Chapter 2 The Wedding
She rarely performed elaborate rituals.
In Mongolia, grand ceremonies are reserved for formal occasions or when someone makes a mistake and receives a substantial reward.
Firstly, she rarely makes mistakes, and secondly, even if she does, Abu and Eji wouldn't blame her much, so why would they make her perform a grand ceremony to admit her mistake?
But at this moment, Jialu knelt down, the wooden floor falling before her eyes, her palms slightly cold.
Before she could fully appreciate the coldness of the template, she was lifted up by a pair of strong hands.
“New Sari, Abu’s good daughter.”
Jialuo looked up and met Abu's bright eyes, which were filled with reluctance and heartache.
How could Galo not understand Abu's love for her?
The woman behind Abu also had tears in her eyes, silently watching her.
How could she possibly refuse this inevitable marriage arranged by these parents?
She composed herself, pulled her arm away from Abu's grasp, and instead took the man's arm.
She raised her face and smiled at the couple, saying, "This morning, our daughter was watching the fluttering butterflies in the hazy morning light. Now, in the evening, she feels that she has grown up and is starting to listen to her own marriage plans."
Upon hearing this, Eji wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes with her embroidered handkerchief, and a slight smile returned to her face before she spoke: "Yes, you are eleven years old now. Even if you don't go to the palace, it's time to get engaged."
"Let alone becoming empress this time, even before I knew about your marriage, I thought you, Abu, would never have wanted to marry you off to a man from the grasslands."
These words struck a chord with Wu Keshan, and he pulled his daughter to sit on the couch.
He chuckled and said, "Since you were born, I have been observing and selecting you, trying to find a man you can rely on for the rest of your life. But unfortunately, there is no one on the entire grassland who is worthy of my precious Xinsa Ri."
Jialuo: "..."
Although she strongly disagreed, it was a manifestation of her parents' deep love and far-sighted planning.
Even a young princess who could roam freely on the grasslands could not escape the fate of getting married and having children.
Marriage has always been important to women, especially in feudal society.
She chatted and laughed with Abu and Eji for a while, and seeing that it was getting late, she then paid her respects and took her leave.
Until they left Abu's royal tent.
She then realized that it was already late at night.
Galo continued walking until she reached the door of her tent.
She turned and looked around at everything. It was late at night, and everyone was resting.
There were only patrolling guards and a maid standing quietly behind her.
The sky over the grassland is like a dark blue glass bowl covered with diamonds, set over the grassland.
The yurts scattered across the grassland resemble small castles, exuding a dreamlike quality.
Having lived here for eleven years, she sometimes feels as if she has not come to ancient times, but rather to a well-ordered grassland family.
My parents are loving, my brother dotes on me, and while there may be disagreements among the sisters, we mostly have fun and play together.
If you are well-off, you don't need to compete in everything.
It was only now that she finally realized the difference.
Galo couldn't help but reach out her hand, her fingers brushing against the shimmering light that seemed within reach yet remained elusive.
The air was filled with the fresh scent of earth and the faint lingering aroma of cooking.
"Little Princess,"
The maid behind her spoke with a hint of doubt, reminding her that it was late at night.
"Let's go back."
Jialu withdrew her hand and turned back to the tent.
On the grasslands, you can't bathe every day; bathing once every three days is already the highest level of treatment.
Today is her special bath day.
She was used to having her maid remove her outer garments, and she prepared to go barefoot into the purification room.
Suddenly, she remembered something and turned to walk to the life-sized glass mirror that her brother had given her last year.
The maid watched as she walked toward the mirror, in which a candlestick was carried to her side.
The image in the mirror, which was initially somewhat blurry, gradually became clearer.
The girl was graceful and lithe, with smooth lines and a delicate and beautiful face.
She doesn't look frail at all; on the contrary, she appears healthy and beautiful.
But that doesn't stop her body from showing that she is still a child who has not yet fully developed.
Her flat chest slid smoothly down to her narrow waist, all of which told her that she was still young.
Looking at herself in the mirror, Jialuo unconsciously reached out and touched her lower abdomen.
How can someone so young be allowed to inherit the family line?
As soon as she touched her belly, she was startled and a chill ran down her spine when she realized what she was thinking.
She lowered her hand, turned around, and stepped straight into the bathtub.
Only when she felt the warm water enveloping her did the chilling thought in her mind slowly dissipate.
No, it's a well-established fact that Emperor Shunzhi was in love with Consort Dong'e, and it's also clearly recorded that he didn't like her as Empress.
The two have no children, and may not even consummate their marriage.
Jialu thought to herself.
No matter how much I thought about it, I still couldn't calm down.
The night is filled with stars, a gentle breeze, and a bright moon.
Unfortunately, despite the good night, Jialuo tossed and turned, only gradually falling asleep as dawn broke.
…………
Another woman from the Borjigit family has entered the palace, and she is now the Empress. What a joyous occasion!
The princess, along with her daughter and daughter-in-law, were preparing a dowry for Jialuo.
The girl on the grassland has had her dowry increased every year since she was born.
Even so, when their daughter gets married, Abu and his mother, and even the elders in the family, will provide her with a lot of things.
Even Wu Keshan and his sons were discussing the wedding arrangements with their subordinates.
Everyone assumed that at this moment, Jialuo must be shyly waiting to be married in the tent.
"What did you say? Dorgon?!"
Benbazi sat casually on the grass, his eyes slightly lowered by the breeze.
“I have naturally met my father, the Regent.”
"The procession was like that of an emperor, and even many princes and nobles had to 'line up and kneel to see him off,' displaying extraordinary power and piercing eyes."
"Before I met the young emperor, I thought my father, the regent, was going to ascend the throne."
Benbazi looked at the younger sister listening intently beside him and slowly exhaled.
"But you need not worry. Your aunt is the head of the harem. Even if something happens, it will not diminish the power of our Borjigit. You will live a life of wealth and security."
Upon hearing this, Jialuo's heart stirred slightly, but then she understood.
On the grasslands, even before the Qing emperors entered the Central Plains, women could be inherited.
The practice of fathers inheriting their wives' positions means that the concubines of the previous emperor can naturally be inherited by the next emperor.
There have even been instances where a woman was shared by a father and son, or coveted by many others.
If Jialuo didn't have such a powerful maternal clan to rely on, she would probably have met such a fate, like being in the deepest hell.
But she was born into the Borjigit family and was the daughter of Wu Keshan.
If there were to be a change in the court, she would not be easily forced by others; she would have her own path.
Heaven has shown mercy; a stroke of luck amidst misfortune.
Jialuo took her brother's arm and leaned gently against his broad shoulder, looking down at the endless rows of yurts below, where people came and went.
"Then tell me, brother, what was it like when you met the Emperor?"
Upon hearing this, Benbazi thought of the emperor he had met that day.
At fourteen years old, he was quite tall, but his body was somewhat frail.
His appearance was naturally handsome, but what impressed him most were his eyes.
He didn't know how to describe those eyes.
That day, I met the Emperor for the first time.
After he bowed, he couldn't help but glance at Tianyan the moment he looked up.
Because he had initially looked down on this young emperor who was controlled by Dorgon, he thought he would just glance at him quietly without being noticed.
But the moment his eyes met the Emperor's, he felt as if he had been struck by lightning.
A roar filled my mind, followed by a sudden surge of fear and terror.
He abruptly withdrew his gaze, even more obedient than when he had seen Dorgon.
But when the emperor spoke again, his voice carried a hint of eagerness.
They even affectionately called him their cousin.
This made him look up at the young emperor once again.
Those eyes were kind and warm, even carrying the innocence of youth.
This made him feel as if he were in a dream for a moment. Had he just imagined something?
Later, he shared a family banquet with his aunt, the Empress Dowager, the Emperor, and his father, the Regent.
The guests had a great time.
And with the marriage going so smoothly, especially since he was marrying his beloved little sister, he was naturally overjoyed, to the point that he momentarily forgot about the scene of the two of them gazing at each other.
But then he suddenly remembered something.
But he himself didn't know if that one glance was real or not, and he didn't dare to speak recklessly to his sister. If it led his sister to make the wrong judgment in the future, how could he make amends?
But if we don't speak up, and if the look in his eyes that day was genuine, then no ordinary person could possibly see through the Emperor's thoughts.
If his sister is deceived by his naive appearance and he betrays her in the future, wouldn't she suffer?
Ben Bachi was deeply conflicted and for a moment he didn't know how to describe it to his sister.
But Jialuo wasn't really a child; even without her third brother saying anything, she knew.
It seems that Emperor Shunzhi, who died young in history, was also a person who was difficult to describe with words.
This gave her some ideas, and she was no longer in a completely blank state like she had been the night before.
Time was indeed tight, and Jialuo was busy every day from then on.
Three days later, dressed in the most magnificent attire of the Khorchin people, she rode in a chariot, with thousands of people bowing behind her, and was escorted to the capital by the wedding procession.
To accomplish this momentous event that would affect her entire life.
She didn't look back, nor did she turn her head.
I simply stayed quietly in the carriage, listening to the loud and melodious wedding songs coming from behind me.
We pray to the holy mountain god to bless our Khorchin tribe with peace and prosperity, and to protect Abu Eji, my brothers and sisters, so that they may be healthy and joyful every day.
She closed her eyes slightly and prayed silently in her heart.
………
A month later, in the beautiful spring weather, the future empress's wedding procession finally arrived in the capital.
Borjigit naturally had a residence in the capital, but as the future empress, she certainly could not reside there; instead, she rested at the royal post station.
The Imperial Guards of the capital had already emptied the post station, cleaned it inside and out, and even the horse stables were free of any unpleasant odor.
Once Jialuo and her entourage arrived, the leaders of the Imperial Guard and the wedding procession took over, securing the post station with layers of protection. Even if a master from across the land attacked, they would surely be able to ensure her safety.
Jialu was extremely tired. After waiting for the maids Agate and Jade, who had come with her, to help her bathe, she lay down on the bed and fell into a deep sleep almost instantly.
She slept very soundly until Agate gently woke her up.
"Princess, someone from the palace has come and says that the Empress Dowager wishes to see you."
A note from the author:
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Hehe~ A new story begins!
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