EWRN - Chapter 11
Chapter 11: Married You by Mistake (V)
The auspicious wedding day soon arrived. As per Emperor Huo Jinyu's request, all the main thoroughfares of the imperial city were covered with red carpets and vibrant flower petals in a truly magnificent bridal procession.
Early in the morning, Huo Jinyu eagerly climbed out of the dragon bed to wash up and dress. On the day she had married Bai Qing, she had slept until the sun was high in the sky before leisurely getting up. She didn't know why she was so excited to be marrying this Princess Yan.
Matrons and serving women flooded into Jinxiang Palace at the crack of dawn. Palace maids carried in a bathtub; a new bride had to cleanse her body before marriage.
After the bath, a crowd of palace maids surrounded Yan Xi, busily arranging her hairstyle and applying rouge and powder. The matrons incessantly whispered in Yan Xi's ear about the matters to be mindful of during the wedding with the Emperor, speaking until Yan Xi felt her ears would grow calluses.
After an hour, the ornaments on her head were finally arranged. Yan Xi stood up, and the palace maids helped her into the vibrant red bridal robe. They brought some wine and pastries, instructing Princess Yan to fill her stomach first. The rest of the day would be incredibly tedious, leaving no time to eat, and doing so would be against etiquette.
Yan Xi casually ate two pastries and didn't touch the plate again. She was from a steppe clan, unlike the delicate young ladies of the Great Yuan Kingdom, who would feel faint with hunger if they missed a single meal. Besides, she didn't have much of an appetite right now.
Seeing they couldn't persuade her, the matrons shook their heads and said no more.
For this marriage to Princess Yan Xi, Huo Jinyu used a ceremony that nearly rivaled that of marrying an Empress. The entire imperial city was filled with a festive atmosphere. Huo Jinyu, dressed in a bright red dragon robe embroidered with gold, rode a tall, fine horse, personally leading the bride's procession on a tour of the entire city. Wherever the carriage passed, gongs and drums sounded to the heavens. The common people who had gathered to watch the spectacle also saw the face of the lofty Son of Heaven for the first time. Huo Jinyu was tall and slender, handsome and upright, possessing a true royal bearing. The young women and ladies watching from the roadsides all blushed. They felt their hearts flutter. If the man on the tall horse weren't the monarch of the nation, these young women would have likely thrown their handkerchiefs at Huo Jinyu long ago.
The tour of the imperial city took a full two hours. Every household in the city had seen Princess Yan's carriage and the handsome man riding ahead of it with his head held high. Huo Jinyu was clearly proclaiming to the world how much she valued this foreign princess. Everyone said this princess must be an absolute beauty to have so captivated the Emperor's affection. Unlike when Bai Qing was married, when everyone had gossiped about how she had seduced His Majesty. Many high officials and nobles had seen Bai Qing; though beautiful, she lacked refinement and could only be described as gaudy. But this time, the one being married was the princess of a nation. In every aspect, she was naturally beyond comparison to the vulgar Bai Qing.
The procession was lively all the way. The common people even spontaneously formed groups to scatter flower petals along the roadsides. Huo Jinyu was in high spirits as she made her way toward the imperial palace.
The procession took a long route back to the imperial palace, arriving in the afternoon. What was different from before was that Emperor Huo Jinyu was also hosting a banquet for all the ministers in Xuanyi Palace to celebrate together.
The new bride returned to Jinxiang Palace first, waiting by the bedside. A matron accompanied her, explaining the matters of the bridal chamber. But seeing that Princess Yan was cold and indifferent, she finally just shook her head and let her sit by herself. The matrons merely stood guard without making a sound.
Over at the banquet, after three rounds of wine and five courses of food, the sovereign and subjects all enjoyed themselves to the fullest on this joyous day. The banquet didn't slowly disperse until it was rather late. Many ministers were already staggering as they walked, but Huo Jinyu's steps were swift, not swaying in the slightest. Being the sovereign had its advantages. When the sovereign and ministers toasted each other, Huo Jinyu only needed to take a sip, while the ministers had to drain their cups. Who would dare pressure His Majesty to drink? They must be tired of living.
Huo Jinyu walked briskly toward Jinxiang Palace. Before leaving, she instructed Eunuch Wang to quickly prepare food and wine in Jinxiang Palace. It was so late, Princess Yan was probably hungry.
Inside Jinxiang Palace.
Yan Xi had already dismissed the matrons. She was the only one left in the vast palace. She wore the red bridal veil, thinking to herself. With her temperament, she was truly unwilling from the bottom of her heart to be married off to just any man, even if this person was the high and mighty Emperor, even if this person had once saved her. None of this was reason enough for her to give herself to him. But she had to marry. Did she have any other choice? She knew that the "one couple for a lifetime" she had once longed for in her youth was now impossible. This person was the Emperor of the Great Yuan Kingdom. He would have countless consorts in his harem and many heirs. And she was just a princess from a small country, married far from home. Without her family to back her, she would be nothing more than a decoration. The monarch of a nation never belongs to just one person. He belonged to the world, to the consorts of the harem; he would not be hers alone. Her heart suddenly tightened, and she nearly shed a tear. She didn't know if it was homesickness or something else. Her fists clenched tightly. After tonight, she would be the Great Yuan Emperor's woman, a consort in the Great Yuan Emperor's harem. The Northern Kingdom, her motherland—she would probably never be able to return.
She had lived in this imperial palace for some days now and had deeply felt what "deep palace" meant. The palace walls were high, the halls were grand, the courtyards were wide, and the people were few. It was unlike the Northern Kingdom. The Northern Kingdom had no deep palace, only a royal residence. The royal residence of the Northern Kingdom could not compare to the solemn austerity of the Great Yuan's deep palace. She… really was a little homesick.
The first thing Huo Jinyu saw upon entering the palace was the sight of the young woman sitting ramrod straight on the edge of the bed, her hands twisted tightly together. The palace maids following behind her placed the dishes on the table and then withdrew from Jinxiang Palace in an orderly fashion.
Huo Jinyu walked toward Princess Yan and used a lifting rod to raise her bridal veil. She placed it gently to the side. An air of coldness emanated from Yan Xi.
So cold, Huo Jinyu thought. But her face showed nothing. She smiled and said, "It's been a busy day, you must be hungry. We have prepared some food and wine, and hope Our Beloved Consort will share it with Us." The words "Beloved Consort" sounded exceptionally gentle coming from Huo Jinyu's lips.
Yan Xi had originally kept her eyes closed. She only opened them slowly after the veil was lifted. Looking at the jade-like Young Master before her, who was smiling gently and courteously, she still felt a little unhappy inside. The look in her eyes grew colder, but the person before her seemed not to notice, inviting her to share a supper that couldn't possibly be any later.
Seeing Yan Xi sitting there without moving, Huo Jinyu assumed she was too hungry to have any strength left. So she extended her right hand and gently pulled her up, leading her to the dining table to sit, and sat down directly opposite her.
Huo Jinyu placed some food on Yan Xi's plate, then began to eat herself. Yan Xi was surprised that the great Emperor of Yuan would personally serve her food. If word of this got out, wouldn't it stun all the ministers?
Yan Xi's stomach was indeed empty. She had thought there would be some strenuous activity tonight, and at worst, she wouldn't be able to eat until the next morning. She hadn't expected the Great Yuan's sovereign to be so considerate. Then again, hadn't she already experienced his thoughtfulness before?
And so, on their wedding night, the two main characters sat together quietly, eating supper, occasionally sipping a little wine. It was just silent, without any conversation.
Finally, the two finished their "supper." Yan Xi wiped her mouth with a handkerchief and said gratefully, "This consort thanks Your Majesty."
A flicker of something unnatural passed through Huo Jinyu's eyes. She paused, then said, "Beloved Consort, you should just call Us Jinyu."
Yan Xi didn't reply, it was unclear if she was tacitly agreeing.
"Beloved Consort has not yet had the nuptial wine with Us." Huo Jinyu brought over two wine cups, handing one to Yan Xi. Their fingertips touched. A strange sensation traveled up Yan Xi's arm to her brain. Yan Xi's scalp tingled, and she almost spilled the wine.
The two linked arms, their faces only a few fingers' breadths apart. She didn't know if it was an illusion, but Yan Xi could even smell a faint scent of wine on Huo Jinyu. This scent was different from that of other burly men. At the banquets in the Northern Kingdom, the brawny men who came to offer toasts had reeked of stale, strong wine.
The nuptial wine was a bit strong. Otherwise, how could she be seeing two sovereigns? Four sovereigns? Yan Xi started to feel dizzy.
Huo Jinyu apologetically helped the beauty lie down on the bed. The moment she lay down, she fell asleep. Whether it was Bai Qing before or Yan Xi this time, she had added something to the nuptial wine. No matter what, her identity was her greatest secret.
Huo Jinyu carefully removed all the hairpins and ornaments from Yan Xi's hair, placing them neatly on the small table by the bed. She let Yan Xi's hair down so she could lie more comfortably, and also took off her bridal robe, folded it, and placed it at the head of the bed. She tucked the pristine white Bridal Cloth into her own robes. Then she picked up a scroll and began to read by the light of the lamp near the couch.
Huo Jinyu realized that every time she shared a room with one of these women, she ended up spending the night on the couch. How tragic.
The next morning, Huo Jinyu returned to the Hall of the Slumbering Dragon early to wash up and change. When Yan Xi awoke, the sun was already high in the sky. She shot up in alarm. She was late, and she still had to serve tea to the Dowager Consorts. The palace maids serving in the hall saw Yan Xi was awake and hurried forward to attend to her. After they helped her wash up and change, Yan Xi rushed out of the hall. She had only been in the palace a short time and wasn't clear on the status of the two Dowager Consorts, but she figured she couldn't afford to be neglectful. Before leaving, Yan Xi glanced at the large bed but didn't see the Bridal Cloth that should have been there from the wedding night. It must have been taken by that person. She didn't think much of it.
Just as she stepped outside, she saw a eunuch waiting. The eunuch introduced himself as Eunuch Wang and said His Majesty had ordered him to wait here. If Yan Xi came out, he was to take her to the Hall of the Slumbering Dragon for a meal. There was no need to go serve tea; the two Dowager Consorts enjoyed peace and quiet and didn't wish to see anyone.
Although Yan Xi was suspicious, she still believed Huo Jinyu's nonsense and went toward the Hall of the Slumbering Dragon.
Jinxiang Palace was very close to the Hall of the Slumbering Dragon. Although it was Yan Xi's first time going, she could still see the plaque of the Hall of the Slumbering Dragon from a great distance.
Entering a side hall of the Hall of the Slumbering Dragon, she saw Huo Jinyu was already sitting at the table.
"This consort greets Your Majesty," Yan Xi curtsied.
"Rise. From now on, there is no need for ceremony when you see Us. Don't be constrained by the rigid rules of this deep palace. We do not like such things." Eunuch Wang, waiting not far off, grumbled inwardly: Your Majesty, if you really disliked it so much, why didn't we see you act this way toward Noble Consort Bai? So it all depends on the person! It depends on the person!
After all the dishes were served, a young eunuch was assigned to serve the food. This time, Huo Jinyu did not serve her any food. For some reason, a trace of disappointment flickered through Yan Xi's heart.
They finished their lunch in silence. After the palace maids cleared the plates, Huo Jinyu stood up. "We are going to the study to review memorials. Beloved Consort may return and rest." She paused, as if wanting to say something, but in the end, she didn't. She turned and left. Eunuch Wang followed Huo Jinyu out of the Hall of the Slumbering Dragon, wailing internally, His Majesty is going to exploit my labor again! His Majesty makes it sound so nice. On the surface, he's reviewing memorials, but in reality, he's a good sovereign who cruelly exploits his subordinates! Of course, he didn't let his inner misery show on his face. Eunuch Wang felt that if he kept complaining like this internally, his mind would split into two Eunuch Wangs: one exploited Eunuch Wang, and one chatterbox Eunuch Wang.
Yan Xi watched Huo Jinyu's hastily departing back with some confusion. She was puzzled. Had His Majesty summoned her just for lunch?
Yan Xi returned to Jinxiang Palace. Were the women of the deep palace all this bored? Yan Xi picked up a brush, then set it down again. She wanted to play a game of Go but didn't know who to ask. If only she could leave the palace. Leaving the palace meant she could contact her own forces. In the deep palace, she couldn't do anything. While Yan Xi sat properly in the deep palace, at a loss for what to do, Bai Qing had long since slipped out of the palace to be with her sweet lover.
Speaking of which, Bai Qing had been very well-behaved these past few days. Perhaps it was because Yan Xi had written the character for "slut" on her face last time. Bai Qing hadn't dared to see anyone for several days. Who could she blame? The ink was just that good at staining.
The day passed without her noticing, and the sky began to darken. Yan Xi was doodling on a canvas and inadvertently sketched a dashing figure. Upon closer inspection, it bore a fifty-percent resemblance to Huo Jinyu, only the face hadn't been drawn in.
Just then, Eunuch Wang came to request an audience again. Yan Xi quickly put away the canvas. Eunuch Wang had come again on His Majesty's orders, to ask Noble Consort Yan Xi to prepare. Tomorrow, she was to accompany His Majesty on a trip to Yuan'an City in Jiangnan.
So, this was what Huo Jinyu had wanted to say during the day but hadn't. Yan Xi agreed, and Eunuch Wang went back to report.
However, this trip to Jiangnan would mean traveling with Huo Jinyu for many days. How was she supposed to interact with His Majesty?
Yan Xi was a little troubled.
Comments
Post a Comment