Chapter 71 A Prayer (End of Main Text) Growing old together...
The exquisite jade plaque bears Wen Miao's name. The character "Miao" was written by her herself, using a brush dipped in ink to lightly trace the rugged and slightly sharp lines of the jade material. She then had the palace craftsmen carefully carve and polish it.
Wen Miao had originally considered doing it herself, but she was not strong enough to handle the sharp knife properly, so she asked the craftsman for help and obtained this small jade pendant hanging on the gold chain.
At this moment, seeing Emperor Qian Yuan turn his head to look at her, Wen Miao's heart stirred slightly under the intense gaze of those eyes.
She reached out and took the New Year's "red envelope," carefully unscrewing the gold chain. "Your Majesty, please bow slightly."
Almost as soon as Wen Miao finished speaking, the tall emperor bent down, like a large dog that had been trained and made obedient by its master. His upright back was slightly tucked in, hiding his fierce aura and revealing what was a vital part of his body.
Wen Miao opened her arms and wrapped them around Emperor Qian Yuan's neck.
The jade pendant, white as jade, rested precisely on the other's collarbone, its shadow barely visible against his deep tan chest. Two inches below, however, lay the remarkably steadfast vermilion ink, clearly washed several times, yet still retaining a vibrant mark on the emperor's chest—the skin closest to his heart—enough to reveal the four characters inscribed upon it.
The Empress's Treasure.
Wen Miao's earlobes turned slightly red as she fastened the glittering gold chain. Just as she pulled her hand away, the emperor, who was even faster, grabbed her wrist and kissed her.
Emperor Qianyuan asked in a hoarse voice, "What was the Empress looking at just now?"
Wen Miao was naturally unwilling to tell the truth, and simply turned her head away, "...It's nothing."
"Really nothing?"
Emperor Qian Yuan's chest trembled slightly. His gaze shifted downwards, and his hand, still holding Wen Miao's fingertips, guided her movement, bringing them to his own chest.
"Was the Empress looking here earlier?"
Even though he didn't get a reply from Wen Miao, Emperor Qian Yuan didn't care. He just said to himself, "It's been several days since that day, and the traces the Empress left on me... have faded quite a bit in the end."
His words were tinged with regret, yet his actions were full of entanglement, as he coaxed, "Why don't you, Your Majesty, print another one for me?"
The few sips of wine she had drunk earlier seemed to ferment at this moment, and Wen Miao inexplicably felt dizzy and her skin felt hot all over.
She stared at Emperor Qian Yuan with her wet eyes, but finally couldn't resist the man's persistent coaxing. Despite her embarrassment, she picked up the jade seal that should have been on paper and documents, dipped it in red clay, and carefully affixed it to the emperor's skin.
A deep lust lurked in Emperor Qianyuan's eyes. After the red mark reappeared on his chest, he breathed heavily, but only raised his arms to hug Wen Miao, without doing anything else.
The sky above the capital was dark and gloomy, but in the distant palace, the atmosphere was still lively, with the officials of the Great Chu celebrating the New Year. The singing and dancing were peaceful, and the aroma of warm wine filled the air, as if the celebration would last until dawn.
Inside the Taiji Palace, the underground heating system was warm and cozy, the gilded incense burner was filled with the fragrance of sandalwood, and the landscape screen was hazy and indistinct. On the soft couch hidden by the gauze curtain, the emperor and empress had long since changed into soft and skin-friendly sleeping clothes. They sat together, with many things laid out on the table beside them. The bright red candles illuminated the entire palace.
Emperor Qian Yuan leaned against the cushion, holding Wen Miao in his arms. When they were alone, they would just look through picture books together to pass the time. Occasionally, they would whisper a few words about topics that they could only hear each other. The atmosphere was leisurely and comfortable. Even when they were silent for a long time, there was no sense of awkwardness.
It's as if... they've been like this for a very, very long time.
As they looked through the picture book, they turned to the last page, and the postures of the two people on the soft couch changed slightly.
Wen Miao knelt on the bed, while Emperor Qian Yuan lay on his side on the Empress's lap, tilting his head slightly so that he could see Wen Miao's hazy and gentle face and figure by the candlelight not far away.
He suddenly laughed.
Wen Miao, who had just picked up another book to read, lowered her eyes and looked at the person lying on her lap, not quite understanding why the other person was laughing.
"What's wrong?"
She asked.
Emperor Qianyuan paused, then reached out and touched Wen Miao's face.
The palace was warm, and the surrounding candlelight cast a soft glow, making the skin beneath the emperor's hands feel warm and supple. "I once saw that stray dog resting against the empress's leg in a dream," the emperor said.
The stray dog that Wen Miao picked up from outside has been living the life of a little prince ever since it got a little owner and a new collar.
Wen Miao would research how to make dog food for stray dogs, ask her grandma to make flower clothes for the puppy, take the puppy to the park with her grandpa, and tell her classmates that the puppy was hers when she saw them.
During that time, Ji Huan, who was stuck in the mud of the Cold Palace, began to envy the dog, even feel jealous. He wished he could replace it and become the stray dog that Wen Miao took home, accompanying the goddess in his dreams.
But as time went by, when he glimpsed in his dream that the puppy was dying and Wen Miao, who had grown into a beautiful young woman, had cried her eyes out, Ji Huan felt somewhat relieved—if he had become a dog and couldn't accompany Wen Miao for the rest of her life, he would probably have made her sad again.
"Fortunately, now I also have the opportunity to lie on the Empress's lap."
Wen Miao bit her lower lip and nudged Emperor Qian Yuan's shoulder, saying shyly, "Just lie down, why are you saying so much?"
Wen Miao felt that the emperor was even more clingy than the puppy she had picked up before.
Emperor Qian Yuan chuckled and tilted his head, burying it in Wen Miao's soft belly. His high nose bridge rubbed against her, and the fragrance was intoxicating, as if he could never get enough of Wen Miao's scent.
Seeing that Emperor Qianyuan was honest, Wen Miao picked up the book again. It had many pictures and few words, and it was not hard to strain the eyes under the bright candlelight.
These books were all taken from the imperial palace library.
Before this, the palace library had been quiet for a long time. In the past, when the late emperor had many children, the library was often visited by princes and princesses.
However, later, the late emperor became incompetent, and the struggle among the princes became chaotic. Some of the princesses were married off to distant places and died young, while others sided with their brothers and attempted to seize power.
After Emperor Qianyuan became the crown prince, the power struggle entered a new peak. Many of the late emperor's sons died, went mad, or were demoted. Until Emperor Qianyuan inherited the throne, only Prince Yu, who had become a monk but was crippled after a fall, Prince Gong, who went mad and was imprisoned, and Prince Rui, Ji Heng, who had recently gained the emperor's favor and was assisting the empress in handling the affairs of the West Market Office, remained among the princes.
As for the princesses in the palace, only a few honest ones, who had not participated in the power struggles of the past and were afraid of the bloody palace coup that stained the white jade steps, chose to marry far away from the capital.
Emperor Qianyuan turned a blind eye to their choices.
He never experienced any family affection in the palace. He treated his half-brothers and sisters as strangers. He didn't say much about whether they stayed or left, as long as they didn't get in his way.
Because of this incident, the Great Chu Imperial Palace was completely empty.
After Emperor Qianyuan ascended the throne, he had countless memorials to read every day. With limited time, the library was left idle. Apart from the eunuchs who went in to sweep and dust every day, this ancient library had not welcomed guests for at least ten years.
The library in the Great Chu Imperial Palace is filled with a wide variety of picture albums and books. A few days ago, Wen Miao, who was busy with Wenwei Academy, invited Li Qing to the palace to visit the library.
The heavy, old-fashioned building was imbued with a deep, somber color. A few beams of cold white light spilled from the windows, and shelves taller than a person were filled with densely packed books. It was difficult to make out the details at first glance. Even Wen Miao, who had seen modern libraries, couldn't help but feel a profound sense of awe at what he saw.
It was because Wenwei Academy was about to be completed this spring that Wen Miao thought of going to the library with Li Qing to look around. They also took a few picture albums and other books to read in their spare time.
Emperor Qianyuan saw that the Empress was watching intently and did not disturb her. He enjoyed every moment alone with Wen Miao, as if he were making up for all the experiences in his dreams where he could only watch from afar and could not get close.
Wen Miao let the emperor stay close to her until she checked the incense stick's time again, then felt sleepy and yawned lazily.
Are you sleepy?
Emperor Qian Yuan slightly propped himself up on his arm and naturally took the book from Wen Miao's hand, placing it on the table beside the bed.
"I'm a little sleepy, and it might be because I drank some alcohol earlier."
Since Wenmiao is not a strong drinker, the drinks prepared for the evening were all light wines, with a fragrant and slightly mellow taste. Drinking a little would actually be good for her health and help her sleep.
Seeing the faint redness at the corners of Wen Miao's eyes, Emperor Qian Yuan said, "Then let's rest."
A warm fragrance filled the room through the bed curtains. The emperor extinguished the candles, and darkness shimmered, enveloping the entire room. Then, he embraced Wen Miao's waist and lay down again.
Their breaths mingled together, inseparable.
...
After the New Year, Emperor Qianyuan had a short day off. Since he didn't have to attend the morning court, he stayed on the couch with Wen Miao and slept a little longer. However, he had already developed a routine, and when it was just getting light, the emperor got up first and went to the archery range to practice archery, only instructing the palace servants not to disturb the empress's rest.
Wen Miao slept until dawn.
After she finished washing up, Emperor Qian Yuan had already finished his morning exercise. His strong and muscular chest shimmered with a warm honey-colored light. He was only wearing a thin black cloak, with the collar open, revealing the red mud that had not yet been washed off. He walked confidently in front of Wen Miao, with a posture that resembled a peacock spreading its tail feathers.
Wen Miao paused as the emperor took the wooden comb from her hand. She looked at the bronze mirror and saw the emperor standing behind her, his eyes lowered as he combed her long hair through the warm-toned surface.
Wen Miao's gaze drifted over the chest beneath the other person's cloak, then she frowned slightly.
...Why does it seem like the emperor's figure has gotten even better lately?
Seeing Wen Miao frown, Emperor Qian Yuan assumed it was because he had used too much force and couldn't help but ask, "Did it hurt when you combed it?"
Wen Miao: "...Never."
She paused for a moment, then asked softly, "What does Your Majesty do during your daily morning exercise?"
Emperor Qianyuan developed this habit during his early military campaigns. In addition, he was not fond of sleeping in, and he got up before dawn for more than 300 days a year. His self-discipline was terrifying. His morning exercise consisted of riding a horse for 2 quarters of an hour, shooting arrows for 50 minutes, and practicing swordsmanship for half an incense stick's time. The amount of exercise he did in one morning was almost more than Wen Miao did in three to five days.
Upon hearing this, Wen Miao remained silent for a long time.
Emperor Qianyuan: "What's wrong? Is the Empress preoccupied with something else?"
Wen Miao glanced at Emperor Qian Yuan's chest and abdomen again. She knew all too well how much power was hidden there; otherwise, she wouldn't feel as if she had lost all her breath after each encounter. If the emperor's morning exercise standards were up to par...
Wen Miao remained silent.
She felt that she would be ruined sooner or later.
"Miaomiao?"
When Emperor Qian Yuan asked again, Wen Miao thought of her weak body and suddenly said, "Starting tomorrow, I will also do morning exercises with Your Majesty."
Emperor Qianyuan was slightly taken aback. "Why did you suddenly think of this?"
As far as he knew, even in his past dreams, Wen Miao had always been a person who disliked moving around much, otherwise she wouldn't have developed such smooth and soft skin.
Wen Miao turned her head away, not really wanting to answer the question, but the emperor half-squatted down to her knees, looking persistent. In the end, Wen Miao had no choice but to lean down and whisper a few words in Emperor Qian Yuan's ear.
"Oh……"
A hoarse laugh slowly rose, gradually growing louder. Emperor Qian Yuan lowered his head and kissed Wen Miao's knee through her water-colored long dress, saying with pleasure, "Very well, then I will accompany the Empress for morning exercises from now on."
That's good too. If Miaomiao's body could be healthier and more plump, he would be more at ease.
They're going to grow old together.
...
After the New Year, the capital gradually warmed up, and the last snow melted completely in the morning light one day. The white snow faded away, revealing the brick-red palace walls again. The deep red lanterns that had not been taken down still stretched out in a continuous line, as if the red dragon was also waiting for the arrival of spring.
When spring arrived and flowers bloomed, Wenwei Academy was fully completed. The plaque above it was personally inscribed by the current Empress. The slender and sharp calligraphy style was quite imposing. At first glance, it did not seem as gentle and peaceful as the Empress's own, but after looking at it a few more times, one felt that it was just right for the Empress's brushstrokes.
As the morning light warmed the air, the first batch of girls, dressed in the uniforms provided by the academy, stepped out of the carriages, their faces beaming with curiosity and anticipation, and slowly walked into the academy.
Li Qing, dressed in a blue long gown, stood at the doorway, a rare smile appearing on her usually indifferent face, as she led the group of students, who were not even as tall as her shoulders, inside.
Among them is Xie Mengjun, whose hair is adorned with velvet flowers and whose face is full of anticipation; and Meng Jingqiu, who is elegant and poised, and is huddled together with her girlfriends.
The morning bell rang at this moment, its clear and melodious sound like the clatter of broken jade, carried slowly by a cool breeze of early spring.
Across the bustling street, Li Qing, inside the academy, turned his head to look over the square courtyard wall and met the gaze of the person on the third floor of the opposite building, whose window was half open and whose gaze was partially lifted by a black veil.
It was the current Empress who facilitated the establishment of this academy.
Li Qing's eyebrows curved into a smile, and from a distance, she gave Wen Miao a slight smile.
Wen Miao smiled and waved to Li Qing.
She leaned against the window, her gaze gentle as she looked toward the location of Wenwei Academy. She watched as a dozen pairs of soft-soled embroidered shoes stepped over the threshold. The rustling sound was very faint, as light as a speck of dust falling from a great height, yet like tiny butterfly wings, perhaps in the years to come, they would flutter and create some different ripples.
...She looked forward to this change.
Emperor Qianyuan accompanied Wen Miao to the pavilion opposite Wenwei Academy for a long time, until the sun shifted slightly, and the light falling on the streets of the capital became warmer, mixed with the vitality of early spring. He suddenly asked:
"Does the Empress still remember that we'll be going somewhere together in the spring?"
Wen Miao nodded.
She naturally remembered, and had even made guesses in her mind.
So, the emperor and empress, who had left the palace incognito, did not return directly to the palace. Instead, they took a carriage to the outskirts of the capital. Halfway there, Emperor Qianyuan belatedly revealed his destination for the day.
“As early as the end of the first year of my reign, they began to build my mausoleum. It has been eleven years since then. At that time, I thought that if I was not destined to be with the Empress in this life, even if it was a fabrication, I would still leave your mark in the mausoleum so that future generations would believe that you and I were a real couple.”
This was something Emperor Qianyuan had thought of long ago; it was a kind of obsession, a way to comfort himself, and a deception of future generations.
Fortunately, the world wasn't too bad to him, and he was able to have a real reunion with Wen Miao.
Early spring can be seen on the roads outside Beijing. After the snow melts, tender green shoots sprout on the moist soil, and birds occasionally fly by, symbolizing the good times of the new year.
When the carriage arrived at the location where the imperial mausoleum was to be built, Xu Sheng, Zhang Ji and others were waiting outside. Only the emperor, dressed in a dark blue robe, descended the steps of the carriage and turned back to carefully help Wen Miao, who was also wearing a blue robe with wide sleeves.
The Great Chu Imperial Mausoleum covers a vast area; even from a high vantage point, it is difficult to see its entire length at a glance. Therefore, after disembarking from the carriage, Emperor Qianyuan, holding the jade lion that he had brought with him from the palace that day, rode with the Empress in his arms.
As the snow melted, the vegetation in the imperial mausoleum turned green, and some early-blooming flowers even showed a hint of vibrant color.
Emperor Qianyuan was born in the Cold Palace and had little affection for his relatives. He cared about very few things in his life, so his mausoleum was specially chosen to be in the most remote location, as if there were transparent walls separating him from the emperors of the Great Chu Dynasty.
As they drew closer, Wen Miao and the emperor dismounted from their horses.
The soft-soled embroidered shoes, inlaid with pearls, landed steadily on the ground. Only after Wen Miao stood still did Emperor Qian Yuan release his hand from her waist and naturally take off his cloak from his shoulder, giving Wen Miao another one to wear.
“I’m wearing a cloak today too.”
Emperor Qianyuan: "It's chilly and shady here; wearing another layer will make you warmer."
"Isn't Your Majesty cold?"
Emperor Qianyuan smiled and said, "I only wear a single layer of clothing when I do my morning exercises. When has the Empress ever seen me feel cold?"
That's true.
Since Wen Miao met Emperor Qian Yuan, he has been like a perpetually warm stove, with a high body temperature and hot skin. In winter, Wen Miao likes to rest against Emperor Qian Yuan, but in summer, she finds him somewhat unpleasant.
Seeing that the emperor was indeed not cold, Wen Miao pulled the cloak over her shoulders and felt a warm breeze emanating from her body, dispelling the chill brought by the early spring wind when she was riding the horse earlier.
The jade lion was temporarily tethered to the outside. Wen Miao led Emperor Qian Yuan, who in turn led her. They walked slowly and soon arrived at the mausoleum, which was not yet fully completed.
The framework, built over more than a decade, has long been established, leaving only the remaining details that need to be carefully crafted later. What you see now fully demonstrates the exquisite skills of the craftsmen. It is a place that will be buried deep in the earth for thousands of years to come, the last and most inviolable dwelling, surging with an almost vacuum-like silence.
Wen Miao raised her eyes and looked into the distance. Perhaps because Emperor Qian Yuan was with her, she didn't feel that the place was eerie. She just stared blankly, then suddenly turned her head and murmured:
"In the future... we will also be laid to rest here."
Emperor Qianyuan responded and gripped Wen Miao's hand even tighter.
He said, "Yes, from now on we will be buried here together as emperor and empress, husband and wife."
Whether or not this imperial tomb will be discovered by future generations, the double coffin will lie quietly beneath the soil, weathered by the passage of time and covered with a thick layer of dust, like a grayish-brown velvet blanket, sealing and covering all their majesty and entanglements in life, creating an eternal mark.
Even if they are eventually unearthed from the dust, they will only become a legendary tale that transcends history. Among the many emperors and empresses who were buried in the same tomb but in different graves, there is a rare and exceptional case of a couple who were buried together in the same grave. This is enough to let people know that they had grown old together.
Wen Miao seemed to understand Emperor Qian Yuan's meaning and couldn't help but chuckle softly.
...Even now, it is still very morbid, and this morbidity will probably continue until the end of life, right?
Emperor Qianyuan lowered his head and saw Wen Miao's gentle smile, her eyelashes fluttering, and her pupils sparkling. He couldn't help but lower his head and kiss her forehead. "Is the Empress laughing at me?"
Wen Miao curled her lips slightly, "Yes, it feels like His Majesty is really clingy."
"I only cling to the Empress."
A cool breeze blows through the mausoleum, which is surrounded by mountains and forests that are tinged with the light green of early spring. Before it is buried by dust, this place will be lush and vibrant again after this spring.
Birth, aging, sickness, and death are all quite normal.
Perhaps because of the changes of the times, Wen Miao was very open-minded. She felt that finding her own mausoleum in advance was a unique experience.
She thought, perhaps she could decorate it with some bright colors? Adorn it with dried bouquets? Place statues of the Jade Lion, Snowball, and Black Bean inside; fill it with the gifts His Majesty had given her before, along with some of her favorite picture books and leisure reading; and also put in her modified wedding dress and high heels, as if filling a gift box containing herself…
Having grown up seeing so many modern people seeking out ancient sites and analyzing history, she couldn't help but wonder if, after the vicissitudes of time, this imperial mausoleum discovered by later generations would also appear in a corner of history textbooks, becoming a key topic that young students need to highlight and memorize.
Will her name and Emperor Qian Yuan's name appear together on a test paper, becoming a difficult question for the children?
Thinking of this, Wen Miao's eyes softened, showing no worry about death, only curiosity and anticipation for the many changes to come.
After a moment of silence, the emperor suddenly said, "For a time, I actually considered seeking immortality."
Wen Miao was startled by what she heard and instinctively gripped the emperor's rough hand tightly.
Emperor Qianyuan snapped out of his daze, looked at Wen Miao with gentle eyes, and hugged her even tighter.
He wanted to spend more time with the Empress.
"I always feel that even growing old with the Empress is not enough."
"But later... when I held the Empress in my arms and smelled the fragrance of her hair, I suddenly understood."
The goddess of his dreams had descended to the mortal realm and was coming toward him. What more could he ask for? Rather than wasting time searching for the elixir of immortality, he would rather stay with the empress, raise a successor, and then leave to roam freely along the rivers and lakes of the Great Chu, becoming a divine couple.
Emperor Qianyuan held Wenmiao in his arms and said earnestly, "I will live longer than Miaomiao."
In this way, his empress could rest assured and not worry about the troubles that would follow her after her death. He would take care of everything, and once everything was settled, he would follow in her footsteps and pass away.
He said, "The Empress will have to wait a little longer for me then."
Springtime chill lingered, a cool breeze blew, and Wen Miao nestled in Emperor Qian Yuan's arms, her ears slightly warm. Listening to these unusual words of love, tinged with the color of death, she felt a slight tremor in her heart.
She murmured, "...I'll wait for you."
Emperor Qianyuan smiled and said, "Then I wish that Miaomiao and I will grow old together and be together forever."
They will spend their lives together, enjoying the warmth and beauty of spring each year.
[End of text]
-----------------------
The author's note: The most romantic thing His Majesty could imagine in this world was growing old with Miaomiao, their bones forever intertwined—an ending that even time could not separate them.
This book was initially conceived as a sweet historical romance with a touch of cunning and exploitation. It was planned to be around 300,000 to 400,000 words long. Today, I've officially finished writing the main text, and I still have a lot of feelings to share.
His Majesty is obsessive and clingy, while Miao Miao is gentle and rational. Neither of them has a perfect personality, but they unexpectedly complement each other after meeting in the Great Chu. If His Majesty had not met Miao Miao, he would probably have become a tyrant. If Miao Miao had not met His Majesty, she would probably have been trapped in the vortex of her family of origin, forced into a business marriage with reluctance and unwillingness to marry someone she did not like. Fortunately, they met in their dreams in the Great Chu!
[Please] Your Majesty and Miaomiao will be happy forever!
See you in the next episode! Thank you for your support, everyone! We'll be giving away red envelopes to 30 lucky commenters!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
