Ch 92 Extra Part 2
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After half a month’s journey to Xirong, Xie Chaoyuan was invited to attend a wedding of a large tribe nearby.
The tribe had pledged allegiance to him last year and also to Daliang. As the territory they occupied was strategically important, when the wedding invitation arrived, Xie Chaoyuan had nothing else to do, so he agreed to attend in person and give face to the tribe.
In fact, their hospitality went beyond that. Xie Chaoling, the emperor of Daliang, accompanied Xie Chaoyuan on this trip, although no one here knew his identity.
“The traditional Xirong wedding lasts for three days in a row. Since you have agreed to attend, why did you delay until today to set out and still travel leisurely like this?” Xie Chaoling asked while riding on horseback. It was still early, and Xie Chaoyuan was not in a hurry, so they traveled slowly along the way.
Xie Chaoling had some knowledge of Xirong wedding customs. A few years ago, he had married Xie Chaoyuan in Lidu, and although the wedding process of the nobles in Lidu had been simplified to be in line with Daliang’s customs, these tribes still maintained their traditional habits and the wedding must be celebrated for three days.
“It is indeed three days, but only relatives and friends attend the first two days, and guests are only invited on the third day,” Xie Chaoyuan smiled and said, “As a distinguished guest, I must wait until the evening of the third day to go and support them, which is enough to give them face.”
As he spoke, he held a tuft of dog tail grass in his hand, and the furry tail whiskers swept across Xie Chaoling’s cheek, making him feel itchy and turn his head away. “Stop playing, how old are you?” he asked.
Xie Chaoyuan ignored him and continued to play with the dog tail grass in his hand, “Brother seems to be very interested in other people’s weddings. Could it be that because the ceremony when we got married was too simple, my brother has some regrets?”
At the beginning of the year, they only held the ceremony for the bestowing of the title, and did not have a grand wedding. There was indeed some regret about this.
However, Xie Chaoling said, “I have no regrets.”
Xie Chaoyuan was slightly surprised and asked, “Really?”
“Really,” Xie Chaoling replied.
Their own wedding was also unique. Even if there were regrets, it was only because they had parted too hastily at the time.
Xie Chaoling suddenly snatched the dogtail grass from Xie Chaoyuan’s hand and laughed, imitating Xie Chaoyuan’s manner of stroking his own beard as he gently brushed it across his face, as if teasing him. “You are as beautiful as a flower, and I, who have taken you as my bride, am very fortunate. How can there be any regrets?”
Xie Chaoyuan accepted his praise with a smile, “Thank you for your kind words, brother.”
The two of them chatted and laughed along the way, arriving at their destination before sunset.
The groom was the grandson of the local chieftain, and the wedding became a grand event for the whole tribe. Men, women, and children all gathered around the bonfire, singing and dancing, while the aroma of roasted meat mixed with the fragrance of wine wafted through the air. Everywhere was filled with laughter and joy, and the glow of the fire and the sunset in the distance complemented each other, reflecting on every smiling face.
The chieftain himself came out to greet them, and beautiful young women from Xirong put eagle bone collars around their necks.
The eagle bones were hard, sharp, and lustrous like jade. Xie Chaoling looked at them for a moment. He knew that Xirong people always hung animal bone decorations in their homes for good luck when they got married. The bride and groom would also wear bone jewelry, and they would prepare bone collars for their guests in advance to show their gratitude and share their joy.
Years ago, when they were preparing for their wedding in Lidu, he had bought many such bone collars according to the customs of Xirong, but unfortunately they were never used.
Memories of the distant past seemed like just yesterday. Xie Chaoling smiled absentmindedly, but when he looked up, he saw a blushing young girl with shining eyes, gazing at him with admiration.
Xie Chaoling was slightly surprised, and Xie Chaoyuan shouted at him, “Linlang.”
He didn’t even look at the girl in front of Xie Chaoling who was presenting him with the collar, and he raised his chin to Xie Chaoling and said, “Linlang, come here.”
Xie Chaoling coughed and walked towards him.
Xie Chaoyuan was invited to a seat, and Xie Chaoling sat down with him. Everyone took turns to pay their respects to the Khan, and then went to drink and have fun. It wasn’t until then that Xie Chaoling took the opportunity to get closer to Xie Chaoyuan and examined his collar closely. It was also made of eagle bones.
Xie Chaoyuan covered his hand and asked, “What are you looking at, brother?”
Xie Chaoling was still pinching the eagle bone collar in his hand, lost in thought. He just noticed that even the tribal chief here wasn’t wearing an eagle bone collar, only he and Xie Chaoyuan were.
As if understanding his thoughts, Xie Chaoyuan explained, “The eagle is the most revered god of Xirong people. Only the king can wear an eagle bone collar.”
“But am I not your guard?” Xie Chaoling asked.
Xie Chaoyuan shook his head. “The people of Xirong are not fools. Many have already guessed your true identity.”
They had been in and out, eating and sleeping together for half a month, and had not concealed it too much. It was not surprising that Xie Chaoling’s identity had been guessed.
Xie Chaoling’s mouth twitched, but he didn’t care about that. They had brought hundreds of soldiers with them, and the Northwest Army was only two hundred miles away. These Xirong people would be crazy to have any ill intentions.
Xie Chaoyuan reached up and adjusted the collar around his neck before squinting his eyes and saying, “I should have had my brother disguise himself if I knew.”
Xie Chaoling heard a hint of something unusual in his tone and asked, “What does that have to do with anything?”
“The girl just now, was she pretty? She kept staring at my brother and blushing.”
Xie Chaoling knew his little brother was up to his old tricks and chuckled, “I didn’t get a good look. Now that you mention it though, you used to have many admirers here in Xirong. Should I ask if they were pretty too?”
“Not anymore,” Xie Chaoyuan calmly reminded him.
In the past, he did have many young men and women who were infatuated with him wherever he went in Xirong, but now he was the Lord Empress of Daliang, and no one dared to have designs on him. However, Xie Chaoling was different; not everyone knew his true identity. With his outstanding appearance, he naturally attracted attention.
The Xirong girl who put the collar on Xie Chaoling just now was particularly bold and enthusiastic, with a direct and frank gaze. If it were Xie Chaoyuan’s previous temperament, he would have already pulled her down and gouged out her eyes, but now he had truly tempered his temper.
Xie Chaoling shook his head and lightly tapped his cup against Xie Chaoyuan’s, saying, “Don’t be angry. I’ll be more careful next time.”
Xie Chaoyuan took off his collar and carefully wiped it with a cloth dampened with alcohol. Xie Chaoling watched him silently until he handed it back to him to put back on himself.
“Are you satisfied now?” Xie Chaoling asked.
Xie Chaoyuan gave the hard eagle bone one last flick and nodded.
Xie Chaoling held back his laughter and took off Xie Chaoyuan’s collar, wiping it with an alcohol-soaked cloth just as he had done, and then put it back on him. “Now it’s fair,” he said.
Xie Chaoyuan finally laughed.
As the wedding ceremony began, Xie Chaoyuan, as the officiant, drank the first cup of wine offered by the newlyweds. Xie Chaoling and he shared the same cup, dividing it into two smaller cups and toasting together.
Only when a couple jointly acts as the marriage witnesses will they share the same cup of wine. This action has actually indicated Xie Chaoling’s identity. Everyone present at the scene was aware of it.
Subsequently, the wedding became even more grand and magnificent. The joyful groom led his beloved girl to dance to the music with a smile on their faces. The guests and relatives sent their most sincere and warm blessings to them. Everyone gathered around the bonfire, laughing, singing, and dancing.
Xie Chaoling held his wine glass close to the person beside him and whispered, “I heard that when Xirong people are happy, they will dance with anyone regardless of their status. Why haven’t they come to pull you, the Khan, to dance together?”
Xie Chaoyuan took the glass from him and drank it down. “Because the emperor of Daliang is here. They dare not be presumptuous.”
Xie Chaoling’s eyes flickered at his words. “So have you danced with them before?”
Xie Chaoyuan made a sound and drank heavily, paying little attention.
“Why don’t you go then?” Xie Chaoling pushed him with his hand. “Don’t just sit here drinking, go down and enjoy the fun with the people.”
In fact, he just wanted to see Xie Chaoyuan dance.
“Shouldn’t my brother set an example and join the people in their enjoyment?” Xie Chaoyuan raised his eyebrows and looked challengingly at Xie Chaoling.
The firelight reflected the smile in Xie Chaoling’s eyes as he reached out his hand.
When Xie Chaoyuan led Xie Chaoling down, everyone began to cheer and make way for them.
Standing in front of the bonfire, Xie Chaoyuan slightly bowed in the face of Xie Chaoling’s narrow and suggestive smile, then stepped on the ground and swung his arms. The Xirong men’s dance emphasizes strength, and the swinging of the arms seems to bring the wind with it, which is very charismatic. Xie Chaoyuan was tall and straight but not rough, and had a foundation in martial arts training. When he moved, his body had more rhythm and better posture than others.
Xie Chaoling stared at him without blinking, feeling that he had become an admiring person, his face turned red and hot.
When the sky had completely darkened, the stars were still visible in the sky. The singing and dancing had not yet stopped. Xie Chaoyuan led Xie Chaoling out of the crowd and walked slowly towards a quiet place.
“People live here very comfortably, no wonder you were able to integrate so quickly in these years.” Xie Chaoling remarked aptly.
He said and laughed again, “At that time, I always thought you would be reluctant to leave, and didn’t want to go back to Daliang.”
“Why did you think so?” Xie Chaoyuan stopped and asked.
Xie Chaoling thought seriously for a moment and said, “My sixth brother is like an eagle on the grassland. He should soar in the freer and broader sky, rather than being confined by me.”
“No,” Xie Chaoyuan disagreed. “Even if it’s an eagle, without anyone to point the direction or a place to stay, it will eventually become exhausted and fall. Brother is the one who points the direction for me, and I will always want to stay by his side. This is not a dilemma, but my home.”
Xie Chaoyuan spoke seriously, and the autumn wind brushed over Xie Chaoling’s cheeks, cool and gentle like a lover’s caress, making his heart tremble uncontrollably.
His eyes reflected the starlight, shining brightly.
After a while, Xie Chaoling said, “Brother’s words are really touching.”
“Do you think this is a love confession?” Xie Chaoyuan looked at him with a smile in his eyes.
Xie Chaoling raised the corners of his lips lightly. “Isn’t it?”
Xie Chaoyuan also smiled, “Then it is.”
Xie Chaoling took a step forward and opened his arms to embrace the person in front of him.
They hugged quietly, under the starry sky, beyond the distant lights, listening to the rustling of grass and branches in the gentle wind. This moment felt like eternity.
The end. Thank you for your support! I will continue to write more stories in the future. Please follow my author page.
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