Chapter 8 The Wedding
"ah!"
Darima never imagined that Dorgon had such a scheme.
His expression grew increasingly serious and tense, and he asked repeatedly, "How did my little sister answer him?"
Jialuo recounted to her fourth brother what she had just told Dorgon.
"Yes! We must have backbone! My sister is right!"
Darima reached out and pulled her sister's hand, glaring reproachfully at the monk who had reappeared at some point.
He said in a low voice, "Let's go, let's leave this 'royal temple' quickly. I don't know why this so-called bathing Buddha place is so unclean!"
Jialuo glanced at her fourth brother, whose words were laced with sarcasm.
She took her brother's hand and turned to walk towards the other side of the palace.
"Hey, little sister, you've gone the wrong way. That's the way out."
Darima didn't want to leave yet, and said to her sister.
"Fourth brother, this is the capital city, right under the emperor's nose. I'm afraid our every move is being watched by others."
"We had just entered the temple and were only praying to the Guanyin Bodhisattva who grants children when we saw the Regent, the Emperor, and then we suddenly had to leave."
"If you were the one monitoring them, how would you feel?"
Darima was taken aback, then suddenly realized.
"Ah, didn't I come here specifically to see... Prince Rui?"
After listening to her brother's words, Jialuo knew he understood, so she nodded slightly and casually led her brother into a palace.
Unexpectedly, it turned out to be the God of Wealth.
Jialu was overjoyed, thinking to herself that this was the will of Heaven!
She immediately let go of her brother's hand and said proudly, "Look, fourth brother, I'm such a good choice."
Darima: "…………"
Before he could even speak, he saw Jialu put both silver ingots into the donation box.
“.
Then she pulled him to kneel on the prayer mat, muttering incantations incessantly.
"God of Wealth, please come again. I sincerely pray that you will bless Abu, Eji, my brother, sister and I with a life of wealth and prosperity."
Darima: "..."
What happened to the promise that we wouldn't say it aloud?
The brother and sister not only visited the temple, but also had a meal in the capital region before returning to the post station.
But such a leisurely time just came to an end.
The rain drizzled all night, and the originally dry weather suddenly became damp and cold.
After getting up, Jialu put on an extra vest, propped her chin up with her hands, and leaned lazily against the window.
She watched her fourth brother doing his morning exercises in the courtyard.
Just then, a very familiar-looking eunuch appeared at the door.
Jialuo's leisurely and carefree expression froze for a moment, and she lowered her eyes slightly to hide the slight annoyance in them.
Chun'an smiled obsequiously, yet not in an annoying way. He held a whisk in his hand, and his thin voice rose and fell like that of an opera singer.
"Princess, the Empress Dowager invites you to the palace today. As for young master Darima, someone will take you to the Ministry of War for a visit today."
After listening, Jialuo nodded slightly, her delicate face displaying just the right amount of gentleness.
"Please wait a moment, sir. Jialuo will go and change her clothes."
After an incense stick had burned, Jialuo, wearing a light purple Mongolian robe and with her hair braided, entered the palace gates once again with Chun'an.
The last time she came, she was filled with curiosity.
This time, she had some doubts in her heart.
As Jialuo walked towards the Cining Palace once again, her steps became more cautious.
She stopped in her tracks as soon as she reached the fork in the road.
At that moment, a girl in a light blue cheongsam with subtle blue-and-white patterns walked by in the distance.
In the distance are white jade railings and bright yellow rooftops. The sky is high and the clouds are light. The woman has fair skin and a gentle face, like the full moon on the sixteenth of August.
Galo's gaze couldn't help but show a hint of admiration.
Perhaps because her gaze was too direct, the woman also turned her head slightly.
Those almond-shaped eyes seemed to hold the misty rain of Jiangnan.
"Let's go, Princess, the Empress Dowager is still waiting for you."
Chun'an reminded him in a low voice.
Jialu nodded slightly to the woman, who was taken aback, but also nodded slightly.
Jialu withdrew her gaze and walked away once more.
"That woman is so beautiful, who is she?"
Galo asked in a tone that was both curious and casual.
Behind him, Chun'an said politely, "That is the Princess Consort of Xiangqin."
"oh?"
"She doesn't look like a woman from the capital; she looks like she grew up in the south."
Chun'an clearly didn't want to say more, so he gave a brief reply.
"This servant is unaware of matters outside the palace and knows very little about the Princess Consort."
"I only heard that he grew up in the south while his father was working."
Jialuo looked as if she had just realized something.
"No wonder, I always see a beauty in Princess Xiang that is different from that of Manchu and Mongolian girls."
Chun'an spoke up, "This servant feels that Your Highness possesses a beauty unlike any other girl of your age that this servant has seen."
Jialuo was taken aback, then burst out laughing.
"Chun'an, you are a really interesting person."
The two of them had already reached the platform.
"What could possibly make my niece so happy?"
Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang asked with a smile.
Jialuo stepped into the room, stood on the ground, and then kowtowed to Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang to pay her respects.
"Get up quickly."
Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang reached out to her, gesturing for her to sit on the couch on the other side.
Today's meeting was not as solemn and serious as the first time. Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang sat on a couch under the south window.
He sat cross-legged, holding a string of Buddhist prayer beads in his hands, gently twirling them with his thumb and forefinger.
Jialuo sat obediently on the other side, her expression still showing some appreciation for the girl she had just seen.
“My niece just met Princess Xiangqin. She was truly the most gentle and intelligent girl I have ever seen.”
Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang slightly raised her eyes, her gentle and warm gaze seemingly carrying some memories.
"You just saw her?"
Jialuo nodded and then said, "Not only did seeing Princess Xiang today feel like seeing a beautiful painting, but when I went to the royal temple yesterday, I also felt that every place was a scenic spot, and every moment I was experiencing the profound historical culture of the capital, which is different from that of the grasslands."
Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang nodded slightly upon hearing this and said with a smile, "Young people should go out more. When I was your age, I was also a restless person who loved excitement."
"Hehe, Aunt is in her prime now, she can go out more often."
"Oh,"
Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang was taken aback, clearly stunned by the "good time" she had mentioned.
Then she burst out laughing.
At that moment, Jialuo, sitting opposite her, slowly widened her eyes.
So beautiful.
When Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang smiled, it was as if she were a completely different person; her eyebrows and eyes curved, and her red lips and white teeth shone through.
Her body was full yet possessed a gentle beauty, and her eyes always held a firm and resolute quality.
A powerful, contradictory beauty is embodied in her.
Jialuo thought to herself that if she were to marry into the royal family as in history and become Emperor Shunzhi's empress, she should learn to adapt to the times and then... enjoy life.
As for shaking the court and strengthening her own position, she had absolutely no interest in it.
The mention of Princess Xiangqin seemed to be just something a few people casually brought up, and no one paid any attention to it.
Today, Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang is still teaching Jialuo how to be a good empress.
It's as if the emperor's golden words in court yesterday never existed.
Jialu did not ask.
Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang did not mention it either.
It wasn't until the afternoon that the Emperor came to pay his respects.
I've never heard of the emperor having to pay his respects to Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang every day.
Jialuo thought she would definitely not see the emperor today.
Upon hearing that the emperor was coming, she hesitated slightly.
His gaze tentatively fell upon Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang, only to unexpectedly meet a pair of eyes filled with a mocking smile.
"You should know that one of the things you have to do as empress is to be prepared for the emperor to come looking for you at any time."
Jialuo pursed her lips, nodded, and said, "I'll remember that, niece."
Today, the emperor is dressed in a light blue imperial robe, with flying dragons and clouds on both shoulders, making him incomparably noble.
Jialuo stood up and bowed respectfully.
"Cousin, you don't need to be so polite. We're all family."
The boy's voice was as gentle as ever.
It's as if yesterday never happened.
Jialuo then pretended not to know.
The three chatted and laughed, with Jialuo telling interesting stories about the grasslands, which Empress Xiaozhuang listened to with great interest, occasionally discussing them with her. The emperor also looked relaxed and at ease.
A scene of family joy.
Half an hour later, the Empress Dowager ordered the Emperor to send her out of the palace.
Jialuo was taken aback. She glanced at the blue figure in front of her subconsciously, then quickly looked away.
“Jialuo doesn’t need…”
"Your subject obeys."
Shunzhi interrupted her and stood up to bow to Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang.
Jialuo immediately stopped talking, bowed, and took his leave.
"Yes, go ahead. They're all siblings around the same age. What are they doing spending all day with an old woman like me? Go on."
Since Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang had said so, Jialuo had no choice but to follow the azure figure out the door.
The boy was rather thin, but he had an excellent frame.
Wearing the dragon robe didn't make him look weak, but it carried a sense of... desolation.
Once outside, a large group of people followed behind.
They were only about five feet apart.
The two walked at a pace that was neither fast nor slow.
"Does my cousin still like Beijing?"
The boy glanced sideways at the girl who was half a step behind him.
Borjigit was indeed as beautiful as Abu had said.
It was already afternoon, and the sun on the horizon had lost its midday heat, casting its rays obliquely onto her face.
Her hair was styled in an updo today, with colorful ribbons braided into her jet-black bun. Her face was free of makeup, yet she was more beautiful than the clouds in the sky.
"Your Majesty, the capital is bustling and prosperous. In just a few days, I have seen many sights that I have never seen on the grasslands. Naturally, Jialuo likes the capital."
The young man looked at the confidence that always filled her eyes and gently rubbed the emerald green thumb ring on his right index finger.
"Oh, well..."
His tone was somewhat unusual, and Jialuo was slightly puzzled, but she did not dare to look directly at Tianyan, so she waited quietly.
"How about I let you stay in the capital?"
"?"
Jialuo really didn't understand what he meant by those words.
What does it mean to stay in the capital?
Did the emperor really just give in like that and agree to marry her as the empress of the Qing Dynasty?
That must be the case, Garo thought his feeling was probably right.
After all, she was indeed the first empress of the Qing Dynasty since it entered the Central Plains.
“Jialuo came from the Horqin Grassland, filled with both anticipation and nervousness. Now that she has arrived in the capital, she realizes that all her preparations were in vain. The capital offers all the prosperity of the world. Her aunt is kind and her cousin is warm. Jialuo likes it very much.”
As Jialu spoke, she was thinking about how to flatter the boy in front of her without leaving a trace, and at the same time make him happy.
So she spoke tentatively, one sentence at a time, until the boy in front of her nodded, and she felt a sense of relief.
Then the young man smiled warmly and spoke in a clear voice: "Well, I see that my cousin loves the prosperity of the capital so much. I'm afraid she would suffer some grievances if she became my empress. How about I betroth you to my father, the regent?"
A note from the author:
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