Chapter 209: Chapter 176: Planning the Wedding

The setting sun cast warm silhouettes on the high towers of Red Tide Castle, as if the entire territory was steeped in a solemn atmosphere.

Bradley stood at the center of the wedding hall, the silver rim of his single lens glasses perched on his nose trembling slightly with his anxious breaths.

As the chief steward of the Red Tide Territory, his duty should have been as steady as a clock, yet he hadn’t had a proper night’s sleep for three consecutive nights.

“Raise the Calvin Clan’s moon-pattern banner half a foot higher… Yes, a bit higher, it must not obscure the Edmund Family’s silver eagle.”

He whispered commands to the attendants, the thick manual in his hands already dog-eared from use.

His gaze swiftly scanned over the steps, the guest seats, the main entrance, and the altar’s center spot.

Every detail had been crafted to near perfection.

Yet he knew, in a true noble wedding, perfection is never enough.

This was a union that could not afford any mistakes.

The ceremony would be led by a high-tier divine officer from the Northern Territory, carrying considerable reputation in the North.

Although the ceremony had been simplified much by His Highness Louis, many key segments were still fully retained, refined, and dignified.

Bradley had even arranged for musical performances for each segment, involving both a local orchestra from Red Tide Territory and three-stringed flutists from Northern traditions, blending pragmatism with the symbolism of “North-South unison.”

The seating chart for the guests had been revised six times.

The front row was reserved for the bride’s father, Duke Edmund, Governor of the North, and representatives of the Calvin Clan.

The rest were arranged according to rank and lineage, comprising the core knights of the Red Tide, personal nobility, and invited nobles.

Bradley walked to the window and saw the Northern guard of honor training in the clearing below, their silver armor gleaming, capes billowing, marching like thunder.

He exhaled slightly in relief: at least in terms of grandeur, they would not lose face.

The arrangement of the wedding venue was his greatest pride.

The vaulted ceiling of the main hall displayed interwoven banners of both great families, a silver eagle with outstretched wings and a bright moon shining, symbolizing the union and a new Chapter of reestablishing noble order.

Lime drew precise pathways across the floor, complemented by red carpets and silver decorations, exuding a solemn yet distinct pragmatic style of the Lord’s Mansion.

The flowers came from a noble guild that specialized in cultivating blooms, after three rounds of selection, ending with a combination of bluebells, white violets, and ice roses, symbolizing loyalty, purity, and Northern glory.

As for the guests’ meals… he noted with pride the latest southern delicacies that had arrived today.

They included ice-scaled carp from Cloud Bay, crystal honey dates from Dalan, and dried black hazel venison, all top-grade offerings specifically dispatched by the Calvin Clan from their private storerooms.

Even in a subdued union, none of the dignity should be lacking.

“Is there something missing…” he murmured quietly as his eyes fell once more on the ceremonial table covered in red silk.

“Lord Bradley, you haven’t returned to your room to rest for three days,” an attendant advised.

He shook his head, mustering his spirit and pulling out the sixteenth draft of the procedural map, squeezing out a tired reply:

“This wedding is very important… it must match the Calvin Clan’s lineage, and also give the nobles of the North something to talk about. It can be low-key, but it mustn’t lose dignity.”

While everyone was bustling about with the upcoming wedding, Louis finally found some time.

To be precise, it was after he received a personal letter from Emily that he remembered his own wedding was just half a month away.

So, that evening, Louis, accompanied by two guards, stepped into the banquet hall at the back of the main hall, set up specifically for the wedding.

For the first time, he saw this room, once used for investiture and ceremonial honors, now transformed into a noble wedding stage adorned with blue and red tapestries.

The musicians were tuning in the corner, the stable sound of the double-stringed lute harmonizing with the Northern Flute, producing serene melodies.

Several maidservants moved around the steps, backs straight, trying to complete the welcoming ritual without stepping on their skirts.

Meanwhile, a few young attendants, clad in trial robes, were simulating the oath-taking scene, reciting vows softly and reverently: “In the presence of the Dragon Ancestor and all, I vow…”

The entire space was filled with solemnity, yet carried an indescribable tension.

Perhaps, it was the overly serious traditional rituals of the Imperial Nobility, or the overly reserved staff of Red Tide Territory.

In sum, it felt like a meticulously crafted scabbard, perfect yet missing a touch of warmth.

“You’ve arrived.” Bradley arrived after hearing the news, still holding the day’s ceremonial scroll, his expression characteristically restrained and steady, save for the slight bluish shadows under his eyes.

“The preparations are not bad,” Louis glanced over the setup and said softly.

Bradley appeared somewhat hesitant, clearing his throat and cautiously speaking: “Your Highness, may I dare to ask if this wedding, for someone of your and Miss Emily’s status… might seem too plain?”

He paused, adding: “Given the current prestige and standing of the Red Tide Territory, plus the union of two great families from North and South… perhaps adding some ceremonial sections or viewing processes could further emphasize its significance.”

He didn’t say what was unspoken, that the wedding had already been perceived within noble circles as an important signal of an “old power alliance.”

If too modest, would it lead to misunderstandings about the Calvin Clan’s declining influence in the Imperial Capital?

Or perhaps raise suspicions that this marriage was rushed?

Louis listened, but his expression remained unchanged, his gaze slowly shifting to the honor guard practicing their entrance routine not far away.

“I know you’re doing this for my sake.” His tone was calm, “But it can’t be any grander.”

Bradley was taken aback.

“The current situation is that the Royal Family is purging the old nobility, the Southern Noble Lineage is gradually retreating, and this wedding is already sensitive enough,” Louis said with a flash of rationality in his eyes.

Bradley lowered his head and gently replied, “Understood.”

Although Louis mentioned keeping it simple, and despite having to be low-key due to the special situation,

this was, after all, his first wedding in life, and very likely his last.

He was not particularly obsessed with ceremony and grandeur, but this wedding represented the consolidation of identity, the forging of alliances, and the fulfillment of emotions behind it all.

This wedding deserved to be remembered.

Yet now, looking at this almost textbook-perfect flowchart and listening to the attendants reciting vows in an emotionless tone, he couldn’t shake a thought gently tapping in his mind:

“There’s something missing… that instant that can move people.”

He slowly walked to the edge of the observation platform, his hands clasped behind him. The last light of the sunset cast over the rooftops of Red Tide City, and the distant Northern Mountains were wrapped in golden red as the night silently approached, with the first stars appearing on the canopy above.

In the evening breeze, the citizens in the distance were still making final preparations for the wedding, children running in the alleys, adults hanging banners and transporting barrels, a scene busy yet peaceful.

At that moment, a thought suddenly arose in Louis’ mind.

“If all this could end with a stunning climax… even if it’s only for a few seconds, it would be enough.”

He squinted slightly, as if seeing some scene through the twilight.

He tilted his mouth into a smile and turned to Bradley, saying, “Let’s add an element.

When night falls, we’ll light ’fireworks’ in the sky of the Red Tide Territory.”

Bradley was stunned: “…Fire? Are you referring to a fire pit? A torch? Or…?”

“None of those,” Louis waved his hand, with a beautiful picture in his eyes, “It’s the kind that flies into the sky, and then with a ’boom’ bursts into light.”

Bradley’s brows furrowed like ravines, unable to figure out what Louis was talking about: “Sir, is this some sort of… weapon?”

“It’s not a weapon either,” Louis laughed, “It’s a device for celebrations, only startles people, doesn’t hurt. But the effect, well, it’ll make everyone stare at the sky, forgetting whether they should toast or dance.”

He paused for a moment, adding, “And I want Emily to see that moment.”

Bradley was momentarily speechless. Although he was a perfectionist butler, he couldn’t find a suitable reference at this moment.

He was silent for a few seconds and then said softly, “…I really can’t imagine what that is.”

“It’s okay,” Louis had already turned and walked away quickly, “I’ll find someone who can make it.”

To turn the inspiration in his mind into reality, Louis rushed off to the workshop area.

That was Hillco’s domain, the place in the entire Red Tide Territory most likely to “blast something out.”

At this moment, with the sunset sinking, Louis strode through the door, the iron gate echoing with a “bang” and releasing a faint smell of gunpowder.

“Hil…”

Before he could finish, a chaotic sound of footsteps arose inside, accompanied by glass bottles tilting and metal clanging, even the noise of a chair tipping over.

As he walked into the main workspace of the lab, he saw Hillco standing by the workbench, sweating profusely.

The curtain behind him had just been hastily drawn, and a conspicuous female figure was faintly visible through the edge of the curtain.

“What are you doing?”

“I-I? I was… formulating a potion.”

Hillco’s face was filled with an awkward smile, which he couldn’t hide no matter what, like a child caught stealing candy.

And the female figure behind the curtain seemed equally flustered, accidentally showing half her face, her cheeks flushed, and she quickly shrank back.

“You-you came too suddenly!” Hillco coughed, and the redness in his ears was visible to the naked eye.

Louis raised an eyebrow, surveying the mess with a half-smile, speaking slowly: “Hmm? Did I interrupt you… during some important experiment?”

The girl’s face flushed red to the neck, hiding further back.

Hillco quickly coughed a few times, forcing a serious face: “Y-you, how did you know?”

“Know what?” Louis tilted his head, arms crossed, with a playful smile.

“That… the ’Knight Growth Potion’ has been successfully developed!” Hillco’s eyes still carried a hint of panic.

“We just produced the first batch… we were so excited, we… celebrated a little, hadn’t had time to inform you! How did you know?!”

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