Chapter 300: The Imperial Wedding
The Jin Kingdom Emperor’s punishment was quickly carried out.
Li Meiren was dragged, bleeding, into the Cold Palace, left to fend for herself.
An Guiren suffered a miscarriage. Learning that she had been tricked by Li Meiren and punished with house arrest by the Emperor, she was deeply frustrated. After sweeping all the decorations off a table in a fit of anger, her stomach hurt even more, and she even started bleeding. Only then did she fearfully calm down. She only hoped that the princess in her womb would be born soon, so that the Emperor would dote on her like he did on the Empress!
In addition, the two palace maids were beaten to death, and all the gardeners in the Imperial Garden were punished with thirty strokes of the board for negligence.
As a result, the long-peaceful harem was in an uproar once again.
It had been a long time since there had been any scheming between the concubines, and it had been a long time since there had been such a heavy punishment!
The news reached the ears of the Four Consorts.
Virtuous Consort: “It seems that the Emperor truly loves the Empress.”
He even broke the balance that had been in place for over a decade for her.
From now on, wouldn’t these good shows be staged every day? Thinking of this, Virtuous Consort shook her head again. No!
The Emperor never allowed anyone to cross his bottom line, so no one dared!
Pure Consort: “The Emperor is just making an example of them again, just like back then.”
Noble Consort Li only commented lightly after hearing this: “The Emperor has always been fair in handling matters.”
Was it really fair? It’s not the lack of favor that causes discontent, but the lack of fairness. The Emperor’s exclusive favor towards the Empress truly made people feel dissatisfied!
Moreover, now the Empress was unharmed, while Li Meiren had lost half her life, left to fend for herself in the Cold Palace. If the Empress had truly been stung by the poisonous bees, wouldn’t the Emperor have dismissed the entire harem?
However, Noble Consort Li only grumbled inwardly. She wasn’t worried at all now. Her son was the Crown Prince. As long as she lived these decades peacefully, without any mistakes, she would be the Empress Dowager!
Worthy Consort shook her head: “Li Meiren doesn’t understand the Emperor at all! Just wait, the Li family will decline along with her.”
The others didn’t speak. It wasn’t that Li Meiren didn’t understand the Emperor!
What the Emperor hated the most was the concubines in the harem creating trouble out of nothing.
That’s why the Emperor never indulged concubines who caused trouble. Those who did were either executed or banished to the Cold Palace. Furthermore, their families would be implicated, no longer favored by the court.
With this in mind, which concubine would dare to commit any wrongdoing?
The Jin Kingdom was full of talented people, and there was never a shortage of usable individuals. No official was irreplaceable. If they were neglected by the Emperor, they would never have the chance to rise again in this lifetime.
Therefore, the older members of the harem, knowing this characteristic of the Emperor, didn’t dare to violate the palace rules or harm the imperial heirs. Many ministers, before sending their daughters into the palace, would warn them not to cross the Emperor’s bottom line.
However, there would always be one or two newcomers who liked to test the Emperor’s limits, and naturally, they would end up with no good outcome.
But after this incident, all the concubines in the harem had extinguished any thoughts of scheming.
After a few days of peace and quiet, the day of the Empress’s investiture, also the day of the Emperor and Empress’s grand wedding, quickly arrived.
Xingnong and Shen Ruoxi woke up before dawn to bathe and change their clothes.
Xingnong applied light makeup for Shen Ruoxi. Shen Ruoxi had an exquisite beauty. Even in her thirties, her skin was still delicate. With a touch of makeup, she was breathtakingly beautiful.
As for Xingnong, after the detoxification, Chu Tiankuo had also helped her recuperate. Her eyebrows were naturally dark, her lips naturally red, and her face was like peach blossoms. Even without makeup, she was already stunningly beautiful.
She simply did her skincare, applied a little lip balm and blush to make her lips even more vibrant and her overall appearance more energetic.
After all, it was the middle of summer, and she couldn’t stand wearing heavy makeup!
As the auspicious time arrived, the Jin Kingdom Emperor personally came to escort the mother and daughter to the main hall.
The square in front of the main hall was already filled with civil and military officials.
Upon reaching the main hall, Xingnong separated from the two and went to stand beside the princes.
Xingnong, dressed in a grand red palace attire, appeared, stunning everyone.
Xingnong stood with the Crown Princess.
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The morning sun in May was already scorching, and the Crown Princess immediately ordered the palace maids to fan Xingnong and provide shade.
Xingnong smiled and thanked her: “Thank you, Crown Princess.”
The Crown Princess smiled: “You’re welcome, Imperial Sister.”
The princes, who had been talking to Princess Shengping, all turned to greet Xingnong when they saw her.
Shen Hanyu, finding the palace maids’ efforts insufficient, took the initiative to stand on Xingnong’s other side, opened his folding fan, and fanned her: “Imperial Sister, you look so beautiful today!”
This palace attire was beautiful, but it was also too heavy. He had to fan his Imperial Sister vigorously to prevent her from fainting from the heat.
Seeing this, the other princes also vigorously fanned their folding fans, sending a cool breeze towards Xingnong: “Alluring beauty, capable of causing fish to sink and geese to fall, and making the moon hide and flowers blush, these phrases perfectly describe you, Imperial Sister!”
“Imperial Sister, you look like a fairy descending to earth today!”
The Crown Princess smiled and said: “Imperial Sister, the color of your lipstick today is very beautiful. You’re already breathtakingly beautiful without lipstick, but today, even the fairies in heaven can’t compare to even a tenth of your beauty! No wonder, Crown Prince of Chu, ever since you arrived, your eyes have been glued to her!”
Xingnong looked over at Chu Tiankuo upon hearing this and smiled faintly at him.
Chu Tiankuo stood opposite Xingnong. From the moment she appeared, his gaze had been fixed on her. Seeing her smile at him, he smiled back.
Yes, once this matter was over, he could formally propose marriage!
Princess Shengping, seeing that the princes who used to surround her had all shifted their attention to Xingnong, felt even more sour in her heart!
Just now, her Imperial Brother and the others were only talking to her, they didn’t fan her. How come Shen Xingnong was so delicate?
She couldn’t help but scowl and scold the palace maids behind her: “Are you all dead? Why isn’t there any wind? Are you trying to kill me with heat?”
The palace maids behind her hurriedly fanned her more vigorously.
Seeing this, the Crown Princess assigned two more palace maids to fan Princess Shengping.
“The Emperor and the Empress have arrived!” At this moment, the eunuch announced loudly.
The Crown Princess had originally wanted to walk over to Princess Shengping’s side, but by then, the Jin Kingdom Emperor and Shen Ruoxi had already started walking onto the platform. Everyone knelt down, and she hurriedly followed suit, shouting along with the others: “Long live the Emperor/Father Emperor, ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand ten thousand years! Long live the Empress/Mother Empress, a thousand years, a thousand years, a thousand thousand years!”
The Crown Princess also understood that the young girl was probably jealous, but Xingnong had only been back for a few days, it was normal for the princes to be closer to her. Moreover, although Xingnong didn’t talk much, she had a truly good nature, was capable, and beautiful. Who wouldn’t love such a person?
Besides, they still had to find a way to keep their Imperial Sister and the Empress from returning to the Chu Kingdom, so naturally, they needed to spend more time with her!
She only felt that Princess Shengping had been too pampered in the past and was still immature. She thought about finding an opportunity to guide her. Now, among the royal generation, there were only she and Xingnong as females. They should be closer.
The Jin Kingdom Emperor, holding Shen Ruoxi’s hand, walked forward step by step. The two passed by the officials and ascended the high platform. They began the ceremony of bowing to heaven and earth, announcing their union to the heavens, the earth, and the gods and buddhas.
Only then did the crowd dare to take the opportunity to once again examine this Empress, who was held in the palm of the Jin Kingdom Emperor’s hand and doted upon. It had to be said that she was truly a beauty of national grace and heavenly fragrance, making all the concubines in the harem pale in comparison. No wonder the Emperor, once his memory was restored, personally went to fetch her and had the Ministry of Rites prepare the wedding even before her arrival. Some officials couldn’t help but think that if they had such a beauty, they would also hold her in the palm of their hand, wishing to give her all the best things in the world!
