Chapter 76: One is sworn brotherhood, the other is marriage
Recalling the sworn brotherhood, Ning Yunxi's lips were filled with sweetness.
I remember that in the previous life, Yan Yu had just met her for the first time, but he had complete faith in her.
As soon as the paternity test was completed, he took her to an apricot forest.
At that time, it was just dawn.
The rosy glow penetrated the morning mist and fell poetically on the branches of apricot blossoms. The originally snow-white apricot blossoms were now blushed with varying shades of red, some were lightly made-up and elegant, while others looked like rouge.
Two butterflies came in pairs, following the fragrance of apricot blossoms, fluttering towards us.
It is bright and beautiful, like a fairyland.
Yan Yu casually picked a white apricot flower and pinned it on Ning Yunxi's hair.
A breeze blew by, and apricot petals fluttered wildly. One of the butterflies accidentally landed on the apricot blossom in Ning Yunxi's hair. Its wings shone brightly under the morning glow, making them even more colorful.
Ning Yunxi lowered her eyes slightly, her long eyelashes trembling slightly, as if hiding a bit of shyness.
"Your Majesty has brought this subject here. What do you want me to do?"
Yan Yu raised his right arm and pointed to the center of Xinglin.
"Look, I'm ready."
Ning Yunxi turned her head and saw a low table and two kneeling mats not far away.
On the table, there was a statue and four plates. As for what was on the plates, Ning Yunxi couldn't see clearly for the time being.
Only when she got closer did she see the things on the plate: red dates, peanuts, longans and lotus seeds.
Strangely, peanuts, longans and lotus seeds are all dyed red, and they look almost the same color as red dates.
Ning Yunxi shifted his eyes and looked at the statue carefully.
This is a statue of an old man with a white beard. His clothes are very unique, like a pile of red threads, hanging on his body in a messy and beautiful way.
After reading it all, she understood that he wanted to become sworn brothers with her.
But she had some concerns.
Their social statuses were so different, why was he willing to become sworn sisters with her?
So she asked with doubt.
"Why is this happening, my lord?"
Yan Yu didn't understand at first and misunderstood.
"Ok?"
"Can't you see what this means? I made it according to the ancient method, but it's the ancient method I understand, not the real ancient method..."
"Also, I don't know your customs very well, so there must be something wrong."
"Just point it out and I'll change it right away."
Ning Yunxi hurriedly explained.
"No, Your Majesty did the right thing."
"I just don't understand why the prince is like this?"
"Once the arrow is shot, there is no turning back. Are you willing, Your Majesty?"
Yan Yu smiled.
"This is what your mother meant."
"She said that my family and her husband's family have an old grudge, so she hopes that when we grow up, we can work together with mutual consent to turn hostility into friendship."
"Of course I am willing to do it."
"It's just that this ceremony is too simple."
"You know, our current situation is rather awkward. If we mobilize a large number of people to do it, it will inevitably give others an opportunity to take advantage of us."
"To prevent any accidents, I have to inconvenience you temporarily."
"But don't worry, when the 30th year of Shengping comes, we will use the astrology to return to the 22nd century."
"I'm a doctor, I have a stable job, a house, a car, and savings. When I get back, I'll make up all the ceremonies and all the steps for you."
Ning Yunxi couldn't understand everything he said at once, so she listened carefully and tried to understand it in her heart.
Where is the twenty-second century?
A doctor should be a healer, right?
What is job stability?
What’s the point of having a house, a car and savings?
A room is a house, right?
Is the car a horse-drawn carriage?
Deposit...is it a deposit in bank?
What kind of ceremony should be performed for her?
Isn't the ceremonial for sworn brotherhood like this? How can it be so simple?
Ning Yunxi didn't dare to ask more questions, for fear that she might say something wrong and reveal Gu Nianting's plan, so she could only pretend to understand and continue talking along with what he said.
"Your Majesty, you are too kind. I don't think it is shabby at all."
"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your kindness."
Yan Yu smiled from the heart, with a hint of rosy glow on her cheeks.
"Then you agree?"
Ning Yunxi pondered for a moment, thought about it, then nodded and smiled.
"Yes, I agree."
As he said this, he bowed deeply to him.
"I am flattered and thank you for your grace, Your Majesty!"
Yan Yu quickly helped her up.
"Don't be so polite, we are equals."
Ning Yunxi lowered her head quickly.
"My daughter is terrified."
Yan Yu pulled her, each with a kneeling pad, and they knelt down together.
"Don't panic, let's get started."
"You and I don't have parents, so the ceremony will be slightly modified. First bow to the sky, then to the earth."
Ning Yunxi nodded in response.
"Yes."
While answering, she felt strange in her heart.
What does sworn brotherhood have to do with one’s parents?
The original ceremony of swearing brotherhood is to bow to the sky first, to the earth second, and to the elders third. Where has it been changed?
Have the three Jingchang been removed?
Then I don't have to worship him for a while?
While thinking, they had already completed one bow to the heaven and two bows to the earth.
Seeing Yan Yu turning to face her, Ning Yunxi quickly turned to face him.
Yan Yu was about to "worship each other as husband and wife" when Ning Yunxi suddenly stopped her: "Absolutely not!"
Yan Yu didn't understand what she meant, so she asked, "What's wrong?"
Ning Yunxi explained with a panicked look.
"Your Majesty is the ruler and I am the subject. How can Your Majesty bow down and pay homage to you? It is not in accordance with etiquette."
"Besides, Your Majesty is a little older, and I am your younger sister, so it is I who should bow to Your Majesty first."
Yan Yu's face was full of confusion.
"Isn't it a little strange that you are worshipping alone?"
"I seldom go out, so I don't know the rules here."
"So this is... your custom?"
Ning Yunxi nodded.
"To answer your Majesty, yes."
Yan Yu didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
"Okay, then I respect your customs here."
"You worship."
Ning Yunxi bowed respectfully and changed the address at the same time.
"Brother, please accept my humble servant's greeting."
Yan Yu looked confused again.
"Brother? That sounds weird."
"Can I understand this as meaning 'brother'?"
Ning Yunxi smiled with relief and nodded.
"Yes, brother and elder brother, of course, mean the same thing."
"I thought that all my brothers in my family are respectfully addressed as Brother, so I call Your Highness Brother to distinguish them. I haven't asked Your Highness what you think about this yet."
Yan Yu blushed shyly.
"I think it's great. It sounds very comfortable. You are my little sister after all."
"Then I'll change my name."
"According to the custom in my hometown, I should call you my wife."
Ning Yunxi was shocked.
"Wife? That sounds weird. I'm twenty-five, how can I be a wife?"
Yan Yu thought about it and changed the address.
"Then I will continue to call you little sister?"
"It just happens to echo 'brother'."
Ning Yunxi smiled happily.
"it is good."
"Thank you, brother."
Hearing the word "subject", Yan Yu felt uncomfortable all over: "Don't always call yourself a servant, it sounds wrong to me."
Ning Yunxi reacted belatedly.
After the sworn brotherhood, you should address me as your sister.
"Yes, my Lord..."
Before she could even say the word "sister", Yan Yu interrupted her: "Why are you still calling me minister? Just call yourself 'I'."
Ning Yunxi was shocked again.
"How dare you do that?"
Yan Yu touched her head lovingly.
"People in the 22nd century all call themselves that. We no longer care about the relationship between monarch and subject."
"If you really can't get past the hurdle of 'etiquette and rules', just take it as my permission."
Ning Yunxi bowed slightly.
"Yes, I...I thank you for your kindness, brother."
She felt a little moved.
I didn't expect him to be so sincere that he would even disregard the etiquette between the emperor and his subjects.
Why doesn't he look like the power-hungry and unkind Prince Di Jin that Prince Chen described?