Read Chapter 30: — A WEDDING WITHOUT AN IMPERIAL ORDER

Tang Zheng and Su Xiaoxi married the following spring.

The ceremony was modest by the standards of wealthy families and enormous by Tang’s standards, because he had never before possessed enough relatives and friends to fill a courtyard.

Su Shanhe cried first and denied it immediately.

Zhou Yunqing sent a gift with a note reminding Tang that impersonating an official remained illegal even after marriage.

The Red Boat crews arrived in force.

Half of Lin’s unit came from Beijing and terrified the neighbours by looking too serious while eating wedding sweets.

Tang wore formal robes badly.

Xiaoxi looked at him and laughed.

“What?”

“You finally look like an official.”

“I am an official.”

“Probationary.”

“Details.”

Lin stood near the back.

In his sleeve was the old wooden toy sword Tang Xiao had given his son. Tang had recovered it years earlier from his mother’s belongings and carried it through his wandering youth.

Lin had repaired the cracked scabbard.

After the ceremony, he handed it to Tang.

“For your children.”

Tang stared at the four childish characters carved into the wood.

Peerless in Service.

“No,” he said after a moment. “I think I’ll carve something else for them.”

Lin raised an eyebrow.

“What?”

Tang looked at Xiaoxi.

“Come home alive.”

Lin smiled.

“That is better.”