Chapter 357 Wedding Night
Heqin is just a form. For the Huns, Heqin can declare a truce to the world, which is a guarantee for them to return to the grasslands safely. Now this is more important than everything. For Da Chu, Heqin can lift the siege of Jincheng as soon as possible. After all, the life of the emperor was still in the hands of the enemy, and every hour he waited, it was impossible for everyone in the world to feel at ease.
For very few people, having a relationship is not just a formality, but a tangible change.
When Cui Zhao left the city, she got rid of her elder sister Mrs. Ping'en Hou, and also got rid of the shackles of the Cui family and even the entire Great Chu, but the moment she left the city, she still felt a deep fear. A world of fear.
She didn't even know who her husband was. The Huns only promised to choose one of Da Chanyu's favorite grandchildren. Because of the fierce competition, they couldn't reveal the name in advance.
The maids around me heard many rumors. It is said that the Huns were both curious and afraid of Princess Pingjin. The so-called selection of a husband was just a refusal. In fact, no one dared to marry them. Rumor has it that Da Chanyu married a woman in the name of his grandson, and when the bride entered the camp, he himself would laugh at it...
The maid doesn't need to go to the Huns, and I am glad that I can still stay in the Great Chu.
In this way, Cui Zhao came to the Xiongnu camp with trepidation, and with the tragic mood of the big deal, several Chu envoys guided her to complete one ritual after another, not only to abide by the traditions of Chu, but also to accept the customs of the Xiongnu.
The last ritual is rather odd. The bride is veiled off ahead of time—any Hun who takes it off, it must not be the groom—and in front of her, three old men dressed in feathers and animal skins dance in circles , like chanting and singing, and a large group of Huns around him should make a few noises from time to time.
Seeing many Xiongnu men and women kneeling and kowtowing and kissing the ground, Cui Zhao finally realized that this was not an ordinary marriage ceremony, but a serious exorcism.
This is not a good sign. Cui Zhao's heart sank a little bit, and at the same time, he was still very puzzled. The Huns were so afraid of themselves, why did they ask for their names and kiss them in the first place? Could it be that Da Shan Yu really wants to occupy the magpie's nest and force himself to marry him?
Cui Zhao didn't care.
The wedding tent was obviously carefully arranged. Cui Zhao sat cross-legged on the soft bed according to the arrangement of several Hun women. Most of the headdresses that took him a long time to make were removed and replaced with Hun-style headscarves, which were also covered with jewels. , heavier.
The women also did something similar to exorcism and withdrew, leaving the bride alone.
Cui Zhao remembered the words of King Donghai: If the groom arrives early, it means that this person not only has a high status, but also cares about the feelings of the bride.
The Huns are good at drinking and lively. Usually, the bridegroom is not allowed to enter the bridal chamber until the middle of the night or even in the early morning. If the groom can get rid of the entanglement of many nobles, he must have a high status and is eager to see his new wife.
Cui Zhao calculated silently, it should be the second watch now, if the third watch is not yet the bridegroom...
The tent curtain was lifted, and a Xiongnu man walked in, faster than Cui Zhao expected, but she was stunned, unable to determine whether it was her husband or not.
She couldn't tell the age of the Huns, and felt that this man should be between twenty and forty years old. He was not handsome, but he was by no means ugly. He even had a bit of elegance about him, which was relatively rare among the Huns, but he Wearing armor and weapons, he doesn't look like a newlywed at all.
"I am your husband, and you are my wife." The Hun man opened his mouth, speaking in Chu language.
Cui Zhao stared blankly at her husband, unable to say a word.
The Xiongnu man looked at his wife carefully for a while by the light. His face was expressionless, and he could not tell whether he was satisfied or not. He began to take off the weapons on his body one by one. Pieces of leather armor and clothes.
Cui Zhao's heart tensed. She and the champion Hou Cheng had not been married for a long time, and they had no feelings for each other. She hadn't shared the bed very often. She was still a little afraid of this kind of thing. She forced herself to calm down and asked in a low voice, "Do you speak Chu language?"
The Hun man nodded, "A little."
"You, what's your name?"
The Xiongnu man did not answer, but walked up to the bride in his small clothes and said, "Take off your clothes."
"Um?"
"Take off your clothes." The Huns ordered.
Cui Zhao stretched out his hand to take off the turban, but his arms were trembling slightly, and he couldn't use any strength. The turban was extremely heavy, like a mountain on top of his head.
The Xiongnu man helped her take off her turban, threw it aside, grabbed her hands and said, "Everyone said that I can't survive for three days, but I'm not afraid, I want to be your husband and bring you back to the grasslands safely. , then no one will say you are a disaster star."
Cui Zhao looked at those resolute and deep eyes, and felt a sense of gratitude in his heart. At the same time, he was sure that this person had a very high status among the Huns.
That night, the groom who refused to enter the bridal chamber was the Emperor of Chu.
The marriage ceremony in Jincheng had already ended. The scene was very big and grand, and it was not inferior to the Huns at all. Han Ruzi only appeared in the final stage and worshipped the bride.
Presumably to please the Emperor of Chu, the bride completely followed the customs of Chu and never took off her hijab.
The Ritual Officer canonized her as a noble concubine, with a long list of names, and the Ritual Officer can still read it in cadence. Han Ruzi heard it once and didn't remember a word.
At the end of the ceremony, the bride was sent to the bridal chamber, and Han Ruzi, the groom, returned to the hall to continue handling government affairs.
The connection between Jincheng and the outside world has been restored, and the memorial that needs to be handled by the emperor is higher than that of people. This is only part of it, and others cannot be done for it.
Fortunately, with Zhao Ruosu's help, Zhongshusheren said that he was someone close to the emperor, and his main duty was to deliver the memorial to the eunuch, and it was rare to see the emperor himself.
Han Ruzi admired Zhao Ruosu more, just as Liu Jie was going to pass the decree to Deng Cui, Qu Zixi and others were still in the Xiongnu camp, so he ordered him to stay and stand by at any time.
At first, Han Ruzi just wanted to use Zhao Ruosu as a consultant, but he soon discovered that this person's ability is not only super memory, but also very knowledgeable, and he doesn't look like an ordinary official at all.
"His Majesty's memorial to King Jianhuo of Luoyang should be given priority for approval." Zhao Ruosu suggested.
The Ugly King refused to accept the official position of the court. When he was in Luoyang, he worked under Qu Zixi. When Qu Zixi left, he became anonymous, and many things were difficult to unfold. In the memorial, he did not complain, but only introduced the resettlement of refugees. Progress.
The progress is not particularly smooth. Summer has arrived, and there are still many refugees who are stranded in Luoyang and refuse to return home. Han Ruzi can guess the reason. The most important thing is the lack of money and cars. Together with the war in the north, these two are even more lacking. The Luoyang businessman who had made a promise, when he realized that the emperor was unstable, immediately covered his purse tightly.
"What should I do? Make Wang Jianhuo an official? Or issue a strict order to Henan County, requiring them to cooperate?"
Zhao Ruosu cupped his hands and said, "It's better to pass on a decree to rebuke Wang Jianhuo and let him do meritorious deeds."
Han Ruzi smiled and shook his head, "Wang Jianhuo is a hero, he is a hero who eats soft or hard, and it is not appropriate for him to be an official. If I send a decree here, he will immediately turn around and flee into the rivers and lakes."
"Otherwise, Wang Jianhuo is not a person who makes a name for himself. The lives of thousands of refugees depend on him, and he will never let go easily."
"If that's the case, I shouldn't blame him."
Zhao Ruosu and the emperor have not yet reached the point where they have nothing to say, but the only answer is that they will not speak again.
Han Ruzi looked at the official document for a while, then raised his head and said, "There are no outsiders here. Although Mr. Zhao speaks freely, there is no need to hide it from me."
Only then did Zhao Ruosu say: "Wang Jianhuo has no officials, can't act with authority, has no money in his pocket, can't oppress people with wealth, has no soldiers in his hands, can't convince people with force, only the name of chivalry is known to the world. For the refugees, being a chivalrous person is a burden, and His Majesty's value and trust in him is even worse..."
"Um?"
Zhao Ruosu knelt down immediately, and Han Ruzi motioned for him to get up, "You say it."
"Heroes must be loyal. Since Wang Jianhuo is valued by His Majesty, he cannot enjoy it alone, but must share it with his friends. If he agrees, he will betray the king. If he does not agree, he will forget his friends. In this case, he wants to use himself. It is even more difficult to do things in the name of a chivalrous person."
If Han Ruzi realized something.
Zhao Ruosu waited for a while, then continued: "If Your Majesty reprimands Wang Jianhuo severely and makes the world think that the ugly king of Luoyang is in trouble, then Wang Jianhuo will be more likely to refuse other people's help, and it will be better for him to ask for help from all sides."
"Like the troubled Tan family?"
Zhao Ruosu nodded.
Han Ruzi thought for a while, then said with a smile, "Lord Zhao is eloquent, but... can Wang Jianhuo understand my intentions?"
Every time Zhao Ruosu opened his mouth, he would bow his hands and never be rude, "Of course, when the Son of Heaven chooses and employs people, he must be tested and tempered. If Wang Jianhuo can understand, then everything will go smoothly. If he can't understand, why should His Majesty stick to one person? Change generals, so as not to delay the fighter."
Han Ruzi pondered for a moment, "Okay, then let Master Zhao draw up a decree of inquiring on my behalf." He looked at Zhao Ruosu again, "I didn't expect that I was also surrounded by hidden dragons and crouching tigers."
Zhao Ruosu immediately took two steps back, and was about to kneel again, but the emperor stopped him. He said, "This minister took the liberty of making a statement. Fortunately, His Majesty's approval, how can he be worthy of a 'Dragon Tiger'?"
Han Ruzi smiled and said: "Master Zhao is too modest, why don't you take the liberty to talk about when the Huns will go north?"
"Your Majesty shouldn't ask Wei Chen about this matter. Someone else knows better."
"Which one?"
Zhao Ruosu did not answer.
"She is a Xiongnu." Han Ruzi immediately understood.
Zhao Ruosu bowed her hands again, but still didn't answer, but the meaning was obvious. It was precisely because the new imperial concubine was a Xiongnu that she was most qualified to answer the emperor's questions.
Han Ruzi sighed softly, "Does the emperor not even have this freedom?"
Zhao Ruosu said: "There are people in the world who are free from the clouds and wild cranes. They are free and easy, but they are of no benefit to others. The emperor is admired by the people, and he has to be attached to the people. free."
"A light emperor is either a puppet or a stupefied monarch." Han Ruzi felt a little happy. Although he was still trapped, the trip was not all bad. Zhao Ruosu, Deng Cui, many civil servants and generals... The talents were originally in front of the emperor, far away. far exceeded his expectations.
Nearly the fourth watch, Han Ruzi finally returned to the bridal chamber.
The bride had been sitting alone by the bed for a few hours, she took off her hijab, and when she heard the door open, she turned to look.
"It's you?" Han Ruzi was taken aback, clearly remembering that it was a hard-to-remember name for the Huns.
Jin Chuiduo stood up with an angry look on his face, just as he was about to speak, coincidentally, the candles on the table burned out, and the room fell into darkness.