There is a happy inn in the capital.

Chapter 475 Royal Prestige

Xiao Xiuyuan stepped forward and took the love lock, which still retained a trace of warmth.

His long, slender fingers traced the lock, his gaze settling on a line of text, which he softly read aloud.

"Its color surpasses that of the peony, its fragrance attracts butterflies and bees, and in autumn it bears abundant fruit; its seeds can heal wounds."

He read slowly, his voice clear and gentle, and everyone silently followed along, pondering.

"Its color surpasses that of the peony... its fragrance attracts bees and butterflies... what flower is this? A peony? A rose?"

"The fruit ripens in autumn, and the seeds can even heal wounds? That's quite unusual."

"Sounds like medicinal herbs? Could it be safflower?"

The guests whispered among themselves, speculating wildly, but none of them were sure.

Li Shuchen crossed her arms and watched Xiao Xiuyuan with a leisurely air, thinking that this riddle was something she and Gu Ziying had come up with after consulting many herbal medicine books; it was quite ingenious. She wondered how he would respond.

However, Xiao Xiuyuan's gaze lingered on the riddle for only a moment, as if it were not a difficult problem requiring deep thought, but rather a love poem he already knew by heart.

He raised his head, his gaze seemingly piercing through the tightly closed door, looking towards his beloved behind it, her face veiled by a fan, listening quietly.

His lips unconsciously curved upwards, revealing a knowing yet gentle smile. Almost without hesitation, he uttered two words with unwavering clarity:

"Pomegranate"

The courtyard was silent for a moment, then—

"Ah! It is indeed a pomegranate! The pomegranate flowers are as red as fire, and the ripe fruit has many seeds. Pomegranate seeds do have the effect of healing wounds and stopping bleeding!"

"Brilliant! The riddle is cleverly crafted, and Your Highness solved it quickly!"

"It wasn't just fast, it practically came out off the cuff! The Prince truly knows the County Princess's preferences perfectly!"

Xiao Xiuyuan looked at the lock with gentle eyes and said almost without thinking, "Pomegranate, Ying'er likes to use lip rouge made from pomegranate seeds."

Inside the door, Gu Ziying blushed upon hearing this.

All three challenges were overcome smoothly.

Li Lingxiao laughed and teased, "Brother Xiao, you're really on a roll today, your momentum is unstoppable!"

The door finally opened

Surrounded by a crowd, Xiao Xiuyuan entered the mansion and completed the rituals of offering the wild goose and bidding farewell to his relatives.

When he saw Gu Ziying, dressed in a phoenix coronet and embroidered robes and with her face veiled by a fan, being helped out, he saw nothing else.

The master of ceremonies sang loudly

"In the eleventh year of the Purple Star Dynasty, the year of Gengzi, the first day of the ninth month was Gengwu, and the twenty-eighth day was Dingyou."

"Oh, the Gu family, a distinguished and virtuous family, chaste and obedient by nature, gentle and graceful by nature, now, in accordance with the six rites, she is married to that prince."

"I respectfully inform the spirits of my ancestors: A virtuous young woman has come of age and is betrothed. The auspicious omen is clear, the wedding carriage is ready, and she respectfully departs from her home to receive a hundred blessings."

"A second ode: The peach blossoms are in full bloom, a perfect match for the home; may the zither and lute be played in harmony, and may you enjoy lasting peace and good fortune. May you be mindful of your conduct and diligently perform your duties to the ancestral temple."

"The ceremony is complete—"

Gu Ziying bid farewell to her parents and boarded the magnificent bridal sedan chair befitting a prince. At the same time, the side gate of the Gu residence opened wide, and the dowry began to be carried away.

Those poles, one after another, tied with red ribbons and adorned with the character for "happiness," stretched endlessly.

Li Shuchen added gold and silver ingots, headdresses, and brocade and leather goods; Liang Yuying added precious weapons (a soft sword cleverly hidden among them); Princess Changning added precious medicinal herbs and spices; Ye Bingli added ancient books, musical scores, and rare ornaments... as well as the generous dowry the Gu family had prepared for their daughter.

The truly magnificent ten-mile-long red bridal procession attracted crowds of onlookers from all over the city, who watched in awe.

"See that? Those glittering things, they must be real gold and silver!"

"More than that! Look at the size of those boxes and how hard the porters are working, they must contain really good stuff!"

"Princess Ning'an's dowry is so generous that even a princess's wedding wouldn't be this lavish!"

"I heard that many of the items inside were added by Li, the owner of Happiness Inn, and her sisters. They are so generous and affectionate!"

At the head of the procession, riding a fine horse and dressed in wedding attire, Xiao Xiuyuan glanced back at the winding, dragon-like dowry procession, then looked at the bridal sedan chair ahead. He felt both awe and a profound sense of responsibility and warmth.

He knew that his bride was walking towards him, carrying the deepest blessings and support of her family and friends.

Following the bridal sedan chair, Li Shuchen, Liang Yuying, Chang Ning, Ye Bingli, and others rode in carriages or on horseback, accompanying the wedding procession.

Looking at the grand scene, Li Shuchen nudged Liang Yuying's arm and whispered smugly.

"How about that? Our sisterhood is impressive, isn't it?"

Liang Yuying smiled slightly, gazing ahead: "Not bad, at least it wasn't a complete waste of time."

Princess Changning gave a light snort, but the corners of her mouth curled up.

Ye Bingli watched quietly, her cool eyes reflecting a warm red hue.

Sunlight shone on the ten-mile-long red wedding procession, creating a dazzling and festive glow.

Amidst the deafening drums and joyful laughter, the capital city was abuzz with excitement for this perfect match.

Amidst deafening drums and music and the admiring gazes of the crowds along the way, the wedding procession arrived in a grand procession at the newly renovated Seventh Prince's Mansion.

Before the Prince's mansion stood tall and wide, its vermilion gates wide open, its steps spotless, lanterns and decorations everywhere, and red silk and brocade stretched from the entrance into the inner courtyard. Even the stone lions were adorned with large red flowers, truly befitting the grandeur of a prince welcoming his principal wife.

Even more astonishing was the presence of numerous guards standing before the mansion gates, their ceremonial guards impressive, with even palace eunuchs moving among them.

"My goodness, what a grand display! Did you see those gilded bronze cranes at the entrance? That's a style only found in the palace!"

"Not only that! Look at the swords and uniforms of those guards, it seems some of the Emperor's men have come too!"

"Although the Seventh Prince has just been reinstated, his favor with the Emperor is truly immense! Princess Ning'an is so fortunate!"

The guests whispered among themselves, their faces beaming with pride.

The bridal sedan chair landed smoothly in front of the main gate of the Prince's Mansion.

The master of ceremonies was already waiting on the steps. Seeing that the auspicious hour had arrived, he straightened his clothes and solemnly sang aloud. His voice was loud and clear, drowning out all the noise:

"dimension--"

"In the eleventh year of the Purple Star Dynasty, the year of Gengzi, the first day of the ninth month was Gengwu, and the twenty-eighth day was Dingyou."

"Now, a member of the imperial clan, Xiuyuan, has formally engaged to Ziying, a young lady from the Gu family. The auspicious day has arrived, and the wedding ceremony has been completed. We respectfully follow the 'Purple Star Collection of Rites' and perform the rites of welcoming the bride and presenting the wild goose."

"As the newlyweds arrived, auspicious clouds swirled around them. They bowed in gratitude to Heaven and Earth, and offered sacrifices to their ancestral temples and spirits."

"We humbly request that the bride be a bride of heaven, a union ordained by heaven, with the red thread binding her feet and a poem inscribed on a red leaf!"

After the lyrics were sung, the main gate of the Prince's Mansion opened wide.

What shocked the crowd even more was that the emperor and empress, dressed in ordinary clothes yet exuding natural majesty, emerged side by side from the gate! The emperor wore a smile, and the empress also had a warm expression.

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty the Empress!"

"My God! He's actually attending the Prince's wedding!"

"This is an immense favor and a great honor!"

Exclamations and sounds of kneeling filled the air.

"The Emperor and Empress are both here, how respectful!" Li Shuchen muttered quietly.

"I knew from the start that my uncle, the Emperor, and my aunt, the Empress, would come," Princess Changning said smugly. "Our Ziying deserves this favor and honor."

Xiao Xiuyuan had already strode forward and, together with Gu Ziying, who had just been helped out of the sedan chair and was still covering her face with a fan, bowed deeply in respect.

The emperor gave a slight nod of support and smiled.

"Today is my seventh brother's wedding day. The Empress and I are here to officiate and congratulate you. No need for formalities, please rise."