Chapter 168

Across from her, Cao Xi and Tian Ying exchanged subtle smiles, unable to hide their amusement.

Marriage, after all, is about bringing two unrelated families together.

Whether rich or poor, how many marriages have fallen apart over disputes about dowries and betrothal gifts?

But the Emperor of Great Qi is no ordinary landlord’s son.

If he grants you some face, you should accept it graciously.

But if he doesn’t, shouldn’t you still endure it?

Yet, the Empress of Bo Country acted as if she were competing in a wealth contest! For every ordinary pearl sent by the Qi court, she responded with a pair of carefully selected night pearls from the South Seas.

For every fox fur coat from Qi, she sent a luxurious white tiger cloak, a specialty of Wei…

Wasn’t this a blatant slap in the face to Emperor Shengwu?

Who didn’t know Feng Liwu’s temperament? He despised being looked down upon. Back when he was in the cold palace, anyone who stepped on him met a terrible end!

Now, Jiang Xiurun, thinking she had given birth to a son, was becoming increasingly arrogant and reckless! How laughable! What did her title as Empress of Bo even mean? If Emperor Shengwu wished, he could reduce her tiny state to rubble in the time it takes to drink a cup of tea. How dare she compete with Great Qi in wealth?

It seemed that even before the imperial wedding, the emperor and empress were already headed for a quarrel!

The dowry ceremony passed in an awkward and tense silence.

Wenniang, however, didn’t see anything wrong.

As a merchant, she couldn’t grasp the implications of national dignity.

She simply thought that since her daughter was getting married, there was no reason not to give her the best.

Besides, the dowry would ultimately remain within the Qi palace.

What did Feng Liwu have to complain about?

After the dowry list was read, those who sensed something amiss glanced at Emperor Shengwu, waiting for him to erupt in anger and reprimand the wealthy Empress of Bo.

But after a moment of silence, Feng Liwu waved his hand, signaling the eunuch beside him to accept Wenniang’s gifts, indicating his acceptance.

Wenniang, in turn, accepted the dowry from Great Qi, preparing to combine the two during the grand ceremony to ensure her empress’s dignity remained intact.

Once the dowry exchange was over, the guests dispersed in small groups.

Wenniang, finally sensing the awkward atmosphere, quietly asked Jiang Xiurun if she had done something wrong.

Jiang Xiurun, not wanting to dampen her sister-in-law’s enthusiasm, smiled and said, “The dowry exchange went smoothly, didn’t it? There’s nothing wrong. I just feel bad about you spending so much.”

Despite Jiang Xiurun’s reassurance, Wenniang still seemed uneasy but held her tongue.

After parting with her sister-in-law, Jiang Xiurun didn’t leave the palace immediately.

She wanted to see Feng Liwu and soothe his embarrassment and anger.

However, the eunuch serving Feng Liwu, familiar with the routine, welcomed the future empress to wait in the bedchamber—after all, the emperor and empress had already been meeting in secret before the wedding, so there was no need for pretense.

Jiang Xiurun waited for a while, but Feng Liwu didn’t appear.

Upon asking, she learned he had gone to pay his respects to the Empress Dowager.

Without even climbing the palace steps, Jiang Xiurun could imagine the storm that was brewing in the Empress Dowager’s chambers.

She wondered if, after the thunderstorm in the Empress Dowager’s palace, there would still be lingering waves of anger when Feng Liwu returned to her.

At this thought, she suddenly didn’t feel like waiting anymore.

If Bo were just a stretch of water away, she would have crossed it overnight.

Though Luo’an in Great Qi was prosperous and wealthy, it was not her home.

Jiang Xiurun rarely regretted her decisions, but as she sat there, waiting anxiously for Feng Liwu’s return, a wave of regret washed over her.

But where had she gone wrong? She would need a sleepless night to ponder this.

She wondered if heaven would grant her a second chance at rebirth.

If it did, she would surely avoid any entanglement with the new emperor of Great Qi.

Lost in these chaotic thoughts, drowsiness eventually overtook her, and Jiang Xiurun fell asleep on the dragon bed.

Perhaps because she had been so troubled before sleep, her dreams were a jumble of past and present.

At one moment, she was back in the Great Qi palace, facing Crown Prince Feng Liwu’s disdainful gaze.

She wanted to smile at him, but her face was stiff, and she couldn’t muster a smile.

In another moment, she was in a stormy night, a dark figure pressing down on her in the laundry bureau.

A pair of large hands gripped her waist tightly, refusing to let go.

Jiang Xiurun knew exactly what the intruder wanted.

The vivid dream brought all the resentment from her past life to the surface.

She pushed against the dark figure with all her strength, shouting furiously, “Get off me! I’d rather die than let you touch me!”

Her angry shout jolted her awake, and her eyes flew open—only to see a man with thick brows, a straight nose, and deep eyes looking at her with a hurt and shocked expression…

His face was pale as he said, “…I won’t leave. I’d rather die on you!”

It turned out that when Feng Liwu returned, he found Jiang Xiurun asleep in her formal attire, the tight-fitting dress still on.

Since becoming pregnant, she had been sleeping a lot, taking every opportunity to rest.

Feng Liwu, worried she might be uncomfortable, had quietly approached to undo the buttons of her dress.

But before he could finish, Jiang Xiurun kicked and thrashed, nearly knocking him off the dragon bed.

If it were just restless sleep, that would be one thing, but she had also shouted such treasonous words!

The empress of Bo Country’s temper was becoming increasingly unbearable. She had actually told him to “get out”!

This was his palace, his bed, and the woman lying on it was his, as was the child in her womb.

Where exactly was he supposed to go?

Feng Liwu felt as if he had been kicked in the gut, the pain sharp and burning.

Though the dowry incident had indeed upset her, why was she now so angry as to want to cut ties with him? When would she finally overcome this volatile nature?

Feng Liwu, feeling somewhat guilty, couldn’t bring himself to lose his temper.

After his harsh words, he sat stiffly on the bed, pulled Jiang Xiurun closer, and continued to undo her dress.

By now, Jiang Xiurun realized she had once again offended the Emperor of Great Qi.

She blinked, slightly more awake, and said, “I was just having a nightmare about an intruder.”

For a moment, Feng Liwu didn’t respond, focusing on removing her dress.

Once she was in more comfortable clothing, he helped her lie down again and asked, “Would you like some warm fruit soup? You’ve been feeling a bit off lately. Something warm and soothing would be good.”

With that, he waved for a maid to bring the prepared fruit soup.

He tested the temperature with a spoon and then fed her.

After her nap, her mouth had been dry, and the sweet and sour taste of the soup lifted her spirits.

However, after a few bites, she remembered why she had been waiting here in the first place.

Tentatively, she brought up the dowry incident, testing Feng Liwu’s reaction.

“About the dowry list… I was being willful and pressured my sister-in-law into it. At the time, I just wanted to take advantage of her generosity and didn’t consider the implications. When the list was read, I realized it was inappropriate. Please forgive me…”

To her surprise, Feng Liwu said, “When I left the Empress Dowager’s palace earlier, your sister-in-law came to see me in the imperial study.”

Jiang Xiurun’s mouth fell open, unsure what bold move her sister-in-law had made this time.

Feng Liwu fed her another spoonful and continued, “She came to apologize, saying the dowry list was entirely her idea and had nothing to do with you.”

At this, the piece of peach Jiang Xiurun hadn’t yet chewed slid down her throat in one gulp.

Feng Liwu looked at her intently, a wave of indescribable sadness washing over him.

“Have you always been suppressing your feelings like this? Whenever something upsets you, you don’t come to me first?”

Jiang Xiurun hadn’t expected Feng Liwu to react this way.

She quickly replied, “There’s no suppression…”

Feng Liwu pressed a finger to her lips.

“It’s my fault. I should have known better than to let my mother review the dowry list according to tradition. But since the dowry has already been exchanged, there’s no need to reject your sister-in-law’s good intentions. As for the dowry, I will make up for it. I won’t let you lose face.”

Seeing that Feng Liwu was ready to move past the issue, Jiang Xiurun decided not to dwell on the matter of money and material goods.

When Feng Liwu spoke of compensation, he likely meant adding some jewelry and fabrics.

If he wanted to add to the dowry, so be it! As long as he didn’t hold a grudge against Wenniang for overshadowing him.

However, Jiang Xiurun had overestimated Feng Liwu’s magnanimity.

Not only did he remember, but he also harbored resentment!

On the eve of the wedding, an urgent message arrived from Bo—Jiang Zhi wrote that the lord of Anxi City, admiring the virtuous rule of Empress Yaren of Bo, had voluntarily led his elite troops and territories to pledge allegiance to Bo, becoming a vassal city.

Jiang Xiurun stared at the letter of allegiance in shock, feeling as if she were in a dream.

Feng Liwu, however, remained calm.

He took a sip of tea and said nonchalantly to Jiang Xiurun, “Go ask your wealthy sister-in-law if her dowry list includes any cities or troops.”

This is just a quarrel with my sister-in-law, isn’t it?

Jiang Xiurun was both amused and exasperated.

She took the teacup from Feng Liwu’s hand and said, “Your Majesty! My sister-in-law is merely doing her best, just like any ordinary family trying to save face when marrying off a daughter. But your actions are treating state affairs as a child’s play!”

Feng Liwu glanced at her sideways.

“It’s good that you know I treat state affairs as a child’s play. Don’t provoke me, always thinking about breaking up. Do you believe I could lead troops straight to the gates of Yang city?”

Jiang Xiurun wiped his mouth with a handkerchief.

“If you’re so capable, why didn’t you come to catch me when I went back?”

Feng Liwu didn’t want to bring up the past.

He stared at her with a stern face.

“I did think about it, charging over and dragging you back by your collar. But I was afraid that if I did that… we wouldn’t have the peaceful moment we have now, sitting together like this.”

These words were heartfelt from Feng Liwu.

Despite his anger back then, his restraint was admirable.

Jiang Xiurun’s heart fluttered slightly.

Hearing such words from him pleased her more than if he had presented her with a city.

The man’s lips were tightly closed after speaking, still holding back his anger, which was also quite endearing.

Overcome with joy, she couldn’t help but hug his neck and kiss his lips.

Feng Liwu loved this the most.

He forgot his sulking, wrapped his arms around her, and deepened the kiss, capturing the lively little fish in her mouth.

But when the kiss became too intense, Feng Liwu had to push her away slightly, panting heavily.

“You’re pregnant. The doctor said we can’t be intimate for the first few months, yet you provoke me like this. Are you trying to kill me?”

Jiang Xiurun giggled at his furrowed brows.

“You can be pleased by beauty, but I can’t desire it? Seeing someone as handsome as you, I just wanted a taste after not having it for a few days.”

Feng Liwu, provoked by her shameless desire, picked her up and headed towards the curtains.

“If you love the taste, I’ll give you more to savor…”

Then the curtains fell, and the sounds of playful laughter continued.

The issue of the dowry was settled between them, but the court was in an uproar.

After all, although Anxi was supported by Feng Liwu, it had declared independence.

Since it hadn’t submitted to Great Qi, it wasn’t considered Great Qi’s territory.

The city lord’s decision to submit to Bo was, on the surface, beyond reproach.

But upon closer examination, Feng Liwu had conquered a fertile land from Liang and handed it over to Bo.

Some officials privately wondered what kind of spell the Empress of Bo Country had cast on the new emperor? She seemed more dangerous than a country-wrecking enchantress.

Would she eventually hand over all of Great Qi’s territory?

However, with the emperor’s grand wedding and Anxi being so far away, if the city lord truly admired Bo and insisted on submitting, the officials of Qi couldn’t really blame Emperor Shengwu.

With Anxi incorporated, Bo’s territory expanded significantly.

Anxi’s strong military and iron mines meant that, with proper exploitation, they would no longer worry about weapons and iron tools.

For a time, the surrounding predators had to think twice before moving against Bo.

Emperor Shengwu’s dowry had truly touched the heart of the empress.

But it made the palace concubines, who had been looking forward to some drama, green with envy.

On the wedding day, the concubines had to dress up formally to welcome the new empress into the palace.

Previously, without a proper mistress in the palace, they had dressed as they pleased.

But now, with the addition of the empress, they could no longer dress as flamboyantly as before.

They had to wear uniform ceremonial dresses according to their rank, with strict limits on the number of hairpins.

They woke up early, gathered from their respective courtyards, and under the supervision of female officials, washed their faces, styled their hair, and dressed.

Cao Xi felt bitter, looking at her plain clothes, feeling that life would be unbearable if it continued like this.

Tian Ying, who loved beauty and dressing up, was the same.

Even after marrying into the prince’s mansion, her mother sent her various dresses and precious hairpins every year.

Moreover, she still couldn’t understand one thing: when she first entered the prince’s mansion, she was the first to receive favor, so why did she suddenly fall out of favor?

However, during the two years Yao was away, Feng Liwu had favored her again.

But hatefully, by dawn, he was gone from her side, and she never knew when the next encounter would be.

She had thought her time had come, but after each favor, a female official would force her to drink a contraceptive soup.

Moreover, it was said that the records of the emperor’s favors didn’t include her.

Outraged, she once confronted the official in charge of the emperor’s daily records.

The historian shamelessly claimed that he had been asleep and didn’t see the emperor enter her palace, so it didn’t count.

Now, Yao, the Empress of Bo Country, had returned to Qi Palace with the emperor’s favor.

Tian Ying’s hope of bearing a son and becoming the empress was shattered.

Even the occasional favor had stopped coming.

With the new palace rules, the concubines’ dressing was strictly regulated.

Only the empress could dress uniquely, making life unbearable for those without royal offspring.

Thus, Tian Ying’s reflection in the bronze mirror looked particularly resentful.

Thinking of Jiang Xiurun, she cursed her as a seductive enchantress!

Glancing up, she saw her half-sister Tian Jing’er, also with red eyes, being dressed by a maid.

She had entered the prince’s mansion as a concubine and was now just a low-ranking concubine, filling the numbers in the cold palace.

As far as she knew, the emperor had never favored her, so she didn’t know why she looked so resentful, as if her lover had betrayed her.

After dressing, the concubines lined up according to rank and gathered at the main gate of the palace, waiting in the dawn light for the new empress to enter for the ceremony.

Jiang Xiurun, however, didn’t wake up early.

She was now prone to excessive sleepiness, and her emotions were harder to control.

When she was pregnant with Baoli, she had just returned to Bo, with a vicious stepmother eyeing her and an unreliable father.

She had to scheme and plan, with no time for melancholy.

She hadn’t even experienced morning sickness and had rushed through the pregnancy to give birth to Baoli.

Now, with her second pregnancy, she should have been more experienced.

Living leisurely in the palace, with Feng Liwu handling the Bo documents on her behalf.

But her body had become more delicate, not only sleeping excessively but also suffering morning sickness every day.

A few days ago, thinking about the hassle of the ceremony, she had vomited during a meal.

After rinsing her mouth, she lost her appetite and started crying uncontrollably.

Feng Liwu naturally put down his chopsticks to comfort her.

Jiang Xiurun sobbed, “It’s all your fault for insisting on this grand wedding. I’m already so exhausted, and on that day, there will be even more hassle. What if I can’t get up, miss the grooming, and end up being sent to the wedding carriage with messy hair and uneven makeup? But if I have to get up early, just thinking about it now makes my eyelids heavy. How am I supposed to live like this?”

Feng Liwu patted her back like soothing a baby.

“It’s my fault, I was too eager to marry you, my little crybaby. I’ve already instructed the officials to simplify your rituals. The palace’s skilled hairdressers and makeup artists are all ready for you. You can sleep in, they’ll quickly get you ready, and you won’t miss the timing. Once you enter the palace and complete the rituals, you can rest in Fengming Palace. Eat and sleep as you please, I’ll feast with the officials and won’t disturb your peace, okay?”

Indeed, on the wedding morning, no one dared to enter the curtains to wake the new empress early.

Finally, Jiang Xiurun woke up early, her mind preoccupied.

Hearing her call from behind the curtains, the maids and officials, who had been ready, quickly got to work.

Hair styling, makeup, and dressing were all done efficiently, and soon her appearance was impeccable.

Jiang Xiurun was naturally beautiful, with a straight nose, large eyes, and a sharp face.

The bold bridal makeup only enhanced her beauty, making her look stunningly radiant.

When she put on the empress’s wedding dress, with gold threads almost completely covering the red base, the majestic aura of the new empress of Qi was breathtaking.

As the dawn light brightened and the sun shone on the streets of Luo’an, the grand procession to welcome the new empress set off from the palace, winding through the streets before heading towards the imperial palace.

Both official and unofficial histories recorded the grand event of marrying the empress of Bo Country.

The term “ten miles of red dowry” was insufficient to describe the richness of the empress’s dowry.

Elders in Luo’an who had witnessed the previous emperor’s wedding to the empress found it incomparable to this one.

After all, a foreign leader had more presence than a noblewoman from Luo’an.

The dowry carriages stretched endlessly.

Following the ancient Qi rituals, the dowry carriages paused every three steps, making the seemingly endless procession last until evening, finally entering the palace.

As Feng Liwu had promised, Jiang Xiurun performed the rituals with him at the heavenly altar, offered wine to Empress Dowager Wei and the late emperor’s memorial tablets, and was then escorted to Fengming Palace.

Without waiting for Feng Liwu to lift her veil, she had her maids remove the phoenix crown, washed her face, changed into a loose cotton dress, and lay down on the bed scattered with peanuts and lotus seeds, falling into a deep sleep.

When Feng Liwu, slightly drunk from the banquet, entered Fengming Palace, he saw his hard-won empress sprawled out on the phoenix bed, fast asleep.