Chapter 239: The Road to High Office 39 (Editing)

Chapter 239: The Road to High Office 39 (Editing)

"You look thinner."

After half a year, Xu Linshi's motherly love overflowed as she clung to Xu Zeping's hand, chattering all the way from the front gate to the backyard.

Xu Songlin and Cheng Ge'er could only stand by, watching with longing.

Amidst Xu Linshi's overwhelming affection, Xu Zeping's smile was starting to freeze on his face... He really needed someone to help him handle this intense maternal love.

It wasn’t until Xu Zebo and his wife arrived from Dongping Village that Xu Linshi finally reined in her doting heart to prepare the banquet.

From a distance, Xu Zeping winked at Cheng Ge'er, who gave a subtle smile, signaling his understanding.

Afterward, Xu Zeping, Xu Zebo, and Xu Songshan headed to the study to discuss the opening of the ancestral temple and the ancestral rituals.

Before Xu Zeping even returned, Xu Songshan and his wife had already informed Cheng Ge'er that the wedding between Xu Zeping and the youngest would be held after the ancestral ritual.

However, his genealogy could be entered into the Xu Family genealogy on the day of the ancestral ritual.

This was to ensure they didn’t delay the youngest’s limited leave. After the wedding and return, he would head north to take up his post.

"Youngest, the ceremony to open the ancestral temple and perform the rituals is set for May 11. A feng shui expert has confirmed it’s an auspicious day," Xu Songshan said consultatively. "Do you have any objections?"

"Father, I don’t understand these auspicious days. I’ll leave it to you."

Xu Songshan nodded and continued, "The ritual process—you’ve already been through your brother’s Jinshi banquet—so I assume you don’t need further guidance?"

"Yes, I remember."

"Good, let’s have Mr. Liu officiate the ceremony."

"Yes, I’ll speak to our teacher tomorrow."

"Pingping, will you be returning to the Hanlin Academy in mid or late June?" While discussing the ancestral ritual with Xu Zeping, Xu Zebo calculated the time, figuring out which day would be most suitable for the youngest’s wedding.

Xu Zeping then remembered that he hadn’t informed his family about his assignment to a local post. He scratched the back of his head and offered the pre-arranged excuse he had discussed with his brother, "I won’t be joining the Hanlin Academy. The Sage has appointed me as a county magistrate in the north."

"Not joining the Hanlin Academy?" Xu Songshan stood up excitedly. "But you’re the top scholar! How can the Sage send you to a local county post? Isn’t that an insult? Why would they do this to you?"

Xu Songshan’s three consecutive questions were well within Xu Zeli's expectations. Xu Zeping calmed him with the pre-prepared answer, "Father, I actually requested this local assignment. The Hanlin Academy already has my brother. If both of us were there, wouldn’t the Sage become suspicious as our positions grow?"

Xu Songshan wasn’t foolish, and with the youngest’s explanation, he seemed to understand.

Indeed, the elder had been diligently working in the Hanlin Academy for over a year. It would be a waste to abandon that foundation.

"Which county in the north?"

Xu Songshan didn’t hold an official position nor had he traveled far, so his understanding of political matters mostly came from Xu Zeli's guidance. Nowadays, he learned a bit from the elder’s letters home.

Asking about the county was just so he’d have an address to send hometown specialties in the future.

Knowing Xu Songshan’s situation well, Xu Zeping confidently exaggerated, "It’s the most prosperous county in the north, Lingbei County. The Sage sent me there because it’s a critical position. If I perform well, I could be promoted to Deputy Magistrate in three years and Prefect in six."

At the mention of Lingbei County, Xu Zebo nearly choked on his tea...

Seeing his cousin’s smooth talk and secretive eye signals, he wisely chose to remain silent.

Smart folks know that sometimes, keeping quiet is the best policy.

After this conflict ended quietly, the three of them finalized the wedding date for Xu Zeping and Cheng Ge'er, setting it on the twentieth of May.

Sheng'an Year Nineteen, May Eleventh.

—Open the Xu Family Ancestral Hall!

Liu Huaizhi's resonant voice seemed to pull today's scene back to a year ago.

In the early light of dawn, the heavy door of the Xu Family ancestral hall slowly opened, revealing the ancestral tablets of the Xu Family ancestors to Xu Zeping's eyes.

This time, the person standing in the center was Xu Zeping.

Behind him stood Xu Songshan and Xu Zebo. Xu Changsheng, the village head of Dongping Village, opened the door for him, and Liu Huaizhi stood one step ahead on his left, leading the ceremonial chants.

—Present the offerings!

Xu Zeping took the fruits and sacrificial offerings presented by Little Tiger and placed each of these offerings in front of the ancestral tablets with his own hands.

When the preparations for the ancestral worship ceremony were completed, Liu Huaizhi began the hand-cleansing ritual, receiving the incense sticks from Xu Songshan. He bowed sincerely before inserting the incense into the censer and began his chant: “Today, I, Liu...

On the eleventh of May, a blessed auspicious day, I chant the ancestral ceremony for Xu Zeping, the sixth-generation descendant of the Xu family's Runhua branch. Descendant Zeping began his education at the age of three, consecutively passed the imperial examinations at the age of fourteen, became Jieyuan at sixteen, and at eighteen, became the top scholar in the imperial examinations...”

With Liu Huaizhi's resonant voice, Xu Zeping's journey through the imperial examinations was presented to everyone's ears.

An eighteen-year-old top scholar, truly a young man of great promise!

After Liu Huaizhi finished the long ceremonial prayer, it was Xu Zeping's turn to cleanse his hands and offer incense. He took the incense handed to him by Xu Songshan, walked to the ancestral tablets, and said: “Descendant Zeping follows the ancestral rules, living a clean life, being an honest official, with no regrets in heart and no regrets towards the people.”

After sincerely reciting the family precepts, he performed three prostrations and nine kowtows.

Finally, he inserted the incense into the censer.

By the time this elaborate ceremony ended, it was already 1:45 PM.

Then, Liu Huaizhi proceeded to handle the second major event for Xu Zeping, which was to add his spouse’s name to the Xu Family lineage records.

—Xu Family ancestors above, descendant Xu Zeping is about to take up an official position...

After Liu Huaizhi finished his lengthy prayer, Xu Songshan opened the Xu Family genealogy and wrote the name of Xu Zeping's spouse—Xu Chengshi, An'yi—next to his name.

By the time both ceremonies were completed, it was already 5:45 PM.

At that moment, a lively banquet was unfolding at the old Xu residence, and several people, with smiles on their faces, raised their wine cups to join the celebration.

On May 14th, Xu Linshi led the matchmaker to the West Lane Courtyard to perform the bride price ceremony.

On May 16th, Xu Linshi visited again to perform the wedding date ceremony, officially setting the bridal reception for Cheng Ge'er on May 20th.

On May 19th, Cheng Ge'er hosted his pre-wedding feast.

By this time, the West Lane Courtyard had been decked out in bright red decorations, with red lanterns hung all around, letting the residents of Qingshui Town know how much the Xu Family cherished their soon-to-be son-in-law.

Xu Linshi stood at the main door of the bedroom, directing the maids in setting up the courtyard scene, when she looked up and saw a familiar figure approaching from afar, causing her eyes to redden.

Xu Zerou supported the hairdresser and slowly walked to Xu Linshi's side, placing a finger to her lips to signal silence.

Xu Linshi quickly understood, adjusted her emotions, and nodded.

At this moment, Cheng Ger was soaking in the bathtub in the side room...

"Winter, bring the clothes here." After washing, Cheng Ger wrapped himself in a bathrobe and walked behind the screen to call out.

When a pair of fair hands presented the red wedding clothes before Cheng Ger, he saw the familiar red nail polish and his eyes turned red, his lips trembling. "Sister, is it you who has returned?"

Hearing the trembling voice, Xu Zerou quickly came in from in front of the screen and wiped the corner of his eyes with her fingertips. "On such a joyous day, no crying is allowed."

Looking at the familiar face, Cheng Ger tried to control his tears, finding it somewhat difficult. "I don’t want to either."

Xu Zerou draped the wedding clothes over the screen, then lifted Cheng Ger into her arms, gently comforting him. "There, there."

Standing inside the room, Xu Lin Shi could faintly hear the sounds from the side room and lightly coughed. "Don’t delay the time."

Xu Zeping sat in front of the copper mirror, with Xu Zerou standing behind him, wringing out his long hair.

After that, they began to dress and apply makeup.

"First comb to the end,

Second comb to the eyebrows,

Third comb for a house full of descendants

..."

The hairdresser slowly coiled the black hair, and soon a beautiful heart-shaped bun was completed.

Cheng Ger was naturally beautiful, and with his hair coiled up, his superior facial features were fully revealed.

Arched eyebrows, delicate nose, and rosy lips—these delicate features could not compare to his superior heart-shaped face, with the most striking being his cat-like eyes sparkling like stars.

Xu Zerou looked at Cheng Ger in awe, but in her mind, she thought Cheng Ger’s face seemed somewhat similar to her elder brother’s husband’s face. Though Cheng Ger’s face was more delicate, while her brother-in-law’s face was more striking.

"Sister, Aunt, how do I look?" Cheng Ger, looking at his reflection in the copper mirror, felt a little shy and awkwardly touched his cheek.

"You look good." Xu Zerou praised generously. "Our youngest is so lucky to marry such a beautiful partner~"

Cheng Ger’s face instantly turned red. "Sister."

"Xiao Rou, if you keep teasing him, Cheng Ger will hide under the chair." Xu Lin Shi, looking at the tray Winter held out, took the red ribbon to be tied from it.

Tying the red ribbon and placing the hairpin.

Since Cheng Ger was adopted by the Xu family, his relatives and friends largely overlapped with Xu Zeping’s, so this pre-wedding banquet was quite simple.

Only direct blood relatives were invited, including the couple Xu Songrui and her husband, the couple Xu Zebo, and Xu Zeping’s maternal family.

"It’s an auspicious time, begin the grand ceremony!"

The soon-to-be-married couple, Cheng Ger and Xu Zeping, slowly made their appearance, with Winter and Xia Tian following behind Cheng Ger to hold his train.

Xu Songshan and his wife did not sit in the high seats, as those were reserved for the tablet of Xu Zeping’s grandmother, Xu Tang Shi.

Since Cheng Ger was a distant nephew of Xu Tang Shi, she was considered his family.

"Peach blossoms, radiant and splendid. Our Cheng family’s son has finally grown up.."

After the hairdresser finished the ceremony song, Xu Zeping and Cheng Ger exchanged glances, and the two performed the three kneels and nine bows before Xu Tang Shi’s tablet.

——Cheng Ger, I’m finally going to marry you.

As they were about to rise from the last bow, Xu Zeping couldn’t help but turn his head to look at Cheng Ger, his gentle, water-like eyes filled with the person before him.

With only the wedding procession left for tomorrow, the three books and six rites were almost complete.