Chapter 37 Paying Homage to the Cooling Medicine
The Empress's phoenix palanquin departed from Taiji Palace and proceeded towards Fengyi Palace.
As Wen Miao took Luo's hand, followed by Shi Cui and Wan Bi, they stepped through the palace gate and saw several beautifully dressed women, each with their own unique charm, sitting in order on the chairs on both sides.
"Her Majesty the Empress has arrived!"
The eunuch's loud voice rang out.
The noblewomen waiting to pay their respects inside the hall all stood up, turned around, and knelt down to pay their respects. Wen Miao was startled, and her fingers clenched unconsciously, but Luo Shi gently patted the back of her hand and slowly relaxed it.
Luo lowered her voice and told Wen Miao that everything was normal and she should just relax.
His Majesty did not want all of this to become a cause for affecting the Empress's mood.
Wen Miao exhaled a soft breath, her expression calm, dignified, and noble, and simply stepped inside.
She needs to get used to this.
The entire process of the noblewomen's worship went smoothly. The insurmountable divide between people of different statuses is the most severe distinction between those in power and those in low positions.
When Wen Miao was merely a widow of the Xie family, whether it was attending the Magnolia Banquet or the subsequent invitation from the Duke of Wei's mansion, she would never be the center of attention.
She remained detached from the hustle and bustle. When she sat with other ladies of considerable status, they would at most nod to each other, but in-depth conversations were never related to her. This was partly because Wen Miao was not interested, and partly because of the subtle, yet respectable, exclusion from the circle of noblewomen in the capital.
Even though Xie Jingxuan was appreciated by the emperor at that time, and even though aristocratic families gradually declined with the advent of the imperial examination system, the circles of noblewomen were not greatly affected.
To them, Wen Miao was just a widow from the south, with neither an outstanding family background nor a powerful husband, so she would not be taken in willingly.
But things are different now. That barrier vanished instantly when Wen Miao became the new Empress of Great Chu. The subtle indifference of the past disappeared without a trace, replaced by careful flattery, praise, and fawning.
Everyone's expression was natural, but to Wen Miao, it was as if they were wearing countless masks that she couldn't see clearly.
She wasn't used to such occasions.
As a result, the ceremonial ladies' worship on the second day after the empress's investiture ended earlier than usual. Wen Miao, citing exhaustion, ended the gathering, which was meaningless to her.
The palace was so vast that it was exhausting for the noblewomen to walk all the way to Fengyi Palace in the morning. Although Wen Miao disliked such occasions, she wouldn't let them leave so easily.
She ordered the palace servants to serve tea and snacks, and instructed the ladies who had come to the palace early in the morning to rest here as they pleased, and to leave on their own after they had recovered.
The Empress, with her unique temperament and stunning beauty, left the space. After a moment of silence, the noblewomen exchanged glances. Soon, palace servants arrived one after another, carrying hot tea. Even the pastries on the plates were still warm, clearly having been prepared not long ago.
The hall was warm and cozy, free from the chilly autumn winds blowing in from the deep red palace walls outside. The hot tea and snacks were enough to soothe the fatigue of getting up and dressing before dawn to prepare for entering the palace.
The noblewomen, who had been holding their positions with upright postures and straight backs, gradually relaxed. They sat in the warm hall, quietly drinking tea and eating snacks. Occasionally, two or three acquaintances would turn their heads and whisper something, which dispelled their original unease before entering the palace.
The neglect Xie widows had previously received because of their social status was subtle but real, something they were well aware of. Although they hadn't done anything excessive, before learning that Emperor Qian Yuan had made Wen Miao empress and before they were to enter the palace to pay their respects, they still considered all sorts of possible scenarios.
Being treated coldly and ignored, waiting outside the Phoenix Palace in the cold wind to pay homage to the Empress, or kneeling for a long time during the greeting without being allowed to "rise" by the superior.
They had thought about all of this and were prepared to endure it.
But in reality, it doesn't.
The Empress, who had been officially appointed the day before, was very gentle. When she faced them, her tone was soft and gentle, like a warm spring that had been heated by the sun. She didn't care about being neglected by the noble ladies in the capital in the past. She was just calm and quiet, giving people a somewhat unfathomable sense of mystery.
The noblewomen, who had seen many people over the years, had never seen anyone like the Empress. They seemed to vaguely understand why His Majesty would grant this Empress so many special privileges that had never existed in the Great Chu Dynasty or even the previous dynasty.
She possessed a unique quality that they couldn't see or understand, yet they envied. No one could quite put their finger on what that feeling was.
Wen Miao had no idea what the noblewomen, who were sitting quietly in the hall, enjoying their snacks and tea, were thinking. About half an hour after she left, the noblewomen, having recovered from the chill of late autumn and their fatigue, left the palace.
In a relaxed state, with a relatively high level of energy.
The ceremony of the noblewomen paying homage ended quickly after the second wedding ceremony of the emperor and empress. The "bridal chamber" the night before had a significant "aftereffect" on Wen Miao's body. After returning to the side hall of Fengyi Palace, she hurriedly removed her jewelry and clothes, took a deep breath, and sat down on the soft couch.
Wen Miao calmed herself down, her waist still a little sore. Her fair fingers unconsciously touched her lower abdomen, but she quickly realized something and her face showed panic.
...Yesterday, it seems that she and Emperor Qian Yuan did not take any protective measures?
Although the emperor had promised her that she did not need to have children, Wen Miao was afraid that something unexpected might happen. In particular, people in ancient times always had a strong obsession and insistence on passing on their lineage. To this day, she only dared to believe half of the emperor's promise.
Thinking of this, Wen Miao's face flashed with surprise, and she belatedly realized that a word came to mind—wait, ancient people?
...Does it refer to people from an even more distant era? The people of the Great Chu? But why would I categorize them by era, as if...she wasn't ordinary?
Then who is she? Compared to the past and present, is she a "person of this era"? But why does this thought feel so unsettling?
"Your Majesty, what's wrong?"
Shi Cui, who had been serving by her side, asked.
Wen Miao snapped out of her daze, temporarily suppressing her hesitation. She carefully pulled Shi Cui aside, tilted her head, and whispered a few words in Shi Cui's ear.
Shi Cui opened her eyes wide inch by inch. She wanted to say something, but she saw the usually gentle and kind Empress purse her lips, shake her head at her, and there seemed to be a kind of tender request in her eyes.
That's something no one can refuse.
Moreover… Shi Cui paused for a moment. From the moment she began serving the Empress, she was no longer the master’s person, but the Empress’s person.
Shi Cui's throat tightened slightly. She nodded subtly and whispered, "Your Majesty, rest assured, I will be there soon without disturbing anyone."
Wen Miao smiled at Shi Cui, her voice soft and earnest, "Shi Cui, thank you."
"It is what this servant should do."
In the outer hall, Lady Luo and Wanbi were tidying up items with the palace servants who served in the Fengyi Palace.
Inside the inner hall, Wen Miao rested on a soft couch, her expression showing a hint of anxiety as she glanced at the door from time to time. Meanwhile, unnoticed by anyone, Shi Cui quietly left through the side door, her steps hurried.
She picked up the jade quickly, demonstrating a familiarity with the Great Chu Imperial Palace that Wen Miao had never imagined.
Although she had only recently entered the palace with the Empress, she and Wanbi had been serving her since last winter when the Empress had a fever and fell into a coma—though most of the time His Majesty did it himself.
Right now, her goal is the small kitchen at the back of the Phoenix Palace, which was specially set up for the Empress.
Everything in the palace was under the Emperor's control, but Shi Cui wasn't entirely helpless. Although she wasn't sure if she could avoid His Majesty's notice, she was willing to try for the sake of the Empress.
However, everything today seems to be easier than Shi Cui had imagined.
This doubt swept through Shi Cui's mind, making her feel vaguely uneasy. But when she looked down and saw the soup she had carefully scooped out, which vaguely reflected a human figure, she felt that she was probably being too suspicious.
His Majesty is currently busy with the trivial matters following the investiture and should not have time to pay attention to these small details. Moreover, before entering the palace, the Empress had already instructed her to secretly bring in a few doses of medicine from outside the palace, just for this moment. The medicine was only brewed in the small kitchen behind the Phoenix Palace, so His Majesty should not know about it.
Shi Cui knew what the medicine was for, but she never imagined that it was prepared for her by the Empress...
Shi Cui didn't understand why, but she thought that from the day she received the order from her master to be loyal to the Empress, she would only serve the Empress.
At this moment, all the palace servants serving in the small kitchen had been sent away by Shi Cui. She exhaled a deep breath, suppressed the chaos in her heart, and quickly took out the dregs of the medicine, throwing them all under the smoldering stove.
Sizzle.
It was the sound of water vapor coming into contact with the charcoal fire. The fire flickered, burning the dregs of medicine until they turned black and brittle, and gradually turned into ashes.
When Shi Cui came out of the small kitchen behind Fengyi Palace, she had a piece of pastry and a bowl of soup with a lid on it on the wooden tray in her hand. The soup had a slightly bitter smell.
She nodded to Luo Shi and Wan Bi, whom she met along the way, and said that it was a sweet soup prepared for the Empress.
...
The Fengyi Palace was warm and fragrant. Shi Cui placed the covered bowl of "sweet soup" on Wen Miao's table.
Wen Miao paused for a moment, about to say something, when she heard a palace servant outside the hall say that His Majesty had arrived.
It was only a short time before Shi Cui brought in the tray.
It seems a bit too perfect.
Shi Cui's face showed a slight panic, "Your Majesty..."
"fine."
Wen Miao patted the other person's hand, then shook her head at Shi Cui to signal her to go out first. Just as she turned her head, she was embraced by another slightly cool arm.
Like a large dog that can't bear to be apart for even a moment.
Wen Miao's heart skipped a beat, and she instinctively clenched her fingers.
The palace servants discreetly withdrew one by one, leaving space for the Emperor and Empress on their second day of marriage. Only Shi Cui's eyes held a hint of unspoken words, and her steps slowed slightly, prompting Wan Bi, who was unaware of the situation, to tug at her sleeve.
Soon, only Wen Miao and Emperor Qian Yuan, who was clinging to her, remained in the hall.
Warm breath fell on Wen Miao's neck, and the emperor's deep and pleasant voice came from behind her, "Why didn't you go back to Taiji Palace?"
The question was asked so naturally, as if the Taiji Palace should belong to Wen Miao, not the emperor.
Wen Miao paused for a moment, her gaze still fixed on the "sweet soup," but her thoughts were somewhat hesitant because of Emperor Qian Yuan's overly casual question.
"...Shouldn't I be living in the Phoenix Palace?"
"The Empress can stay wherever she wants." Emperor Qianyuan readily agreed. "I just want to be with the Empress."
After the wedding, due to the change in their relationship, the emperor spoke to Wen Miao more frankly, never hiding his desire to be with her all the time.
Wen Miao's ears turned red, and she pursed her lips, unsure of what to say. Her heart was far from calm, and her eyelashes trembled as she glanced at the tray on the table from time to time.
Underneath the covered porcelain bowl was not sweet soup, but rather a cooling medicine she had prepared before entering the palace. The medicine was a pre-prepared product, packaged in individual portions, and silently brought into the palace. If needed, one could simply go to the kitchen to brew it.
This was a "backup plan" that Wen Miao had prepared for herself just in case, but she did not expect Emperor Qian Yuan to arrive so quickly.
Was it a coincidence? Or...?
Just as the threads of thought in her mind were about to connect, they were interrupted by a sudden kiss from the emperor on her cheek, halting Wen Miao's somewhat inquisitive contemplation.
"His Majesty……"
Her face flushed slightly.
At this moment, Emperor Qianyuan readily agreed and sat on the embroidered stool opposite the soft couch. He was half a head shorter than Wen Miao, but he didn't care. Instead, he raised his hand and picked up the bowl of sweet soup with the lid on.
Wen Miao's pupils trembled, and she clenched the sleeve draped over her hand.
The emperor slowly raised his eyes, his deep, dark gaze fixed on Wen Miao, and asked in a soft voice—
"I am a little hungry and would like to try the Empress's sweet soup first."
"But I wonder... if the Empress will allow it?"
At this moment, Wen Miao lowered her eyes, while Emperor Qian Yuan lifted his eyelids. Between them hung a full porcelain bowl, its lid still closed, faintly emitting a bittersweet aroma in the warm, fragrant hall, yet clearly distinct.
-----------------------
Author's Note: Your Majesty is starting to ask questions you already know the answer to.
After marriage, His Majesty's possessiveness and clinginess will become even more apparent—he is truly, truly, truly clingy! [Milk Tea]
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
