Qi Leyun was nervous and uneasy, not daring to raise her head and look around, nor daring to chat with the sisters around her, standing before the palace hall in torment.

“Why aren’t they letting us in yet?” She couldn’t help asking her mother in a low voice, her expression anxious. “Are they deliberately punishing me?”

Just like when she made mistakes at home, her grandmother liked to summon her but then ignore her, making her stand at the door.

Although Lady Qi had just frightened her daughter, seeing her daughter’s little face so pale, she couldn’t bear it: “Her Majesty the Empress wouldn’t be so bored. She’s not a child.”

She meant that even if Chu Zhao was a child, now that she had become empress, she couldn’t act like a child anymore.

If she did, the noble ladies would look down on her.

Originally, sitting in the empress position didn’t fully convince everyone, and there was much unfavorable speculation.

As mother and daughter spoke in low voices, a eunuch loudly announced that the empress was ascending her throne and the noble ladies should have an audience.

Everyone put away their various thoughts and filed into the empress hall. Inside the hall, eunuchs and palace maids stood like geese in formation. On the empress throne surrounded by precious fans and incense burners, a girl sat upright with a smile in her eyes and brows.

Below her, a woman already stood in attendance. People hadn’t known her before, but now they all did—the empress’s cousin.

“We greet Her Majesty the Empress, may you live a thousand years.” Everyone knelt down together and kowtowed.

From above their heads, a clear and bright female voice fell.

“You may dispense with courtesy and rise.”

……

……

Palace maids filed in and filled the seats with delicacies, but the noble ladies couldn’t sit down and enjoy them with focus. First, several marquis wives were invited before the empress, spoke a few words, then were granted seats. Then more noble ladies were invited one by one.

“This palace came to the capital late, and being young, I don’t know all the ladies,” Chu Zhao said with a smile. “Today I specially wanted to meet everyone.”

The marquis wives who had been granted seats smiled and pointed at the noble ladies nearby, introducing who was whose wife, what her surname was, what her name was.

Chu Zhao would then speak a few words with each lady.

Seeing this scene, Qi Leyun was both nervous and expectant. After waiting a long time—who told her father’s official rank to be low?—it was finally her turn. Lady Qi stood up while once again warning Qi Leyun with her eyes, then walked forward anxiously.

From afar she could see that girl smiling. Looking closer, she had bright eyes and white teeth, her expression calm and generous. Though clearly a young girl, she didn’t make people feel inexperienced or immature, and no one dared look down on her—perhaps because of this empress ceremonial robe.

Lady Qi lowered her head in courtesy and announced her identity.

The marquis wives beside her were about to introduce them when Chu Zhao spoke first: “This palace knows this one. This palace was mischievous together with Miss Qi before.”

Hearing these words, the ladies were stunned, then couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

What this “mischievous” referred to, the ladies naturally knew—the Chu Garden literary gathering.

Qi Leyun was even more delighted and excited, nearly stepping forward, fortunately her mother was prepared and stepped on her skirt hem.

“Your Majesty, you still remember,” she said stammering, looking at Chu Zhao.

The girl wearing a golden jade crown sat on the throne, like a deity statue in a temple, solemn and magnificent. But suddenly she squeezed her eyes, and in an instant they were like falling stars: “What is Miss Qi saying? Is my memory that poor? I haven’t forgotten that you lost to me more times.”

Qi Leyun’s face turned completely red. She wanted to laugh yet also retort, finally saying: “I, I will work hard to study. In the future, I’ll compete with you again, with Your Majesty.”

Chu Zhao smiled: “Good.” After saying this, she looked at Lady Qi again, her smile returning to dignified. “Lady Qi has taught Miss Qi very well.”

Lady Qi quickly performed courtesy and thanked her: “Your Majesty the Empress overpraises me.”

Chu Zhao said nothing more and nodded with a smile. Lady Qi then withdrew with Miss Qi. After they left, Chu Zhao smiled again at the several marquis wives who had been granted seats: “I’ve had no mother since childhood and grew up in the border region without sisters. Coming to the capital, I was very happy to have playmates. After experiencing this calamity and being able to meet again, it truly makes one happy. Ladies, please don’t laugh at me.”

How could they? To have such a nostalgic empress—they were too happy! The marquis wives all stood up saying “Your Majesty worries too much” and “It is precisely because of Your Majesty’s bravery that more people were spared from calamity.”

Chu Zhao looked at Chu Tang again: “Now that I’ve entered the palace, only elder sister remains at home. Uncle and aunt are also unwell. In the future, I hope the ladies will look after my cousin more.”

Chu Tang performed courtesy to the marquis wives.

The marquis wives quickly returned the courtesy and helped her up. They immediately invited Chu Tang to join their seats. Chu Tang didn’t decline and went with them smiling.

Because of these interludes, the atmosphere in the empress hall was relaxed and pleasant. Some girls even boldly stood up to offer tea to the empress, asking in a trembling voice: “Will Your Majesty still hold literary gatherings in the future?”

Chu Zhao said with a smile: “Of course. Should we perhaps also determine a female champion then, and award official positions and noble titles?”

Hearing these words, the girls in the hall all cried out together.

Qi Leyun even jumped up shouting “Yes, yes!” ignoring her mother pinching her leg beside her.

The ladies looked on helplessly with smiles, unable to stop them. Moreover, in their hearts they were slightly moved—if their family’s girls could truly win a championship in the imperial palace hall, it would bring honor to the clan.

As they chatted and laughed, Eunuch Qi came in with a smile.

“Your Majesty,” he said with a smile, “His Majesty’s side is about to conclude. He requests Your Majesty to come see him.”

While the empress held a banquet, the emperor was also entertaining high officials and aristocratic families in the front hall. Hearing these words, the hall returned to quiet. The ladies were about to kowtow and take their leave when they saw Chu Zhao stand up.

“Then all the ladies should follow this palace to see His Majesty together.”

When the noble ladies followed Chu Zhao to the front hall, the front hall had already received notice. The right side positions were cleared out and given to the womenfolk.

Men and women stood on either side, watching Chu Zhao walk slowly forward.

The child in emperor’s ceremonial robes sat properly on the dragon throne. Seeing the approaching girl, he very much wanted to stand up to greet her, but was stopped by Deng Yi’s light cough from below. He could only wait for Chu Zhao to approach.

Chu Zhao first paid respects to the emperor. After being granted exemption from courtesy, she stepped forward and took the hand the child couldn’t help extending again, sitting down with him.

The front hall was even more imposing than the rear hall. The emperor and empress seated on high—their small figures could not be looked at directly. The men and women in the hall performed courtesy and kowtowed together.

“Long live His Majesty, ten thousand years, ten thousand times ten thousand years! May Her Majesty the Empress live a thousand years, a thousand times a thousand years!”

The previous enthronement and investiture ceremony was announcing to heaven and earth. This banquet was stepping before the world.

That child emperor, that empress from the Chu clan—they were no longer just existing in conversations and imperial edicts, but appeared vividly before everyone’s eyes.

The world personally saw their voices, appearances, and smiles, felt their vitality, and also felt the imperial family’s majesty.

Because they were still in the mourning period, the banquet had no wine or water, no song or dance music. After dusk, the banquet ended.

The Xie clan had no womenfolk in the capital. Seventh Master Xie and Xie Yanfang only attended the banquet on the emperor’s side.

Chu Zhao bringing the womenfolk over—everyone didn’t know beforehand. Normally speaking, when the empress hosted a banquet, the emperor didn’t need to appear, though of course he could, like how the late emperor doted on his noble consort and supported her—even so, it was the late emperor going to the consorts’ hall.

“Fine if she holds a banquet in the rear hall, but how can she bring this group of women to the front hall?” Seventh Master Xie sat in the carriage, frowning with displeasure.

On the imperial street there were many carriages, horses, and people. Even the Xie clan’s carriage had to slow down. The carriage moved slowly.

Xie Yanfang sat leaning to the side reading documents. Hearing this, he smiled: “Because she wants everyone to see that the empress stands beside the emperor. That way she has more authority.”

Seventh Master Xie immediately scoffed: “I knew it—”

Before he finished speaking, Xie Yanfang put down the documents in his hand and interrupted him: “We should all know that the two of them are young and must rely on each other. Each person doing good for themselves is also doing good for the other.”

Seventh Master Xie was stunned, then said helplessly: “Yanfang, you really are quite protective of Miss Chu.”

Not even allowing one unfavorable word to be said.

Xie Yanfang smiled: “She saved Ah Yu’s life and also saved the Xie clan’s life. She is my benefactor and also my relative. Seventh Uncle, you know how I treat benefactors and relatives, don’t you?”

Seventh Master Xie smiled: “How you treat benefactors, I truly don’t know. All along, it’s been others owing you favors. I’ve never seen anyone make you owe them.”

How could Third Young Master Xie need others’ help? He was always solving problems for others, making others owe him gratitude. Of course, gratitude must always be repaid.

Xie Yanfang laughed heartily.

Seventh Master Xie didn’t wait for him to speak again and continued: “But I know how you treat relatives—protecting them, tolerating them, caring for them. I understand all of that.” He shook his head. “I also know what you’re saying, but whenever I think about how this woman became empress, I can’t help being irritated. Shouldn’t she at least have informed our Xie clan?”

Xie Yanfang smiled and shook his head: “She doesn’t need to.”

Seventh Master Xie raised his eyebrows: “How can she not need to? She’s not the emperor!”

Only the emperor arranging a marriage for Xiao Yu didn’t need to seek the Xie clan’s opinion. Even if it were the crown prince, he would have to ask.

Xie Yanfang smiled: “She certainly can’t compare to the emperor. But what about Deng Yi?”

What about Deng Yi? Seventh Master Xie was stunned.

“If it were Deng Yi arranging a marriage for Ah Yu, would he inform us?” Xie Yanfang said with a smile.

That grandson Deng Yi! Of course not! Seventh Master Xie gritted his teeth: “Not only wouldn’t he—”

Xie Yanfang looked at Seventh Master Xie. “The reason you think Miss Chu should inform us is because you feel she’s inferior to us. If you saw her as Deng Yi, you wouldn’t think this way.”

Seventh Master Xie was stunned, then found it amusing: “But how can she compare to Deng Yi?”

That petty man Deng Yi worked assiduously, gained power during chaos, was entrusted by the emperor at his deathbed, held the imperial seal, tiger tally, and military power, supervised the court with one hand covering the sky.

“She’s the same as Deng Yi,” Xie Yanfang said.

At such a young age, she came from the border region to the capital. First she cleared her father’s name with fists and kicks, fiercely scolding the Liang clan. Then she challenged the Third Prince, single-handedly stirred up the Chu Garden literary gathering, gained fame, held an unusual army in her hands, rose up during chaos, rescued the emperor’s eldest grandson, was entrusted by the emperor at his deathbed, and presided over court with the new emperor.

“Seventh Uncle, you cannot look down on her just because she’s a woman,” Xie Yanfang said softly. “She doesn’t depend on us. Her current position isn’t because of us. On the contrary, the reason our Xie clan still exists today is because of her.”

Seventh Master Xie was silent for a moment, then let out a long sigh: “How could I not know? I’m just—” He clenched his hand. “Unwilling to accept it.”

Their Xie clan had such a great family and business, Xie Yanfang had such renown throughout the realm, yet in the end they stood alongside these two nobodies—and even lower! How could he be willing?

“There’s nothing to be unwilling about. Think about the Yang clan, the Zhao clan, think about the Crown Prince and Third Prince, even the late emperor—which one was willing?” Xie Yanfang said. “Seventh Uncle, our Xie clan is still alive, can still stand in court, standing firm—this is already great fortune. Who knows how many people are unwilling to accept us?”

Seventh Master Xie snorted arrogantly: “Let them be unwilling.”

Xie Yanfang smiled: “Exactly. Let them be unwilling. What we need to do isn’t be unwilling to accept Miss Chu. What we need to do is win her over, befriend her, lest she be pulled away by other unwilling people.”

As for just now, while he was persuading Seventh Master Xie, wasn’t he also telling himself—

He thought of the first time he met that girl. That girl candidly said she came to get acquainted with him. He accepted her acquaintance, but told Steward Cai that this was merely acquaintance, not friendship.

True friendship required sincerity and an exchange of interests.

At that time, that girl, even her father behind her, were still not sufficient to discuss friendship with the Xie family.

Now, they could. How fast it had been—just the blink of an eye?

She had grown even faster than he had at thirteen.

The carriage window suddenly knocked, interrupting Xie Yanfang’s thoughts. Seventh Master Xie opened the window and saw Du Qi outside.

“Her Majesty the Empress wishes to see the young master,” he said in a low voice.

Seventh Master Xie quickly said: “Turn the carriage around—”

Xie Yanfang stopped him: “There are many carriages on the road. Turning around isn’t convenient. It’s not far. I’ll walk in myself.”

Today for the palace banquet, everyone wore casual clothes. On the imperial street, besides Imperial Guards and servants, a white-robed elegant young master suddenly appeared, immediately drawing countless gazes, and he was immediately recognized as Third Young Master Xie.

Xie Yanfang paid no attention to the prying gazes, bringing Du Qi and walking leisurely against the flow toward the imperial city.

“What is Third Young Master Xie doing?”

“He can do whatever he wants. He’s the National Uncle, the only one.”

Third Young Master Xie! Qi Leyun nearly lifted the window curtain to lean out and look, but was held down firmly by her sisters: “Behave yourself! If you’re improper again, your mother will punish you. As your mother teaching her daughter is perfectly justified—even the empress can’t interfere.”

Qi Leyun pouted and sat back, then said with excitement in her eyes and brows: “Although Ah Zhao didn’t marry Third Young Master Xie or that Xie Yanlai, she can still claim kinship with Third Young Master Xie, and she can see him whenever she wants, summon him at any time—”

The girls reached out to cover her mouth: “Say less. Don’t mention past matters anymore.”

Qi Leyun was blocked and made two muffled sounds.

She suddenly thought—did the past just pass like that?

Third Young Master Xie, Xie Yanlai—

What a pity.

The lovers ultimately became uncle and nephew’s wife.