Zheng Xiao said to Qiao Jinniang, “Jinniang, although Mammy Bai is only a mammy, she was given to you by the Empress Dowager. If you lock her in the firewood room, the imperial censors may impeach you again for not being filial to the Empress Dowager.”


  Qiao Jinniang knew what Zheng Xiao worried about. “Mother, although Mammy Bai is the Empress Dowager’s mammy, when the Empress Dowager gave her to me, she said that she was just a maid.

  “Punishing her doesn’t mean I’m not filial to the Empress Dowager. Besides, look at my wrist…”


  Qiao Jinniang rolled up the sleeve on her wrist.

  Seeing that Qiao Jinniang’s wrist was all red and swollen, Zheng Xiao burst into tears. “How dare she! Don’t worry. Even if the Empress Dowager blames you, I will protect you!”


  Qiao Jinniang put down her sleeve and said, “Thank you, Mother. Don’t worry. It doesn’t hurt.”


  Zheng Xiao didn’t believe her. Qiao Jinniang’s wrist was all red. How could it not hurt? She said,

  “I’ll enter the imperial palace with your grandmother early tomorrow to seek justice from the Empress Dowager.”


  Qiao Jinniang handed a handkerchief to Zheng Xiao to wipe her tears.

  Hearing a noise from the secret tunnel, she sent Zheng Xiao back to her yard.

  When she returned to her room, Lu Chen was already waiting for her in the room.

  Lu Chen smiled and said, “I had thought you could endure Mammy Bai for three days.”


  Seeing him smiling, Qiao Jinniang was slightly annoyed. “Humph, how dare you gloat at me?”


  Lu Chen said in a low voice, “How dare I? Come on, let me see if she hurt you.”


  Qiao Jinniang extended her wrist to Lu Chen. Lu Chen rubbed at it only to find his fingers were stained red. “This is too fake. You can’t fool anyone. There is a strange flower and if it leaves a stain, the stain won’t go away until six or seven days later. I’ll have someone bring it to you.”


  Qiao Jinniang said, “I just showed this to my grandmother and my mother.”


  Qiao Jinniang knew very well what Mammy Bai was up to.

  Although Mammy Bai actually didn’t hit her wrists hard today, she wouldn’t let her stay. Who knew if she would go further in the future? Thus, she could only take the initiative to send her away!

  Qiao Jinniang yawned and said, “It’s time for you to go back. I’ve learned the rules for a whole day. I’m so tired.”


  Lu Chen was certainly not willing to go. “I will sleep with you tonight and leave early tomorrow.”


  Qiao Jinniang didn’t reject him. She called the maids over to help her wash up and then went to bed. Hongling and other maids were surprised to see Lu Chen here, but they didn’t dare to say anything.

  Hongling said, “I didn’t know that His Royal Highness was here. Should I go get another set of washing utensils?”


  “No need. I’ll just use your miss’s.”


  Qiao Jinniang glared at Lu Chen. Didn’t he mind that there was rouge and face powder left on the towels she used?

  Although the Spring Festival had passed, it was still very cold. Yingtao put several hot-water bags in Qiao Jinniang’s bed to warm the bed.

  After the maids went out, Lu Chen took the hot-water bags out.

  Qiao Jinniang said, “Why did you take them out? Although there is a charcoal brazier in the room, it’s still cold inside the quilt.”


  Lu Chen said, “Why did I never see you use hot-water bags in Lin’an?”


  “Who said I didn’t use it in Lin’an?” Qiao Jinniang whispered, “I just didn’t use it after marrying you.”


  Because when Lu Chen was by her side, even if she didn’t use a hot-water bag, the bed was always warm. He was an XL-size hot-water bag.

  Lu Chen smiled and said, “Then you don’t need it tonight.”


  The north wind blew all night, and heavy snow fell again in Chang’an.

  Early in the morning, Old Madam Qiao took Mammy Bai to the imperial palace to see the Empress Dowager despite the heavy snow. The Empress Dowager had to give some face to the widow of a deceased hero, so she could only say that she would punish Mammy Bai.

  After Old Madam Qiao left, the Empress Dowager looked angrily at Mammy Bai. “You are an experienced mammy and have been in the imperial palace for so many years. How could you be so reckless?”


  Mammy Bai cried and shouted, “Your Grace, I was wronged. I just hit the crown princess’s wrist gently. It was impossible for her wrist to be red and swollen like that! Qiao Jinniang set me up!

  “Before I could do anything to her, she had set me up!”


  When the Empress Dowager heard her words, she got angrier. If Qiao Jinniang were really hit that bad, it would be worthwhile.

  But Qiao Jinniang didn’t suffer any loss but sent her mammy back to the imperial palace!

  She simply had no respect for her at all! When she marries into the East Palace, she must teach her a good lesson!

  When Qiao Jinniang woke up, Lu Chen was gone. She called the maids in, only to see Nuomi’s eyes were red.

  “Master, are you not going to take me to the East Palace with you?”


  Qiao Jinniang sat in front of the bronze mirror and let Luhe dress her up. She sighed and said, “Nuomi, there are many rules in the East Palace. I know you like freedom by nature. I don’t want you to be confined in the imperial palace.”


  “But Master, if you don’t bring me into the imperial palace with you, if someone bullies you, there will be no one to fight with you,” Nuomi said, holding back her tears.

  Qiao Jinniang laughed. “When I enter the imperial palace, I am the Crown Princess, and no one can bully me except the Emperor, the Queen and the Empress Dowager.”


  “I won’t need to fight like in Lin’an.”


  Nuomi got on her knees and said, “I’ve been with you since my childhood, Master. Please don’t drive me away!”


  Qiao Jinniang said, “I won’t drive you away, but to let you stay outside the imperial palace.

  “All your acquaintances are in Tasty Pavilion, so you can live a free life. If you miss me, you can come to the East Palace to see me.”


  Nuomi shook her head and said, “No, Master, I just want to be by your side.”


  Qiao Jinniang sighed and said, “This matter has been decided, and the list of the maids I will take to the imperial palace has been submitted.”


  Nuomi sniffled gently and ran out in tears.

  Hongling said, “Miss, Nuomi…”


  “She can’t accept it for now. Give her some time.”


  The royal family’s ancestor worship ceremony had very complicated procedures and rules. Even Qiao Jinniang had difficulty in learning the rules.

  Even though the imperial decree had been issued, every single procedure before the wedding had to be meticulously performed.

  Therefore, Zheng Xiao followed Duke Anyuan back to the Duke Mansion to finish the procedures.

  After worshiping the ancestors, it would be the title conferring ceremony. Although the imperial decree was issued, the seal of the crown princess would be issued on the title conferring day.

  Qiao Jinniang got up early in the morning and waited for the arrival of the ceremonial personnel at the gates.

  Officials from the Ministry of Rites went in and out in an orderly manner, bringing the wedding dress, jewelry, carriage and guards of honor specially for the Crown Princess.

  After Qiao Jinniang put on the wedding dress and jewelry, she rode the special carriage for her to the hall.

  After listening to a long imperial ode for about half an hour, she knelt down and kowtowed to the imperial ode for nine times before she was given her seal.

  After the ceremony was completed, Qiao Jinniang felt that she had lost half her life.

  Back in the room, although Aunt Qingmo was here, she still collapsed onto the couch.

  “Why do so many women in Chang’an want to be the crown princess? The title conferring ceremony is already so exhausting. I’m afraid the wedding ceremony will kill me.” Qing Mo smiled and said, “No, Your Highness. You have the title conferring ceremony because His Majesty and His Royal Highness value you. Since the founding of the Tang Dynasty, there has never been a crown princess who had the title conferring ceremony. You’re the first!”


  Qiao Jinniang sat up straight and said, “So the title conferring ceremony could have been skipped?”