At this moment, on the other side of the capital, in the Eastern Palace, Du Yeqing dressed in splendid robes stood in front of a copper mirror, allowing the palace girls to adjust his robe.
He had a profound gaze, as if he could penetrate through the thick walls of the palace and see the woman who was to become his wife, with a sinister and alluring smile on his lips.
As the sun rose higher, the wedding drum music began to play slowly, and the wedding party soon departed from the East Palace.
With a loud blast from a bugle, the wedding party marched through the streets and alleys in grand style, heading towards the Marquis of Qin's residence.
In the procession, the horses were dressed in red and the ceremonial symbols were vivid. Du Yeqing rode a noble horse in a grandson robe, radiating youthful vigor, exuding an alluring charm, and displaying boundless spirit.
The people gathered to watch and discuss, all marveling that it truly befit a prince's grand wedding, its grandeur and extravagance being a sight not seen for a century.
Inside the Marquis of Qin's residence, Yu Yao wore a complicated and exquisite wedding dress, adorned with a phoenix crown, looking like a fairy emerging from a painting, so beautiful that it suffocates.
She looked at her reflection in the mirror, finding herself beautiful indeed, but feeling the weight of her wedding dress and the heavy phoenix crown atop her head, she felt as if her neck was about to snap.
There's still a whole day of wearing these clothes ahead, just thinking about it makes me tired.
She wanted to take off the phoenix crown, but just as her hand reached up to do so, the quick-witted Marquis of Qin's wife stopped her.
"Oh, no, the phoenix crown cannot be removed by oneself, it's unlucky. Even if you want to remove it, you can only do so on the night of your wedding night when your husband will come and take it off for you."
The Marquis of Qin's wife helped her arrange the phoenix crown properly, then pulled the red veil from the side to cover it, and began to give her careful instructions.
Although this was not her biological daughter, the Marquis of Qin's wife genuinely loved Yu Yao and treated her as her own daughter from the heart.
Before a woman gets married, the mother is supposed to say, and the Marquis of Qin's wife carefully told her all the things a mother should say, afraid she wouldn't know.
Even so, she blushed and handed her a book with a shy, nervous gesture.
"Yao'er, you'd better take a good look at this, it will be useful to you."
Yu Yao, with a puzzled expression, reached out to take it, expecting something else. However, when she flipped through the pages and saw the content inside, she couldn't help but burst into tears of laughter.
It turned out to be a set of erotic diagrams, but the paintings were too abstract, just a few lines here and there – how could one understand anything from them?
"Mother, I understand now, I will know how to read it."
She promised while in fact putting it away in the chest right away.
She didn't need such things at all; she was an old hand at it.
The Marquis of Qin's wife saw her putting the book away in the chest and thought she was shy, so she didn't say anything.
Afterwards, she began to quietly cry, although she didn't want to, and even felt extremely happy. However, she had to put on an act.
The wedding procession arrived at the Marquis of Qin's residence quickly, but the gates were shut tight, and the seven sons of Marquis Qin stood side by side at the entrance.
"Prince, if you want to marry my sister, you have to first pass our brothers' test."
The eldest son of the Marquis of Qin stood at the door, arms crossed, and said happily.
Du Yeqing dismounted and turned his head to give instructions to Yun Yin behind him, "Go, tell Miss Meng that today I am bringing her into my household. I will love her with my life, through all the years. She is the light in my heart, never to be forgotten, never abandoned."
Yun Yin took the order and left. If he couldn't enter the gate, he could fly over the wall.
Watching Yun Yin fly over the Marquis of Qin's residence wall as light as a swallow, he entered the inner courtyard,
The seven sons of the Marquis of Qin stood there, gaping in astonishment, never having seen such a thing done before.
At this time, it should be courting the younger brother, right?
Soon, the gate was opened from inside.
Yu Yao, supported by her maids, walked out from inside, her steps light as she was held up by the smug Du Yeqing to sit in the sedan chair. She was still under the red veil.
Du Yeqing mounted his horse and, with the sharp voice of a eunuch and the sound of drums and cymbals, the sedan chair quickly took off, making its way towards the palace in grand style.
After swaying up and down for what seemed like an eternity, the sedan chair came to a stop at the Gate of Godly Military might. Below were fresh red carpets, stretching from one end of the palace to the other, directly leading to the Hall of Supremacy.
A red silk was pushed into her hand, and the other end was held by Du Yeqing.
But Du Yeqing discarded the red silk in his hand and also the one she held.
Afterwards, he swept her up in his arms, striding purposefully through the Gate of Godly Military might and directly into the Hall of Supremacy.
Even the palace maids and eunuchs on the road were shocked, let alone the ones inside the Hall of Supreme Harmony, where the Sovereign Emperor was sitting high up on the dragon chair, his mouth twitching.
The civil and military officials were standing in lines on both sides, their expressions equally shocked, as if they had seen something utterly unbelievable.
Du Yeqing, holding Yu Yao firmly, stepped steadily to the center of the hall, gently placing the woman in his arms on the ground while still holding her delicate, boneless little hand.
He frowned loudly and asked, "What are you waiting for? Start already? What are you all doing?"
The sovereign's lips twitched again, and he told the master of ceremonies in charge of the Prince's wedding, who was from the Ministry of Rites, "Begin."
"One bow to heaven and earth."
"Two bows to the ancestors."
"Bow to each other as a couple."
With the master of ceremonies' resounding voice, the newlyweds completed the most sacred three bows.
"Yao'er, from now on, no one else will be able to take you away from me. You are my princess."
Du Yeqing's voice was low and captivating, with a pleased smile on his lips.
Yu Yao's expression was gentle and elegant, yet large and imposing, without fear of the presence of the Sovereign Emperor and the officials. "You will be my husband from now on. You can't let me down. Do you know that?"
Although she knew Du Yeqing would not let her down, she still wanted to say this.
"Yes, Princess, as you say, I dare not."
Du Yeqing chuckled and spoke affectionately.
She blushed and glared at him playfully without saying anything.
The Sovereign Emperor and all the civil and military officials present couldn't help but twitch their lips, thinking that the princess indeed was different from others, which was why she could capture the eye of the prideful crown prince.
The Sovereign Emperor was in a joyful mood and happily said a few words of good wishes.
The civil and military officials all approached with smiles and congratulations, regardless of what they were thinking in their hearts, they would still smile on their faces.
The feast was set in the Imperial Garden, where the Sovereign Emperor and the civil and military officials went to drink.
Yu Yao was taken to the East Palace, while Du Yeqing, who was supposed to be at the feast in the Imperial Garden, followed her back to the bedroom instead.
She wondered aloud, looking at the someone who had followed back, "As the groom, why didn't you go to the Imperial Garden for the banquet?"
Du Yeqing looked carefree and said succinctly, "With the father emperor present, what do I need to drink with? If I get drunk, how will I have a wedding night tonight?"
She laughed out loud. Whether in her previous life or in this lifetime, Du Yeqing didn't care about other people's opinions.
The couple's wedding night was very intimate. After their marriage, their life was even more happiness and perfection, sweet as honey, sweet as oil, each day filled with happiness and affection.
The warmth of their affection was even too much for the Sovereign Emperor to bear; it was much more intimate than his own relationship with Min'er in his time.
The Sovereign Emperor also understood; newlyweds in the honeymoon phase are naturally affectionate. As long as it didn't interfere with the Crown Prince handling state affairs, he usually refrained from interfering.
Two years later, Yu Yao gave birth to a pair of dragon and phoenix twins for Du Yeqing, a son named Du Yuyu and a daughter named Du Yuwan.
Yuyu was smart and steady, Wanyu was lively and lovely, both of them were very endearing.
The Sovereign Emperor grew old, his body became worse and worse. He passed away on a winter night two years later.
Following his death, a grand funeral was held. After the funeral, he was buried in the Imperial Mausoleum, alongside the sensitive consort, known as the former empress, Yuan.
This was the testament of the Sovereign Emperor before his death.
Du Yeqing ascended the throne smoothly. Yu Yao was crowned as Empress, Yuyu was designated as the Crown Prince, Wanyu was given the title of Zhaoyang, the most prestigious Princess.
Although she had become the Empress, she would still often go to the Wei Manor to see An An and YOYO.
She would go in secret, taking on the appearance of a spirit transformed back into a spider.
She now uses the appearance she had during the Age of Beasts, only visiting An An and YOYO in secret and changing back to her original appearance from this world.
An An and YOYO had no idea that their mother-in-law was actually their biological mother, and they felt that the older sister-in-law treated them very well.
So well that they didn't feel any less than the Crown Prince and the Princess.
As for Xuan Ji, he spent his days accompanying An An and YOYO and meditating in the Wei Palace, never leaving the palace's grounds.
Time passed like this day after day. An An had grown into a youth, much like the second prince of Wei Palace, with a graceful and aristocratic demeanor.
YOYO also grew up, becoming elegant and graceful, with a gentle and lovely beauty.
Both children inherited their parents' perfect genes and had exceptionally attractive appearances.
Perhaps it was because Xuan Ji was a high-ranking monk in the Buddhist sect and had been practicing Buddhism for many years, which led to the two children growing up with a close relationship to Buddhism.
Although they were not monks in the Buddhist sect, they would go to the state-owned temple to burn incense on the first and fifteenth days of each month, and they never missed important Buddhist festivals, which made them like half-disciples in the secular world.
For such a situation, Yu Yao didn't say anything.
As long as An An doesn't become a monk like Xuan Ji, she wouldn't interfere much.
"Father, what kind of person is my mother? Why does she always sneakily come to see us? Why doesn't she tell us where she lives?"
One day, An An finally couldn't hold back and asked Xuan Ji about this matter.
When he was young, he thought that his mother and father had a poor relationship, which is why they were not together.
But as he grew up, he found that this was not the case. The father king clearly loved his mother very much. He would often gaze blankly at a spot, with his eyes staring into space.
Even the father king's study was adorned with pictures of his mother.
Xuan Ji, upon hearing this, his eyes were filled with complexity. He gently stroked An An's head, his voice soft and cold, "Your mother is not a mortal. That's why she can't stay here, but she really misses you both, so she often comes to see you."
"Not a mortal? Then what? Is she an immortal?"
An An frowned and asked.
Xuan Ji's gaze was gentle and profound, as if he were looking through the long river of time, and he said slowly, "In the eyes of mortals, she might be seen as an immortal, but in my heart, she is the most beautiful. She is also your mother, Yu Yao, a kind spider spirit with a millennium of cultivation."
Upon hearing this, An An was extremely shocked, but then he transformed into curiosity and understanding.
He just said that his mother appeared and disappeared without a trace every time she came, and the security in Wei Palace was also quite strict, but nobody had ever seen her.
Only the father king could detect his mother's presence.
After several more years, An An and YOYO had both grown up into adults and had found suitable partners.
An An, inheriting Xuan Ji's calm wisdom, became the new king of Wei Palace.
And YOYO married the husband she liked, the youngest son of the Marquis of Zheng, and they were loving and harmonious.
Seeing that his children had grown up, Xuan Ji finally put down his worldly attachments and returned to Wan Fo Si, also known as Guo Guo Si, to continue his path of cultivation.
One day, the sun shone brightly and the wind was not hot.
Xuan Ji, clad in a monk's robe, holding prayer beads, walked into the temple with firm steps.
"Father, do you have to leave?"
An An's eyes were slightly red, and he knelt in front of Xuan Ji, looking reluctant.
YOYO also knelt beside him, shedding tears continuously, "Father, one can also practice at home, why must you return here?"
Xuan Ji smiled slightly, his eyes filled with love and serenity. "An An, YOYO, life is like a difficult journey, and we are all travelers. As a father, I have completed my mission. Now is the time to return to our original source."
He gently stroked the heads of the two children, "Remember, no matter where you are, if your heart is towards Buddhism, that is the best cultivation."
With tears in her eyes, YOYO held Xuan Ji's hand tightly, not wanting to let go. "Father, you must take care of yourself."
Xuan Ji nodded slightly, turning around to leave and saying one sentence, "Buddhism has no boundaries. Focus on the bright side, and support each other as brothers and sisters."
In the back mountain of Wan Fo Si, Xuan Ji closed himself up in a long meditation, reciting sutras and practicing meditation, pondering the Buddhist teachings.
Years passed quietly, and his mind grew increasingly peaceful. The love, hate, and passions of the past were all transformed into a misty cloud of the past.
Finally, on a starry night, he closed his eyes and focused, emitting a faint golden light around him.
He slowly opened his eyes, and his gaze shone with wisdom beyond the secular world and compassion.
He knew that he had broken through the barrier of passion, achieved full merit, and reached a level unprecedented in his cultivation.
As a golden light surrounded him, Xuan Ji slowly ascended into the sky, and he became a celestial being, flying up into the heavens.
Upon hearing the news in the capital, the common people rushed to Wan Fo Si in droves, eager to witness the spectacle of a high-ranking monk ascending to immortality.
Yu Yao and Du Yeqing stood among the crowd, gazing at the diminishing golden light, their hearts filled with a mixture of emotions.
Suddenly, a voice echoed from the sky, "Yaoer, thank you, thank you for helping me achieve full merit."
She paused slightly, was that Xuan Ji's voice?
She looked up into the sky and saw that the golden light in the horizon had vanished.
"He has finally left, and that's for the best. He has found his true home."
Her eyes were filled with reluctance and serenity.
Du Yeqing tightly held Yu Yao's hand, comforting her gently, "This is his destiny, and it is also his liberation. We should be happy for him."
The two looked at each other and smiled. As if in this moment, all love and hate had become a misty cloud of the past.
An An and YOYO learned that their father king had ascended to immortality, though they were very sad, they also understood that it was the best destination for their father king.
They only hoped that their father king was doing well in the realm of immortals.
Du Yeqing did not stay in the palace and instead passed the throne to Crown Prince Du Yujun.
Then, he took Yu Yao on a tour of mountains and rivers.
This life, she still lived a happy and sweet life.
Du Yeqing always cherished her and took good care of her, indulging her to the extreme.
He has also done so, loving her as he did in the beginning, and not giving up on her for a lifetime.
The two of them traveled through the mountains and rivers of the Great Yu Country, even going to other countries.
Until they were old and couldn't walk anymore, the two of them finally stopped their journey.
Du Yeqing passed away at the age of 95, and he went peacefully, without any pain, but he was very reluctant to leave her.
"Yao'er, will I be able to meet you again in my next life?"
Yu Yao couldn't promise him anymore, only saying, "If we have fate, maybe we can meet again in the next life."
Du Yeqing nodded slightly, holding her hand and looking very reluctant, and then calmly closed his eyes.
Yu Yao cried very hard in Du Yeqing's arms, and then wiped away her tears, leaving this world.
