Ji Junye carried Shen Qing all the way to the outside of the door and was about to put her in the carriage.
The official from the Ministry of Rites in charge of the wedding procession was startled. "Your Majesty, this doesn't conform to the rules."
But Ji Junye had already placed Shen Qing in the carriage. He gave the speaking official a sidelong glance. "Today is the great wedding day of the Empress and me. There are no rules more important than the happiness of the Empress and me."
"Yes." The official replied awkwardly and stepped aside.
In fact, he didn't really come to stop them. The Emperor had already broken so many precedents for the Empress. Would he care about this one?
But he still had to come up and say a few words symbolically.
Fortunately, the Emperor was in a good mood today and didn't bother with him.
While Shen Qing was turning around to enter the carriage, Ji Junye grabbed her hand. "Qingqing, you're really beautiful today."
There was a smile in Shen Qing's eyes. "Likewise. Aye, you look great too."
There was a chorus of catcalls around them. Only then did Ji Junye let go of her contentedly and walked forward. He mounted his tall horse.
The flower carriage was different from an ordinary carriage. Except for the top, it was surrounded by gauze curtains, through which the person sitting inside could be vaguely seen.
Ji Junye looked back again before giving the order for the procession to move forward.
The flower carriage would first circle around the capital and then head to the ancestral temple.
Red carpets were laid along the road. Red envelopes were thrown out as if they were free. Even the common people watching the excitement outside didn't leave empty - handed.
Even many years later, the people in the capital still couldn't forget the day of the Emperor and Empress's wedding, truly a grand wedding with red decorations stretching for miles.
Seeing Ji Junye's extravagance, Shen Qing couldn't help but wonder. The Jing Kingdom had been at war for so many years. It was already quite good to maintain the military supplies. How did he have so much money?
But there was no one to answer her now.
During the ceremony of offering sacrifices to heaven in the ancestral temple, the fan should be temporarily removed. It would be used again during the wedding ceremony and then removed again when accepting the worship of the officials after the wedding.
Shen Qing thought the process was too cumbersome, but Ji Junye had kept it all.
He didn't want to leave any regrets.
The ceremony of offering sacrifices to heaven was to offer incense to inform heaven, earth, and ancestors. Then Shen Qing's name would be written in the jade register. From then on, she would be the legitimate Empress of the Jing Kingdom.
The person presiding over the ceremony in the ancestral temple was still Prince Qinglao.
When writing in the jade register, Prince Qinglao deliberately blocked it a bit. No one noticed that the title of the Empress had already been written in that column. Only the name and background had not been added.
He just needed to add the name and background later.
While writing, he couldn't help but mutter in his heart. Who would have thought that their Emperor was actually a lovestruck person? He had already thought of the title before he even married the person.
Prince Qinglao did this naturally because Ji Junye had informed him in advance.
After the ceremony of offering sacrifices to heaven was completed, the flower carriage would be replaced by a phoenix sedan chair. Ji Junye still carried her there. Except during the ceremony of offering sacrifices to heaven, he didn't let her feet touch the ground at all.
This made everyone gasp in surprise. The Emperor really doted on the Empress. Otherwise, he wouldn't have traveled all the way to the Jiang Kingdom to marry her.
Everything was ready in the Taiji Hall. The civil and military officials and guests were already waiting.
Shen Qing saw many familiar faces. It was quite hard to pretend not to know them.
What made her eyes light up was that her fourth brother was actually standing with Princess Jingyang.
"The bride and groom are here!"
Ji Junye and Shen Qing walked in hand - in - hand, holding the red silk. Everyone couldn't help but look. They couldn't clearly see the Empress's expression, but their Emperor's happiness was clearly visible.
Look at his beaming face.
He probably hadn't smiled so much in the past thirty years as he did today.
When the bride and groom stood still, the master of ceremonies cleared his throat and said loudly.
"First, bow to heaven and earth!"
Ji Junye and Shen Qing glanced at each other, turned around, and bent down.
"Second..."
Originally, the second bow was to bow to the elders, but Emperor Jiangjing and the Empress of Jiang definitely couldn't make it in time. Although the Empress Dowager was still alive, everyone tacitly didn't mention her.
"Second, bow to heaven and earth!"
Everyone was stunned for a moment, and so was Shen Qing. It wasn't until she felt a tug on the red silk in her hand that she bent down again in the same direction as before.
"Now, bow to each other!"
Ji Junye watched as Shen Qing turned around to face him. His heart was pounding. Soon, she would be his legitimate wife.
Just as they bent down, a sword with a cold light stabbed out diagonally from behind, aiming at Ji Junye's back!
Everyone was caught off - guard by this sudden change!
Shen Qing reacted the fastest. She grabbed Ji Junye's arm and pulled him aside, then kicked the assassin hard in the chest.
Then a strange fragrance wafted over. Everyone thought the fragrance was a bit strange, but they couldn't tell exactly what was strange about it.
But Shen Qing's pupils shrank. She subconsciously looked at Ji Junye. Sure enough, he looked in pain, as if he was desperately suppressing something.
The assassin was immediately sent flying, and the assassins hidden in other places also rushed out at the same time.
The Jinwu Guards had been on full - scale duty today to escort the Emperor and Empress's wedding. As soon as they heard the commotion, they rushed forward.
"Where's the incense? Quickly put it out!"
Immediately, a Jinwu Guard found the source of the incense and threw the incense burner out together with the incense.
Shen Qing also threw away her fan and supported Ji Junye. "Aye, are you okay?"
Ji Junye shook his head and squeezed Shen Qing's hand. "Continue."
Shen Qing was stunned for a moment before she realized that he meant to continue with the wedding ceremony.
"Are you crazy? There's something wrong with that incense. Let's leave here first."
The veins on the back of Ji Junye's hand were all bulging, but he still insisted. "The wedding ceremony isn't over yet."
Shen Qing looked into his eyes and finally relented. "Okay, let's finish the wedding ceremony first."
Shen Qing let go of him, stood still in front of him, and they both bent down.
The ceremony was complete.
The assassins had already been subdued. The leader was escorted and knelt on the ground. He looked up to the sky and laughed. He said in non - standard Jing official language, "Ji Junye, you destroyed my country and killed my tribal relatives. The bone - gnawing poison is incurable. Today is your death day!"
Zhuo Yun removed his disguise and his pupils shrank. "Yelv Wujie!"
No wonder they had never been able to find Yelv Wujie's whereabouts. He had actually come right under their noses!
"The ceremony is complete."
Ji Junye didn't even give Yelv Wujie a single glance. He murmured softly, looked at Shen Qing lovingly, the corner of his mouth curved into a relieved smile. Then he couldn't control himself anymore. He spat out a mouthful of black blood and fainted.
"Aye!"
Shen Qing flashed over and supported him so that he didn't fall to the ground.
"Your Majesty!"
Everyone was shocked. When had the Emperor been poisoned?!
"Brother Emperor!" Ji Qingshu wanted to step forward too, but was grabbed by Shen Sizhi's arm.
Shen Qing's whole body was trembling. She quickly walked up to Yelv Wujie and slapped him across the face. "How do you know he's poisoned? Where's the antidote!"
This slap of hers used internal strength and knocked out several of Yelv Wujie's teeth.
Yelv Wujie spat out a mouthful of blood and a few blood - stained teeth. He laughed. "There's no antidote for the bone - gnawing poison. I'm going to die anyway. It's worth it to drag Ji Junye to the underworld with me!"
Shen Qing clenched her hands tightly under her sleeves. She wished she could kill him right now. "Take him away. Don't let him die. We must pry something out of his mouth at all costs!"
Zhuo Yun immediately took the man away.
"First move His Majesty to the back hall. Summon the imperial physicians!"
"Immediately call Qin Ye back!"
Shen Qing had never been so flustered in her life.
If, if he really...