Chapter 60 (End of Main Text)
The next day, early morning.
The sunlight, as if filtered through a sieve, streamed through the window frames, casting dappled shadows on the carpet covered with large red mandarin ducks playing in the water.
When Mingwu woke up, the brocade quilt beside her was cold and flat.
Song Yan did not return home that night.
She sat up, wrapped in the brocade quilt.
My gaze swept over the festive decorations that hadn't yet been removed from the room. Red gauze curtains, two candles on the table, twin lotus blossoms embroidered in gold thread on the quilt…
This has happened twice.
Twice she wore the phoenix coronet and embroidered robes, twice she celebrated her wedding night, but both times she remained alone in her empty chamber.
She gently shook her head, shaking off this inexplicable melancholy.
This was all an act by Song Yan to help her get rid of Lu Yuan. It wasn't real; isn't it normal that he didn't come to the bridal chamber?
Not to mention, he was deliberately sent away by Lu Yuan.
Composing herself, she got out of bed.
As I washed and dressed, the moment a warm towel touched my cheek, all the memories of last night uncontrollably surfaced.
After she said "let go," Lu Yuan just looked at her quietly for a moment. There was something she couldn't understand flowing in his deep, dark eyes.
He said nothing and turned to leave.
This time, he must have... completely let go.
The maid quietly entered to tidy up, her movements extremely gentle.
Their eyes were lowered, their gazes sweeping discreetly over the perfectly smooth bed on the outside, as they secretly observed the new queen's expression.
Mingwu sat gracefully before her dressing table, her beautiful face clearly reflected in the mirror.
She had delicate features and fair skin, but a faint weariness lingered between her brows.
An older maid stepped forward and presented a sealed letter with both hands, speaking respectfully.
"Your Highness, this was delivered by the Prince's personal attendant last night. Since you have already retired for the night, I dared not disturb you."
"Before you entered the manor, the prince repeatedly instructed that you should serve you with even more care than you served him, and that you should not be negligent in the slightest."
Mingwu slightly raised her eyelashes, shifting her gaze from the mirror to the plain white envelope.
She reached out and took it, her fingertips touching the paper, which was slightly cool to the touch.
Unfolding the letter, Song Yan's handwriting immediately came into view.
Unlike his usual composed and dignified manner, the brushstrokes at this moment showed obvious haste, and even a rare sloppiness.
The letter was brief, stating only that there was an urgent matter requiring him to leave Beijing for several days. It was filled with apology, repeatedly urging her not to compromise.
Put yourself first in everything, and don't force yourself.
The last phrase, "Wait for me," was written in deep, bold ink, as if the ink were being carved into the paper.
Having just experienced such a thrilling turn of events yesterday, Song Yan not only showed no resentment, but also left her with these words before hastily departing.
There's no need to wrong yourself.
It would be a lie to say I wasn't moved.
This was the first time Mingwu, at her age, had been told this so clearly:
You can put yourself first; there's no need to force yourself or suppress your feelings.
Her fingertips gently traced the words "Wait for me," the slightly sunken ink marks seemingly still carrying the warmth of the brushstrokes.
After a moment of silence, she carefully folded the letter along the original crease, bent down, and neatly put it into the bottom of the vanity box.
She stood up, raised her hand to brush away non-existent dust from her sleeve, and spoke calmly.
"Change your clothes and go pay your respects to the Empress Dowager."
As a princess, she cannot abandon the etiquette of paying respects to her husband morning and evening, especially after yesterday's turmoil.
She chose a light purple dress, a color that was elegant and appropriate, neither impolite nor ostentatious. A simple silver pearl hairpin adorned her hair, its tassels swaying gently, simple yet tasteful.
Everything was ready, and she was about to leave.
"Your Highness, please wait."
Just then, Granny Jiang, who served the Empress Dowager, appeared at the courtyard gate with a perfectly timed smile on her face.
"The Dowager Consort sent this old servant to convey that Her Highness is feeling somewhat unwell today, and will be excused from the morning greetings. Your Highness, please have your meal by yourself."
As soon as he finished speaking, the air in the courtyard paused slightly.
The maids standing there all lowered their heads in unison, but their eyes secretly fell on Mingwu.
Mingwu paused slightly.
She lowered her eyes, her long eyelashes casting a faint shadow beneath them.
He's probably blaming her.
She was blamed for turning the wedding upside down, making the Prince's mansion a laughing stock, and causing Song Yan to leave the capital hastily on the day of the wedding.
Mingwu remained silent for only a very brief moment.
When she looked up again, her eyes were calm: "Please tell Her Highness the Empress Dowager that she must take good care of herself."
She offered no explanation, nor did she express any grievance. She simply nodded slightly, turned, and walked back into the house.
Just then, a ray of morning light pierced through the eaves and fell obliquely on her. Tiny dust particles floated slowly in the light, outlining her profile with exceptional clarity.
As Granny Jiang watched the figure disappear behind the curtain, she couldn't utter a single word of the advice she had prepared.
"lady."
A soft call made Mingwu stop in her tracks.
She turned around and saw Chunnan standing outside the courtyard gate with red eyes, clutching a blue cloth bundle tightly in her hand, looking at her excitedly.
She saw Chunnan standing at the gate of the courtyard with red eyes, clutching a bundle tightly in her hand, looking at her excitedly.
"Chunnan?!"
Mingwu was both surprised and delighted, and hurriedly went to greet her.
"How could you..."
"The Prime Minister sent someone early this morning to pick me up from the mansion and bring me directly here."
Chunnan walked quickly closer, her voice choked with emotion.
"He also gave this to the maid."
With trembling hands, she took out a yellowed contract from her bosom and carefully handed it to Mingwu.
It was Chunnan's indenture.
Mingwu did not take it, but gently pushed the contract back into Chunnan's hands.
"Keep this safe. From today onwards, you are a free person."
Chunnan's tears instantly burst forth, and she collapsed to her knees with a thud.
"Does Miss no longer want me?"
Just as Mingwu was about to bend down to help him up, a series of hurried footsteps suddenly sounded outside the courtyard. A slightly high-pitched voice pierced through the porch:
"Imperial edict arrives—"
The announcement caused the maids in the courtyard to raise their heads, exchanging surprised and uncertain glances.
Even the usually composed Granny Jiang couldn't help but frown, a hint of confusion flashing in her eyes.
Why would the palace suddenly issue an imperial edict for no reason?
The prince was not at home. Even if he received the imperial decree, he should have gone to the Dowager Consort's residence. Why would he go straight to this newly arrived princess?
Mingwu paused slightly as she was about to step into the inner room.
She slowly turned around.
Then a pale-faced eunuch dressed in the palace eunuch's robes, holding a bright yellow scroll, strode into the courtyard surrounded by a group of guards.
Granny Jiang took a closer look and was greatly alarmed.
She had seen this eunuch before when she accompanied the Empress Dowager to the palace; he was none other than Eunuch Zheng, the chief eunuch of the Imperial Household Department.
Why would he need to come in person to deliver such a trivial matter as an imperial edict?
Could something extraordinary have happened?
She suddenly remembered a secret tale from the palace: this Eunuch Zheng was once promoted by Prime Minister Lu...
Eunuch Zheng's gaze swept around the courtyard before finally settling on Ming Wu, a perfectly timed smile spreading across his face.
“Miss Ming,” he deliberately used the title he used before she was married, “please accept the imperial decree.”
Mingwu stepped forward steadily and knelt down in front of the prayer mat that had been prepared beforehand.
Zheng Bao unfurled the scroll and read aloud:
"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: I, by the mandate of Heaven, rule over all lands. There is Ming Wu, the legitimate daughter of the Ming family, gentle and kind, virtuous and intelligent. I hereby adopt her as my sworn sister, bestow upon her the title of Princess Yongning, grant her residence in the Princess's Mansion, and a fief of three thousand households. So be it—"
The imperial edict resounded like a thunderclap in the courtyard.
Granny Jiang gasped, and the maids were even more dumbfounded.
The eunuch handed over the imperial edict with a broad smile.
"Your Highness, please accept the imperial decree."
Suppressing her shock, Granny Jiang stepped forward and whispered.
"Father-in-law, the Princess Consort was married yesterday, and today she is entering the palace to receive her title. This is against propriety..."
The eunuch interrupted with a smile.
"You're overthinking it, Granny."
"This is an immense favor. His Majesty is benevolent and compassionate, and has taken pity on Princess Yongning's orphaned state, so he has bestowed upon her this title."
Mingwu lowered her eyes and raised her hands above her eyebrows: "Yongning, receive the decree."
When Eunuch Zheng placed the imperial edict into her hand, he suddenly lowered his voice.
"Your Highness is so fortunate to have the Prime Minister treat you with such devotion." He lightly tapped the imperial edict with his fingertip. "Does Your Highness know what the Prime Minister sacrificed for this edict?"
Mingwu's hand holding the imperial decree trembled slightly as she looked up.
Eunuch Zheng had straightened up, his face still bearing that perfectly timed smile.
-
Half a month later, at the Daqing Hall of the Imperial Palace.
The ground, paved with gold bricks, is so shiny it reflects light, and the dragon pillars on both sides stand majestically, reaching the painted dome adorned with auspicious clouds and cranes.
Morning light streamed through the high window, cutting out patches of light and shadow on the ground.
Civil and military officials stood in rows on both sides, impeccably dressed, heads bowed in silence. A faint scent of ambergris filled the air, and every breath carried the unique oppressive power of the emperor.
Mingwu, dressed in the elaborate and solemn court dress of a princess, walked step by step along the long corridor.
The soft tinkling of jade pendants could be clearly heard in the excessively quiet hall.
She could feel the gazes coming from all directions.
She lowered her eyes slightly, preparing to bow to the emperor on the throne according to etiquette.
However, the next second, her gaze suddenly froze—
Above the imperial steps, beneath the dragon throne, stood a large, ornately carved chair. Seated upon it was a figure dressed in black robes with flowing hair, possessing an exquisite and refined appearance.
Who else could it be but Lu Yuan!
Although she hadn't read many books, she knew what the higher the ranks of the imperial court represented.
She had always known that Lu Yuan wielded immense power, and rumors even circulated that the emperor was merely a puppet in his hands.
Knowing something is one thing, but witnessing it with your own eyes is another.
This was the first time she had ever so directly and nakedly felt the power he wielded.
My heart skipped a beat, and my fingertips curled up slightly involuntarily, pressing against my palm.
She quickly took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down.
Following the instructions of the master of ceremonies, he turned to the throne and, according to the etiquette he had recently learned, slowly knelt down in a dignified and impeccable manner.
"Yongning kowtows to express his gratitude for Your Majesty's divine grace."
The young emperor, seated on the dragon throne, glanced at Lu Yuan standing there. Lu Yuan slightly bowed his head, and only then did the young emperor raise his hand towards Ming Wu, who was still maintaining a bowing posture.
"Please rise, Your Majesty."
After the ceremony, Mingwu, following protocol, was about to curtsy and step aside. In that instant, her peripheral vision caught sight of the imperial steps—
The figure in black slowly stood up.
With just this one movement, he instantly captured the breath of everyone in the hall.
The hall was so quiet that one could hear the rustling of fabric and the sound of his black official boots stepping on the golden bricks of the imperial steps.
despair.
despair.
They walked down the steps steadily, one at a time, without haste or delay.
He completely ignored the young emperor on the dragon throne whose expression had slightly changed, and disregarded the terrified civil and military officials on both sides.
From the moment he stood up, his deep eyes were fixed on Mingwu like a hawk locking onto its prey.
Mingwu felt as if the footsteps were treading on her heart.
She instinctively wanted to back away, but her feet seemed to be nailed to the spot, unable to move an inch, and she could only watch helplessly as he approached.
He finally stopped in front of her, so close that she could see the delicate dark patterns on his official robes and feel the cool, agarwood scent emanating from him.
It completely enveloped her.
He then turned to face the throne, his voice calm and steady.
“Your Majesty, Princess Yongning has just returned to the imperial family and holds a noble status. However, the Princess’s residence is empty, lacking only a consort to accompany her, in order to maintain order and reassure Your Majesty.”
He paused briefly, turned his head, and his gaze fell on Mingwu's face. His words, one by one, resounded throughout the hall.
"Your subject, Lu Yuan, wishes to marry Princess Yongning. I humbly request Your Majesty's permission."
The moment the words were spoken, the air in the entire hall seemed to freeze.
The officials held their breath.
Everyone knows that Princess Yongning married Prince Ning, Song Yan, as his principal wife just half a month ago.
First, Prime Minister Lu requested that the eldest princess be made the heir apparent, and now he even wants to recommend himself as the consort. This is simply trampling on human ethics and moral principles.
Several senior officials were so angry that their beards trembled violently and their faces turned red, but in the end, none of them dared to speak up to stop them.
After all, life is only once, and the scenes of that fiend's bloodbath in Lin'an are still vivid in the minds of these old ministers.
In the dead silence, Mingwu suddenly raised her head.
"I don't want to."
Those three words sent a collective gasp through the entire court.
Anyone who dares to publicly humiliate Lu Xiang must be dead, with weeds already three feet high on their grave.
Several ministers standing in the front row lowered their heads in unison, wishing they could shrink into their official robes.
They even imagined the fate of this newly crowned princess.
Whether it was a headless death or a quiet passing away.
However, Lu Yuan simply turned around slowly.
There was no anger on his face; instead, the corners of his lips were slightly raised.
"Since Your Highness is unwilling to marry..."
"Then I am willing to enter the Princess's residence and become her... male concubine."
"boom--!"
This caused an uproar throughout the entire imperial court.
Male concubine?!
Prime Minister Lu, who held the highest position in the court and wielded immense power, actually volunteered to become a lowly male concubine for the emperor's amusement in front of the entire court?!
This is insane! Absolutely insane!
The young emperor on the dragon throne was so startled that he jumped to his feet. Several elderly members of the imperial family and their ministers trembled violently, almost fainting.
Exclamations, gasps, and the sounds of things being bumped into and falling were heard all around.
The entire Daqing Hall was in complete chaos, as if boiling oil had been poured into boiling water.
Mingwu stared at him in disbelief, her chest heaving. She had never imagined that a person could be so obsessive and insane.
"Prime Minister Lu! Do you know what you're saying?!"
Lu Yuan looked at her quietly and said softly, "I understand perfectly well."
-
After returning from the palace, Lu Yuan disregarded what the world thought of him and brazenly moved into the Princess's residence.
That night, the lingering moisture had not yet dissipated.
Mingwu emerged from the bathhouse wearing a nightgown, her long, dark hair hanging wetly to her waist. The moment she pushed open the bedroom door, she abruptly stopped in her tracks.
Lu Yuan was leaning back on her chaise longue, his posture as relaxed as a leopard in a slumber.
A loose, moon-white robe draped over his body, its collar wide open, revealing large expanses of jade-white skin.
Her delicate collarbone cast an alluring shadow in the candlelight.
His once neatly tied black hair was now completely loose, like an ink-black waterfall covering brocade, with a few strands falling onto his slightly open chest.
What's most captivating are those eyes.
Hidden beneath her disheveled black hair, her eyes were deep and unfathomable, like an ancient well, yet the corners of her eyes were slightly upturned, exuding an indescribable and eerie charm.
He was casually toying with the pearl hairpin in her dressing case.
Feeling her gaze, he slowly lifted his eyelids.
"Awu, do you like it?"
The hairpin swayed gently between his fingers, the warm luster of the pearls reflecting in his deep eyes, as if crushing all the stars in the sky into that ink-black space.
Mingwu unconsciously clenched her slightly damp clothes, feeling as if the hairpin was not wrapped around his fingers, but gently scratching at the tip of her heart.
Beauty is alluring.
She subconsciously swallowed, composed herself, and deliberately lowered her voice.
What are you doing here?
Lu Yuan naturally noticed the unnaturalness in her voice.
He knew all along that she liked his face.
He had never thought there was anything special about her appearance before, until he discovered she was always secretly watching him. When he suddenly looked up, she would hurriedly lower her head, her earlobes turning a lovely pink.
He smiled and slowly straightened up, kneeling on the chaise lounge.
Her slender fingers rested on the slightly open collar of her robe, slowly and deliberately pulling the moon-white wide robe down from her shoulders.
The silky fabric slid down obediently, piling up at the waist to reveal the beautiful lines of the upper body.
The candlelight cast varying shadows on his well-defined chest, each undulation revealing a power poised to be unleashed.
"I am the princess's lover, so naturally I must serve her."
Or perhaps...
He paused deliberately, his fingertips unconsciously stroking the fabric that had slipped down to his waist.
"Does the princess prefer me to take the initiative?"
Before he could finish speaking, a series of hurried footsteps sounded outside the door. The beaded curtain swayed, and Song Yan's voice drifted in.
"Awu, I'm back."
Before Mingwu could speak, Lu Yuan's face suddenly darkened.
He casually gathered his robe, which had slipped down to his waist, but deliberately slowed down his movements when tying the belt, allowing the loose collar to still reveal a hint of the splendor he had just displayed.
Song Yan's voice carried a hint of urgency.
“Awu, I’ve heard everything. I’m willing to be your husband.”
Lu Yuan suddenly chuckled softly, his fingertips gently untying the sash he had just tied.
"Awu, send him away."
Mingwu stared at Lu Yuan, keenly catching the fleeting tension in his eyes. Suddenly, she remembered something Yun Zhi had said.
Why should men be allowed to have multiple wives and concubines, while women are expected to remain faithful to one man until death?
Before marriage, she was a pawn paving the way for her father and brothers; after marriage, she became a puppet supporting her husband and raising her children.
Are women born only fit to be puppets on someone else's strings?
It was as if something was breaking free from its cocoon in my mind.
She walked up to him, crossed her arms, and looked down at the man on the bed.
"Didn't the Prime Minister say that he was my concubine? Was it all a lie, a way of deceiving me?"
Lu Yuan quickly replied, "Of course it's true."
"But the Prime Minister doesn't seem to realize he's being a male concubine."
"I only recently married Song Yan; he is the rightful consort. As for the Prime Minister—"
She deliberately dragged out her words, gently touching his heart with her fingertips.
"He's just a gigolo, isn't this... meddling too much?"
Lu Yuan did not get angry as Ming Wu had expected.
His eyes darkened, and he suddenly grasped her restless fingers. His dark eyes, like an abyss, locked onto her, and he lowered his head to gently kiss her fingertips.
"Your Highness is right. Now, may I, as your male favorite,... serve Your Highness properly?"
His voice was deep and resonant, like a fine vintage wine, with a captivating magnetism.
...
-----------------------
Author's Note: [The main story is complete]
That's all for the main story. How the male protagonist learns to be a gigolo, and how the two men compete for favor and power, will all be covered in the epilogue.
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