Chapter 1205: Peerless glory (1/2)

Gu Beiyue closed his eyes as his hand stroked Lil Thing. Under his caresses, Lil Thing’s fur was ever comfortable and soft.

He said lightly, “Lil Thing, a big task was completed today. After a while, let’s go back to Yunning. It’s almost time to prepare for work.”

Lil Thing nestled up into a comfortable spot and peacefully fell asleep. It was unclear whether it understood Gu Beiyue’s words.

Han Yunxi and Long Feiye were currently heading back to Yunning Prefecture. On their second day home, they brought Rui’er with them to pay respects to the memorials of East and West Qin royals. Both times, they required the attendance of both East and West Qin factions.

Long Feiye had now formally consecrated his ancestors and reclaimed his original name as Xuanyuan Ye. Rui’er’s official name also became Xuanyuan Rui. However, Han Yunxi liked her husband’s old name better and called him that in private. She said that her Long Feiye was Long Feiye, without any status or title beyond that of her spouse.

After the usual sacrificial rituals, Long Feiye formally announced the founding of his kingdom. Its name was Qin, its era name Eternal Peace in hopes that Cloud Realm would always be serene.

Ten days after that, on the eighth day of the eighth lunar month, Long Feiye officially ascended to the throne and accepted the prostration of the civil and military officials. Dressed in yellow dragon robes and wearing a jade crown on his head, he sat in the dragon throne as a peerless noble with an extraordinary aura. He was handsome and heavenly to behold!

After the courtiers paid their respects, the stood on opposite sides of the court in five separate rows. The large imperial hall was very still, but everyone felt restless except for Gu Beiyue, who stood in the front of the first row on the left.

Next on the agenda was giving awards based on merit and conferring titles and ranks. With all of Cloud Realm now united under one country, everything from civil, military, and other officials and administration areas needed to be formally appointed from scratch. There were a few shoo-ins for the positions, but even the candidates themselves weren’t 100 percent sure that they’d earn the spot without the official proclamation. Nobody could settle their worries just yet.

After all, their master frequently acted out of the norm, making it difficult to read his intentions.

Long Feiye looked coldly at the assembled court. While everyone was nervously waiting for him to begin, a sudden burst of festive music drifted in from outdoors. Everyone looked puzzled, but no one dared to turn their heads.

What...is going on?

Long Feiye rose to his feet and walked off his dais step by step. Then he passed his courtiers and went out the door. Now everyone turned around, including Gu Beiyue. His lips were quirked into a smile as if he expected everything. Soon enough, everyone rushed to the entrance. Baili Yuanlong and a few of the generals had even ran out the doors.

Many people knelt in the presence of His Highness as Long Feiye walked down the center path to the gates. Outside was parked an eight-man palanquin with its door tightly shut. Attending it were shadow guards and a single Mu Linger dressed in red robes.

This scene resembled a bridal procession, but looked a little different as well. A crowd had long gathered around the area while everyone was wondering what was going on. Long Feiye’s expression softened at the sight of the palanquin, three parts helpless and seven parts doting. Many years ago in Tianning’s capital city, he had watched Han Yunxi from a distance as she kicked her own sedan chair door and walked into the Duke of Qin’s estate. Back then, he never thought he’d pay back the debt he owed her.

He hadn’t wanted to kick the door or even look at the person inside the carriage in the past, but now he was perfectly willing. He even made sure to kick the door very carefully in case it startled the person inside. As it turned out, his single kick gave Han Yunxi a fright inside the palanquin.

Long Feiye had ordered people to bring her here and confer her as empress so she could be bestowed the golden seal of her position. She had been puzzled when the palanquin stopped and was planning to ask Xu Donglin what was going on when Long Feiye’s foot met her door.

He’s doing this because…

“New bride, descend the carriage!” Mu Linger shouted.

Han Yunxi finally understood. She looked at Long Feiye in his dragon robes, stern and august, then gazed at his eyes, which were as warm and gentle as water.

So Long Feiye’s paying back his debt!

She couldn’t help breaking into an especially foolish grin as her heart trembled with emotions. In the past, she was forced to get off and walk into the estate herself because she was stuck between a rock and a hard place. That had been her own way to keep living. She never thought she’d fall so deeply in love with this man one day, or that he’d make up for this debt.

Today was supposed to be for his coronation. All of the civil and military officials were waiting inside the court! Yet looking at him now, she suddenly felt like this was their wedding day instead. While Han Yunxi was still grinning like an idiot, Long Feiye stepped forward and picked her up princess style. Everyone around them gaped at the sight. After all, all of Cloud Realm had once taken Qin Wangfei to be a laughingstock for kicking her own sedan chair door!

Today’s events would spread across Cloud Realm Continent as well. Han Yunxi had not only washed herself clean of the previous humiliation, but been given peerless glory by Long Feiye!

“You’re supposed to carry me on your back, not like this!” Han Yunxi was actually conflicted over this minor detail.