Chapter 107 Finale

Two days later, the sky was clear and the air was bright.

The Silkworm Relationship Ceremony was resumed after an absence of nearly twenty years, and all the ladies above the sixth rank in Beijing participated in it with their makeup done according to their rank.

When she woke up in the morning, Yang Manyan changed into the bright yellow Juyi prescribed by the queen with the help of her maids. After she had done her makeup, she put on the Nine Dragons and Nine Phoenix Crown adorned with pearls, emeralds and gems.

But just as she walked out of the main hall of the East Palace and was about to board the Phoenix Chariot to go to the Altar of the First Silkworm, a thin figure stopped her.

The palace servants who were accompanying him immediately became alert and were ready to protect the emperor at any time.

Yang Manyan's heart also skipped a beat.

After seeing who was coming, she hurriedly bowed and saluted, "I am here to see Madam Xu, may you be blessed with good health."

"No need to be so polite." Queen Xu frowned slightly and pulled her up.

"Yes, thank you, Your Majesty." Yang Manyan curled her lips and smiled slightly, but she couldn't help but complain in her heart that Queen Xu was probably here to stop her.

After all, performing the Silkworm Ceremony was the duty of the Queen Mother, and she was ultimately just a female official of Shangyi. Empress Xu, on the other hand, was the Empress Dowager of the previous emperor and the biological mother of the Crown Prince. In terms of status and qualifications, she was far more suitable than her.

After hesitating for a moment, Yang Manyan couldn't help but ask, "Your Majesty, why are you so anxious to come to the East Palace?"

Empress Xu's expression was a little stiff, and she looked awkward from head to toe. "I heard that Yang Shangyi will lead all the ladies to offer sacrifices to the Altar of the First Silkworm today."

As expected... Yang Manyan's heart sank slightly, and he clenched his hands in his sleeves.

Empress Xu then said, "You are young, and this is your first time presiding over such a sacrificial ceremony. Those ladies outside may not obey you. If I go with you as a sacrificial companion, I can give you some guidance and also help you to control the situation."

As soon as she finished speaking, Empress Xu pretended to be indifferent and said, "It's okay if you don't want to. I don't have to go."

Yang Manyan was stunned, "But, Your Majesty, why would you help me?"

"Why?" Empress Xu pursed her lips. "Just tell me if you want me to go with you. If not, I will go back to Renshou Palace first."

After saying that, she pretended to leave.

Yang Manyan came back to his senses and quickly grabbed her sleeve, "My queen, please stay!"

Her cheeks flushed slightly. "Your Majesty, what you said just now is very true. I am indeed young and inexperienced. Please accompany me for a walk."

Then, she took Empress Xu's arm and boarded the phoenix chariot together. Escorted by hundreds of attendants, they left the palace and headed for the Altar of the First Silkworm in the northeast corner of the Western Garden, with a grand procession of ceremonial guards.

When passing through Xihua Gate, Yang Manyan was in a trance for a moment.

At the beginning of last year, she rode in the Xu family's carriage to Xihua Gate to participate in the selection of concubines.

At that time, she was just the daughter of a minor official from a poor family, so she could only be cautious, humble and submissive.

Now, she rode on the phoenix chariot and walked out of the Xihua Gate from the imperial palace with the empress's procession, acting as Yang Shangyi's acting mother of the country.

Only a year and a half had passed, yet she felt as if a lifetime had passed.

The group entered the Xiyuan Palace and continued northward along the bank of Taiye Lake.

Yang Manyan lifted the brocade curtain again and looked outside. He saw the lake sparkling and the lotus flowers on the shore in full bloom, green and graceful.

Empress Xu, who was sitting next to her, suddenly said, "Don't worry, I'm not that evil woman like Empress Dowager Jiang, and I won't do anything to break up a couple."

"The prince and you have a deep relationship, and I hope that both of you will always be well." She said with a wry smile, "Miaohua has repeatedly acted foolishly before, don't take it to heart, I have already reprimanded her."

For so many years, she always thought that she had strangled her daughter to death with her own hands, and she could not control herself and transferred her guilt towards her daughter to her niece Miaohua.

Some time ago, she even softened her heart and planned to help her niece to get in touch with the prince.

But now that she knew that the prince was her son, she personally stopped her niece's thoughts.

The bastard coward of the late emperor had caused them, mother and son, to be unable to recognize each other for nearly twenty years. She only wanted to compensate the prince, so how could she possibly do anything to displease him?

Yang Manyan was slightly surprised and could not believe her ears. "Madam, you..."

Queen Xu looked at her and sighed deeply.

When she first met Yang, she did have some prejudices.

At the beginning, Queen Mother Jiang held a beauty contest with great fanfare. All those who were listed were ladies from noble families. Only Yang came from a humble background, but she was beautiful and graceful. It was really hard for her to think positively of her.

But after several contacts, she has completely changed her mind.

Before they could continue their conversation, the Phoenix Chariot had already stopped outside the main entrance of the Xiancan Altar.

The ladies who had been waiting here for a long time all knelt down to greet him respectfully, showing great respect and observing the rules.

Now they no longer dared to underestimate Yang Shangyi. After all, Yang Shangyi was not only in charge of the inner court affairs, but also often sorted out memorials in the Qianqing Palace.

Especially when a group of ministers cried and protested outside the Qianqing Gate some time ago, the leading official Zheng Yushi only argued with Yang Shangyi for a few words, and then he found out that his cousin was involved in the Gansu relief fraud case.

The entire Zheng family was raided, some were beheaded, some were exiled, and some were not even kept until the autumn for judgment. They were directly escorted to Caishikou for execution.

They didn't even dare to think about whether there was something ambiguous between the emperor and Yang Shangyi. In short, they couldn't afford to offend Yang Shangyi.

But to their surprise, after the curtain was opened, a middle-aged woman in a royal blue plain-patterned jacket and skirt came down on the gilded stool.

Everyone below was stunned.

Some older ladies of the royal family recognized that this was the late emperor's Empress Zhuangxian, Xu, and could not help but feel puzzled.

What happened to Yang Shangyi's silkworm-raising ceremony? Why did Empress Xu come? Could it be that Yang Shangyi had committed some crime and was stopped...

However, the next moment, the curtain was lifted again, and a young Shangyi in a bright yellow Juyi was supported by several palace servants and came down from the phoenix chariot. Her attire was elegant and luxurious.

Everyone came back to their senses and hurriedly said in unison: "Greetings to Yang Shangyi, we respectfully invite Yang Shangyi to lead us to observe the mulberry trees and process the cocoons, and set an example for the world."

Yang Manyan calmed himself down and said with a smile, "Well, everyone get up."

"Empress Xu from Renshou Palace is also here to watch the ceremony today. Don't be too reserved. Just follow the established procedures."

When these words were spoken, even the ladies who had not recognized Empress Xu at first were shocked.

Everyone knows that Empress Xu in Renshou Palace is the late emperor's empress Xu, but this Empress Xu has lived in seclusion for many years and has never even attended the New Year's banquet.

Yang Shangyi was actually able to invite this master? So, even the Xu family of Duke Wei's Mansion began to support Yang Shangyi?

Everyone also lowered their heads and looked more submissive.

After another round of greetings, Yang Manyun led everyone into the Temple of the First Silkworm to worship the First Silkworm God Xiling, also known as the female saint Leizu who invented the art of raising silkworms, spinning silk, and making clothes.

Afterwards, the group moved to the Mulberry Picking Platform on the north side of the temple, where they picked mulberry leaves and fed the silkworms themselves, and then experienced the silk reeling, silk dyeing, weaving and other textile processes one by one.

By the time all the ceremonies were over, the sun had already set.

Only after he personally sent Empress Xu back to Renshou Palace did Yang Manyan order the phoenix chariot to return to the Eastern Palace.

Xingyun, who was standing beside her, said hesitantly, "My Lord, Chief Steward Chang just sent someone to tell me that you have just finished the Silkworm Rearing Ceremony, and you have to stay in Kunning Palace tonight..."

Yang Manyan hesitated for a moment and said, "Then send someone back to the East Palace to tell His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."

Xingyun hesitated and said in a very low voice, "The emperor and the crown prince are both in Kunning Palace right now."

Yang Manyan's eyelids twitched, "Okay, then let's move to Kunning Palace."

"Yes." Xingyun quickly instructed the eunuchs who were carrying the sedan chair.

As night fell and the moon was dim, a group of people carrying glazed palace lanterns took the path from the Imperial Garden. They only had to pass the Qin'an Hall to reach the Kunning Gate.

In early summer, the flower trees in the Imperial Garden were lush and flourishing, and the rich fragrance of the flowers became sweeter in the dark night. Yang Manyan looked outside quietly, his thoughts drifting farther and farther away.

At this moment, the curtain of the carriage was lifted from the outside, and a tall man stretched out his arms to carry her down from the phoenix chariot. In the thick night, his aura seemed even more stern and majestic.

"...Your Majesty!" Yang Manyan blamed him shyly.

The emperor lowered his eyes to look at Yang Manyan, his Adam's apple moved slightly, "My dear, be good and think of a way to get Zi'an away. How can he, as the crown prince, stay in the palace?"

Yang Manyan blinked and deliberately asked back, "Then it's not appropriate for me to rest in the palace, right?"

The emperor was speechless for a moment, frowning and saying, "You are naturally different."

Xiao Yan also walked forward, and his eyes happened to meet Yang Manyan's in mid-air.

A man with a tough and mature appearance, a strong and sturdy body, broad shoulders and a narrow waist, and large, solid and bulging muscles all over his body, like a solid wall of iron.

A man with incomparably handsome looks, as gentle as jade, with a tall and thin figure, but under his clothes he also has well-defined muscle lines, like a strong pine or bamboo.

Until now, Yang Manyan still cannot make a choice between the two, and she can't bear to give up either of them.

——End of text——