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

The eighteenth year of Yifeng.

"Your Majesty, I wish to marry Ziying."

Upon hearing this, Ning Shuyan instructed the nanny to take Jingchen and Jinyue away.

She looked at Ji Xun kneeling on the ground and said indifferently, "Imperial Physician Ji, I have given you two chances, but you did not cherish them. I have said that you should remember what I said today, and never regret it later. So what is the meaning of you kneeling on the ground and saying these words now?"

These words left Ji Xun speechless. He had kept this feeling hidden in his heart for fourteen years. He had never wronged anyone in his life, not even his greedy and gambling father. He had done his best to be filial to his father and take care of him until his death.

Only Ziying, he ultimately felt guilty.

Ning Shuyan's brows furrowed with unspeakable melancholy. "Ziying is thirty years old, yet she still refuses to marry. No one understands why better than Physician Ji!"

"You once abandoned Ziying, who was deeply in love with you, because of your father, and even told her that you had never liked her. Now that your father has passed away, you want to win Ziying back. Tell me, if a distant relative or other event were to occur in your family in the future, would you still abandon Ziying? Is she still the most important person in your heart?"

Although filial impiety was a serious crime in ancient times, Ning Shuyan understood that Ji Xun did not want Ziying to suffer after marrying into the family.

But to her, Ziying is like her own younger sister, and the two have never been apart for a single day in all these years.

Why is it that Ji Xun can be so heartless as to refuse Ziying when he doesn't want her, but then begs me to marry her when he does?

In her heart, Ziying was not like a palace maid, someone she could easily dismiss with a few words. What she wanted was a sincere heart, someone who could guarantee Ziying happiness.

Upon hearing Ning Shuyan's words, Ji Xun quickly replied, "No! I have already missed more than ten years. My greatest regret in this life is not being able to marry Ziying. No matter what happens in the future, I will never give up on Ziying."

After saying this, he bowed to the ground and kowtowed deeply to Ning Shuyan, each word firm and sincere: "I am not good with words. No matter how eloquently I speak now, it is better to show Your Majesty my affection for Ziying through my actions for the rest of my life."

"If Your Majesty the Empress is willing to marry Ziying to me, I am willing to shorten my lifespan by ten years and never marry again. I..."

"Your Majesty..." Before she could finish speaking, Ziying, who was standing behind the screen, rushed out.

She knelt beside Ji Xun, her eyes red-rimmed as she looked at Ning Shuyan: "Your Majesty, I trust Physician Ji. I am willing to entrust the rest of my life to him."

As Physician Ji said, they had wasted too much time on each other because of his father, and they both kept their love hidden in their hearts.

After his father passed away, he asked her if she would give him another chance. He said it was okay if she refused; he would stand at a distance and wait for her, protecting her.

Upon hearing these words, the emotions hidden deep within me erupted completely. They did not fade with time; instead, they grew stronger and stronger, becoming etched into my very bones.

She agreed without hesitation.

Ning Shuyan looked at the couple kneeling in front of her, begging for her blessing. How could she possibly break them up?

Besides, she didn't mean to reject Ji Xun; she just wanted Ji Xun to know what a wonderful girl Zi Ying was and how difficult it was to marry her.

Who knew that this silly girl would rush out so eagerly after he had only said a few difficult words to Ji Xun.

Ziying spent fifteen years in the palace, and on the third day of the sixth lunar month, she finally got married.

Needless to say, the wedding of the Empress's personal maid was a grand affair, with the entire palace buzzing with excitement. Even the concubines came to see her off, and her dowry was even more extravagant.

When the moment finally arrived, despite her anticipation, Ziying felt extremely reluctant and heartbroken.

From the Ning residence to Lanyue Pavilion, to Zhaoyang Palace, and then to Fengyi Palace, she has been by Ning Shuyan's side for nearly twenty years.

Whether it was a blessing or a curse, Ning Shuyan was like family to her, and her sudden departure felt like losing something all at once.

Although we now know that the Empress is the only one who enjoys the Emperor's favor and is so pampered by him that she is the envy of the entire palace.

However, she was still somewhat uneasy.

With tears welling up in her eyes, Ziying looked at Ning Shuyan and said, "Miss... I'm sorry, I can no longer stay with you in the palace."

Ning Shuyan felt a pang of sadness welling up inside her, but her face still wore a smile of blessing: "Silly girl, I've always said that I would marry you off one day. You're not living for me. Go out of the palace and live your own life. I believe that although your happiness may come a little late, it will make you cherish each other more and be even happier in the future."

Ziying's tears streamed down her face like a broken string of pearls: "Miss, you must take good care of yourself, and Qiule too..."

She turned to look at Qiu Le, whose eyes were also red.

Qiu Le nodded and said with a smile, "The bride mustn't cry, what if her makeup gets ruined?"

Ning Shuyan took out a handkerchief and gently wiped away the tears on her face, saying softly, "Alright, I'll cover your head with the veil for you now, or we'll miss the auspicious time."

After entrusting Ziying to Ji Xun, Ning Shuyan, like an old mother, repeatedly instructed him to treat Ziying well.

After performing a grand ceremony of bowing and kowtowing, the two slowly departed from the public eye.

Ning Shuyan's lips curved into a gentle smile, her eyes gradually becoming moist.

How wonderful! Those around her are able to stay away from the palace intrigues and marry the people they love. They will be devoted wives and mothers, living in harmony, a lifelong, monogamous couple…

She believed that Ziying would be very happy.

Now, only Qiu Le remains...

Ning Shuyan turned to look at Qiu Le and saw that her gaze was still fixed on the spot where the two had disappeared. The smile on her face contained blessings and some indescribable emotions.

Ning Shuyan held her somewhat cold hand, feeling even more heartache and pity in her heart.

Over the years, she had mentioned several times that she wanted to find Qiu Le a good family, whether it was a guard or a son of a civil official. Qiu Le always shook her head, even more so than Zi Ying.

She said, "Qiule's greatest wish in this life is to see Your Majesty happy, and to see the two princes and princesses grow up safely, get married, and have children. I have never thought about anything else. For me, after marriage, I will no longer be Qiule, but someone else's wife. I don't think marriage is anything good. For many women, it is more like a tomb."

Ning Shuyan knew that Qiu Le had feelings for Ji Xun.

Perhaps Qiu Le once viewed marriage as a grave, but when she met the person she was willing to risk everything for, she discovered that she was not the one he loved.

Therefore, she became even more disillusioned with marriage.

Qiu Le smiled reassuringly at Ning Shuyan. She had lived half her life and had nothing to be upset about or regret.

She said softly, "Imperial Physician Ji said something very true: 'The world is so big, not everyone is lucky enough to have their lovers get married in the end, and most people love but cannot be together.'"

She paused, then continued, "In that case, I will cherish those who are more worthy of my care."

She looked at Ning Shuyan, then turned to look tenderly at Jing Chen and Jin Yue beside her.

These two children, along with Yi'er, all call her aunt. She has watched them grow up from being infants, and they are like her own children.

Inside the Ji family mansion, the newlywed room, with its flickering red candles, was brightly lit. Embroidered silk was covered with red dates, peanuts, longans, and lotus seeds, symbolizing the wish for "early birth of a son."

After Ji Xun stepped into the new house, he stood in front of Zi Ying without saying a word, just staring at her intently.

He had imagined and dreamed of this scene countless times, but he never thought that one day his dream would actually come true.

What merit or ability did Ji Xun possess to be waited for by such a wonderful girl for over a decade?

Seeing that the bright red ankle boots had been lying on the ground for a long time without moving, Ziying said in a slightly shy voice, "Is it... Physician Ji?"

Ji Xun nervously replied, "Yes, it's me."

After these words were spoken, the hall, lit by bright red candles, fell silent once more.

After a long silence, Ji Xun tried to calm her pounding heart and cleared her throat: "Then, may I lift the veil?"

Hearing these silly words, Ziying's nervousness and shyness subsided somewhat, and she couldn't help but laugh: "Otherwise what? You want me to sleep with a veil over my head?"

Ji Xun was stunned for a moment, then laughed out loud: "Yes... I... I'll lift it for you right now."

As he spoke, he slowly lifted the red veil.

The girl, who was usually so delicate and pretty, was now dressed in red, looking stunning and charming. Her long hair, which usually reached her waist, was now styled into a high bun, and the pearl hairpins on her head shone brightly in the candlelight, but none of them could compare to the woman before her.

To him, she was the brightest star in the night, a precious jewel.

Ziying raised her eyes and saw Ji Xun, dressed in a wedding gown, gazing at her with deep affection.

She smiled faintly: "Imperial Physician Ji, please sit down."

Ji Xun sat down beside her as instructed and said softly, "Ziying, will you still call me Physician Ji?"

Ziying gently bit her lip: "Then, may I call you husband?"

No sooner had he finished speaking than a warm sensation covered the back of his hand.

Ji Xun grasped the hand he had longed for and said gently, "Alright! From now on, I will listen to my wife no matter what."

Ziying raised her head and smiled gently at him, their eyes filled with tender affection that seemed to haunt their dreams.

Ji Xun gazed into her tender eyes, "Ziying, I missed you before, thank you for still coming to my side."

Ziying smiled and said, "Your appearance in my life was ordained by Heaven. And our marriage today is also an arrangement by Heaven. Let's not talk about the past anymore. Just as Her Majesty the Empress said, although our happiness came a little late, it will make us cherish each other even more. What you owe me, you will make it up to me slowly in the future."

Ji Xun's eyes burned slightly, and for a moment he was speechless.

After a long pause, he finally said, "We've been married since we were young, and we'll love each other until we grow old. Ji Xun will never betray Ziying in this life."

Until twenty, thirty, or even longer into the future.

They will never forget this day.

Just as Ji Xun said, he loved her his whole life.

He made up for the more than ten years he had wasted in the past by giving her double the amount of time.

P.S.: Sorry, I should have written this side story first, then Cheng Yin's. I got it backwards.