Snow fell on his collar and shoulders, scattering a layer across Pang Xiao’s black sable fur cloak. Under the light of the high-hanging palace lanterns in the corridor, it appeared even more crystalline.
Pang Xiao’s hands, clasped behind his back, clenched tightly into fists. His heart felt as if someone had ruthlessly squeezed it and then viciously stabbed it several times with fingernails.
He had just returned and originally intended to have someone announce his arrival, but the head palace maid serving with lowered head in the corridor told him in a low voice that the Princess Consort was having private words with her two attendants.
Pang Xiao noticed the palace maid’s flushed face, with traces of spring desire in her eyes and brows, which displeased him. However, he didn’t immediately respond, thinking to wait until Qin Yining finished talking with Ji Yun and Bingtang before entering.
Who could have imagined that his extraordinary senses allowed him to clearly hear the faint conversation and sobbing sounds from the inner hall?
Only then did he suddenly realize that Qin Yining’s arrival at this palace wasn’t to enjoy wealth and honor, but to enter a cage made of gold!
Pang Xiao knew all too well what life in the palace was like. Moreover, within these palace walls, Qin Yining had been imprisoned by Li Qitian like livestock, nearly starved to death without food or drink, and had been made difficult for in both Kunning Palace and Ci’an Palace.
To force her to live in such a completely unfamiliar place, where she might face three palaces and six courtyards in the future, having to carefully manage the harem while acting as a magnanimous and generous empress, following those rules – no matter how much she missed her husband, she couldn’t transgress even slightly, or she would be mocked by the entire realm.
Such wealth and honor might be desired by others, but perhaps Qin Yining truly didn’t want it.
Pang Xiao’s heart felt blocked in waves, then panicked in waves. He had truly been busy to the point of confusion, not paying attention to these details, actually letting her cry with her two maids.
The palace servants hadn’t heard the conversation inside clearly, but the one who had previously stopped Pang Xiao was perceptive. From the moment Prince Zhongshun’s consort entered the palace today, she had been in low spirits, and the two personal maids she brought were also extremely cautious, so the maid had developed some ulterior thoughts.
Now seeing Pang Xiao standing at the door with a cold, hard expression, his whole body tense like solid stone – truly someone who had experienced many battles, the killing aura emanating from him and the sharpness in his eyes couldn’t be ignored. The eunuchs and palace maids at the palace gate were all intimidated into lowering their heads, not daring to move.
After a long while, Pang Xiao looked down at the maid who had reported to him.
“What’s your name?”
The maid was stunned, then overjoyed: “Replying to Your Highness, this servant is Chunyao.”
“Mm. Have someone note this down: Chunyao has improper intentions and attempted to sow discord between master and mistress. Immediately banish her from the palace, never to be employed again.”
Chunyao was shocked and terrified: “Your Highness! Your Highness! This servant is wronged!”
“Wronged? Your desires are written all over your eyes – do you think I’m blind? Kunning Palace has no use for such ill-intentioned people. You all remember this as well.” Pang Xiao turned around, looking at all the palace servants beside him: “In this palace, who is master and who is servant – if there’s even half a trace of today’s presumptuous thoughts again, it won’t be as simple as expulsion from the palace gates.”
“Yes!” Everyone responded in unison.
The commotion outside had already alerted the three people in the bedchamber. Qin Yining threw on a small jacket and hurried out with Bingtang and Ji Yun, just in time to see Pang Xiao pushing through the door. As the bamboo warm curtain fell, she caught sight of a palace maid being dragged away with her mouth covered.
As soon as Pang Xiao entered, he removed his cloak and casually handed it to Ji Yun, rubbing his hands and smiling: “Were you planning to sleep?” He also playfully lifted a strand of Qin Yining’s long hair that had fallen over her shoulder.
Qin Yining smiled: “I thought you’d be very busy tonight, and besides, according to rules, you shouldn’t…”
“What rules?” His large hand swept her up toward the bedchamber: “From now on, I’ll come back to sleep every night. Remember to leave the door open for me.”
Qin Yining looked up at him in surprise: “This isn’t proper!”
“Rules are made by people. Tomorrow I’ll be the Emperor, and I’m the greatest in this realm. If I say I want to sleep in Kunning Palace at night, who dares say half a word against it?”
“You… the censors and imperial inspectors will…”
“Screw them!” Seeing Qin Yining’s red-rimmed eyes, Pang Xiao’s heart clenched. Having just finished fighting and habitually cursing with the soldiers, it came out now too: “Whoever dares point fingers, I’ll have the Huben Army directly eliminate them! The brothers are all still armed and ready!”
Qin Yining was momentarily speechless, but her heart suddenly brightened. Regardless of whether Pang Xiao would fill the harem in the future, his current attitude pleased her heart.
“Stop fooling around. This throne will already be subject to criticism. If you’re too unconventional, I’m afraid people won’t accept you in the future.”
“Won’t accept? I’ll lead troops and beat them to death!” Pang Xiao sat on the edge of the canopy bed and pulled Qin Yining’s wrist.
Caught off guard, Qin Yining was pulled around, her long hair flying as she landed on his lap.
Ji Yun and Bingtang immediately retreated.
Qin Yining blushed and struggled a bit, but couldn’t break free at all.
Pang Xiao held Qin Yining’s waist. The two hadn’t been intimate for days, and now with soft jade and warm fragrance in his arms, he naturally felt somewhat restless. Holding her with his large hands, he smiled: “Don’t move around. We have to get up early tomorrow. I’m afraid if we get carried away, we won’t be able to sleep until midnight, and then I’ll have dark circles under my eyes, making people think I’m not valiant.”
Qin Yining carefully shifted her sitting position, avoiding him somewhat, her face red and helpless: “Alright, stop fooling around. Since you know we have to get up early, why are you still messing around?”
From Pang Xiao’s angle, Qin Yining’s fair, delicate ears and earlobes, as well as her slender, pale neck, were all as soft as freshly fallen snow, making him unable to resist wanting to taste them. But what he had just said was also the truth – he truly feared getting out of control and delaying tomorrow’s serious business.
Pang Xiao helplessly stood up and pinched her little bottom once: “Alright, no more fooling around. I’ll wash my face and we’ll sleep quickly. Tomorrow morning there’s the abdication ceremony, and after dawn at the Chen hour, there’s the empress investiture ceremony. I’ve already had people rush to make your ceremonial dress, and it will be delivered tomorrow along with the headdress. You must dress up beautifully then, let them see what truly means ‘bringing down kingdoms with beauty,’ so those people won’t have crooked thoughts and always want to push their daughters forward. Tch, they really have some nerve!”
Pang Xiao left this remark and went to the washroom while removing his outer robe.
Qin Yining stood in place, stunned. His last sentence had given rise to some hope in her heart.
The two slept embracing each other. Qin Yining slept warmly and securely that night, her whole body curled up in Pang Xiao’s arms, her feet tucked between his calves – even her easily cold feet weren’t cold anymore.
Pang Xiao rose early, reluctant to disturb Qin Yining. He tiptoed with his clothes to the washroom to wash and dress, then hurried to the morning court.
Qin Yining slept until three quarters past the Mao hour before being awakened by Ji Yun and Bingtang. The two had swept away yesterday’s dejection, bringing palace maids skilled in hairdressing and makeup to serve Qin Yining.
Qin Yining’s long hair was piled high, revealing her slender neck. She wore golden silk hair ornaments with peony heart-shaped pieces securing the coiffure, followed by a golden phoenix crown with three pairs of gold tassels with pearls held in phoenix beaks inserted diagonally on either side, and equally exquisite earrings.
Her makeup was also rarely rich and gorgeous. Combined with the well-tailored phoenix robe, even the palace maids doing her makeup were stunned.
“The Princess Consort wasn’t even this… this… on her wedding day.” Bingtang truly couldn’t find suitable words to describe it. It wasn’t that she hadn’t been beautiful before, but today Qin Yining’s entire aura was something she had never had before.
Qin Yining smiled, looking at herself in the mirror and pressing her lips together. Her red lips were vivid, making her skin appear even more snow-white.
The palace maid decorated her forehead with bright red flower ornaments – the delicate three-petaled bird feather shape was small and distinctive, adding alluring charm to her heroic bearing.
Palace servants had been waiting outside for a long time, with the palanquin prepared and ready.
Qin Yining stepped out wearing a bright red cloak embroidered with gold all over, walking on the cleaned floor tiles to board the palanquin. Not one of the eunuchs or palace maids dared to transgress by looking too much. The palace maid expelled from Kunning Palace at midnight last night was said to have been gossiping behind people’s backs, trying to sow discord between the Emperor and Empress. They still found it both frightening and incredible.
When Qin Yining’s procession arrived at Fengtian Hall, the abdication ceremony had already ended. Civil and military officials stood in formation in the square. The bitter north wind blew through, chilling people to the bone, yet no one moved inappropriately. Banners fluttered, and the imperial canopy rolled in waves of golden light.
From Fengtian Hall up the imperial steps, red carpet extended endlessly into a golden radiance, as if proclaiming that her future path would also be filled with prosperity and brightness.
Following the ceremonial official’s loud chanting, palace servants immediately came forward, respectfully indicating that Qin Yining could proceed.
Qin Yining stepped forward, her robe hem embroidered with golden phoenixes spreading their wings trailing across the bright red carpet, with female officials and palace servants behind her holding high the imperial canopy, a long ceremonial procession following.
A eunuch’s distinctive voice, full of vigor, read aloud of how the Empress had accompanied the Emperor for many years, providing disaster relief, helping the poor, aiding the people, provisioning grain during the Tatar campaigns, and remaining devoted through numerous life-and-death experiences.
Pang Xiao wore bright red cloud-patterned twelve-symbol robes of state with a black gauze Yishan crown, making him appear even more handsome with imperial dignity.
No one could have imagined that as Qin Yining gradually approached, he stood up and slowly walked down the imperial steps.
The civil and military officials were surprised at this sight.
Qin Yining looked up at the man walking toward her from the imperial steps, also somewhat unexpected.
Ji Zeyu at the head of the military officials, Huzi and other deputy generals beside Pang Xiao, as well as Xie Yue, Xu Weizhi and other advisors at the head of the civil officials, were all stunned with slightly widened eyes.
Pang Xiao stood before Qin Yining and extended one hand, smiling.
Qin Yining hesitated somewhat.
Wasn’t Pang Xiao’s action improper according to rules?
But Pang Xiao seemed to know Qin Yining’s concerns and actually grasped her hand, leading her up the imperial steps. In others’ eyes, the new Emperor’s action seemed as if he feared the Empress might refuse or flee, causing the ministers to fall silent, while those military generals who had become familiar with Pang Xiao in the army laughed.
Qin Yining stood before Pang Xiao with a red face. Pang Xiao also looked down at her, receiving the investiture edict from Grand Eunuch Liu Anfu beside him and handing it to the eunuch who would read it.
According to protocol, Qin Yining should kneel on both knees, but as soon as she moved, Pang Xiao immediately supported her arms.
At this moment, the supervising eunuch loudly proclaimed: “By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Lady Qin Yining, daughter of the renowned minister Qin Huaiyuan, born of a distinguished family, blessed by auspicious signs in noble relatives, known for virtuous conduct, having raised many children, naturally filial and respectful… Commanded by册宝, established as Empress, thus decreed!”