nucmednet Chapter 401 The first meeting of three girls
Chapter 401 The first meeting of three girls
Inside Zhaoyang Palace, candlelight flickered, casting interplay of light and shadow. The soft glow of the red candles illuminated Gu Wenxuan's face, making her cheeks flush like the sunset. She lowered her head slightly, her eyes half-closed, her long eyelashes fluttering gently like butterfly wings, casting a faint shadow beneath her eyes.
When she parted her lips slightly, her voice was like heavenly music, softer than candlelight: "Your Majesty." This call carried both lingering shyness and a hint of tenderness.
Ouyang Lie gazed at the beauty before him, his throat tightening. He couldn't help but reach out and gently lift her chin, drawing her gaze to his. His eyes burned with intense emotion, as if he wanted to melt her into his loving gaze.
"Empress, I have long admired you. Now that I can finally bring you into the palace, my joy is beyond words." Ouyang Lie's voice was deep and magnetic, every word revealing his deep affection for Gu Wenxuan. "For the past fifteen days, my heart has been tormented as if by a hundred claws, every moment I have longed to be with you."
His words carried a hint of urgency, as if he wanted to pour out all the longing and torment he had endured these past days. Since the day they parted, every moment of waiting had been like a vine spreading through his heart, tightly binding him and filling his mind with her every smile, every gesture, and every thought of her.
Gu Wenxuan's cheeks burned hotter and hotter, as if roasted by fire. Her fingertips involuntarily twisted the gold threads of her wedding robes, as if this could ease her inner tension and shyness. Finally, she mustered her courage and whispered, "Your Majesty, would you like to take a look at my dowry list?"
She slowly raised her head, but dared not meet Ouyang Lie's gaze. Instead, she lowered her eyes slightly, and the stray hairs on her forehead trembled gently with her breath, like willow catkins about to take flight in spring, light and graceful.
Looking at Gu Wenxuan before him, Ouyang Lie felt a surge of tenderness. He gently reached out and took her slightly cold fingertips in his hand, then warmed them in his own palm, a gentle smile curving his lips.
"How can I possibly see the Empress's dowry list?" Ouyang Lie's voice was deep and magnetic. "Although I sent two sets of betrothal gifts at the time, Emperor Gu Wenyou of the Southern Frontier has already returned his set, so I will send them to the Empress together."
He paused, then continued, "Also, the princess's two imperial brothers have sent gifts. This is the gift list; please accept them all, my Princess Wenxuan." As he spoke, he took out a roll of bright yellow brocade from his wide sleeves, on which the details of the gift list were neatly recorded in tiny characters.
Ouyang Lie solemnly handed the roll of brocade to Gu Wenxuan, as if it were not just a gift list, but also a token of his deep affection for her.
Gu Wenxuan accepted the brocade, her fingertips tracing the delicate handwriting. Suddenly, she thought of her two younger brothers, one in Daxia and the other in Southern Xinjiang. On the day she left home, her eldest brother, Gu Wenchao, had prepared gold medals and gold notes, while her second brother, Gu Wenyou, had stuffed a luminous cup, a specialty of Southern Xinjiang, into her luggage. There were also gifts from several of her Gu siblings. Now, seeing the familiar handwriting on the gift list, a warm feeling welled up in her heart, and her eyes moistened slightly.
Just then, footsteps sounded outside Zhaoyang Palace, followed by suppressed whispers among the palace maids. Ouyang Lie frowned slightly, about to ask a question, when Granny Xi entered with light, quick steps, carrying a red lacquered tray and a beaming smile. The red dates, peanuts, longans, and lotus seeds on the tray were vibrant in color, gleaming enticingly in the candlelight. Granny Xi began to sing an auspicious song, her voice melodious and sweet, the words filled with beautiful wishes for the newlyweds: "Red dates and peanuts fall on the brocade bed, may you soon have a son and a house full of blessings. Longans and lotus seeds are as sweet as honey, may the couple's love last a long time..."
As the song ended, its lingering melody filled the air. With a beaming smile, Granny Xi brought over two cups of amber-colored wine. The wine's aroma, delicate and ethereal, drifted gently through the air, intoxicating all who smelled it. Her eyes crinkled like spring blossoms as she handed the cups to Ouyang Lie and Gu Wenxuan, softly saying, "Your Majesty and Empress, please drink this nuptial wine together!"
Ouyang Lie and Gu Wenxuan exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with deep love and anticipation. They slowly raised their glasses, their wrists intertwined, as if time itself had stood still. Then, they both tilted their heads back and downed the spicy liquor in one gulp. The liquor slid down their throats, bringing a slight sting, but this sting paled in comparison to the sweetness welling up in their hearts. At that moment, the whole world seemed to consist only of the two of them; everything around them became insignificant.
However, just as the two put down their wine cups, a sharp cough suddenly rang out from outside the hall, the sound particularly jarring in the silent palace. Ouyang Lie's face instantly darkened, his brows furrowing tightly as he shouted sharply, "Who goes there?"
Before he finished speaking, a woman dressed in a pale yellow palace gown entered gracefully, like a willow swaying in the breeze. Her figure was elegant, her steps light, as if a fairy had descended to earth. Her eyebrows and eyes were exquisite, her face like a peach blossom, but the smile at the corner of her mouth did not reach her eyes, giving her a somewhat aloof air.
"Your Majesty and Empress, I pay my respects." The woman walked into the hall, gracefully curtsied, then raised her head, her gaze fixed on Gu Wenxuan, and said softly, "I have long heard of Your Majesty's unparalleled beauty, and seeing you today, I can confirm that your reputation is well-deserved."
Gu Wenxuan's face was ashen, but his eyes, sharp as a hawk's, subtly scrutinized the woman before him. She was dressed in a magnificent palace gown, its flowing fabric revealing an elegant demeanor in every gesture, clearly a favored concubine in the palace.
Gu Wenxuan smiled slightly, her voice gentle and soft: "You flatter me, sister. Your graceful demeanor is truly admirable. I hope you will not hesitate to teach me in the future."
Just then, the sound of tinkling jade pendants filled the air, and the newcomers were none other than Nazai and Ayiguli. One was Consort De, and the other was Consort Jing, both favored concubines of the emperor, and each had a daughter. The Western Regions now had a first and second princess, but no prince had yet been born.
Upon seeing this, Gu Wenxuan quickly rose to greet them, taking two sets of exquisite headdresses and two glittering gold bracelets from the maids and handing them to Nazai and Ayiguli. He said softly, "My two sisters, although you are older than me, as the Empress, I will naturally address you as my sisters. These four gifts are just a small token of my appreciation, and I hope you will not find them offensive."
Nazai and Ayiguli exchanged a glance, their faces lighting up with joy, and said in unison, "Then we thank Your Majesty the Empress."