That night, Chu Ning slept very well.
When he woke up the next day, Xiao Kezhi had already got up one step earlier and was sitting neatly beside her.
There was a bookcase on the bedside, with pen and ink and a few remarks on it. He looked down at her and read it carefully, frowning from time to time, and then picked up the pen to write a few comments.
Probably feeling the movement around him, he put down the pen and looked into the bed. Seeing that she was staring at her with dazed sleepy eyes, he couldn't help but smile and soften his voice, saying, "Awake? Seeing that you slept well, I couldn't bear to disturb you, so I didn't wake you up."
Chu Ning nodded lightly, recalling the good night's sleep, and said softly, "I really slept so well last night that I didn't even know that His Majesty got up."
Her voice still had the tenderness that she had just woken up from, and it was heart-wrenching to hear.
Xiao Kezhi asked people to move the bookcase to the outside, while he turned sideways, brushed away the broken hair on her forehead, and then stretched out his hand to pick her up from the thin quilt.
"I prepared a dress for you."
Chu Ning followed his line of sight, and saw a brand-new Qiyun dress hanging on the shelf beside him. The fabric was light and soft. More importantly, the red background was matched with the peony embroidered with gold thread. Luan bird patterns can only be used by the queen mother and the queen.
"Your Majesty, this is—"
Her eyes were full of surprise, and she had guesses in her heart, but she couldn't believe it at all.
Xiao Kezhi pulled her to the edge of the dress, hugged her from behind, took her hand to stroke a golden peony on the skirt inch by inch, and whispered, "This is for you, Aning, I want to let it go. You are the queen of Great Liang. Just now before you woke up, I sent someone to the Hanlin Academy to draw up the decree. After the promulgation, you will be the queen. You will receive the ceremonies and let the Ministry of Rites and Zongzheng Temple choose auspicious days. "
Chu Ning stood on the spot and didn't know what to say. It took a long time to react: "I didn't expect..."
She thought that if he was good to her, he would take good care of her and dedicate his sincere affection to her, but she would have expected that he would let a married person like her, and even leave her husband, there is still a lot of controversy. woman to be queen!
"This is my decision, since I want to keep you by my side, I should naturally give you the title and status you deserve." There was a bit of arrogance and a rare smugness in his tone, "I just said, I won't be like my father."
The tip of Chu Ning's nose was sore, and her eyes were a little wet: "When did Your Majesty make this dress?"
Dresses have to be sewn stitch by stitch by embroidery mother. Such fine work, no matter how fast they are made, will take ten days and a half months to complete.
"Two months ago. I asked people to draw a lot of drawings, and finally chose this one for people to make, how?"
Chu Ning blinked away the wetness in her eyes and nodded with a smile: "It's beautiful, I like it very much."
In fact, the style of this dress is quite satisfactory. Although it is made meticulously, it is not so beautiful. It is just his intention, and she naturally likes it.
At this moment, Liu Kang stood outside and said, "Everyone, the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess are here, and they are about to greet your Majesty."
According to the ceremony, the next day when the princess entered the East Palace, she should enter the Taiji Palace to meet the emperor and the queen.
"Understood." Xiao Kezhi replied in a deep voice, and the smile on his face faded.
Chu Ning glanced at his face, and was about to salute him to send him out, but he didn't move, but held her up and signaled to the dress: "Put it on, I will go to the Liangyi Hall first, and I will see you later. Get dressed and see you too."
It's a foregone conclusion, we'll see you all the time, and today is a good opportunity.
Chu Ning's heart tightened, but he didn't want to escape. Hearing that, he nodded lightly and turned to call Cui He in.
…
Outside the Liangyi Hall, Xiao Yu and Zhao Yu'e stepped into the main hall under the guidance of the two inner servants, and stood side by side waiting for the arrival of the emperor.
The distance between the two is only two inches, which seems very decent, but if you look closely, you can find that although they are smiling, they are very unfamiliar with each other, and they don't look like glued newlyweds.
Afraid that the two of them would wait for a long time, the maid first brought the couch and two cups of tea.
Xiao Yu took two sips of tea, but waved at the couch: "You don't have to sit down, lest the sage come over to see me disrespect."
When he was outside, he was always cautious, for fear of leaving the slightest clue.
Zhao Yu'e stared coldly at his pretending to be humble and gentle, with a trace of disdain flashing in her eyes, and immediately rushed to the servant: "Forget it, take it."
After the couch was sent away, footsteps were heard outside the hall, and then, after hearing a call, Xiao Kezhi entered the main hall surrounded by several servants and sat on the throne.
The two below were busy saluting.
"Okay, get up." Xiao Kezhi waved his hand lightly, "It's hard for you, you have entered the palace so early, how are you resting?"
Xiao Yu bowed to answer: "Your Majesty is concerned, everything is fine."
The servants on the side had already prepared the food to be presented to the emperor by the prince and the princess. Xiao Yu and Zhao Yu'e were about to pick them up, but they heard Xiao Ke's words on the throne: "Wait, don't rush."
Xiao Yu was stunned for a moment, his outstretched hand also stopped, and he looked over in surprise.
Xiao Kezhi's originally plain face had suddenly appeared with a meaningful expression that was half a smile but not a smile, and he could see a strange premonition in his heart, as if something was about to happen.
"Someone hasn't arrived yet." Xiao Kezhi said.
Xiao Yu concealed the strangeness in his heart, slowly withdrew his hand, made a puzzled appearance, and asked, "The bride's court appearance is to offer wine and food to the saint. I don't know who your majesty is waiting for?"
Xiao Kezhi smiled and put one hand on the wooden armrest with a relaxed posture: "Yili, besides me, there is naturally the queen."
Queen
As soon as the words came out, Xiao Yu and Zhao Yu'e were both stunned.
The current emperor has been on the throne for less than a year, and the Taiji Palace is empty. I have never heard of the emperor's intention to establish an empress. Today, there is suddenly one more. What does it mean
Especially, today is the second day of their wedding.
No one spoke in the hall, and the strange silence made the atmosphere strange.
After a while, the waiter outside the hall said: "The lady is here." Then, there was a burst of footsteps.
Xiao Yu and Zhao Yu'e invariably turned their heads to look in the direction of the footsteps.
The summer sun is extremely bright, shining brightly on people. The first thing they saw was the red dress and the golden peony and luan bird patterns on the woman surrounded by the maids—it was indeed a dress that only queens could wear.
When they got closer and saw their faces clearly, Xiao Yu and Zhao Yu'e suddenly changed color.
This woman is none other than Chu Ning, who should have been practicing in Guizhen View!
"You- Aning?" Xiao Yu opened his eyes wide, staring at the woman who had already stepped outside the hall and was stepping into the door, as if to prove that he was wrong, he pointed at her and murmured.
Chu Ning didn't look at him, just smiled and looked straight ahead, and said warmly to Xiao Kezhi on the throne: "Your Majesty forgive me, I'm late."
"It's okay, you slept late at night, but it took a while to get dressed. Come here." He got up from his seat, took two steps forward, and reached out to her.
Her broad and slightly rough palms were spread out in front of her. She naturally put her jade-white hands on them, and he was holding him and walked to the side of the seat. She sat down with him, facing Xiao Yu and Zhao Yu'e. people.
Below, Xiao Yu stared at her blankly for a long time, and when he saw her sitting down and met her gaze, he seemed to wake up suddenly, and a look of anger suddenly rose in his eyes.
No matter what, he never thought that his abandoned wife would appear beside his uncle on the second day of his wedding, but he would bring his bride and offer wine and food to these two!
A burst of uncontrollable pain came from his heart and rushed to his whole body quickly, making his face pale, and his limbs trembling inexplicably and becoming weak.
Xiao Kezhi sat on the seat and had a panoramic view of his reaction. A cold expression flashed on his face quickly, and then the servant who rushed to the side instructed: "Okay, people have come, let's send things up."
The wine and food were handed to him again, but Xiao Yu froze in place, not moving.
On the other hand, Zhao Yu'e recovered from the shock first, turned her head with a smile and whispered to him: "Your Highness, it's time to offer wine and food." As she said that, she simply took the things from the inner attendant and handed them to him in person.
Xiao Yu stared at her in a trance for a moment, then slowly woke up. After stabilizing his body, he took the things and led her to the futon set up step by step.
Just a few feet away, but his footsteps weighed like a thousand pounds. And that little futon seemed to crush his spine.
He couldn't just kneel down like this, he endured and endured, and finally he gritted his teeth and asked, "I have not heard that Your Majesty has established a queen. Is it a violation of the etiquette system?"
Chu Ning sat beside Xiao Kezhi and did not speak, but facing him at such a close distance, he was still a little nervous, so he straightened his back subconsciously and leaned back.
Xiao Kezhi didn't look at her, but silently held her hand as if he had noticed.
The strong and warm touch gave her strength all over her body, and she settled down all at once.
"It's true that it hasn't been announced to the world. However, the Hanlin Academy is already drafting the decree. She is already your aunt, so it's not a violation of the rules."
He looked at the two of them coldly, his eyes revealing a compelling majesty and solemnity.
As soon as the word "auntie" came out, Xiao Yu's body couldn't help shaking. He didn't dare to ask any further questions. Under the guidance of the two, the wine and food were dedicated to the two.
This is how the ceremony ended.
After the servants helped Xiao Yu and Zhao Yu'e, Xiao Kezhi also got up from the couch: "Okay, it's time to go to Taiji Hall to meet the ministers."
After the court meeting, the crown prince should accompany the emperor into the Taiji Hall to meet the ministers, while the crown prince should stay in the Liangyi Hall and listen to the queen's instructions.
"Prince, follow me." He came down from the steps and turned to glance at Xiao Yu.
Xiao Yu's face froze, only to feel that Xiao Kezhi was ridiculing himself everywhere from the expression on his face to the hands behind his back, but due to the disparity of identities, the resentment in his heart had nowhere to vent, so he had to take a deep breath, A fleeting smile was squeezed out on his pale face, and he bowed in response.
The two walked out of the Liangyi Hall one after the other and walked towards the Taiji Hall. The moment he stepped out of the threshold, Xiao Yu turned his head quickly, his ruthless and gloomy eyes fell on Chu Ning, as if he was questioning her silently.
Chu Ning stood in the hall, and the momentary tension and bewilderment had disappeared. He just watched the two of them quietly until their backs disappeared.