Exchanging Identity

Nightfall approached.

All the lanterns in the Kunning Palace were lit early, shimmering with glass, bright and magnificent. The palace seemed to be draped in a golden veil.

Although the emperor and the empress had been married three years ago, they had not yet consummated their marriage.

Because the emperor ascended the throne at a young age, according to the ancestral rituals of the Daqian Dynasty, the emperor could only engage in marital relations after coming of age. Thus, it had been delayed until today.

Palace maids and eunuchs lined up in two rows, starting from the entrance, nervously awaiting the emperor's arrival. Leading them was Wei Xian, the chief eunuch of the Imperial Household Department.

He was one of the highest-ranking eunuchs in the harem, wearing a bright red official uniform of the fourth rank. With sunken eye sockets and no eyebrows, he gave off an eerie snake-like aura, sending a chill down anyone's spine with just one glance.

The Imperial Household Department was in charge of all matters related to the inner palace's daily life, including rituals and marital affairs, so it was only natural for them to be present here.

Inside the bridal chamber.

The red candles flickered, exuding joy and harmony.

The empress wore a golden-red embroidered ceremonial gown, with a phoenix crown and a veil of colorful clouds. She sat by the bed, covering herself with a red canopy.

Her restless jade hand subconsciously clutched at the corner of her garment, revealing her nervousness and unease.

Although she had entered the palace three years ago, she still felt flustered when this moment was about to come.

In fact, marrying the emperor was not her intention, and the emperor's attitude towards her had always been indifferent, even bordering on cold.

But she couldn't change her fate, bound by her parents' orders. She could only silently accept it all.

At the same time, both inside and outside the capital, countless invisible eyes were anxiously fixed on this place.

One minute before the auspicious hour, the emperor finally arrived, riding on a royal carriage.

He had returned to his appearance in male attire. Ling Shuang followed by his side, accompanied by a few young eunuchs, among them was Gao Xuan, blending in with the group.

"Greetings, Your Majesty!"

Led by Wei Xian, everyone knelt down and paid their respects.

Upon seeing Wei Xian, the emperor's heart sank. Unexpectedly, this old fellow had personally come.

He was one of the few top experts in the palace, with immeasurable strength! Even if one looked across the entire realm, he was among the top few.

The emperor didn't show any unusual reactions, simply nodded indifferently before walking straight into the hall.

Ling Shuang and the others followed closely behind, with the palace maids from the Kunning Palace and the attendants from the Imperial Household Department bringing up the rear.

Wei Xian stood up last, his gaze meaningful as he glanced at the emperor's back, his thoughts unknown.

It was evident that the emperor was deliberately making it difficult for him. However, he didn't care much about it because his true loyalty lay with the Empress Dowager.

As the emperor entered the room, the empress quickly stood up and performed a deep bow.

"Your humble concubine greets Your Majesty."

Her voice was delicate and gentle, and she had the temperament of a young lady from a noble family.

Her voice was gentle and melodious, carrying a touch of tenderness, displaying the demeanor of a noble lady.

"No need for excessive formalities, beloved consort," the emperor responded lightly, neither warm nor cold.

Gao Xuan, standing behind, couldn't help but become excited and kept stealing glances.

Before coming here, he had doubts in his mind. According to what he had read in history books, those ancient palace consorts were often chosen based on their family backgrounds and were quite presumptuous in their actions.

But now, the empress had such a pleasant voice; her appearance couldn't be far off from that either.

Looking at her figure, slender and graceful, if she had an average appearance, he would accept it as well. After all, it would be the same with the lights off.

The emperor gave Gao Xuan a cold glance, causing him to immediately put away his thoughts and correct his posture.

Before formally entering the bridal chamber, there were still many formalities to be observed, such as drinking the ceremonial wine. Under Wei Xian's guidance, they finally concluded after approximately the time it took for an incense stick to burn.

"The ritual is complete, Your Majesty. You may enter the bridal chamber and loosen your garments," Wei Xian said with a smirk on his face, stepping aside.

The emperor gave a soft "hmm" and glanced at Ling Shuang. Understanding his intention, she took a step forward and said, "Everyone, wait outside."

Upon hearing this, the unrelated individuals started to leave, except for Wei Xian and a young eunuch by his side who remained unfazed.

An expression of anger appeared on Ling Shuang's face as she suppressed her frustration. "Grand Eunuch Wei, didn't you hear what was said?"

Wei Xian smiled indifferently and replied, "According to the ancient rules of the palace, the Imperial Household Department still needs to assist His Majesty in changing his clothes."

"You!" Ling Shuang was about to get angry but was interrupted by the emperor.

"No need."

The emperor casually glanced around and happened to look at Gao Xuan, who was about to leave.

"You, stay and help me change."

Gao Xuan's eyes revealed a mixture of disbelief and trepidation, then respectfully accepted the order. "Yes, Your Majesty."

Witnessing this, Wei Xian didn't say much and continued with his ambiguous smile. "Since that's the case, this old servant will wait outside."

As he passed by Gao Xuan's side, he deliberately turned his head and gave him a deep, eerie look. The peculiar gaze sent chills down Gao Xuan's spine.

After everyone had left, Ling Shuang finally exited and closed the door.

Now, only the emperor, the empress, and Gao Xuan remained in the room.

Then Gao Xuan began to assist the emperor in undressing.

Being a eunuch for the first time, Gao Xuan was clumsy in his service, inevitably leading to some physical contact, which earned him constant cold glances from the emperor.

However, the more this happened, the more nervous Gao Xuan became. He struggled with unfastening a simple button and often touched areas he shouldn't have. In the end, the emperor had to push his hand away and change her clothes herself.

Then Gao Xuan removed his own eunuch robe and put on the dragon robe that the emperor had taken off. They exchanged their outer garments.

The empress's head was covered by a red canopy, so she couldn't see anything, but she felt that the emperor was taking a long time to change.

The longer it took, the more she felt tortured, as if every minute and every second passed like a year.

With the impending events in mind, she trembled and closed her eyes, resigning herself to her fate despite her many grievances.

After Gao Xuan and the emperor changed their clothes, the emperor's expression became solemn as she looked deeply into Gao Xuan's eyes, indicating that he should be cautious. Then the emperor lowered her hat brim, walked out of the room, and closed the door for the two of them.

Only when Gao Xuan completed his task would the empress come in and resume her identity.

Observing the empress sitting upright, Gao Xuan couldn't help but let a slight smile curl up at the corner of his mouth. After extinguishing the candle, the room instantly plunged into darkness.

He didn't waste any more time. In the pitch-black room, where neither could see each other clearly, he abruptly lifted the canopy and pounced.

"Ah!"

The empress let out a startled cry. She didn't expect it to happen so suddenly, and for a moment, she lost her composure.

But at this moment, a muffled thunder rang outside, followed by a flash of lightning that suddenly illuminated the sky.

In that instant, Gao Xuan saw the empress's face, even more stunning than he had imagined.

Unlike the untouchable beauty emanating from the emperor, the empress possessed a more traditional, graceful charm of an Eastern woman.

With her perfectly oval face, willow-shaped eyebrows, bright eyes, gentle ripples like autumn water, and a touch of elegance, she truly deserved the title of the "Empress" and evoked an irresistible desire for affection.

"Trouble!" Gao Xuan inwardly cursed and stopped his actions.

If he could see her face, then it meant she had seen him too!

Sure enough, the empress also held her breath, her eyes widened as she stared at him in terror.

"You..."