I was shocked. I didn't know why Father would suddenly say such words, but he only looked at me calmly."Qingcheng, right? Your mother didn't want me to know, so I pretended not to know. Father won't ask any more questions. I only hope that you will remember one thing. No matter what you want to do, don't use your entire life as a bargaining chip. The price is too high. It's so high that by the time you regret it, it's already too late.”
I was silent for a moment, then nodded." Father, don't worry. I've always been very clear about what I'm doing. I really want to do this.”
" That's good. Go and rest." Father looked away and said no more." There was an edict from the palace last night. The Empress Dowager has announced that you will enter the palace at Si o'clock tomorrow."”
.
The Empress Dowager's summoning into the palace was also a major event. Everyone made preparations. When the time came, Jing Tang used her princess privilege to accompany me into the palace.
I was a little surprised to be summoned into the palace at this time, but it was reasonable. There was always a high-sounding reason for the Empress Dowager to see the future Empress in advance. However, walking in the palace in broad daylight made me, who was used to quiet nights, feel uneasy. Even though I told myself over and over again that Fu Hongyan and the inner guards were only following Jing Yi, and that no one would recognize me, I still couldn't help but feel uneasy.
The Empress Dowager had married into the family when the former Emperor was still the Crown Prince. Because she had entered the family early and was old, the former Emperor had only been granted the title of Imperial Consort after he had ascended the throne. Now that she was more than forty-five years old, she had the complacency and cautiousness of many years. The moment she saw Jing Tang, her face quickly filled with a dignified and amiable smile.
I followed the etiquette that I had long memorized and stopped not far from the door to kneel. Jing Tang took a few steps forward and bowed to the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager quickly reached out to help him up."Princess, please don't. We're a family, there's no need to be so particular.”
Jing Tang was the Empress Dowager's younger aunt and the Eldest Princess. If the Empress Dowager had not accidentally allowed the Crown Prince to enter Shouyan Palace, Jing Tang would probably be the one receiving the gift.
Jing Tang changed from his gentle and indifferent demeanor in Rongcheng Manor to a loud smile."The Empress Dowager's kindness is a blessing to the world, but we don't dare to be impudent. Even if the children are a family, we can't lack etiquette and let others laugh at us.”
I lowered my head and maintained my gentle and appropriate appearance. I felt ironic in my heart. The Empress Dowager and Jing Yi, and Jing Tang and I were not related by blood, but these two people in front of me could hold hands and enthusiastically talk about increasing their relationship. They expressed their feelings so sincerely.
The two of them exchanged a few pleasantries and finally sat down. Only then did I properly bow down."My daughter Rong Chengjin greets the Empress Dowager.”
"Get up, get up!" The Empress Dowager's voice sounded as if she had just seen me." Look at us. All we care about is talking and putting the Empress aside.”
I was stunned for a moment, but I didn't move. Instead, I continued to bury my head.
Jing Tang smiled and answered for me."Empress Dowager is too serious. Jin 'er has yet to be conferred a title and has no rank or class. How can she be worthy of the title of Empress?”
"Oh?" The empress dowager paused for a moment before saying," How can the princess 'daughter be scared by this widow?”
" It's true that she's a daughter." Jing Tang's tone was light and casual." It's just that she hasn't been raised by our side since she was young. She's always different from us in the past."”
The Empress Dowager smiled and didn't reply. I didn't look up at them, but I could still hear the sharpness of the politeness between the two of them. Sparks were still flying in the gentleness, thinking that Jing Tang had probably won this round.
After a while, the Empress Dowager rushed to me and said: " It's a matter of course. Sooner or later, there's no harm. Jin 'er, right? Quickly get up and come to the front to let this widow take a look."”
I stood up and took a few steps forward. I looked up at her.
The Empress Dowager looked at me for a moment and smiled kindly. She then looked at Jing Tang."This child looks pretty good. Princess, you're in luck.”
Jing Tang nodded happily." It's not a blessing. It's just good fortune. Jin 'er's health wasn't good in the early years and she was afraid that she wouldn't be able to take care of herself. She was sent to the Buddhist Sect to live for a few years. She thought that it would be good as long as she could be safe. Who would have thought that she would enter the palace? I was afraid that she wouldn't be able to bear the burden.”
"I was born in the Rongcheng family and have a mother like you. How can I be unlucky?”The Empress Dowager scoffed and looked at me again." The Buddhists have grown up, and their temperaments are naturally good. If they can obtain the true meaning, they will become the mother of the world and shine upon the people.”
" That's right." Jing Tang smiled lightly." It's most important for an Empress of peace and prosperity to have a dignified and cautious personality. Only then can the palace be harmonious, the royal family continue to have heirs, and share the Empress Dowager's worries.”
The Empress Dowager's expression froze. Jing Tang naturally had a hidden meaning when he mentioned this.
Imperial Consort Xue Chan was famous for her domineering and spoiled behavior, and Rong Chengmin was no pushover either. In the past, not only did the two of them fight with each other in the harem, but many concubines who could threaten them were also inexplicably punished or miscarried and died. Jing Yi had never cared about them. Sometimes, even the Empress Dowager couldn't suppress them when they got too angry. They fought openly and secretly for several years, but in the end, there was no winner. One gave birth to a prince and lost his life, while the other was favored but had no children. She didn't have any commendable virtue, so she also didn't have a chance to be the empress.
The Empress Dowager only paused for a moment before the sharpness in her eyes disappeared. She didn't continue the conversation but asked me,""Jin 'er's health was not good when she was young, but now she's much better?”
The question was directed at me, so I couldn't just stand by and watch. I bowed and was about to answer when I heard the voice of the internal supervisor outside."Empress Dowager, the emperor heard that the Eldest Princess has entered the palace and has come to pay his respects.”
I was shocked and panicked.
My expression couldn't escape those two people. The first to speak was Jing Tang. She looked at me indifferently and smiled."Look at how scared you are. Come to think of it, the emperor is your cousin, why would you be afraid that he will eat you?”
" Come-" Jing Tang beckoned for me to come over." Mother will tell the Emperor in a while. I guarantee that he won't dare to bully you in the future. When you enter the palace, the Empress Dowager will support you."”
After saying that, she looked over at the Empress Dowager leisurely. This was the first time Jing Tang had called himself mother in front of me, but I didn't have the mood to think about the meaning behind it. I just walked over to her side and stood down.
The Empress Dowager looked at us with a smile and nodded. However, there was a difference in her words."That's natural. Jin 'er is the Empress after entering the palace, the number one person in the Inner Palace. Naturally, she and the Emperor have to treat each other with respect and be at the same height.”
After a pause, she continued," Although the Emperor has been married for many years and there are many concubines in the harem, he has never appointed an empress. This time, it is considered a real wedding when the empress is appointed. According to the rules of the Great Xia Dynasty, it is better for the Emperor and Empress not to meet before the wedding.”
The Empress Dowager returned her calm gaze."What does Princess think?"
" This…" Jing Tang looked as if he had been interrupted. He was speechless for a moment before he said," Empress Dowager is right."”
The Empress Dowager smiled slightly and tilted her head slightly. She gestured to a palace granny beside her. The granny understood and quickly led me to the side hall to avoid it.
I heaved a sigh of relief. As I followed, I heard the Empress Dowager's voice behind me."Quickly invite the emperor in."
After being placed in the side hall, the nanny retreated. I soon heard Jing Yi enter the door to greet the Empress Dowager and Jing Tang. Two doors away, I could still hear the faint voices of the others. I suppressed the panic in my heart and felt a deep longing for him. I had never seen him for so long since I was young. I couldn't see him or hear him, even though everything was just to stay by his side. I wonder if he has ever thought of me at any point in time, or if he would occasionally feel a little uncomfortable without me.
It was just as Jing Yi had said. He had only come to pay his respects and casually said a few words. He didn't waste too much time and didn't mention anything about the empress. If he didn't mention it, the Empress Dowager wouldn't mention it, and Jing Tang didn't have the chance to mention it.
After Jing Yi left, I went back to the main hall. The three of them didn't have anything else to say, so I quickly knelt before the empress dowager and left with Jing Tang.
The journey was silent as they changed palanquins and returned to Rongcheng Mansion.
Before he could change out of his formal clothes, Jing Tang sent the servants away. The first thing he said was a solemn expression."Yanyan, you know the emperor, right?”# Daguan Review Passed: Daguan Time:111420184: 12PM #Cancel Review All: wdd201302 Time:111420185: 54PM #
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