Chapter 472 The officials were in an uproar, and the wedding night was filled with joy.

I looked up and found there was someone in front of me.

How could the emperor make a mistake at the last minute?!

The officials were in an uproar.

Ji Qingwu almost cried out in surprise.

Emperor Wusu actually stepped down the steps to greet her.

The emperor should have stood obediently on the high platform and waited for her to stand beside him.

A broad palm covered with calluses appeared before Ji Qingwu's eyes. In front of all the officials, she had no choice but to place her hand on it.

Zhao Mingyan pulled hard, and Ji Qingwu, along with him, stood on the nine-zhang-high platform.

Li Yuzong smiled more brightly than a sunflower as he opened the imperial edict in his hand.

"By the mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees—"

Li Yuzong's voice resounded throughout the Jiying Hall.

"Your Lady Ji, upholding filial piety and virtue, and possessing gentle wisdom that surpasses mountains and rivers. You come from a distinguished family, a model of gentleness and virtue; you are virtuous and wise, with a long-standing reputation for excellence. Therefore, Lady Ji is hereby appointed Empress Mingde, and is granted the Golden Book and Golden Seal of the Empress."

This edict caused a great shock among the court officials.

Ji Qingwu only half understood what he was hearing, as it was too literary and he didn't know what had offended the entire court.

Li Yuzong bowed and stepped forward, smiling broadly, saying, "Your Majesty, please accept the golden book and golden seal."

Ji Qingwu accepted the golden seal and the golden book with both hands. The golden seal was a golden dragon-shaped knob with a yellow ribbon, and the words engraved on the golden book were the edict that Li Yuzong had just proclaimed.

Ji Qingwu carefully read through the entire document, and then his gaze lingered on the two characters "Mingde".

Her pupils contracted again and again.

Mingde...

bright......

It's Emperor Wusu's name!

Throughout history, the emperor's name has been taboo and cannot be directly called or written.

But the character "Ming" was directly bestowed upon her as a title.

Such unwavering affection from the world caused Ji Qingwu's hands to tremble. A warm, large hand supported her, helping her steady what she was holding.

"You mustn't drop it," Zhao Mingyan said with a low laugh.

He raised his chin, and Li Yuzong quickly stepped forward to take the tray containing the gold ingot and the gold book.

Then, the music and rituals suddenly became more urgent.

Ji Qingwu was stunned. Were we already at the next stage?

She hadn't even knelt down to express her gratitude.

The wedding ceremony was irregular in too many ways. The officials were still shocked by the previous conferment of the Empress's title. The fact that the Empress did not express her gratitude was a minor matter.

Zhao Mingyan took her right hand, and the two stood together, facing the court officials below the steps, accepting their kneeling obeisance.

This time, Ji Qingwu saw the expressions on the faces of the court officials clearly. The Prince Yong at the front was making wild winks and gestures at her, but she couldn't bear to look at him and ignored the fool.

Despite being the head of the civil officials, Lu Juan seemed distracted.

Because Lu Juan handled most of the arrangements for the emperor's wedding, his back was covered in sweat and he had a terrible headache.

He pondered how he should respond if the Censorate made a scene tomorrow regarding the Emperor's eagerness to step down and the Empress's overstepping of authority in bestowing her title.

Only Duan Mingfeng behaved normally, showing a look of blessing, with a hint of envy in his eyes.

*

After the ceremony, a banquet was held in the Jiying Hall.

Guided by Aunt Fanghua, Ji Qingwu arrived at the Empress's bedroom, Chenning Palace.

Her tense nerves finally relaxed for a while, and she then realized that her lower back was sore.

What's worse is the five-pound phoenix crown on her head, which not only made her neck ache, but also felt like she was wearing a tight headband, making her head spin.

Ji Qingwu, who had always been so poised and elegant in front of the officials, leaned against the headboard of the bed in the bedroom and asked expectantly, "Aunt Fanghua, can this phoenix crown be taken off now?"

Fanghua chuckled and said, "Your Majesty, you must wait for the Emperor to return and drink the nuptial wine with him before you can remove your hairpins and jewelry and change out of your wedding robes."

Ji Qingwu asked weakly, "Where is the Emperor?"

Fanghua smiled and said, "His Majesty is still in the Jiying Hall. Should I send someone to urge him?"

The emperor and his courtiers were having a banquet, and the empress sent someone to urge them on, especially since tonight was their wedding night, making her seem extremely impatient.

Ji Qingwu said, "Let's wait a little longer."

No sooner had he finished speaking than Xiao Dongzi entered the hall, beaming with joy, and said, "This servant greets Your Majesty the Empress!"

Ji Qingwu perked up and asked, "What is it, sir?"

Xiao Dongzi said, "This servant was ordered by His Majesty to bring over a few of the better dishes from the banquet. His Majesty has been thinking of Your Highness and said that Your Highness should eat first so that you don't go hungry."

Aunt Fanghua and all the palace servants in the hall laughed.

Ji Qingwu's ears felt hot.

Fanghua took the food box and asked, "Thank you for your trouble, Eunuch. May I ask how long it will take for His Majesty to arrive, so that Her Majesty can make preparations to receive him?"

Xiao Dongzi said, "His Majesty has already left his seat."

Ji Qingwu asked in surprise, "Where did you go? Will it be a long time?"

Li Yuzong's announcement rang out from outside the hall: "His Majesty has arrived!"

Just as Ji Qingwu stood up, the emperor strode into the bedchamber, the jade beads hanging from his waist clinking together with a clear, melodious sound.

At this moment, Emperor Wusu had changed his clothes, which were the same color and style as the wedding robe worn by Ji Qingwu, except that his robe was decorated with a coiled dragon and auspicious clouds.

This was the first time Ji Qingwu had seen him dressed in bright red. He was handsome and radiant, and her mouth suddenly felt dry.

Whether it was due to the reflection of the red silk or because he had just drunk wine, she felt that his face seemed to be flushed, and there was a scarlet color in his eyes.

Zhao Mingyan dismissed the people in the hall, but he remained standing by the bedchamber, staring intently at her.

Ji Qingwu's face flushed under his gaze. She walked to the table where the food was laid out and said, "Your Majesty, would you like some more?"

The two sat facing each other at the table. Ji Qingwu only touched his chopsticks once, eating a piece of pastry before putting it down, the sweetness fading from his lips.

Anyone stared at by those fierce, predatory eyes would feel uneasy, especially since her head was aching from the weight of the golden crown.

Ji Qingwu stretched out her fair wrist, picked up the wine cup, and thought that after drinking the nuptial wine, she could change her clothes.

She was about to hand one of them to him when she noticed that the bottoms of the two dragon and phoenix cups were tied with gourd vines made of gold thread.

Zhao Mingyan said, "Come here."

Ji Qingwu walked around the table to his side and put down the dragon and phoenix cup filled with wine.

Before her was a sash adorned with crocheted knots and red jade, and even with several layers of wedding attire, she still looked delicate and fragile.

Zhao Mingyan's eyes dimmed even more.

Ji Qingwu wanted to coax him to finish the wine as soon as possible, so she pulled his arm and put it on her waist.

She lifted her left leg and unceremoniously sat on his sturdy thigh.

Ji Qingwu hooked her arm around his neck and brought the dragon and phoenix cup to his lips.

"His Majesty."

Zhao Mingyan did not open his mouth, his dark eyes growing even more unfathomable, as if trying to gauge the extent of her capabilities.

Ji Qingwu rubbed against him, urging him to speak quickly, but he only raised his long eyebrows slightly, with a smile in his eyes.

A desire to conquer this unyielding mouth stirred within Ji Qingwu.

She straddled him, her gaze falling on the rich wine in the glass, and gently touched it with her lips.

Her vibrant red lips were instantly moistened.

She pressed herself closer to him and whispered sweetly in his ear, "Mingyan."

"This wine is so sweet."

"Won't you try some?"