The gates to the imperial city were swung wide open, the red ribbons hung high over the grey stone arch, swaying gently in the wind as the servants clad in red and gold poured into the city. Trumpets and horns blared and rang throughout the city.
Before the sun rose that day, all five She siblings had been woken up early and made to prepare for the wedding. Now, the sisters were each travelling in their small veiled sedans, dozing off to the gentle sway of the servants carrying them.
LiangLin didn't have the same comforts of dozing off like his sisters. He was travelling over an open carriage, with only wooden pillars holding up the roof to cover him from the scorching sun.
At least XueYa had made sure the carriage was lined with soft cushions to ease LiangLin's suffering as the entire party made their slow way through the city.
His ears were near bleeding at this point, the band walking around his carriage so loud, he couldn't hear the chatter of the crowd lining both sides of the main street.
Long strands of hair were pulled into an updo, showcasing LiangLin's sharp, alluring features. The golden hairpins and flowers woven into his hair weighed like bricks, and he feared if he moved his head too much he would break his neck.
LiangLin had to admit, he had never looked this beautiful before, and when he saw himself from the reflector, he couldn't tear his eyes away. Red and gold suited him, making his light skin and rosy blush more prominent.
The wedding hanfu was lighter than what it had first appeared when the servants had brought it in for LiangLin to put on. The fabric was so light, LiangLin could barely feel it on.
Traditional red wedding hanfu had golden embroideries of a dragon and a phoenix battling over a pearl, yet XueYa had gone as far as making the hanfu depict a snake coiled around a dragon instead.
This guy… LiangLin couldn't help the little smile forming over his lips as he looked at the golden snakes depicted over his flowy sleeves. Even the mosaic pattern over the snake's forehead was woven into the fabric.
XueYa really paid attention to details. If only he wasn't a piece of shit, shameless, perverted sorcerer! Well, maybe being perverted wasn't such a bad trait to have...
LiangLin's blush darkened as he shook himself out of it. This marriage was a hoax, he was overthinking again.
If that damned sorcerer even tried anything, LiangLin would chop his fingers off! Talking be damned, talking never seemed to work between the two. Not when XueYa seemed incapable of a normal conversation.
Every word that came out of those kissable lips just tickled LiangLin the wrong way. LiangLin wasn't sure if he wanted to kiss that handsome bastard or kick his perfectly aligned teeth in.
Maybe kiss first, kick later. Kissing without teeth seemed unappealing - gah! He was overthinking again!
XueYa even dared lie to the officials that they had… done the… the... papapa… LiangLin felt his ears burn to the point of falling off.
Not even in XueYa's dreams! That damn asshole was going to be stabbed to death by LiangLin on their wedding night!
LiangLin could already tell that one-eyed bastard was a hands-on kind of person. He would try to go for a kiss once the two of them were alone, no doubt. LiangLin pouted as he looked out, letting his eyes run over the smiling crowd.
If only these people knew that their beloved emperor was replaced with a shameless sorcerer! XueYa would try to coax him to bed, maybe whisper some of those shameless flirty lines to catch LiangLin off guard.
Take this opportunity to pin him down on the bed. Tease him to hell and back before he would finally kiss LiangLin while running his hands over the thin layers of fabric. Peel them off one by one in a leisurely manner. It would drive LiangLin mad. He would die from frustration before they got to the papapa-
Gah, no papapa! XueYa was on his way to the gates of hell tonight! He can papapa by himself in hell all he wants! LiangLin would not give in to this bastard!
LiangLin would stab his way to the top, make that asshole regret all the shameless flirting. This is what XueYa deserves for giving false hope to someone pure and still innocent like LiangLin!
A soft petal landed on LiangLin's heated cheek, pulling him out of his murderous thoughts, and he glanced up.
Along the dark roofs and white walls of the buildings, servants were spreading cherry blossom and plum blossom petals over the road and the party, painting the earth in soft hues of pastel pink.
A sweet scent of plums tickled his senses, and LiangLin smiled at the beautiful sight.
Back in Hei'ang, there weren't many blossoming trees, so LiangLin had never witnessed a blossom petal rain before in his life. Slowly, his seat was filled with the silky petals, making him feel like he was sitting among the blooming cherry trees.
The gates to the palace were already in view, the city and its bustling crowd left far behind them as the party and the carriage pulled into a halt. A fire was set up on the side, with a few servants keeping the tea boiling, waiting for the bride.
LiangLin was already numb from sitting stiffly in the carriage, and he nearly tripped on his way out of the carriage. He was waddling sideways, feeling pins and needles stabbing his behind without mercy.
The royal guards had until now walked silently around the carriage, escorting LiangLin safely towards the palace. Now, all four were smiling at LiangLin expectedly.
"What?" LiangLin asked, blushing under their stares. He knew he was quite stunning at the moment, but they didn't have to gawk at him - that much.
"It's the last tradition of marrying an emperor," Zhi ChangNing said as LiangLin's sisters stretched and yawned, making their way towards LiangLin.
"Hm, what next?" LiYue asked, rubbing at her hip distractedly. "Ah, those sedans are so small, I feel sore sitting in one position for so long."
Zhi ChangNing seemed to struggle to speak, fighting to find something to say or do, but found nothing, so she simply stared at LiYue, blushing hotly.
"Hm, ChangChang, are you feeling ok?" LiYue asked, a slight frown on her brows as she reached over to check the husky's temperature. "You are burning. Must be from walking under the sun all this time."
"Y-yeah..."
"See, that is how you should treat your future spouse," Wei KaiJun said, and LiAi shot him a death stare, shutting him up at once.
"This is the final tradition before you can enter the palace," Yu Zhong said. He motioned the servants to bring over the still steaming tea tray.
LiangLin looked at the tray with a puzzled look. "You want me to drink it?"
The guards broke into a light chuckle at his words.
"No," Xie JingYi said as he took the tray from the servant and handed it to LiangLin. "100 hundred steps to meet his highness and greet him with tea, 100 hundred steps to show your respect, and 100 steps to receive the blessing of the dragon gods."
"As long as the tea is unspilled and still steams at the top of the steps, you have finished the tradition," Xie JingYi said. "Otherwise, you must repeat it until you succeed."
LiangLin looked at the teacup that was filled to the brim, a sense of dread filling his heart.
"I think, this is 100 steps to kill a snake god."