Chapter 474 I regret marrying a good empress.
Zhao Mingyan's mind flashed back to every intimate moment they shared.
"Back in Zhaoyang Palace, you only agreed to let Lexi use herself as medicine because you knew it could increase the nation's fortune."
"You insisted on coming to the Northern Border, and even made several trips to the military camp, well..."
His voice grew softer and softer until it became hoarse and he lost his voice altogether.
Ji Qingwu quickly looked up and found that Emperor Wusu's face had no extra expression, like a cold statue.
She denied it, saying, "No."
Under his cold gaze, Ji Qingwu had to admit that without the blessing of national fortune, she wouldn't have been so reckless; there was indeed an element of the system urging her on.
She murmured, "That's not entirely true."
Zhao Mingyan released her hand, looked at the corner of the table, and said coldly, "I have truly married a good empress who puts the people first in everything."
Ji Qingwu sensed the sarcasm in his words and got up from him.
"Why does Your Majesty say such things? If you didn't have this ability, Your Majesty would still be eating sand in the northern border and wouldn't be able to marry me."
This statement is so irrefutable that it is indeed true.
Without Ji Qingwu, the war between Beili and Xijin would not have been so easy, and the emperor would not have returned to court and established an empress so quickly.
Zhao Mingyan said with a forced smile, "Yes, the Empress's abilities are outstanding, and I am ashamed to admit that I am not as capable as her."
Ji Qingwu felt a pang of sadness at his words and her head spin from his cold expression.
"If Your Majesty regrets it—"
Zhao Mingyan suddenly looked up at her, his face contorted with rage, as if he wanted to devour her alive.
Ji Qingwu felt a chill run down his spine. He steadied himself by holding onto the table and said, "It's no use regretting it now. The marriage is already done, and the news has been announced to the world."
"I regret it."
Upon hearing this, Ji Qingwu was stunned.
How could he actually regret it?!
Ji Qingwu stared at his lips.
Immediately afterwards, the emperor also stood up, looking as if he was about to fly away in a huff.
But she misjudged the situation.
The shadow of Emperor Wusu's wedding robes enveloped Ji Qingwu.
He said darkly, "I regret not tying you to the bed sooner. That way, I wouldn't have had to rack my brains to deal with state affairs. As long as I served my empress well, everything would have been fine."
Just as Ji Qingwu felt a little better after his regret, he was caught, picked up, and thrown onto the bed in the bedroom.
Although Ji Qingwu was no longer afraid of Emperor Wusu's cold face, she would still be the one to suffer later because of his fury.
Ji Qingwu rolled to the foot of the bed, feeling dizzy and lightheaded, and hurriedly said, "We can talk things over."
Zhao Mingyan stood before the bed, loosened the jade belt around his waist, and said, "Your Majesty the Empress is concerned about the foundation of the nation and has devoted herself to me. I should cooperate with her."
He said coldly, "If it's for no other reason than for the sake of all the people under heaven."
Ji Qingwu was speechless, unable to explain herself, and soon her lips were sealed shut as well.
When the fifth watch drum sounds.
The three-foot-tall candle with intertwined dragon, phoenix, and lotus blossoms, having burned all night, had shrunk to the shape of twin stems.
The dragon candle, cast from pure gold, faces west with its head held high.
The phoenix candle, engraved with silver, hangs its neck facing east.
The dripping candle wax merged together on the jade candlestick, creating a rosy glow.
The Chenning Palace fell silent.
The brocade quilt beside Ji Qingwu still retained warmth, and her eyes were still in a daze.
Fanghua quietly entered the palace and whispered outside the beaded curtain of the bedchamber, "Your Majesty, would you like me to come in and serve you?"
Ji Qingwu opened his lips, his throat hoarse, and he almost couldn't make a sound.
"Come in, come in."
Fanghua parted the beaded curtain, walked closer, and saw the person lying on the bright red brocade quilt. She took a breath before slowly stepping forward.
"Your Majesty, this..."
Fanghua was an old servant in the palace. When she saw the bruises all over Ji Qingwu's body, she frowned and said, "The Emperor doesn't know his own strength. You should also take care of your own health and advise the Emperor to be more careful."
Although Emperor Wusu was angry, he did not neglect any of his duties, and was much more unruly than before.
Ji Qingwu dared not offer any advice; if she did, she would fall apart.
Fanghua had no idea about her difficulties.
If she flattered him, Emperor Wusu would think she had ulterior motives to increase the nation's fortune; if she refused, she would only be tormented even more by the cold-faced man.
But Ji Qingwu did get some enjoyment out of it.
The emperor's face was expressionless, his jaw taut, but even with his cold expression, his body was warm; sweat dripped onto her chest...
Ji Qingwu still blushes when she thinks about it now.
With Fanghua's help, she drank a cup of warm water. After regaining some strength, she walked like a mermaid on a knife's edge, hissing as she went, to the clean room to wash herself.
This was the first time she had to clean herself, and he just left without a care. Ji Qingwu pouted in grievance.
She still had important things to do on the second day of her wedding.
As the head of the central palace, the empress was required to receive the greetings of the concubines and noblewomen of the harem.
With only a little over an hour left, she doesn't have much time to recover, but at least she should be able to walk without any problems.
Chen Shi (7-9 AM).
In Chenning Palace, the eight vermilion doors of the main hall were opened by palace servants, and the bright red of the entire hall was reflected in the white marble floor tiles.
The hall was already full of people, including more than twenty concubines from the harem and about sixty noblewomen in total.
Inside the bedchamber, Fanghua and Lanzhi helped her with her makeup and dressing.
A palace maid entered and said, "Your Majesty, everyone has arrived."
Ji Qingwu picked up the powder box and applied some more powder to the side of her ear. She thought to herself that the emperor had a habit of biting people's earlobes, and the marks were still there, so she could only cover them up with powder for now.
Let's go.
After the Empress entered the palace, everyone knelt down to pay their respects.
"Greetings, Your Majesty the Empress! Long live the Empress!"
Ji Qingwu walked to the phoenix throne and sat down, raising her wrist and saying with a smile, "Please rise, everyone."
On either side of the phoenix throne were golden books and treasures, as well as jade ruyi scepters with intertwined peony branches.
Ji Qingwu was dressed in a bright red satin embroidered with golden phoenixes, with seven pearls adorning the collar and a tourmaline necklace pressing down on the lapel. He had changed to a lighter phoenix crown.
For the first three days of the Emperor and Empress's wedding, the Empress was to wear her wedding dress and phoenix crown, and the Emperor would stay at the Empress's palace every night.
After the wedding, the first and fifteenth of each month were also the days when the emperor and empress slept together.
Ji Qingwu looked at the people filling the hall.
On the left are the palace concubines, led by Consort Wei. Apart from Wei Liru, who is a stunning beauty, the rest are of average appearance. They are looking at her with a mixture of nervousness and curiosity.
Consort Wei was looking down, so her expression was not visible.
Ji Qingwu's gaze swept to the other side.
On the right are the royal family members, led by Princess Yong, and behind them are many ladies of noble birth.
Ji Qingwu's eyes met Tao Wanyin's. She smiled and asked, "How is the Princess Consort's health?"
Tao Wanyin stood up, supporting her lower back, and said, "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. My child and I are both well."
Ji Qingwu nodded and said, "Please sit down, no need for so much formality."
Afterwards, everyone took turns to greet and bow, and Ji Qingwu memorized most of the unfamiliar faces.
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