Chapter 52 After Marriage

The emperor's status is the most noble in the world. Even when he wears a white dragon robe, he is still followed by many servants.

However, at this moment, Jialuo could not notice anything else. The man's footsteps were getting closer and closer to her, and each step felt like it was stepping on her heart.

A pair of black boots came into view, followed by long, slender hands with distinct knuckles, slightly curved, placed in front of her.

Jialuo was stunned for a moment, and for a moment she felt a little dazed, as if the past four years had not disappeared.

But the long, strong hand in front of me has shed its former immaturity and is now imbued with a calm and dignified air.

This time, she didn't reach out; she simply lowered her head slightly.

The man seemed to understand that she wouldn't reach out, so he withdrew his hand, straightened up, and said gently, "New Sari, get up quickly."

Jialuo then stood up, only to find that everyone around her had left without her noticing.

Only the two of them remained in the vast garden.

As she got closer, Jialuo realized just how tall the boy was; she barely reached his chin.

His body no longer showed the frailty of his youth; even through his muscular clothing, one could feel the strength of his muscles.

His handsome face was dashing and elegant, and his beautiful brows had lost much of their sharpness, as if he possessed a peacefulness that allowed him to hold the world in his hands.

Fulin is now the true emperor of the Qing Dynasty.

Jialuo glanced at him, then stepped back and said with a smile, "It's been a long time since I've seen Your Majesty. You've become even more magnanimous."

The man just stared at her, his dark eyes fixed on her.

Happy birthday, Sassa!

Jialuo was taken aback, then smiled and said, "Your Majesty, I thank you for your blessing. In previous years, Your Majesty has sent me gifts every year on my birthday. I am deeply grateful."

Fu Lin seemed oblivious to Jia Luo's resistance and indifference. He reached out and pulled Jia Luo's fingers hanging by her side, and said in a low voice, "This year, on your sixteenth birthday, I want to give you a gift. I have been preparing it for a long time, and perhaps you will like it."

After he finished speaking, he pulled her out of the pavilion. Jialuo tried to pull her hand away, but as before, she was still unable to budge the man's strength in the slightest.

She didn't know what gift he had prepared, but she didn't actually want it.

The more lavish the gift, the less likely she is to accept it?

Looking at the man's straight, even somewhat broad back, Jialuo wondered how the boy from back then had grown up so rapidly in the past four years.

Perhaps he has overcome the shadows of his childhood to become the Fulin he is today.

Jialuo was absent-minded, lost in thought.

"New Sarri".

Suddenly, a man's voice filled with extreme joy rang out.

Jialuo's heart skipped a beat, and she abruptly raised her head, looking incredulously at the man standing in the hall in the courtyard.

The man had a dark complexion with the deep red cheeks characteristic of the Horqin Grassland, and a large beard, but his bright, eagle-like eyes were slightly moist at the moment.

"Abu!!!"

Jialu practically shook off Fulin's hand and ran away, lifting her skirt.

Wu Keshan opened his arms and hugged her tightly.

In that instant, Jialuo felt like a bird returning to its nest, having found the mountain she would rely on for the rest of her life.

The familiar warmth enveloped her completely, filling her with immense joy.

Tears welled up uncontrollably, and she cried softly like a child.

"Child, don't cry."

The man gently patted her back and whispered, "You were born to enjoy happiness, don't cry."

The more Abu said this, the more Jialuo wanted to cry.

"Look at our sixth daughter crying, she didn't even notice her mother."

With teary eyes, Jialuo looked in the direction of the voice and saw a still-attractive woman standing gracefully to the side, looking at her with a smile.

Jialu smiled somewhat embarrassedly, stepped out of Abu's arms, and walked up to the woman.

"Daughter greets Mother."

Jialu bowed respectfully, then stood up straight before the woman could speak, her eyes moist but her face beaming with a smile as she looked at her.

"Mother, your daughter misses you so much."

Carol took the woman's hand and shook it obediently.

The woman gently wiped Jialuo's eyes with her embroidered handkerchief and said with a smile, "You should thank the Emperor. It was the Emperor who ordered you and Abu to come to the capital."

As she spoke, her gaze swept past Jialuo and looked behind her.

Jialuo turned her head following her gaze and was met with a pair of dark eyes.

Those eyes, both assertive and tender, gazed at her.

"Did you like this birthday gift?"

He actually asked that question.

Jialuo turned around, took a few steps forward, and when she was still two feet away from the man, she solemnly bowed to Fulin.

"Your Majesty, I thank you."

"Um,"

Fu Lin bent down slightly, and Jia Luo felt the man slowly approach her ear. She suppressed the urge to pull away and heard the man say in a low voice, "Then you promise to accompany me to tour the capital tomorrow."

What's so difficult about that?

Jialuo agreed almost without hesitation.

Wu Keshan stepped forward and bowed to Fu Lin.

Fu Lin took Wu Keshan's arm first and said with a smile, "Father-in-law, why bother with such formalities? We are all family, so there is no need to pay attention to such empty formalities."

The Grand Consort stepped forward and said with a smile, "I was so excited when I heard that I could come to the capital that I couldn't sleep. Now that I'm here, my heart is finally at ease."

After she finished speaking, Jialuo seemed to have thought of something and said to her mother, "The doctor who went to the grasslands to provide medical care this year told me that you are not in good health. He said that you are suffering from tinnitus, dizziness and headaches. Now that you have arrived in the capital, the imperial physician will definitely be asked to take a look at you."

After she finished speaking, she glanced at Fu Lin again.

"Your Majesty, please allow the imperial physician to treat my mother."

Fu Lin glanced at Jia Luo and said with a smile, "You are the Empress, so you can directly instruct the Imperial Hospital to handle this matter."

Jialuo nodded slightly and said with a smile, "Yes, Your Majesty, I understand."

Seeing that Abu was happy, and that Eji was happy too, Fulin knew that the family naturally had a lot to say, so he said to Jialuo and Wu Keshan, "I have official business to attend to this afternoon. Later, Angela, Angel, and the Princess Consort of Xiangqin will come. In the evening, I will come to have dinner with my father-in-law and mother-in-law."

Wu Keshan, along with his wife and Jialuo, rose to respectfully see Fulin off.

Fu Lin glanced at Jia Luo, then turned and left.

As soon as the person left, Jialuo grabbed Abu and led Eji into the courtyard where she lived.

Wu Keshan was initially worried about seeing his daughter at the villa, but his worries lessened considerably when his daughter led him into the main courtyard and he saw the furnishings of the entire courtyard.

“A few years ago, I heard that you were no longer living in the palace and were going to live in a separate courtyard. I was so worried that I didn’t sleep for several nights. You always report good news and not bad news. In your letters, you only said that things were good. It was only after your fifth sister and third sister wrote to me that you were doing very well that I was relieved.”

When Jialuo heard the man say this, it felt like a clear spring was flowing into her heart, warm and comforting.

Holding Abu's hand, she said with a smile, "My daughter has never suffered a bit of hardship in her life, thanks to the care and love of Abu and Mother."

Wu Keshan smiled but didn't say anything.

Instead, the Grand Consort sighed and said, "Your third sister and Prince Xiang's relationship is getting better and better, but your fifth sister has been in the palace all this time and has not been able to give birth to a prince."

Her saying this was also a way of expressing her concern for her fifth sister.

But Jialuo didn't seem to care much.

Her fifth sister wasn't exactly a brilliant person. Since she left the palace, Angrama only sent her messages relatively frequently for the first three months. After that, they gradually lost contact.

To this day, the two have not been heard from for six months.

She and her third sister met often, and her third sister said that Angrama was fighting fiercely with the concubines in the palace.

The most conflicting party is the current Consort Xian, of the Dong E clan.

When Galo first heard this, he was taken aback, but then he understood.

In the imperial harem, the struggles were for either the emperor's favor or power within the harem.

Now that Dong Eshi has been made a concubine, Anglama is also a concubine.

The two have been vying for control of the harem for quite some time.

They all wanted to be empresses.

As for the lack of offspring, even Jialuo could only think that perhaps the emperor was ultimately lacking in that aspect.

After all, the first time he was drugged by the Empress Dowager, and it ended so hastily. The second time, he was also drugged by the Empress Dowager, and the victim was Tong Yi, a woman who was almost a complete stranger.

Perhaps this caused Fulin psychological trauma?

Jialuo was unaware.

Seeing the worried expressions on Eji and Abu's faces, Jialuo thought for a moment and said, "The matter of the imperial heir is not something to be rushed. When the emperor ascended the throne, the court was unstable, so he was naturally busy with official duties. Now that the court is stable, the emperor will consider the matter of the imperial heir."

"Fifth Sister is clever and resourceful. Now she is one of the two consorts. As for my position in the harem, I have also been placed next to the Emperor's Qianqing Palace. I am sure I will be able to get what I want in the future."

The woman nodded, her expression softening somewhat.

Wu Keshan smiled again and looked at her, saying, "Abu specially brought you Golden Horde wine from the grasslands. It was brewed by Abu himself, and I'm sure you'll like it."

Jialu cheered and threw herself into Abu's arms just like when she was a child. Her eyes were slightly hot, and she was so happy that she didn't know what to say.

Wu Keshan liked Jialuo's closeness the most, and their laughter never stopped.

Half an incense stick later, Angela, Gaowa, and Angel arrived.

Angel was originally in the villa, but she deliberately left some time for Jialuo and the other two to spend together, so she came with her two older sisters.

The three of them, along with Wu Keshan and the woman, were overjoyed, and the family lived in harmony and happiness.

Angrama looked at Jialuo and said with a smile, "I am able to meet Abu Eji in the capital today thanks to my sixth sister."

Galo looked up and met Angelama's gaze.

She felt a little uncomfortable looking into Angrama's eyes, as if Angrama was saying that she hadn't shouldered the responsibilities of an empress, but was still enjoying the glory of one.

“It’s not my light, Fifth Sister. This is the Emperor’s respect for our Borjigit clan. This is the glory that our ancestors, Abu Eji, our brothers and sisters, and of course you, and Third Sister, have earned for the Qing Dynasty.”

"Yes, hahaha, my daughters are absolutely right."

“Angrama, Jialuo, and Gaowa are all excellent. Abu is very proud of your performance in the capital.”

Wu Keshan looked at Jialuo with great satisfaction, then smiled at his other two daughters and Angel, and said with a smile.

Instead, Angelama's expression changed slightly, and she wanted to speak, but her mother grabbed her hand.

"Alright, why do you sisters have to argue all the time?"

Gaowa glanced at her mother, pursed her lips, but said nothing.

Angel looked obedient, but leaned slightly against Galo.

The minor conflict was quickly resolved, and when Fulin arrived, a banquet was held. Fulin and Jialuo naturally sat in the main seats, followed by Wu Keshan and the Grand Consort, then Angela Ma, and finally Gaowa and Angel.

The family dined under the moonlight, creating a harmonious atmosphere.

Fu Lin's attitude towards Wu Keshan was extremely warm, which even surprised Jia Luo, as she had never seen Fu Lin be so genuinely warm towards anyone before.

It's inevitable to have some drinks at the table, and Jialuo was in a very good mood today, so she drank a little too much.

When they were enjoying themselves, they had someone bring out the morin khuur (horsehead fiddle). Angel played the instrument, and Jialuo got up first and started dancing in the open space in the courtyard.

Today she wore a light blue Mongolian dress, her waist was slender and delicate, and her figure was long and graceful. When she danced, she was like a bird flying freely in the sky, or like flowing spring water.

She danced freely and unrestrainedly, while Fu Lin, holding a wine glass, stared at her in a daze.

No one noticed that the Grand Consort's expression gradually turned cold as she watched the Emperor stare intently at Jialuo, without giving Angela Ma, who was also dancing beside him, a single glance.

Until Wu Keshan, who was standing to the side, looked at her reproachfully.

Her expression changed drastically, and then her eyes slowly reddened.

Wu Keshan looked away and sighed helplessly.

After the banquet that night, Fulin naturally rested in a separate courtyard.

Even though Jialuo was extremely unwilling, she could only watch helplessly as Fulin walked into her courtyard.

She was a little drunk, and as soon as she entered the courtyard, she pouted and looked somewhat unhappy.

Fu Lin took her hand and led her into the bedchamber.

Jialuo struggled and said unhappily, "Why are you pulling me?"

Fu Lin turned his head, a slight smile playing on his lips, and said, "Because I'm happy, I like holding your hand like this."

Jialuo glanced at Fulin and said, "Your Majesty likes Consort Xian and likes holding hands, so why don't you go and hold Consort Xian's hand?"

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Author's note: I've seen many readers worried that Jialuo might be mistreated. No, she won't. Jialuo's life will only get better and better, and her ending will definitely be the best [starry-eyed].