Chapter Seven: The Bestowal of Marriage

Little Ding, clutching the banknotes, left the prince's study, feeling displeased. He thought to himself: "A dignified prince, and after much difficulty, he rewards me this time. Shouldn't it be at least a hundred or two hundred thousand? In the books I've read, those wealthy individuals often give out one or two hundred million. What can this small amount of money do?"

Xiao Ding practiced boxing in the courtyard, then stood under the tree with his feet slightly apart, practicing breathing exercises for a while. Noticing that the sun had already risen, he thought that his beloved must be awake as well, and turned to head back.

The contented Xiao Ding quietly got up, tucking the blanket around the princess, who was sleeping sweetly like a little pig, much like a husband caring for his beloved wife. He dressed himself and walked into the courtyard. It seems that another light snowfall had occurred during the night, and now the eunuchs of the royal residence had already swept the courtyard clean.

Seeing the arrogant demeanor of the group he brought, Xiao Ding soon learned from their words that they were sent by the Eastern Depot. Fortunately, Xiao Ding had already realized that they bore no ill will towards the prince, which put his mind at ease. However, with the presence of these individuals in the royal residence, it became inconvenient for Xiao Ding to interact with Princess Jingyue.

What about Xiao Ding and the princess?

In a moment, his footsteps gradually faded away. Xiao Ding stood against the wall, completely stunned. My goodness, he had truly entered the world of "The Smiling, Proud Wanderer." At first, when he heard names like Tota Hand Ding Mian and Fei Bin, Xiao Ding did not realize it. He usually read books in a haphazard manner, not delving into the details, and could not remember these people. However, upon hearing about Zuo Lengchan, the Sun and Moon Holy Cult, and the renowned Dongfang Bubai, how could he still not understand?

Upon seeing Xiao Ding, the princess could not help but throw herself into his arms, weeping sorrowfully. Xiao Ding, flustered and at a loss, tried to comfort and persuade her, completely unaware of what had happened, his mind racing with chaotic thoughts: "Could it be that the emperor, having seen how beautiful my niece is, has done something outrageous?" In a moment of anger and confusion, his hands and feet turned cold, standing there in a daze, only thinking: "The emperor has put a green hat on me; should I go and kill him? Can I even kill him?"

"Wait a moment," said the peculiar head of the Eastern Factory's third division. "Heimuya in Pingding Prefecture is within Hebei, right under the Emperor's feet. We in the Eastern Factory are keeping an eye on them. However, that Dongfang Bubai is quite sensible, not causing trouble right under our noses. As for your Songshan Sect, you have been quite impressive these past few years. Go back and tell Zuo Lengchan to behave himself. He can pursue his ambition of being the number one in the world, but he should not cause any trouble for our Factory Chief."

At this moment, Xiao Ding is gazing affectionately at the charming face of Princess Jingyue, resting his chin on his hand. The girl looks sweet while sleeping; her hair is tousled, yet it possesses a unique charm typical of a young lady.

As soon as the voice emerged, Xiao Ding felt a stir in his heart; it was indeed the voice of the short, stout middle-aged man among the three who attempted to assassinate the prince that night. "You people from the martial world only know how to fight and kill. The court's waters run deep; you cannot wade through them. Ding Mian, you have a reputation in the martial world as the 'Tuo Ta Shou' (the one who supports the heavens), but can you truly bear the weight of the court? The Zhou prince has voluntarily requested to return to the capital, and the emperor is pleased. If anything were to happen to him now, the current emperor would be displeased, and if the current emperor is displeased, then Eunuch Liu would be unhappy. You have a reputation in the martial world as the 'Tuo Ta Shou', but can you truly bear the weight of the court? The Zhou prince has voluntarily requested to return to the capital, and the emperor is pleased. If anything were to happen to him now, the current emperor would be displeased, and if the current emperor is displeased, then Eunuch Liu would be unhappy. Zhu Chang, instead of being the Northern Duke, has taken on the alias Fei Bin and is associating with your Songshan Sect; it is truly a degradation of status. You should return, preferably to the capital, and do not let me encounter your people again, otherwise... hum hum." You should return, preferably to the capital, and do not let me encounter your people again, otherwise... hum hum.

Upon hearing the footsteps, they stopped at the outer room. A sinister voice said: "The factory manager has already been reprimanded by the Emperor for this matter. Go back and tell Zhu Chang not to entertain any further thoughts about the Zhou Wang; otherwise, do not blame me, Guo, for being ruthless."

Even so, Xiao Ding remained full of enthusiasm. After all, in his era, he had never been to Beijing. Now, having the chance to see the ancient and charming city of Beijing, and perhaps even meet the emperor, what a rare opportunity this is

Now, Xiao Ding is racking his brain thinking: The husband of a princess is called a prince consort, but what is the title for the husband of a county princess? I wonder if the court offers any benefits. In the past, I used to cook for others and serve beautiful women, but from now on, I will sing the songs of a liberated peasant. To hell with the rivers and lakes; where can one find such comfort as now?

The Emperor had already dispatched the Minister of Rites and the Minister of Revenue to welcome the Duke of Zhou to the court for an audience. Palace maids, eunuchs, and servants were bustling about, moving luggage into the duke's residence. Xiao Ding stood in the hall, looking up to the sky and sighing deeply. Damn it, after reading so many wish-fulfillment novels, it seemed that meeting the Emperor was as easy as visiting relatives for others. As for himself, not only had he never met the Emperor, but he hadn't even seen what the ministers sent by the Emperor looked like. Why was there such a huge gap?

Zhu Jingyue looked at his ghostly appearance, puzzled by his intentions. Stealing a glance in the direction of Xiao Ding, she caught sight of a glimpse of fair, delicate skin peeking out from under the blanket, adorned with spots of crimson resembling plum blossoms. Her face involuntarily flushed, and she pulled the blanket to cover her modesty, biting her lip as she yanked the pillow and hurled it fiercely at Xiao Ding

I saw a young eunuch carrying a bottle as he walked by, so I hurriedly grabbed him and asked, "How much silver does it take to buy an acre of good farmland?"

Unfortunately, Xiao Ding's beautiful dream was soon shattered. Three days later, upon arriving in the capital, Xiao Ding's convoy was taken directly to the royal palace prepared by the emperor for King Zhou, and he had no opportunity to meet the emperor.

When the princess returned from the palace with the prince, her face was pale. She excused herself for feeling unwell and went back to her own room. Xiao Ding noticed something unusual about the princess's expression. Seeing her return to her boudoir, he sought an opportunity and quietly slipped inside.

With nothing to do, Xiao Ding rested his chin on his hand, contemplating his life's path. After thinking for a long time, he realized that aside from being a cook, he had no other skills to speak of. He possessed neither exceptional wisdom to assist a wise ruler in achieving greatness, nor the ability to smelt iron, refine steel, brew liquor, or engage in commerce to become the wealthiest person in the world. Relying solely on his position as the chief guard of a royal mansion, how could he possibly be worthy of the princess of the Zhu family dynasty? Just thinking about it was disheartening.

Xiao Ding also understood that it was quite inappropriate for the guards of the Wangfu to carry a pig slaughtering knife. However, this knife was much more convenient to use than the narrow-bladed sabers employed by the Ming army guards, so he kept this knife tucked in his bosom wherever he went

Zhu Jingyue's face turned pale as she leaned on Xiao Ding's shoulder and after a long pause, she said softly: "Tian Ge, today the Emperor has arranged a marriage for me"

The chill that enveloped her caused Jingyue to open her eyes. As she blinked awake, she was greeted by a branch of plum blossoms, vibrant and fiery red before her. Raising her head, her surprised gaze met Xiao Ding's face.

In the bright spring of March, the city is filled with blooming flowers. After being cooped up for an entire winter, the wealthy families have all gone to the outskirts to enjoy the spring outing. Emperor Wanli, in a moment of inspiration, thought of his young nephew and invited him to join in a spring outing at the Royal Garden of Books and Paintings. This invitation, however, led to unforeseen troubles.

The young eunuch, seeing that it was the captain of the royal guards who inquired, quickly replied: "General, five taels of silver can buy an acre of good farmland. My father, my mother, my sister, and I, our entire family's annual expenses do not even amount to two taels of silver. My family are tenants of others; if you wish to buy land, I am of no help."

Turning his head, he saw a plum tree by the path, blooming splendidly. He walked over and picked a branch, then turned back to the room. Jingyue's sleeping posture had not changed; she was still tightly wrapped in her blanket, sleeping sweetly. Xiao Ding smiled indulgently, walked over, and placed the plum blossom by her pillow. He took off his boots and sat on the edge of the kang, leaning down to steal a kiss on Jingyue's rosy cheeks.

Beside the prince's carriage stood sixteen Jinyiwei dressed in bright yellow flying fish robes, while outside were over one hundred guards from the Eastern Depot. Three hundred soldiers dispatched from the garrison held ceremonial positions in the front and back. The royal guard led by Xiao Ding had already been replaced in their protective duties, now trailing at the end of the convoy, accompanying hundreds of servants, eunuchs, and palace maids.

Another voice said: "The third section head, my junior brother is at least a part of the Eastern Factory. This matter does not require the involvement of everyone in the Eastern Factory. If the third section head merely pretends not to see it, it would be a great help to us."

At this moment, not only did Xiao Ding understand the true intention behind the Northern Duke's plot to usurp the throne of the Zhou dynasty, but he also became aware of his own circumstances, which filled him with immense excitement. What reassured him the most was that the court had indeed changed its stance; the Zhou king had now become an important protected figure of the Eastern Factory. Regardless of whether it was the Songshan Sect or the Sun and Moon Holy Cult, both of which were super powerful entities, under the clear declaration from the Eastern Factory prohibiting any action against the Zhou king, unless they truly intended to kill officials and rebel, the Zhou king was absolutely safe.

How are traditional jokes told? It seems that the female lead always wakes up earlier than the male lead, leaning on the man's chest and teasing him awake with her hair. Then, amidst a series of delicate laughs, she is pinned down by the male lead, and the two of them begin their morning exercises together. There is an even older joke where the man wakes up to find that the beautiful girl, who had been intimately close to him the night before, has already prepared a lavish breakfast, resting her chin on her hands while sitting at the foot of the bed, gazing affectionately at the male lead, waiting for him to wake up and savor her heartfelt meal. There is yet another older joke where the man wakes up to find that the beautiful girl, who had been intimately close to him the night before, has already prepared a lavish breakfast, resting her chin on her hands while sitting at the foot of the bed, gazing affectionately at the male lead, waiting for him to wake up and savor her heartfelt meal.

Immediately afterward, one could hear Ding Mian of the Totem Hand snort coldly and leave with a flick of his sleeve. The third-tier head chuckled to himself, saying: "These people from the martial world are truly simple-minded, thinking that by killing King Zhou they can obtain his fief. They have moved the gateway of Mount Song right under the nose of the Sun and Moon Sect. If you truly engage in a fierce battle under the emperor's feet, will our Eastern Factory still have good days ahead? A bunch of fools!"

Xiao Ding was just about to turn around and go out when he suddenly heard a commotion of footsteps outside, followed by a voice saying, "You have such audacity to dare to chase me here." Xiao Ding was taken aback, took a step back, twisted his waist, and jumped onto the earthen bed to stand against the wall, his right hand reaching into his bosom to grasp his knife.

Xiao Ding tightened her grip on her hand and said with a trembling voice, "Yue'er, but... but has the emperor insulted you?" She felt a dryness in her throat, fearing that the news was indeed as she had guessed, and that she would have to challenge the greatest and most terrifying BOSS in the world.

The princess wiped her tears and, seeing his face alternating between blue and white, sometimes gritting his teeth and at other times staring blankly, was alarmed and grasped his hand, calling out: "Tian Ge, what is wrong with you?"

In the past couple of days, Xiao Ding has been so busy that he hasn't had time to groom his beard; the stubble on his chin has grown out again. Coupled with his square face, there is a sense of resoluteness that seems to carry a hint of sternness. However, a trace of laughter in his eyes reveals a touching tenderness beneath the rugged lines of his face

Xiao Ding took the silver note with a demeanor that was neither servile nor arrogant. Jing Yue was even more pleased upon seeing this, feeling assured that she had not misjudged him. The husband she had chosen was indeed a person of exceptional talent, not easily swayed by wealth or fame.

Xiao Ding's heart was filled with warmth and emotion; such a noble and beautiful person would henceforth be his companion by the pillow. Xiao Ding sincerely expressed his gratitude to the unseen deities.

Tuo Ta Shou Ding Mian seemed to be suppressing his anger and said, "Since that is the case, I shall take my leave"

The long convoy has finally set off towards Beijing

Zhu Jingyue was taken aback, spat at him, her cheeks flushed with anger, and said: "What nonsense are you talking? According to seniority, the Emperor is my uncle, and... he is nearly sixty years old. What are you guessing blindly?"

Xiao Ding was taken aback and said, "Huh? ... Ah! I was just asking casually"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Ding felt relieved and smiled at *Tu* *Shu*, saying: "Isn't that good? Isn't that good? Then why are you crying? You scared me to death"

As the corner was lifted, Xiao Ding's eyes brightened, hee hee hee hee... a trace of inexplicable smile appeared on his face

Xiao Ding walked along the way and stumbled upon a side door. He saw a half-opened gatehouse, where someone was idly wandering about, looking around. The light was dim, and there were a stove and cooking utensils in the outer room, which appeared to be cold and desolate, indicating that no one had lived there for a long time. Upon entering the inner room, he found only a clay bed and a set of pear wood boxes against the wall, which seemed to be the sleeping quarters of the gatekeeper's servant.

When Princess Jingyue returned from the Forbidden City accompanied by King Zhou, Xiao Ding hurriedly shared this good news with them. King Zhou was very pleased to hear it, and in addition to the many rewards he received from the Emperor, he was so delighted that he took out a banknote of 10,000 taels of silver and gifted it to Xiao Ding

As the words fell, a jade leg flashed out from the brocade quilt, and with a bang, Xiao Ding fell to the ground. Above, the beautiful Zhu scolded playfully, "Go die."

She extended a hand, picked up the plum blossom, inhaled its fragrance at the tip of her nose, and smiled, her languid demeanor exceptionally captivating: "What made you think of giving me flowers?" The beauty nestled under the quilt, her jade-like arm adorned with the red plum blossom, her delicate face surpassing the beauty of the flower, creating a stunning scene. Xiao Ding pondered how to utter a poetic phrase to cheer her up. After blinking and thinking for a while, he finally clapped his hands and recited: "When flowers bloom, they should be picked; do not wait for them to fall and leave only the branches."

Fortunately, the princess, having established a marital relationship with him, truly exhibits a tenderness akin to flowing water, except during moments of great petulance. Moreover, she is exceptionally intelligent and perceptive, aware of Xiao Ding's inner turmoil. Whenever there is an opportunity to be together, she always offers gentle comfort.

Running back to the room, I took out the silver note and examined it repeatedly. I found a piece of soft deer skin to wrap it up and kept it close to me, thinking: "Two thousand acres of land, I have become a major landowner"

With money in hand and no significant matters at the Wang residence, Xiao Ding was living quite comfortably. However, the emperor assigned a chief guard to the Wang residence, and Xiao Ding had no choice but to serve as the deputy.

The idle Xiao Ding wandered around the new royal residence, observing that its luxurious decor was no less impressive than that of the Zhou royal residence. He could not fathom whether the emperor had bestowed upon Zhou Wang his own villa or the residence of some fallen prince. However, as he walked along, he noticed that most of the houses in this alley were deep courtyards, suggesting that their inhabitants were either wealthy or of noble status