usatvline Chapter 720 The Childhood Sweetheart Used as a Shield (30)
Chapter 720 The Childhood Sweetheart Used as a Shield (30)
How could Mu Zhou possibly go to save Qin Yansi?
Luo Mengyao was able to find that hiding place because of her behind-the-scenes help.
But now that Su Youbai has intervened, she no longer needs to care.
Su Youbai will never let Qin Yansi come back alive.
Mu Zhou got up and, hand in hand with Wang Chunling, went to the bridge to see the lanterns.
The two didn't part until it was really late.
Just as Mu Zhou was about to lift the carriage curtain, Su Youbai came out and reached out his hand to her first.
Mu Zhou paused for a moment, but still placed her hand in his palm.
On the carriage, Su Youbai's words lingered on his tongue, but he ultimately swallowed them back and chose not to ask any more questions.
He simply asked, "Is the wedding dress already embroidered?"
Mu Zhou nodded: "Alright."
Normally, wedding dresses are embroidered by the bride herself, but the Empress's wedding dress was extraordinary. It was intricate and demanding, requiring extremely high skill levels, and Mu Zhou certainly couldn't complete it by herself.
Therefore, the Royal Clothing Bureau would make the garments and give them to Mu Zhou, and she would only need to embroider a few stitches on the cuffs.
However, her embroidery skills are not bad.
After laying the groundwork, Su Youbai revealed his purpose:
"Embroider a purse for me."
He looked at Mu Zhou, his eyes dark and restrained, his tone slow and deliberate.
For some reason, Mu Zhou detected a hint of pleading in his voice.
She blinked, but ultimately didn't refute it:
"it is good."
She agreed.
A smile slowly spread across Su Youbai's face.
It's fine as it is.
If she doesn't want to give it to him, then he should ask for it.
As long as she's willing to give it to me, that's fine.
Upon returning to the Mu residence, Su Youbai stopped Mu Zhou from getting out of the carriage.
"Zhou'er, I can't wait any longer."
He cupped Mu Zhou's face in one hand, his eyes deep and unfathomable.
Just when Mu Zhou thought he was about to do something reckless again, he simply kissed her forehead.
"Go back and get some rest."
His voice was shrouded in a dark, unfathomable hue in the night.
After Mu Zhou stepped through the gate, she turned back and glanced at him again.
At that moment, a notification sounded in Mu Zhou's mind that the favorability rating had reached 100%.
The anxieties and the unavoidable compromises that led Su Youbai to a new level of love for her.
Mu Zhou gave him a smile, then turned and went back to his residence.
*
Before they knew it, it was time for Mu Zhou's coronation ceremony and her wedding with Su Youbai.
Two days before that, something else happened.
The manor where Luo Mengyao and Qin Yansi were hiding was exposed because the neighbors finally couldn't stand it anymore and reported it to the authorities.
When Miss Li arrived with her entourage, they found that Qin Yansi had already passed away, and only the deranged Luo Mengyao remained in the bedroom.
Ultimately, Luo Mengyao was sentenced to exile.
Su Youbai kept these matters completely secret from Mu Zhou, not letting a single word get to him.
The day before the investiture ceremony, Mu Zhou knew there were many formalities involved and thought she would be up all night, but to her surprise, the palace maid said to her:
"Your Majesty, the Emperor said that your health is not good and you cannot withstand any changes. Just follow your usual habits."
Mu Zhou hadn't expected that he would consider things to this extent.
So she slept soundly that night and woke up at the normal time the next day.
Originally, Mu's mother was worried that this might displease the Emperor, but when she learned that this was the Emperor's arrangement, she was so relieved that she shed tears.
As for the others, they couldn't even get a word in edgewise.
Su Youbai directly asked the Imperial Advisor to perform a divination, who declared that noon was an auspicious time. Holding the grand ceremony at this time would bring long-lasting blessings to the entire Great Xia Dynasty.
Now, no one dared to object.
Therefore, after Mu Zhou had slept and eaten his fill, he finished dressing up and followed the group into the palace.
After the series of procedures were completed, Mu Zhou was a little tired, but it wasn't too difficult to get through.
As soon as he returned to his bedchamber, all the palace servants had already set out a table of food.
These were all her favorite dishes and snacks.
Mu Zhou was indeed hungry and ate quite a lot.
After the meal, she removed her heavy makeup, washed up briefly, and lay down on the couch.
The bed curtains were drawn, and the view instantly darkened. Mu Zhou quickly fell asleep.
After an unknown amount of time, Mu Zhou was pulled into a warm embrace.
She struggled briefly with her eyes closed, but her wrists were quickly grabbed and she was pressed into a hard chest.
With their skin pressed together through only a thin fabric, Mu Zhou instantly woke up.
Her waist was held firmly in place by a large hand, preventing her from moving. Mu Zhou blinked hard before she could finally see clearly in the dim light.
"emperor……"
Before Mu Zhou could speak, Su Youbai flipped her over and pinned her down, capturing her lips with his without a word.
"Well……"
Mu Zhou wasn't particularly petite, but when Su Youbai covered her up, he still completely enveloped her.
His scent filled my nostrils.
Su Youbai reluctantly released her, who was already struggling to breathe, his voice slightly hoarse:
"Zhou'er, you are my wife now."
"……Um."
Mu Zhou gave a soft reply.
Her eyes were brimming with tears as she tried to calm her rapid breathing, her chest rising and falling gently.
Su Youbai almost didn't want to let her go.
However, it was still early, and the wedding still had some final steps to complete.
Su Youbai suppressed his impulse, straightened Mu Zhou's clothes, and picked her up to sit in his lap.
The bed curtains were lifted, and Mu Zhou, seeing that there were still palace servants around, felt a little embarrassed and struggled to get off Su Youbai's legs.
Su Youbai, however, didn't care at all.
Mu Zhou had no choice but to let him be.
Fortunately, the inner palace was only filled with drizzling rain and willow catkins.
Everything was ready, and Mu Zhou sat in Su Youbai's lap and drank the nuptial wine with him.
Then, Granny Xi cut off a lock of hair from each of them, tied them into a double-headed bun, and put it into a red brocade pouch.
This is actually a common saying.
The royal family believed that their bloodline was noble and that their bodies and hair should not be damaged.
But Su Youbai likes the idea of being forever united in heart.
Husband and wife are bound together by their hair, their hearts united by their youthful bond.
He hoped that he and Mu Zhou could be like that.
Therefore, this step was added.
After everything was over, everyone left, and Mu Zhou and Su Youbai ate some more.
Mu Zhou didn't eat much.
She had already eaten quite a bit in the afternoon and then went to take a nap, so she hadn't digested much yet.
Seeing her like this, Su Youbai's eyes darkened.
*
Mu Zhou took a nap in the afternoon and worked up a sweat, then took a shower.
When she came out, she didn't see Su Youbai, and assumed he had official business, so she didn't ask any further questions.
She sat in front of the dressing table, letting the rain apply osmanthus oil to the ends of her hair.
With her eyes closed, she enjoyed the gentle scalp massage from the rain, almost moaning out of comfort.
She shuddered and opened her eyes only when the large hand slowly moved down to the back of her neck.
"emperor……"
Mu Zhou looked at the person in the mirror and spoke blankly.
She didn't know when, but Fenyu and the others had already left, and Su Youbai was massaging her.
Su Youbai bent down and whispered in her ear.
Seeing her sensitive attempt to dodge, her ears burning red, he smiled contentedly.
"Have I served you well enough?"
Mu Zhou's exposed neck was also tinged with pink, her eyelashes trembled, and she bit her lip without making a sound.
Su Youbai could no longer hold back and picked him up, carrying him towards the bed.
The bed curtains were drawn, blocking out the spring scenery from the room.