With the strong intervention of Lin Wanwan and Xiao Che, the "retired" emperor and empress, Emperor Xiao Tuan's marriage finally came to an end in a way that no one expected.
On the day of the wedding, the entire capital city was engulfed in a sea of excitement.
Before dawn, countless people, young and old, had already flooded the streets, completely blocking the Zhuque Avenue through which the royal procession was about to pass. The windows of teahouses and taverns were crowded with people peeking out, and even the trees on both sides of the road were covered with daring teenagers.
The emperor's wedding was a grand occasion, celebrated by the whole nation, a once-in-a-century event.
However, unlike the weddings of emperors throughout history, this time, what the people eagerly anticipated was not only the legendary ten-mile-long red bridal procession and the majestic royal entourage. They were more curious and excited about the new empress who would soon rule the world.
"Hey, have you heard? Our new empress isn't some rich girl from a duke's mansion!" In the crowd, a well-informed peddler was enthusiastically explaining to those around him.
"Who else could it be? Could it be a celestial being descended to earth?" an older woman next to me asked curiously.
"Hey, you're actually half right!" The peddler slapped his thigh and said mysteriously, "Our new empress, surnamed Su and named Qiaohui, is the most outstanding female official in our Great Xiao Dynasty's first 'Royal Academy of Sciences'! She entered the academy step by step with her own true talent and learning, and made countless great contributions to the country and the people, which is why our Emperor took a liking to her!"
These words, like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, immediately stirred up a thousand ripples.
"What? A female official becomes empress?"
"My God! This is unprecedented!"
"I heard that Lady Su came from a commoner background, and her father was a schoolteacher. Is that true?"
“Absolutely true! What’s this called? This is called ‘rising to prominence’… No, no,” the peddler quickly corrected himself, “This is called ‘a person with knowledge and refinement shines through’! Gold will always shine!”
The people were abuzz with discussion, expressing shock, curiosity, and disbelief, but even more so, an unprecedented sense of excitement and identification.
In the past, the selection of an empress was as distant as the stars in the sky for ordinary people like them. Whether it was the daughter of the Zhang family or the granddaughter of the Li family, it had nothing to do with them; it was merely a power game among nobles.
But this time, it's different.
A female official of commoner origin became the First Lady of the Nation through her talent and virtue. This story is like a remarkably real and inspiring tale, happening right next to everyone. It tells everyone that women, too, can earn the highest respect in the world through their own hands and minds, without relying on family background or marriage alliances.
"The auspicious hour has arrived! The phoenix carriage rises!"
With a melodious call to arms, the deafening sound of drums and music echoed from afar.
Everyone craned their necks, eagerly anticipating what was to come.
However, when the magnificent wedding procession appeared, the people were once again awestruck.
The imperial carriage did not depart from any of the mansions of princes and nobles in the city, but rather, it proceeded dignifiedly and slowly from the main gate of the "Royal Academy of Sciences," a symbol of knowledge and innovation!
When the new Empress Su Qiaohui, dressed in an elaborate and gorgeous phoenix robe and wearing a dazzling phoenix crown, boarded the magnificent carriage pulled by nine phoenixes, surrounded by her female officials, the entire Zhuque Street was in an uproar!
"Long live the Empress! Long live the Empress! Long live the Empress!"
Someone shouted first, and then a thunderous cheer resounded through the sky.
The people waved their arms and cheered excitedly, many elderly people even shedding tears of joy. They were celebrating not only the birth of a new queen, but also the end of an old era and the beginning of a new one!
The age-old rule that "empresses and concubines must come from high-ranking families" was shattered at this moment!
Countless young women watched the slowly moving phoenix carriage, their eyes sparkling with an unprecedented light. They seemed to see a brand new path, full of infinite possibilities, unfolding before them.
"Look! It's the new fashion brought by the Goddess Empress Dowager!"
"That's right! If it weren't for the Empress Dowager's strong opposition to establish girls' schools and set up a system of female officials, we wouldn't have the grandeur we have today!"
"Long live the Empress Dowager!"
The cheers of the people gradually shifted from the new empress to the legendary woman who had long since retired from the limelight but still profoundly influenced this era—Lin Wanwan.
At this moment, atop the Chengtian Gate tower, the highest point of the palace, Lin Wanwan and Xiao Che stood side by side, overlooking the jubilant land below.
This was once the place where they experienced palace coups and fought bloody battles. Now, standing here, what they see is a completely different scene of prosperity.
The thunderous cheers, carried by the wind, reached their ears clearly.
As Lin Wanwan listened to the people spontaneously attributing all of this to her, the "Goddess Empress Dowager," a gratified and warm smile appeared on her face. Her gaze followed the procession that was slowly making its way to the palace, her eyes filled with the pride of a mother and the satisfaction of being the founder of an era.
She did it.
Her seemingly unconventional wish to open a window for women of this era has been fully realized today, in the most perfect and grand way, by her son's generation.
Xiao Che stood beside her, remaining silent. He simply gazed at his wife, watching the light in her eyes that shone brighter than the stars.
After a long while, his unique "artificial voice pack," carrying a barely perceptible hint of emotion, slowly began to play:
"Wanwan, you won again."
Lin Wanwan turned her head and looked at him.
Xiao Che's gaze shifted from her face to the bustling land below, his voice deep and powerful: "The 'female official system' you proposed to me in the Imperial Study back then has finally come to fruition today."
There was not a trace of imperial jealousy in his tone, only the pride of a husband who felt honored to be a part of the family.
Lin Wanwan smiled, took Xiao Che's hand, and said softly, "No, it wasn't me who won. It was us, we won together."
Without his strong support back then, without him using his imperial authority to clear all obstacles for her, all her modern ideas would have been nothing but castles in the air.
They are comrades-in-arms, partners, and each other's strongest support. This victory belongs to both of them.
Xiao Che gripped her hand tightly in return, the warmth of his palm just as it had been when they first met.
Below the city gate, the sound of drums and music grew ever closer.
The wedding procession, carrying the blessings of the people and the hopes of the era, finally arrived at the square in front of the Hall of Supreme Harmony under the protection of countless imperial guards.
Emperor Xiao Tuan, dressed in a dragon robe, was already waiting in front of the palace. He looked at the phoenix carriage that slowly came to a stop, his face showing the undisguised nervousness and joy of a groom-to-be.
On the city wall, Lin Wanwan watched this scene, her smile growing even gentler. She gently tugged at Xiao Che's sleeve.
“Let’s go,” she said, her eyes sparkling with a mother’s expectation and affection. “It’s time to meet our daughter-in-law.”
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com