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

May 20th is the day of Prince Yifeng's wedding.

The procession stretched for miles in red, with carriages lined up from one end of the street to the other. All the flowers in the city paled in comparison. The Eastern Palace and its surroundings were ablaze with red, and crowds of people on the streets craned their necks to watch this once-in-a-century wedding.

Even though people couldn't see the Crown Princess's stunning face, just her silhouette was enough to tell that she must be breathtakingly beautiful. She and the dignified Crown Prince were a match made in heaven.

No matter how lively the day is, no matter how many people come up to offer their congratulations and toasts, my thoughts are always with the woman in the inner palace.

Taking advantage of a spare moment, he told his servants to send some food to the Crown Princess.

The sun had already set, and it was getting dark. After a long day of running around, she must have been starving.

Finally, Jingyou said, "The Crown Prince is drunk and needs to go back to his room to rest. I will entertain everyone."

He has been married for several years and is my elder brother, so naturally my feelings cannot be hidden from him.

So Jingchen was also there, helping me take care of the guests.

Just as he was about to leave, Jin Ning and Jin Yue came up to him hand in hand.

Jin Ning was filled with mixed emotions as she watched her younger brother, whom she had grown up with since childhood, get married. She remembered how he used to follow her around, calling her "sister, sister."

They ate a cookie together, climbed trees together, and played together. Before she knew it, that little boy got married.

However, her happy event is coming soon, and then they will really have to say goodbye to their childhood.

Looking at Jin Ning's reddened eyes, I teased her as usual, "What's wrong, sister? Are you already impatient to see me get married?"

Jin Ning smiled and glared at me, then took out a pair of fine jade pendants from her palm. The pendants were engraved with the four characters "Eternal Union," and the jade was delicate and translucent, radiating a warm luster under the orange candlelight.

She said gently, "We grew up together since childhood. You are my first brother, and the Crown Princess is also my sister-in-law. This jade pendant was originally made for me by my mother, but I didn't expect you to be so eager to marry the Crown Princess, beating me to it. So I'm giving you both these jade pendants, one for you and one for the Crown Princess. I wish you and the Crown Princess a long and happy marriage and many children."

Looking at the jade pendant, I knew it was very valuable, and since it was made by Consort Cheng's mother for my sister, I wanted to refuse.

Before she could finish speaking, Jin Yue said, "Second Brother, please accept it. This is a token of my sister's affection. If you don't accept it, she will get angry."

My elder sister has an impatient temper, which is very much like my mother, and I know that once she decides to give something away, she will not take it back.

He then accepted the pair of jade pendants, nodded sincerely, and said, "Thank you, sister. I will accept them."

Jin Ning then smiled and said, "Go quickly, don't keep the bride waiting."

Seeing her brother walking so hastily, Jin Yue smiled brightly, her eyes crinkling into two crescent moons, and said loudly, "Brother, don't rush. Father has given you three days of wedding leave. Enjoy your wedding night."

Upon hearing this, I turned around and gave her a doting glare, but Jin Yue stuck out her tongue happily.

I pointed at her with my finger. This younger sister was the youngest in the palace and a princess, so she was naturally spoiled rotten and spoke incoherently.

That night, the moonlight, as clear as water, silently bathed the entire Eastern Palace in a soft, silvery glow. Reflected on the red lanterns and silk, it appeared as if coated with shimmering spring water.

The two people in the room followed the rules, removed their veils, drank the nuptial wine, and ate fertility cakes.

I dismissed all the palace maids and nannies, and only then could I quietly gaze at the woman before me.

Red curtains hung down, and two people sat facing each other inside the dark red tent.

After everyone had left, Song Jinrou finally dared to raise her head and glance at the man before her. But when she met his burning gaze, she quickly lowered her head. Her scarlet earrings swayed gently, and the blush spread from her earlobes to her cheeks.

She said softly, "Your Highness, I have a few words I would like to say to you."

I gazed at her alabaster-like face: "You tell me."

She spoke gently, "When I was at home, my grandfather, father, and mother all taught me that after marriage I should be a good wife and mother, and uphold the virtues of womanhood, obedience, and the three obediences and four virtues. However, neither my father nor I knew that I would eventually become the Crown Princess. I... I'm afraid I won't be a good Crown Princess. If there is anything wrong with me in the future, Your Highness must point it out to me, and I will definitely correct it."

She paused, then continued, "My mother said that you are not an ordinary person; you are His Highness the Crown Prince. In the future, you will surely have many concubines, and His Highness will also have many favored consorts. I will do my best to be a good Crown Princess, help the Crown Prince take concubines, and treat His Highness's children as my own. I only hope that His Highness will treat me with honesty and sincerity."

Whether it's the Eastern Palace or the Imperial Harem, everyone has their own agenda. There's constant deceit, suspicion, and treachery between people.

Song Jinrou only hoped to treat the Crown Prince with sincerity.

I was deeply moved by her words. It was their first day of marriage, their wedding night, and she had already thought about having many concubines and children in the future.

She was still a young girl who had not yet reached marriageable age, and was the apple of her family's eye. But upon entering the Eastern Palace, she anticipated and accepted all the grievances and responsibilities that lay ahead.

She didn't want any prestige, honor, or pampering; she just wanted to be honest with herself.

I held her hand with a touch of tenderness, only to find that her hand was slightly sweaty. She looked up at me, her eyes bright and clear as spring flowers.

Our eyes met, and I said, "Rou'er, on the day of the Spring Banquet, you stood in the Imperial Garden where hundreds of flowers were in full bloom, with colorful dresses fluttering in the breeze, but I could only see you."

Song Jinrou was slightly taken aback, looking at her husband with surprise and joy. Perhaps the sweet words came too quickly, or perhaps the way he called her was too intimate, she lowered her eyes shyly.

"As long as Rou'er remembers what I said today, I will not only treat you with honesty, but also accompany you until old age."

If she continues to be this gentle and generous, Xiao Jingyi has no reason not to fall in love with such a wonderful girl.

Song Jinrou smiled faintly, her eyebrows delicate and her eyes almond-shaped, her beauty both striking and innocent, like a hibiscus flower blooming on a branch.

"With Your Highness's words, Rou'er has no regrets in this life."

Upon hearing this, I lifted the bed curtains, took a small knife from the bedside, and cut off a lock of hair from my head.

I said, "My mother said that we are a married couple, and by tying our hair together, we can be of one heart forever and love each other as always."

Song Jinrou never expected that the Crown Prince would care so much about these romantic feelings and be so devoted to her.

She immediately cut a lock of her hair from her chest, took the hair from my hand, and tied it into a knot with a smile in her eyes, as if our hearts were tightly bound together.

After she finished tying it up, she handed it to me. In the candlelight, a warm, sun-like smile graced her lips: "We are husband and wife, bound by our vows to grow old together."

As I gazed at her smile that resonated deep within me, I found myself moving closer to her.

Her cherry-red lips parted slightly, and she slowly closed her eyes.

His thin lips gently covered her soft lips, tender and lingering.

All their youthful innocence and passion were given to each other, leaving behind bright red and ambiguous marks on the fiery red bed.

Their intertwined black hair remained between their clasped hands.

Little did they know that for the rest of their lives, their hearts would be bound together, just like those black hairs.

Although she was not the best empress in the world, she was a famously virtuous empress in history.

Although he did not bestow upon her exclusive favor like her father, he still gave her a lifetime of unparalleled affection.

Simply because she was his wife, the woman he fell in love with at first sight.