Chapter 71 The Ceremony of Becoming Empress
On the day of the coronation ceremony, heavy snow was still falling, covering the entire palace in white, but this did not diminish the solemnity and fervor of the celebration. On both sides of the white marble square, civil and military officials, members of the imperial family, noblewomen and their families stood solemnly according to their rank, and banners and ceremonial guards fluttered in the wind and snow, creating a solemn and dignified atmosphere.
Amidst the sounds of ceremonial music, Su Luoxue, dressed in an elaborate and magnificent phoenix robe and wearing a crown with nine dragons and nine phoenixes, slowly walked towards the white marble platform symbolizing supreme power, guided by female officials and supported by Fuling. Her belly was noticeably protruding, and her steps were slightly slowed by her pregnancy and the heavy dress, but her back remained straight and her posture dignified.
Just when everyone thought His Majesty would stand on the high platform as usual to wait for his Empress, a scene that shocked everyone occurred.
Dressed in a black imperial robe, exuding unparalleled majesty, Yuwen Che did not linger at the highest point. Instead, he steadily and resolutely descended the ninety-nine white marble steps himself.
The wind and snow brushed against the jade ornaments on his crown and landed on his black dragon robe, but he was completely unaware, his gaze fixed on Su Luoxue who was walking towards him step by step.
Finally, he stood before her.
Amidst the astonished gazes of the officials, he extended his hand to her, his eyes gentle yet powerful.
Give me your hand.
Su Luoxue looked at his figure coming to greet her in the wind and snow, her eyes instantly welled up with tears, and she placed her hand in his warm palm without hesitation.
Yuwen Che immediately closed his fingers and held her hand tightly, as if he were holding the most precious treasure in the world.
"Xue'er, I'll take you upstairs," he said softly, his voice not loud, but clearly reaching her ears.
Having said that, he took her hand tightly, no longer letting her go alone, but walking alongside her, step by step, steadily ascending the ninety-nine steps.
The wind and snow howled around them, their black dragon robes and bright red phoenix gowns creating a striking contrast against the pristine white snow. His steps were steady, deliberately matching her pace, and he held her hand tightly, never letting go for a moment.
And so, under the watchful eyes of everyone, they climbed to the summit together, step by step, and stood side by side at that highest point.
The master of ceremonies loudly proclaimed: "Bow—"
A deafening roar of homage erupted: "Your Majesty! Your Majesty the Empress! Long live Your Majesty! Long live the Empress!"
Yuwen Che and Su Luoxue stood side by side, receiving the worship of the people. He turned his head and looked at her face, which was still flushed with excitement despite being half-hidden by the phoenix crown and beaded curtain. Under the cover of his wide sleeves, he squeezed her hand even tighter.
Without needing words, his actions proclaimed to the world that his empress needed his personal welcome to stand shoulder to shoulder with him and share in the unparalleled glory of this vast empire.
The swirling snowflakes fell silently, adorning the pearls and jade of Su Luoxue's phoenix crown, landing on the shoulders of her bright red phoenix robe, and also staining the hem of Yuwen Che's black imperial robe.
Standing on the high platform, receiving the thunderous worship from below, Yuwen Che slightly turned his head, his gaze falling on the specks of white hair and shoulders of the person beside him. A thought stirred in his heart, recalling an ancient proverb.
He leaned slightly closer to her ear, which was half-hidden by the beaded curtain, and amidst the solemn music and chanting, he sang in a low, clear voice, audible only to the two of them:
"Today we are all covered in snow..."
Su Luoxue was filled with excitement when she heard this, and she was slightly taken aback. She subconsciously turned her head to look at him.
Meeting her questioning yet fluttering gaze, Yuwen Che smiled gently and confidently, finishing the sentence:
"In this life... we will surely grow old together."
His voice wasn't loud, but it was like the most solemn vow, piercing through the wind and snow, and clearly imprinted on Su Luoxue's heart.
Today we stand together in this wind and snow, stained with the same pure white, and in this life, we will surely grow old together with our hair turned white.
Su Luoxue's eyes instantly welled up with tears as she gazed through the swaying beaded curtain at the man beside her who had showered her with boundless affection and made a vow to grow old together. All the clamor seemed to fade away in that moment, leaving only her reflection in his deep eyes and that promise echoing in her heart.
She gripped his hand tightly, which he hadn't let go of, and all her unspoken words were expressed in the strength of her fingertips and the tears and smiles glistening in her eyes.
Yuwen Che sensed her response and, needing no further words, straightened his back and looked down with her at the kneeling subjects below. The wind and snow continued, but their clasped hands and side-by-side figures conveyed more than any words what it meant to be "of one heart and mind, Emperor and Empress."
This moment is not only the completion of the coronation ceremony, but also their silent vow to each other and to the future—to be together through thick and thin, through wind and rain, until we grow old together.
The most important part of the coronation ceremony, the homage ceremony, had just ended, and the music had not yet ceased when Yuwen Che turned around and instructed Li Dehai and the Ministry of Rites officials who were standing to the side:
"The Empress is six months pregnant, and it is freezing cold today, so we will skip the many cumbersome rituals. The remaining matters can be handled by the Ministry of Rites and the Imperial Household Department according to regulations."
He took Su Luoxue's hand, his tone leaving no room for doubt: "I will accompany the Empress back to Guanju Palace to rest first."
"Your Majesty!" Upon hearing this, an elderly ancestral master with white hair and beard, who was in charge of ancestral temple rituals, hurriedly stepped forward and loudly dissuaded him, "Your Majesty, you must not! According to ancestral rules, after the morning audience, the Empress must also go to the Imperial Ancestral Temple and the Hall of Ancestral Worship to perform the grand kneeling ceremony to comfort the ancestors. This is..."
Before he could finish speaking, Yuwen Che's gaze had already swept over him. Old Zongzheng felt a chill run from the soles of his feet to the top of his head, as if his throat was being choked. The words "crucial" were stuck in his throat, and he froze on the spot, his face pale, not daring to utter another word.
The entire square fell silent instantly, with only the sound of wind and snow remaining.
Yuwen Che withdrew his gaze, his tone indifferent, yet each word struck like a hammer blow to everyone's heart:
"As I have said, the Empress is pregnant, and her health is of utmost importance."
He paused, his gaze slowly sweeping over the silent, trembling officials below, his voice carrying both imperial authority and a barely perceptible chill:
"As for the rules... if our ancestors could set them, I can naturally change them as well."
His last sentence was resolute, carrying an unquestionable determination:
"In my eyes, nothing is more important than the safety of the Empress and the imperial heir in her womb."
After saying that, he ignored everyone else, carefully helped Su Luoxue, shielded her from the wind and snow, and left the celebration site step by step amidst the shocked, understanding, or fearful gazes of the crowd, heading towards the Guanju Palace.
The remaining officials exchanged bewildered glances, a chill running down their spines. His Majesty's action was no longer merely favor; it was a clear declaration—the Empress's position was above all established rules and regulations. The old Imperial Clan Minister was particularly shaken, breaking out in a cold sweat, filled with lingering fear. The fleeting murderous intent in His Majesty's eyes earlier was no illusion. "The Yuwen family…is full of infatuated fools…is His Majesty destined to follow in the footsteps of the late Emperor?"
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