Chapter 59: How's Concubine Yi? Am I on time? Concubine Yi? ...
July wasn't particularly hot. Even after removing her cap, Xiuyu's forehead was covered in sweat. Xuanye pulled out a handkerchief and wiped her sweat, saying, "Next time you go out, wear a long gown. It's hot to wear a vest."
Xiu Yu felt somewhat shy, but couldn't hide, so he had to let Xuanye wipe the sweat off his face, and then said, "Just go back to the palace. When you get back to the palace, Yu'er will freeze some fruit for you before you eat it." "I'm really afraid of diarrhea." He had to admit that the iced fruit made by Yu'er was very delicious in summer, but maybe he enjoyed it too much, and his body couldn't handle it.
Xiu Yu smiled and said, "You ate too much last time and there was too much ice in the room. Even the best things should be consumed in moderation. Isn't that the truth?"
"Hmm." Xuanye responded, "How about you use less ice each time, and I'll eat less."
"Can't you just share it with Xiao Tao and the others?" Xiu Yu was speechless. "There's no need to be so overbearing. Do you have to eat it all?"
"You're right. It's all your fault." Xuanye closed his eyes and said, "Rest up. To ensure a smooth exit from the palace today, I got up yesterday after you fell asleep and reviewed several memorials. After all this excitement, I'm really feeling a little tired."
Xiu Yu opened the folding fan in her hand and slowly fanned Xuanye: "You should get some sleep first. I'll call you when we get to Yikun Palace."
Although Xuanye was dazed, he grasped Xiuyu's hand accurately and said, "I know that you have been feeling uneasy living in Yikun Palace lately. Has anyone tried to cause trouble for you?"
"Do you think there's anyone in the harem who can really cause me trouble?" Xiu Yu's words were filled with confidence: "I don't cause trouble, but I'm not afraid of it either."
"I know you are a smart girl." Xuanye frowned and wanted to say something, but he didn't say it in the end.
Xiu Yu said softly, "You don't have to tell me, I understand."
"Don't worry." Xuanye held Xiuyu's hand tightly. "It won't be long before you become the legitimate master of Yikun Palace. Just be patient and wait."
"Go to sleep." Xiu Yu's voice became even lower. "There's no need to explain too much about what's going on between you and me."
Xuanye raised the corner of his mouth slightly, and a smile appeared on his face: "Haven't I told you that before I met you, I often had a dream. In the dream, there was a girl whom I liked very much, but I couldn't see her face clearly no matter what."
Xiu Yu suppressed her laughter and said, "After you met me, did you stop having that dream?"
Hearing Xiu Yu say this, Xuanye opened his eyes and asked: "How did you know this?"
Xiu Yu almost laughed out loud: "Your Majesty, Third Brother, there's no need for us to say such sweet words to each other. I'm not a three-year-old child. Most of the things in this dream are hard to relate to reality."
"Everything I said is true." Xuanye seemed a little aggrieved: "I know it sounds like a joke, but it is indeed true."
Seeing Xuanye's serious expression, Xiu Yu didn't dare to 'laugh' anymore: "If it's true, it's a bit far-fetched, isn't it?"
"Next time I go to Mount Wutai, I'll ask the great monks." Xuanye raised his hand and touched Xiuyu's cheek, saying, "No matter what, I like the fate with you, and I hope that the girl in my dream is you."
Xiu Yu hesitated for a moment and asked, "Then...what did you dream about?"
It's hard to remember the things in a dream clearly. Even if you can remember roughly, it's already very difficult. Xuanye didn't want to mix any water on this matter. He just said: "I can't remember it clearly. The most real feeling is probably that every time I wake up, I feel refreshed."
Xiu Yu joked, "So, isn't dreaming more relaxing than taking medicine?"
"That's right." Xuanye put on a serious face again: "You are indeed the best medicine to cure me."
There were three black lines on Xiu Yu's forehead. After Xuanye said this, she couldn't help but doubt whether what he said just now was true or false.
In the Cining Palace, Empress Xiaozhuang looked at the auspicious date for the empress's coronation sent by the Imperial Astronomical Observatory and couldn't help but laugh. "You can imagine how much effort Xuanye put into this. Even on the almanac, the auspicious day in August is always listed as the 22nd, right? He's truly the Son of Heaven. Just because he says a day is auspicious, it becomes auspicious."
Su Moer smiled and said, "Gege, the twenty-second and twenty-ninth are not far apart."
"Yes, in a few days." Xiaozhuang picked up the teacup and put it down again, saying, "The 29th is Xiuyu's birthday, don't you know?"
"How would I know?" Su Moer cleared herself of all charges. "In my entire life, I only remember the birthdays of the princess and the emperor."
Empress Xiaozhuang snorted. "There's no such thing as an impenetrable wall. Besides, this was originally the day the queen was chosen. How could Yanlan not be aware of this? In the past, this girl was also sensible and concerned about the overall situation. She's also a princess from the Nianhulu family, and she's an expert in managing the harem. Because of these reasons, I took a fancy to her. Ever since Xiuyu entered the palace, Yanlan has become a completely different person. If I had known this would happen..."
"If I had known this, I'm afraid you would still choose her as the successor queen." Su Moer said firmly: "The previous queen was already Tong Jia. You will definitely not be happy to choose another Tong Jia. Then, in this harem, there are only two people with status and reputation, and they have old ministers who have served as loyal ministers and support them. The only one left is our future queen. If you don't choose her, who else can you choose?"
"Yes." Xiaozhuang's words revealed a hint of helplessness. "Apart from Yanlan, there really is no other more suitable candidate. It's strange that at this critical juncture, a princess that Xuanye really likes appears. Is this heaven's will?"
"How would I know that?" Su Moer begged for mercy. "You know much more about God's will than I do."
"I don't know who made you swear not to take medicine when you're sick, and you still don't believe in God's will?" Xiaozhuang rolled her eyes at Su Moer and said, "God's will is a blessing, not a disaster. If it's a disaster, you can't avoid it. Xuanye has his own destiny, Yanlan has her own destiny, and Xiuyu has her own destiny. I won't worry about it anymore."
"Of course not." Su Moer agreed with Xiaozhuang's point of view: "You can water the flowers, tend the grass, and pray to the Buddha. I believe in the emperor."
"It's not like we haven't been through a lot before. Don't you know what the ladies in the harem are thinking?" Empress Xiaozhuang rolled her eyes at Su Moer and said, "You're pretending to be ignorant even though you know the truth."
Su Moer smiled and said, "Didn't you say that sometimes, it's better to be confused than to know too much? Your servant is following your instructions."
"You're just mad at me." Xiaozhuang wasn't really angry, of course. "But what I said just now is actually true. It's better to be confused than to be too clear. It's a blessing to be confused."
The day quickly arrived at August 29th, the 'auspicious day' designated by Emperor Xuanye for establishing his empress. The ceremony was extremely grand, and although Nianhulu Yanlan was enthroned as empress from a concubine, Emperor Xuanye granted her all the proper honors that a queen should have.
After going through the complicated etiquette, Nianhulu Yanlan finally became the owner of Kunning Palace, and Xuanye was sitting beside her, ready to lift the veil.
Xi Cheng slowly lifted the bridal veil. Niu Hulu Yanlan folded her hands on her legs, lowered her head slightly, and raised the corners of her mouth, as if she had just entered the Forbidden City.
Xuanye dismissed the bridesmaids who were accompanying him and personally brought the descendants' cakes to Nianhulu Yanlan: "There are many ceremonies in a big wedding, and these foods are not very tasty. Just make do with them to fill your stomach."
Niu Hulu Yanlan took the plate and said, "These are all ancestral rules."
"Yes, it's the custom passed down from our ancestors." Xuanye glanced at the time on the Western clock and said, "If you're not hungry, then rest." As he spoke, he yawned loudly, "I didn't sleep last night, so I'm really tired."
Niu Hulu Yanlan pursed her lips and finally said, "Your Majesty, please go to sleep if you are tired. I will undress you."
Although Xuanye wasn't a complete professional at acting, he was still at least somewhat expert. He lay beside Niu Hulu Yanlan, listening to the seconds tick by on the Western clock. He had planned to wait until Niu Hulu Yanlan fell asleep before leaving Kunning Palace, but from her steady breathing, he could tell that Niu Hulu Yanlan was still awake.
It was almost midnight when Liang Jiugong's voice came from outside the warm room: "Your Majesty, the Three Feudatories have an urgent report!"
Xuanye was as if he had been pardoned. He rolled over and got out of bed, picked up his casual clothes hanging on the gantry, and said to Niu Hulu Yanlan, "You go to sleep. I will go to handle government affairs."
He was gone, swiftly leaving the Kunning Palace's warm chamber. Niuhulu Yanlan rolled over, her right arm bent, her right hand tightly clutching the pillow. Had the Three Feudatories truly delivered an urgent report today? Wu Sangui was already struggling alone; could the military situation truly be any more urgent? She pricked at the pillow again and again, her brows furrowed in a frown.
In the Yiku Palace, Xiu Yu was leaning against the head of the bed reading a book. Today was her birthday, and today was also the day she was named Yipin, becoming the rightful owner of the Yiku Palace.
Xiao Tao walked quietly into the warm room, walked up to Xiu Yu, and said, "Master, it's almost midnight. I'll turn off the lights for you."
Xiu Yu glanced sideways at the Western clock not far away, closed the book in her hand, placed it next to her pillow, and said, "Today is my birthday, will you sleep with me?"
"Are you a little unhappy?" Xiao Tao, the little worm in Xiu Yu's belly, could still sense his master's thoughts. "It's all because the emperor put things off for one day. Otherwise, I think he would definitely come to accompany you."
Xiu Yu lowered her eyelids and said, "He insisted on saying today is an auspicious day. He must have put a lot of thought into it."
"Of course I've taken great pains." Xuanye still arrived at the Yikun Palace before midnight. "So, am I on time, Empress Yipin?"
Xiu Yu was still somewhat surprised. After all, today was the day of the queen's coronation. She got out of bed, greeted him, and said, "Isn't it inappropriate for you to come to my place?"
"Inappropriate?" Xuanye dismissed Liang Jiugong and Xiao Tao and asked Xiu Yu to undress him. "It's someone's birthday today. If I don't come, won't that person be angry?"
"Then..." Xiu Yu didn't care about anything else and directly extended her hand to Xuanye, saying, "Have you prepared a gift?"
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