Chapter 45 You're telling me that Yunxi escaped.
"Princess, the medicine is getting cold," Aunt Xueyu reminded her.
"Auntie, my wedding with Brother Yin'an will definitely go smoothly, right? I will definitely marry Brother Yin'an, right?" Cen Yuwei held Aunt Xueyu's hand, as if asking for a guarantee.
"It will definitely happen, Princess," Aunt Xueyu said, holding her hand.
But inappropriately, another face came to mind.
Yunxi.
My emotions were extremely complex at that moment.
It's utterly appalling that someone who committed such a heinous crime as regicide was only punished with twenty strokes of the cane and sent to the laundry department.
As long as she is alive, everyone in the palace will feel deeply threatened.
Xueyu wondered if even her master would only be punished with twenty strokes of the cane if he hurt His Majesty in that way.
The more she thought about it, the less she dared to think about it.
But if Yunxi hadn't intervened on the day he fell into the water, he would have certainly died.
But if the princess cannot marry His Majesty smoothly, they, as servants, will never have a chance to rise in rank, and will have no way out at all.
Cen Yuwei was also caught up in her own emotions and didn't notice Aunt Xueyu's expression.
She stared blankly at the crabapple tree outside the courtyard, her eyes seeming to have made a decision: "Aunt, please get rid of it for me."
Xueyu was startled and did not answer immediately.
Cen Yuwei didn't notice and continued, "Cripple that bitch's martial arts and stuff her into the well, then she'll never cause trouble again."
"No." Aunt Xueyu remained silent for a few moments before finally speaking.
"Even you won't help me?" Cen Yuwei suddenly turned around and glared at her.
Before Aunt Xueyu could speak, Cen Yuwei coughed violently due to her intense emotions.
Startled by her sudden cough, Aunt Xueyu quickly handed her a cup of hot tea and patted her back.
Seeing the flush on her face from coughing, he couldn't help but frown; the princess's health was getting weaker and weaker.
"Princess, don't waste your energy on that Yunxi anymore. She's not worth it," Aunt Xueyu advised, holding her hand. "The Emperor and Empress's wedding is complicated. The most important thing now is to get your health back in order. Once the wedding is successful and your position as Empress is secure, why would you be afraid of not being able to deal with a mere palace maid?"
Cen Yuwei pressed a handkerchief to her lips and did not respond.
“Princess, listen to my advice. The most important thing right now is to ensure the wedding goes smoothly. Nothing else matters.” Aunt Xueyu earnestly advised, “If you make a move against Yunxi now and lose His Majesty’s favor, there will be thousands upon thousands of Yunxis.”
Hearing this, Cen Yuwei finally nodded, coughed a few times, and said, "You're right. I won't let a small thing cause me to lose a big one. She's not worthy!"
Upon hearing this, Xueyu finally felt relieved.
From a personal standpoint, it was not convenient for the princess to take action against Yunxi at this time.
But she was grateful to Yunxi for saving her life; otherwise, she would have had countless ways to kill her silently in this palace.
In the Qianqing Palace, the imperial physician finished bandaging Xiao Shenjing's wounds and then withdrew.
Fu Shun watched as the palace maid carried the blood-stained strips of cloth out and sighed inwardly.
That Miss Yunxi really went all out.
His Majesty only ordered twenty strokes of the cane, yet she acted so ruthlessly. If she had had a suitable weapon at the time, Fu Shun dared not even think about it.
You should know that anyone who dares to harm the future Empress will be punished severely, even to the point of being cut into a thousand pieces.
Such a tyrannical temper, daring to openly harm a king, and yet still alive—it's truly unprecedented in history.
Thinking of the impeachments from the censors these past few days, and the stacks of impeachment memorials piled up on the emperor's desk.
Fu Shun couldn't help but glance at the young emperor again.
"What do you want to say?" Xiao Shenjing asked, prompted by his frequent stares.
These past few days, the Emperor has been in a bad mood, and everyone serving in the Qianqing Palace is afraid of being unjustly blamed. Even Aunt Jiang, who has served him for many years, has become extra cautious.
No one dared to mention Yunxi to avoid bad luck.
Even Fu Shun didn't dare, so he quickly lowered his head and asked, "Is Your Majesty going to Chengqian Palace today?"
Xiao Shenjing lowered his eyes and pondered for a long while before asking, "How many days are left until the wedding?"
"Twenty-two days remain," Fu Shun replied.
Xiao Shenjing nodded. "Lunch will be served at Chengqian Palace today."
Cen Yuwei is still not fully recovered. He has been injured these past few days and hasn't been able to go see her. He should go and check on her.
After stepping out of the palace gate, he paused and subconsciously glanced at Dao Yi.
In the end, however, he didn't ask anything.
Yunxi lay in bed for a few more days before finally being able to get out of bed and walk.
She also witnessed once again how cannibalistic the palace could be.
The palace maids sent to the laundry department were forced to wash clothes day and night, eating spoiled food. Some maids who committed serious crimes were even punished by being forced to sleep on the latrines.
Some slaves even had their pillows stuffed with coarse sand mixed with barbed wire, so that they would be stabbed awake if they dared to turn over.
The laundry room was surrounded by a wall three zhang high, with no windows except for three holes drilled in the north wall to facilitate the delivery of soiled clothes. Imprisoned in such a place, one could only see a pale, desolate expanse of sky and earth.
It's like a completely different world from the magnificent Forbidden City.
Seeing that the palace maids' hands were swollen and festering from being soaked in water, Yunxi couldn't bear to look at them and knelt down to help them wash their hands as well.
She also discovered that many palace maids had taken too much cinnabar in the Angong Niuhuang Wan, causing many of them to faint from poisoning, foam at the mouth, and become mentally confused.
She has a good temper and always speaks with a smile.
Over time, these palace maids who had been convicted of crimes grew increasingly fond of her.
On this day, Yunxi was already able to jump around everywhere.
She hung a basin of starched clothes to dry, and amidst the fluttering fabric, turned back and asked, "Aunt Xu, how long until the Emperor and Empress's wedding?"
Yunxi quite liked this Aunt Xu; she looked kind and approachable.
"Eight days left," Aunt Xu said with a serious expression.
Yunxi nodded and said nothing more.
By the eighth day, her injuries had almost completely healed.
Even if she wasn't completely familiar with the palace's layout, the day of the Emperor and Empress's wedding was a day of universal celebration. With so many people and eyes in the palace, even if they discovered she had escaped, there would be absolutely no chance to seal the city gates. That would be the best opportunity for her to escape.
If you miss it, it will be even harder to escape.
Seeing her thoughtful expression, Aunt Xu frowned, remembering the secret letter she had received.
Five days before the wedding, the entire palace was already draped in bright red silk.
Even the lowest-ranking laundry department in the palace was tinged with this festive atmosphere.
On this day, Yunxi stood inside the high palace walls, watching the eunuchs paste bright red "囍" characters on the gate and hang festive red silk, and slowly revealed a smile.
It's finally faster.
She couldn't wait any longer.
It seemed like she hadn't seen the outside world for a very, very long time.
Although I've only been in this palace for a few months, it feels like a lifetime has passed.
Just thinking about it fills me with endless disgust.
Two days before the wedding, Xiao Shenjing passed by Qixiang Palace and saw eunuchs escorting a convicted maid through a hidden door.
Where does this secret door lead?
"Your Majesty, this leads to the laundry department's woodshed," the young eunuch leading the way replied, his neck bowed.
Laundry Department.
Xiao Shenjing's expression hardened.
Even Dao Yi behind him subconsciously looked at the tall, slender figure in front of him.
Finally, Xiao Shenjing said nothing and walked to the other end.
He was indifferent and aloof, as if he had forgotten Yunxi altogether.
Seeing this, Dao Yi breathed a sigh of relief.
A country without a crown prince is like a house without beams and pillars; though adorned with gold and jade, it will soon collapse.
Now, Your Majesty is twenty-two years old and has no children, which threatens the stability of the country.
The Emperor and Empress's wedding is just around the corner. Having a legitimate son and establishing an heir is the foundation of the nation, and we must not allow any further mishaps.
Given Yunxi's personality, it's really not appropriate for the two of them to meet at this time.
Otherwise, His Majesty's chest wound has not yet fully healed, and if something else happens, it will be truly impossible to control the situation.
The two fought back and forth, but in the end they both suffered heavy losses and neither of them gained an advantage. Even if the whole world groveled at His Majesty's feet, there was still nothing they could do about Miss Yunxi.
After all, others could be beheaded, humiliated, or do anything, but clearly those methods were not suitable for Miss Yunxi.
Dao Yi had seen through it all; it was better for the two of them to go their separate ways since they were so entangled.
But how could he dare say such a thing?
He's not like his foolish brother.
Even if it rots in my mouth, I will never say it out loud.
There are three days left until the wedding.
Yunxi was so excited that she couldn't sleep well at night.
These days, in order to deceive everyone, she doesn't stay in her room every day, but wanders around aimlessly.
She planned to leave on the day of the Emperor and Empress's wedding, because Xiao Shenjing would be going to the Imperial Ancestral Temple to offer sacrifices starting at midnight.
During the emperor and empress's wedding, the entire palace would be exceptionally busy, and no one would pay attention to her, a mere palace maid.
Yunxi opened her eyes and lay on the communal bed, going over the map of the palace in her mind again.
Then he mentally rehearsed the escape route again.
The guards of the Forbidden City worked in shifts, usually changing shifts at midnight (11 PM - 1 AM) and early morning (1 AM - 3 AM).
She could use the shadows of the corners or the protrusions of the buildings to climb over, avoid the watchtowers, and hide in the imperial kitchen.
Because the servants would be transporting food and charcoal through Shenwu Gate and Donghua Gate. She would then disguise herself as a servant and hide in an empty cart or cargo box.
As long as she can escape the Forbidden City, with her superb martial arts skills, she can leap across any vast expanse of the sky and sea.
Thinking of those days, Yunxi's heart trembled with excitement.
The day before the Emperor and Empress's wedding.
Yunxi went to bed early that night.
She'll be leaving as soon as midnight arrives, so she needs to conserve her energy now.
The weather was perfect.
The clouds are thick tonight, and it's a dark and windy night.
After the clapper sounded at midnight, Yunxi excitedly and slowly opened her eyes.
No one in the laundry department cared about her anyway.
These past few nights, she has frequently pretended to have a stomachache and get up to use the toilet.
But as soon as she lifted the curtain and tiptoed out the door, she saw Aunt Xu.
Yunxi's expression froze.
Just as he was about to raise his hand to knock her unconscious, Aunt Xu pressed her fingertips to her lips and said, "Shh."
Then she reached out and pulled Yunxi into her room.
The room was completely dark.
Aunt Xu lowered her voice to the minimum, "Don't speak. Lord Fan asked me to help you escape tonight."
After Yunxi's voice and figure disappeared behind the high walls, Aunt Xu lit the incense sent from outside the palace into the large communal room.
The only way to survive is to make everyone pass out.
That's how they and Yunxi managed to escape death.
At midnight, in a side hall of the Qianqing Palace, Xiao Shenjing was burning incense and taking a bath.
Wisps of smoke dampened his half-closed, thick eyelashes, and condensed water droplets rolled down from the tip of his nose.
After burning incense and bathing.
Palace maids dressed him in a bright yellow satin undergarment, and the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial began to recite the auspicious wedding instructions.
The drowsy recitation finally ended at the beginning of the Yin hour. The palace maids silently changed his twelve-chapter imperial robe and jade tablet, and he boarded the carriage to the Fengxian Hall to offer sacrifices to the ancestors.
At this time, officials of the fourth rank and above gathered outside the Meridian Gate at midnight. Officials from the Court of State Ceremonial were lined up according to their rank, and censors from the Censorate were present to maintain order. The Minister of Rites set up a table on the east side of the steps of the Hall of Supreme Harmony with a golden book and golden seal.
It was already broad daylight when the wedding procession arrived.
When the Empress's palanquin arrived at the Daming Gate, all the officials knelt to welcome it. As the official in charge of the Imperial Household Department shouted "Rise and pay homage!", the officials knelt three times and kowtowed nine times.
Xiao Shenjing watched as Cen Yuwei, dressed in a phoenix coronet and wedding gown, walked towards him step by step.
From this day forward, Cen Yuwei will be his empress, his principal wife, and will share supreme power with him.
At that moment, golden light filled the air, making his vision blur for a moment.
It was like seeing a face that had been deliberately forgotten.
She sat on the wall, tilting her head, and said, "Xiao Shenjing, I dreamt that you married nine hundred and ninety-nine wives."
"Xiao Shenjing, I like you."
"Although I love you, I, Yunxi, will never be a concubine, nor will I share a husband with other women."
Beneath his imperial robes, Xiao Shenjing clenched his hands almost imperceptibly.
He seemed to realize something immediately, frowned, and quickly forced himself to clear away these inexplicable emotions.
Yunxi cannot be empress.
He could not possibly make Yunxi empress.
His empress will only be, and can only be, Cen Yuwei.
At 9:00 AM, in the Qianqing Palace.
On the golden dragon-shaped candlestick, twelve pairs of wedding candles, each as thick as a baby's arm, illuminated the crimson gauze curtains. The golden pheasant on the Empress's pheasant robe trembled slightly with her breath, and the beaded curtain hanging from her nine-pheasant crown cast dappled shadows on her rosy cheeks.
The two cut a strand of hair from each other and tied it into a "love knot," which was then hidden behind a gold box with dragon and phoenix patterns. A female official then presented them with a red gold nuptial cup.
As the rim of the nuptial cup touched his lips, the aroma of wine filled his nostrils. Xiao Shenjing, lost in thought, stared at the red dates and longans scattered on the wedding bed.
He suddenly remembered the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet that day, when Yunxi hid behind the imperial desk and secretly ate lychees.
If it were her tonight, she would definitely not be able to resist sneaking a bite of all the red dates and longans on the bed, her cheeks would be stuffed full of fruit pits, and if she were discovered, she would spit the pits out with a straight face.
Seeing that Yin'an was holding his wine glass and not moving, Cen Yuwei subconsciously called out, "Brother Yin'an."
Xiao Shenjing snapped back to his senses, and after seeing Cen Yuwei clearly in front of him, he silently held his breath.
Looking at Cen Yuwei in front of him, he tilted his head back and swallowed the wine.
The cloying sweetness of the osmanthus wine lingered in my throat.
"May Your Majesty and the Empress be in perfect harmony." The master of ceremonies' drawn-out voice echoed in the bedchamber.
At dusk, the grand wedding of the emperor and empress, which had been in preparation for more than three years, finally came to an end.
To share this supreme honor with the people, the Five Military Governors' Office fired a 108-gun salute, and the Divine Machine Battalion launched "Fire Dragon Emerging from Water" fireworks, illuminating the night sky above the Forbidden City.
Meanwhile, Yunxi, disguised, had already boarded a ship leaving the capital.
As the ship sailed further and further away from the Forbidden City, she happily stretched out her arms in the cabin.
At this moment, even the wind carrying the smell of fish smells like freedom.
Farewell, damned Xiao Shenjing.
Farewell, my hateful Forbidden City.
She, Yunxi, will never come back in this lifetime.
If she weren't afraid of attracting attention, Yunxi would have loved to laugh out loud to express her excitement.
In contrast, there is Dao Yi in the Forbidden City.
He was pacing anxiously outside the bedroom.
At 1:15 AM, the imperial guards stationed at the laundry department reported that all the palace maids in the laundry department had been drugged overnight, and Yunxi had disappeared.
Such an important event, if it were any other day, Dao Yi would have reported it even if he had barged into the imperial study, but today was the Emperor and Empress's wedding.
At this time, Princess Chong'an led the imperial family in performing the three kneelings and nine kowtows, followed by cabinet ministers, high-ranking officials, and nobles who knelt and presented congratulatory memorials in order of rank. Envoys from Korea and Ryukyu presented gyrfalcon feather crowns and mother-of-pearl inlaid lacquer screens.
The emperor and empress's wedding was celebrated by all nations.
How could he possibly report it?
At the hour of Xu (7-9 PM), the Imperial Guards, carrying lanterns with the character "囍" (double happiness), led the way. The Emperor and Empress rode together in a golden palanquin around the inner court, with the twelve palace gates along the way opening in sequence, symbolizing "the smooth flow of heaven and earth."
Upon arriving at Shenwu Gate, Cen Yuwei personally hung the gilded "Changle Lock," and Xiao Shenjing drew his bow and shot three red-feathered arrows to guard the palace.
As he put away his bow, he subconsciously glanced in the direction of the northwest corner.
Separated by layers of palace walls and Jingshan Hill, you can't actually see anything.
If it were before, he would never have given it a second glance.
But at this moment, it seemed as if he was being drawn in by something invisible.
Uncontrollable subconscious impulses are what infuriate emperors the most.
This is a major taboo.
Hai hour (9-11 PM), the time of the wedding night.
The female official sang a song while spreading the brocade quilt embroidered with a hundred children onto the dragon and phoenix couch.
Outside, Dao Yi nearly trampled the gold and diamonds of the Forbidden City to pieces.
Today is the Emperor and Empress's wedding day, so it's impossible to seal the palace gates or conduct a large-scale search.
A day and a night is enough time for Miss Yunxi to hide.
Although he privately thought it would be better for Yunxi to escape, he did not want to incur the emperor's wrath.
But it was their wedding night, so who would dare to rush in?
Inside the sleeping quarters, a sweet, warm mist seeped out from between the warp and weft of the brocade cloud pattern.
"Brother Yin'an," Cen Yuwei said shyly as she glanced at Xiao Shenjing in the flickering candlelight.
Staring at her shy and timid face, Xiao Shenjing saw another face as radiant as spring flowers in that instant.
This instantly ignited a fire in Xiao Shenjing's heart.
He felt that the incense in the room was too stuffy and hot, which made him extremely irritable.
So Jie stood up and walked towards the door.
"You've been working hard all day and haven't eaten. I'll have someone bring you some food."
Before Cen Yuwei could speak, he had already stood up and walked towards the door.
Outside the door, the cold wind of early winter brushed against his face, which made him a little more awake.
Today is the Emperor and Empress's wedding day. If they don't share a room, Yuwei will definitely overthink things.
She is already physically weak, and she has not yet recovered from falling into the water last time. If she is too preoccupied with her thoughts, it will be even more detrimental to her recovery.
The emperor and empress's wedding night was a matter of course; he was the emperor, and it was only natural for him to have six courtyards and seventy-two concubines in the harem.
Who is Yunxi anyway? How could he possibly influence his decision?
He needed to let her continue to calmly reflect on her mistakes in the laundry department.
If there are still thorns, then continue to pull them out.
Over time, she will eventually become obedient.
You see, what the palace needs least is sharp, overt edges.
Otherwise, how can we survive?
We'll see how she behaves then and decide whether to release her.
Suppressing his inner turmoil, Xiao Shenjing frowned and instructed Fu Shun to bring in some food.
"Your Majesty!" Dao Yi had to call out as he was about to enter the room again.
Xiao Shenjing was in a bad mood at the moment and frowned as he glanced at him.
Dao Yi steeled himself and strode over to Xiao Shenjing's side, lowering his voice to say, "Miss Yunxi is missing."
"Where did they escape to?" Xiao Shenjing asked in return.
The laundry department is heavily guarded day and night. Even if Yunxi knows martial arts, how many hidden agents and sentries are there in the Forbidden City? With the Imperial Guards patrolling day and night, where could a lowly slave like her, without a waist token, escape to?
"They were already gone by 9 AM today."
Xiao Shenjing suddenly turned his head and stared at Dao Yi.
Dao Yi had no choice but to lower his head and continue reporting, "At 9:00 AM, the guards from the laundry department reported that the palace maids were drugged overnight, but only Miss Yunxi has disappeared." At this point, he subconsciously glanced at Xiao Shenjing and paused, "I sent people to search the entire palace, but they couldn't find her."
"So," Xiao Shenjing asked slowly, "are you telling me that Yunxi escaped from the palace?"
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