by Tony Tran
Once arriving at the table where Zhen Ji and Xue Qingren were seated the four beauties sat down also.
“Was what was in the manual helpful to you four?” Zhen Ji asked her four daughters in law.
“Of course it did mother.” Lingqi said with a smile. It had been ages since she’s ever called anyone mother and Lingqi seemed to really enjoy doing so.
“Good then I’m glad I was able to help.” Zhen Ji replied as her hand stroked Lingqi’s hair. To be honest deep in her heart like the hearts of many mothers, she wished for a daughter so now that she had four of them she was very happy.
“They were helpful but didn’t seem to have much of an effect on Zhang.” Yuying said in a soft tone.
“No effect?” Zhen Ji asked with a perplexed look on her face. The forms taught in the manual would be considered a woman’s secret weapon that could lead to domination, how could they possibly not have an effect.
While leaning in Ai and Ling whispered into Zhen Ji’s ear about what had occurred last night and in the morning. While trying to provide only the detail needed they appeared to be blushing.
“It appears I’ve given birth not to a man but something closer to a god.” Zhen Ji chuckled and laughed after hearing Ai and Ling’s recollection of what transpired. It had been unexpected that the girls did not come out victorious but from what she was told it, Zhen Ji could tell that her son had forced a draw.
“I guess a draw is a good outcome too.” Zhen Ji thought while still smiling.
Afterward the mothers and daughters began chatting and ignored the rest of the festivities taking place. There were still many things to be learned and many things to be taught.
As the festivities went on the sun had finally disappeared from the sky and a veil of darkness shrouded the provincial lord’s mansion. That was when Zhang decided to put his plan into motion, standing up from his seat and arriving at the center of the main hall, Zhang raised his hand upwards and began speaking.
“Since the rays of the sun are no longer present to give us light on this joyous day, the dragon will now share with us it’s light.” Zhang said as black fire ignited in his hand and shot upward toward the ceiling of the main hall.
Once the black fire shot out from his hand and flew in the air it’s shape morphed to that of a dragon. The guests all sat watching in awe as this dragon made of black fire flew about and ignited every single candle in the main hall and the torches outside. Despite being black the fire quickly lifted the shroud of darkness and filled the room with light.
Then with a flick of his hand Zhang cause every single black fire to extinguish and reignite as regular fire. It would have been very dangerous to just keep hundreds of black flames ignited because of the possibility of someone getting injured by them.
Soon after Zhang’s show chatter broke out throughout the mansion. There were many tales of people digging up stashes of gold coins from the Sai Empire and finding large stone tablets or boulders with the phrase, “the one chosen by the black flame, wedded to the four flowers, destined to rule all under heaven” carved onto them.
With this a part of Zhang’s plot had succeeded because once these people leave the walls of the lord’s mansion news of Zhang’s show will surely spread causing the hoax he concocted to receive a breath of life.
“It won’t be long now before the common people really believe what was written on those stones to be true.” Zhang thought with a laugh as he sat back down on his seat.
=====================================================================
Once the guests all left it was finally time for the traditional tea ceremony that was supposed to have taken place in the morning.
With Jian Wei, Zhou Cheng and Zhen Ji all sitting in a row while Wu Tong, Xue Qingren sat to the side, the tea ceremony began. Although it usually was only the groom’s parents who took part in the ceremony, those present thought it was alright to include Jian Wei who was Zhang’s foster father in the ceremony. For the ceremony each of the brides were supposed to offer a cup of tea to each of their new family members as a sort of initiation into the family.
The four beauties decided that they would do the ceremony based on the order that they met Zhang in. This meant that Ling would go first then Yuying, Ai and Lingqi in succession.
When the ceremony began a team of maids brought in five cups of tea for each bride to present them to their elders, of course these cups were small because each person would have to drink four cups of tea and if they were large cups things probably wouldn’t go as smoothly.
After each of the beauties offered the cups of tea they would be given a gift of money or jewelry of some sort. Ling received a pair of large red pearls so large they could barely fit in her hand from Jian Wei. Zhang’s parents gave her a very beautiful set of bangles that looked too heavy to be worn at the same time.
Next was Yuying, Ai and Lingqi whom also received a large pair of red pearls, a set of bangles, and a necklace just like Ling. It seemed that no one wished to play favorites so they gave all four of our beauties the same gift.
“Those are known as Blood Pearls and are said to be extremely helpful to your cultivation if grounded into paste and consumed. It’s also said they have the magical effect of clearing all blemishes from one’s skin.” Jian Wei said with a smile while pointing at the pearls that each of the girls were holding.
“Those bangles are made of a special type of metal that changes color based on its owner's mood. We picked these out because it’s always best if Zhang knows it he’s made any of you sad.” Zhen Ji said while looking at her four new daughters.
========================================================================
After the Aurora Kingdom was officially established, Jian Wei and Zhang decided that it was best to relocated Aurora city closer to a more strategic location. Currently the former Green Clover Province was situated in the center of the Aurora Kingdom so it would be the safest location to move the capital city to, however they decided that it was the best to move the relocated Aurora city to the southernmost border on the western region of the former Aurora Province.
By doing this they would establish a forward capital, in preparation of assimilating the southern provinces into their kingdom. The relocated capital would be built many times larger than the current Aurora city, since one day in the future it might become the capital city of an empire.
To aid the Aurora Kingdom Zhang’s parents and Ling’s parents returned to the Heilong Kingdom. With Zhang’s father Zhou Cheng and Ling’s Father Wu Tong in the Heilong Kingdom offering the Aurora Kingdom their support, those against Aurora wouldn’t dare act as wildly.
Shu Shang had promised to ask his father to loan Aurora a legion of soldiers but Zhang politely declined him. Although he trusted Shu Shang, Zhang did not feel comfortable cooperating with Shu Shang’s father, since he had yet to meet or interact with the man in question.
Guan Yu and Wei Yan were sent back to the Green Clover Province to aid in the reconstruction of its army and rule over the people until Zhang’s family finds the right opportunity to leave the Heilong Kingdom. While Sima Yi and his wife returned to the Red Mist Province to join Xi Ning in expanding the Red Mist Army in preparations of the invasion of the Southern Provinces.
So once all of the dignitaries left Aurora City, the relocation began. Hundreds of thousands of commoners were mobilized to begin the construction while one hundred thousand soldiers clad in white armor accompanied them to ensure their safety. Leading this massive movement of people was Lu Xun, Zhang Liao and Sun Ce because Zhang had an even greater task he needed to accomplish.
A task so important and perilous that only he could accomplish, Zhang’s mission was to take the four beauties on their honeymoon. Although Zhang wished to partake in the construction of the new capital, Jian Wei forbade it and explicitly said, “Zhang my boy you need to enjoy these things with your wives before the opportunity to do such things are taken away.”
If Zhan
g held off on his honeymoon and war started once more then only the heavens would know when the next opportunity to do such a thing would arise again. So in the dead of night while the moon was illuminating the dark sky a lone carriage escorted by a small group of horsemen and pulled by a team of regular horses departed from Aurora city.
Inside this carriage was a young man who had just recently become the crown prince of a new kingdom and four elderly businessmen.
Afterword
Hello readers and fans alike, I hope you enjoy the story and are looking forward to reading more of Zhang’s adventures. I would like to thank all of those who have offered me support throughout the process of writing this story and those who have bought this book. I truly thank you all with all my heart. It has been a journey for me as I wrote this story. If you had told me a year ago I would end up writing a book I would probably have laughed at you and called you crazy, but here we are.
Lesson of the day, nothing is impossible if you put your mind and effort to it.
