The Reborn Princess Has Turned Evil

Chapter 337 The Grand Wedding (1)

The bronze bell of Chang Le Palace rang three times, and the sky was still a pale dawn. The entire palace began to bustle with activity. The footsteps of the palace servants were light and delicate, and their skirts swept across the bluestone path, stirring up snowflakes that had not yet melted the night before.

Today is the wedding day of Jing Fengyao, the eldest prince of Jing Kingdom.

Mingde Palace.

He was being dressed in a black wedding robe by his personal palace attendants. Jing Fengyao looked at himself in the mirror. The black robe was embroidered with the Twelve Symbols, with the sun, moon and stars flowing between the hem. A vermilion belt was tied around his waist, with colorful jade rings hanging down, making him look even more noble and imposing.

"Your Highness, it's time to go to the Imperial Ancestral Temple." The speaker was Chai Huan, the eunuch who had grown up with him. Chai Huan was an old servant in the palace and had originally served the late Empress.

As Chai Huan spoke, she carefully looked at the eldest prince, whom she had served since childhood, and her eyes unconsciously welled up with tears.

"Yes, it's time to let Mother see that today is my wedding day." Jing Fengyao's voice was choked with emotion.

Jing Fengyao, who never easily showed weakness, moved Chai Huan with his actions.

Looking at this face that resembled the late Empress's, Chai Huan thought: How gratified the late Empress would have been to see the eldest prince get married.

pity……

Royal Ancestral Hall.

Jing Anle arrived a little late. Today she was dressed in a black princess outfit, looking dignified and elegant, with her red lips slightly parted, making her exceptionally beautiful.

The guests were all dressed in fine clothes, looking very elegant and dignified.

After exchanging greetings with everyone, Jing Anle glanced around and, as expected, did not see Princess Laili. It seemed that her elder brother had indeed used some means to distract Princess Yongping.

Jing Anle continued looking, "Hmm? Where is Consort Lin?"

Recalling his conversation with Consort Lin that day, Jing Anle glanced at Ji Quan standing in front of the Buddha statue out of the corner of his eye. Ji Quan had his eyes closed and was deep in thought, his expression so serene that he seemed to be isolated from the surrounding noise.

Just as she was lost in thought, Consort Jiang, who was standing beside her, seemed to understand immediately and said, "Sister Consort Lin has caught a cold and is unable to come today."

Jing Anle nodded slightly in response. Ever since Jing Anle pointed out the people around her who were harming her, this Consort Jiang had been thinking about what to do for Jing Anle and therefore paid close attention to her movements.

The Empress Dowager's expression changed, and she felt a sense of foreboding. On such a joyous wedding day, she had fallen ill; it was indeed an ominous sign.

Consort Chen was even more resentful. Previously, Consort Lin had received many rewards for helping Consort Li give birth to a child and was exempted from the ritual of kneeling to worship gods and Buddhas. Consort Chen had long been resentful, and now that Consort Lin was ill, Consort Chen wished that she would simply fall ill and never recover.

Yongping, standing beside the Empress Dowager, had a slight change in expression, but it was only for a moment, yet Jing Anle noticed it all.

At this moment, Emperor Jing and the Empress Dowager were standing at the very front, holding incense sticks, paying their respects to their ancestors.

Standing behind them were Jing Anle, Jing Fengyao, Jing Fengyu, Princess Yongping, Consort Chen, and some other nobles.

Only Prince Qing himself came to observe the ceremony; Jing Rou was probably too ashamed to come, and Princess Qing was also unable to travel due to her pregnancy.

Standing to the right of the Buddha, chanting sutras with his eyes closed, was Ji Quan. No one knew that Ji Quan, who appeared serious, was actually in a state of utter confusion.

After the chanting of scriptures, according to the ritual, Ji Quan was to personally offer incense to Emperor Jing and the Empress Dowager and sprinkle holy water.

After the chanting was finished, a young monk came over with a golden bowl filled with water and willow branches.

Everyone was watching this scene intently.

"May Heaven and Earth, and may the gods and Buddhas protect us." Ji Quan said solemnly, picking up a willow branch and gently sprinkling water on Emperor Jing and Jing Fengyao. The water droplets landed on their dark clothes, spreading out wet patches.

Next, a young monk presented a box of cinnabar, symbolizing good fortune and protection from misfortune, and peace and prosperity.

Princess Yongping, standing to the side, felt her heart pounding. As long as Jiquan did as she instructed, the medicine would take effect at 9 PM tonight.

Consort Chen saw all of this clearly. She remembered that she had overheard Yongping asking Jiquan to use a love potion on Emperor Jing. She wondered if it was today.

The thought that Princess Yongping had actually developed feelings for her own brother gave Consort Chen goosebumps. She thought to herself, "Yongping is simply insane."

Watching Ji Quan's skillful movements, Consort Chen felt both fear and anxiety.

Although she knew about this beforehand, she dared not make it public.

Firstly, no one would believe her without evidence. Secondly, if she spoke out, Yongping would be even more determined to punish her, and she would be in trouble if she were falsely accused.

In her haste, she couldn't help but sneeze, the "Achoo!" breaking the solemnity of the hall.

All eyes fell on her. Consort Chen's cheeks flushed. Although she wanted to stop him, it wasn't intentional. Ji Quan's hand paused, but he quickly imprinted the cinnabar mark on Emperor Jing's wrist.

This was how Ji Quan was able to directly contact Emperor Jing.

Jing Anle's gaze, sharp as a silver needle tempered with cold, fell upon the glaring vermilion mark on Emperor Jing's wrist, his fingertips subtly tightening around his sleeve.

Just now, Consort Chen's sudden sneeze occurred at the very moment Ji Quan was about to hand over the cinnabar. Ji Quan's hand paused—that pause was so subtle that it could be mistaken for a normal pause in the ceremony if one did not look closely. However, in Jing Anle's eyes, it became an inexplicable flaw.

She wondered to herself: Did Consort Lin actually make Ji Quan stop?

Looking at Ji Quan again, he had retreated to the Buddha statue, closed his eyes again to chant sutras, his expression still calm and undisturbed, as if everything that had just happened had nothing to do with him.

Jing Anle glanced at Yongping without making a sound. Although Yongping tried to hide it very well, Jing Anle still saw her tightly gripping her wrist. Jing Anle's eyes darkened. Yongping... was clearly very agitated.