Cen Xilian drank three bowls of porridge before looking satisfied.
Shen Jinchen pursed his lips, still feeling uneasy, and wanted to bully the woman in front of him again.
Anyway, it's getting dark, so it's the perfect time to get things done.
So, as soon as Cen Xi finished clearing the table, Shen Jinchen pulled her into his arms and untied the belt around her waist.
"what?"
"Why are you criticizing me? You've ignored me for over twenty days, so of course I'm going to get back at you until you're crying for your parents."
"You! Ugh!"
Cen Xi wanted to say something more, but her cherry lips were instantly sealed with a kiss, and then her whole body was enveloped in the scent of sandalwood.
Before long, he had very few clothes left.
Cen Xi was placed directly on a chair by Shen Jinchen, who then proceeded to test her relentlessly.
Even late at night, the cabin was still scorching hot. The next day, when it was broad daylight, Cen Xi was still being teased by Shen Jinchen before he finally stopped.
After returning to the capital, Shen Jinchen took Cen Xi directly into the palace.
Three days later, Emperor Yan Zhao personally read out his abdication edict in the court.
The court officials were overjoyed. The Ministry of Rites, in conjunction with the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, determined that May 18th was an auspicious day, most suitable for sacrifices and court ceremonies. Thus, the grand ceremony for the emperor and empress was set for this day.
Before the investiture, Cen Xi returned to the princess's residence and summoned Su Nianniang to his side for questioning.
"I'm going to the palace to become Empress from now on, and I'll be living in the Princess's Residence. I'm afraid you won't be able to stay there anymore. What are your plans? I've looked at a few families for you these past few days. Would you like to choose one?"
“Princess, I have thought a lot these past few days. I know that I am just a country woman. If I marry into a noble family, I am afraid I will tarnish their reputation. I... I want to go to the palace to become a maid, to repay the princess for her kindness.”
Su Nianniang hesitated for a moment, gritted her teeth, knelt down in front of Cen Xi, and refused Cen Xi's request.
"There are too many restrictions for palace maids. Are you sure you want to enter the palace? Actually, you can marry a poor official and live a simple life for now. Later, I, the princess, will find a way to promote your husband."
Cen Xi didn't expect Su Nianniang to refuse her, but for Xiaoyu and Jiuyi's sake, she still asked one more question.
“Nianniang’s mind is made up; please grant her wish, Your Highness.”
Su Nianniang knelt down and kowtowed three times after getting out of the car.
"Okay! But what about Xiaoyu and Jiuyi?"
Seeing that Su Nianniang was so determined, Cen Xi stopped asking her questions and instead asked Xiaoyu and Jiuyi.
“They… Your Highness said before that as long as they still recognize you as their mother, they are your children. Please make proper arrangements for them.”
Su Nianniang paused for a moment, then kowtowed three times to Cen Xi, praying that Cen Xi would show more kindness.
"Ha! Very good! Since you've asked me to make arrangements, then this princess will presume to do it. Xiaoyu will come to the palace with me, and I will give her the position of princess. As for Jiuyi, considering that he is my senior brother's disciple, let's adopt him under the name of Wen Qiyu, the second young master of the Wen family. After the second young master of the Wen family dies, there will be no heirs, and Jiuyi should be treated well in their family."
Cen Xi chuckled lightly, glanced at Su Nianniang with an ambiguous expression, and then actually arranged where Xiaoyu and Jiuyi would go.
"Princess... does the princess mean that they can no longer recognize me as their mother?"
Su Nianniang was somewhat surprised that Cen Xi would give Jiu Yi to the Wen family for adoption, and that she had arranged for her son and daughter to be adopted. Did that mean that she, as their biological mother, would have no further connection with them?
“Of course, I love my two children, so I can’t let him have a mother who is a palace maid. You have to give up something to gain something. Since you made the choice, you have to bear the consequences.”
Cen Xi looked at her and responded with a faint smile.
"Yes, Your Highness is right."
Su Nianniang gave a dry laugh, as if she had resigned herself to her fate.
"Well, since you want to be a palace maid, what skills do you have? Tell me first so I can make arrangements."
Cen Xi thought for a moment and then asked.
“Over the years I have been in poor health, so I have learned some medical knowledge from Eunuch Qin. I have heard that there are female doctors in the palace. Your Highness, Princess, Nianniang can become a female doctor.”
Su Nianniang had clearly planned to enter the palace long ago, so when Cen Xi asked her, she revealed her thoughts.
"Alright! That's settled then. Take this token and go to Yongshan Palace to report for duty."
Cen Xi gave her a strange look, tossed her a sign, and told her to leave.
Su Nianniang didn't dare to linger and left the princess's residence with the token in hand.
After Su Nianniang left, she summoned Eunuch Qin and handed him the house and land deeds that Qingyi had given her earlier.
With tears streaming down his face, Eunuch Qin thanked the princess and was sent out of the princess's residence that very day.
At the same time, she also called Xiaoyu and Jiuyi over and spoke with them.
Xiaoyu and Jiuyi were somewhat disappointed upon hearing Su Nianniang's choice, but they quickly accepted Cen Xi's arrangement. After all, they had no other choice.
After delivering Liu Jiuyi to the Duke of Wen's residence, Cen Xi boarded a carriage and returned to the palace.
After returning to the palace, Cen Xi personally took Xiao Yu around the palace and let her choose a palace she liked.
Xiaoyu was very well-behaved and, without much effort, chose a residence in the Yinlan Palace, which was not far from the Empress's Kunde Palace.
After settling everything in, Cen Xi lazily went into her Kunde Palace to rest.
Tomorrow is the coronation ceremony, and just hearing about all those complicated procedures makes her feel exhausted. If she doesn't rest and recuperate properly, she'll be completely worn out tomorrow.
The next day, just as she had expected, the worship and sacrifices were incredibly tedious.
After a long day, she felt like her neck was about to break, and she fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow at night.
Unfortunately, the man wouldn't let her go and even made advances that night. Cen Xi was going crazy and kicked him off the bed.
"What are you doing? I am now the ruler of a country. What you are doing is insubordination. Besides, tonight is supposed to be our wedding night. We haven't touched each other for several days. Don't you want to be my husband?"
Shen Jinchen was kicked to the ground. He was annoyed at first, but then he found it funny. He flipped himself up and climbed back onto the bed, hugging Cen Xiwen.
"What insubordination? I'll never be one of you. You dare to put on airs with me? Dream on! You've been working all day, and you still have energy? Are you out of your mind? Go to sleep, or I'll kick you out of bed."
Cen Xi barely lifted her eyelids; she was too tired. After lazily finishing her rant, she closed her eyes again.
"No, tonight is our wedding night, you have to satisfy me at least once, just once, and then I'll let you go."
Shen Jinchen refused without even thinking. Now that he was already on the verge of it, how could he resist? He had to do it tonight no matter what.
After saying that, he ignored Cen Xi's resistance and forced himself on her.
Cen Xi couldn't stop him or push him away, so she let him do as he pleased, as long as it didn't disturb her sleep.
In May of that year, the Great Yan Dynasty, which had lasted for 103 years, collapsed. Bei Mingjue, a descendant of the former royal family, successfully restored the country, established the Later Qi Dynasty, and changed the era name to Yongxing. From then on, a new era began for the land of Kyushu.
With the court in dire need of rebuilding, Emperor Yongxing, along with his ministers and the empress, argued for three whole months before finally settling on eight national policies.
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