The coronation ceremony of the empress was a significant and crucial event for the nation.
The imperial decree had already been announced throughout the capital, so the entire city knew that today was the day for the new emperor to crown his empress.
When the bells of the palace began to ring in unison, the entire Forbidden City, even the entire inner city, quieted down involuntarily. Everyone who heard the sound of the bells and drums couldn’t help but look toward the direction of the palace.
In a luxurious mansion not far from the palace, a young woman in a green dress was tending to the flowers in the garden with a hoe.
Upon hearing the sound of the palace bells, she paused for a mont, suddenly rembering that today was the day of the empress’s coronation ceremony.
She felt a bit absent-minded and lost, and a sentence involuntarily echoed in her mind: Did she regret it?
If she hadn’t been aloof and proud, perhaps she would have been the one being crowned as empress.
A myriad of images appeared in her mind for a mont: the disgust she felt when she was young, the suffocating sense of despair, the pounding of her heart when she first saw her, the panic when she was told she would marry the fifth prince, the helplessness of her failed suicide attempt. Many mories suddenly beca clear, and past events beca vivid in her mind.
Yet, along with these mories, her heart felt bitter, lancholic, and nostalgic, intertwining into a taste that couldn’t be described as simply sweet, sour, bitter, or spicy.
But at the sa ti, her heart was also telling her that she didn’t regret it.
Although the journey had been arduous, with a lot of filth entangled with it, wasn’t it a kind of experience, a kind of maturation, a kind of profound understanding gained through countless trials and tribulations?
If she had died back then, how could she have learned to savour all these flavours?
Death was terrifying; only in life could there be brightness.
“The young master is awake and crying, looking for you,” a little maid hurriedly approached and reported.
Xu Yanru smiled and put down the hoe in her hand. “I will go right away.”
With the issuance of the decree appointing the empress, the decree bestowing rewards on the Su Family followed suit.
This was customary and considered a favour to the empress’s natal relatives.
Su Xiucai was appointed as the Marquis Cheng’en, Wu-shi beca the Marchioness, and Su Yucheng naturally beca the heir. Even the Yao Family received rewards, with Yao Cheng being granted the rank of a sixth-grade military officer. However, it was rely an honorary title without any real power.
To correspond with their statuses, the two were also assigned the positions of commanders and deputy commanders of the Wucheng military forces. One was stationed in the Eastern City, and the other in the Southern City. Normally, such positions were granted to imperial relatives, who held the titles and received the salaries but didn’t have any real power.
The Su Family suddenly went from being ordinary commoners to imperial relatives. Even after several days, they were still adjusting to the changes. It was only when the whole family went to the palace to express their gratitude that they finally realized it was real.
In the Kunning Palace, Wu-shi, Huiniang, and Lancao were all dressed in ceremonial attire for married won. Dong Ge’er and the others were also brought along.
Before entering the palace, palace maids had taught them proper etiquette, so they didn’t show any signs of impropriety and perford their greetings properly.
“Mother, eldest sister, how can you bow to .”
Yaoniang hurried to support Wu-shi and Huiniang up. Wu-shi smiled and said, “You are now a niangniang, with a distinguished status. This respect must be given.”
The sa sentints were echoed by Huiniang and Lancao.
Compared to Wu-shi and Huiniang, Lancao was visibly more reserved. She was usually very open-minded, but today she seed a bit constrained. Fortunately, Yaoniang wasn’t a demanding person, and she was always able to empathize with others. When she first entered the palace, she was also sowhat restrained.
Yaoniang didn’t speak to Wu-shi and the others in the main hall but led them to a side room where only close acquaintances were allowed. She sat opposite Wushi, while Huiniang and Lancao sat on the seats below. Dong Ge’er and the others stood beside them.
It was evident that the children had been disciplined before entering the palace; they were all well-behaved. It made Yaoniang feel a little heartache; after all, she had taken care of Dong Ge’er and the others since they were young.
She beckoned and smiled, “Why don’t you recognize your little aunt anymore?”
Seeing Yaoniang’s familiar smile, Dong Ge’er and the others finally found traces of their familiar little aunt in this esteed lady.
“Little Aunt.” The eldest boy, Dong Ge’er, who was already ten years old, and had the longest association with Yaoniang, ca forward on his own. Yuan Ge’er and Ming Ge’er followed him.
Yaoniang patted each of their heads and said, “Although there are many rules in the palace, you don’t have to be too formal when you co to your little aunt’s place.”
“Yes, little aunt,” the children said in unison.
Xiaobao and Erbao walked in, and as soon as Yaoniang saw them, she waved and said, “Co and greet your grandmother and aunts.”
Both Wu-shi and Huiniang were fine, with bright smiles all over their faces, but Lancao automatically stood up and said again and again: “It’s not right, it’s not right. How can two princes pay respects to this commoner woman?”
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