CHAPTER 654: CHAPTER 634: GRAND WEDDING

Xie Xun, as the new emperor, was extremely diligent, sleeping less than three hours a day. Occasionally, he would work late into the night. With the royal wedding approaching, Xie Xun was brimming with energy and excitement, even finding the stray cats near the walls of Changshou Palace to be pleasing to the eye. The palace maids and eunuchs all felt that the emperor was in high spirits, radiant and full of vitality, and the palace was filled with joyful, festive cheer.

In early November, each palace began slowly adorning itself in red, adding to the celebratory atmosphere. Fengyu no longer visited the palace, respecting Beining’s traditions for wedding preparations, which dictated that the bride and groom should not meet before the wedding. Although they could not see each other daily, the guards reported Fengyu’s whereabouts to Xie Xun. During her preparations for marriage, Fengyu kept a low profile in the capital, delegating management of the Su Family’s Trading House to its shopkeepers.

She understood that if she left the palace frequently in the future, it would invite criticism. Likewise, the shopkeepers could not routinely enter the palace. During her marriage preparations, Fengyu gradually delegated power to the shopkeepers, devising a system of mutual supervision among them. This system was steadily being refined to ensure that, even without her, the Su Family’s Trading House would not fall into disarray.

Among those she trusted most were Lady Thirteen, Manager Wen, and Manager Wang. As core staff members, Fengyu offered them a share of the profits. Though this reduced the margins, it significantly increased the shopkeepers’ interests, boosting their motivation. These shopkeepers were aware of Fengyu’s personality and, knowing that she would soon become the Empress, dared not take advantage of her.

With arrangements for the Su Family’s Trading House settled, the wedding day for the emperor and empress finally arrived.

On the eve of the wedding, Fengyu’s household was already adorned with lanterns and streamers. The servants were all busy preparing for the grand ceremony the next day, yet Fengyu’s courtyard remained tranquil. Nervous and unable to sleep, Fengyu sat by the window, gazing at the moon. Qiuxiang and Chunlu kept urging her to rest, reminding her that she would have to rise early for the wedding, but Fengyu had no signs of sleepiness.

"Are you both certain you want to accompany me into the palace?" Fengyu revisited the matter of their decision to stay or leave, once again asking Qiuxiang and Chunlu if they wished to reside outside the palace. She warned them that entering the palace would make it difficult to leave later. Chunlu was already capable of handling matters independently and held a significant position at the Trading House. If she stayed, she could carve out an impressive career.

Qiuxiang, who had followed Fengyu since childhood, lacked Chunlu’s specialized skills. She was determined to stick by Fengyu’s side, but Fengyu secretly hoped to find suitable marriages for both of them, offering them a brighter future.

Both Qiuxiang and Chunlu chose to accompany her into the palace.

Qiuxiang declared, "Miss, we’ve already decided to serve you for a lifetime. You can’t go back on your word and abandon us."

"How could I?" Fengyu replied warmly. "I just worry it might be unfair to you both."

"Unfair? Not at all! Even if we were married, we’d be serving our husbands and in-laws. Later, with children, we’d have to care for an entire household. If our husbands were understanding, it might be tolerable, but what if we married someone inconsiderate? That would be true hardship. I prefer serving a heavenly being like you, Miss. I wouldn’t enjoy serving ordinary men." To Qiuxiang, Fengyu was the best person in the world. Having protected Fengyu since childhood, everything Fengyu did seemed perfect in her eyes. Since serving someone was inevitable, she saw a life of loyalty to Fengyu as her best choice.

Fengyu chuckled softly. Over the years, she had grown close to Qiuxiang and Chunlu, treating them like sisters rather than mere servants. Their food, clothing, and living standards were comparable to that of noble daughters. She had nurtured them with care and even taught them practical skills to ensure a stable livelihood and backup plans for their futures.

Since their decision was firm, Fengyu said no more.

"Rest assured—entering the palace won’t prevent me from finding good matches for you," Fengyu promised.

The senior palace maids serving the Empress were young, beautiful, and held in high regard. In the future, there would always be opportunities to find suitable matches for them. There was no urgency; Fengyu planned to carefully seek out the best options over time.

"Miss, it’s snowing!" Chunlu exclaimed with delight, pushing open the window. Delicate snowflakes fell onto the windowsill, melting instantly, leaving only damp traces.

"It’s truly snowing. The wedding day coincides with the season’s first snowfall—what a fortunate sign, Miss!" Qiuxiang beamed with joy. "The heavens are smiling upon you. Congratulations, Miss!"

The three of them eagerly gathered by the window. Indeed, light snow danced in midair.

This year’s snowfall came earlier than expected. The first snow in Beining signified peace and auspiciousness. Fengyu’s gaze reflected the drifting snowflakes, and her eyes reddened slightly.

Harmony between heaven, earth, and humankind!

She was certain that her life with Zhixu would be steady and prosperous!

For the wedding ceremony, as per tradition, Xie Xun did not have to personally escort the bride. Historically, no emperor followed common wedding customs. Instead, it was customary to send emissaries and female officials to fetch the bride. These emissaries were usually members of the imperial clan or high-ranking nobles. However, since the Xie family only consisted of Xie Xun and Xie Jue, it was customary for Xie Jue to undertake this task.

Fengyu was well aware of this process and had memorized it beforehand. She woke early to cleanse herself and dress, waiting in her chamber. Palace female officials arrived at her residence, carrying the Empress’s crown and robes, assisting Fengyu in getting dressed. Wearing the elaborate and intricate phoenix crown, Fengyu followed their guidance out of her quarters, kneeling in the courtyard to bow toward the north. The ceremony was solemn and dignified, executed meticulously under the supervision of experienced female officials who had presided over imperial weddings before.

After the bowing ceremony, an imperial decree was read aloud, formally conferring upon Fengyu the title and seal of Empress. The completion of these rites symbolized her official ascension as the Empress of Beining. Once the ceremony concluded, the female officials escorted Fengyu to pay homage to the ancestral graves of the Feng Family and bid farewell to her grandmother, parents, and loved ones.

Since autumn, the old matron’s health had declined markedly, leaving her less spirited than before. Yet today, she dressed meticulously and looked particularly vibrant, albeit with reddened eyes as she gazed upon her most cherished granddaughter, ready to be wed.

This moment brought bittersweet feelings for the old matron.

Years ago, she had similarly seen Feng Shu off to marriage. Who could have foreseen that that joyous occasion would end in tragedy? Now, watching Fengyu adorned in her wedding attire, the old matron couldn’t help but think of Feng Shu.

The two sisters bore strikingly similar features. Feng Shu had been the same age as Fengyu was now when she got married. As Fengyu knelt before her, the old matron clutched her hand tightly, trembling and tearful. "Ayu, you must be safe and sound."

This was the greatest blessing she could offer her granddaughter.

"Grandmother, do not worry. I promise I will be safe and sound." Fengyu looked at her aging grandmother, fully aware that their time together was finite—each meeting might be their last. Even on such a day of celebration, there was a tinge of sorrow. "Grandmother, please take care of your health. I will visit often to see you."