Returning to Changle Palace, Qin Su was still thinking about what Chi Shui had just said to her. What was the origin of that medicine, and how could it change a heartless person like Hua Xi into that state?
“Once Hua Xi has woken up, have her come to see me.”
Qin Su instructed Chi Shui, then thought of something else. “On the day of the grand wedding, increase security from the prime minister’s residence to the palace, blending among the people and remaining vigilant. I don’t want any unexpected incidents.”
“Yes!”
“Also,” Qin Su called out to Chi Shui again, “wash the white tiger thoroughly and bring it over.”
Chi Shui acknowledged and left to make arrangements.
The white tiger arrived much quicker than Hua Xi. Qin Su watched as the white tiger ran towards her in a rush and raised her hand to rub its large head. The sleek fur was even warmer than a hand warmer in the cold winter.
“Stay away from Hua Xi, don’t get into mischief. You should be more composed. You’re already a big tiger; you shouldn’t be so restless.”
Leaning against the white tiger was much more comfortable than a pillow.
The white tiger let out a low, sad growl after being scolded by Qin Su and rubbed its head against her, almost pushing her off the couch.
Holding onto the white tiger’s ear, Qin Su flicked its forehead. “Behave. An Ping will be here in a few days. An Ping is made of glass and can’t withstand your antics. If you scare An Ping, I’ll turn your white fur into a rug.”
The white tiger snorted and obediently lay down on the couch without moving.
When Hua Xi arrived, Qin Su was leaning against the white tiger, using it as a warm cushion and reading the grand wedding procedure. Hearing the noise, she looked up from the booklet. “What’s going on with that powder?”
Qin Su got straight to the point. Hua Xi leaned on the nearby chair with a yawn. “Haven’t your people investigated everything?”
“That was Jin Lie’s men. The powder came from Fu Liang. Chi Shui said that after you saw the powder yesterday, you seemed off. I don’t care much about your business, but I can’t stand seeing you in this half-dead state. Tell me what’s going on so I can help you.”
Qin Su had her suspicions. Based on Hua Xi’s personality, if the powder had come from one of her enemies, she would have come to her, embellishing the story to provoke her into killing the person. But Hua Xi hadn’t mentioned anything, and she spent New Year’s Eve drinking alone with the white tiger and Hongyun. That was unusual.
Hua Xi glanced disdainfully at Qin Su and chuckled, “What’s my business? I’m Hua Xi, do I need you to take charge of anything? You’ve got your hands full with your coronation and grand wedding.”
Hua Xi didn’t want to say anything more, and Qin Su didn’t press her. Forcing someone to do something they dislike under the guise of doing it for their good wasn’t Qin Su’s style.
“If you want to talk, go ahead. You know where to find me if you need anything.”
Hua Xi saw Qin Su lower her head again to read the booklet and couldn’t help but laugh. “Would it be fine if I came to you on your wedding night with Miss Shen?”
Qin Su gripped the booklet tightly, her gaze full of hostility as she looked at Hua Xi. “Bai Hu, go.”
“I was just kidding!”
Hua Xi saw that Qin Su couldn’t take a joke and ran out. The white tiger, used to this game with Hua Xi, let out a long howl and chased after her.
After sending the two away, Qin Su shook her head and continued reading the booklet.
The third day of the lunar new year was an auspicious day for marriage.
Just at the hour of the Ox (1am to 3am), Qin Su stepped out of the clear pool. Chi Shui and the others were nearby, drying her long hair, and helping her change and apply makeup.
Today was not only Qin Su’s grand wedding day but also the day she ascended to the throne, making it especially busy. Instead of wearing traditional wedding attire, she wore a heavy and luxurious imperial robe. In the silk workshop, many embroiderers worked tirelessly day and night to finish the Nine Dragon Robe embroidered with images of rivers and seas, the highest standard of imperial wedding attire.
With a black background, red patterns, and gold thread, the robe was adorned with countless precious gems and pearls. Just the two precious gems used as pendants were worth a fortune.
Qin Su took a deep breath and looked at herself in the full-length bronze mirror. Although her hair was still down, it didn’t detract from her commanding presence.
She tried taking a step and exerted her internal energy. The robe was indeed not something an ordinary person could wear; it was much heavier than armor.
She moved to the dressing table and sat down straight, closed her eyes, and relaxed as Chi Shui and the others groomed her.
Just the dressing and grooming took two hours. By the time they finished, it was the hour of the Rabbit(5am to 7am), and everything was ready for Qin Su to leave.
Welcoming the bride, bowing, ancestral worship, and receiving the worship of the people sounded simple, but it was very complex.
To demonstrate her respect for Shen Yi, Qin Su added a ceremony of bowing, replacing the usual post-wedding rituals. That allowed everyone to know that Shen Yi was Qin Su’s wife, having bowed to heaven and earth together. No matter what happened, they would face it together.
However, Qin Su couldn’t be present for the wedding procession as she had to perform the ceremonies in the palace first. Otherwise, she would have gone to welcome Shen Yi.
The responsibility of welcoming the bride fell to Nanxiang’s King Qin Yu, who conducted various ceremonies from the prime minister’s residence. Shen Yi was escorted by Shen Qing onto the phoenix sedan chair, with the white tiger leading the way and the imperial guards providing protection. The streets were lined with people, with golden leaves and silver coins scattered by attendants. Even in winter, the path was covered with numerous fresh flowers, and they headed towards the palace.
Qin Su, having finished her ceremonies, waited at the palace gate and carried Shen Yi out of the Phoenix sedan. They walked down a path laid with gold, heading towards the Temple of Heaven.
Shen Yi wore a phoenix robe, similar to Qin Su’s outfit but lighter. Her robe had nine phoenixes that seemed to soar from the crimson hem, almost flying away. The heavy phoenix crown had numerous gold bead curtains that concealed Shen Yi’s face.
Qin Su held Shen Yi’s hand tightly. It seemed they could hear each other’s rapid heartbeats.
Step by step, they entered the Temple of Heaven together for the second time, led by the ceremonial official.
“In the first year of the Tianwu era, on the third day of the first lunar month, the emperor and empress are married, reporting to the ancestors of the nine heavens and informing the people…”
“First bow to the heaven and earth!”
“Second bow to the ancestors!”
“Emperor and empress bow to each other!”
“Ceremony complete!”
For many, that was the first time witnessing the emperor and empress bowing together, which was an eye-opener. But since these were Qin Su’s orders, no one dared to voice any objections.
As the ceremonial official finished the final line, Qin Su finally felt relieved. She had successfully married Shen Yi.
Qin Su extended her hand, and Shen Yi placed her hand in her. They walked together, hand in hand, and stood at the highest point of the Temple of Heaven. The officials had been waiting for a long time and, once the two were in position, they kneeled.
“Long live our empress!”
“Long live the empress!”
Standing at the highest point, Qin Su held Shen Yi’s hand and looked down. That was the feeling of being above all things, dominating the world, with all people bowing, and heaven and earth bowing their heads.
Qin Su looked forward, and her eyes contained the vast rivers and mountains of the world and all the people. However, in Shen Yi’s eyes, there was only one person beside her.
Shen Yi grasped Qin Su’s hand in return, and her eyes were filled with Qin Su.
The ceremonial procedures were completed, but it was not over yet. The final step was to go to the imperial tombs to pay respects to their ancestors.
Qin Su and Shen Yi both sat in the imperial carriage and headed to the imperial tombs. Qin Su took a long breath and said, “It’s too heavy.”
Shen Yi felt the same way. Although she had been practicing for the grand wedding and her phoenix robe was heavier than usual wedding attire, it was still bearable. However, as the morning wore on, she realized she had overestimated her strength and her legs were shaking.
Qin Su gently lifted a bit of Shen Yi’s veil and saw her struggling under the weight. She chuckled and pulled her into her arms. “Lean on me for a while. Once we reach the imperial mausoleum, offer the incense, and pay respects, we can go back.”
Shen Yi hesitated for a moment. Although she felt the action was inappropriate, she was indeed struggling, so she leaned slightly towards Qin Su, finally feeling a bit more comfortable.
Upon reaching the imperial mausoleum, as Qin Su said, after the firecrackers went off, the two approached and offered their respects and incense.
As Qin Su and Shen Yi returned to the imperial carriage, Qin Su glanced back at the imperial mausoleum and then turned his gaze away.
In the restricted area of the imperial mausoleum, the fifth prince Qin Jing, who was practicing calligraphy, stopped and listened to the firecracker sounds outside. “It sounds lively.”
——
As the day began to darken, Qin Su and Shen Yi returned to the Yong’an Palace.
In the past two months, Emperor Yongle—now known as the retired emperor—had already moved to the Taici Palace, living a leisurely retirement. Qin Su also moved back from the Changle Palace and officially entered the Yong’an Palace.
As the empress, Shen Yi was supposed to take residence in the Wenyang Palace. However, due to the unique nature of Wenyang Palace and because Qin Su did not want to be separated from Shen Yi, she brought Shen Yi into Yong’an Palace.
Everything in Yong’an Palace was newly furnished. Had time allowed, Qin Su would have rebuilt the place entirely, as the arrangements made by Emperor Yongle did not suit her taste. She instead moved them to the Taici Palace for the retired emperor.
Now, Yong’an Palace was splendid, luxurious, and comfortable, very different from the simple elegance of Emperor Yongle. The only touch of elegance left was a few of Shen Yi’s calligraphy and paintings.
Sitting on the grand dragon bed, Shen Yi’s hands were clasped together, and her nervousness was evident. Ming Xia, Cheng Lian, and others stood by, waiting for Qin Su’s arrival.
Since the coronation ceremony and the grand wedding took place simultaneously, Qin Su wished she could be in two places at once. She had just finished over there and hurriedly made her way to Yong’an Palace.
“Your Majesty, do you remember what I told you earlier?”
Chi Shui was still beside Qin Su, reminding her as they walked.
“I’ve memorized it all.”
Qin Su stood in front of the door, took a deep breath, and pushed open the door.
The candles flickered, and the curtains warmed the room. Shen Yi sat nervously at the edge of the bed. Upon hearing the sound, she lowered her head further.
The confidence Qin Su had earlier vanished, and she stood in place, unsure of what to do. It wasn’t until Chi Shui pushed her that she took a step into the room.
Both were overly nervous. What lay ahead was simply the lifting of the veil, drinking of the wine, and changing clothes to attend the palace banquet.
When Qin Su lifted the veil with the rod, revealing Shen Yi’s shy and delicate face, she thought her heart was already beating at its fastest, but it wasn’t until she guided Shen Yi’s hand through her arm and the two drank from the shared cup that her heart truly raced out of control.
The same was true for Shen Yi. As she looked at Qin Su in front of her, she felt she had never been so nervous. She was like a puppet, following Qin Su’s every move.
It was only after the two changed clothes that their muddled state cleared up.
After changing out of their wedding attire, Qin Su wore a dragon robe, while Shen Yi changed into a phoenix robe that was still heavy, but much lighter than before.
Qin Su was the first to finish dressing. When she saw Shen Yi emerge from behind the screen, she walked over and took her hand. “Let’s go, Empress.”
Shen Yi walked to Qin Su’s side and slightly lowered her head. “Your Majesty?”
“Forget it. Call me Zi Xun as usual, and I’ll call you An Ping. These titles like Empress and Majesty make me feel distant. What do you think, An Ping?”
Qin Su wanted to tease Shen Yi, but when she called her Majesty, she remembered how she used to call her “Your Highness” when she was angry, and it made her uncomfortable. So, she quickly changed her mind.
Shen Yi’s initial anxiety vanished, and she smiled at Qin Su. “Of course, that’s fine.”
Qin Su also smiled. She knew An Ping always thought the same as she did.
Finally, Qin Su could openly hold Shen Yi’s hand and walk into the palace banquet, announcing to the world that Shen Yi was her.
The palace banquet itself was not as grand as expected. After making their appearance, the two left early. They found the event dry and repetitive, preferring to return to the palace.
Once the two empresses left, the others didn’t linger either. Unlike the New Year banquet, there were no significant restrictions, so everyone dispersed once the time was right.
As for Qin Su and Shen Yi, they returned early to the palace and had the bed prepared before heading to the clear pool.
The clear pool resembled the one in Zhengyang Palace, complete with a special pavilion. Within the rising mist, it was hard to tell whether they were in the mortal world or an immortal realm.
Qin Su and Shen Yi removed their clothes and entered the water. The day had been exhausting, but the warm water soothed their tired bodies.
Qin Su rubbed the stiff neck caused by the crown and exhaled deeply. She looked over at Shen Yi, who was sitting far away.
“An Ping?”
Qin Su called out, surprising Shen Yi, who looked up. “Zi Xun?”
“Why are you sitting so far away? Are you afraid I might eat you?”
Qin Su thought of how they had officially married that day, and the thought made her feel warm. She waved her hand at Shen Yi, trying to tease her.
Shen Yi’s tension stemmed from it being her first time. The unknown often brought fear.
Looking at Qin Su, Shen Yi retreated slightly, then reconsidered and moved closer again.
Qin Su understood Shen Yi’s thoughts and was not in a hurry. She didn’t want to scare her, knowing that she would be the one to cry if she did.
Initially, Qin Su thought Shen Yi would stay rooted in place like a cautious rabbit until they finished bathing. But after a while, Qin Su, with her eyes half-closed, felt the water beside her move gently. Opening one eye slightly, she saw Shen Yi moving slowly toward her like a cautious turtle.
Suppressing her smile, Qin Su pretended to be unaware and quietly awaited Shen Yi.
After a long while, just when Qin Su thought Shen Yi might have backed off again, a fluffy head nestled on her shoulder, “Zi Xun? Did you fall asleep?”
Qin Su finally opened her eyes and saw Shen Yi beside her, her whole face red. She reached out and pulled her into her arms. “No, I’m waiting for An Ping.”
“You saw it long ago?”
Shen Yi looked at Qin Su with moist eyes, accusingly, but as soon as their eyes met, she slowly backed down and attempted to retreat.
If it wasn’t going to be delivered, then it wouldn’t be delivered. Now that it was right in front of her, how could she just let it go?
Qin Su embraced Shen Yi tightly and placed her other hand on Shen Yi’s waist. She effortlessly lifted Shen Yi into the water, settled her on her lap, and tilted her head to kiss Shen Yi’s rosy lips.
All the restraint she had been holding back broke down like a dam at that moment, and the flood engulfed them.
Qin Su caressed Shen Yi’s shoulders and lowered Shen Yi’s undergarments that were pressed against her body. For the first time, the delicate kiss left Shen Yi’s lips and slowly moved downward…
The misty water vapor covered everything in the pool.
Sometime later, Qin Su was dressed in her underclothes, with a loosely worn outer robe draped over her. She held Shen Yi, who was wrapped in a blanket, in her arms. Within a few blinks, the door of the bedroom opened and closed again.
Chi Shui and the others silently moved away from the door, turning their backs to the bedroom and looking up at the star-filled sky.
Inside the bedroom, on the large dragon bed, Qin Su placed Shen Yi on the bed as if she were placing a rare treasure. Then she casually threw her outer robe over the screen. The red candles flickered, and who knew how many hours of the night had passed?
In an instant, one night was gone. Chi Shui saw that the sky was already bright and took a glance at the door, which remained tightly shut. She ultimately gave up on calling Qin Su for morning practice, as the empresses were newlyweds and were on a seven-day rest.
Thanks to Chi Shui’s thoughtfulness, it wasn’t until the sun was high that Qin Su woke up. As soon as she opened her eyes, she saw the bright sunlight outside and was about to reprimand Chi Shui when she noticed Shen Yi next to her. She froze for a moment, then remembered that she had married Shen Yi yesterday.
She smiled, laughing at her foolishness.
Seeing Shen Yi sleeping soundly and recalling what happened between them last night, she realized she might have lost some control, and she felt a pang of pity. She decided not to rush to get up and instead lay back down, pulling Shen Yi close to her and falling asleep again.
When Shen Yi woke up, she felt sore all over. She frowned and tried to get up, but she felt something weighing on her. She opened her eyes, and her blurred vision gradually focused on Qin Su’s face.
In an instant, memories of last night flooded back, and Shen Yi’s face turned as red as fire. She wished she could disappear on the spot. She buried her face in Qin Su’s shoulder, hoping to erase the memories from her mind.
Shen Yi’s slight movements woke Qin Su, who opened her eyes again. Feeling the warmth on her shoulder, Qin Su realized what was happening. She gently stroked Shen Yi’s back, “Is An Ping awake?”
Shen Yi didn’t want to talk to Qin Su at the moment and remained silent, pretending to be asleep.
Qin Su could tell from Shen Yi’s irregular breathing that she was pretending. Seeing Shen Yi like that, she pulled her closer to her chest. With warm and soft arms around her, Qin Su felt even more content than when she had ascended the throne the previous day.
Holding her in her arms, Qin Su didn’t reveal Shen Yi’s pretense. “Well, since An Ping isn’t awake, let’s stay in bed today. Oh, I’m also a bit tired. Let’s sleep some more and not worry about whether it’s close to noon.”
As soon as Qin Su finished speaking, Shen Yi looked up, shocked, “What? Noon?”
After Shen Yi asked, Qin Su looked up and saw the time. She suddenly felt tense and tried to get up from Qin Su’s arms but felt a sudden ache in her waist and fell back onto Qin Su.
“An Ping, you’re not dressed yet. Where are you in such a hurry to go?”
Qin Su’s hand deliberately brushed against Shen Yi’s smooth skin, successfully breaking Shen Yi’s attempt to get up.
With a flushed face, Shen Yi pushed Qin Su’s hand away, “Stop messing around. It’s already this late, and we need to serve tea to the elders.”
Qin Su burst into laughter, hugging Shen Yi and flipping her over to press her down. She pinched Shen Yi’s face, “Oh, I forgot about this. An Ping has become a new bride and needs to serve tea.”
Shen Yi looked at Qin Su with urgency, wondering who would serve tea to the elders so late on their first day of marriage.
“You know that so why aren’t you getting up? Stop messing around.”
“Oh,” Qin Su mischievously pinned Shen Yi down and pointed to her lips, “Okay, this will get you up.”
Qin Su’s shamelessness knew no bounds. Shen Yi was exasperated but then reached up and pulled Qin Su down, raising herself to meet her.
Qin Su didn’t expect Shen Yi to believe her. She found teasing Shen Yi amusing but also had a rare pang of conscience.
When Qin Su was satisfied, she told Shen Yi the truth.
“I’ve already spoken to Father and Lady Jin. We don’t have to serve tea today. We can go tomorrow. They were also busy yesterday and didn’t want to wake up early.”
Now that Emperor Yongle had become Emperor Emeritus, and there was no empress, Lady Jin officially became the new empress dowager. That arrangement was decided by Qin Su. Lady Jin’s contributions to the palace over the years proved that she deserved the position.
Perhaps Qin Su couldn’t accept the idea of replacing the virtuous empress, but now that Lady Jin had become empress dowager, she felt it was time to stop neglecting her.
After hearing Qin Su’s explanation, Shen Yi was taken aback and then realized that Qin Su had been teasing her earlier. She huffed coldly, “Qin Zixun!”
“My apologies.”
Regardless of her status, Qin Su’s speed in apologizing remained unchanged, perhaps even accelerating over time. Seeing that she had upset Shen Yi, she apologized and let go of Shen Yi, lying on her back, “I’ll do whatever An Ping decides.”
Shen Yi had built up some momentum earlier, but Qin Su’s actions quickly dispelled it. In the end, Shen Yi couldn’t hold back her laughter and playfully bumped Qin Su’s shoulder with her head. After that, she couldn’t help but laugh, unable to stay angry at Qin Su.
The two of them lingered in bed for a while, then got up and dressed.
Those few days should be uneventful, and Qin Su was glad for the leisure. She changed into a more casual outfit, draped herself in a fox fur cloak, and wrapped Shen Yi entirely in it. The two of them went out to stroll in the imperial garden together.
Over the past two days, there hadn’t been any snow, and the sun was shining brightly. The cold wind in the imperial garden had softened, making the sunlight feel cozy and lazy.
Qin Su initially intended to take Shen Yi for a casual walk but ended up at the tiger enclosure. Although it was called a tiger enclosure, there was only one white tiger inside. This white tiger lived like a lord, being pampered and cared for. Its fur was sleek and shiny, and it was lazily lying in the enclosure, licking its paws.
T/N: So for Empress/Lady Jin, the author referred to her as Empress/Queen/Imperial Consort with Empress being used more often, that’s why I had decided to go with referring to her as Empress Jin but seems like she did not have that title officially until this chapter.
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