Deep Palace Pet Peach Blossom Flawless

Chapter 392: Underground Palace Wedding

Emperor Shenwu covered his aching chest, feeling helpless and worried.

A few months later, Emperor Shenwu finally appointed the second prince born to Concubine Jiang as the crown prince. At the same time, the eldest prince was sent out of the imperial city and stationed at the border of the six Xisha countries.

After that, Emperor Shenwu's health deteriorated, and within just five or six years he was at the end of his life.

Concubine Jiang brought the prince to the Qianzheng Hall to pay her respects. When she was about to take her leave, she couldn't help but kneel down and ask Emperor Shenwu to take care of himself. She was filled with sorrow and tears, but she saw that this ruthless emperor had a faint smile on his lips, and he seemed to be finally relieved.

Concubine Jiang's heart skipped a beat, and then she heard Emperor Shenwu say, "Go back! Don't bother me unless it's necessary!"

The second prince, who was already the crown prince, secretly found Li Xiang, the eunuch who served Emperor Shenwu personally, and carefully asked about Emperor Shenwu's health. Li Xiang's hair was already gray, and there was a deep "川" on his forehead, which seemed to be due to excessive worry in recent years.

Li Xiang knew that the prince had no ill intentions, so he said, "Your Majesty is fine. You can eat and sleep."

There was just one thing Li Xiang didn't dare tell anyone. Emperor Shenwu had outstanding martial arts skills, but he had been suffering from minor illnesses in recent years. He had not taken a single dose of medicine, nor had he used his internal energy to fight off illnesses like colds. He allowed himself to be plagued by illness, and his body became increasingly weak and emaciated. Emperor Shenwu was determined to die, but he allowed his life to gradually slip away.

And who among the imperial physicians dared to say anything in the face of such an autocratic emperor?

The prince seemed relieved. He believed it and left with a sense of relief.

The last period of time, the Emperor Shenwu spent in the underground palace of Miaoling Palace. He had not eaten or drunk for several days. Li Xiang had already sensed something and did not dare to leave the Emperor Shenwu's side.

Finally, the day arrived. Emperor Shenwu quietly looked at Lan Qingwu, whose face remained unchanged in the ice jade coffin, and said softly, "Wei Ruo Ruo, you still look young and vigorous, but I am already old."

The Shenwu Emperor held Lan Qingwu's icy jade-like hand and sighed, "I realized it too late. You didn't want to come back! You didn't want to return to my side! In your world, there must not be someone like me who makes you sad! I haven't fulfilled your wish for you. If I had noticed your feelings earlier, and there were no other women and children in the harem, would you have stayed by my side?"

No one answered the Emperor Shenwu, who gave a bitter smile: "Forget it! It seems I have never lived for myself in my life. In my last moments, let me be willful for once!"

The next day, Emperor Shenwu issued a decree posthumously conferring the title of Empress Zhaoyi on Concubine Yi, and ordered that Empress Long Yu Bin Tian be buried alongside Empress Zhaoyi. This decree caused an uproar within the imperial court and harem. Numerous ministers filed petitions in opposition, but only a few who knew the true story remained silent.

Emperor Shenwu ignored those ministers. In the harem, Concubine Jiang was stunned, bewildered and sad, while Concubine Wen was arrogant and angry. She found Concubine Jiang and the prince and asked them to persuade the emperor.

Concubine Jiang finally shook her head and refused, but the prince could not escape. He came to the underground palace of Miaoling Palace with the expectations and persuasion of everyone in the former court and the harem.

When the prince arrived at the underground palace, he was stunned. He looked at the layout of the underground palace in surprise and walked into it step by step.

A handful of palace maids guarded the underground palace year-round. It was said that they were the maids in Concubine Yi's palace. They had received Concubine Yi's favor and had not left until now.

At this time, several palace servants were silently arranging the underground palace. The palace was decorated with red and colorful decorations, and the ground was covered with red carpets. There was also a square tripod for worshiping the gods standing at the gate of the underground palace.

The prince looked at all this in surprise. This was clearly the arrangement for a newlywed couple's wedding.

As the prince walked in, he saw his father arranging bunches of colorful flower bouquets.

Emperor Shenwu tidied them up and placed them in the ice jade coffin. Soon, the colorful flowers surrounded the person in the ice jade coffin in a circle.

The prince was stunned. He still remembered the ruthless and tyrannical Emperor Shenwu on the battlefield, his destructive aura. Wherever his army passed, flames of war spread across the prairie, leaving no grass behind! This was completely different from the Emperor Shenwu's serious and caring attitude towards these flowers and plants!

The Shenwu Emperor didn't even look back, and said calmly, "Stop! Don't go any further!"

The Crown Prince was about to speak when he noticed that the Emperor Shenwu was wearing a dark red wedding gown, an intricate and solemn one. Today, the Emperor Shenwu had donned the Imperial Crown, the most prestigious imperial robes in the land. The crown, in keeping with ancient rituals, was a solemn black with a touch of red. Embroidered on the shoulders were dragons with bared fangs and claws, and the back and cuffs were embroidered with ancient patterns. He also wore a vermilion knee-pad at his waist, red boots, and an intricate array of jade pendants and ribbons. The Emperor Shenwu was already tall and slender, with a strikingly handsome expression. In this grand black and red crown, the sharpness and vibrant colors complemented his temperament surprisingly well.

Emperor Shenwu had nine pearl tassels hanging in front of his eyes. When he noticed the prince's gaze, he turned his head and the tassels on his crown swayed.

All the words in the prince's heart were choked in his throat when he saw Emperor Shenwu wearing the imperial wedding robes and the woman in the coffin wearing the same attire.

In the ice jade coffin, the woman lay silently, her appearance unchanged over the years. She had been dressed in the same wedding robes worn by the Emperor Shenwu, and the two of them, one lying and the other standing, unexpectedly made one feel like a match made in heaven! The prince still remembered how Concubine Yi had saved him as a child.

Emperor Shenwu still didn't look at the prince. "I understand your intentions. No need to say more. Go! I have explained everything I can to you. From now on, this world is your responsibility! As for me—I owe her this wedding. I have made her wait for too long and cannot make her wait any longer! If you still consider me your father, after I am gone, let me and Empress Zhaoyi be buried here together. You will be the one to hold the court officials and concubines accountable! This is my only request!"

Emperor Shenwu stopped talking and focused on arranging the ice jade coffin.

After an unknown amount of time, the Crown Prince finally moved his feet. He prostrated himself on the ground, his mind filled with the image of the Shenwu Emperor, who was now in his final moments of life. He spoke with difficulty, "Your Highness, I will obey your command!"

The Crown Prince left the underground palace of Miaoling Palace. Emperor Shenwu was finally satisfied with the arrangements. He took Lan Qingwu's cold, soft hand and explained, "I know you don't like those people, so I've already sent them away. Today I'll give you a wedding. Do you think you're satisfied?"

"Ruoruo, can you please say something? I'm almost forgetting your voice! Ruoruo, you've been my wife for a long time! I've let you down, leaving you here all alone for so many years. You must be scared! Don't be afraid, from now on I will always be with you! Not as an emperor, but as your husband! Ruoruo, my Ruoruo! If possible, in my next life I will never be an emperor! I'll only be your Yun Heng!"

Emperor Shenwu felt that he had done everything he could as an emperor, and from now on, he was no longer an emperor!

In the cold and solemn underground palace, the festive red added a touch of color. All the palace servants obeyed the order and walked out of the underground palace one after another. The door of the underground palace closed quietly bit by bit, and finally no gap was left.

Emperor Shenwu lay down beside Lan Qingwu with his clothes on. He turned his head to look at Lan Qingwu, and a smile appeared at the corner of his lips. It was the smile of a wish fulfilled!

"Weak, I'm coming!"