The bright moon hangs high, beckoning him down from his pedestal.

Half a month later, in early September, at the crack of dawn, the palace gates opened.

Today is the wedding day of Princess Shen Jingyan, but apart from the Jiaofang Palace and Jingyang Palace, where Shen Jingyan used to live, which are decorated with red silk, the entire palace remains as usual, quiet and solemn, without a trace of celebration.

The palace servants lowered their heads and walked quickly, not daring to utter a word.

The dowry allocated by the national treasury was being carried out of the storeroom by the eunuchs, one load at a time, and neatly arranged in the open space in front of the Jiaofang Palace.

There were only sixty-four sets of bridal favors, which were the standard amount for an ordinary princess, but far from generous, let alone the ten-mile-long red bridal procession that Shen Wangxi had promised in the past.

Wulan Yun stood at the palace gate, looking at the ordinary dowry chests, her heart aching.

She recalled the time more than six months ago when she had just entered this magnificent palace.

At that moment, Shen Wangxi held her hand, standing on the high palace wall, looking down at the vast land below, and said to her:

"Ah Yun, Ah Yan was a new family member given to me by God when I was in the most pain after losing my brother. She is the person I cherish most."

"If one day our Ayan gets married, I will give her a ten-mile-long red bridal procession, grant a general amnesty, and let the entire capital be decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations, so that all people can celebrate the joy of my pearl's return to its rightful home."

"I will make her the happiest and most honorable daughter in the world."

His words at the time were so earnest and so resolute.

But now, those words still echo in my ears, yet the people and things have changed.

On the day Ah Yan was finally married, there was no imperial decree granting amnesty to the world, no clamor of celebration among the people, and even within the palace walls, it was as quiet as any ordinary day.

Most of the people in the city were still asleep at this moment, perhaps unaware that their Great Zhou's eldest princess was getting married today.

Wu Lanyun closed her eyes, forcing back the tears welling up in her eyes.

She took a deep breath and said to Su Mama beside her, "Go and take out all the pearls, gold jewelry, silks and satins, and the white jade Guanyin statue that I have in my private treasury, and give them to Ayan."

"Your Majesty..." Granny Su looked troubled.

The eldest princess originally possessed countless treasures and a generous fiefdom, all of which have now been taken back by His Majesty.

These are the most respectable reserves that the Jiaofang Palace currently possesses.

"Go." Wulan Yun's tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable authority. "My daughter must not go out in such a shabby manner."

Granny Su sighed, bowed, and withdrew.

Alone, Wulan Yun slowly walked out of the palace gate, followed the steps, and climbed to the second-floor pavilion next to the Jiaofang Palace.

From here, you can see most of the palace.

As far as the eye could see, only the Jiaofang Palace where she was and the Jingyang Palace in the distance were decorated with red silk, looking festive.

The other palaces remained as silent as ever.

The sixty-four dowry items looked particularly meager in the empty courtyard.

As the wind blew by, Wulan Yun leaned against the railing, gazing at the desolate scene. In the end, she couldn't hold back any longer, and two lines of tears silently slid down her cheeks.

Her daughter, Ah Yan, who was once cherished and treasured by the emperor, was about to be married off in such a simple way.

-

Meanwhile, inside the Taiji Hall.

Shen Qingruo had been awake for a while, but she was still lazily nestled in Shen Wangxi's arms, playing with his black hair.

Shen Wangxi let her fuss, his arms wrapped around her slender shoulders and back.

She tilted her head back, her clear, watery eyes looking up. "Your Majesty, is today the Princess's wedding day? Is the Princess's dowry sixty-four taels?"

"Hmm," Shen Wangxi responded calmly.

"Oh." Shen Qingruo lowered her head, her soft cheek rubbing against his chest, and said nothing more.

Shen Wangxi looked down at her: "What's wrong?"

She shook her head, her voice muffled: "It's nothing, I just remembered that when Aruo went to Daliang for a political marriage, she didn't seem to have this much dowry."

The girl spoke lightly, with a hint of unwitting grievance, but it unexpectedly stung Shen Wangxi.

Back then, she embarked on the journey of marriage alliance all alone, how helpless and vulnerable she must have felt.

A wave of guilt washed over him again. He lowered his head and kissed the top of her head, his voice low and deep:

"It's all in the past. From now on, everything I give you will be the best."

Shen Qingruo softly hummed in his arms, stretched out her forearm to wrap around his waist, and snuggled close to him dependently.

She was only wearing a plain gauze nightgown. After a night of rough treatment, the sash had come undone, and with this movement, the neckline slipped open slightly, revealing her fair skin, on which a few red marks he had left the night before remained.

Shen Wangxi stared intently, a dark look rising within him, and his large hand, which was wrapped around her waist, slowly caressed her.

"Your Majesty..." She noticed his change, raised her watery eyes to look at him, a hint of timidity in them, "It's getting late, shouldn't you get up?"

Shen Wangxi stared at her charming little face, watching her long eyelashes flutter, her rosy lips open and close, and her Adam's apple bob.

"No rush." ​​His voice was low and husky as he rolled over and covered her beneath him, his tall figure completely obscuring her petite body.

He leaned down, took her soft lips into his mouth, and kissed them gently and tenderly. His large hands skillfully explored inside, caressing her smooth, tender back.

"Hmm..." Shen Qingruo groaned softly, her eyebrows furrowed slightly, and her small hands weakly pushed against his shoulder.

"No, it's already dawn..."

Shen Wangxi easily restrained her flailing wrists, his lips tracing down her chin to her delicate neck, leaving a new mark.

"Today is the Princess's wedding day, so I will not attend court," he mumbled, his breath brushing against her ear.

"Perfect timing. The palace is short of a princess. I hope Aruo can give me a little prince."

Inside the palace, spring light once again filled the air.