In the past, she had overheard a few stories as the maidservants were gossiping about man and woman's intimate relations.h.i.+p. Because she was curious, Lingchen had stayed to listen. 

Through their conversation, Lingchen often heard that the process would be either painful or tedious. Therefore, she did not look forward to her first wedding night. 

However, from what she had eavesdropped, none of them had mentioned how the intimation would be something enjoyable, and it can make her feel… good.

After her experience last night, Lingchen found out that she didn't need to lay down still until her husband was tired from poking around. Though it was only painful at the beginning, it was not dull.

As Lingchen's thought drifted towards what happened last night, her cheek started to turn red with embarra.s.sment. She made a mental note to talk to Mingyue about this matter later.

After last night, she was too tired to move. If it were not because of the crowning ceremony, both of them would choose not to wake up before the sun rose.

When Lingchen heard movement coming from behind her, she lifted her head, and her gaze met with Lu Wei through the bronze mirror. He had changed his clothes and was now waiting at her.

Lu Wei continued to watch her as the servants dressed her up. Because the Emperor was going to pa.s.s the throne to both of them, they had to dressed up a little bit. Their clothes were even more elaborate than their wedding costumes yesterday.

The maidservants paused at what they were doing to greet him before they continued with their work.

At the side, two maidservants moved to pick up the headdress on the table. When Lu Wei saw that the servants intended to put it on the Princess' head, he quickly stepped forward to stop them.

"What's wrong?" Lingchen turned around to look at him with an inquiring gaze.

"Let's have our morning meal first before you put on this heavy thing on top of your head," Lu Wei said. He took away the headdress from the maidservants and frowned. "Why are they so heavy? Won't you be crushed to death if you were wearing this?"

"They were made from gold and other jewelry. It would be strange if they were not heavy," Lingchen said. She watched as he put the accessories back on the table.

Lu Wei turned to the servants and instructed them to bring in their meal.

"Won't we be late to attend the ceremony if we have breakfast now?" Lingchen looked out at the sky and saw that the sun has started to rise.

"The ceremony will last for hours before we get to eat something later during the banquet. Work is important, but let's not starve ourselves for the sake of work. If we get sick, then we won't be able to work," Lu Wei said. He took her hand and led her towards the dining table. Though her calm expression did not betray how she felt, Lu Wei noticed the way his wife had her hand clenched into a fist. After the two of them got closer last night, she was still nervous about being around him.

"Anyway, the ceremony will not start unless we showed up."

Lingchen raised a brow. "You're not planning to skip, are you?"

Lu Wei chuckled. "I'm not irresponsible. Since I made a promise to stay and look after this country with you, I will not break my promise."

Lingchen obediently sat down, and soon, the maidservants walked in with a various choice of food. Lingchen noticed that some of the meals are what the people of Qian Rong would eat for breakfast. Though she had never reminded her servants to prepare them, it seemed that they were attentive enough to prepare everything.

A servant helped them to wash their hands, and the two began to eat. As Lingchen drank her porridge, she took her chance to peek at the man beside her.

Sensing her glance, Lu Wei finished his meal silently. He washed his hands and wiped them on a towel before he turned to look at his wife. "Why were you looking at me like that?"

It took her a while before she spoke. "Nothing. I just thought that you have changed."

"How have I changed?"

"The first time I met you during the Spring Banquet, I thought that you were someone who did not like to talk to others."

Lu Wei raised a brow as he thought of their first meeting. After his mother had pa.s.sed, Lu Wei did not like to talk to others. But then, her father had sent him to Da Cheng as a candidate to marry the Crown Princess. A lot of things happened since then. He had rejected her marriage proposal once, but in the end, they were still married.

"Perhaps you're right," Lu Wei said with a smile. "They said people often change after they met another person. After living with my grandmother and the tribe members for a few years, it would be strange if I still stay the same."

Having meeting Lu Wei's grandmother a few times, Lingchen thought that the Chief Ye's positive att.i.tude might be contagious to the people around her.

Once the two finished their meals, Lu Wei allowed for the maidservants to return and helped the Princess to put the finis.h.i.+ng touch to her look and wear that heavy headdress. Once the two were ready and stepped out from their courtyard, a few eunuchs and older attendants came to greet them.

A carriage stopped before them. Just as Lingchen was preparing to enter, Lu Wei reached his hand out towards her. "Come on, Princess. Well, this might be the last time that I can call you a Princess."

The Princess chuckled. Then, she put her hands in his and let him helped her to come up into the carriage. Once everything was ready, the carriage moved towards the palace, and the crowning ceremony began. The Emperor of Da Cheng took out his seal and pa.s.sed it down to the new couple.

Lu Wei held the box at one side and Lingchen on the other, symbolizing that from then on, both of them will work together for their new kingdom. From then on, Lu Wei was crowned as the new Emperor and Lingchen, the Empress.

The previous Emperor of Da Cheng will a.s.sist the two of them for two months. When the time comes, the Retired Emperor planned to take his wife to travel around.

The ceremony completed after two hours. Once it was announced that the two were officially crowned, the ministers and everyone who came to witness the ceremony knelt and greeted the new Emperor and Empress.