The sedan chair outside had been waiting for a long time. Qing Xia carefully lifted her skirt hem, afraid of dirtying it, and followed behind Qin Zhiyan, walking toward the main hall.
The imperial palace had sent two first-rank noble ladies to serve as wedding envoys. Qin Zhiyan took her hand and exchanged pleasantries with the two noble ladies for a few moments, then turned back to instruct Qing Xia: “You haven’t had time to eat anything this morning. Although they say you shouldn’t eat today, find an opportunity to secretly eat something. I’ve placed some pastries in your sedan chair—remember to eat them on the way.”
Qing Xia smiled and nodded, her eyes curved like crescent moons.
Qin Zhiyan, who was usually a man of few words, suddenly became chatty today and continued: “After entering the palace, you must give red envelopes to the ladies who dress you, the ladies who arrange your hair, and the nannies who attend to you—this is customary. Not giving them would be unlucky. I’ve already placed them in the sedan chair, remember to keep them with you.”
“I understand,” Qing Xia obediently listened, smiling and nodding.
“You’ll probably wait for me in Empress Chunyu’s palace, or possibly in my mother’s palace. Don’t worry—no matter which arrangement it is, I’ve already made preparations. No one will bully you, so don’t be afraid.”
“Mm, I’m not afraid.”
“Hong Xiao will serve as your wedding attendant and stay with you throughout. She’s timid and very obedient to me—she won’t make things difficult for you.”
“Mm, good.”
“Be careful in the palace. I’ll come to fetch you very soon. Wait obediently for me.”
Qing Xia nodded vigorously, feeling her neck getting a bit sore. The smile on her face grew wider and wider. Seeing Qin Zhiyan’s nervous appearance, she didn’t care that the noble ladies of Great Qin were still beside them. She suddenly opened her arms and threw them around Qin Zhiyan’s neck, kissed his face, then loudly declared: “I’ll obediently wait for you to take me home!”
The two distinguished ladies who were drinking tea were so shocked by Qing Xia’s scandalous behavior that they spat out their tea and began coughing loudly.
Qing Xia stuck out her tongue and giggled behind her hand. Qin Zhiyan’s eyes curved like two brilliant crescents.
The sedan chair was slowly lifted up. Qing Xia ignored the ladies’ objections and pushed open the curtain, poking her head out to shout loudly at Qin Zhiyan standing at the entrance of the prince’s mansion: “Come fetch me early!”
Qin Zhiyan stood tall and elegant. Bright sunlight fell on his smooth forehead as he waved at Qing Xia from afar, like an immortal hermit dwelling in the deep mountains.
The carriage gradually moved farther away. Qin Zhiyan’s figure slowly disappeared at the edge of her vision, but even separated by countless walls and streets, Qing Xia could still feel his bright eyes and warm breath.
After today, as long as she got through today.
The heavy palace gates opened wide. Qing Xia’s sedan chair proceeded with great fanfare into the palace interior, passing through countless palace gates and corridors before finally coming to a steady stop outside the gates of Fengfei Hall. Empress Chunyu wore dark red palace attire. Though she was getting on in years, she only looked to be in her forties. Deep crow’s feet marked the corners of her eyes, but they radiated an indescribable kindness and gentleness.
She examined Qing Xia from head to toe with great warmth, her voice gentle as she smiled and said: “If Wanfu could have even half your qualities, I would be satisfied.”
Looking at this empress who had lived her entire life in the rear palace yet maintained such a gentle disposition, Qing Xia’s heart gradually warmed. She took Empress Chunyu’s arm and smiled, saying: “Your Majesty is the most gentle and kind person I’ve ever met. Your children must surely be the most kind and wonderful children.”
Empress Chunyu beamed with smiles, taking Qing Xia’s hand and saying: “Today is the most important day in a woman’s life. Zhiyan is a good child—being able to marry him is your blessing.”
Qing Xia nodded and followed behind Empress Chunyu into the main gates of Fengfei Hall.
Eighteen palace maids in matching red attire waited beside the dressing table, each holding various cosmetics—rouge and powder for the makeup preparation. Qing Xia was truly startled by this formation. Trembling with trepidation, she was pushed onto the soft chair by Empress Chunyu and lay there like a piece of pork on a chopping board. Steeling her heart and closing her eyes, she let this group of women do whatever they pleased.
This lying down lasted nearly four hours. Qing Xia’s mindset was indeed excellent—she even managed to take a nap. When she woke up, the great work was complete. Next came the hair arrangement.
When Qing Xia saw that long row of forty to fifty elderly women—all with completely gray hair, wearing red palace attire, and faces full of wrinkles—she truly had to thank the instructors from Military Intelligence Division 9 once again for cultivating her strong heart, allowing her to calmly face all of this without showing any unseemly shock that would disgrace Prince Xuan’s mansion.
“These ladies are all blessed people with many children and grandchildren. Since your mother is no longer here, His Majesty has decreed that you must not be shortchanged. He hopes that by borrowing their good fortune, you and Zhiyan can also grow old together in peace and joy.”
Empress Chunyu walked at the front, lifting a strand of Qing Xia’s beautiful hair and tying it in a knot, securing it with a golden hairpin.
Then these elderly ladies of longevity and fortune came forward one by one, each wearing a face full of smiles, kindly speaking various auspicious and joyful words to Qing Xia while arranging a strand of her hair.
The hair arrangement proceeded very slowly, but Qing Xia no longer felt the slightest drowsiness. Watching these gentle and loving elderly women, listening to their words of blessing for longevity and prosperity, she felt her heart filled with warm, harmonious feelings.
She sought nothing—not wealth and honor, not many children and grandchildren, not power over the world. She only sought peace and health, freedom from illness and disaster. She only sought that the person who occupied her thoughts could live a long life and age peacefully.
After the hair arrangement was completed, it was nearly evening. A ninety-something-year-old lady wearing bright red brocade robes tremblingly tucked the final strand of hair behind Qing Xia’s ear. Her face was full of wrinkles but radiating warm kindness. She seemed somewhat hard of hearing and spoke very loudly, making Qing Xia’s ears tingle. The old woman loudly called out: “May the Princess bear precious sons soon!”
Qing Xia smiled sweetly as she handed over the final red envelope, laughing: “Thank you, honored elder. May your auspicious words come true.”
“Come, stand up and let me see,” Empress Chunyu sat in her chair, setting down her tea cup, deep smile lines around her eyes.
Qing Xia stood up and spun around in place, then drew out her voice playfully as she laughed: “Thank you, Your Majesty! Long live Your Majesty, long live, long live!”
Empress Chunyu was startled and quickly said: “You silly girl, you’re talking nonsense. You can only say such things when seeing His Majesty.”
Qing Xia laughed carelessly: “Without Your Majesty, what fun would it be for His Majesty to live ten thousand years alone? Golden halls full of jade, power over the world—none compare to being an immortal couple, sharing a hundred years together in the martial world.”
“Well said!” A loud cheer suddenly rang out. Qing Xia turned to look and saw the King of Qin in bright yellow dragon robes, laughing heartily as he entered.
“Qing Xia pays respects to His Majesty,” Qing Xia quickly knelt on the ground, speaking respectfully.
Empress Chunyu also stood up, gently saying: “Why didn’t you announce yourself when entering? I could have gone out to receive you properly.”
“If I had announced myself, how could I have heard Miss Zhuang’s insightful words? All the scholars of the Hanlin Academy, with their millions of brilliant essays, couldn’t match the profundity of your two sentences.”
Qing Xia knelt on the ground, respectfully saying: “His Majesty is too kind in his praise. I was speaking playfully—I’m grateful if His Majesty doesn’t blame me for being improper.”
“Haha,” the King of Qin laughed heartily and said: “Tonight is your and Zhiyan’s joyous wedding day. Your parents are gone, and no relatives are by your side. I’ve taken it upon myself to find you a wedding officiant of sufficient stature. Let’s see how you’ll thank me for this.”
Qing Xia frowned, not knowing what tricks they were pulling now. Were they going to produce some four-generation patriarch? Just as she was thinking this, she suddenly heard the King of Qin laugh heartily toward the door and say loudly: “Emperor Chu, please come in quickly! What I asked you to do—this is it.”
In an instant, it was as if a muffled thunderbolt exploded directly above Qing Xia’s head. The world spun, everything fell into deathly silence, and she nearly couldn’t stand steady.
She saw Chu Li in a black robe, his face slightly pale, his eyes like a frozen mirror lake showing no emotion whatsoever. Walking against the fiery red sunset, he entered the great hall step by step and stood before Qing Xia.
“Golden halls full of jade, power over the world—not comparing to being an immortal couple, sharing a hundred years together in the martial world. So this is how you think.”
His low voice slowly resonated, carrying faint hoarseness and weariness, like autumn wind rolling through mulberry leaves, yet inexplicably being slowly consumed by spring silkworms.
“Girl, pay respects to Emperor Chu.”
The King of Qin’s eyes were sharp and cold—the scheming and calculation belonging to an emperor, the majesty accumulated over many years, the iron heart forged through years of practice. Empress Chunyu was slightly moved, looking at Qing Xia with worry. She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but ultimately said nothing.
Time seemed to pass both rapidly and to freeze in this moment. In an instant, it was as if all the stars, sun, and moon in the sky lost their radiance, leaving only some underlying emotions, inexplicable thoughts, chaotic ideas, and empty blankness swirling and clamoring between heaven and earth. No matter how thick the foundation, it couldn’t hide Qing Xia’s pale complexion. Those things she had repeatedly forced herself to suppress surged up again in her heart like vultures circling under the firmament, shrieking and devouring all her mental faculties.
Her heart was tightly grasped by an invisible giant hand, aching as if it were dripping blood. They faced each other, so close in distance, yet seeming to have a vast ocean separating them in the center. Even with all their strength, they couldn’t draw even the slightest bit closer.
Qing Xia’s eyes were dry. She finally slowly managed a bitter smile, gently bowing down, kneeling and lowering her head: “Paying respects to Emperor Chu.”
Chu Li’s gaze was indifferent, seemingly looking at Qing Xia yet also seeming to see through her to something far beyond. He nodded faintly, his voice cold and deep as he said solemnly: “Princess Xuan is too courteous.”
Finally, they had to meet in this manner. Finally, he had to speak such words with his own mouth.
Qing Xia stood up and slowly stepped back, standing behind Empress Chunyu. Her face showed calm composure with no signs of anything amiss, but her hands within her wide sleeves clenched tightly, tightly together. Her scallion-white fingernails dug fiercely into her palms, blood dripping drop by drop, falling into her dark robes and disappearing without a trace.