, it's late at night, I'm afraid I've fallen asleep."
Li Qinzai hummed, turned around and went to Qiao'er's room first.
Today is Li Qinzai's wedding, but it is also Qiao'er's first time sleeping alone. Li Qinzai is a little worried.
He opened the door gently and entered. There was only one candle lit in the room. Qiao'er was lying on the bed, still asleep.
Li Qinzai smiled slightly, quietly covered him with a thin quilt, sat on the edge of the bed and stared at Qiao'er's sleeping face.
God has treated him well in this life. From now on, he has a beautiful and gentle wife, a well-behaved and sensible son, and a busy but warm family.
If a man can have these in his life, he is considered very happy.
What about the rest of your life?
Of course, he must do his best to maintain his happiness. Anyone who wants to destroy his happiness must be a sworn enemy.
After sitting by Qiao'er's bed for a long time, Li Qinzai didn't get up until the maid came over and whispered to him, walked to the north room of the yard, pushed the door open and entered.
In the bridal chamber, two red candles as thick as arms lit up every corner of the room.
Cui Jie sat quietly by the bed, her head still covered with a red hijab, sitting upright for an unknown amount of time.
Li Qinzai opened the door and came in. Cui Jie's body couldn't help but tremble slightly, and her slender hands unconsciously clenched the corners of her clothes.
Li Qinzai lifted her hijab with his own hands. Under the dim candlelight, Cui Jie's pretty face, lightly painted with makeup, was particularly moving. That breathtaking beauty made Li Qinzai take a deep breath.
Under the candlelight, Cui Jie lowered her head shyly, her hands still clutching the corners of her clothes, looking very nervous.
Li Qinzai chuckled and said: "Ma'am, why are you so shy? We are old acquaintances. Relax. Use the vigor that you used to pinch and hit me. I will do this for my husband."
Cui Jie was immediately ashamed and angry, her nervousness suddenly disappeared, and she said with a sigh: "What an old acquaintance? It's so ugly."
Li Qinzai sat down next to Cui Jie. Cui Jie suddenly became nervous again and almost jumped up in fright.
"Slow, wait..." Cui Jie said nervously.
"What's wrong?"
Cui Jie said in a panic: "First...drink the Henuo wine first. My mother-in-law taught me that you should drink Henuo wine in the bridal chamber..."
Li Qinzai nodded. He still understood this. Let's exchange a glass of wine. In his previous life, he drank while joking with his female colleagues at the team building bureau.
But the Hexin wine in this life is still different.
Cui Jie stood up and walked to the table, divided a pre-cut melon into two scoops, poured wine into the scoops, then pulled Li Qinzai to the table, parted a strand of her long hair, and matched it with Li Qinzai's.
His long hair was tied into a knot, and then he handed Li Qinzai a gourd with both hands.
The two of them sat opposite each other. Cui Jie held back her shyness, held the 卺 in both hands, raised it flat on her forehead, and said softly: "Husband...husband, we are destined to be husband and wife in this life. Please respect and love me for the rest of my life."
Li Qinzai also became serious: "Madam, for the rest of our lives, you and I will share our misfortunes and blessings, and we will not let each other down."
"Husband, please drink." Cui Jie's eyes were slightly red and she said with a smile.
The two of them respected each other and drank it all in one gulp.
Cui Jie then untied the knotted hair of the two of them. In the flickering candlelight, Cui Jie's breathing became more rapid.
Li Qinzai blinked and said with a smile: "Madam, is it time to go to bed?"
"I,... Husband, wait a moment, Xi Niang also explained the matter..." Cui Jieqiao blushed so much that she almost bled.
Li Qinzai was a little unhappy: "Why is your Xi Niang more troublesome than our newlyweds? Tell me who she is, and I will order her house."
Cui Jie rolled her eyes at him and silently took out a picture album with yellowing paper from under the red pillow.
Cui Jie, whose neck was red with embarrassment, lowered her head and whispered: "Xiniang said she wants us to read the album first..."
Li Qinzai was stunned: "What is this?"
Opening the picture album and seeing what he saw, Li Qinzai suddenly took a breath: "This..."
Cui Jie's head almost burrowed into the cracks in the ground, and her voice became increasingly low and inaudible: "Xiniang told me that newlyweds must see it before consummating their marriage."
Li Qinzai's attention was attracted by the picture album. There were images of immoral characters on it, which made Li Qinzai...actually feel nothing.
Cui Jie could never imagine how many unsightly things her husband had seen in his previous life. In the picture album in front of him, the figures were distorted and weird, and it was difficult to arouse his desire.
What does "it was once difficult to change the sea"?
The only saving grace is that the various novel postures of the men and women in the album opened the door to a new world for Li Qinzai.
Live and learn.
Postures and postures will never go out of style, even if they are separated by thousands of years.
So Li Qinzai temporarily left Cui Jie aside and concentrated on learning new knowledge.