The empress is both charming and seductive, rising through the ranks of palace intrigue.

Xiao Yu sat down next to her and took her hand, only then noticing that her palms were slightly damp. He then laughed loudly, "Is the bride so nervous about seeing her husband that she's sweating?"

Hearing his teasing words, Ning Shuyan pulled her hand away, turned around, and said coquettishly, "This concubine is experiencing her wedding night for the first time, so naturally I'm a little nervous."

She herself found it strange that she was nervous.

As Xiao Yu listened to her talk about her wedding night, a sense of guilt welled up in his heart. He had experienced a wedding before, but this was indeed her first time.

He reached out from behind Ning Shuyan and hugged her: "I was nervous too. When I came in just now, I saw you sitting in front of the bed in your red wedding dress. My heart was pounding. I never thought you would really become my empress, my wife."

Moreover, she is his only wife, and the only wife he has ever acknowledged.

Ning Shuyan leaned against his chest and whispered, "I never imagined that I would become Empress and have a wedding night."

Xiao Yu kissed her ear: "It's alright. I'll make it up to you little by little from now on."

After saying that, he called out to let Aunt Qing in.

Empresses should not be entitled to the nuptial ceremony, but Xiao Yu has already recognized Ning Shuyan as his principal wife, so she will naturally receive all the due rites.

Aunt Qing presented the prepared red jade wine cup and said with a smile, "Please, Your Majesty and Empress, drink the wine of union, may your love and affection last forever."

Ning Shuyan and Xiao Yu smiled, took the wine glasses, and drank hand in hand. From beginning to end, his gaze remained fixed on Ning Shuyan's face, as if he could never get enough of looking at her.

Aunt Qing smiled and presented a plate of steamed buns to the two of them, saying, "Please, Your Majesty and Empress, enjoy these steamed buns for your descendants."

Ning Shuyan picked up a glistening steamed bun with her silver chopsticks, took a bite, and exclaimed, "It's raw!"

She had just wondered if this was the kind of "baby-making dumpling" that people talk about, and it turned out to be true.

Aunt Qing's smile deepened upon hearing this: "That's perfect! Her Majesty the Empress will surely have many children and grandchildren."

Xiao Yu narrowed his eyes slightly, and a hearty chuckle escaped from deep within his throat: "Well said!"

At this moment, Granny Du brought Yi'er in. He stepped forward with a smile and bowed to Ning Shuyan and Xiao Yu: "Wishing Father Emperor and Mother Emperor... a long and happy life together."

His eyes darted around as he mumbled something indistinctly.

Xiao Yu replied again, "Okay!"

He helped Yi'er up, held him in his arms, his eyes full of doting affection: "Yi'er should call me Mother Empress now."

Yi'er raised her eyebrows and looked at Ning Shuyan innocently: "Mother?"

Ning Shuyan stroked his head and responded with a happy smile.

In ancient times, it must have been incredibly difficult for an empress to have her own child call her "mother."

Xiao Yu patted Yi'er on the shoulder: "Alright, Father and Mother have important matters to attend to. You can go down now, okay?"

Yi'er was also very well-behaved. He had come here to offer his blessings to his father and mother. Now that he had finished speaking, he followed Granny Du out.

Everyone in the bedchamber also withdrew, knowing that they were about to attend to important matters.

Only Ning Shuyan and Xiao Yu remained in the hall.

"Yulang..."

Before she could finish speaking, Ning Shuyan's lips were firmly locked by Xiao Yu, all their deep affection and passion mingling between their lips and teeth.

Ning Shuyan was moved by his feelings and instinctively responded by clinging to his neck.

In an instant, the red curtains fell, and their necks intertwined tenderly.

"Yan Yan, I am so happy." His deep, urgent voice rang out from inside the red curtain.

He had waited and longed for this moment for a long time, and he could not express the joy in his heart at this moment.

As the saying goes, "A day apart feels like three autumns," and these short three days felt like an eternity, making him miss her terribly and yearn for her.

Ning Shuyan held his head and rolled over to cover him, her clear almond-shaped eyes filled with his image. "Yulang, let's have another princess."

Xiao Yu's eyes suddenly lit up, both surprised and delighted: "Really?"

Ning Shuyan smiled sweetly and slightly raised her chin: "If you don't hurry, I might change my mind."

Xiao Yu chuckled twice, joy spreading across his face, and then wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her deeply.

A scene of eroticism unfolded within the bright red brocade curtains, with figures intertwined, brocade quilts disheveled, and fingers tightly clasped.

The dragon and phoenix candles on the stove hung down in layers, their wax dripping like red coral, freezing the warmth and springtime of the room within.

After a tender moment, Xiao Yu gently smoothed Ning Shuyan's slightly messy long hair.

Ning Shuyan pressed her face against his chest and said softly, "I suddenly remembered something."

Xiao Yu raised an eyebrow: "Oh? What is it?"

Ning Shuyan recounted in detail: "Before entering the palace, I met a beggar on the street. He said that I was the most honored woman in the Yifeng Dynasty. At the time, I didn't think much of it, but now that I think about it, I am indeed the most honored woman."

Xiao Yu paused slightly, then gently placed the strands of hair on her chest behind her back and said in a deep voice, "Yan Yan, the most honorable one is not the Empress, but also the Empress Dowager."

"I will not only make you the most honored woman in the world, but also the happiest woman."

Ning Shuyan raised her head and looked at him tenderly, a happy smile on her lips: "At this moment, I feel like the happiest woman in the world."

Xiao Yu stroked her smooth, delicate face, gently kissed her forehead, and slowly said, "I will hold your hand and grow old with you."

Ning Shuyan held him tightly in her arms: "It began with our first meeting and will last until the end."

They looked at each other and smiled.

There was no one else in sight; everyone around was each other.

The candlelight flickers red, and the stars shimmer.

Spring kites soar, summer paints the landscape green, autumn thoughts linger, winter snow falls silently;

May we be together year after year, day and night, until our hair turns white.

(End of text)