Chapter 429: From Now On

"Feeling upset."

Yu Shiyan sighed, his slender fingertips touching his brow and rubbing it incessantly. "Keep the coronation ceremony simple and as soon as possible."

Lin Wanxian felt somewhat helpless. Since the palace door had already been tightly closed by Xiao Minzi, she stopped refusing and sat down with a lift of her robe.

"They promised a grand celebration, modeled after the traditional eight-bearer sedan chair and ten-mile-long red procession, why the sudden..."

Lin Wanxian seemed to have thought of something and immediately fell silent.

Yu Shiyan was in a very bad mood and only gave a soft "hmm".

"Now that the matter of bestowing the title of Empress is settled, what are your plans?"

This time, Yu Shiyan remained silent for an even longer time: "I don't know."

"Well, General Yuan is already on his way back to the capital and will arrive soon. So this can be considered..."

Lin Wanxian couldn't continue speaking, but sighed and stood up, saying, "I will go and take care of the relevant matters."

Yu Shiyan nodded and watched Lin Wanxian leave before beckoning to Xiao Minzi: "Is she awake?"

Xiao Minzi quickly stepped forward and said, "Ziyuan said she woke up once, drank some tea, and then went back to sleep listlessly."

"How's the herbal medicine brewing going?"

"The Imperial Medical Academy is preparing it, and it should be sent over in about an incense stick's time."

Xiao Minzi inwardly lamented her misfortune, yet was also relieved that she had asked about all aspects of the princess's affairs; otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to answer this question.

"Report when the medicine is ready, and I will come over."

"yes."

Yu Shiyan suddenly had nothing to say, his gaze rising and falling with the smoke rising from the incense burner.

For the past three years, he has thought about what the future holds every day, but without her, he has never thought about a future, or even dared to think about it.

Seeing that Yu Shiyan was in a bad mood, Xiao Minzi, following his usual practice, dismissed the palace servants who were serving him as well, leaving Yu Shiyan alone in the court, sitting forlornly on the dragon throne above thousands of people.

He silently looked up and suddenly remembered the look in his father's eyes before his death, which was full of relief and contentment.

Yes, that selfish person got freed, but was left in this position.

If the Yuan Dynasty and the Empress hadn't rebelled... no, if everything could start over.

That's it, there's no going back.

Yu Shiyan chuckled self-deprecatingly, stepped down the white jade steps, donned a golden dragon robe, but left his crown on the dragon throne belonging to the supreme ruler.

He bears the weight of the world on his shoulders, but the world may not know what he truly desires.

...

On the 24th day of the first month of the third year of the Pingxuan reign, the emperor and empress of the Central Plains held their wedding. There was no ten-mile-long red bridal procession with colorful lanterns throughout the capital, nor a grand carriage with dragons and phoenixes. Only Yuan Shi wore a phoenix coronet and embroidered robe, and was personally escorted by the Empress Dowager and General Yuan.

Although the scene was not exactly grand, it was talked about by the people for many years.

This empress died after only one year on the throne, and had no children. Before she was made empress, the new emperor had no intention of filling the harem. After the empress's death, he never stepped into the harem again, except for the lotus pond.

Everyone says that Empress Yuan's favorite place during her lifetime was the lotus pond in the Imperial Garden. Whether it was a sunny day or a snowy winter day, she always liked to have palace servants help her sit there, even if it was just to look at it from a distance in the pavilion.

Yu Shiyan had thought about it for many years but never understood the reason. However, since it was something she liked, he decided to go.

The lotus flowers in the lotus pond bloom year after year. In the height of summer, the lotus buds sway, with deep green lotus leaves as a backdrop. At night, the light rain falls silently, creating a scene of jade-like drops shattering on the lotus leaves.

As the lotus flowers fade, the lotus seeds ripen, and the palace maids row their lotus boats, their laughter and chatter creating a lively scene.

There's not much to say about winter; it's mostly about enjoying the snow, and then planting lotus roots in the warm spring.

Is she appreciating the four seasons of the human world?

Yu Shiyan was unaware of this.