Chapter 34 A Grand Wedding: Sharing the Empire

The 5th day of the 9th month of the 11th year of the Qianyuan era.

At the third quarter of the hour of Yin (3:45 AM), before the dawn had broken, the imperial city, which had been quiet all night, had already awakened. Candles lit up the palaces one after another, like golden dragons lying in wait, revealing their magnificent and majestic outlines in the gradually fading night.

When Wen Miao was woken up by Shi Cui and Wan Bi, the palace staff had already arrived and were waiting outside the door.

Dozens of people stood quietly in the courtyard of Qinyuan Garden, not one of them making a sound. If Wen Miao hadn't specifically arranged for Shi Cui and Wan Bi to wake her up earlier the night before, these people from the palace would probably have waited for her to wake up naturally.

It's simply that His Majesty instructed that everything should be done with the Empress's best interests at heart. As for the auspicious time and ceremony of the Emperor and Empress's wedding today... those cannot be taken into account except for the Empress's rest.

Before the orange glow of the rising sun was even visible on the horizon, Wen Miao, after bathing and washing herself, called the palace maids to come closer and begin dressing her.

Her skin was naturally smooth and fair, as soft as jade, with hardly any flaws that could be tangled with cotton thread. Several maids who had been instructed by the emperor to serve her with utmost care were secretly amazed, thinking to themselves that the Empress was so naturally beautiful.

Soon, Wen Miao's long, black hair, as black as raven feathers, was skillfully coiled up by the nanny's hands, a warm fragrance wafting through the air. Clumps of hair were pinned to the back of her head, secured with exquisite gold and jade ornaments, making her look more formal and elegant than usual.

Next comes drawing eyebrows, applying lipstick, and changing clothes.

According to past etiquette, before entering the palace for investiture, the empress had to wear simple clothes. After entering the inner palace and receiving the investiture ceremony, she would change into appropriate clothes, listen to the envoy read the investiture document and the imperial seal, and then perform the three kneelings and nine prostrations in the direction of the emperor until the ceremony was completed.

However, Emperor Qianyuan was never one to stick to conventions. He couldn't bear to make Wen Miao kneel even for the ancestral tablets of the Great Chu and the imperial edicts representing the emperor's will. He even preferred to kneel at his wife's feet himself. How could he leave behind those messy and outdated rules to humiliate his wife? Several days ago, he waved his hand and forced the officials of the Ministry of Rites to change them.

Why kneel? No one in the entire Great Chu can bear to kneel before the Lady! Not even our ancestors, temples, or gods and Buddhas can stand it!

So, no matter how many elderly officials from the Ministry of Rites cried and wailed, saying it violated etiquette and disrespected old customs, Emperor Qianyuan didn't bother to pay them any attention.

He's the emperor, so he calls the shots.

Moreover, Emperor Qianyuan also knew that all the officials could do now was cry and pretend, and as for anything else... none of them dared to do anything else.

In his dream, influenced by Wen Miao and the world she inhabited, the then-Crown Prince Qian Yuan Emperor used the late emperor's help to promote the imperial examination system, gradually seizing power from the aristocratic families, all for the sake of having the day when he could completely control the imperial power and the court.

Now that he holds supreme power and stands at the highest position in the world, why should he listen to the nagging of these old fogies? Why should he humble himself for the sake of empty formalities?

That was his wife, the empress who was his equal, the only wife who could slap him, scold him, and make him kneel at her feet.

Therefore, after Emperor Qian Yuan's efforts, the ceremony for establishing the empress has long since changed its procedures. Before Wen Miao even entered the palace, she changed into the empress's dress with the help of several nannies.

The phoenix crown was magnificent, surrounded by pearls and jade, and glittered with gold beads.

She wore a dark blue long skirt underneath a bright red robe with colorful pheasant and falcon patterns, a mutton-fat jade key pendant around her neck, a gold and jade pearl belt around her waist, and a sash hanging down, exuding elegance and nobility.

After everything was tidied up, it was almost noon.

The people from the palace lowered their eyes and bowed respectfully. "Your Majesty, everything is ready. Please board the phoenix palanquin and depart for the palace."

Wen Miao nodded, took Shi Cui's hand, and with Wan Bi holding the train behind her, she leaned slightly towards Xie Jingxuan, whose eyes were filled with mixed emotions, and smiled at Xie Mengjun, whose eyes were red but whose excitement was hard to hide. Then she stepped onto the golden phoenix carriage.

The procession of the royal carriages in front of the Xie Mansion was very grand, with eunuchs, palace maids, and ceremonial guards stretching for dozens of miles, attracting crowds of people on the streets to crane their necks and watch, creating a lively scene.

This lavish favor is visible to everyone.

Some literati even wielded their pens in teahouses in the capital, depicting the scene of the emperor and empress's wedding on the fifth day of the ninth month of the eleventh year of the Qianyuan era. They competed with each other, vying to show off their talents, and wrote several eloquent poems that were later compiled into classic works that made it onto the list of the finest poems and lyrics of the Great Chu Dynasty.

Naturally, these works became famous pieces that later generations of students needed to memorize in their entirety. On the fifth day of the ninth month of the eleventh year of the Qianyuan era alone, there were dozens of such works, which shows how grand the scene was at that time.

...

At the gate of the Xie residence, a palace official called out in a drawn-out tone, "Rise—"

The carriage swayed gently, the horses moved erratically, and they proceeded in turn toward the palace gate.

In this procession of horses galloping side by side, at the very center and head of the procession was none other than the pure white jade lion, which had been brought back to the capital by Emperor Qianyuan after the entourage from Taihua Palace.

Wen Miao sat quietly inside, nervously clenching her hands, her eyelashes trembling, as she followed the bustling activity outside the carriage towards the palace.

The auspicious hour has arrived, and the bells are ringing in unison.

Wen Miao lowered her eyes and was carefully helped down from the phoenix palanquin by Shi Cui. Under her feet was a red carpet laid out along the way.

As soon as she steadied herself, she saw Emperor Qianyuan standing to one side, dressed in a black upper and red lower robe. His crown tassels swayed slightly, half-concealing his long, dark eyes that held a hint of a smile.

He said, "I have come to fetch the Empress."

They should walk the road ahead together.

Wen Miao paused slightly, her lips parted slightly, and a look of surprise flashed in her eyes, "Your Majesty..."

Even though she had no understanding of the etiquette of the Great Chu after losing her memory, she now clearly knew that this was a wedding between the emperor and empress that was completely different from the past.

The emperor before her seemed to be fulfilling the promises he had made to her, little by little.

In the distance, everyone watched in silence, feeling both amazed and astonished, but daring not to speak out of fear of the emperor's majesty.

Emperor Qianyuan took Wen Miao's hand and led her step by step along the imperial road paved with white marble. His gaze rose higher and higher, and the officials behind him bowed their heads.

Before long, Wen Miao was led by the Emperor of Great Chu and stood completely on the high platform.

This is the supreme position where the emperor resides.

It was the pinnacle of power in the Great Chu.

Because they were far apart, Emperor Qianyuan gently squeezed Wen Miao's fingertips. Seeing that Wen Miao, with her bright makeup, had looked at him, he praised, "The Empress looks very beautiful today."

He was so moved by her beauty that he wished he could hold Wen Miao in his arms in front of everyone.

Wen Miao blushed slightly and asked awkwardly, "Are you... alright?"

Her makeup was just a bit heavier than usual, mainly because her attire was overly ornate and elaborate.

"It's beautiful."

Emperor Qianyuan never hesitated to praise Wen Miao, and during a break when the Minister of Rites was reading the imperial edict aloud, the emperor asked again, "Are you tired?"

“Some.” Wen Miao nodded.

The weight of the hairpins and phoenix crown was quite noticeable, making my neck a little sore.

"I should tell them to shorten these contents further," Emperor Qianyuan said with some dissatisfaction.

Wen Miao couldn't help but chuckle softly.

Just then, the Minister of Rites finally finished reading the inaugural ceremony, and everyone knelt in worship.

The dark mass of heads below all bowed their heads. As no one dared to look up at the face of the Emperor and Empress on the high platform, Emperor Qian Yuan suddenly stretched out his arm, pulled Wen Miao into his arms around her waist amidst her surprised expression, and leaned down to kiss her crimson lips.

Today the air smells of pomegranates.

The officials kowtowed, bowing their heads and not daring to raise their eyes.

Wen Miao's lips were kissed and smeared by Emperor Qian Yuan, who then licked and rubbed them bit by bit, tasting all the pomegranate-scented lip rouge into her mouth.

In a daze, Wen Miao, whose eyelashes trembled from the kiss, only vaguely heard Emperor Qian Yuan whisper something in her ear—

He said he wanted to share the country with his wife.

After the courtiers rose, the Emperor and Empress stood hand in hand on the high platform. One was tall and majestic, the other graceful and plump. From a distance, they looked like a match made in heaven. However... was the lip rouge on the Empress's lips a little faded?

After the investiture, it was the empress's turn to receive the homage of the imperial concubines.

However, Emperor Qian Yuan's harem is empty, and so far only Wen Miao has become Empress, so this step can naturally be canceled.

After the grand ceremony, Emperor Qianyuan still had matters to attend to regarding the investiture, while Wen Miao returned to the Phoenix Palace where the Empress resided early on.

The interior of Fengyi Palace was lavishly decorated, with exquisite carvings in every detail. Its style had a hazy, similar feel to the Qin Garden of the Xie family, which made Wen Miao feel less unfamiliar upon her arrival.

The bedchamber was temporarily decorated in red for the wedding. Wen Miao sat on the soft couch and gently exhaled a breath of stale air.

Shi Cui and Wan Bi, who had accompanied them to the palace, brought tea and snacks.

Shi Cui naturally changed her form of address and asked, "Does Your Highness wish to remove the phoenix crown and hair ornaments first?"

Although she had been married before losing her memory, Wen Miao was still somewhat unfamiliar with the whole process and hesitated, "Is this okay?"

“Of course you can.” Wanbi said with a smile, “His Majesty instructed us in advance that everything should be done with Your Highness’s comfort in mind. Now that Your Highness is the head of the palace, there is nothing that is not allowed.”

Wen Miao breathed a sigh of relief, "Then help me take it off first."

The phoenix crown was magnificent, but it was also quite heavy. It made Wen Miao's neck ache. When the golden object finally left Wen Miao's hair, she felt light all over, as if even breathing was easier.

Wen Miao raised her eyes and looked at the exceptionally clear bronze mirror.

The mirror reflected her unusually glamorous makeup, dazzling and radiant. After only one glance, Wen Miao quickly looked away and turned her head to drink a cup of warm tea to soothe her throat.

...So, she married the emperor?

During a break while resting in Fengyi Palace, Wen Miao suddenly felt a sense of tension.

She thought of Emperor Qian Yuan, who had not yet returned, his tall and imposing figure, the overly ardent and obsessive gaze he had given her each time, his high-bridged nose and his insatiable, beastly appearance, and the shadows that, despite being hidden beneath his robes, could not be ignored...

With that kind of attitude, Wen Miao belatedly realized that this night... she probably wouldn't have a good time.

Inside the Phoenix Palace, red candles flickered, and the sun on the horizon shifted slightly.

Just as Wen Miao was getting nervous, she heard a commotion coming from the eunuchs outside the palace—

"Your Majesty, His Majesty has already passed the outer gate of Fengyi Palace and will be arriving soon!"

The eunuch's voice was excited. Since they had served in the Great Chu Imperial Palace, they had never seen Emperor Qianyuan take concubines or consorts. There had never been any of the sordid affairs caused by the large number of concubines during the reign of the late emperor. It was quiet and peaceful, though.

Upon hearing the shouts, Wen Miao's breath caught in her throat. She instinctively stood up, her long black hair falling loose, and turned her head to look at the palace gate.

The deep red, elaborate dress might have looked a bit old-fashioned, but Wen Miao's skin was fair enough and her face was beautiful enough. Especially after her hair was loose, the heavy dress on her body exuded an air of elegance and nobility, making her look more mature and radiant than her usual refined and dignified self.

Emperor Qian Yuan, who had just stepped across the threshold, paused and looked over intently.

It's hard to imagine anyone in this world resisting Wen Miao, dressed in an empress's wedding gown, with her jet-black hair flowing down her back, her face flushed, her starry eyes shining, gazing at you with tender affection.

She was like a goddess descending to earth in her wedding gown.

And he became her husband.

This realization made the emperor's heart skip a beat, as if a profusion of flowers had suddenly bloomed.

Emperor Qian Yuan could clearly feel that he had become a young boy, and his heart, emotions, and expression were all out of control. He felt a hot current flowing through his body, bursting with scalding heat, so hot that even his fingertips began to go numb.

Wen Miao's eyes reddened under the emperor's gaze, and she was at a loss. She wanted to say something, but she didn't know how to start because of the change in her status and relationship at that moment.

Emperor Qian Yuan quickly walked up and gently took Wen Miao's arm.

The palace servants and attendants discreetly withdrew from the palace, and the whole process happened silently. When Wen Miao turned around, she saw that only she and the emperor remained in the vast Fengyi Palace.

She averted her gaze and finally found her voice: "...Your Majesty."

Emperor Qianyuan responded softly, then suddenly raised his arm, wrapped it around the other woman's knees, and lifted the beautiful and plump new empress into his arms.

"Your Majesty!" Wen Miao exclaimed, bracing herself on the emperor's shoulders.

"It feels like a dream."

Emperor Qianyuan looked up at the woman he had lifted from her knees, his eyes filled with deep and intense emotions, and murmured, "Am I dreaming?"

Before Wen Miao could answer, the emperor, with his deep eyes, rested his chin on Wen Miao's lower abdomen and said in a hoarse voice, "My lady, slap me again."

Once you get slapped, you'll know whether you're dreaming or not.

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Author's Note: I'm late today! I'll be randomly selecting 30 readers from the comments section to receive a red envelope! Mwah!

Congratulations on your wedding, Your Majesty and Miaomiao! [Rose][Pity]