Chapter 126 Queen Fu

I was escorted back to my palace, and I sat on the bed with a steamed bun in my arms, unable to sleep all night.

"Baozi, what do we do..." I murmured, shaking Baozi.

The next day, a group of palace servants came uninvited. After I finished washing up, they helped me to the bronze mirror for a lengthy dressing process.

The six rites of betrothal, name inquiry, auspicious date selection, gift presentation, wedding date setting, and wedding ceremony are all omitted. Today is the day of the wedding ceremony, which means that the groom goes to the bride's home to fetch her. Unfortunately, I have no family home and I also have the important role of "bait," so I was directly brought out from my own palace, which completes the wedding ceremony.

Four palace maids stepped forward, unfolded the elaborate ceremonial robe, and helped me put it on. The jet-black, wide-sleeved robe resembled a congealed, dark stain of blood.

After combing my hair and putting on my headdress, I squinted slightly and looked at myself in the bronze mirror, dressed in magnificent clothes according to the etiquette of the Empress of the Han Dynasty.

The sky gradually darkened.

According to custom, the wedding is held at dusk.

Sitting in front of the bronze mirror, I looked at the heavily made-up woman in the mirror and felt slightly dazed.

On a midsummer night when I was ten, a blind old woman at the orphanage touched my hand and said to me, “Child, you are destined to be an empress. How could those ordinary people possibly control you?”

At that time, I lay beside the old lady's legs, laughing so hard I was shaking.

Now, the prophecy has come true.

The Empress is someone I should have absolutely no connection with.

When I, Pei Xiao, was enjoying the harsh winters and scorching summers of the 21st century, when I was searching for easy money on the streets, when I was fighting with Aman for egg rolls, how could I have imagined that one day I would be wearing a phoenix robe and imprisoned in this deep palace?

More than 1,800 years have passed... That distant time and space seems as distant as a dream...

"Consort Fu has arrived!" a shrill voice announced.

I looked at my elaborately dressed self in the bronze mirror, my face expressionless.

"You may all leave," Consort Fu said calmly.

Everyone filed out, leaving only the two palace servants standing behind Consort Fu.

I stood up and looked at her. "What brings you here?"

Consort Fu lowered her head and gave a bitter smile before turning to the side.

My gaze froze for a moment, then I slowly opened my eyes wide and stared at the two beautiful women in palace attire behind Consort Fu.

The two women were of different heights; the taller palace maid was of slightly ordinary appearance, while the shorter one was stunningly beautiful.

But... why does he look so familiar...?

"Zhao'er!" I exclaimed with delight, recognizing him immediately because I had helped him dress in women's clothing before. "You really do look prettier in women's clothes!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao'er blushed instantly.

I approached the tall palace maid with a curious look on my face. "Who are you?"

The tall palace maid glared at me and turned her head away somewhat awkwardly.

"Little lady, you're so shy..." I grinned, stood on tiptoe, and reached out to hook his chin.

Seeing his strange appearance, I burst out laughing.

Seeing his eyes widen as if he was about to start cursing, my nose tingled, and I rushed forward, giving him a big bear hug and clinging to him. "Waaah... Hua Yingxiong, Hua Yingxiong... You scared me to death! I thought I was really going to stay in this godforsaken place and become some kind of empress..."

Hua Yingxiong paused for a moment, his body stiffened slightly, and then his arm, which had been hanging in mid-air, slowly lowered and landed on my back. He patted it and said, "It's alright, it's nothing."

There are four great joys in life: rain after a long drought, the first; passing the imperial examination, the second; the wedding night, the third; and meeting an old friend in a foreign land, the fourth.

Holding this soul, which, like mine, comes from over 1,800 years ago, all the unease and fear in my heart finally found an outlet.

"Sister..." Zhao'er's voice suddenly rang in my ears.

I came to my senses, released Hua Yingxiong, and landed on my feet.

"Hua Yingxiong... your outfit is really unique..." I rubbed my nose, blinked, and grinned.

"Still playing! Take your clothes off!" Hua Yingxiong glared at me and said.

"Take off your clothes?" I stared wide-eyed, crossing my arms over my chest.

Hua Yingxiong looked me up and down. "Don't worry, I have no interest in doing anything to you."

Zhao'er stepped forward to block Hua Yingxiong's view, "Don't be rude to your sister!"

I was still grinning, looking a little silly. From the moment they appeared, my mood suddenly turned into a bright sunny day. "As expected, Zhao'er is the most considerate, knowing how to protect me."

Zhao'er blushed and took out a set of clothes from her bosom. "Sister, put this on and give her the wedding dress."

I glanced at Consort Fu standing to the side, surprised. "What are you guys up to? Shouldn't you be fighting Yuan's army at Cangting?"

"Sister, let's leave first and talk about it later." Zhao'er pulled Hua Yingxiong around.

After thinking about it, I realized that they were trying to switch the baby with the baby.

I quickly shed the heavy, shackle-like wedding dress, changed into a maid's attire, and handed the wedding gown to Consort Fu.

Consort Fu looked at me, reached out and took the dress, her smile somewhat bitter.

The elaborate and heavy dark black wedding dress pressed down on her, and I suddenly realized that she had lost a lot of weight, a far cry from the chubby little girl she used to be.

She raised her hand, lowered the beaded curtain, and covered her face, also concealing her expression.

I picked up Baozi, who was sitting on the bed blinking, and followed Hua Yingxiong and Zhao'er out of the palace.

Lifting her skirt, Consort Fu walked out of the palace gate. Her gait was very similar to that of Emperor Liu Xie, both of them standing tall and trying hard to maintain the royal demeanor, even though the heavy, gorgeous clothes made her look like she was about to collapse.

As I stepped out of the room, snowflakes were falling from the sky, and it was getting dark.

I smiled as I watched the palace servants and maids beside me all bowing their heads. This was one of the advantages of the palace; servants could never look their masters in the eye.

I had only taken a few steps when I suddenly saw the emperor's entourage approaching from afar. I lowered my eyes and followed behind Consort Fu, clutching the steamed bun.

Liu Xie sat upright on the carriage, looking down at Consort Fu dressed in a grand wedding gown. Fortunately, it was dark, and it was difficult to tell the difference between the real and the fake for the moment.

"You've finally come," Liu Xie said slowly, parting his lips which were slightly purple from the cold, "...Prime Minister Cao."

I was stunned. Following the young emperor's gaze, I slowly turned around and saw a pair of narrow eyes.

Cao... Cao?!

Cao Cao emerged from the back of the corridor, his hands clasped behind his back, his bright purple robe fluttering in the snow.

He's here?

I stared at him, stunned and unable to come to my senses.

He actually came?

Cao Cao raised his lips and said, "How could I, your humble servant, not come to congratulate Your Majesty on your wedding?"

"Aren't you afraid of dying here?" Liu Xie looked at Cao Cao and spoke slowly, his breath turning into a white mist in the cold air.

"A wedding is a joyous occasion; why does Your Majesty say such a thing?"

Liu Xie lowered his eyes, pulled off the jade ring from his hand, and slammed it onto the steps. With a clang, the jade ring shattered.

Is the shattering of jade a warning?

My heart was in my throat, terrified that a whole bunch of archers and assassins would suddenly pop out from some corner... That's how it's always portrayed on TV...

All around was quiet. The wind whipped up snowflakes that stung my cheeks, so I quickly wrapped the bun tightly in my arms.

Baozi stirred restlessly, craning its little head and staring curiously at the commotion with its obsidian-like eyes.

There was no movement for a long time.

Liu Xie widened his eyes slightly in disbelief, looking around.

"Is this what Your Majesty is looking for?" Cao Cao raised his hand, and I then noticed that he was carrying a cloth bag behind his back, the bag stained with blood.

With a slight flick of her sleeve, the cloth bundle fell to the ground, rolled a few times, and then scattered, revealing a mangled human head rolling out from inside.

"Your Majesty, there were 120 assassins lurking in the palace. Your humble servant has eliminated them all for Your Majesty," Cao Cao said with a smile.

I was secretly alarmed. When did Cao Cao manage to eliminate all the assassins without anyone noticing? How could he move around such a large palace as if it were empty?

Liu Xie's face grew paler and paler. The situation was hopeless. The young emperor spoke dejectedly, "Thank you for your trouble, Prime Minister."

"Your Majesty, please." Cao Cao slightly raised his lips, his eyes showing no respect whatsoever.

Lady Fu was helped forward slowly by her palace maids.

"The Lady Fu, a noblewoman of the Inner Palace, is virtuous and chaste, and has been made Empress." The eunuch's high-pitched voice was deliberately drawn out, clearly sharp and strange.

Everything was silent.

The dumpling was actually Empress Fu.

Beneath the beaded curtain, I couldn't see her face clearly, but I suddenly remembered the arrogant little dumpling in the Prime Minister's residence, and the Empress Fu before me seemed like a lifetime ago.

"Madam, let's go back to the manor." Cao Cao turned to look at me, smiling, completely unconcerned about the mangled human head on the ground.

Beneath the beaded curtain, Tuanzi's mouth moved silently, and my legs went slightly weak. Zhao'er quickly stepped forward to support me.

The dumpling was saying, "If only... I were just a dumpling..."

That day in the Tongmeng Pavilion of the Prime Minister's residence, in my room, she said something similar after getting drunk. At the time, I thought it was just drunken talk, but now when I think about it, it's incredibly bittersweet. Everything had its signs.

As I followed them out of the palace, I turned back and looked at the young emperor and Empress Fu standing in the wind and snow. Amidst the swirling snowflakes, they resembled a somber yet vibrant ancient painting.

Those beautiful eyes, piercing through the wind and snow, gazed at me. It was Liu Xie; his eyes were utterly lifeless.

That black dragon robe with wide sleeves and red trim, that exquisitely beautiful face with deep features, yet her complexion was pale…

This young emperor, who spent his entire life as a puppet, has his resentment, his struggles, and his efforts recorded in history books?

For countless years to come, he will be trapped in this magnificent cage... For him, for this ambitious young emperor, that would be a living hell. His sharp eyes, hidden beneath the mist, will never be seen again...

That young emperor was always one step behind.

Holding the steamed bun, I stood outside the palace, still in a daze.

A palace gate separated everything.

I never saw Tuanzi's expression clearly, nor did I understand her feelings.

She was willing to spend her whole life by the side of that lonely young emperor, but her own feelings would be forever abandoned in a dark and desolate corner.

A long, calloused hand reached out in front of me. Before I could react, Baozi was already restlessly sticking out his little bottom and placing his chubby little paws on his father...

Cao Cao looked at me with a smile in his eyes.

He was always like that, always seemingly confident in whatever he did, and everything seemed to be within his calculations, with no surprises or unexpected events ever occurring.

On this trip, Cao Cao led five hundred elite soldiers and completely thwarted the trap that the young emperor had painstakingly set up.