We Agreed On Experiencing Life, So Why Did You Immortals Become Real? Chapter 433: The Rite Is Complete!

Deep within his heart, Xiao Mo had always perceived marriage as a distant prospect. Perhaps due to an unreadiness to commit to another woman, or a lingering doubt about his capacity to care for someone, a subtle apprehension had always accompanied the thought. However, as this momentous occasion truly unfolded—it appeared that marriage was not, after all, as daunting as he had once imagined.

“Your Majesty, it is time to pay respects at Zhou Mountain,” the Minister of Rites, Yan Zhen, stepped forward, addressing Xiao Mo with a gentle tone. Xiao Mo acknowledged the instruction with a nod, then proceeded to lead the two consorts, their hands clasped with red silk cords, in a procession around the base of Zhou Mountain. After completing a full circuit, they returned to their starting point, where the Ministry of Rites had already erected the altar. Xiao Mo and the two consorts then lit three slender incense sticks. He stood at the forefront, with Yan Ruxue and Qin Siyao positioned behind him to his left and right, respectively.

“Bow!” Amidst the resonant court music, Xiao Mo, Qin Siyao, and Yan Ruxue united in a deep bow, offering their respects to Zhou Mountain. The instant the three of them stood upright again, a vibrant cascade of multicolored radiance erupted from Zhou Mountain’s summit, stretching towards the Zhou imperial palace—resembling a magnificent rainbow after a storm, yet amplified in its splendor severalfold. Immediately following, cries of dragons that pierced the heavens echoed for hundreds of miles. A hundred birds took to the skies in continuous, joyous circles, their chirping a melody of delight.

The common folk within the city, witnessing the radiant spectacle, exclaimed it as a most auspicious omen. Their hearts swelled with a mixture of awe and elation. Yet, in Xiao Mo’s perception, this display was but a minor spectacle, orchestrated by a few cultivators from the mountain, arranged by the Ministry of Rites. After all, on such a joyous wedding day, a complete absence of auspicious signs would be unfitting. All the civil and military officials shared this sentiment. Even the officials of the Ministry of Rites glanced towards their superior, internally questioning: Did the Minister not remark that soliciting auspicious signs from immortals was excessively contrived? Yet, despite his words, he ultimately proceeded with the arrangement, and executed it with such grandeur.

Only the Minister of Rites, Yan Zhen, gazed upon the auspicious signs with a look of utter bewilderment. Everyone presumed these signs were a result of Yan Zhen’s meticulous planning. However, in reality, Yan Zhen was entirely unaware. He had not commissioned any cultivators to stage a false spectacle whatsoever. This implied—the auspicious signs were genuine! Could it truly be that His Majesty’s marriage to his daughter, combined with the Qin princess, would usher in a genuine restoration for Great Zhou?

Following the ceremony at Zhou Mountain, Madam Yan and Empress Dowager Yan each escorted Yan Ruxue and Qin Siyao back into their respective sedan chairs. As the sounds of suona horns, gongs, and drums resonated once more, Xiao Mo mounted his horse, and the wedding procession commenced its return to the imperial capital. “They’ve arrived, they’ve arrived!” “His Majesty and the two royal consorts are here!” “Look—” At the gates of the imperial city, the common people lined the thoroughfares, eager to welcome the procession.

Trailing behind Xiao Mo, two sedan chairs advanced in parallel. Upon seeing these two ornate palanquins, many men’s gazes were filled with profound envy. After all, Miss Yan was not only acclaimed as the foremost talented woman of Zhou but also its most stunning beauty. Furthermore, the eldest princess of Qin was reputed to be no less beautiful than Miss Yan. Now, His Majesty had espoused two unparalleled beauties simultaneously—how could they not feel a pang of envy? The sentiments of women, while mirroring men’s in some aspects, also presented a stark contrast. What women envied were the two noble consorts within the sedan chairs. They mused: If they themselves were the ones His Majesty was marrying, how incredibly fortunate they would be.

As the grand wedding procession gradually neared the imperial palace—an official from the Ministry of Rites approached a secluded courtyard residence within the imperial city and knocked upon its wooden door. The door swung open, revealing a woman clad in simple hempen garments. Perched upon the woman’s shoulder, a winged creature resembling a “large dumpling” rested peacefully. “Greetings, Master Wangxin,” the Ministry of Rites official declared, clasping his hands in a respectful bow. “Today, we shall be counting on Master Wangxin’s assistance.”

“Mmm,” Wangxin responded with a nod. “Kindly lead the way.” “Master Wangxin, this direction, please.” The Ministry of Rites official graciously invited Wangxin into a waiting carriage, then mounted his own horse. In less than a quarter of an hour, Wangxin was conveyed to the base of an imposing tower. Wangxin alighted from the carriage and, accompanied by Hundun, ascended the tower alone. Today marked a day of great joy for the sovereign of Zhou. Today, Wangxin would offer prayers and chant scriptures on his behalf. Upon reaching the summit, Wangxin settled onto a meditation cushion. The room contained only Wangxin. “Migu Migu,” Hundun purred, rubbing against Wangxin’s thigh. “You mean—what if the one getting married truly is Xiao Mo?” Wangxin inquired. “Migu!” Hundun chirped, its plump little body bobbing in affirmation.

“Even if this is indeed Xiao Mo, it’s perfectly acceptable,” Wangxin murmured, her eyelids fluttering softly. “Him taking a wife and having children—isn’t that a wonderful outcome?”

“Migu...” Hundun’s plump form quivered.

“And what of me then?”

Wangxin paused, a gentle radiance illuminating her clear eyes as she pondered.

“I will also be content.”

“If that Zhou sovereign truly is Xiao Mo, and he is to wed another... a faint emptiness does stir within my heart.”

“However, it is fine.”

“As long as Xiao Mo is thriving, my own well-being is assured.”

“To merely find him again, and to observe him from a quiet distance... that would suffice.”

“Migu!” Hundun took flight, landing atop its master’s head and repeatedly patting her hair with what seemed like indignation, as if she were falling short of some unvoiced expectation. “Migu Migu!”

“I truly mean it. My words are not deceitful...”

Wangxin lowered her gaze serenely, her small fingers unconsciously clenching the hem of her skirt as she spoke with deliberate quietness.

“I genuinely...”

“speak the truth.”

Escorted by accompanying figures—

The grand imperial wedding procession had already made its way into the heart of the palace grounds.

Precisely at this juncture, a resonant chorus of Buddhist scriptures began to emanate from a towering structure within the imperial city’s confines.

The chanting possessed an ethereal solemnity, a voice that seemed both feminine and masculine, and yet like a vast congregation of monks chanting in unison.

As this sacred sound permeated the upper atmosphere, golden lotuses, seemingly manifested from Buddhist lore, rained down across the cityscape.

These blossoms coalesced into a luminous river of flowers, and a profound sanctity radiated outwards, blanketing every district of the imperial capital.

Xiao Mo tilted his head, his gaze drifting towards the source of the chanting.

For reasons he couldn’t quite articulate, Xiao Mo sensed a peculiar familiarity in that voice.

Nonetheless, setting that aside—the fact that a mere monk, summoned by the Ministry of Rites, could conjure such a spectacular display through scripture alone, clearly indicated a cultivation level far from ordinary.

Xiao Mo surmised that this esteemed monk was, at the very least, operating within the Immortal Realm.

After the duration of a single stick of incense had passed, the ceremonial sedan chairs halted before the ancestral temple.

Xiao Mo, accompanied by Yan Ruxue and Qin Siyao, entered the ancestral temple to formally venerate the ancestors of the Zhou dynasty.

The Director of the Directorate of Celestial Observation presented the birthdates and auspicious characters of Xiao Mo and the two women before the ancestral tablets, imploring their blessings and divine protection.

Following the ancestral rites, Xiao Mo and the assembled civil and military officials proceeded to the grand square situated before the Heaven Sacrifice Altar.

They took their positions, separated to the left and right, all eyes fixed expectantly upon the imposing main gate of the square.

At the very vanguard of the officials, Xiao Mo too directed his gaze towards the entrance, maintaining a composed stillness.

“The Hall-Bowing Rite! Commence!”

As the hour of Wei precisely arrived, the voice of Yan Zhen, the Minister of Rites, resonated across the expansive square.

With a resounding boom, the great gate of the square swung open.

Yan Ruxue and Qin Siyao, guided by the Empress Dowager Yan and Madam Yan, gracefully entered.

Beneath their voluminous gowns, the elegant strides of the two noble consorts carried them forward, their movements exuding grace and dignity.

Attending them were a total of eight palace maids, diligently managing the trailing edges of their sweeping ceremonial skirts.

The gentle spring sunlight illuminated their vibrant red wedding attire, bestowing upon it a warmth that seemed to impart a vivid, phoenix-flower-like hue.

Witnessing this breathtaking spectacle, the onlookers were overcome with wonder—it appeared that the very sunlight possessed a tangible color.

Positioned at the base of the Heaven Sacrifice Altar, the Empress Dowager Yan and Madam Yan performed the final act, placing the red silk cord into Xiao Mo’s hands.

Xiao Mo turned, gently guiding the two consorts, step by deliberate step, towards the ascent of the Heaven Sacrifice Altar.

Upon the altar itself, Yan Zhen, the Minister of Rites and the officiant of the ceremony, approached Xiao Mo, presenting a jade tray with both hands.

Resting upon this jade tray was the imperial edict, personally penned by Xiao Mo.

Accepting the edict he had authored, Xiao Mo began to read its contents aloud, his voice resonating with solemnity, ensuring each word reached every individual present:

“I, Xiao Mo, do hereby receive the mandate of the august Heaven, assume the legacy of my ancestors, preside over the six cardinal sacrifices, and govern all under Heaven.

“Now, on this auspicious day when Heaven and Earth converge in harmony, and when the ancestral temple bestows its blessings, I shall adhere to the ancient rites, uphold the sacred ceremony of paired jades, and take as my consorts the virtuous Lady Yan Ruxue and the Qin’s Eldest Princess Mujiu.

“These two ladies possess spiritual refinement and rare grace; they are chaste, serene, proper, and upright—fitting exemplars for the inner court.

“Therefore: The Lady Yan, whose lineage brings forth pure splendor, nurtured in the ways of poetry and propriety, gentle and gracious as is proper; and Princess Mujiu of Qin, refined by noble birth, wise and possessing the purity of an orchid, with a bearing that commands respect.

“By the System of Rites of Zhou for women’s offices, referencing the marriage instruments of the Spring and Autumn period [N O V E L I G H T], we jointly bestow the rank of noble consort upon two individuals.

“Consort Xue shall reside in the Hall of Congealed Snow, and Consort Mu shall reside in the Hall of Holding Wine. Each is granted a golden register and purple cord, along with the esteemed honors of nine plumes and four phoenixes.

“It is wished that the two consorts diligently cultivate their character through seclusion and chastity. They shall serve the ruler and elders with gentle obedience, harmonize the six palaces through their speech, countenance, skills, and appearance. They will lead the other concubines with respect, frugality, humility, and softness, and strive to extend the imperial lineage to secure the state's foundation. Together, they shall assist in the governance of the inner palace, coordinating matters within the women’s quarters, ensuring the inner court remains solemn and the standard of womanhood shines brightly.

“May the two consorts illuminate brightly like the sun and moon, cherished as precious vessels. They should attend to meals morning and evening, displaying filial devotion, and encourage sericulture to broaden instruction. Let refined music, both palace and merchant styles, be set to harmonize the realm, so that women under Heaven may look up to the exemplary virtue emanating from the inner chambers. May the people of the nine provinces be bathed in the noble sounds of the royal house, leading to a Great Zhou that is well-ordered in household and state, with grand blessings continuing eternally.”

Upon finishing the reading of the edict, Xiao Mo placed it down just as the auspicious hour arrived.

Yan Zhen came forward, calling out loudly, “The auspicious hour is here! Commence the bows!”

Sili approached, presenting a jade tray upon which lay thin incense sticks.

Xiao Mo, Yan Ruxue, and Qin Siyao each took three of the slender incense sticks.

Concurrently, ceremonial music began to play.

“First bow, to Heaven and Earth!”

The trio lit their incense sticks and offered a bow to Heaven and Earth.

“Second bow, to the honored elder!”

Since Madam Yan and Yan Zhen, as ministers, could not receive the bow of an emperor, Empress Dowager Yan stepped forward and stood beside the three.

The three bent their bodies in a bow, paying their respects to the honored elder.

“Spouses bow to each other!”

Yan Ruxue and Qin Siyao stood together, facing Xiao Mo, and the three bent and bowed to one another.

“The three bows are now complete!”

“With the hundred officials serving as witnesses, and Heaven and Earth as proof!”

“From this day forth!”

“The rite is concluded!”