CHAPTER 658: CHAPTER 638: THE CELEBRITY

The emperor and empress’s wedding is a cause for celebration across the realm. Not only does Xie Xun receive marital leave, but the Capital City imposes no curfew for five consecutive days, bringing the night market to life in a bustling atmosphere. Filled with energy, Xie Xun clings to Fengyu dearly in their newlywed days, yet he understands her fatigue and does not act out excessively, letting her rest for over an hour while accompanying her to sleep. Fengyu wakes from slumber to find Xie Xun rousing her, his face and neck brushing against hers. The late autumn chill makes their close embrace all the more warm and comfortable. Laughingly evading Xie Xun’s kisses, Fengyu finds herself met with his smiling pursuit of her lips. He gently pries them open and engages in a passionate kiss that stirs her emotions, yet she is too sore to indulge in his playfulness.

"No..." Fengyu gasps, dodging his wandering hands. Xie Xun massages her waist with a teasing touch, eliciting tingling sensations that make her squirm. Despite her fatigue, her body betrays her with a subtle reaction.

"Ayu..." Xie Xun murmurs tenderly, utterly enamored of holding her like this. Her petite stature fits perfectly against him, stirring his instincts of possessiveness and protectiveness.

Moving away from his eager kisses, Fengyu feels his searing warmth pressed against her. Being newly wed, long years together would make such moments inevitable, but she is overtaken by unease. Aware of how to plead, she whispers, "It hurts..."

True to form, upon hearing her cry, Xie Xun instantly lightens his grip on her waist, his worry etched deeply on his face as his hands began to lift her robes. "What hurts? Let me see."

Fengyu can’t ascertain whether he’s acting deliberately or cluelessly, her cheeks turning crimson with embarrassment. Grasping his hands, she retaliates with a playful bite on his fingers.

Though intended as retaliation, it’s closer to a reward.

Overwhelmed, Xie Xun pulls her tightly into his embrace. "You’ll be the death of me."

Fengyu holds him close, her giggle breaking the tension. As much as Xie Xun treasures her, he ultimately respects her wishes and refrains from chaotic indulgence. Instead, his touches remain gentle and soothing, soft as the breeze, free of desire. Cuddling together, they speak in hushed whispers, reminiscent of the days he tirelessly journeyed to West State to find her. During those times, they often huddled under covers, sharing sweet words while listening to the cold winds outside. For them, though uncertainty loomed and their fates hung precariously, they found happiness.

"Do you want to visit the night market? There’s no curfew tonight."

"It’s too cold!"

With light snow following the first snowfall, the ground has turned icy and slippery. Fengyu, being of a quieter disposition, shies away from the revelry. Yet with Xie Xun’s days of leisure growing scarce since ascending the throne, Fengyu considers for a moment. "Let’s rest a little longer and head out of the palace later?"

"It’ll be even colder at night. Better not, in case you catch a chill again."

Xie Xun is not insistent on heading out for sightseeing. To him, chatting while holding Fengyu offers the most comfort. With no further objections, Fengyu rests her cheek against his hand, an expression of her fondness for the touch of Xie Xun’s hands. Unable to resist, she plants a kiss upon them.

"If you do want to go, I’ll go with you."

"I don’t particularly want to go." Xie Xun chuckles, pulling her closer into his arms. "Let’s wait until springtime. When the weather warms, we can explore together. You’ve always dreaded the cold; no need to put yourself through it."

The palace feels emptier than usual, with only Fengyu and Xie Xun present. Xie Jue and Ruyi rarely stay in the palace, leading Fengyu to raise the topic of allowing palace maids and eunuchs to venture out and seek livelihoods elsewhere.

Most palace maids are released from service around the age of twenty-three. A few, particularly those favored by palace concubines, stay on to serve, but the younger maids generally aspire to leave the palace for a better future, preferring not to idle away their lives within its confines. With too many staff members currently in the palace, Fengyu—being well-versed in business—recognizes that idleness among large groups often breeds disorder. Setting them free to seek opportunities beyond the palace is far better than confining them to a monotonous existence.

Xie Xun remains indifferent to such administrative matters, entrusting them entirely to Fengyu. "You decide what’s best; you don’t need to consult me. But as for releasing eunuchs, consider carefully, as they may face discrimination outside the palace."

"That’s easy to resolve—they can leave voluntarily. We won’t force them."

Fengyu has no intention of hastily altering palace roles on her first day of marriage. Any such decisions will await the year’s end, though she mentions them early to Xie Xun. Currently, Changshou Palace employs twenty-six palace maids and nine eunuchs, which feels unnecessarily crowded. Fengyu had already reduced staff numbers when managing former palace concubines, but across the entire palace, close to ten thousand maids and eunuchs remain. While leaving a few personnel to oversee each palace, there’s no need for an excess of staff.

After speaking with Xie Xun for a while, Fengyu grows drowsy again. Xie Xun looks at her fair and flawless face as she lays against his arm and smiles gently, feeling as if he holds the entire world in his embrace.

He leans down to kiss Fengyu before releasing her softly and slipping quietly out of the inner chamber.

Xie Xun’s energy means that lounging in bed all day, like Fengyu, is not his nature. With nothing to do while Fengyu sleeps, he heads to find Zhang Boxi to discuss matters concerning Dugu Jing and Han Ziqi.

During the emperor and empress’s wedding, the two had behaved discreetly, avoiding any disruptions. Beining, as a country famed for its ceremonial customs, had taken the opportunity to display its hospitality, inviting Dugu Jing and Han Ziqi to attend the wedding. Accompanied by representatives from the Honglu Temple, entertaining the guests, Zhang Boxi had also ordered the Forbidden Army to keep an eye on them. On the very day of Xie Xun’s wedding, Dugu Jing and Han Ziqi happened to meet, but though there was no altercation, their encounter unexpectedly escalated into a drinking contest. Han Ziqi, overconfident, found himself no match for Dugu Jing and ended up severely intoxicated, falling critically ill. He was perilously close to losing his life, but the Imperial Hospital had been on standby, anticipating such incidents, and promptly saved him. Had Sannan’s Princely Heir lost his life during the emperor and empress’s wedding banquet, the agreements made with Sannan would likely have been nullified.

Zhang Boxi had the tact to avoid disturbing Xie Xun on his wedding night. Reporting first to Xie Jue, he waited until morning to inform Xie Xun. Han Ziqi was indeed fortunate.

Waiting in the front hall for a stick of incense’s time, Xie Xun eventually sees Zhang Boxi arrive, the latter having come straight from the guesthouse. Upon entering, Zhang Boxi performs a respectful bow. Outside, the snowstorm intensifies, leaving wet patches on his cloak that catch Xie Xun’s notice. Xie Xun directs a young eunuch to serve ginger tea.

"Thank you, Your Majesty. I was just thinking I could use a warm drink to drive off the chill." Zhang Boxi’s words, expertly crafted, both praise the emperor for his thoughtfulness and remain subtle enough to avoid sounding overly ingratiating.

Years ago, when Xie Xun first joined the Kyoto Capital Guard, Zhang Boxi had carried out orders to intimidate him. Naturally, the attempt proved fruitless; Xie Xun soon subdued the Kyoto Capital Guard. Yet Zhang Boxi, adept at adapting, was quick to mend fences, addressing Xie Xun as a peer and aligning with him.

At the time, Zhang Boxi was merely a low-ranking officer, torn between following clan orders to vie for power with Xie Xun and not outright offending him—keenly aware that forging friendships broadened one’s paths, while creating enmities lessened them. Zhang Boxi would even avoid offending commoners unnecessarily, his shrewdness ensuring he navigated situations with remarkable finesse.

Xie Xun grew fond of employing him, not only for his capabilities but due to the connection through Fengyu and Princess Xue Lan. Recently, Zhang Boxi had become a favored confidant among his staff—a rising figure in the emperor’s inner circle.