章節 53: The Sorcerer Becomes the Emperor

The golden throne where various Zhangs had seated throughout the centuries, ruling over this land - the damned chair was too hard and uncomfortable for sitting. Whoever designed it deserved to die a thousand times.

XueYa was gradually feeling the pain along with the numbness climb up his spine, flaring through his muscles like icy spikes. His patience was wearing thin. The officials had been droning on and on about the most nonsensical things imaginable - ever since the sun climbed out of its slumber.

What with droughts in the south, broken dams in the east, and needing money to rebuild and reroute roads in the west. Tax money issues in the north - yawn!

XueYa sighed as he shifted in the seat, trying to get the blood flowing before he was paralyzed from the waist down. He needed to be in full health for his wedding with LiangLin, especially for their wedding night. A few more days, Xie JingYi had said. XueYa was sensing some resistance from the royal guards against his plans to seize LiangLin for himself.

Was he too selfish? After everything XueYa had done, was this one thing too much to ask? To get at least the person he had been eyeing and thinking about ever since leaving Hei'ang?

LiangLin wasn't YaYun's type, XueYa repeated to himself. He was doing his brother a favour, that's right. YaYun would only suffer from a lover like LiangLin. Surely there were hundreds of options for YaYun to choose from. At least one was bound to be much more suitable to someone calm and hardworking like YaYun.

Official Xie's lips were still moving, but XueYa no longer listened. His ears were near bleeding at this point, and he closed his eyes, feeling uncomfortable as he did so. He had masked himself to look exactly like YaYun, with all ten intact fingers and both eyes.

Yet XueYa wasn't used to having two eyes, or even the two fingers back. Without his eyepatch, he felt somehow naked, and he still couldn't see with the other eye. It was just for fooling these old geezers and the rest of the world.

Sigh, XueYa moved to rub at his temples. The things he was willing to do for-

"His highness seems impatient."

Hell yes, he was impatient! XueYa never understood how anyone wanted to be an emperor, always sitting around from sunrise to sunset, doing these mundane things. No adventure, no thrill, just reading, and some more reading. It was boring him to death and this was his first day.

XueYa would rather stab his only working eye out, then did this for the rest of his life. Straightening his back, XueYa blinked his eyes open, looking at the knowing smiles the officials were wearing. Out of habit, XueYa smirked back with confidence, surprising the officials.

"I guess I do feel some impatience." XueYa offered, dusting some invisible dust off his knee.

XueYa just wanted to get his plans done and over with. Well, almost over with, he wanted to enjoy the wedding and the marriage that followed it. LiangLin was a wild one, XueYa feared he would die on his wedding night - either from bliss or crushed family jewels. He hoped for the first, but his guts were telling him it was the latter.

Admittedly, XueYa was forcing the snake to marry him. So guess he deserved it - but this knowledge wasn't stopping him from proceeding with the wedding, though.

"I never realized how boring this job is."

The officials exchanged bewildered looks but didn't comment. They were just glad YaYun had occupied his time with the fox spirit. It could only be good news to the zodiac animals and their country.

"The wedding preparations are almost done, your highness."

"Yes, according to the customs, the bride or concubine must sit on an open carriage, travelling from the gates of the imperial city towards the palace."

Ah, yes, XueYa hummed to himself, pleased by this tradition. Everyone within the imperial city would get to witness LiangLin's beauty. Now wouldn't that please the vain little snake, too?

"Once entering the palace, the bride or concubine will walk all 100 steps carrying with them a tray of tea. It shall not spill or turn cold, or they will have to repeat it as many times until the concubine can fulfil all requirements."

Wait, XueYa sat up straighter, his brow twitching from the mental image alone. LiangLin, his clumsy white snake, walking 100 steps up to the palace with a long wedding hanfu and attire, balancing a tea tray? Who were these officials plotting to murder? Him or LiangLin?

There wouldn't be a wedding if LiangLin heard of this. The snake would just go for the kill straight away.

"I don't like this tradition!" XueYa announced. He wanted to live, preferably until his wedding night. If he died after that, consider both his and YaYun's problems solved in one go.

"Your highness, it is a tradition of the dragon gods. When marrying into the royalty, one must complete these steps."

Curse it! XueYa didn't want to break tradition. His mother was very proud of the dragon gods' ways. She would roll in her grave if she knew XueYa broke them so he could get that clumsy snake in his arms.

"Balancing is out of the question," XueYa sighed. If LiangLin did it, XueYa would die of old age before he got to tap that ass. Those glutes would be tight though, with all the back and forth climbing of stairs. Tempting, XueYa admitted, but not practical. He had to come up with another plan. "Can I carry it for him?"

"The tray must at all times be on the concubine's hands."

XueYa leaned into his hand as he thought over the problem. A smile quivered on his thin lips. He might just come up with an idea. "Just that?"

"Just what, your highness?"

"Balance the tray in his hands and reach the main hall of the imperial palace?"

"Yes."

"Hm, can I accompany him?"

The officials exchanged curious glances. No emperor before YaYun had asked such a question. It was a given that when one wanted to marry the emperor, they had to show their grace and endurance. The emperor walking along with the concubine for all 100 steps? Unheard of, but it was never explicitly prohibited either.

Nodding in agreement, the officials turned back to XueYa.

"There is no issue with that, your highness."

"Perfect." XueYa hummed to himself, pleased. He would make sure LiangLin could balance the tray all 100 steps, just in one try.