sjar Chapter 493 Madam, please wait a moment and warm the bed first.
Chapter 493 Madam, please wait a moment and warm the bed first.
Gu Junze continued, "My sworn sister, though not from a prominent family, has the Gu family as her backing. How could she not become the empress?"
"As for her character, her kindness to His Majesty is enough to prove everything. As for her status, as the adopted sister of the Duke of Zhenguo, is she not worthy of the position of Empress?"
The hall fell silent once again.
Of course she's not worthy; she's not the daughter of the Duke of Zhenguo...
The ministers, who had been so indignant just moments before, now all lowered their heads and dared not utter another word.
Just kidding, they still have the confidence to oppose a commoner woman.
Opposing the Duke of Zhenguo's sworn sister? That's openly being an enemy of Gu Junze!
This young Duke was no pushover; his illustrious achievements in the Battle of Pingzhou and the blood-stained ghost soldiers in the Golden Palace were still vivid in his memory.
Who would dare to easily provoke its sharp edge?
Zhao Yunci looked at the silent officials below the steps, then glanced at Gu Junze. Her tense expression finally relaxed, and a faint smile even appeared on her lips.
"In that case, do any of you have any objections?" he asked.
"We have no objection."
Sparse responses rang out, and no one dared to voice any further objections.
Zhao Yunci nodded in satisfaction: "Good. Choose an auspicious day for the investiture ceremony."
As night deepened, the Zhenguo Duke's mansion was brightly lit.
Gu Junze returned from the palace, shedding his court robes and donning a casual brocade robe, his solemn expression softening somewhat.
"Did things go smoothly in court today?" Chu Ruohan asked softly.
Although he has his support for today's matter, it is after all about making a commoner woman empress, and there will certainly be a lot of opposition.
Gu Junze sat down next to her and took the teacup.
"His Majesty's mind is made up, and with my words, those old ministers, even if they have grievances, dare not say anything more." He briefly recounted the situation in the court.
After hearing this, Chu Ruohan couldn't help but chuckle: "Our emperor is truly a man of deep affection and loyalty."
Her fingertips lightly traced the rim of the teacup, lost in thought.
“Since he ascended the throne, he first stabilized the court, then quelled the troubles in the north, and dealt with both internal and external troubles properly. Only then did he think of bringing his beloved into the palace and giving her a legitimate position as empress.”
"Even the previous talent show was for a purpose; they really protected this girl without leaving any room for error."
Gu Junze looked at her; she always seemed to see right through things.
"You knew about this beforehand? Did you know that His Majesty had such a woman in his heart?" Chu Ruohan looked up at him.
Gu Junze nodded slightly: "I have heard that His Majesty once mentioned the life-saving grace."
"But she has always been housed in a secluded estate outside the palace, and I have never seen her."
Chu Ruohan sighed softly, "To earn His Majesty's such devotion, she must be an extraordinary woman. I really want to meet this future Empress and see what kind of charm she possesses."
Gu Junze put down his teacup, took her hand, and calmly dropped a bombshell: "You'll see it soon."
"She will enter the manor tomorrow."
Chu Ruohan was taken aback, almost thinking she had misheard: "Tomorrow? To our residence?"
“Yes,” Gu Junze replied. “The investiture ceremony will take some time to prepare. Before that, she will stay at the mansion to learn palace etiquette.”
"On the day of the grand ceremony, the bride will be married off from our household."
"What?!" Chu Ruohan was genuinely shocked and stood up. "Arriving tomorrow? Why didn't you tell me sooner?!"
She wore a slight reproach on her face, but her mind was already racing with calculations.
"With the future Empress moving in, how can the entire household be unprepared? This... this is no small matter!"
Gu Junze took her hand and helped her sit down again.
"I only learned of this matter from His Majesty's secret decree before the morning court session this day."
Chu Ruohan could no longer sit still. She frowned and paced back and forth in the study several times.
"No, we need to make arrangements quickly. Which courtyard would be most suitable? It needs to be quiet and elegant, yet convenient. How about Tingzhu Pavilion? It has a good view and is spacious enough."
"The servants must also be selected from among the most reliable and meticulous maids and servants in the mansion. There must be no mistakes."
"And then there's the food. We need to ask her what her preferences are first. There are many rules in the palace, and since she's new here, we need to make sure she's comfortable with her meals..."
She spoke very quickly, listing each point clearly in her mind.
Gu Junze watched her busy figure and shook his head.
“You don’t need to be so nervous. His Majesty said that she grew up in the countryside and is not a pampered noblewoman. She is simple and honest and does not like formalities.”
Chu Ruohan stopped and looked at him seriously: "That may be true, but she is about to become the empress, representing the face of the royal family."
"Now that she is marrying out of our Zhenguo Duke's Mansion, our household must not be negligent or careless in the slightest."
"This is not merely a matter of etiquette, but also our respect for the royal family, and a way of showing the world that the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion supports the future Empress."
She knew all too well the weight of Gu Junze's words in court: "my sworn sister."
This not only gave the woman an identity, but also closely linked the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion with the future empress.
Behind this honor lies a heavy responsibility.
“I know you’re meticulous.” Gu Junze stood up and gently pulled her into his arms. “You’ve always been in charge of managing things in the manor, so I’m naturally at ease with you.”
Chu Ruohan nodded in his arms, her anxiety subsiding slightly, but her sense of responsibility growing even stronger.
"I'll make the arrangements right away. I'm afraid I won't be able to sleep well tonight."
As soon as Chu Ruohan finished speaking, she turned around and walked out.
"Hey……"
Before I could take two steps, my arm suddenly tightened, and I was pulled backward by a force, falling into a warm embrace.
Gu Junze wrapped his arms around her waist, rested his chin gently on her shoulder, and spoke in a lazy, husky voice.
"It's late, where is Madam headed?"
Chu Ruohan was taken aback by his sudden action, her anxious impulse interrupted, and she patted his arm helplessly.
"Let go quickly, there are still many things to arrange! Tomorrow that...that important person will be arriving, how can the manor be completely unprepared?"
She struggled, but Gu Junze held her even tighter.
"Tomorrow is tomorrow's business," he said slowly. "Even the most important things need to be dealt with after a good rest."
"Can……"
Gu Junze interrupted her, "As for Tingzhuxuan, just have the steward make arrangements first thing tomorrow morning. There are plenty of reliable people in the manor to serve us; it's not too late to choose tomorrow."
His breath brushed past her ear, carrying a faint, refreshing scent, which gradually calmed Chu Ruohan's somewhat chaotic thoughts.
"As for dietary preferences," Gu Junze continued, "Since His Majesty has entrusted the person to our mansion, he must have informed us in advance."
Even if you stay up all night, you still won't get any answers.
Chu Ruohan remained silent; what he said made sense.
“Furthermore,” Gu Junze’s voice lowered slightly, tinged with a hint of mockery, “I have done my part to save face for you and me in court today. Shouldn’t my wife show some appreciation?”
Chu Ruohan's cheeks flushed slightly, and she glared at him reproachfully: "You're talking nonsense again. That's you sharing His Majesty's burdens and bringing glory to the Gu family, what does it have to do with me?"
"How could it be unrelated?" Gu Junze chuckled, tightening his arms around her until she was almost pressed against him.
"If it weren't for your earlier strategy to defeat the ghost soldiers, I probably wouldn't have been able to obtain the title of Duke of Zhenguo so easily."
"Now that my sworn sister is about to become empress, this immense wealth and honor is naturally half thanks to you."
His words were half-serious and half-joking, and Chu Ruohan's tension did indeed dissipate considerably.
"You're such a chatterbox." She lightly punched him, but her tone softened.
"What I'm saying is the truth." Gu Junze nuzzled against her neck like a satisfied cat.
"Therefore, Madam, you should not worry about those trivial matters. Right now, there are more important things waiting for you."