Finally, she couldn't sit still any longer. She couldn't help but speak up. "Hey, I said, how much longer until we get there? I'm so tired..."
She was probably the only empress in the history of the Dragon - Riding Kingdom who complained about not being able to sit still.
"Please be more patient, Empress. Our wedding sedan is still quite a distance from the Golden Throne Hall," said the talkative maid.
"You've got to be kidding me! Why does it still take so long? Can't you go any faster?" Wei Shuxuan was really getting angry. How could they tell her there was still such a long way to go? Didn't they know she was already exhausted?
Hearing Wei Shuxuan's angry voice, the maids following the wedding sedan quickly pleaded for mercy. "Please forgive us, Empress! We've already asked the coachmen to do their best! Please bear with it and don't blame us!"
Wei Shuxuan was a bit speechless. She just wanted them to hurry up. There was no need for them to be so afraid of her. She wouldn't do anything to them.
"Alright, alright. Hurry up then. Otherwise, if His Majesty gets impatient, he'll lose his temper. And then I won't be able to help you either."
Wei Shuxuan said this on purpose, just to make them walk faster and reach the Golden Throne Hall earlier. Then she could finally be free.
"Yes, Empress!"
Then, Wei Shuxuan felt that their speed had increased significantly. She felt extremely relieved. But at the same time, she also felt a deep sense of reluctance. After she and Xin Zizhao were officially married, it would be the day of their separation.
She was reluctant and sad, but she really wanted to leave. The imperial palace, like a gilded cage, was not the place she yearned for, nor was it where she should stay.
Maybe she needed some time to break free from the shackles in her heart. She still had lingering feelings for the era that gave birth to her and raised her. She couldn't let go of the things from that era. Perhaps when she truly let go, she would return to Xin Zizhao's side.
Then, she could tell Xin Zizhao the things she had been hiding from him without any scruples. She hoped that he wouldn't think of her as a monster then.
Lost in such random thoughts, the wedding sedan had arrived outside the Golden Throne Hall. Wei Shuxuan was startled back to reality by the shout outside. She hurriedly looked at the scenery outside the gauze curtain. Through the red gauze, she could clearly see where she was. She recognized this place. Wasn't it the square outside the Golden Throne Hall?
"Here comes the Empress!" A long and shrill male voice echoed across the square.
Wei Shuxuan felt that the wedding sedan had stopped and was slowly descending until it touched the ground. Then she heard that shrill voice again. "Now, please get off the sedan, Empress!"
The maids reached their hands in from outside the gauze curtain for Wei Shuxuan to hold onto so that she could get off the sedan.
Wei Shuxuan felt the nervousness in her heart gradually increasing. She looked at the small hands reaching in from outside and hesitated for a while before reaching out her own hand to hold the maid's hand.
When the eunuch called for the Empress to get off the sedan, Xin Zizhao looked at the wedding sedan that showed no sign of movement for a long time. He couldn't help but feel a bit worried. Although Wei Shuxuan had once promised him that she wouldn't run away on their wedding day, he was still a bit concerned. After all, this woman's thoughts could change so much sometimes. There was no guarantee that she wouldn't forget what she had said one night.
The maids carefully supported Wei Shuxuan as she got off the sedan. The moment Xin Zizhao saw Wei Shuxuan come out of the wedding sedan, his mood immediately brightened. Moreover, he saw that Wei Shuxuan was dressed more brightly and beautifully than usual, which made his heart beat uncontrollably.
Nervousness, anticipation, and all kinds of complex emotions were intertwined, making it hard for Xin Zizhao to tell what he was feeling.
When the maid handed the red silk ribbon to Xin Zizhao, he then realized that the person holding the other end of the ribbon was the one he liked, the one he wanted to spend his whole life with.
"Newlyweds, bow to Heaven and Earth!" the master of ceremonies shouted loudly.
Wei Shuxuan and Xin Zizhao each held one end of the ribbon and bowed together towards the empty square.
"Second, bow to your parents!"
Since Wei Shuxuan's family members were all gone, her godfather, Ge Long'an, would stand in for them. At first, Ge Long'an was quite angry because he didn't expect the daughter - in - law he had his eye on to be snatched away by Emperor Jinzheng to be his daughter - in - law. How could he not be angry?
However, when he saw the happy smile on Wei Shuxuan's face, he suddenly found that his anger had been thrown to the back of his mind. As long as Xuan'er could be happy, who cared who her father - in - law was! Ge Zian was really glad that his father could think things through so quickly. Otherwise, he would have been bothered for a long time.
Ge Long'an and Emperor Jinzheng watched as Wei Shuxuan and Xin Zizhao bent down. They couldn't help but feel happy for these two children.
"Bow to each other as husband and wife!"
Wei Shuxuan and Xin Zizhao turned around at the same time, facing each other. With the same tacit understanding, they bowed to each other. Then they heard the master of ceremonies shout loudly, "The ceremony is complete! Send them to the bridal chamber!"
Surrounded by people, they entered Xin Zizhao's room. Emperor Jinzheng had said that he would offer the Qianyu Palace as their bridal chamber, but Xin Zizhao said it was unnecessary because there were many traces of their life together in the Fenghe Hall. He didn't want to abandon these traces.
As soon as Wei Shuxuan sat on the bed, she tore off the wedding veil. She slumped on the bed. "I'm so tired. Why is it so tiring? And I'm so hungry! Is there anything to eat? Otherwise, I won't have the strength to run away later!"
She saw some pastries on the table. She rushed to the table and stuffed a few pieces into her mouth. Then she took out a small paper packet from her pocket and poured all of it into the wine pot. She shook it a few times, then sat back on the bed, put on the wedding veil, and waited for Xin Zizhao to come in.
Soon, Xin Zizhao came in. His face was slightly flushed, as if he had drunk a little wine outside before coming in. Hearing the sound, Wei Shuxuan immediately lifted the wedding veil and saw Xin Zizhao walking towards her.
"Wait a minute! We have to drink the cross - arm wine first!" Wei Shuxuan stopped him.
Xin Zizhao stopped in his tracks. He saw two small wine cups on the table. Wei Shuxuan walked over and poured a cup of wine for each of them. "Come, let's drink."
Xin Zizhao didn't say a word. He took the cup from Wei Shuxuan's hand. They crossed their arms. Wei Shuxuan used her long sleeves to pour all the wine into her sleeves.
He put the cup on the table and looked at Wei Shuxuan. "I've finished drinking. It's time for us to start the bridal - chamber ceremony."