Emperor Zhou was handed over to the Empress by Zhou Huaichuan, while the Empress Dowager was placed under house arrest in the Buddhist hall.
When the civil and military officials visited Emperor Zhou, the Empress and Princess Roujia were by his side. Emperor Zhou, due to the influence of peach blossom pollen, was delirious and could not be reasoned with...
On the contrary, he kept shouting, "Teacher, I have no choice but to kill you!"
The court officials looked at each other, not daring to linger, fearing that if they stayed too long, they would lose their heads.
When the eldest princess entered the palace, she first visited Emperor Zhou, and then went to the Buddhist hall.
When the Empress Dowager saw her, she felt as if she had grasped a glimmer of hope and urged her to quickly summon the eldest prince, who was in Beichuan, back to China.
When the eldest princess asked for the reason, the empress dowager gave evasive answers.
"Your Highness, let me tell you."
Eunuch Su lifted the curtain and came in. No matter how much the Empress Dowager urged him to shut up, he still told her the whole story.
The eldest princess loosened her grip on the Empress Dowager's hand: "Mother, are you also aware of the Xu family's affairs?"
"I worship Buddha in the Buddhist hall every day, how could I have known?"
The Empress Dowager's eyes flickered, and she didn't dare to look directly at the Eldest Princess.
Is there anything the eldest princess doesn't understand?
"Mother, you know perfectly well that your daughter likes Xu Chen!"
Tears streamed down the princess's face. Xu Chen, the second young master of the Xu family, was her childhood sweetheart...
Seeing that she could no longer hide it, the Empress Dowager simply admitted it: "You are now married to the prince consort, and you are living a good life!"
"A consort?" The princess's eyes reddened. "I'm doing well? Mother, when you and the Emperor were choosing a consort for me, I stood outside the door and heard everything clearly. All you wanted was a Shen family that was richer than a country!"
The eldest princess was devastated by the news and left the Empress Dowager's palace in a daze.
"Your Highness, I have a few more words to say."
Eunuch Su asked her to wait: "Princess, His Highness Prince An is a kind man. If it weren't for His Majesty's decree to have Miss Chu buried alive with him, His Highness wouldn't have done this..."
“Your Highness, although I did contribute to this, if Consort Zhao’s family hadn’t had this intention, would I have forced them to do it with a knife?”
"His Majesty will likely only be here for a couple of days, Princess. Regardless of who takes the throne, you will remain the most esteemed Princess of the Great Zhou. Besides, you have recognized Miss Chu as your goddaughter, so in the future, it wouldn't be an exaggeration for the Prince to call you 'Mother-in-law'..."
"Even if you don't think about yourself, you should think about the child in your womb, and about Princess An Yi..."
Eunuch Su's last words reminded the Princess of the incident where An Yi was almost forced into a political marriage.
The hesitation in her eyes was gradually replaced by determination.
"Eunuch Su, I understand these principles."
The eldest princess touched her belly and said, "Of all the adult princes Your Majesty has, only Prince An is capable of governing the country with both literary and military skills. If other princes are supported, the situation of the maternal relatives causing chaos in the country may repeat itself in the future."
"The Princess is very wise and understanding. This servant will certainly convey the Princess's intentions to His Highness Prince An."
Eunuch Su cupped his hands in greeting: "Your Highness, I'll trouble you to take good care of the imperial relatives..."
......
Emperor Zhou survived for five days on the help of peach blossom powder, but was also tormented by the Empress for five days.
After his death, the Empress Dowager was overwhelmed with grief and fell ill in bed.
The eldest princess, heavily pregnant and supported by Eunuch Su, appeared before the officials and read the imperial edict—
Prince An was blessed with auspicious omens from birth, displaying extraordinary talent and exceptional abilities. He is destined by Heaven to inherit the throne.
Duke Su was the first to kneel down and shout "Long live the Emperor!" and the other officials followed suit and bowed down.
After handling Emperor Zhou's funeral, Zhou Huaichuan issued his first imperial edict, establishing Chu Xinxin as Empress. The ceremony for the Empress's investiture was held together with the ceremony for the Emperor's coronation.
"Miss, is the name Qiluan Pavilion really correct?" Haitang teased Chu Xinxin after hearing the imperial decree.
Luan is a mythical bird similar to the phoenix.
"栖" means to stay or reside there temporarily.
Now, this phoenix is truly about to soar into the sky.
Chu Xinxin smiled faintly and remained silent.
"Miss, you don't seem happy."
"No, I'm just a little tired."
At this moment, Yun Gui entered with someone. Chu Xinxin looked up and saw that it was Zhou Huaichuan.
"If you get tired, go to bed and rest."
Zhou Huaichuan swept the person up in his arms and carried them into the house.
Haitang and Yungui quietly slipped away.
"Are you sick?"
Zhou Huaichuan placed her on the bed and cupped Chu Xinxin's face in his hands.
No matter how many times he saw it, he was always amazed by the beauty of that face.
"Xin Xin, I feel like I must have seen you a very, very long time ago..."
As Zhou Huaichuan's fingertips caressed the skin, which was even more delicate than a peeled egg, the sense of familiarity in his heart grew stronger.
"Is it in a dream?" Chu Xinxin asked with a smile.
"I don't know, but I'm sure I've seen you before."
Zhou Huaichuan couldn't resist kissing those lips: "The grand ceremony is tomorrow..."
Chu Xinxin looked up and saw that Zhou Huaichuan's eyes were full of unease.
"Then why did you come? Don't you know that newlyweds are not allowed to meet for the first three days of their marriage?"
"Well, just pretend you didn't see me today."
"Zhou Huaichuan, when did you start learning to be a scoundrel?"
Zhou Huaichuan remained expressionless: "Yun Zheng taught him."
Chu Xinxin (& Yun Zheng, who is on guard duty outside as usual): ......
"Tomorrow, come with me to the Imperial Ancestral Temple to worship Heaven, Earth, and our ancestors."
When a new emperor ascends the throne, he is supposed to go to the Imperial Ancestral Temple to worship Heaven and his ancestors. But Chu Xinxin seems to have never heard of this. Shouldn't the newly appointed empress also go?
"Please let me go..." Chu Xinxin shook her head. "I'm already exhausted from just the coronation ceremony. You still want me to accompany you to the Imperial Ancestral Temple? I'd rather not be Empress."
Zhou Huaichuan thought about it and agreed. Given Chu Xinxin's personality—she would rather sit than stand, and rather lie down than sit—it was indeed a bit of a dilemma.
"Okay, then I won't go. I'll wait for you to come back..."
......
The next day, at Taiji Palace.
Chu Xinxin straightened the pearls and jade on Zhou Huaichuan's crown, smoothed the creases on his clothes, and adjusted his belt, touching it here and there, looking somewhat reluctant to part with him.
Zhou Huaichuan took her hand, kissed it, and then set off for the Imperial Ancestral Temple at the auspicious hour.
The Imperial Ancestral Temple is located to the east of the Imperial Palace. Each emperor would expand and renovate the temple after ascending the throne to demonstrate his filial piety.
It is the most luxurious place in the palace besides the Hall of Supreme Harmony.
After Zhou Huaichuan finished his sacrifices to Heaven, Earth, and his ancestors, he stood on the high white marble steps, looking down at the kneeling courtiers below. He finally felt a sense of peace, as if everything was settled and he had everything under control.
He gazed at Weiyang Palace, his heart softening slowly; there, his wife awaited him.
"Your Majesty, it's time to go and fetch the Empress."
"That's what Eunuch Su reminded me of," Su said.
"good."
"Let's go!"
The eunuch Su's shrill voice was somewhat grating, and Zhou Huaichuan's heart skipped a beat. Then, large chunks of memories flooded into his mind.
"Stop! Stop!"
Zhou Huaichuan shouted.
"Your Majesty, what's wrong?"
When Eunuch Su asked, Zhou Huaichuan pushed him aside and strode towards Weiyang Palace.
Wait a little longer, wait a little longer!
He ran past palace after palace until he finally saw the person wearing a red wedding dress.
Before the joy in Zhou Huaichuan's eyes could fully spread, that figure slowly slid down the wall.
"Heart!"
"Miss!"
"Your Majesty the Empress!"
Haitang checked Chu Xinxin's breathing; it was normal, but she felt a pang of anxiety, as if something had vanished and would never return.
Zhou Huaichuan looked at that face again, and it slowly lost its luster, turning into a face that only bore a slight resemblance to Chu Xinxin.
"Too late again..."
Zhou Huaichuan sighed, but then keenly sensed something was wrong. Haitang and Yungui... hadn't forgotten her!
"Your Majesty, the young lady is holding a letter..."
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