Mei Niang smiled charmingly and slowly walked to Qi Yun Tian's side. She signaled Xiao Lian to bring the wine cup and said, "Prince, let's exchange cups and drink together." As soon as she finished speaking, a faint blush appeared on Mei Niang's cheeks, making her even more captivating.
Qi Yun Tian simply looked at the beautiful and enchanting woman in front of him without saying a word. It seemed like he was assessing her or intoxicated, making it difficult to discern his true intentions.
"Prince, I only know one principle," Mei Niang said gently, her red lips slightly parting.
Qi Yun Tian smiled gracefully, still looking at her in silence.
"In the family, I follow my father's lead, and after marriage, I follow my husband's lead. Mei Niang has married you, Prince, and naturally, I will listen to your every wish," Mei Niang spoke slowly, as if reciting a poem.
"Hehe~," Qi Yun Tian didn't expect to marry a woman who possessed both beauty and wisdom. He took the wine cup from Xiao Lian's hand and said, "As long as the princess remembers today's words, I will never let you down." Qi Yun Tian placed a wine cup in Mei Niang's hand, giving her a man's promise.
"I will never forget," Mei Niang looked at Qi Yun Tian's handsome face that seemed otherworldly, thinking to herself that no one could escape from her grasp.
After they finished the cup exchange, Qi Yun Tian waved his hand, asking everyone else to leave the bridal chamber. Embracing Mei Niang, he walked towards the wedding bed, and with a single hand gesture, he lowered the red canopy, shrouding them in an atmosphere of endless romance.
As the sky gradually brightened, Hong Ling, who had spent a sleepless night, sat by the window, watching the sunrise. She turned her head and glanced at the person still asleep on the bed, who was now her husband. Po Jun, a formidable general feared by enemies and admired by soldiers on the battlefield, had become her husband. What should I do?
Lost in her thoughts, Hong Ling was snapped back to reality when the person on the bed moved.
She slowly got up, placing a hand on her forehead. She let out a soft moan and looked up to see Hong Ling gazing at her with curiosity and a hint of perplexity in her eyes.
"My wife, you're not blaming me for taking the bed, are you?" I spoke in a gentle and refined manner, but my voice carried a hint of low, sexy, and enticing quality.
"No, not at all," Hong Ling snapped out of her daze upon hearing Po Jun's half-joking, half-teasing voice. She felt uneasy when she saw Po Jun earnestly looking at her.
"I prepared water for the madam, and the master is here for grooming," Zi Zhu's voice came from outside the door, coincidentally dispelling the awkwardness in the room.
"Please come in," I calmly said, inviting Zi Zhu into the room.
"Yes," Zi Zhu opened the door and entered, holding a basin of water in her hands.
"Madam, master, please freshen up," Zi Zhu said after entering the room, glancing at me and her young miss. She noticed that her young miss was sitting alone by the window, blushing. As for the master, he had a profound and inscrutable expression on his face, leaving Zi Zhu unsure of what to make of it.
"My wife, do you mind if I address you by your maiden name in the future?" I thought it would be better to use her name, so as not to feel awkward.
"If my husband thinks it's better to call me that way, then it's fine," Hong Ling left the window and stood next to me, taking the wet handkerchief from Zi Zhu and bowing her head. She didn't know what to do next.
"Hehe~ Let me do it myself," not wanting to trouble her, I took the wet handkerchief from her hand and gently wiped my face with it before handing it to Zi Zhu, who had come forward.
"My lord, are you blaming me for not serving properly?" Hong Ling, seeing Po Jun taking the wet handkerchief from her hand, thought he was dissatisfied with her behavior.
"Ling'er, I didn't mean that," a sense of frustration welled up within me, realizing that my actions had led her to misunderstand. However, I didn't know how to explain it to her.
"I'm just a crude person who doesn't understand the etiquette between husband and wife. You don't need to be so concerned about it in the future," I tried to provide a persuasive explanation, hoping she would accept it.
For a while, Hong Ling and Zi Zhu, the two maidservants, didn't know whether they were frightened by my words or for some other reason. They remained silent for a long time, just as I was about to become impatient.
"Hehe," Zi Zhu's laughter broke the tense atmosphere.
Looking at Hong Ling's flushed cheeks, I furrowed my brows again. Did I say something wrong? While I was pondering over it, a voice came from outside the new room once again.
"General, the Emperor has sent Huang Gonggong to inform you that he wants you to enter the palace," Lin An stood outside the door and spoke to me inside the room. His tone contained a hint of caution.
"Creak," the door to the bridal chamber was pushed open by Zi Zhu. Upon seeing Zi Zhu, Lin An visibly relaxed. But when Zi Zhu saw the old steward's expression...
"Cough, cough," Zi Zhu covered her mouth, coughing in a strange manner. Her face turned even redder, and her shoulders trembled from time to time.
"You troublesome girl," Lin An scolded, half angry and half joking.
"Lin Steward, the master said to ask Huang Gonggong to wait a moment longer. After we finish grooming, we will go to the palace with him," Zi Zhu replied, imitating my speech pattern. She changed "old servant" to "I."
"Yes, I will go and inform Huang Gonggong," Lin An turned around, "Lin Uncle, nobody asked you to be a servant. If you want to be one, then you deal with it yourself." A cold voice interrupted Lin An's departing footsteps.
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Lin An shivered, "Yes, I will go and inform Huang Gonggong," he repeated the previous words, but this time changing "old servant" to "I."
"Well, go ahead," the voice was no longer icy, but it also showed little emotion.
Listening to Lin An's departing footsteps, I turned to face Hong Ling's puzzled gaze. I smiled and looked at her without saying a word, realizing that this woman had a very pure heart. Everything was written on her face, but it was a pity that such a beautiful woman had to sacrifice her lifelong happiness for politics.
"I was an orphan. Besides Qi~ Wen Wang, who raised and educated me, Lin An is the person I'm closest to," Hong Ling didn't expect that on the second day of their marriage, I would say such words to her. And I didn't expect myself to explain so much to her either. I shook my head, realizing that guilt was truly something undesirable.
Seeing that the interaction between my young mistress and the new husband was going well, Zi Zhu quietly retreated. However, she remained outside the door because she was still worried. Unexpectedly, she overheard my words about loneliness and indifference.
It was loneliness that made me cherish the people around me, and it was indifference that made me unsure how to communicate with the people I cared about. How could one not feel sorry for him?
Hong Ling was surprised by her own thoughts. He was a mighty general, and she felt heartbroken for his upbringing. She was afraid that if he knew, he would only ridicule her ignorance.
"My husband, let Ling'er help you change your clothes," Hong Ling, if it weren't for the vow she had made with her cousin, she might have been attracted to the person in front of her. But some things were destined, and in just a few short conversations, Hong Ling felt a sense of respect for him as if he were an older brother.
"No need, I'll do it myself," I declined her kind offer and walked behind the screen. I took off the wedding robe and put on a green robe, then walked out from behind the screen to see Hong Ling still standing in the same place, dazed.
"Don't think too much. There aren't many people in the mansion. If you want to take a walk, ask Lin An to send a few guards with you," I patted Hong Ling's head. Looking into her innocent eyes, I couldn't help but smile.
"My husband, you look beautiful when you smile," after thinking for a long time, Hong Ling blurted out a sentence, leaving me unsure how to respond.
"Silly Ling'er, we can't use the word 'beautiful' to describe a man. Alright, I should go to the palace for an audience now." After saying that, I turned around, opened the door, and saw Zi Zhu waiting outside.
"Take care of the madam," I instructed her before she could answer. Without waiting for a response, I walked away, wondering why the Emperor wanted to see me so eagerly today.
As my thoughts spun in circles, I arrived at the hall.
"Oh, General, you finally came out. Let's go to the palace with me quickly," Huang Gonggong, seeing me in the hall, disregarded formalities and hurriedly urged me to follow him.
"Please don't rush, Huang Gonggong. Po Jun will go with you," I replied casually, taking a few steps to catch up with Huang Gonggong.
The group hurriedly arrived at the gate of the palace, and I furrowed my brow. Something felt suspicious, but I couldn't pinpoint what was wrong.
"Huang Gonggong, why did it take you so long?" I saw a young palace maid pulling Huang Gonggong aside to complain, but what surprised me was that a steward like Lin An was being scolded by a palace maid. It seemed that the person I was about to meet might not be the Emperor.
"Oh, I say Qiao Hui. You know that yesterday was the General's big day, so it's inevitable that we woke up late today. If it weren't for the lady~" Huang Gonggong wanted to say something more but stopped when he met the gaze of Qiao Hui, the palace maid.
"General, please proceed to the Phoenix Crying Pavilion. Her Majesty is waiting," Qiao Hui said politely to me, but there was a hint of sharpness in her expression that was difficult to detect.
Not simple, these three words imprinted in my mind upon seeing this woman. It seemed that I had to go even if I didn't want to. I wanted to see what instructions the Empress had for me.
"Then please lead the way, Miss Qiao Hui," I said politely, neither warm nor cold.
Qiao Hui nodded and led the way ahead. There was no conversation along the way, not even Huang Gonggong, who had initially been leading me. We walked silently until we reached the Phoenix Crying Pavilion, as if everything had been arranged in advance. The vast Phoenix Crying Pavilion was devoid of palace maids and eunuchs. Qiao Hui led me to the Bamboo Leaf Pavilion.
"Her Majesty is waiting for the General inside," Qiao Hui stopped outside the pavilion, implying that I should enter by myself.
"I appreciate your guidance, Miss Qiao Hui," I said calmly and then stepped quickly into the Bamboo Leaf Pavilion.
As soon as I entered, a sigh reached my ears. In the darkness, a person sat, with black hair flowing behind them. Wearing a lake green palace dress...
"Your Majesty," I respectfully saluted the figure in the shadows.
It was a stunning face without vulgarity, exuding a faint elegance. Only her watery eyes carried a deep sorrow, and her slightly raised cherry lips formed a perfect angle.
"I heard that yesterday was the General's joyful day," her tone was clear and beautiful, but carried an invisible majesty.
"Replying to Your Majesty, that is indeed the case," I answered carefully. The person in front of me was the daughter of Yang Yan and the Empress.
"This palace resides deep in the palace and only learned about the General's joyous occasion today. I have prepared a small gift, and I hope the General will not laugh at it."
"Your Majesty's grace is appreciated," I replied.
"Hehe~ General is too modest." The Empress's gentle laughter was as melodious as silver bells, but it held deeper meaning in my ears.
"Po Jun, do you think this is fair to you and the Prime Minister's daughter?" she asked, her tone still clear and beautiful but tinged with a sense of authority.
"I don't understand Your Majesty's meaning?" I looked into her eyes, feeling that she must know a lot of things. But she was Yang Yan's daughter, and I couldn't be too careless about certain matters.
"Hehe~ indeed, I forgot who I am." The Empress's beautiful face became dimmer, and her expression held an indescribable bitterness.
I couldn't answer and was moved by the emotions she revealed. I understood that this woman also had a bitter past unknown to others. For a while, I could only stand in place and look at her blankly, realizing that I was also in a similar situation.
"From the moment I first saw him, I couldn't help but fall in love with him. When Father wanted one of us sisters to marry him, I spared no effort to compete with my younger sister openly and secretly. I also investigated everything about him. In the end, I married him as the Crown Princess, but I also knew about Father's ambitions. I hovered between my husband and my father, searching for a territory that would not harm either. I openly supported my father, while secretly raising several doubts that made it impossible for my father to waver in supporting the Qi family. I also used you and Yun Tian to engage with my father. From the beginning, he married me reluctantly, under helplessness and circumstances. We have always been respectful to each other, even though I have expressed my feelings and loyalty to him multiple times. He remains unmoved."
"However, two years ago, you made me understand the tolerance of a woman. From then on, I realized that he too has feelings, but he gave them to someone who cannot reciprocate."
As the Empress finished speaking, her voice filled with grievances, she looked at me with eyes that carried a sense of understanding.
"Empress~" I called out to her.
"I have something else to remind you. Don't harm yourself for the sake of loyalty, and do not mislead others," Mei Qing said with deep meaning, looking deeply into my eyes.
After hearing Yang Mei Qing's words, I became speechless. I felt a great sadness in my heart, but I couldn't go against his wishes. Absentmindedly, my gaze fell upon the nameless flowers on the roadside.
"Love is always hurt by indifference, and fate doesn't always allow two people to be together," the faint melancholy of unrequited love was exposed in front of this person who could be considered both friend and foe. After coming back to my senses, I realized that I had said irreparable words.
I had expected to see her scheming and deceitful face after her plan succeeded, but I didn't expect to see such deep sorrow. The feeling of faint lovesickness permeated the air.