The Reborn Princess Has Turned Evil

Chapter 338 The Grand Wedding (2)

Just then, a palace maid hurried over. She stood in the corner by the door, her eyes anxiously watching inside.

This scene was caught by Jing Anle out of the corner of her eye. She recognized the person as someone who served Princess Yongping.

"Your Majesty, now that the ceremony is complete, it is time to go and fetch the bride," the Empress Dowager said slowly. Although she had a smile on her face, she was not very comfortable inside.

This marriage only gave Jing Fengyao more power. She had previously tried to give Fang Ling's daughter to Jing Fengyao, but Jing Anle ruined the deal in public.

Even if Qin Zhihua and Chu Mingyue were to become prince consorts, the Empress Dowager would still be displeased. She secretly thought to herself that she must find a way to alienate them from each other.

"The Empress Dowager is right, let's set up the carriage in the Zhenghe Hall," Emperor Jing said.

As the group was about to leave, the palace maid subtly approached Princess Yongping and whispered in her ear. Princess Yongping's expression changed, and she immediately reported to the Empress Dowager.

"Mother!" Yongping whispered in the Empress Dowager's ear.

"What's wrong?" The Empress Dowager paused in her tracks.

“Laili is not feeling well, Yongping needs to go back and check on her.”

The Empress Dowager frowned slightly, feeling somewhat displeased, but still deliberately put on a kind expression, "In that case, you may go back and take good care of Riley."

She and Princess Yongping were not biological mother and daughter. Although they seemed close, they each had their own plans and naturally did not really care about Lai Li's safety.

Princess Yongping curtsied in thanks and hurriedly departed.

Jing Anle watched her departing figure, her expression shifting slightly. Her elder brother had indeed done an excellent job, using Laili to distract Princess Yongping. She glanced at Jing Fengyao, and the two siblings exchanged a knowing look.

Emperor Jing said nothing more and led the crowd to Zhenghe Hall to welcome the bride.

At 1:15 PM, the sound of drums and music began.

Although Qin Zhihua and Chu Mingyue were both concubines, it was not because of their low status, but rather because their family backgrounds were similar and they were both worthy of the position of principal wife.

One was the legitimate daughter of a general, whose aunt was the late empress; the other was the legitimate daughter of a prime minister, whose mother also came from a prominent family. Making either of them the principal wife would be disrespectful to the other. So Emperor Jing declared that whoever gave birth to the eldest son first would be immediately made the principal wife.

Therefore, although she was a concubine, she was still treated according to the rites for a principal wife.

In front of Zhenghe Hall, sunlight had already covered the white marble steps, reflecting a shimmering halo.

The civil and military officials waited quietly on both sides, while Emperor Jing led Jing Fengyu to stand at the entrance of the main hall, with the Empress Dowager, Jing Anle, Jing Fengyu and the various concubines and noble ladies standing behind them.

Jing Fengyao did not go to the General's Mansion and the Prime Minister's Mansion in person, but sent his subordinates with a decorated palanquin to fetch the bride. All he had to do was wait in the main hall.

outside the palace.

Qin Zhihua and Chu Mingyue bid farewell to their parents and brothers, and were both helped into sedan chairs by maids. The sedan chairs were decorated with simple mugwort sachets hanging from the four corners and carried by eight palace maids as they slowly passed through the streets and alleys.

One was heading south and the other north, both heading towards the palace.

The sedan chair was painted with gold and colorful decorations, and the tassels swayed in the wind. People watched from afar, marveling at the royal etiquette, its magnificence and solemnity.

Sitting in the sedan chair, Qin Zhihua blushed with embarrassment, her heart filled with anticipation. On the other side, Chu Mingyue's expression was much calmer, but she was also overjoyed. She was finally going to marry the person she loved. Clutching the jade pendant given to her by her brother, she secretly vowed to be a good princess consort.

At the auspicious hour of 3:45, the two sedan chairs entered the Zhenghe Palace gate at the same time.

Upon entering the palace gates, the drumming and music gradually subsided, replaced by solemn ceremonial music.

The decorated palanquin stopped in front of the Zhenghe Hall. Qin Zhihua and Chu Mingyue were helped down by female officials and walked step by step down the stone steps on the red carpet.

Both women were dressed in dark red wedding attire and wore bridal veils. They were slender and graceful, walking towards Jing Fengyao, one on the left and one on the right.

Jing Anle gazed at the two figures walking side by side, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes—Chu Mingyue was gentle and dignified, while Qin Zhihua was intelligent and lively; both were women worthy of his imperial brother.

Jing Fengyao then walked down the stone steps, turned around and stood side by side with Emperor Jing.

The official in charge of ceremonies loudly proclaimed "Greetings!" and read out the investiture document: "In the fifteenth year of Zhenghe, the year of Wuyin, the Emperor decrees: Prince Jingfeng Yao is benevolent, filial, gentle, and respectful, and is fit to continue the ancestral rites. The eldest daughter of the valiant general, Lady Qin, and the eldest daughter of the Prime Minister, Lady Chu, are virtuous, kind, and intelligent. They are hereby specially conferred the title of Consort of the Crown Prince. This is the imperial decree."

Both Chu Mingyue and Qin Zhihua, who were under their veils, bowed and expressed their gratitude.

Everyone present knew perfectly well that this was a ceremony reserved for the prince's principal wife, to ensure that no one was treated unfairly.

However, the marriage of a prince's consort to the palace is a ritual reserved for the crown prince. Could this be an indication that the eldest prince will be made crown prince?

Jing Anle roughly understood the intention behind it. Jing Fengyao was a legitimate prince with outstanding abilities, and should have been made crown prince long ago. Now, he was given the power of a crown prince but not the title, which was to protect Jing Fengyao.

Looking at the three below, especially Jing Fengyao, who was imposing and exuded the heroic spirit of a young man, Emperor Jing nodded in satisfaction, thinking to himself: Ayin, can you see this? Our child is getting married today.

As the music played, Qin Zhihua and Chu Mingyue were about to follow the female officials into the hall when suddenly a sharp "crash" was heard—at the end of the red carpet on the west side, a gilded lacquer plate suddenly fell to the ground, scattering the love knot and acacia flowers that were supposed to be offered to the newlyweds. Even more jarring was the sight of several pieces of black cloth embroidered with the words "femme fatale" mixed in with the pieces, which drifted to the hem of Chu Mingyue's skirt in the wind.

"Oh dear! What an ominous thing this is!" the female official in charge of etiquette screamed, her face turning deathly pale.

The officials were in an uproar, and all eyes turned to Chu Mingyue.

The Empress Dowager frowned, a calculating glint flashing in her eyes, before she said in a deep voice, "Who is so audacious as to cause trouble at the royal wedding!"

Oh no! Alarm bells rang in Jing Anle's mind. She was so focused on guarding against Yongping that she forgot about the old witch, the Empress Dowager.

In the crowd, a woman dressed as a palace maid suddenly knelt down, trembling and crying out, "Empress Dowager, spare me! This servant...this servant was a maid who accompanied Consort Chu in her dowry. It was the Consort who told me to mix these things into the sacrificial offerings, saying...saying to curse...curse Consort Qin to never have children!"

The palace maid's voice was tinged with sobs, clear and bright, and even the civil and military officials standing below could hear it clearly, especially Prime Minister Chu standing on the right.

These words struck Qin Zhihua like a thunderbolt, leaving her stunned. However, she felt that something was very strange about the matter, and that Miss Chu would not be that kind of person.

Chu Mingyue froze, abruptly looking up. Her face beneath the bridal veil was deathly pale, and her voice, barely audible, said, "You're lying! I've never seen you, much less asked you to do this!"

The palace maid cried even more miserably, pulling out a jade pendant from her bosom. "This is a token given to me by the concubine. I dare not lie! The concubine has long hoped to become the principal wife through her son. She was afraid that Concubine Qin would seize the opportunity first, so she resorted to this desperate measure!"

Prime Minister Chu's face turned ashen. He hurriedly stepped forward and bowed, "Your Majesty, please understand! My daughter had no such intention. This is a frame-up!"

The Empress Dowager spoke slowly, her tone tinged with heartache, "Mingyue, although I know you are anxious, such underhanded methods are truly unbecoming of the eldest daughter of the Prime Minister's family, and have also betrayed the trust of His Majesty and the princes."

She changed the subject, looking at Jing Fengyao, "Fengyao, you've always been clear-headed, this matter..."