Chapter 180

Today, Shen Yi Yao’s face was glowing. She wore a begonia red flowery outfit, making her look exceptionally graceful and magnificent. This was her first time getting a daughter-in-law. The next time wouldn’t be for many years. She was naturally full of joy, and her smile was blooming.

Many noblewomen surrounded and congratulated her, praising her son for being successful, saying that now he was getting married, it alleviated one of her concerns. She just had to wait for a grandson. Although these were just pleasantries, it was still pleasing to the ear.

After around an hour, as nightfall approached, the deafening sound of firecrackers rang out. Everyone knew that the bridal sedan had returned and crowded towards the front courtyard.

As the firecrackers went off, the bride got off the sedan and entered the wedding hall for the ritual kneeling of bride and groom. Then, they entered the bridal chamber. The relatives and close friends crowded towards the bridal chamber while the other guests prepared to start the banquet.

After Yan Mo lifted the veil and shared the marital alcohol with the bride, he returned to entertain guests in the front court.

The ruckus lasted until very late in the evening when the Yan Estate finally dispersed the banquet. Luo Huai Yuan had done his job as brother-in-law and blocked many shots of alcohol for Yan Mo. Shen Qi had done the same. Otherwise, Yan Mo would have been forced to drink until he fell over.

The night became silent once again. After seeing off the guests, the servants started cleaning up.

Places to stay had been arranged for Shen Yi Yao and Qi Ran as well as Luo Huai Yuan’s family. They wouldn’t be leaving tonight. After Yan Mo’s wedding, Shen Yi Yao was waiting for her daughter-in-law’s tea the next day.

The next day, Yan Yan’s family of four got up bright and early.

Now that the Yan Estate was bigger, Yan Mo had especially left two residences next to each other for his sis and his mom. Yan Yan took her man and children next door to pay respects to Shen Yi Yao and Qi Ran. Breakfast was already prepared. A large table of delicacies was laid out and the family sat and ate a scrumptious meal.

At the table, Jian’er asked curiously: “Where’s little uncle? Doesn’t he need to eat?”

Luo Huai Yuan smiled teasingly, “Your little uncle just got himself a wife, and doesn’t need to eat breakfast.”

Jian’er was still young and didn’t understand his dad’s words. He scratched his head and no longer spoke. From his confused expression, he was probably wondering what getting a wife had to do with eating breakfast.

Seeing this, the adults all laughed.

After eating, they rinsed their mouths and cleaned their hands. The servants brought over tea and the group chatted idly while waiting for the newlyweds.

Before long, Yan Mo brought his bride over.

Han Shu was dressed especially festively today. She wore a pink little jacket embroidered with golden peony and a brocaded skirt with roses. Her hair was done in a heart-shaped bun and held in place with a gold headdress. Compared to her normally unobtrusive self, she was few shades more lovely and splendid.

Her little face was red and she followed Yan Mo closely. Looking at Yan Mo, he had a faint smile on his face. It seemed the two’s wedding night had gone pretty smoothly.

After their greetings, Luo Huai Yuan teased: “This youngster finally got married. You could say it’s resolved one of your sister’s worries. Do you best, our mom is still waiting to hold some grandchildren.”

Yan Mo grinned foolishly, his ears a little red. Han Shu lowered her head, her cheeks crimson.

Then they served Shen Yi Yao tea and Qi Ran was naturally included as well. The two elders were all smiles, and after receiving the tea they put their greeting gifts on the tray. When it came to Luo Huai Yuan and Yan Yan’s turn, the two were extremely generous. Then came Niu Niu and Jian’er. This time it was Han Shu who gave her niece and nephew greeting gifts.

After everything was done, the group no longer bothered the newlyweds and prepared to return to their estates.

After seeing everyone off, only Yan Mo and Han Shu were left.

Han Shu said quietly: “Mom and big sis are both pretty amiable. This one was a little nervous previously.”

“You’ll find out over time that mom and sis are both easy to get along with.”

Han Shu nodded. She blushed and glanced at him: “Don’t you have to go to the Hanlin Academy today? Will you be late if you head out now?”

Yan Mo looked at her in surprise and said: “Because it’s our wedding, I took ten days off.”

Han Shu was immediately ashamed. She suddenly recalled that he had already told her this when they got up, but she actually forgot! She wanted to cover her face with her hand, but felt that was too exaggerated. She could only tug her sleeves and stand there shamefully.

Seeing this, Yan Mo chuckled lightly. His hand gently grabbed onto hers as he led her forwards.

*

As the end of the year approached, there were many things to be done.

The goods for the New Year needed to be prepared and gifts needed to be sent out. They had to show some consideration to every household, and by the time everything was done, it was the middle of December.

Due to Luo Huai Yuan’s identity and since he was in the capital, he naturally couldn’t be as idle as he was in the Yun Province. During the New Year, the palace had all sorts of small and large gatherings that Luo Huai Yuan and Yan Yan had to attend.

The Yun Prince’s changes were naturally noticed by many.

The Yun Prince had lost weight, and it was extremely obvious. His royal robes seemed a little loose on his body.

The royal robes for princes and their consorts were regulated by the court, and made by the Imperial Household Department. There would be two sets issued every year. This year, they had sent someone to take his measuremeants and had the clothing made accordingly. However, he had truly lost quite a lot of weight in the last few months. The clothes that fit him in the past seemed extremely ill-fitting now.

The two of them had failed to consider this. Yan Yan knew that her husband had lost weight. His winter outfits had been remade several times, but they forgot about the royal robes which was only worn during formal occasions. Without any other choice, Luo Huai Yuan could only wear the ill-fitting royal robes to the various banquets in the palace.

The others didn’t think the Yun Prince’s weightloss was a big deal but the Jing Emperor took note of it. He privately said a couple words to Luo Huai Yuan, making him very pleased. He said smugly to the Jing Emperor that he should wait and see. The surprise had yet to come.

After the New Year, another major event happened that created waves in the capital.                                                                                        

The Qi Prince petitioned to have his vassal state abolished.

This was the second vassal prince who voluntarily petitioned to do so. The Qi Prince’s excuse was pretty much the same as the Yun Prince’s, inevitably puzzling everyone. Could being a vassal prince really be that difficult and challenging? Why were they all petitioning to have their states abolished!?

With the Yun Prince as precedent, the Qi Prince’s petition got passed smoothly without any obstacles. From these two princes’ actions, everyone had pretty much figured out the Jing Emperor’s intentions. It turned out that the Yun Prince’s petition was just the bait. Now that the other big fish got caught on the hook, were the remaining small vassal princes still a challenge?

Things were different from before. After almost two years of accumulation, the Jing Emperor was no longer the unsteady new emperor from back then.

The vassal princes who were the Jing Emperor’s various uncles were all panicked. Some were tactful and others were not. However, this was no longer important. When the New Year started, the Jing Emperor started making moves. Various imperial censors submitted memorandums one by one, impeaching the vassal princes for all sorts of corrupt behavior.

These vassal princes had gotten used to enjoying themselves in their vassal states. There were all sorts of faults that could be picked out. The Jing Emperor decreed for a couple of the worst offenders to be demoted to commoners and the rest fell in line. Afterwards, it goes without saying that the Grand Xi’s feudal system that lasted three generations thus ended in the Jing Emperor’s hands.

As things were boiling over due to the abolition of vassal states, Luo Huai Yuan who had taken the lead in screwing these people over was still busying himself in the estate.

For the sake of losing weight, Luo Huai Yuan had a weighing scale constructed.

The Grand Xi’s scales were still the primitive steelyard and weight, with taper, a rod made of wood or metal and a suspended weighing plate (or hook). This sort of scale can measure light objects and heavy objects, but the process of measuring the latter was a little complicated. Not only did it need manpower, the heavy object being weighed had to be placed into a bag and then into the basket. Some leverage was also needed.

Luo Huai Yuan didn’t have to try it to be scared into retreat. Being tied and hung up to be weighed? Might as well ask him to die.

To know how his weightloss was progressing, Luo Huai Yuan made a trip to the Ministry of Labor and found some artisans skilled in such matters. He told them the theory behind weighing scales and had them create it.

Luo Huai Yuan did this for his own benefit, and naturally didn’t realize how much effort this scale would save everyone else. It could be called an invention that benfitted the Grand Xi’s citizens. However, this was something for the future and won’t be mentioned for now.

This scale was very big and was accompanied by many different weights. It naturally couldn’t be compared to the craft and technology of the modern world, but it just needed to be usable.

The day it arrived, the Department of Labor directly used a carriage to transport it. It took over ten people to carry this large object inside.

Once the scale was installed, Luo Huai Yuan pulled Yan Yan and the two little ones to help him weigh himself.

The first person to try it out was Yan Yan. She had always maintained her physique, and turned out to be fifty-one kilograms. Then came Niu Niu and Jian’er. Niu Niu was only twenty-six kilos. Instead, the younger Jian’er was over thirty kilos. However, this could be seen from their appearances. Jian’er was currently taller than his sister by half a head.

Finally it was Luo Huai Yuan’s turn. He estimated his own weight and had Xiao An Zi take several eunuchs to place the weights. After measuring, he turned out to be ninety-two kilograms. These weights had naturally been converted by Luo Huai Yuan to modern units. It wasn’t like his weight could be measured in stones and grains. That sounded way too complicated.

Luo Huai Yuan was around a hundred and eighty-five centimeters tall. He had estimated his ideal weight to be eighty kg. This meant he needed to lose almost twenty-five more kgs.

Twenty-five kgs didn’t sound like much but Luo Huai Yuan knew towards the end, his weight wouldn’t drop as fast. He had to put in a lot more effort compared to before. Furthermore, he had to turn the excess fat on his body into muscle.

After half a year of work, Luo Huai Yuan had truly lost quite a lot of weight. Previously, his stomach was large enough to prevent him from seeing his toes. Now, he could already see his own toes and his stomach only protruded a little. His arms, legs and face had all gotten thinner by quite a bit.

Especially his face. His features could now clearly be seen. His eyes had become larger and could be called tiger eyes. The dimples that had previously vanished due to his fat had now reappeared. Now, he had a dimple on each cheek like Niu Niu. When he smiled, he looked especially bright and dazzling. Of course, if he didn’t squint his eyes when he smiled, he would look even more dashing.

Yan Yan didn’t expect her initial criticism to cause her man to lose weight to such a degree.

Truthfully speaking, the reason she wanted him to lose weight was just for the sake of his health. She didn’t shun him for being fat. To have lost weight to this extent, she was already very satisfied. She even encouraged him to stop dieting, and told him it was fine to just maintain his exercise. However, Luo Huai Yuan didn’t agree. He seemed to be insistant on reaching his goal.

He seemed not to have forgotten his promise of getting an eight-pack.

Author’s notes:

Hehehe….yesterday’s chapter got locked for a day. What a headache.

To pass the censorship audit, had to delete quite a bit of the chapter’s contents, and then moved some of this chapter’s over. It should be able to link up.

The countdown to the end has begun. This author has considered for a long time and decided not to write about the scummy dad and the scummy CEO as side stories. Ultimately, this is a romance novel, not a danmei. Inserting two male lovers, and villains at that, seems a little weird.

To satisfy everyone’s desire for bromance, this author has decided to write a danmei novel. The plot will be about the butcher household’s CEO vs the resisting self-made man. Definitely won’t use the lofty consort as backdrop. This author cannot bear to defile my Ah Yan and the fatty. What do you guys think?

If a lot of people approve, this author will go start a pilot over by the special column. Of course, can’t do it right now since I still owe the one about the malicious woman. However, this author’s pilots have always been pretty good, and will definitely branch them out. Perhaps I’ll write both at once….