Over the days that followed, the Ministry of Rites raced to prepare the wedding of the Fourth Prince and the Gaoli Seventh Princess!

The whole Ministry of Rites worked flat out for more than twenty days, and at last everything was ready.

The wedding day had been set too, for the twenty-eighth of the month.

There were only three days left before the wedding!

On the day itself, the whole city was under martial law.

The Fourth Prince's wedding was a grand affair. It touched on relations between two states, after all, and nothing could be skimped.

The wedding went on from dusk until late into the night.

It was the small hours by the time Ning Chen got home, drunk out of his wits.

He slept until the next morning... Then he got up, ate something, and rode into the palace at an unsteady amble.

First he went to pay his respects to the Xuan Emperor.

The Xuan Emperor was in fine spirits these days. He had all but recovered, and with the Fourth Prince's wedding on top of it, he was in a good mood and positively glowing.

Ning Chen came to the courtyard where Liu Baiyi lived.

He'd been coming here whenever he had time lately.

After spending some time with him, Ning Chen had found that Liu Baiyi was cold in the face and warm underneath. He was just a little smug... He treated Ning Chen with utter disdain most of the time, but inside he really did think highly of him.

On anything to do with the martial arts, as long as Ning Chen asked, he would coach him patiently, however long it took.

The old Heavenly Master was there too.

Both of them were masters of the very highest order, both loved their wine, and neither had any other friends in the palace, so they were often together, drinking.

"Old Heavenly Master, Elder Liu!"

Ning Chen went over and greeted them, then sat down, picked up the jar, and filled their cups.

The two of them really did love their wine. They had started…