MTCCP Chapter 21

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The wedding blessings concluded, and as per tradition, birds were to be released.

Once, it had been a grand display—skylarks, nightingales, hawks, and eagles—all meant to symbolize the auspicious image of a hundred birds paying homage to the phoenix.

However, in the year 2030, with animal protection organizations more influential than ever, only ten cages of doves were permitted for release.

The Empress Dowager led the royal family members, all standing in a formal line, while the newlyweds stood at the center, watching the ceremony from the grand suspended palace.

Yue Yiwan stood beside Hua Muzhi, listening to the harmonious blend of flutes and yangqin, the music surging like waves. Snow-white doves fluttered up from eight different directions simultaneously.

Countless feathers drifted in mid-air as ceremonial cannons fired in succession, nearly drowning out the sound of the flutes.

For a fleeting moment, it was as if a magnificent epiphyllum had bloomed in the sky—hundreds, thousands of doves spread their wings and soared toward the rising sun.

Yue Yiwan gazed up at the sight when suddenly, he felt a weight on his shoulder—one of the doves had landed there.

He froze for a moment, hesitant to move lest he startle it, so he stood a little straighter.

Unexpectedly, another dove, noticing its companion had stopped, turned back as well and perched itself on Hua Muzhi’s shoulder, rubbing its neck affectionately against the first dove.

Some of the doves had been trained, used for magic performances or circus acts.

But these two, it seemed, had truly bonded as a pair, tilting their heads and cooing softly together.

The emperor chuckled at the sight and ordered a royal attendant to take the two doves back to the palace to be cared for.

The scene had already been captured on camera—not only did the newlywed crown prince and his consort look elegant and regal, but the doves on their shoulders also appeared endearingly charming.

Social media exploded with excitement, with countless users searching to learn more about the strikingly handsome crown princess.

His gender, identity, silver hair, and the jewelry adorning him—all became hot topics of discussion.

Some overseas alumni recognized him and proudly boasted about his achievements: “He won such-and-such award! He was an outstanding graduate of our school!”

Others noticed that official records had been updated—the royal website now included a new name: Yue Yiwan.

—Wait, wasn’t Yue Yiwan the youngest son of the luxury hotel tycoon?!

Heartbroken girls wept dramatically online: “So it’s true… princes only marry princes!!”

But at that moment, Yue Yiwan had no time to check his phone.

His neck felt like it was about to snap.

The jade crown might not have seemed heavy at first, but after wearing it for hours, he felt as though his head might separate from his body.

Standing for so long, with layers of gold, silver, and jade accessories weighing down on him, he longed to slump against a window and rest.

The wind atop the high platform was strong, making their long sleeves billow like butterfly wings.

"Are you cold?" Hua Muzhi asked softly. "At least there’s still sunlight now, but it'll be much colder at night."

"I'm fine," Yue Yiwan replied, flipping his sleeve to reveal something tucked inside. "I brought you a hand warmer. Let me know if you feel cold."

Hua Muzhi chuckled. "You really thought of everything."

The wedding procession had been an all-day affair, from dawn until night.

The morning and midday events had been meticulously scheduled to align with auspicious hours, paying homage to ancient customs and traditions.

By afternoon, the newlyweds had to change into formal suits and ties, joining other royal members to receive congratulations from political leaders and business elites.

The three major families had always maintained close relations, so naturally, such occasions required extensive socializing.

Among the guests were many familiar faces, and Yue Yiwan effortlessly mingled—drinking, chatting, and occasionally even taking a sip on Hua Muzhi’s behalf.

“I can handle it,” he assured.

He had a strong tolerance for alcohol, having secretly shared his father’s Scotch whisky with his brother since childhood. A low-alcohol honey wine like this was nothing to him.

Hua Muzhi watched him down the drink with ease, and for a fleeting moment, his heartbeat quickened.

The crown prince coughed lightly, then led Yue Yiwan to another table, grabbing some pastries along the way.

As they moved, he discreetly shielded them from the cameras to sneak a few bites of food.

Weddings were truly exhausting affairs.

Even with an entire team organizing and preparing everything, simply handling wave after wave of guests was enough to leave them both overwhelmed.

Yue Yiwan wasn’t drunk—just hungry.

His slender frame wasn’t due to a small appetite but rather a high metabolism.

Hua Muzhi, well aware of this, casually gathered a few egg tarts, biscuits, and cupcakes for him, along with a glass of tequila to cleanse the palate.

After the banquet ended, they still had to maintain bright smiles for a press interview—there would be no returning to the palace to rest just yet.

At this point, it felt like running a marathon.

They were already too exhausted to genuinely smile, but in front of the media, they had no choice—years of etiquette training had clearly paid off.

Yue Yiwan played the part of an obedient and adorable spouse, standing quietly by the crown prince’s side. Whenever Hua Muzhi spoke, he nodded and smiled, until even his fake smile started to ache.

Then came the reporters’ questions.

“Your Highness Yong Wang, given your overseas education and high academic qualifications, do you think there will be communication barriers between you and His Royal Highness? Are you worried about running out of things to talk about in the future?”

"Your Highness, what do you think about Prince Yong's family background? Was Mr. Yue Zhigu’s cross-border acquisition last month also related to the palace’s investment?"

"May I ask—"

The two of them skillfully handled the sharp questions with impeccable performance, and afterward, they still had to hold onto each other for the media to take close-up shots.

By the time they were finally done, it was already 10 PM.

Yue Yiwan had long developed the sleeping schedule of an old man—by 8 PM, he was already so exhausted that he could barely keep his eyes open. The flashing camera lights, disruptive as they were, only made him sleepier, though the cold wind seeping into his collar sent a shiver down his spine, forcing him awake.

When the media finally dispersed, the trending topics on Weibo surged wave after wave, with people enthusiastically discussing every detail.

The number of domestic and international tourists also spiked this week, and hotel prices across the capital city of Lindu were raised significantly.

A carriage brought the two of them back to the Eastern Palace, where they were each escorted to a bathhouse for a warm soak and cleansing, before changing into silk nightwear.

Before heading to their rooms, someone even brought in a bowl of raw dumplings.

…It’s not like I need to bear children.

Yue Yiwan suppressed his internal complaints. Taking a bite in front of Hua Muzhi, he silently remarked, "Raw."

The Crown Prince smiled and ordered the attendants to take the bowl away—along with closing the door behind them.

The wedding bed had already been prepared. Red dates, peanuts, longans, and lotus seeds were scattered across the bedspread, symbolizing fertility.

Tall red candles burned brightly, their golden phoenix and dragon engravings gazing at each other in elegant symmetry.

Yue Yiwan had been exhausted enough to drop dead asleep, but a sudden realization struck him.

It was the middle of the night. Two grown men. Only one bed.

And… weren’t they supposed to consummate the marriage?

Hua Muzhi clearly knew what he was thinking. He only said calmly, "I already took the dates off the pillows, so they won't poke our necks tonight."

"…Mm." Yue Yiwan felt his face heat up.

"Then tonight, we…"

Suddenly, he recalled the contents of that USB drive.

If worst comes to worst… should they give it a try?

What if it actually felt good?

"Just sleep. We’ve both had a long day." Hua Muzhi switched off the bedside lamp and got into bed. "If it's too uncomfortable, I had Attendant Huo stash another blanket under the bed."

Yue Yiwan, still blushing, climbed under the covers. He instinctively reached under his pillow, only to pull out a small white handkerchief.

"What is this for?"

Hua Muzhi coughed, quickly snatching it away. "Nothing."

The attendants must have forgotten to clean this up when preparing the bridal chamber.

As soon as Yue Yiwan lay down, he felt as if he had sunk into a cloud.

His body relaxed entirely, and the plush warmth of the bedding swallowed up any remaining energy he had to speak.

"Wan…"

Before the next word could leave his lips, he tilted his head and fell into a deep sleep.

In the darkness, Hua Muzhi blinked and listened to the soft, even breathing beside him.

He reached out, intending to touch Yue Yiwan’s hair—but misjudged the distance and ended up brushing against his soft cheek instead.

The man lowered his gaze and chuckled.

"Rest well."

However, things were far from simple.

Yue Yiwan had grown up sharing a bed with his elder brother. As a child, he had been particularly clingy, and after their mother’s incident, he suffered frequent nightmares, often insisting on sleeping with his older brother.

It wasn’t until he turned twelve or thirteen—when he became more aware—that he finally started sleeping alone. But even then, in the vast and empty bedroom, he couldn’t rest peacefully unless he hugged his stuffed dolphin.

People who lacked a sense of security always wanted to hold onto something.

So, in the middle of the night, as Hua Muzhi slept soundly, he suddenly felt something warm snuggle into his arms.

Hua Muzhi: “...?”

Was this… a hint?

No, he must be overthinking it.

He shifted slightly and whispered, "Yiwan?"

But the person in his arms was fast asleep, even letting out faint snores.

The Crown Prince raised an eyebrow but begrudgingly wrapped his arms around him.

And just like that, he let Yue Yiwan nestle in his embrace for the rest of the night.

The next morning, Yue Yiwan woke up to find that the Crown Prince had already gone to freshen up.

He felt well-rested, stretching lazily as he rubbed his face, then sniffed at the sleeve of his robe.

He had dreamed of rolling around in a field of flowers, and today, his whole body carried the scent of pear blossoms.

As expected of the royal family—even their blankets were infused with floral fragrances. It even smelled kind of… tasty?

He yawned and looked up just as the Crown Prince entered the room.

Stretching his voice, he called out teasingly, "Husband—"

Hua Muzhi cleared his throat. "You’d better just call me by my name from now on."

That soft, honeyed tone was something he absolutely could not handle.

_____

Author’s note:

Yue Yiwan: I smell kind of delicious… OVO

Hua Muzhi: = = I held you all night, my arm is stiff!

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