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"This is the second time, do you still want to argue that you didn’t throw yourself into my arms?"

Chun Xi raised her head and realized how incredibly close they were, close enough to feel the man’s hot breath.

"If I say it wasn’t, then it wasn’t." Chun Xi struggled to stand, only to hear the man in black speak with a teasing tone.

"Didn’t you read what was on the storybook? On a man’s body, you mustn’t move around recklessly, it could be very dangerous."

The last four words, the man in black said right next to her ear, his low voice rich with magnetism.

Chun Xi was stunned for a long time, then suddenly remembered the content written in the storybook—her actions were undoubtedly seducing the man in black, and the consequences were unimaginable.

Chun Xi, after all, was a young lady, and immediately scared to the point of not daring to move; although the man in black was handsome, a girl’s reputation was extremely important. She was about to leave the palace and return home, and she couldn’t bring shame to her family.

Seeing Chun Xi turn docile, the man in black chuckled lowly, "You really scare easily."

Chun Xi, hearing the man in black mock her again, puffed up her cheeks in anger, but even so, she didn’t dare move.

What was that saying in the storybook? Men really can’t withstand teasing.

Having had his fun, the man in black let go of Chun Xi and stood up.

"I’m leaving."

Before leaving, the man in black grabbed a few cherries.

Chun Xi wanted to stop him, but he had already disappeared into the night.

She stomped her foot in frustration, "Coming and going as you please, what do you think this place is?"

"You took so many cherries, at least leave the book behind."

*

Just days before the Crown Princess’ enthronement, the Sewing Bureau hurriedly delivered the auspicious attire to the Hehuan Hall.

Shen Chuwei looked at the auspicious attire on the table, the embroidery and hidden patterns being rare treasures, clearly showing how extravagant and grand the Crown Princess’ attire was.

"Miss, by early tomorrow morning, you’ll be wearing this auspicious attire, officially becoming the Crown Princess. This servant will thus have fulfilled her duty," Shen Chuwei said with a smile of a contented mother.

From a little girl in Fengyi to the Crown Princess, lying flat like a salted fish and climbing to this position—it all seemed incredibly amazing.

"Miss, you have my admiration," Shen Chuwei said with a worshipful look at Shen Chuwei.

Shen Chuwei couldn’t help but laugh at her expression; following her, one’s way of speaking could indeed become trendy.

Shen Chuwei chuckled.

Shen Chuwei gazed at the Crown Princess’ auspicious attire, realizing that tomorrow she would wear this set of clothes and marry Xiao Jinyan through a wedding ceremony.

The grand enthronement ceremony was for her akin to a wedding, with complicated procedures and numerous rules to follow.

When Xiao Jinyan arrived, he saw Shen Chuwei looking at the dress.

Thinking that he was about to marry Shen Chuwei off in a proper ceremony the next day, he still felt quite nervous.

"Chuwei."

Shen Chuwei’s brows lifted, "Your Highness, you have arrived."

Xiao Jinyan walked over, looking at the attire the Crown Princess would wear, "You should rest early tonight, we must rise before dawn tomorrow."

Only then did Shen Chuwei remember that tomorrow she would have to get up early; she was someone who struggled with waking up, and rising early was practically a nightmare.

"Let’s wash up and sleep."

They went to bathe one after another, then headed to bed to rest.

In order to wake up early the next day and not miss the auspicious hour, Xiao Jinyan had the wet nurses take Taotao and Susu to the Side Hall for the night.

The bed curtains were drawn, casting the bed into darkness.

Xiao Jinyan held her, merely kissing her, doing nothing more.

"Are you very nervous?"

Shen Chuwei shook her head; getting up early tomorrow was the real challenge.

Xiao Jinyan kissed the corner of her lips, "Don’t be afraid, I’ll be by your side."

Shen Chuwei said, "With Jinyan by my side, I can follow along without worry."

Xiao Jinyan, with some resignation, said, "You haven’t forgotten the process for tomorrow’s ceremony, have you?"

"Of course not, I wouldn’t dare forget." She remembered the general process, it was just the details that might be overlooked.

Xiao Jinyan said, "Let’s sleep."

Shen Chuwei smiled and started to drift to sleep comfortably.

At the break of dawn, Xiao Jinyan got up and also woke the soundly sleeping Shen Chuwei.

"Chuwei, it’s time to get up."

After calling several times, Shen Chuwei squinted her eyes and got out of bed.

The Crown Prince and Crown Princess needed to separate and be attended to by their respective matrons and eunuchs.

Shen Chuwei started to be dressed by the matrons in a drowsy haze.

The bathing time took several times as long as usual.

After the bath, they had to anoint her with various essential oils.

Then came the makeup application.

The matrons were experienced and not new to this, one could say they knew the drill well.

Still in a sleepy state, Shen Chuwei squinted at her reflection in the bronze mirror, the makeup being exceptionally thick and vibrant.

Adorned with luxurious phoenix hairpins, she surprisingly looked dignified and opulent.

But it was also incredibly heavy.

Now she could somewhat relate and understand how the Empress, wearing such high and noble hairpins and opulent phoenix crowns every day, must feel exhausted.

It was a great fortune that her neck was alright.

After donning the hairpins, the next step was to wear the auspicious attire.

Two matrons took the auspicious attire to dress her.

"What will we do if the outer garment is spoiled?"

The startled exclamation of the matron attracted the other two matrons.

"What’s wrong?"

The matron was extremely anxious, "This auspicious attire is defective; it cannot be worn."

"For the Crown Princess enthronement grand ceremony, even the attire is very important and cannot be handled carelessly."

"Quickly let the embroiderers from the Sewing Bureau fix it."

"It’s too late, the auspicious hour is nearly upon us."

Hearing this, Shen Chuwei saw the matrons turning pale with fright. She walked over with curiosity, picked up the auspicious attire to examine it, and noticed that the embroidery on the chest had come undone, and not just that—the auspicious beads on the cloud shoulder were also missing one.

Seeing this, Chun Xi regretted not having thoroughly checked the garment when the Sewing Bureau delivered it.

She looked up at Shen Chuwei, "Miss, what do we do now?"

Shen Chuwei asked, "Is there a spare set of auspicious attire, or can we use another one as a temporary substitute?"

"Only one set of auspicious attire was prepared; how could there possibly be two?" The matron suddenly remembered last year’s Crown Princess enthronement ceremony, "Lady Liang did have a custom set made, why not borrow it to wear?"

ps: One update