Chapter 4: The Bride and Groom (II)
Emperor Shen Yang Long drew his wine cup closer to his fine lips when there was an announcement made.
"Bixie, the Empress Dowager has arrived!"
Outside the grand chamber, the prominent figure stood silently waiting for her good son. Empress Dowager Xin was already in her early fifties, but her posture was as straight as a bamboo tree that was standing tall and high. Her face was on the stern side and had features that were uniquely defined. She had been through the rough waters of once being an Empress alongside the late Emperor, hence her reputation had always been very cold.
Even by just standing still, her presence would make some of the court ladies tremble with fear. Like always, she never spoke much on the outside and merely stood in front of the door.
However, there was still no reply from the owner of the chamber, not even the slightest noise.
"Bixie…" The eunuch was about to announce once again when the Empress Dowager who had been standing before the door had pushed the doors open without blinking.
The Empress Dowager did not wait any longer and made her way inside. She gracefully walked directly towards the only person inside.
From the gap between the floor and his wine cup, Emperor Yang Long could see the fine silk robe standing in front of him. His sharp brow was slightly raised up before drowning down the liquor inside his throat and firmly putting the cup down.
Some of the Empress Dowager's sharp features seemed to have passed on to her eldest son who stood in front of her. Their eyes were just as sharp as each other and to some part, the emperor's facial features were as beautiful as to when the Empress Dowager was young.
"Oh? What brings muhou here?" The King slowly stood up to his tall height, then slowly raising his dark black eyes towards his mother.
"Your marriage, huangdi." The Empress Dowager reminded
"Even muhou is acting this way, what should this emperor do?" Emperor Yang Long asked provokingly.
"I believe we had ended this discussion when you wrote that imperial edict yourself?" The Empress Dowager did not give in.
"I only said to send the imperial edict, but I did not say I will follow along with this marriage. She can just marry herself!"
"Huangdi, that lowly servant! What should I do with her?" As the Empress Dowager raised her voice, her temper that she had tried to suppress were slowly boiling inside.
"So, now muhou wants to threaten me?" Her son's eye grew dangerous.
"No, not to threaten, but to make a deal with you." The Empress Dowager released a sigh shortly after. This stress, it would always be because of this son of hers.
This, however, caught the emperor's attention, "A deal?"
The Empress Dowager gritted her teeth as she spoke her last option, "Marry the eldest daughter of the General and I will let you take her in as Mei Ren Li."
"Mei Ren? Aren't you being too..."
"Too much? Or should I just make her a court lady? Don't take it too far, huangdi." The Empress Dowager warned with a stern tone.
Before it might have worked, but now..."At least, she should be ranked in Pin." Emperor Yang Long did not hesitate to bargain back.
"Cai Ren is as far as it will go." The Empress Dowager gave her final word.
Emperor Yang Long let out a small smile before nodding slightly towards his mother, "Many thanks to Empress Dowager," He did not wait any longer and placed the red groom's robes on and instantly left.
The Emperor's door reopened and closed once again.
Once the door was closed, the Empress Dowager closed her eyes tiredly. She gently placed her hand on the table to support her fatigue body. Why was he so blinded by that girl?
...Sigh, there was nothing different between him and his father, tut tut.
If only he had taken some part of her in him.
The Empress Dowager's personal court lady walked inside respectfully, "Taihou, the bride is arriving inside the palace walls right now, she must have just passed the palace gates."
With her eyes still closed, the Empress Dowager slowly nodded, "Aijia knows." The Empress Dowager took a deep breath before opening her eyes, "Let's go then, also, wake up that girl, but don't let her out yet, keep her locked in that cell until Aijia sees her."
"Yes, taihou."
Then, the senior imperial lady of the palace also left the emperor's chambers to join her son to the long-awaited ceremony.
...
The bride to be was still in her Phoenix sedan and was beginning to get even more nervous.
...Why was he not coming yet?
Just as she was about to lose hope…
"The Emperor has arrived!" A loud announcement was made throughout the entire area and all bowed down in respect towards Emperor Yang Long. No one dared to lift up their heads in fear they would have none the next moment.
"Ge, don't make muhou stress anymore, hm?" The second prince, prince Shen Kun spoke for their mother's sake, "You know she's sick and you had to provoke her over and over again, aya…"
Abruptly, Emperor Yang Long halted in his step, so did his beloved brother beside him.
Emperor Yang Long turned his agitated eyes towards his younger brother from the same mother, "What choice did I have, hm?"
"Ahem, well...you could…" As the second prince tried to come up with 'other options'.
"Don't make me feel even worse than now." The Emperor's eyes warned his brother subtly.
With that, the second prince Shen Kun pursed his lips and nodded as if he would speak no more.
"Good. Now, get going, muhou needs someone to take care of her."
With a "Tch," and the second prince was gone.
All Emperor Shen Long could do was shake his head before making his way to meet his bride to be.
...Let's see what mother had prepared then...
His long legs took him to the front of the phoenix's sedan that had been waiting for almost an hour for the groom to be to arrive.
Filled with reluctance, he raised his hand to part the curtains away and slowly gave his hand to the person sitting inside.
Soon, a fair hand reached out and placed her hands softly on the big palm. Despite having a beauty in front of him, Emperor Yang Long's face was rather indifferent and cold.
However, no one could see his expression, neither could the person behind the red veil that covered her face. Hui Lan could feel her heart pound and squeeze itself as small as it could.
His presence, she could feel it from this close distance. What an overbearing presence to her poor heart.
Just as she was about to walk out from her sedan, her foot had caught onto the front part of the sedan which had caused her to trip unexpectedly.
Despite not wanting to save this clumsy girl, Emperor Yang Long merely reached his other hand and pulled her shoulders back. His actions were not in the slightest bit gentle towards the fairer lady which had caused her to let out a small voice of pain, "Ah."
"Shoo," Was all she heard from beside her ear, "Don't get everyone alert." Though his voice was rather indifferent, he truly had a mesmerizing voice indeed.
Hui Lan could feel her heart pound even more.
...Sigh, what to do with this small heart of hers.
"Let's go." The Emperor did not wait any longer and simply walked ahead of Hui Lan, but only to stop a few meters away when he remembered she could not see, "Court lady Han, take the bride in please."
Court Lady Han who had been the emperor's wet nurse was in charge of the emperor's affairs stepped out from the line of court ladies, "Yes, bixie."
Emperor Yang Long took a brief glance towards his bride before walking inside without looking back.
"This way my lady."
Although it was not known to have a court lady guide the bride, Hui Lan did not complain or show any signs of protesting. She was as silent as the moment she was in the sedan. More like, she was too nervous to get anything in her way.
By the time, the Empress Dowager was already in her seat closest to Emperor's seat beside the Empress' seat. Next to her was the Duke of Xin Li, who was dressed in serene blue robes, Shen Min Tian.
The Duke of Xin Li was born in the same year as the Emperor but was born from the huang guifei and was promoted to a Duke of Xin Li by that late Emperor when her son was the crown prince. Despite there was no harsh feeling towards this young Duke, she never felt settled to this Duke that was born from that women. Nevertheless, those years of fighting for her was over, it was best to leave it the next generation.
Then, next to the Duke of Xin Li, her youngest son, the second prince, Shen Kun sat heaving big breaths as he had just arrived. Sigh, this son of hers was too playful to begin with, moreover, being with Ah-Long did not help him grow up much at all.
Standing not too far from the imperial family was a tall nobleman who was in white robes standing silently by the side. That was the third prince, Shen Fu Jin, who was born from the late guifei, however, he had given up his title and now just an imperial doctor taking care of other royals. His late mother's relationship with the Empress Dowager was exceptionally good, so when the late guifei had passed due to a weak heart, the Empress Dowager took the third prince in and asked him to stay whenever the third prince wanted to leave the palace.
In lines and rows, all of the Xin Li officials were all stood waiting for the Emperor and his Imperial consort to arrive. The two significant roles of the court stood in the front of all the rest of the officials. On the right was the right prime minister who had stayed in the same position since the late Emperor and the left prime minister who had been appointed at the same time as to when the present Emperor took charge. Having two different sectors fighting each other in court most of the time.
While these were the two prominent court officials the military side had General Hong Yi who had been serving since the late Emperor, taking care of the border cities and the Duke of Xin Li who took care of the other cities. Nevertheless, all power belonged to the Emperor as it was supposed to be.
Back to the ceremony, it had been almost an hour since the eldest daughter of the Feng family had arrived in the palace but the ceremony had yet to begin.
Only a moment ago, the Empress Dowager had also just returned from retrieving something.
On the other hand, General Hong Yi began to worry in his heart as he stood beside the left prime minister, Xin Xie Ye.
...Why was it taking too long?
He could not help but worry for his precious daughter.
Meanwhile, the young prime minister who seemed to have noticed the discomfort in the General's heart and decided to softly speak to the General, "Do not need to worry too much General. The king must have caught into some important business, but fear not, he would always keep his words."
The middle-aged General who was about to become a father-in-law to the Emperor mannerly replied, "Many thanks prime minister Xin." This young lad was only on the verge of turning twenty and could enter the court since young, truly a talent. Moreover, he was also the cousin of the current Emperor, hence the General did not show any signs of displeasure for his new son-in-law.
The left prime minister merely smiled widely as he brushed it off, "I've heard many great compliments about you from the Emperor of how loyal you have been guarding the borders. Now that the eldest lady is to be married into the Royal family, would you also be moving back too?" The prime minister's voice was not too noisy neither too distant.
Despite asking vaguely, there was a hidden layer of meaning in the question. Nevertheless, General Hong Yi honestly replied, "Family is one thing and duty is one thing. I cannot leave my duty for this country for my personal wants only. Besides, I would have to come to the capital now and then, I shall visit my daughter then."
"Ah, I see." Prime minister Xin nodded along.
Just as the left prime minister as about to speak more, a loud announcement was heard from the front door.
"Bixie has arrived!"
The doors opened and every official kneeled down in greetings to the Emperor. On the other hand, Empress Dowager could not help but cough a small cough as she watched her son enter.
A pair of black boots sewed with a golden dragon stepped inside the big area that held the wedding ceremony. His steps were paced just right and his figure had excluded an air of aloofness as he walked straight to his chair.
His handsome face was cool and his hair was neatly made under his Emperor's hat. There was a look of disinterest and dangerous hidden within his two sharp eyes as he walked past his officials. Despite having the handsomeness and masculinity, his facial features had a feminine side to it which blended with each perfectly in his face.
While each official was bowing down, they could see the Emperor's red wedding robe walk past them powerfully.
Then another announcement was made from the door, "The Eldest Lady Feng Hui Lan has arrived!"
Everyone began to question in their heart as they had not expected the bride-to-be to arrive separately with the Emperor. What happened?
As the Empress Dowager watched the unexpected scene unfold in front of her, she could not help but shake her head softly.
...This son of hers was truly...sigh...there were no words that could explain him anymore.
Seeing his mother's expression turn grave, Emperor Yang Long let out a small smile.
...This was just for using 'her' as a tool for a deal with him. Who said he could be ordered around that easily?
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
cha_cha
cha_cha As I write this chapter, all the titles and traditions are wrecking my brain haha. Nevertheless, it is also such a joy to write and research more of older traditions and so on.
Thank you for reading! And hoped you enjoyed this chapter!
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