Chapter 121 Harmony between Emperor and Empress
On the third day of the third month of the eighth year of the Xuanhe reign of the Great Gan Dynasty.
This was an auspicious day, and also the day of the wedding of the youngest emperor and empress in the history of the Great Gan Dynasty.
A procession of red bridal processions stretched for miles, a time of universal celebration.
The elaborate rituals took all day, and it wasn't until the moon was high in the sky that the wedding night in Kunning Palace finally began.
Inside the vast sleeping chamber, dragon and phoenix red candles burned brightly.
The newly crowned Empress Su Xiaoxiao sat upright on the wedding bed, wearing a phoenix crown weighing several pounds on her head and holding an apple in her hand, not daring to move an inch.
The headmistress had said that it was unlucky to move around before the emperor lifted the veil.
but……
I'm so hungry...
Su Xiaoxiao secretly swallowed a mouthful of saliva under her veil.
I only had a bowl of thin porridge this morning, and I didn't even dare to drink water at noon because I was wearing this festive outfit. Now my stomach is rumbling loudly.
I heard there were "descendant dumplings" on the table, but they were only half-cooked and didn't taste good.
[I should have hidden two sesame cakes in my sleeve... Waaah, the Regent's wife is so clever; I heard she ate them all the way in her sedan chair during her wedding.]
Just as Su Xiaoxiao was feeling dizzy from hunger and counting sheep in her mind, the palace door creaked open.
Shen Xingchen, dressed in a bright red wedding gown, walked in.
He dismissed all the palace maids and eunuchs, and even drove away the matchmaker who was still there to sing congratulatory words.
"call……"
Shen Xingchen closed the door, let out a long sigh, and then, completely disregarding her image, tugged at her collar. "This is suffocating! Who designed this collar? It's too tight!"
He walked to the bedside, picked up the wedding scale, and lifted the red veil.
The veil fell off.
Su Xiaoxiao's round, endearing face, which was clearly showing her hunger, was revealed.
Their eyes met.
There was no blushing or heart-pounding shyness, no speechless silence and only tears streaming down their faces.
Their stomachs, in perfect unison, simultaneously emitted a loud rumble—
"Gurgle—!"
Su Xiaoxiao blushed and wished she could disappear into the ground.
Shen Xingchen's eyes lit up, as if she had found a kindred spirit.
"Are you hungry too?" he asked in surprise.
Su Xiaoxiao nodded timidly: "Your Majesty, I am so hungry that I could eat a whole cow."
"What a coincidence! It's me too!"
Shen Xingchen threw down the wedding scales and slumped onto the edge of the bed without any regard for her image. "This wedding is pure torture! I've been praying all day long and haven't even had a hot meal!"
He glanced at the peanuts and longans on the table, and curled his lip in disgust: "These are all raw, how are we supposed to eat them?"
Su Xiaoxiao hesitated for a moment, then suddenly whispered:
"Um... Your Majesty, I... actually brought something with me."
"Hmm?" Shen Xingchen looked over.
Su Xiaoxiao carefully pulled out a... oil paper package from her wide sleeve.
I opened it and took a look.
It turned out to be two golden, crispy fried chicken drumsticks, still slightly warm.
"I secretly blew this up at home before I left the house."
Su Xiaoxiao swallowed hard. Although reluctant, she handed one of the eggs to Shen Xingchen. "Your Majesty... would you like to eat first?"
Shen Xingchen looked at the chicken leg and was so moved that tears almost fell from her eyes.
This isn't a chicken leg at all.
This is a life-saving elixir!
"Empress!"
Shen Xingchen snatched the chicken leg and took a big bite. "You are truly my wise and capable wife! I didn't misjudge you!"
"Hehe, Your Majesty flatters me." Su Xiaoxiao picked up another chicken leg and started gnawing on it. "Actually... I also hid some salt and pepper peanuts in my purse. I was planning to save them for chewing tonight..."
"Take it all out! Take it all out!"
then.
What should have been a solemn and ceremonial wedding night for the emperor and empress was now a day of great celebration.
The art style suddenly changed to "Midnight Diner".
The two sat cross-legged on the dragon and phoenix wedding bed, with two chicken legs, a handful of peanuts, and two jars of fruit wine that Shen Xingchen had secretly hidden under the bed.
"cheers!"
Shen Xingchen held up a chicken leg, "For the fried chicken!"
"Cheers!" Su Xiaoxiao raised her glass. "To have a full stomach!"
The two ate and chatted.
"Xiaoxiao, from now on, I will entrust the management of the imperial kitchen in the palace to you."
Shen Xingchen said earnestly, "I think the dishes prepared by the previous imperial chef were too bland, lacking any flavor. You need to go and instruct them to add more chili and more oil!"
"no problem!"
Su Xiaoxiao patted her chest and assured them, "I may not know anything else, but I know how to eat! I'll have them bring in that... 'spicy hot pot' that the Regent's Consort taught me!"
"Great idea!"
The more Shen Xingchen looked at the empress, the more pleasing she became.
She's not pretentious, not affected, and she'll even eat junk food with him. She's practically the wife of my dreams!
“By the way,” Shen Xingchen suddenly leaned closer to her and lowered his voice, “Uncle said we need to work harder and have a little prince as soon as possible.”
"Huh?" Su Xiaoxiao was stunned, not even wiping the grease from her mouth. "Why...why?"
"because……"
Shen Xingchen looked indignant. "My royal uncle said that as long as I have a son, he can retire completely and take Tuantuan to roam the world! I don't want him to run away, so I have to have a son to keep him tied down... oh no, I mean, to have a son to put his mind at ease!"
Su Xiaoxiao blinked.
Although I don't quite understand the logic behind this, but...
"To have the strength to give birth... you need to eat well first, right?"
"That makes sense!"
The two exchanged a glance and then buried themselves in their food again.
As for consummating the marriage?
Hmm... let's talk about it after we've eaten.
...
The next morning.
According to custom, the newlywed emperor and empress must offer tea to the regent and the queen.
Shen Jin and Jiang Mianmian sat upright in the main hall of the Regent's Palace, waiting for the arrival of the newlyweds.
"They're here! They're here!"
"The butler called out."
Shen Xingchen led Su Xiaoxiao in. Although both of them had dark circles under their eyes, they were in surprisingly good spirits, especially Su Xiaoxiao, whose face was flushed with the happy blush of someone who had "found a dining buddy".
"Greetings to the Imperial Uncle and Imperial Aunt!"
The two knelt down to offer tea.
Jiang Mianmian took the tea from Su Xiaoxiao and asked with a smile:
"How were things? Did you sleep well last night?"
Su Xiaoxiao blushed, but answered honestly, "Auntie...it's fine. It's just...the peanut shells on the bed are a bit uncomfortable."
Peanut shells?
Jiang Mianmian was taken aback, but then immediately understood.
[Hahaha!]
I knew it! Those two must have had a picnic in bed last night!
[They actually managed to eat peanut shells and end up on their bed? That's ingenious!]
Shen Jin accepted the tea and, without making a sound, activated his mind-reading ability, wanting to make one last confirmation of the new empress's character.
The next second, Su Xiaoxiao's thoughts reached his ears:
Wow! Is this the legendary Regent? He's so handsome! Much more handsome than His Majesty!
[But... he looks so fierce. His Majesty is much better; although he's a bit silly, he'll share his chicken leg with me.]
[This teacup is so beautiful, I wonder if I can take it back to the palace... Oh no, I must be dignified, I must be dignified!]
Chen Jin's lips twitched slightly.
very good.
It's very clean.
Although her mind is filled with nothing but food and a little greed, she is indeed a simple girl with no guile.
He felt very reassured having such an empress by Shen Xingchen's side.
"good."
Shen Jin took a sip of tea, put down the teacup, and took out a thick red envelope that he had prepared beforehand, handing it to Su Xiaoxiao.
"This is a gift to mark our meeting."
Shen Jin said calmly, "In the future, if the Emperor is picky about food or doesn't eat properly, you should... cook more delicious food to tempt him."
"Yes! Don't worry, Imperial Uncle!" Su Xiaoxiao accepted the red envelope, her eyes crinkling with laughter.
Jiang Mianmian also presented a generous gift—a thick book titled "Jiang's Exclusive Cookbook".
"Little one, this is my life's work."
Jiang Mianmian said earnestly, "If you can win a man's heart through his stomach, then you can win his heart through his stomach. Whether your harem is stable or not will depend on how well you wield the spatula."
Su Xiaoxiao was overjoyed: "Thank you so much, Your Majesty! I will definitely study it carefully!"
Watching the happy young couple leave, Jiang Mianmian leaned against Shen Jin and let out a long sigh of relief.
【Done.】
The young emperor is being fed, and the harem is secure. Our mission... is completely accomplished, right?
Shen Jin nodded, gazing into the distance.
"yes."
"It's done."
"Next..."
He grasped Jiang Mianmian's hand, a hint of expectation flashing in his eyes:
"It's time for us to live our own lives."
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