The next day.
Xia Yixin had only slept for a few hours when she was woken up by the palace maids and nannies to start dressing up as the Empress.
She was still yawning delicately when she was escorted out, so she didn't see the amazement and affection Qi Yu showed her.
Even the palace maids and nannies smiled like "aunties".
The sacrificial ceremony was held at the altar on Xishan Mountain.
The Emperor and Empress naturally couldn't ride horses this time. Moreover, since Tafeng and Liuyun met last time, the eunuchs in the stables reported that at first the mare chased the stallion, but now the stallion is sticking to the mare, and the two are inseparable. They might have a foal next spring.
Xia Yixin silently rubbed her forehead. It turns out that this little traitor Ta Feng is also quite arrogant. He was disdainful of Liu Yun when they first met.
Since we can't ride horses, we'll have to take a car.
The six-wheeled royal carriage was very impressive, and it was accompanied by the Imperial Guards and Northern Martial Guards, making it look imposing.
Inside the originally spacious tent, Xia Yixin felt a little awkward for the first time. After all, the person she had been hiding from for a week was right next to her. She sat up straight, and whether it was her imagination or not, there was a faint, cool fragrance in the air.
Something familiar, something that puts her at ease?
Unfortunately, she couldn't overcome the fatigue from not getting much sleep last night, and her little head bobbed up and down until she finally fell asleep against the tent.
Just as her head was about to hit the pillar, a slender, jade-like hand accurately caught her head, and she tilted to the side, falling into a warm embrace.
The body is always more honest than the mind. She hummed a couple of times, then simply changed to a more comfortable position and fell asleep in his arms.
Qi Yu had never been so nervous. He felt as if there was a fire burning in his chest, while the woman in his arms was like a cloud. He wanted to hold her but was afraid of startling her away, yet his gaze involuntarily fell on her face.
She seems to have lost some weight recently. Her delicate eyebrows are slightly furrowed on her fair, oval face, as if she is annoyed by the noise and commotion outside. Her childlike hands are gently clenched, indicating that she is not sleeping soundly.
Having shared a bed for so long, Qi Yu had seen her sleeping peacefully countless times, and each time he felt an immense sense of tranquility.
It was as if she was meant to belong to him.
By the time he realized what was happening, he had already touched her delicate little ear, blocking out the noise from outside.
Sure enough, her brows relaxed slightly, and she hesitated for a moment.
Qi Yu couldn't help but smile, gazing at the woman in his arms as if he couldn't get enough of her, his gaze unrelated to romance, but solely focused on his heart.
He would do everything in his power to keep her here.
Only when they were almost at their destination did he suppress his reluctance and gently place her back in the position she had been leaning against the carriage canopy, not wanting her to become wary of him again.
Xia Yixin woke up amidst the jolting of the carriage. She gave a delicate yawn, stretched, and rubbed her sore legs from kneeling before remembering that there was another person in the carriage. Her face flushed, and she cautiously glanced over, only to secretly breathe a sigh of relief when she saw that he was also resting with his eyes closed.
She sat back down properly, when suddenly the bicycle frame wobbled, and she lost her balance and fell right onto Qi Yu.
The pungent, cool fragrance instantly flushed her face, and she also felt as if her hand had pressed against something extraordinary. Startled, she jumped back, "I'm so sorry, are you alright?"
To her surprise, he didn't show the unbearable pain she had read about in novels; his ears were just slightly red. She said worriedly, "If it hurts, don't try to bear it. It's not good."
"pain?"
Qi Yu was puzzled. Seeing her blushing face as she glanced at him, he suddenly thought of something, took out the black and gold dagger from his hidden pocket, and couldn't help but smile. "I didn't expect Wan'er to know so much."
"Hey!" Xia Yixin's face was already flushed, and she awkwardly turned her head away from him.
Before long, the black and gold dagger was placed in front of her, and Qi Yu's serious voice rang in her ears.
"You just bumped into it, Wan'er, don't overthink it."
"Who's thinking nonsense!" she retorted, turning her head, only to meet a pair of smiling eyes.
It's unclear when, but that arrogant boy seems to have grown up. Now, the smile on his lips melts away his coldness, and the love in his eyes can't be hidden.
Her heart skipped a beat.
"Wan'er..." He wanted to say something, but the carriage suddenly stopped, and Cao De's respectful voice rang out from outside.
"Your Majesty, Your Highness, it's time to get out of the carriage."
Xia Yixin breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that Qi Yu was no longer going to speak, but she no longer dared to look him in the eye.
It was already noon.
The sacrificial ceremony takes place at the altar, which is three kilometers long from the entrance and is paved entirely with white marble. Every few meters on both sides are uniquely shaped statues of gods, ranging from livestock such as pigs, cattle, and horses to divine creatures such as the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, and Vermilion Bird.
The common people were allowed to watch, but they were also under control. The carriage would stop in the middle, and then the emperor and empress would walk up the spirit path, with civil and military officials on both sides, standing in their positions according to their rank.
As the prime minister, Xia Jingfeng naturally stood at the head of all officials, standing alongside Grand Commandant Shen.
Grand Commandant Shen was also nearing forty, but unlike Xia Jingfeng, who had a face full of fat and a thick waist, he looked different. His hair under his official hat was neatly combed, his beard was tidy, and his eyes on his thin face showed shrewdness. He was slender, and a military general had the demeanor of a civil official.
The Shen family has indeed produced many people who are both literate and martial, and their ancestors have even served as prime ministers. Therefore, the late emperor did not dare to touch their family and could only promote the idea of valuing civil affairs over military affairs to suppress them. Now that the late emperor has fallen, Grand Commandant Shen has naturally begun to expand his own power.
Although he is currently neutral in the court, Xia Jingfeng had long seen through this old fox's true nature.
Before the emperor and empress's carriage arrived, the two walked together to the officials.
Xia Jingfeng asked with a beaming smile, "I heard that Lord Shen has a son named Shen Shaoyang who is both scholarly and martial? Lord Shen is truly a blessed man."
Grand Commandant Shen's expression stiffened, and he chuckled, "The Prime Minister is joking with me. My eldest son is a good-for-nothing. He's over twenty and still just a scholar. All he does is hang around women all day."
Xia Jingfeng laughed, his already demonic face becoming even more ferocious. He patted Grand Commandant Shen's shoulder heavily, didn't answer, and strode to his seat.
Grand Commandant Shen's heart pounded. He wondered what Xia Jingfeng was up to. Had the matter of the child at home been exposed? Or was it about Shen Shaoyang's trip to Nanling...?
While Grand Commandant Shen was feeling uneasy, Xia Jingfeng was in a good mood and even greeted Lin Sikong, leaving Lin Sikong, who was on the opposite side, somewhat bewildered.
At this moment, a slight commotion among the people drew the attention of Grand Commandant Shen.
The emperor and empress's carriages have arrived.
Everyone knelt down and shouted, "Long live the Emperor! Long live the Empress!"
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