Chapter 269 - Ascension to the Sky

As Lei Xing reached the top of the stairs, the Emperor's smile widened and he held out a hand towards her.

Lei Xing walked over to him as she covertly did a quick scan of the faces on either side. She saw the aggrieved faces of some ministers, the smiling faces of her brother and father, the "smiling" faces of her co-wives, Princess Nalan smiling face, and Prince Yi's frowning face which was quickly overshadowed by the Empress dowager's.

The Empress dowager was the only one sitting and was sat on a throne chair behind the Emperor. She appeared thinner and weaker but her face was red, probably from frustration as she glared daggers at the Emperor's back and the approaching Lei Xing.

The Empress dowager originally did not want to attend but the Emperor had given her an ultimatum. She either peacefully attend the ceremony or all search for Monk Du will stop. Not only that, but he also threatened to suspend all visits from the other monks and would even bar Eunuch Li from visiting her if she ruined this for him. 

Therefore, the Empress dowager had no choice but to begrudgingly sit herself here. 

Lei Xing silently took a deep breath as she stopped in front of the Emperor and put her hand in his as she bowed to him. Her sweaty palms must have betrayed her calm demeanor and told the Emperor of her nervousness because he gave her hand a gentle squeeze. She then straightened up to see him giving her a reassuring smile and she returned his smile, feeling a bit better about all this now that she was looking at him. 

An eunuch then came forward with the tray holding the customary wine and bowed before the royal couple. The Emperor released Lei Xing's hand and picked up the two cups and handed her one. They drank it and returned it to the tray. Then the Emperor promptly took Lei Xing's hand again and then walked forward with her to the edge of the steps to present her as his Empress.

The air was promptly filled with congratulatory cries as everyone around bowed and continuously repeated, "Long Live the Emperor! Long Live the Empress!..."

All this felt very surreal to Lei Xing, she was overwhelmed but happy as she glanced over at the Emperor to find him looking at her with a warm and loving gaze. 

Lei Xing was enthralled. 

{...If I wasn't in love before...I think I definitely am now~...This is all like a dream - Wait, what if all this is a dream?...*snort* then it's one heck of a dream. Definitely not a dream though, I would know haahaha...}

The two turned around amidst the congratulatory cries to make their way into the main hall to their waiting throne when the congratulatory cries suddenly stopped and were quickly replaced with shouting and curious, confused gasps.

Lei Xing and the Emperor stopped and immediately turned around to see what was panicking everyone and then instantly froze as their eyes went wide with shock and confusion.

{...What the -...the...hell am I looking at?! o_O)...}

There were currently five "suns" in the sky - that was what one person screamed anyway.

The sky remained blue and bright and the sun stood where it had been but it had dimmed and was being overshadowed by the intruding celestial bodies that now shared its sky. One a fiery red, another ocean blue, the third a light purple, and the fourth a dark shadowy circle. 

Four intruders.

The intruding celestial bodies, save the fourth shadowy one, seemed to be battling for dominance of the sky they had hijacked from the quickly fading sun. The radiance of the three bodies seemed to be slowly and deliberately spreading across the blue sky, dousing the blue with their own color. 

It all happened so quickly, it was as if someone had flipped a switch somewhere and switched out the sky. Both Lei Xing and the Emperor knit their brows as they looked at the impossible scene playing out before them.

But before they could begin processing what was happening, a piercing scream came from behind them and they promptly turned back to see the Empress dowager clutching her head and screaming in pain.

Song mama and Ling mama promptly went over to her trying to help but the Empress dowager pushed them aside and stood up, tried to take a step, and then she collapsed to the ground, passing out. 

"Your majesty!" Multiple screams rang out as servants raced to the Empress dowager.

Before Lei Xing could figure out what was happening, she was being pulled along by the Emperor who was barking out orders to the Imperial guards through the chaos.

Eunuch Li promptly carried the Empress dowager on his back and followed the Emperor who was pulling a confused Lei Xing along, as the Imperial guards surrounded them, creating a massive protective circle as they raced down the steps and out of the venue.

In the space of a minute, the royal entourage had disappeared through the doors. And following the Emperor's orders, the Imperial guards promptly closed the doors to all exits from the main hall, trapping the confused and frightened crowd within. 

Eunuch Li swiftly raced off with the Empress dowager's entourage to see to her treatment.

While the Emperor and Lei Xing lingered outside the doors for a moment as the Emperor had some words with Commander An, giving out orders for more men to be deployed to the main hall. The palace gates were to be closed and even more men were to be sent there safeguard the palace gates, sending the palace into a complete lockdown. 

While the Emperor seemed to be taking this in stride, Lei Xing was completely lost and kept her gaze on the colorful sky as she tried to process this impossibility.

{...What the hell is happening here? I'm so confused right now! >_

***

Lei Xing paced about in the front courtyard of the Empress's palace as she continuously glanced from the entrance to the colorful crowded sky above. Right now, the actual sun was barely visible, it was completely overshadowed by the other colorful four. 

Lei Xing let out an irritated breath. She did not need to be told that this was definitely going to be troublesome.

{...What the f***k is this supposed to be, HUH? Planets? Purple, blue, is that even black or brown? I don't know any planets that freaking look like this! I mean the red one could be Mars, a brighter Mars! A glowing Mars! What the f**k is happening here?! Shit! They're going to say I broke the bloody sky, aren't they?! ʿʿ⁽⁽(( ⁰ⅈ⁰))⁾⁾ʾʾ...

...I'm so screwed, I'm so screwed, I'm so screwed! I knew this was a bad idea! Oy Doc, say something! You wanted this bloody ceremony, right?! Do you see what's happening right now?! I don't care what this is BUT why did it have to happen today of all freaking days?! ヾ(`ヘ´)ﾉﾞ...}

{...*...}

Once they reached the entrance of the inner palace, the Emperor ordered an eunuch to have the ministers meet him in the royal study and then "ordered" Lei Xing to return to her palace.

He quickly ushered Lei Xing along and then rushed off to the royal study himself without even giving her change to speak - not that she had any words at that time. He also sent a unit of the Imperial guards along with her to guard her palace and protect her. 

And so here Lei Xing was waiting for him and pacing while trying to figure out this situation.

The more Lei Xing looked at the sky, the stranger it all seemed. She had never heard about this sort of thing happening and even if they were planets, their coloring was off and how was it even possible to see them in the middle of the day?! Moreover, it all happened too suddenly...this was definitely not normal.

{...Then again, what about my life is normal these days?!...Oy, doc! Come explain this shit! ۹( ÒہÓ )۶...}

{...*...}

Doctor Lou still did not respond and Lei Xing began to pace even faster, feeling increasingly anxious. She could imagine what the ministers were saying to the Emperor right now with all that prior incompatibility nonsense. 

There were now literally four celestial bodies usurping the sky from the sun and if this did not count as a bad omen for potential disaster for the Empire, then she did not what would?!

{...This is definitely grounds for sacrificial execution, MY sacrificial execution! F**k! I'm so screwed!...Oy, quack! Where are you?! >_

{...*...}

"Your majesty, please calm down..." Xiao Ruo hesitantly said to the obviously panicked Lei Xing. Although she could understand her worry, this was definitely a crazy situation. Not to mention, her ceremony was ruined by this. 

It was just that when Lei Xing got panicked like this, it made her feel more anxious and she was already very anxious with the strange phenomenon above them. Ah Jin was also missing as well, it seems she got pushed out of the protective circle by the Imperial guards during their rush out. 

Lei Xing turned a glare on Xiao Ruo and the poor maid instantly lowered her head in fear. Xiao Ruo desperately wished Ah Jin was here, she was definitely better in handling an angry Lei Xing.

Doctor Lou's silence was further aggravating Lei Xing and she went to run her hand through her hair, but then was impeded by the phoenix headdress she was wearing and she irritatedly pulled at it, only to end up groaning in pain.

"Get this off me!" Lei Xing barked and Xiao Ruo promptly went over but Lei Xing glared at the sky and then resumed her pacing as she held her aching head. Xiao Ruo stupidly trailed after her trying to complete the task, but this seemed to irritate Lei Xing, who suddenly stopped and glared at her as she irritatedly went, "What are you doing?!"

"Y-you said to take off the headdress." Xiao Ruo timidly responded.

{...Ah Jin, where are you? T_T)...}

"Oh." Lei Xing said with a shaky breath and then went and sat down at the table on the side so Xiao Ruo could peacefully remove the headdress.

Lei Xing kept her eyes glued on the four celestial bodies with the colorful backdrop of the sky and irritatedly tapped her foot and drummed her fingers on the table restlessly. 

{...Doctor Lou. If you don't answer me, I'll toss this bracelet in the pond...If that's not enough for you, then I'll have them make a fire ≖_≖)...}

This was a completely unexpected disaster, one beyond her comprehension, and it was driving Lei Xing mad.

This was not how today was supposed to go.