The last time the officials knew about this arrogant and domineering empress was at that grand wedding. The officials saw the plump, short woman from afar. Although they couldn't see her face clearly, the rumors spread by the people afterward were very vivid.
Even if things go wrong, look at Xia Jingfeng. How good-looking can Xia Yixin be?
It's a pity that the handsome young man was paired with such a wicked woman, and he didn't have any other options.
In his heart, Grand Commandant Shen also looked down on Qi Yu. Although he had indeed made achievements in the past year or two, he was labeled as a "poisonous star" who would bring disaster to the country and the people. As long as the Shen family could rise to power, they would definitely depose him.
The people were in turmoil because they had seen Qi Yu's appearance.
The boy, now eighteen, wore an elaborate black dragon robe and a crown with twelve tassels hanging from the front and back, each tassel strung with twelve pieces of five-colored jade, symbolizing the five elements and the cycle of time. As he walked, the jade beads clashed together, producing a clear, crisp sound.
The boy was tall and slender but not thin, with powerful muscles visible beneath his wide sleeves and a broad chest. He walked with composure and a steady gait, and his cold, handsome face was like jade, like a blade stained with blood, or a god descended to earth.
For a moment, the people and officials were completely silent.
When another figure stepped out of the vehicle, everyone gasped in shock.
That's Xia Yixin?!
Although the woman wasn't particularly slender, she possessed a unique charm. Her figure was round and smooth, perfectly proportioned and beautiful. Her hair, styled in an updo, accentuated her slender and long neck. Her small face, barely the size of a palm, had two shallow dimples. Though merely a pretty girl, her almond-shaped eyes were sparkling and clear. Standing next to Qi Yu, she appeared petite and delicate, making them an exceptionally well-matched couple.
Xia Yixin had experienced similar situations of being the center of attention in previous worlds, so she remained calm. She was about to wait for Qi Yu to leave together when, unexpectedly, her hand was grasped by a large hand.
Throughout the Han Dynasty, sacrificial rites were held, but the emperor and empress never walked hand in hand with their ministers.
But today, Qi Yu actually did it.
The officials could only murmur in shock to themselves, while the common people, kneeling on the ground, whispered amongst themselves.
"My God, is this really a witch? Everyone saw what she looked like before, and it's only been two years..."
"Shh, keep your voice down, are you out of your mind?!"
On the other side, Xia Yixin was a little confused when Qi Yu held her hand. She didn't quite understand the sacrificial process. Was this necessary?
Although it wasn't the first time the two had held hands, her heart raced, perhaps because she knew his feelings for her.
Her hands were small enough to be completely enveloped by him; they were dry and warm, with a faint internal force transmitted through her palms.
Despite the biting north wind and freezing temperatures, she didn't feel cold.
As arranged before, the white-haired, charlatan-looking national advisor said a few words, then slaughtered cattle and sheep, lit a bonfire for sacrifice, and sure enough, smoke with dragon and phoenix patterns appeared. And whether it was a coincidence or not, colorful clouds in the sky echoed each other.
Xia Yixin knew this meant there would be heavy snow and strong winds tomorrow, but people in this dynasty would only consider it a miracle.
"May the Heavenly Emperor and Empress descend to earth and protect my Great Han Dynasty!" Xia Jingfeng shouted first, bowing even deeper into his knees.
The crowd knelt even deeper, shouting in unison, "Long live the Emperor! Long live the Empress!"
With the addition of the Northern Martial Guards and the Imperial Guards, the shouts of nearly ten thousand people were deafening, echoing between the two mountain walls like thunder.
Xia Yixin felt the hand holding her tighten. She looked at him in confusion when she suddenly saw a sharp light rushing towards her from a distance—an arrow!
The arrow was aimed directly at the two people on the high platform.
Before she could react, Qi Yu protected her and jumped off the altar platform.
With a few whooshing sounds, three or four arrows shot into the spot where the two had been standing.
"Protect the Emperor!" Zhao Quan drew his sword to deflect the cold arrows flying from all sides.
At the same time, several black-clad assassins suddenly rushed out from below the altar and pounced on Xia Yixin and Qi Yu. Qi Yu was carrying a decorative sword, and the black gold dagger he had given to Xia Yixin earlier also came in handy.
Protected by Qi Yu, Xia Yixin fought her way back to join the Imperial Guards, and at this moment the entire ceremony site descended into chaos.
The Imperial Guards or Northern Martial Guards were caught off guard by the sudden attack, and arrows were being shot down from above. In addition, the assassins who suddenly appeared were almost mixed in with ordinary people and officials. It was difficult to protect everyone in a short time, and many civilians and officials were affected and shot dead.
Screams and screams rang out intermittently, and the assassin deliberately herded the crowd like sheep, making them even more chaotic.
Dozens of imperial guards escorted Qi Yu and Xia Yixin back to the carriage, while Zhao Quan led a group to cover their retreat, and the others were responsible for evacuating as many officials and terrified civilians as possible.
Xia Yixin glanced at Xia Jingfeng's side and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that the Beiwu guards had him under protection.
Unexpected changes.
At this moment, Xia Yixin was very resentful that she had lost all her martial arts skills and could only be protected. She didn't remember such an attack in the original story. Could it be that Grand Commandant Shen was desperate? But the timing was wrong, and turning against him now would not do him any good.
While she was thinking, Qi Yu had already picked her up and placed her in the car frame.
Qi Yu, still covered in blood, held his sword in one hand and commanded, "Quickly, escort the Empress back to the palace!"
Xia Yixin also knew that she was a burden in this situation.
But looking at Qi Yu standing there with his sword drawn, she felt that something was wrong, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. Just then, a system notification suddenly rang in her mind.
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