Chapter 3: After marrying a vegetative princess, I went crazy with joy! |
Su Li had no idea about Li Er’s decision. He was desperate to climb up the social ladder and wanted to earn enough points to return home.
The thought of digging for food in the dirt-filled days was unbearable for him. Even if he had known that he was being used for the Wedding-Benediction as a human sacrifice, it would not have made any difference. He had no power to change the situation.
Su Li stumbled into the palace in a daze and arranged a wedding date with Princess Changle, who was in a coma.
As the date of Princess Changle’s grand wedding drew nearer, there seemed to be nothing new happening in Changan. However, the rumors surrounding the event continued to grow and spread like wildfire.
“Wait, hold on… do you hear that the one marrying Princess Changle is just a lowly peasant?” exclaimed one gossipmonger.
“Princess Changle has lost her mind and can’t even wake up from her slumber. What kind of mess is this?” chimed in another.
“Is this something to celebrate?” wondered a third voice.
As the wedding day loomed, the chatter and gossip only intensified. “Honestly, it seems more like a funeral than a wedding,” some whispered behind closed doors.
“That’s not a bad idea. I’ve heard that some of these patients deprived of their souls can live for decades. If it’s this case, at least this pitiful peasant will enjoy a life of luxury and abundance until Princess Changle is really dead…”
“No matter how luxurious life he was living, so what? Marrying a paralyzed person on the bed who can’t speak or move, he has to serve her respectfully and carefully. It’s even better to marry a piece of wood…”
In the Tang Dynasty, this was not a time where people were convicted because of their words, and it was common for people in Changan City to discuss things in the palace. With only two days left until the wedding, the big news of Princess Changle’s marriage had been cleared up.
It was revealed that Princess Changle was afflicted with the soul-loss disease, causing her to be unable to wake up or even control her basic bodily functions aside from breathing and eating. The peasant set to marry her was used for the Wedding-Benediction, and if Princess Changle died, he would be buried alongside her. With this shocking revelation, people could hardly digest this news any longer.
Princess Changle was known for her beauty and grace, now lay in bed, unaware of the passage of time and uncertain of what the future held. Despite her once-exalted status, she was now afflicted with an illness that had rendered her unable to move.
That lucky peasant was actually unlucky. He was going to marry a princess who couldn’t speak, move, and couldn’t carry on the family bloodline, and if Princess Changle died, he had to be buried with her. All of them, including Zhangsun Wuji and other courtiers thought Su Li was unfortunate. But they dared not question Li Er’s decision.
After all, Li Er’s favorite daughter suffered from the soul-loss disease and seemed to be dying soon. It was impossible for them to provoke Li Er’s grief just because of a peasant son’s unlucky fate. Even Wei Zheng, the number one elite in the Tang Dynasty, did not dare to touch Li Er’s grief at this moment.
In this oppressive and sympathetic atmosphere, the wedding day approached.
A few days ago, Su Li, who was struggling to make ends meet, unexpectedly became the newly appointed Prince Consort of the Tang Dynasty. Due to the rushed nature of the wedding, it was not organized on a grand scale. However, there were still quite a few individuals who came to offer their congratulations and well wishes.
As the new Prince Consort, Su Li encountered many prominent individuals whom he had never imagined meeting before.
Zhangsun Wuji…
Wei Zheng…
Kong Yingda…
Fang Xuanling…
Du Ruhui…
Su Li even had the privilege of meeting Emperor Li Shimin of the Tang Dynasty and Empress Zhangsun.
Su Li noticed that the people who participated in this happy event were unhappy. Li Er was deeply sad, and all the civil and military officers did not smile. As the groom’s official and son-in-law, Su Li felt it was his duty to raise the spirits of those people, and thus he made several toasts and shared many glasses of wine.
Su Li also noticed that many people showed some sympathy toward him. Because he was marrying Princess Changle who was in a vegetative state, he suffered an indiscriminate disaster. Marrying someone who couldn’t move or bear children and who might even make him a human sacrifice was undoubtedly a situation that demanded sympathy.
Li Er and Empress Changsun appeared quite serious and sad as the most senior figures attending the banquet. It was as if nobody dared to smile without first receiving their approval. Everyone was aware of the unique circumstances surrounding this wedding, and it was clear that it was not a joyous occasion for the imperial family.
Most officers at Princess Changle’s wedding had heard about her condition. It was commonly known that she resembled the Empress Zhangsun and was considered the jewel of the Tang Dynasty.
Despite her tragic circumstances, Princess Changle was highly respected and admired by many, and her marriage to Su Li was a matter of great significance to the imperial family. Some officers couldn’t help but feel regretful that the brightest jewel of the Tang Dynasty, ‘Princess Changle’ was now in a vegetative state and unable to care for herself.
They also expressed sympathy towards Su Li, who had endured an unexpected tragedy. However, despite wearing a serious expression like everyone else, Su Li was pretending. He knew that his marriage to Princess Changle was not based on genuine affection but rather a strategic move by the imperial family.
Su Li had initially hesitated about marrying Princess Changle, knowing she was in a vegetative state and would require constant care.
However, he quickly realized the benefits of the situation. With his system, the longer he spent close contact with people of higher status, the more points he earned. And few people in the Tang Dynasty had a more noble status than Princess Changle.
The thought of providing round-the-clock care for her seemed like a small price to pay for the potential reward of breaking 10,000 points and eventually reaching the ultimate goal of one million points.
Su Li felt that if the banquet didn’t end as soon as possible, he couldn’t hold back his laughter.
As a commoner, he had never had the opportunity to interact physically with people of high status, and he had only been able to admire them from a distance. But now, as the husband of Princess Changle, he was in close proximity to the most esteemed members of the Tang Dynasty.
It was difficult for him to control his excitement, especially as he looked at Princess Changle, who was no longer a vegetable in his eyes, but rather a unique treasure at the point of cheating.
Su Li felt like he was going crazy with joy!
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