Maggie was dressed very beautifully, wearing a bright red silk round-necked robe and an exceptionally luxurious crown on her head, making her look more like a bride.
His heavily made-up face was ashen, and his eyes were filled with resentment as he looked at Su Wanwan.
She raised her eyebrows defiantly and mouthed something to Su Wanwan:
We'll see.
Su Wanwan thought to herself, "She's really bold."
Daring to challenge the future empress.
She probably has someone backing her up, which is why she has such confidence.
That makes sense when you think about it.
With Lu Xingjian backing her up, she dared to swagger in front of the Empress Dowager.
What's more, she's the new empress who hasn't even firmly established herself yet?
Perhaps, one day I will be crippled like Xia Xueyi.
This wedding, seemingly lavish and magnificent, was actually fraught with danger and its future uncertain.
Su Wanwan bowed and bid farewell to her parents before leaving her home. Surrounded by female officials and palace maids, she stood before the incense table, facing south, and listened to the eunuchs announce the decrees and perform the kneeling ceremony to receive the golden book and imperial seal.
She glanced around at the people watching the ceremony. Madam Xing and Madam Yu were present, as well as the wife of the heir of the Duke of Baoguo and some other familiar noblewomen.
They all came as relatives and friends of the Su family to see her off on her wedding day, their faces beaming with genuine smiles.
Su Wanwan felt a little touched.
She didn't come away empty-handed during her time in the capital; she also made some friends.
Zhou Wanxiu hid in the crowd, her eyes red as she looked at Su Wanwan.
Su Wanwan is absolutely dazzling today.
Where is that timid and submissive demeanor from when she was in Qingning Palace?
This magnificent and noble empress's robe and phoenix crown actually fell into the hands of this shameless widow who committed adultery?
I, Zhou Wanxiu, was raised from childhood to be a Crown Princess and Empress, yet I twice missed the chance to become Empress.
How could I not feel heartbroken and jealous?
Su Wanwan, why did you lie to me?
Why? !
In Xuanfu, you clearly said that all the women in the world were dead, and the position of empress would not fall to you.
I so sincerely asked you for your help, but you always refused.
It turns out that she had her eye on the Empress's position!
Why didn't you just tell me you wanted to compete for this position too?
You've gone too far.
I even considered you my best friend!
Su Wanwan didn't see Zhou Wanxiu, who was squeezed at the back of the crowd, and naturally didn't know what she was thinking.
Even if we knew, what could we do?
She was on good terms with Zhou Wanxiu, partly because of their family ties.
On the other hand, there's another layer of ulterior motives that's best left unsaid to outsiders.
Perhaps one can see a bit of what her mother looked like when she was young in Zhou Wanxiu's words and actions.
After all, they were all legitimate daughters of the Zhou family, pampered and raised in the family.
If possible, she would travel back in time to tell that young woman who was about to commit suicide, "For the sake of your crying, hungry child, could you please hold on a little longer?"
Which child doesn't want to live in their mother's love and care?
The officiant was the highly respected Duke of England, Zhang Mao.
He had gifts such as wild geese presented to him, and then stood to the east of Su Wanwan, reciting: "Be cautious and respectful, and never disobey my orders day and night."
Su Wanwan was completely numb, only knowing to follow the female official's orders.
After the ceremony, the inner attendant requested that Su Wanwan ride in the Empress's carriage.
Su Wanwan looked at the imperial carriage in front of her, her feelings were a bit complicated.
Since ancient times, emperors have never had a personal welcoming ceremony for their weddings.
Instead, they sent envoys to the empress's residence to formally appoint her, and then welcomed her into the palace.
This process is called the "welcoming ceremony".
Lu Xingjian broke with convention and came to the Su family in person, which was quite unique.
Whether he came specifically to greet her or because Maggie would be appearing at the Su family's house today, remains unknown.
All she remembered was his very cold and stern face, which seemed somewhat reluctant.
With the imperial palanquin in front and the empress's palanquin behind, surrounded by guards, musicians, and ceremonial processions, they proceeded in a grand procession towards the palace.
Entering through the central gate of the Daliang Gate, civil and military officials, all in court attire, stood in rows to the east and west outside the Chengtian Gate to welcome them. The carriage then entered the Chengtian Gate and withdrew.
The Empress's palanquin entered the inner courtyard through the Fengtian Gate. After exiting the palanquin, the Empress entered through the west steps, and the Emperor descended the east steps to greet her in the courtyard. He then bowed to the Empress and led her into the inner palace.
The lady-in-waiting asked the Empress to change her dress.
Afterwards, we went to the Fengxian Hall to pay our respects to our ancestors.
Fengxian Hall is the royal family temple within the palace, where the ancestral tablets of past generations are enshrined.
After performing the rites, Lu Xingjian stood before the late emperor's memorial tablet, his thin lips pressed together, remaining silent for a long time.
Su Wanwan stood to his west, not looking at him, but she could feel the coldness emanating from him.
Su Wanwan searched near Emperor Yingzong's memorial tablet but did not find Zhou's memorial tablet.
Tears welled up instantly.
It seems the rumors are true.
Even the late emperor refused to place Zhou's memorial tablet in the Fengxian Hall so that she could enjoy the sacrifices and offerings from her descendants.
This shows how much they hate him.
The kindness of raising a child for over a decade could not ultimately overcome the deep-seated hatred accumulated during the power struggle.
After performing the ceremony at Fengxian Hall, the two were then led to Fengci Hall, located to the west of Fengxian Hall.
The memorial tablet of Empress Dowager Xiaosu is enshrined here separately.
The east is the most honorable direction.
Even in the rear hall, Zhou Shi could not obtain a position of honor.
She was the birth mother of Emperor Xianzong and the grandmother of the late emperor.
Su Wanwan thought in a daze that even Zhou Shi was treated like this after her death.
She was a loyal subject who had served the Zhou family for many years. If she hadn't married far away to Jinling, what way would she have to survive in the capital?
What awaits her is probably being buried alive with the Zhou family.
Lu Xingjian gazed at Zhou's memorial tablet for a long time, his eyes respectful and gentle.
Su Wanwan's eyes reddened with longing.
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