Empress

1

Prologue

Yin Dynasty, the twenty-fifth year of Jian'an, March.

Even though it was the peak of spring, the Imperial City was draped in white mourning clothes.

The Late Emperor had passed away, and the Crown Prince was to ascend the throne in a few days. This momentous transition threw the entire Imperial City into a bustling frenzy. On the roads, officials' sedan chairs moved back and forth incessantly, and patrolling soldiers acted like a seamless net, keeping a close eye on every corner.

Of course, the soldiers were merely performing their routine duties.

The Crown Prince's succession was what the people desired, and no one was dissatisfied. The citizens inside and outside the Imperial City firmly believed that even if the tributary states rebelled or the barbarians invaded, the Great Yin Dynasty would remain stable and unshaken!

Moreover, there was that ancestor in the Fengluan Palace holding the fort... the Fengluan Palace.

Unlike the tense and busy atmosphere of the Imperial City, stepping into this area was like suddenly leaving the mortal world and entering a celestial palace. Large patches of magnificent and elegant peonies filled the view, with vibrant reds and lush greens in perfect harmony. Their noble beauty seemed to gather the spiritual essence of heaven and earth, making all other flowers bow their heads, just like the mistress of this palace—

At this moment, rows of palace maids were gracefully filing in, carrying exquisite trays. A total of one hundred and eight mountain and sea delicacies were lined up on a Dragon and Phoenix Prosperous Table carved from jade.

As the last dish was served, the palace maid standing at the entrance of the inner hall bowed and held up the curtain with a Jade Ruyi.

Immediately after, a handsome man in magnificent robes almost humbly supported a woman as she slowly walked out from the inner hall.

Compared to the stunning and graceful palace maids throughout the hall, the woman's appearance was not outstanding, even slightly heroic. The only striking feature was her long, narrow phoenix eyes, which resembled blooming peonies in their elegance. Between her blinks, light and shadows flickered with brilliance, capturing all the light of April.

She wore a snow-white, wide-sleeved phoenix-tail skirt with large vermilion peonies embroidered on the hem. Although they were embroidered, they seemed to bloom suddenly with every movement, their exquisite beauty overpowering the splendor of the entire garden.

As if perfectly timed, the moment the woman stepped out, the shrill voice of a eunuch came from outside the hall, "The Crown Prince has arrived!"

The newcomer wore an ordinary Cloud Brocade robe. His fingers, as clear and slender as jade-wrapped flower buds, held a pinkish-white Jade Gourd. As his robes fluttered like the wind brushing against a jade tree, his entire presence was exceptionally elegant. With his entrance into the bedchamber, the entire Fengluan Palace seemed to be touched by the morning light of the world's dawn.

"Yin Chongyuan, if I remember correctly, the day after tomorrow is the coronation ceremony. You shouldn't be this free." The woman spoke with a voice that wasn't particularly melodious, yet it was elegant and casual, imbued with charm and grace.

Under heaven, the only person who dared to call the Crown Prince by his name was undoubtedly the mistress of the Fengluan Palace, the Empress of the Yin Imperial Dynasty—Gu Danyang.

At this moment, Gu Danyang had already taken her seat. The man who followed her bowed diligently, carefully smoothing out the phoenix robe behind her without leaving a single wrinkle.