Marrying a White Snake Wife is Super Cool

Early in the morning, the Shopkeeper of the Post House heard Lu Yuan calling for him and ran out, wringing a towel in his hands.

The Shopkeeper bowed low to Lu Yuan and said, "My lord, rest assured. I’ll make sure to get you a new bed today. I guarantee you’ll have a comfortable night’s sleep."

On the second-floor corridor of the Post House, Su Liyan stood with her head down, pinching the bridge of her nose without saying a word.

’Oh, Lu Yuan, this is so embarrassing,’ Su Liyan thought. ’The bed broke, but you don’t have to shout it from the rooftops.’

Hearing this, Su Liyan’s mother let out a chuckle. She pulled her daughter toward her own room, saying as they walked, "And you said it wasn’t anything ’intense’? If it had been any more intense, you might have smashed right through the floorboards, wouldn’t you?"

"Mother, what are you talking about? He wouldn’t do that," Su Liyan mumbled, pouting.

"Hurry back to your room. It would look so bad if anyone else saw you," Su Liyan’s mother said.

"Mother, what’s there to be shy about? We’re a married couple! Besides, even if the bed broke, nobody would know how it happened!" Su Liyan retorted.

Su Liyan’s mother said no more. ’Her daughter is still so young and naive.’

After speaking with the Post House Shopkeeper, Lu Yuan headed out.

At the entrance to the Post House, one of Lu Yuan’s close confidants had parked the car there early, waiting for the "Young Master" to emerge.

"Young Master, please get in!" a confidant said, opening the front passenger door for Lu Yuan.

Lu Yuan got in. ’Being a passenger is so much more comfortable than driving.’

The confidant then got into the driver’s seat and headed toward the Imperial City.

The car hadn’t gone far before Lu Yuan glanced back.

Several cars were following at a distance. They were undoubtedly his own.

Lu Yuan asked, "What’s all this?"

"Young Master, we let our guard down last time. We never expected someone would dare to try and assassinate you on the outskirts of the Imperial City. The cars behind us are your protection detail," the confidant explained while driving.

"Rest assured, Young Master. Half of our men have remained at the Post House to look after the Young Madam and the Old Madam, as well as to guard against any suspicious activity in the area."

Hearing this, Lu Yuan gave his tacit approval.

Previously, Lu Yuan had been worried about attracting too much attention, so he had always traveled between the Imperial Capital and the Post House alone or with just one or two confidants.

’But now that this has happened, bringing seven or eight confidants and Mansion Guards along isn’t going overboard, is it?’

A huge crowd of civil and military officials was already gathered at the gate to the Imperial Capital.

It wasn’t yet time for morning court, so the officials could only wait at the Imperial City Gate for a eunuch to open it.

Lu Yuan’s car drove at a steady pace down Imperial City Street.

It was so early that the streets were still empty, and the shops on either side were all boarded up.

The confidant drove up to a spot not far from the Imperial Capital’s gate and stopped.

The crowd of officials at the gate stared at the oddly shaped "carriage," wondering which minister it belonged to.

It was only when Lu Yuan stepped out that the officials recognized him.

"Oh, so it’s just a minor Fourth Grade official."

"Lord Lu, the Prefect of Dongchang! The winner of yesterday’s tournament!"

"What in the world was that thing he rode in on?"

...

With nothing better to do, the ministers chattered amongst themselves. They hadn’t yet heard about the attack on Lu Yuan by masked assailants.

Thanks to his sharp hearing, Lu Yuan could make out every word they said.

’It seems the mastermind isn’t among this group,’ Lu Yuan thought, shaking his head.

As the massive gates of the Imperial Capital were slowly pushed open, six Imperial Guards ran out and took up positions on either side.

A few more eunuchs emerged from between the gates, led by the Emperor’s personal old eunuch.

The old eunuch spoke in a reedy voice, "My lords, thank you for waiting. This way, please!"

Lu Yuan followed the procession of ministers into the Imperial Capital.

After crossing a vast plaza, a great hall came into view ahead.

The hall was magnificent, its roof covered entirely in golden Glazed Tiles, and the path leading to it paved with priceless, top-grade bluestone.

Flanking the entrance to the great hall were twelve massive, round wooden pillars on the left and twelve on the right, all supporting the structure.

This was the first time Lu Yuan had ever walked this bluestone path to the great hall. On previous occasions, a eunuch had always led him directly to the Imperial Study or the Training Ground; he had never been to this place before.

With the sharp CRACK of several long whips, a eunuch bellowed to the throng of civil and military officials, "Court is now in session!"

Lu Yuan watched the scene unfold. ’It’s just like something out of a historical drama,’ he thought, ’so grand and majestic.’

Standing amidst it all, surrounded by the towering structures, Lu Yuan felt utterly insignificant.

Lu Yuan followed the other ministers into the great hall. A Golden Dragon Throne stood on a dais before them, dominating the head of the room.

As a mere Fourth Grade Prefect of Dongchang, Lu Yuan was a complete nobody compared to the other Capital Officials. He wisely took his place at the very end of the line of Civil Servants.

The Military Officers stood on the left side of the hall, the Civil Servants on the right.

「A moment later.」

The Emperor, Gu Yuanzhang, clad in a Five-Clawed Golden Dragon Yellow Robe, emerged from behind a screen, followed by two beautiful Maids.

Before he even took his seat, the Emperor’s gaze swept across the hall and landed on Lu Yuan.

As his eyes fell on the young, slightly stiff-looking man standing behind all the old-timers, a fleeting smile touched the Emperor’s lips.

’Not dead. He’s still alive.’

As was customary, the Civil Servants reported on matters of the people’s livelihood throughout the Empire, while the Military Officers reported on the border situation, such as the constant raids by the Beastman Race.

Listening from the back, Lu Yuan felt a wave of drowsiness wash over him. He couldn’t stop himself from letting out a few yawns, possibly because he hadn’t slept well that morning.

A Civil Servant standing next to Lu Yuan quickly nudged him with an elbow. Yawning in the great hall was a sign of disrespect to the Emperor!

But every report from the ministers revealed the same two words: "No money!"

’The Empire was newly founded, and everything needed to be rebuilt. It’s only normal to be short on cash.’