Transmigration: From Farmer To Empress-Chapter 2080 - 2088: Grand Wedding of Bright Pearls (Part 1)
After everyone left, Cai Wei hurriedly released Brother Ying and asked him to inquire about news of Emperor Jin Ming. Brother Ying flew into the sky, looked north for a while, and said, "Master, the Daoist has already ascended to immortality."
Emperor Jin Ming is dead!
Cai Wei’s heart sank, and she truthfully relayed this news to Nangong Yi.
She wasn’t too worried that Nangong Yi would be upset, because Nangong Yi didn’t have deep feelings for Emperor Jin Ming. When Nangong Yi was young, Emperor Jin Ming doted and indulged Jin Guifei and Nangong Shi, while being cold and indifferent to Nangong Yi and his mother. This past incident had already driven an insurmountable wedge between father and son. Even though Emperor Jin Ming later tried to mend their relationship, the wound was too deep; even if healed, the scar would never disappear.
Sure enough, upon hearing the news, Nangong Yi didn’t show much emotional fluctuation, he merely said calmly, "In a while, we will go to Lingbei and handle things. Since he did not wish to use the royal identity, let us bury him there, using only the identity of a Daoist."
Cai Wei hesitated and said, "If we go in a while, what about Zhu’er and Chao’er’s grand wedding three days later? We as parents can’t not be present at Zhu’er’s wedding, can we?" 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢
Nangong Yi said, "What wedding? Her dear grandfather has passed away, could she still joyfully go and get married? Where in the world is there such an unfilial thing? If this spreads, won’t we be reviled by the people under the heavens, and Mingzhu will be pointed at by a thousand men!"
In the Great Jin Nation, filial piety is the basis of governance, and what Nangong Yi said was certainly reasonable.
In Great Jin, many dutiful children and grandchildren indeed voluntarily observe mourning for three years after the death of an elder in their home. During these three years, not to mention marriage, they can’t even wear bright clothes. Some foolishly dutiful children, not sure if it’s to gain a reputation for filial piety, even forgo meat and matters of men and women for three years to express their grief for their elders.
Arguably, Mingzhu should do the same, but although it’s reasonable, Cai Wei didn’t want to delay her daughter for three years. It’s not that she disliked her daughter staying at home, but her daughter had long reached the age for marriage. If she kept her at home, it might cause resentment in her daughter or son-in-law, which wouldn’t be good.
It’s often said that grown daughters can’t be kept, if kept, they become resentful. Although Mingzhu wouldn’t really blame them, the son-in-law is an outsider, in case he generates a grudge, keeping the daughter for three more years would outweigh the benefits!
"Yi, what you say makes sense. However, regarding the deceased, my Imperial Father long since entered religion. He is no longer of the Five Elements. Using secular rites for him, would it not go against his wishes? Doesn’t it also violate filial piety?"
Cai Wei poured a bowl of tea and considerately handed it over, gently sitting by his side.
Nangong Yi took the bowl of tea and said, "I know you are speaking for Wanyan Chao, wanting him to marry our Zhu’er smoothly. But have you thought, putting aside filial piety, don’t you feel that things obtained too easily are often not cherished? If our Zhu’er is easily married off, what if he doesn’t care for her? I know Zhu’er’s fond of him, and I won’t break them apart, but I want to test that boy’s patience, let him know our daughter isn’t so easy to marry."
Cai Wei laughed and said, "Is it true that things easily obtained aren’t cherished? I don’t think so. Given Chao’er’s personality, if Zhu’er were arrogant and pretentious, even if he went through great effort to marry her, he would soon discard her like a worn-out shoe. But our Zhu’er is so gentle, kind, smart, and lively, no matter how easily he marries her, he will cherish her well. Just like us, at first, you thought I wasn’t good enough for you and wanted me as your concubine, yet later you treated me with respect, and we’ve been lovingly married for half our lives, haven’t we? Your argument doesn’t hold—Husband and wife relationships rely on how two people maintain them, not on those little tricks."
