Chapter 82 Chip Chip Chip Chip Chip☆
<Previous Chapter<Table of Contents>
After listening to Li Jinyu’s explanation, Huo Caiyu fell silent for a long time. Eventually, he embraced him tightly, feeling both guilty and moved.
He was an ordinary human being, with a lifespan of no more than a hundred years. The fact that His Majesty gave him half of his life meant that His Majesty’s originally long life was cut in half.
“I’m sorry, Your Majesty.”
Li Jinyu leaned against Huo Caiyu’s embrace. Although his face remained somewhat pale, there was joy in his eyes.
He gently nuzzled against him and said, “It’s alright. Zhen is very happy.”
He was delighted to be able to share his life and death with the person he loved the most, to gaze together at the vast landscapes, the sun, the moon, the sands, and the stars.
“After sharing our lifespans, we should live longer than ordinary people. When we have a Crown Prince in the future, Zhen will pass on the throne to the Crown Prince, and we can still go out and have fun together.” Li Jinyu happily planned their future decades later, saying, “Having been in this world for so long, most of the time Zhen has been confined within the palace and haven’t had much chance to go out and enjoy.”
As Huo Caiyu listened to Li Jinyu enthusiastically imagining their future together, he seemed to have glimpsed the beautiful scenes of them freely traversing the world.
His mind was following along with His Majesty’s thoughts when he unexpectedly heard Li Jinyu say, “Let’s get married.”
Huo Caiyu froze once again, and as he lowered his head, he caught sight of Li Jinyu’s sparkling eyes.
“Your Majesty wants to marry this official?”
Li Jinyu raised his head, somewhat puzzled. “Don’t you want to?”
Huo Caiyu opened his mouth but suddenly found herself unable to speak.
Of course, he wanted to.
He longed to stand with His Majesty in front of the joyous wedding hall, to join hands as partners, openly and proudly embracing each other.
However, he couldn’t help but consider His Majesty’s status.
Throughout history, there had never been an Emperor who married a man.
Even the past Emperors who had shown a preference for men usually only conferred titles and kept them close by.
If they were to openly marry, maintaining their current relationship, they would face criticism and condemnation on a daily basis. But if they were to marry in an official manner…
Huo Caiyu gazed into Li Jinyu’s pure eyes and suddenly chuckled.
He had fallen into his old habit again.
Whenever it came to matters involving His Majesty, he always tended to overthink.
As long as His Majesty was willing, what did those rumors and gossip matter?
If there were any uncertainties or disturbances, he would handle them for His Majesty!
“This official naturally agrees.”
………
Marriage.
Surprisingly, it was decided and put into motion.
The officials from the Ministry of Rites, perhaps having anticipated it, had expressions of “as expected” when His Majesty proposed to marry the Regent Prince.
They didn’t oppose it—after all, their opposition would be futile. The Regent Prince and His Majesty would not pay attention to them.
However, a minor conflict arose when it came to the specific ceremonial protocols.
The officials from the Ministry of Rites wanted to welcome the Regent Prince according to the standards of His Majesty marrying an Empress.
Although now almost all the officials could guess that His Majesty was in a submissive position… maintaining appearances was crucial.
The Regent Prince had no objections, but His Majesty did.
His Majesty actually wanted to use the Empress’ standards for himself.
Wouldn’t that be like His Majesty marrying down to the Regent Prince?
The bottom line of the Ministry of Rites must not be compromised!
Li Jinyu stared at the Vice Minister of Rites, attempting to intimidate him by banging the table, but it didn’t scare the Vice Minister away.
The Vice Minister of Rites had already figured it out. As long as the Regent Prince was acceptable, the crucial point was to resolve His Majesty’s romantic intentions, so as not to bring shame upon the ancestors of Great Di. That was why he persisted and refused to back down.
In the end, Li Jinyu couldn’t reason with him and could only reluctantly compromise. “How about we both make a concession, and the Regent Prince and Zhen use the same standards?”
The Vice Minister of Rites frowned, about to say something, but then Li Jinyu forcefully slammed the table. “This is Zhen’s bottom line!”
The Vice Minister of Rites furrowed his brow, weighed the options, and reluctantly nodded in agreement.
After the Vice Minister of Rites left, Li Jinyu rubbed his hands and complained to Huo Caiyu, “Why is that Vice Minister of Rites so stubborn?”
Huo Caiyu came over and massaged his palms, smiling. “The Vice Minister of Rites’ wife is from the Han family, so she must have influenced him to some extent.”
When the Empress Dowager staged a coup, Huo Caiyu took the opportunity to reclaim a significant portion of the aristocratic families’ power within the court. To maintain a balance of power and not completely eradicate the influence, the relatively insignificant Ministry of Rites was left untouched.
If one were to identify the strongest opposition to His Majesty and the Regent Prince’s union, without a doubt, it would be the Empress Dowager, who fervently desired an imperial heir.
However, they were currently unable to voice their opinions and could only remain stubborn on such minor details.
Li Jinyu thought it through, pouted, and sighed. “Zhen initially wanted to become your Empress.”
Huo Caiyu was already aware of His Majesty’s previous hidden intentions of urging him to ascend the throne, and couldn’t help but laugh again. “This official has also considered becoming Your Majesty’s Empress.”
They exchanged a glance and suddenly burst into laughter.
There probably wouldn’t be another pair of ruler and subject like them in history.
“Zhen will go and have a talk with the Empress Dowager,” Li Jinyu said after some consideration, standing up. “To have a proper marriage, Zhen must ensure that everything is perfect.”
………
Since the coup, as usual, Li Jinyu would pay his respects to the Empress Dowager during his rest days. The Empress Dowager often displayed a mix of guilt and forced tolerance, and their conversations would quickly come to an end.
Li Jinyu knew that the Empress Dowager still silently cared about him.
Just like when the Duke of Hanguo visited, it was undoubtedly with the Empress Dowager’s consent.
With the wedding approaching, Li Jinyu planned to have a clear conversation with the Empress Dowager.
The Empress Dowager clearly understood Li Jinyu’s intentions. She tightly gripped the Buddhist prayer beads in her hand, her face turning somewhat pale. “Aijia apologizes to you. If it weren’t for Aijia, you wouldn’t have ended up in this situation…”
“Empress Dowager,” Li Jinyu interrupted her, speaking earnestly. “Huo Caiyu and Zhen sincerely love each other, without any ulterior motives. Zhen is willing to disperse the harem for him and marry him as equals. Zhen wants to prove to Great Di the depth of our feelings.”
The Empress Dowager paused, her mouth slightly agape. Her chin trembled, and a trace of sadness flashed across her aged face. “Your Majesty must blame Aijia for being heartless in the past… But when Aijia entered the palace at a young age, she witnessed too many tragic stories of love entanglements that ended in tragedy. Under this supreme imperial power, how many sincere feelings can endure the test of time?”
Li Jinyu tilted his head and suddenly smiled. “Zhen believes in him, and Zhen believes in himself.”
The bond between them had long transcended the worldly power and the divide between humans and spirits. They were intimately connected, without any gaps.
“Regardless, Zhen has grown up,” Li Jinyu suddenly stood up and walked to the Empress Dowager’s side, bending down respectfully. “The past is in the past, and Zhen no longer holds onto it. Zhen is now an independent person, the Emperor of Great Di. Zhen trusts his own judgment and am willing to bear the consequences of my choices. Mother Empress, please trust Zhen.”
The Empress Dowager’s grip on the Buddhist prayer beads trembled, nearly dropping them to the ground.
She remained silent for a long time, then let out a gentle sigh, lowering her head to wipe away a tear at the corner of her eye. “Aijia understands.”
………
The Emperor’s grand wedding brought joy to the whole empire.
The Ministry of Rites presented the proposal for a general amnesty, as usual, but it was unanimously rejected by His Majesty and the Regent Prince.
“The happiness of the occasion should only be shared with the law-abiding citizens. As for those who have made mistakes, let them clear their sins first,” Li Jinyu said.
After uttering these words, Li Jinyu made a modification to the content of the nationwide celebration. “Next year, the people of the country will enjoy a 20% tax reduction.”
With this decree in place, the people of the Di Dynasty truly celebrated together.
The royal wedding of the Di Dynasty was complex and troublesome. They had to wake up before dawn to dress and prepare.
Li Jinyu yawned and let the senior palace maids fuss over him, in a dazed state, until suddenly he woke up and asked, “Where is the Regent Prince?”
“Your Majesty, the newlyweds… cannot meet before the wedding ceremony.”
Li Jinyu couldn’t see Huo Caiyu, making him feel a bit nervous instead.
Although he and Huo Caiyu were already more intimate than ordinary human couples, this ceremony still filled him with anticipation.
The palace was adorned with red silk embroidered balls, and the main road was covered in dried reeds. The guards on either side of the road also donned festive new uniforms.
The black boots made a “crunch” sound as they stepped on the dry reeds.
Li Jinyu declined the dragon carriage and walked step by step to the ancestral temple, where he met Huo Caiyu at the entrance.
Huo Caiyu had also changed into a specially tailored outfit that was hardly distinguishable from Li Jinyu’s.
The bright red color illuminated Huo Caiyu’s complexion, and the fitted attire accentuated his tall and upright figure, with a black python-patterned belt around his waist.
Li Jinyu gazed at the slightly more handsome Huo Caiyu, inadvertently becoming lost in his gaze. After a while, he suddenly snapped out of it, his face turning slightly red. He instinctively looked into Huo Caiyu’s eyes and realized that Huo Caiyu was staring at him just as intently.
It turned out that they were both captivated by each other’s new attire.
Li Jinyu couldn’t help but let out a laugh.
Huo Caiyu joined in with a laugh as well.
The two grooms held hands, stepping over the drifting reeds and walking along the neat blue brick path, bearing witness to their eternal union in front of the ancestors of the Di Dynasty.
“Bow to heaven and earth!”
The clear blue sky stretched endlessly, without a cloud in sight. The autumn sunlight sprinkled orange-red fragments of jade on the ground, as if even the heavens were celebrating with them.
“Bow to parents!”
With smiles on their faces, the Empress Dowager and Madam Huo sat on the high platform. The officials below raised their heads, gazing at His Majesty and the Regent Prince.
“Bow to each other as husbands!”
Li Jinyu turned around, looking up at Huo Caiyu.
Huo Caiyu also gazed back at him, his eyes filled with a love that burned brighter than sunlight and shone more brilliantly than glass.
From that day forward, their names were etched together in the annals of history. They became each other’s sole companions, and even as time passed and the world changed, their significance to one another remained indelible.
People often said that the imperial family lacked compassion and that power corrupted individuals. They doubted the existence of pure love between two people standing at the pinnacle of power. They speculated about when this unconventional couple would part ways.
Standing at the pinnacle of the world, they would prove their eternal commitment to this Great Di, this world, and this chapter of history.
After a millennium, when the dust settled and everything could only be found in yellowed history books, their deeds would still be the most vivid strokes. Their love, intertwined with the prosperity of the Di Dynasty, would forever be remembered in the annals of time.
Li Jinyu gently bent down before Huo Caiyu.
As he stood up, suddenly he found himself enveloped in a familiar and warm embrace.
A gentle and unspoken kiss landed on his ear.
Li Jinyu paused for a moment, a smile uncontrollably gracing his lips. He reached back and embraced Huo Caiyu tightly.
Their black and crimson wedding robes fluttered in the breeze, like graceful phoenixes and butterflies.
“The ceremony is complete!”
“Congratulations to Your Majesty and the Regent Prince for uniting in eternal love. Congratulations to the everlasting prosperity of the Di Dynasty!”
“Long live the Di Dynasty!”
“Long live the Di Dynasty!”
(End.)
___
Extra chapters available! If you’re interested, please head over to my ko-fi!
✽ヽ(ˆ▽ˆ)ノ✽
If you enjoy this novel, support the Translator ginevre on her ko-fi account :))
<Previous Chapter<Table of Contents>
Thanks for the translation! Really enjoyed this story!
You’re welcome 🫶
Will the extras not be posted here?
yeah. i personally don’t think the extras are necessary, but if you’re really interested, you may head over to my kofi. link is in “BL Completed” post. access is usually granted within 24 hours.
Thank you for translating this adorablee love story!!
thank you so much for translating this novel <3
What a wonderful ending! Honestly… I really thought this novel was gonna be one of those two-dimensional piece with a clear-cut plot and flat character arks, but I have been stood stupidly corrected! TYSM Lulu bestie for the colorful and vivid translation of this novel, which has greatly showcased that special spark in each and every scene and chapter. Thank you for the unforgettable read!