The citizens respected such a noble Zi You like a god, so how could they believe the rumors that Wang Yiping had told people to spread?
The Empress Dowager was afraid that problems would crop up, so she soon set the wedding date for Shangguan LingRan and Zi You.
The Astronomy Department calculated that December 24 was an auspicious day and very fitting for Zi You and Shangguan LingRan’s birthdates.
The Empress Dowager had long had the imperial temple Putuo Temple’s Abbot Qingyuan and the Astronomy Department look at their birthdates. Both of them said, “A blessed marriage seldom seen in a millienium! The two people can support each other and bless their home and children!”
Also, the old Prime Minister and An Wangfei strongly supported this marriage. And of course, Shangguan LingRan was willing to die for Zi You, so the Empress Dowager spared no effort to make this wedding happen.
Of course, Shangguan LingRan fully completed the three matchmakers and six betrothal gifts etiquette. He had exchanged places with Yi He and personally ran outside to hunt two live geese, so he could gift them to Zi You.
That was because geese were the most loyal animals. If one died, the other goose would never remarry. It was called “a single goose for life.” Gifting geese during an engagement was a symbol of loyalty in Great Yan.
But the weather had turned cold, so there were no geese in the capital. Thus, Shangguan LingRan rushed day and night to hunt two live geese in Lake Yan.
In the end, he met two parties of assassins, but his skills a year ago was incomparable to his skills now. The assassins didn’t expect that he would be so powerful and underestimated him. The assassins were all captured alive.
Shangguan LingRan interrogated them. One group was sent by Taizi. The other group was sent by Third Wangzi.
Shangguan LingRan then set them on fire and didn’t leave one person alive.
On the wedding day, in order to give Zi You the geese, An Wang Shizi personally led people to the General’s Manor to give bethrothal gifts. All the citizens in the capital were alerted.
Everyone looked at An Wang Shizi in his brocade robe. He was as handsome and elegant as Erlangshen. They then saw the pair of living geese and started discussing in disbelief. “Isn’t An Wang Shizi supposed to be a dandy? Why doesn’t he seem like one?”
“Yes, can a dandy be this handsome and imposing? Would he have such skills? The weather turned cold, but he could hunt living geese? Besides, would the National Guardian be willing to marry him?”
Haiyun was lively, so she smiled as she ran over to Zi You. She said crisply, “Congratulations on finding a good match, Xiaojie.”
Zi You became bashful and glared fiercely at Haiyun.
Nanny Lou said, gratified, “Shizi is taking the lead. There are forty-eight boxes of gifts. It’s rare for someone to give so many betrothal gifts. He also has a pair of live geese. This old slave saw it. The two geese are very lively. After living for so long, this is the first time this old slave saw live geese this time of the year.”
Zi You was touched. Her pretty face turned red. He knew that his every move was being monitored, but he still took the risk to leave the capital in order to give her a pair of live geese. This wasn’t a mere problem of two geese. Instead, he was confessing to her and telling her that he would be loyal to her.