Chapter 140: Queen's Ceremony
"Eunuch Ji?"
Ji Ming saw Lian Qiao's doubts and said with a smile, "His Majesty heard about what happened here and was worried that the Imperial Concubine didn't have enough manpower around her, so he sent this servant to wait on the Imperial Concubine's orders."
In short, he was asked to support the Imperial Noble Consort.
Ji Ming looked at the wet nurse coldly, and with a gesture, someone kicked her into the pool.
"Since the Imperial Noble Consort has issued an order, your disobedience will be punished even more severely. After retrieving the books from the pond, you will go to the Ministry of Punishment to receive your punishment."
The wet nurse's expression changed: "I am the eldest prince..."
Ji Ming said with a stern face: "The eldest prince cannot keep someone like you who has ulterior motives."
Lian Qiao watched Ji Ming handle the matter in just a few words, thinking that the people around His Majesty were more effective. However, Ji Ming kept saying the Imperial Concubine's orders, which was also a way of using his position in front of the Emperor to establish his authority over the Imperial Concubine.
"Eunuch, she is the eldest prince's wet nurse after all. The eldest prince lost his biological mother yesterday. If we punish her now, I'm afraid it will be difficult to deal with..."
Hearing Lian Qiao's concern, Ji Ming said, "Don't worry, young lady. His Majesty has just sent someone to the Qiongyu Palace to convey his decree. The Imperial Noble Consort is kind-hearted and, considering the eldest prince has lost his mother, will continue to be cared for by Li Baolin."
Lian Qiao's eyes widened. His Majesty had truly considered this. This way, even if he punished the wet nurse, no one would complain. Instead, it would earn the Empress a good reputation among the children in the Upper Study.
At the same time, there was also joy in the Qiongyu Palace.
Li Baolin has been in a very depressed state since she came back yesterday. She locked herself in the palace and refused to eat or drink. When the eunuch came to read the imperial edict just now, she thought she was hallucinating.
"Father-in-law, is this really the case?" Li Baolin asked again and again in disbelief.
Xiao Dezi smiled calmly and said, "Of course it's true. The Imperial Noble Consort is mindful of the fact that you have taken care of the eldest prince for many years. Now that the eldest prince is young and has no biological mother by his side, it would be more appropriate for him to be taken care of by you."
"The Imperial Concubine also said, if you can't take good care of her, then..."
Before he could finish, Li Baolin hurriedly said, "I will definitely take good care of Cheng'er. Your Majesty, the Imperial Concubine has been so kind and virtuous that I will never forget her!"
As she said this, she kowtowed three times.
Originally, after what happened yesterday, she thought that even if His Majesty didn't execute her, she would have to stay in the cold palace for the rest of her life. Who knew that things would take a turn for the better and Cheng'er would actually come back to her.
Li Baolin didn't think about anything now. She just wanted to take good care of the eldest prince. She wanted to run to Zhuoyu Palace to kowtow to Yueli.
After Yue Li knew about this, she felt that He Yanchen was really good at manipulating people's hearts.
Li Baolin was hit hard at that time, so he returned the eldest prince to her, but did not promote her position nor change the eldest prince's biological mother in the imperial genealogy. So in the final analysis, she was just taking care of the eldest prince temporarily. As long as He Yanchen said a word, he could take the eldest prince away at any time.
After what happened yesterday, Li Baolin will only love the eldest prince even more and will never dare to use him to cause trouble again.
After all, the eldest prince is his child, and finding him an adoptive mother who loves him is a way of showing his affection.
*
The incident with Concubine Zheng came to an end, and no one in the harem dared to cause trouble anymore. For a while, several months passed in peace and tranquility.
In the blink of an eye, midsummer passed, and early autumn ushered in the ceremony of Yueli's coronation as Queen.
The tenth day of September was an auspicious day chosen by the Imperial Astronomical Observatory.
After an autumn rain, the weather turned cooler and the morning light shone on the endless palace buildings. The glazed tiles were washed spotlessly clean and reflected a sparkling brilliance.
From the Zhuoyu Palace to the Jinluan Palace, the palace road was covered with red silk carpets, and armored imperial guards stood on both sides, with bells and drums ringing, fully demonstrating the royal majesty.
Yueli almost couldn't sleep yesterday. According to custom, they couldn't see each other on the wedding night.
He Yanchen was not around, and she hadn't been sleeping well to begin with. She had only dozed off for a short while when she was woken up by the maids to do her makeup.
At noon, an envoy with imperial seals would come to the front of the Zhuoyu Palace to welcome her to the Shengwu Gate and enter the imperial city through the main gate. He Yanchen would wait in front of the Golden Palace opposite the palace gate, and take her hand to walk up the steps of the Golden Palace to receive the worship of all the people.
As a long horn sounded, the ministers holding imperial seals were already waiting outside the palace. Yue Li took a deep breath, holding up a pearl fan and slowly stepped out of the Zhuoyu Palace.
The woman wore a phoenix crown and a phoenix robe, and she looked so graceful and elegant that people dared not look directly at her.
It took nearly half an hour to walk from Zhuoyu Palace to Shengwu Gate. Yue Li couldn't help but move her neck, feeling like she was about to collapse.
The moment she stepped into the imperial city through the main gate, Yue Li remembered her first time entering the palace. She was excited but also nervous. At that time, she had never imagined that such a day would come.
From a distance, she saw the emperor wearing a crown and a robe with twelve dragon patterns standing under the steps.
The man had a handsome face and a dignified demeanor. When she approached, he extended his hand to her.
Yue Li finally put her heart back into her stomach. She placed her hand in his palm, and then she felt a warmth on the back of her hand. He Yanchen took her hand and slowly walked up the stairs.
When the golden bell rang, all the civil and military officials shouted "Long live the emperor" and knelt down in a large crowd.
Yue Li stood beside He Yanchen, somewhat shocked by what she saw. He Yanchen squeezed her hand, worried that she was panicking. Just as he was about to comfort her, he heard her say:
"Is this how Your Majesty looks at them every day during court? Can Your Majesty hear what they say?"
He Yanchen: “…”
Okay, he knew that her train of thought was always rather strange.
The enthronement ceremony lasted for several hours. By the time Yue Li returned to Linde Hall, she was exhausted.
The Linde Hall was brand new, with red gauze fluttering in the wind, and the mandarin duck quilt was sprinkled with auspicious items such as lotus seeds and peanuts. Nanny Xi presented the wedding wine, and only after the two drank it did she leave, considerately closing the hall door.
Yueli looked around curiously and thought the red color was so dazzling.
"Your Majesty, my neck is about to break." She pursed her lips in complaint as she spoke.
He Yanchen smiled and raised his hand to help her remove the hair crown, but Yueli dodged and asked him, "I have been dressing up all night, Your Majesty, and you didn't even look at me properly."
"I have already seen it in the Golden Palace just now." He Yanchen kissed her ear, "It is very beautiful."
Yue Li blushed uncomfortably. "Your Majesty, if you've seen enough, I'll tear it down. I'm so tired."
"I'll help you."
He took off Yueli's cumbersome phoenix crown and veil, and when He Yanchen looked down, he saw the woman leaning in his arms, drowsy.
"Are you tired?" He picked the person up and placed him on the bed.
Yueli mumbled incoherently: "I couldn't sleep last night..."
Although he really wanted to have a wonderful wedding night, seeing Yueli so sleepy, He Yanchen didn't want to bother her, so he said softly: "Then go to sleep, I will accompany you."
Yueli suddenly opened her eyes when she heard this: "No, not yet..."
She was a little embarrassed and couldn't say it. He Yanchen smiled and rubbed her head: "Aren't you tired?"
"That won't work either."
"No matter what, I just want to..."
He Yanchen leaned over and kissed her on the lips helplessly: "Little greedy cat."
In a daze, Yueli felt sleepy and tired, with only one thought in her mind.
She felt that He Yanchen's beard was not shaved clean today.
It pricked her little flower and it hurt.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com