The Stand-In Empress's Wedding Night (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 8
No, I merely came to inquire whether Her Imperial Majesty Empress Zelda had spent her first night safely.
Grand Duke Martines shrugged his shoulders in response.
You came to request an audience just for that?
“She is unharmed. So far.”
“But it seems Her Imperial Majesty Empress Zelda wishes to ask me something?”
Grand Duke Martines glanced once at the door of the audience chamber, then leaned slightly forward toward me.
It was true. I had carried an unanswered curiosity with me all night.
“Are the Royal Knights still searching for Princess Resilia? How is the search progressing?”
“How would you wish it to proceed?”
Grand Duke Martines asked with a sly upturn of one corner of his mouth.
Unprepared for his unexpected question, I swallowed hard.
I had asked casually about the princess’s whereabouts, yet when faced with his counter-question, I found myself speechless.
Naturally, I should have blurted out immediately that I wished for the princess to be found as soon as possible.
Until yesterday, I had only wanted to escape the position of Regent Empress as quickly as I could.
Yes, that had been my mind—so why now…?
“It seems Her Imperial Majesty Empress Zelda has already grown fond of that position?”
At Grand Duke Martines’ jest, my inner divine spirit flushed instantly.
I remained silent, afraid that any attempt to reply would only make my face redden further.
“Let us not mention this matter to Prince Tessler.”
Grand Duke Martines spoke as if granting me a great favor.
He glanced down at my restless hands and gave a quiet chuckle.
His expression was oddly irritating.
“Surrounded entirely by members of the Lapion Imperial Family, I finally feel at ease now that only people from the Shattonil Kingdom remain.”
Grand Duke Martines changed the subject.
“I apologize for dampening your comfort, but I am no longer a subject of the Shattonil Kingdom. I am now a citizen of the Lapion Empire—and Empress.”
Though, admittedly, I shall soon have to relinquish this position as Regent Empress.
At my jest, Grand Duke Martines’ facial muscles twitched subtly.
“Why did I never realize Her Imperial Majesty Empress Zelda was such a clever speaker?”
“Because I never had the chance to speak. Even on the journey to the Lapion Empire, did you not communicate with me mostly through glances? Ah, yes—just now, that very look, I suppose?”
“That was…”
Just as Grand Duke Martines was about to retort, Sharon entered the audience chamber once more.
It felt as if she had been listening outside and timed her entrance perfectly to cut him off.
If Sharon had deliberately chosen this precise moment for my sake, she deserved promotion from maid to my personal lady-in-waiting—her timing was flawless.
“The Emperor has asked the Chief Steward what Her Imperial Majesty Empress Zelda is currently doing.”
Sharon placed milk tea before me and Grand Duke Martines in turn, speaking cautiously.
“Indeed?”
Surprising… I had not expected Emperor Rinel to be curious about my movements.
“Yes! He also instructed that her meals be prepared with foods she prefers.”
Had he ordered this after reading the document detailing my preferences?
Before our imperial wedding, a document had been compiled listing my tastes, favorite and disliked foods, allergies, health status, and even menstrual cycle.
Before it was delivered to the Emperor’s Secretary, I had personally reviewed it myself.
In the very last box of that document, I had silently written: “In truth, I am only the Regent Empress.”
“It seems His Majesty is considerate in the finest detail!”
Sharon exclaimed joyfully on my behalf.
“How kind of him.”
I offered Sharon a brief smile.
I felt Grand Duke Martines watching me.
After taking a sip of milk tea, I looked at him and spoke slowly.
“Grand Duke, when I was a countess, you never even glanced at my face. Now that I am Empress, you examine me so closely?”
Grand Duke Martines failed to hide his momentary shock—and it was plainly visible.
“I apologize. I have been impolite.”
He set down his teacup and bowed to me in apology.
“No, when conversing, one ought to look at the other’s face. That is proper etiquette, is it not? Grand Duke Martines?”
My words carried sharp barbs.
During the days I traveled to the Lapion Empire, whenever Grand Duke Martines had something to say to me, he avoided eye contact, instead lowering his gaze to the floor.
I had not been hurt, but the feeling of being ignored was undeniable.
Yet now, overnight, as soon as I became Empress, his gaze fixed upon me with unnerving intensity—and it felt grotesque.
Though I shall soon return to being merely a countess’s daughter, while I occupy the position of Empress, I spoke without restraint—exactly as befitting my station.
Perfect Empress performance.
After all, that was my assigned duty.
I expected Grand Duke Martines to display displeasure—but instead, he burst into hearty laughter.
Unlike when he kept his mouth tightly shut, his full smile revealed a surprisingly gentle softness in his sharp features.
I wondered how much better it would have been if he had simply treated me like a human from the start—he is nearly my own age.
Here was the terrifying power of authority.
“As you know, Her Imperial Majesty, my Rohain family has amassed wealth through trade with many nations. Eventually, I shall inherit responsibility for those enterprises.”
What on earth is he saying?
Is he trying to propose some business venture to me?
“I won’t buy.”
“…Pardon?”
“I’m joking. So?”
“Oh, yes. Seeing you today, I’ve realized I am still far from being the heir capable of carrying on my family’s business.”
Grand Duke Martines raised his teacup again and spoke with surprising seriousness, criticizing himself.
“And what prompted this sudden realization?”
I asked dryly, and he seized the opening immediately.
“I’ve just realized I lack discernment in judging people.”
“What do you mean?”
Is he saying he misjudged me?
I did not understand his meaning, nor did I feel compelled to press further.
“No, I must tell Prince Tessler that there is no cause for concern—Her Imperial Majesty Empress Zelda will fulfill her role perfectly.”
Yes, while you’re delivering that message to the Prince, perhaps you might also bring him some sweets.
I listened quietly to his words, then turned to Sharon.
“Sharon, how much time remains before luncheon?”
“If you wish to tour the Empress’s palace before luncheon, you have little time.”
Sharon glanced briefly at Grand Duke Martines before speaking to me.
“Oh, then I shall take my leave. Her Imperial Majesty, this conversation has been more pleasant than I expected. I shall visit again soon.”
Grand Duke Martines rose gracefully from the sofa and bowed.
I stared after his retreating back as he walked toward the chamber door and asked:
“How long do you intend to remain in this imperial court?”
As long as Her Imperial Majesty Empress Zelda occupies that position, I intend to remain ever by her side.”
Grand Duke Martines turned slowly toward me, his hand still on the door handle, and replied.
I nodded slightly in response, and he offered a light bow with a faint smile before exiting the audience chamber.
His final smile left me with the unpleasant feeling of having stepped in filth.
[This is the timeline separator]Before heading to the main palace, I toured the Empress’s Palace with Sharon.
The Empress’s Palace was considerably larger than I had expected. There was far too little time left before luncheon to see everything.
So today, I focused primarily on the key rooms I would use most frequently within the Empress’s Palace.
“It is time for you to proceed to the main palace, Her Imperial Majesty.”
As we reached the central staircase on the second floor, Sharon, who had been giving me detailed explanations of the palace interior, turned to check her pocket watch and spoke.
“Has it already become so late?”
“Yes, Your Imperial Majesty. The garden path connecting the Empress’s Palace to the main palace is especially beautiful; your journey to the main palace will always be a pleasure.”
“Is that so? I look forward to it.”
‘Isn’t it the first meal with the Emperor you’re looking forward to?’
My inner divine spirit suddenly asked me.
I pretended not to hear her question and followed Sharon’s guidance as I walked toward the main palace.
Truthfully, I felt a slight tremor of nerves as well.
[This is the timeline separator]“Her Imperial Majesty Empress Zelda has arrived!”
At the Chief Steward Stian’s announcement, the banquet hall doors opened.
As I stepped inside, the first thing I saw was Emperor Rinel seated at the far end of the long table.
The aura he exuded here was entirely different from the one I had felt in the bedroom.
He did not feel like the same man who had shared my bed last night.
His cold gaze fixed upon me, his sharp nose, and—increasingly as I drew nearer—his lips, which seemed to part slightly for reasons I could not fathom.
‘It was warm… I didn’t think of it that way… but wasn’t she already his? We are husband and wife now.’
The words he had whispered against my skin last night began swirling in my ears like a haunting melody, out of order.
The click of my heels echoed loudly and majestically throughout the vast banquet hall as I walked toward where Emperor Rinel sat.
Thanks to the sound, there was no danger of my racing heartbeat betraying me.
“I have the honor to meet Your Imperial Majesty.”
As I greeted him, my right peripheral vision caught sight of a group of shimmering women.
I had not noticed them earlier as I approached him.
They stood in a single line, backs pressed against the wall.
I’ve already eaten lunch.
The moment I recognized their identities, my appetite vanished.
Not just my lunch—my dinner’s appetite vanished into the corridor beyond the banquet hall.
“We have the honor to meet Her Imperial Majesty Empress Zelda!”
The four women immediately wiped away the mischievous smirks they had exchanged among themselves and bowed to me.
“So, I see you again.”
These were the noble ladies who had barged into my chambers this morning, declaring themselves my personal ladies-in-waiting.
I didn’t know how to interpret this situation, so I tilted my head slightly and cast a questioning glance toward Emperor Rinel.
“Come, sit.”
Emperor Rinel gave no explanation—only a command.
With a chillingly expressionless face, he gestured with his chin to the seat diagonally beside him.
I took my place reluctantly, guided by a steward.
Just as I was about to ask again why those ladies-in-waiting had all come here together, he struck first.
“You toured the Empress’s Palace, didn’t you? How did you find it? Did you like it?”
“Yes, Your Imperial Majesty. The palace is exceedingly splendid. With just a little more refinement, it will be perfect.”
“You like splendor, then? For some reason, my ears hear a different meaning in your words.”
Emperor Rinel’s tone was flat, but his perception was sharp.
I had made a slightly sarcastic remark—and he caught it immediately.
He had anticipated it: things that are merely ornate grow tiresome quickly.
Overly dazzling things—whether people or objects—ultimately cause the gaze to turn away.
“No, that is not it. If I cultivate affection for the Empress’s Palace, even its ornate atmosphere will gain a different dignity—perhaps even warmth, for instance…”
“Is that affection something only the Empress can give?”
“Of course not. Will Your Imperial Majesty not occasionally come to offer affection as well?”
“….”
Ah, my mouth ran away with me.
Without thinking, I retorted—and now my words sounded like I was flirting.
His perfectly still eyebrows twitched upward, then settled back down.
Emperor Rinel drained his wine glass in one swift motion.
Flustered, I unconsciously raised my hand to my right cheek—the scar left by the burn.
Whenever something went wrong or I felt embarrassed, I habitually touched that scar without realizing.
“Your Imperial Majesty, I meant no such thing by my previous words…”
I forced a nervous smile to ease the awkwardness.
“Visit often.”
Emperor Rinel set down his wine glass and replied.
The deep, resonant timbre of his voice echoed through the banquet hall like a reverberating bell.
Because of his solemn tone, the words sounded genuinely meant.
Several of the ladies-in-waiting, who had been smirking moments before, now had their mouths hanging open one after another.
“Empress, why that expression? Was that just a jest?”
“No, Your Imperial Majesty. I was merely surprised that someone as busy as you would say such a thing.”
I lifted my wine glass and took a sip, trying to hide my flustered state.
Ugh. I forgot I cannot drink wine—and I drank too much.
“No matter how busy I am, I must still sleep. Like last night.”
“L-l-last night…?”
The wine sliding down my throat recoiled in shock at Emperor Rinel’s words.
Male lead Asks for a Divorce Every Day
It’s not often you come across a plot like this in the female-dominant genre — make sure to check it out!
This is a novel I’m planning to reread as well.
The male lead is strong, skilled in martial arts, and not the usual fragile type you often see in matriarchal novels.
Meanwhile, the female lead is a scientist—rational and logical. Even when she falls for the male lead, she doesn’t let her emotions cloud her decisions.
If you push through the first few chapters, you’ll gradually find the story really intriguing.
It has a mix of mystery, detective elements, and romance.
The author’s writing style is like crafting a puzzle—except they deliberately leave out a few pieces, making it hard to predict what happens next, yet keeping you hooked.
In the end, everything will come together and be explained.
One-sentence summary: Wife, stop playing with beakers and look at me!
In a laboratory accident, research scientist Zhu Wansheng accidentally travels to a matriarchal world. The original owner of the body is an eighteen-year-old only daughter of a wealthy rouge merchant, already married with a handsome young man.
Zhu Wansheng grins: Nice! She always said she was heaven’s favorite granddaughter. After a life of toil in her previous life, she can enjoy blessings in this one.
However, her joy lasts no more than three seconds as bad news arrives: the original owner’s family is about to go bankrupt, and her husband wants a divorce.
Even worse, she’s stuck with a research system full of restrictions.
Zhu Wansheng: ? Is this the destiny of a research dog?
——
Faced with this mess, Zhu Wansheng pours herself a bowl of wine to drown her sorrows. In her drunken haze, her husband arrives.
His figure is imposing, holding a long sword, with a dignified air that captivates Zhu Wansheng.
Gu Yingqing, however, looks at the alcohol-reeking Zhu Wansheng with undisguised disgust and coldly asks, “Divorce or not?” The intoxicated Zhu Wansheng mumbles vaguely, “I think… it’s not… it’s not… impossible!”
——
The next day, after sobering up, Zhu Wansheng is full of energy, rolling up her sleeves ready to make a big move. As for yesterday? She has no memory of it.
Zhu Wansheng is ambitious; a research dog fears nothing!
Upgrading rouge, extracting fragrances, producing perfumes, researching lipsticks… all shall bow to the power of modern technology!
The original owner’s dying rouge shop is revitalized. Her mother is pleased and with a wave of her hand, passes on the family business to her. As she takes control and her experimental results gain popularity, it’s the pinnacle of her life…
——
But there are always those who can’t stand to see her doing well. Jealousy, scheming, assassination attempts – they want nothing less than her life.
The person who has always kept his distance from her suddenly holds her tightly in his arms, eyes full of concern.
She is unharmed, but he falls into a pool of blood…
Zhu Wansheng feels guilty, “I can grant you one wish.”
Gu Yingqing tentatively circles his arms around her, carefully resting his head in the crook of her neck, pleading softly, “I regret it. Can we not divorce?”
Zhu Wansheng: ? When did I agree to a divorce?
[Small Theater]
The newly developed rouge is beautifully packaged, and Zhu Wansheng is eager to try it.
Gu Yingqing suddenly appears: “My lady, may I apply it for you?”
Cool fingertips lightly brush her lips. His Adam’s apple bobs as he leans in for a light bite.
Zhu Wansheng: ?
Gu Yingqing: It smells so good, I wanted to taste it…
On a warm spring day, Zhu Wansheng tries a new perfume: “Spring Night.” Gu Yingqing corners her against a wall.
Warm breath lingers on her neck.
“My lady, from now on, may I test the fragrances for you?”
[Humorous female scientist vs scheming live-in son-in-law male lead]
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Lolll!! She truly has no filter, and she really does not like him/
Awww!! My heartt, they are so freakin cute together.
Ahhh, he really mentioned it!! He is not shy at all!