The Gilded Cage - Chapter 144

The Wedding Ceremony – She is the Niece of Your Majesty (2)

A few days later was the second day of the fifth month, the day of the wedding ceremony between Prince Xiao Yu and Zhao Yue.

The night before, Xiao Kezhi remained in the Guizhen Temple and rose to leave before dawn.

In the sky was a crescent moon, and the morning sun was gradually haloing the sky, bringing some of the summer air to the earth.

By the courtyard door, his tall figure stopped, turned around, and dropped a tender kiss by the side of Chu Ning’s long hair cascading down like a waterfall.

“I will return at night.”

Chu Ning stood by the door, looked up at his bright eyes and nodded gently, “I’ll wait for Your Majesty.”

A few days ago, Xiao Kezhi issued a decree, today, for the crown prince’s wedding ceremony, the court would not assemble.

The government office was empty, from the East Palace to the Taiji Palace, and even the nobles in Changan City were all prepared early, first standing in the Taiji Palace, waiting for the Crown Prince to pay respect to the Emperor and the Empress Dowager, and then going to the Zhao residence to perform the wedding ceremony.

It was late in the evening and the daylight was dull, so candles were lit in all directions, illuminating the wide streets and open porches like daylight.

Xiao Yu, dressed in imperial robes and crimson clothes, was led to dismount from his horse and arrive outside the Zhao residence under the watchful eyes of the crowd.

This was not the first time he had been married, and although he wore a gentle smile on his face, there was no joy in his heart, and the strings in his head were tense, making him feel tired and tormented, and he could only keep reminding himself that after today, he would leave Changan, and then everything would turn around.

The host waiting at the door rushed to welcome him and invite him in.

Zhao Yue’s father had died, and her brother Zhao Lun had not returned to the city.

Xiao Yu came back to his senses, accepted the goose* handed to him by the animal handlers, stepped into the door surrounded by the crowd, and after kneeling to the north towards the goose, he went to the east room.

*The goose is used to represent her dead father/relatives to whom Xiao Yu is supposed to bow to.

In the east room, Zhao Yue had been waiting for a long time.

She was wearing a hairpin with flowers that only the crown prince consort could wear, and her face was also heavily made up, which was particularly dazzling under the candlelight. When she saw the crown prince coming from afar, she straightened her back and showed a smile that was both satisfied and ambitious.

She was now the highest-ranking woman in Changan besides the Empress Dowager, and in the future, she would want more.

At the sound of music, Xiao Yu came to the bottom of the stairs and extended his hand to her.

The smile on her face deepened, and she gently reached out in full view of everyone, put her hand into his palm, and approached step by step with his support.

But before she could stand firm, he had already let go of his hand, quickly turned away and smiled as he walked outside.

Zhao Yue froze, but did not care about his intentional distancing, calmly following him out of the mansion, boarding the carriage and heading for the East Palace.

The banquet at the East Palace was ready, and even Xiao Kezhi had arrived to lead the crowd to their seats and personally watch them perform the same ceremony.

Numerous eyes fell on Xiao Yu and quietly swept over Xiao Kezhi’s body, as if speculating how delicate the relationship between this uncle and nephew really was now.

When the ceremony was over, the chambermaids came in with wine and delicacies, and the singing and dancing of the Department of Education also sounded from under the high platform.

Xiao Kezhi took a look at the completely darkened sky and raised his wine cup to Xiao Yu with a smile on his face, as if he had met something that made him extra happy, as if he was different from his usual cold and solemn self.

“Is the prince happy with his new marriage today?”

Xiao Yu looked at his face full of smiles and his heart twisted. However, due to the inescapable gazes around him, he could only pull himself together and forced a smile in response, “I am happy with my new marriage.”

He said, raised the wine cup in his hand, tilted his head and drank it down.

“Good!” Xiao Kezhi patted his shoulder and laughed cheerfully, “Happy is good. It is not in vain that I have made it possible. I am just as happy as you are today.”

He put down the empty wine cup in his hand, his eyes sweeping the crowd with a smile.

It was clearly the Prince’s wedding ceremony, but the smile on his face almost made people think that he was the one who got married.

The other people also rose and toasted the emperor and the crown prince, drinking several cups in a row until Xiao Yu’s face turned white from drinking too quickly, and only then did he pause for a moment.

“Well, I won’t stay any longer, so that you don’t have to be muddled, so let’s be liberal on a good day.” He turned around and patted Xiao Yu’s shoulder, with deep meaning, “You also enjoy yourself, such days will never come again.”

After saying that, he ignored Xiao Yu’s frown and led his attendants out of the East Palace and back to the Taiji Palace amidst the salutations of all the people.

On the wide palace road, several chamberlains followed the two sides of the Imperial carriage, carrying lamps, and when they reached the vicinity of Ganlu Hall, they did not stop at all, but continued towards the west.

To the west was the Guizhen Temple.

There were more and more surprised eyes and surprised discussions along the way.

“It’s already night, where are you going, Your Majesty? That’s—”

“Guizhen Temple! Then, isn’t that the place where the nuns practice…”

“That’s right, the ladies inside are all getting older… only Lady Chu who just entered…”

“Lady Chu! Sh-She is the Holy Majesty’s niece!”

“That’s not the case now, there is a new crown princess in the East Palace.”

…

This time, Xiao Kezhi didn’t cover up his whereabouts any more, and he didn’t avoid the gazes of the palace servants and servants along the way. He stopped outside Guizhen Temple and walked in casually.