Chapter 195: Bridal Chambers (Part 1)
The journey was very long and after three months, they finally reached Great Liang.
Xie Jing Xing’s team of carriage and horses were very fast. If it was ordinary people, one feared that it would take half a year. Shen Miao was able to reach Great Liang this year to the capital of Great Liang, Long Ye.
From the last lifetime and this lifetime, Shen Miao had never gone to Great Liang before. In her impression, Great Liang was a wealthy country and one heard that Long Ye was also very prosperous. When Fu Ming was studying, he had said to her before that if there was a day, he would want to go to Long Ye to look at how flourishing it was and if Great Liang was as good as the books had claimed to be.
Currently time could not be turned back and Fu Ming and Wan Yu had turned into dust but she had brought Fu Ming’s wish and stepped into the Long Ye city of Great Liang.
During these days, Shen Miao had long changed out of the wedding dress that she wore during the ceremony and Xie Jing Xing specially prepared clothing for her that was made according to the grade for a Great Liang’s Wang Fei of First Rank. Their entourage stopped at the gates of Long Ye and when the guards at the gate saw Xie Jing Xing, they let them enter without even looking at any token. These entourage was so large that it drew the attention of everyone on the streets.
The commoners said loudly, “It is His Highness Prince Rui of First Rank that return with WangFei.”
Shen Miao’s heart moved. It seemed that the common people here knew of the ins and outs of Xie Jing Xing marry a wife in Ming Qi and they were not surprised at all. It was most likely Xie Jing Xing had already spread the news in Great Liang early on.
As for Xie Jing mentioning that Emperor Yong Le long knew about this matter, Shen Miao did not believe it.
Just as she was thinking, the curtains of the horse carriage opened up and Xie Jing Xing rode his horse to outside of it, “Want to look at Long Ye’s scenery?”
At this time he had already taken down the mask on his face. Most likely in Great Liang there was no need to hide his identity and his expression was different from that in Ming Qi. That lazy arrogant expression had slightly dispersed and there were some sharpness to his expressions.
Shen Miao looked outside.
Exactly as the books recorded, the scenery of Long Ye was very different from Ding capital. Even though Ding capital was very lively, it was only bustling due to the wealthy families. How would any normal family be able to enter the restaurants? On the streets of Long Ye, the ordinary people were walking around with smiles on their face.
Shen Miao had noticed that the materials that the commoners wore were good and their expressions and looks were very healthy and it seemed that everyone was living well. Shen Miao thought in her heart that Great Liang’s people indeed leave in peace and the things that was passed around were not lies at all.
Long Ye was also very big. The buildings in Ding capital were exquisite and gorgeous but the commercial shops of Great Liang was majestic and elegant and had some impressive air. Shen Miao had been to Qin country before but Qin country did not make one’s heart yearn like Long Ye.
Even though she was very knowledgeable, she could not help but look with curiosity as she took in everything.
When Xie Jing Xing saw her as such, he said with raise eyebrows, “Don’t need to be anxious. In the future when there is time, I will bring you out to shop. Yong Le is not small so one have to take it slowly to get familiarize.”
His voice was not deliberately soft so the commoners that was nearby looked curiously at Shen Miao and said, “His Highness Prince of First Rank treats WangFei very well and dote this much.”
“It is of no wonder that when His Majesty wanted to bestow a marriage to him previously, he decline. So he had a special liking for WangFei.”
“WangFei is also very beautiful and look very matching.”
“After a while she can give birth to little heirs.”
Shen Miao also heard all these words and in a flash her face became red. The common people in Yong Ye seemed to be very kind that most of the things discussed were congratulations or praises. Shen Miao did not feel awkward at all. All the while she had felt that human nature was originally evil and people would always comment on things that they did not know about but did not know that these comments was enough to ruin a person’s life. Coming to Long Ye and marrying Xie Jing Xing, she was after all Ming Qi people, thus she thought it would be just like previous and there would be a lot of criticisms but not only did she not hear any, she did not feel surprise but inexplicably moved in her heart.
At the back of the entourage, Ji Yu Shu said to Gao Yang, “Third Older Brother really put in a lot of effort. In order to let the common people in Yong Ye accept SaoZi, he had long began to release rumours.”
“It is difficult for a hero to pass the hurdle of a beauty.” Goa Yang shook his fan and gave a long sigh, “And what about it?”
“It is just that His Majesty would definitely be angry and there are also those young ladies from those families that are deeply affectionate with Third Older Brother. This time SaoZi have to suffer.”
“What is there to be scared of?” Gao Yang said, “Shen Miao is not an ordinary person. It is not confirmed who is torturing who.” After finishing, he sighed, “Now that one has return to one’s original position, one somewhat missed the days spent in Ming Qi.”
“Who say one don’t?” Ji Yu Shu also signed and patted Gao Yang’s shoulders and said in somewhat of a difficulty, “Let’s go.”
Great Liang’s Imperial Palace covered a wide area and numerous of side halls were connected together with golden glazed tiles and red pillars and walls. Most likely the Imperial family loved gold and red colours as the entire Palace was very imposing.
The stone lions at the doors were majestic and proud, the dragon throne was made from gold, with golden dragons hovering. The head of the dragon was at the back of the chair with two red jewels as its eyes and the dragon tails were wrapped around the arm rests. The tails were vividly carved in detailed as if at the next moment it would fly out from the throne and sore into Nine Heavens.
At this moment there was no one in the empty court and only the man who was sitting on the dragon throne. He sat straight and majestically but one did not know why, at this moment the sun was about to be extinguished but there was no candles lit and when the light grew darker, that majestic back figure looked extraordinarily lonely.
The clattering sound of footsteps were heard in the main hall and a female came over slowly, dragging the long dress train as she wore the nine phoenixes crown on her head with a soft smile and headed step by step towards the male who was sitting on the dragon throne.
She said, “Your Majesty sit here alone again and did not tell ChenQie.”
That male only then rose his head and seemed to only saw the oncoming person, “So it is the Empress.”
Empress Xian De smiled gently, “What matters is Your Majesty troubled about?”
“Jing Xing has returned today.” Emperor Yong Le patted his heart, “And he brought back that Ming Qi female.”
“Zhen had told him countless of time to break contact with that female. Not only did he not listen, he intercepted Zhen’s people and even marries that female back to Great Liang and brought her back to Long Ye to be the official consort.”
“Your Majesty do not like Shen Miao?” Empress Xian De’s voice was soft.
“Not my clan so one’s heart will be different.” Emperor Yong Le only said nine words (it would be eight words in Chinese).
The nine words however represented his meaning. Not Great Liang’s people so one would not do anything loyal to Great Liang.
“Your Majesty does not like Shen Miao but Jing Xing likes.” Empress Xian De said, “Else he would not marry Shen Miao back to Long Ye from so far away and would not gift ninety-nine sets of betrothal gifts and would not have arranged a good reputation with all the commoners under Heavens.” After pausing she then said, “And would not have even rebelled against Your Majesty.”
“Seductress.” Emperor Yong Le said heavily but anger was suppressed in his voice.
“Perhaps Shen Miao really have some extraordinary points.” Empress Xian De comforted, “Jing Xing has always been a chile who has his own opinion. Your Majesty had chosen that many beauties but they did not even enter his eyes. Now he actually willing to take such steps for Shen Miao, there must be some reasons. Your Majesty is not willing to trust Jing Xing once?”
“It is not that Zhen do not trust Xing Xing. It is that Zhen do not trust Shen Miao.” Emperor Yong Le said.
“But Your Majesty do not have any ways right?”
Emperor Yong Le looked at the other part with some dissatisfaction, “The Empress want to say that Zhen is incompetent?”
“Of course not.” Empress Xian De smiled, “From the beginning Your Majesty have never been able to steel one’s heart towards Jing Xing so Jing Xing would be this unrestrained and would act first and report later. Naturally he also understand in his heart that Your Majesty would not really punish him in anger.”
“You are correct.” After a long while Emperor Yong Le replied, “But there is not more time.”
“It does not matter who Jing Xing marries as Zhen do not want to control him but he cannot bring variables back. That female’s identity is too special. If Jing Xing believes her words then in future would bring changes to the situation in the future. Zhen will never allow such changes to happen.”
“There is no more time.” Emperor Yong Le’s voice because very serious, “For the sake of the country, Zhen can sacrifice everything and harden one’s heart.”
Empress Xian De’s brows slightly wrinkled.
“Zhen let him marry the official consort and Zhen can also let him bring in a secondary consort.” After speaking he stood up and walked down the long ladder and out of this quiet hall.
Empress Xian De stood at the same spot and her gaze was somewhat pained but afterwards she sighed and followed out.
There was only one Prince of First Rank in Great Liang and it was Emperor Yong Le’s younger blood brother, Prince Rui of First Rank. This Prince Rui’s identity was very mysterious as it was said that when young he had been travelling round with abled people. Thus from young, no one had seen how this Prince Rui of First Rank looked like. One feared that even Deng GongGong who followed Emperor Yong Le the longest also knew nothing of this Prince Rui of First Rank.
It was until two years ago when it was suddenly reported that Prince Rui of First Rank had returned to Long Ye and at the praying altar, the commoners also saw the true appearance of this Prince Rui of First Rank. He was indeed beautiful and unparalleled elegant and magnificent. All the hearts of Long Ye’s females were attached to this Prince Rui.
However for a Prince Rui of First Rank suddenly appearing, everyone would be skeptical at first and said that it could be that this was an impersonator but after thinking about it, the Imperial family was so strict and harsh in protocol so it would not be the wrong person. Moreover the appearance of Prince Rui was so beautiful like the late Empress Dowager and had some similarities with Emperor Yong Le. The Xie family of Great Liang’s Imperial family was all beautiful and this was a fact that was nailed down without a doubt.
When this Prince Rui returned to Yong Ye and regained his identity of Prince of First Rank position, he immediately went to court with high ranking officials. Some of the officials objected to it saying that this Prince Rui of First Rank had not touched matters of the court for so many years and was ignorant of all matters on Great Liang so how could one let him participate in the court? Wasn’t this making a fool out of things? Emperor Yong Le flew in a rage and punished the officials who created the most vicious few officials but most of the officials opposed to it and Emperor Yong Le could not punish all of them.
Afterwards it was still this Prince Rui that personally took action and handled a number of difficult task that the court had been unable to solve and those opposing voices became weaker. They said that the other party knew nothing about court matter so how could one obviously have knowledge of it? One did not participate for many years but one had the abilities so it could only be explained that one was a genius.
In short, in the eyes of Great Liang’s commoners, he was a youth who had a good temperament and abilities and the most important thing was he was also very rich.
For instance this residence of Prince Rui of First Rank was as gorgeous as the Imperial Palace after renovation.
However Emperor Yong Le was a wise sovereign and was very tolerant of this younger blood brother of his thus he did not blame Prince Rui about this matter. It was just that the commoner who passed by would often drool as they stared occasionally at the main gates of the residence of Prince Rui, thinking which unmarried daughter of which family would have such good fortune to enter this Prince residence to be the Consort. This was even better than entering the Palace to be a Consort.
Who knew that after much guessing, Prince Rui of the First Rank would actually marry a Young Lady of Ming Qi as his wife.
When Shen Miao stepped into the main doors of the residence of Prince Rui of First Rank, a group of uniformed guards stood at attention and greeted her, “Welcoming WangFei.”
Xie Jing Xing’s hands were on Shen Miao’s waist as he instructed everyone, “Carry in the stuff in. Is the bridal chamber read?”
“Replying to Your Highness, it is all arranged.” A fifty plus year old steward looking person came running in from inside. He had a kind features as he said, “May WangFei please look through.”
“One has suffered.” Xie Jing Xing said.
“Not at all. Not at all.” The old steward smiled, “It is good that Your Highness has returned.” He then raise his eyes to size up Shen Miao with curiosity.
Shen Miao faintly felt that the status of this steward was not low, else Xie Jing Xing, this kind of nasty person, would not have spoken nicely thus she lifted her head to smile slightly when meeting the other party’s gaze.
That steward seemed to feel somewhat flattered and his face became red in an instance.
Xie Jing Xing pulled Shen Miao and headed in with dissatisfaction, “Stop looking already.”