Chapter 11 - The Fox And The Wolf Get Married

After what Hua Nanyi told him, Chu Yun was in a daze all through being dressed in the Zui wedding robes. He didn't even flinch as the servants combed his hair into place.

He had been very shortsighted to think the wedding itself would be the beginning and the end of all his troubles. There were certain expectations that came with being married to a member of the royal family, even if Xiao Zai wasn't the crown prince.

Chu Yun had been a fool to think that just because he and Xiao Zai would have their own residence outside the palace that meant that the palace schemes wouldn't get to them.

As a strategist, he should know better than to underestimate the scope of a battle.

A group of stony faced servants led him into the main hall, where the ceremony would be held. The red veil bathed everything in red and made it so Chu Yun could not distinguish where he was going.

He did notice when a pair of tall doors carved in high reliefs of several wolves in battle, opened in front of him. The main hall had been decorated in a riot of red, as if this wedding truly was an auspicious event worth celebrating.

Chu Yun couldn't make the faces of anyone in attendance, but he did notice the man wearing gold and black robes, seated at a place of honor -- a king always stood out. He also noticed the beaded curtain behind him, hiding an upholstered sofa where a woman with a heavy golden crown sat. She could be none other than the Queen Dowager, the king's mother.

Somewhere among the guests was Xiao Zai's dam-father. According to Hua Nanyi he was the one Chu Yun really had to look out for.

His mind was in such turmoil that he didn't even notice when two identical doors opened on the opposite side of the hall in front of him, and Xiao Zai stepped in.

Only the loud screech of a steward announcing, "His Highness, the Second Prince, Xiao Zilang is here," brought him out of his reverie.

All the guests stood up when Xiao Zai was announced, with the exception of the King and the Queen Dowager.

Chu Yun remained where he was, until he was announced as well. "His Grace, Chu Miaoyan son of the Prince of Jing, from the royal house of Xin."

He walked towards the central altar, and stopped in front of Xiao Zai. It was impossible to know what his expression looked like through the haze of the veil, but Chu Yun could tell his posture was impeccable.

The steward bellowed once again. "The grooms will now perform the traditional bows."

A chill went down Chu Yun's spine. This was it. The final step. After this there was no turning back, unless he wanted to cause his family and nation a great deal of embarrassment by filing a divorce motion.

As the steward said, "First, to Heaven and Earth," Chu Yun swallowed his fears and knelt on the floor, his field of vision taken up by the red of his wedding robes, and the paleness of his trembling hands.

---

The ceremony itself was blissfully short, and in no time Chu Yun was being escorted to the wedding chamber. He was to wait for Xiao Zai, who stayed behind to participate in the banquet with the rest of the guests.

That was one of the differences between Zui and Xin marriage ceremonies that Chu Yun couldn't wrap his head around. In Xin both people stayed for the banquet, to celebrate and talk with their guests. What was the point of the person marrying into the family waiting alone in the wedding chamber?

Even surrounded by red drapes, red bows, with red silk hanging from every wall, Chu Yun didn't feel very festive.

Still, he was glad for the alone time, considering he had no idea what to say to Xiao Zai now that he was his husband.

His husband, it felt weird just to think about.

A few minutes after he entered the wedding chamber a knock sounded at his door. Thinking it was a servant delivering his meal, Chu Yun bid them to enter.

He was surprised then, when instead of a servant wearing simple workmanlike robes, an elegant man wearing silver brocade robes entered the room, carrying a tray with steaming food in his slender hands.

A hit of fragrant plum blossom scent hit Chu Yun's nostrils, making his head swim. The man was an omega, that was obvious from his alluring scent, but he didn't smell anything like an omega did in Xin. There was only the barest hint of sweetness to his scent, mostly it brought to mind the deep winter in which plum blossoms bloomed.

The scent was mellowed by a bond, but not by much -- meaning the man's mate didn't bother renewing the bond mark often, or that they rarely mated.

"Sorry to disturb his Grace, but I thought you might be lonely all by yourself in a different environment." The man brought the tray down onto the low table in front of the bed where Chu Yun was sitting and took an unceremonious seat at the table.

Chu Yun had no idea that in Zui an omega could just stroll into an alpha's quarters, on his wedding day to someone else, no less.

Maybe noticing his discomfort, the man smiled at him. The corners of his eyes wrinkled, and the lines around his mouth deepened, betraying his age, otherwise Chu Yun would have thought him only a few years older than himself.

"Since we're family now, his Grace can call me Gu Wei, I'm not fond of my courtesy name." The man said, taking the clay lid of of several pots and setting up the table for Chu Yun. "Please sit."

Chu Yun eyed him warily. This was exactly the person Hua Nanyi had told him all those rumours about. Gu Wei, courtesy name Bailiu.

Xiao Zai's dam-father.

Supposedly the most vicious and calculating concubine in the royal harem. He wanted his alpha son to be king at all costs. Some of the more vicious rumours even claimed he was responsible for the late Queen Consort's death.

Smiling his most charming smile, Chu Yun pulled back the sleeves of his robes and poured Gu Wei a cup of fragrant rice wine.

"Father-in-law is very kind to visit this son."

Whatever Gu Wei was planning Chu Yun was more than capable of going head to head with him.