Xie Wanyun quickly stood up to greet him.
Emperor Dezong had already strode in, waved his hand, and said, "Stand up."
The Queen Mother laughed and asked, "How come the Emperor has time to come here today?"
In terms of seniority, Emperor Dezong was Xie Wanyun's cousin. He was over forty years old, with thick eyebrows, big eyes, and a booming voice. He looked more like a charismatic knight than an emperor.
"I've been busy with state affairs lately and haven't had time to visit the Empress Dowager. Fortunately, I'm free today, and I heard Wanyun was here too, so I came to see you. Wanyun, how are you doing?"
"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. Everything is fine with me." Xie Wanyun grew up with the empress dowager since she was nine years old. She often met her cousin who was the emperor, and was not afraid of his imperial majesty.
"I heard that your business is doing well. You've almost monopolized the business in Shangjing City. Haha."
Xie Wanyun was secretly surprised. Had these words reached the emperor's ears? The emperor was the emperor, and he would never joke with you for no reason. But she still hadn't figured out what he meant.
He replied cautiously, "Your Majesty, you're joking. Shangjing is so vast, with so many merchants, it's impossible for me to monopolize it all. Business requires competition, which promotes mutual development. The current prosperity of commerce is all thanks to Your Majesty's good governance."
"Hahaha!" Emperor Dezong laughed heartily, but shook his head and said, "Wanyun, now even you have started to use these high-sounding clichés."
Xie Wanyun smiled and said, "Your Majesty, this is not a cliché. In the past, Wanyun was young and frivolous, and didn't know the seriousness of the matter. Now that I have grown up, I am naturally not the same as before."
"That's true." The emperor said, looking at her carefully, a complex look flashing in his eyes.
"Emperor, please don't make things difficult for Wanyun. It's a rare opportunity for you to come here, so how about having dinner with me?" The Queen Mother came to the rescue.
"Even if your Majesty Queen doesn't tell you, I would still like to stay. I want to eat the eight-treasure duck in your palace." Emperor Dezong said with a smile.
The palace maids laid out the banquet in a flurry of activity, and Xie Wanyun ate her meal with great care. After the hardships of her previous life and the cautious tactics of this one, she was no longer the bright and beautiful girl who had indulged herself freely in the palace.
Since ancient times, hunting has been divided into spring hunting, summer hunting, autumn hunting and winter hunting.
The most important event is the autumn hunt, when the animals are growing fat and ready for harvest. Spring is the time of new life, and the animals have just come out of a winter of scarcity, so they are hungry and irritable. Hunting at this time is not for the harvest, but more for testing the hunter's martial arts and hunting ability.
Emperor Dezong was almost obsessed with spring hunting. Every spring he would take the princes, nobles, and palace guards on large-scale hunting activities.
This year, there was a rare interest, so the royal family was allowed to bring some of their female relatives. The Empress Dowager, who was feeling well at the moment, wanted to join in the fun, so she summoned Xie Wanyun.
The sky was clear and cloudless, perfect for hunting. Early in the morning, flags fluttered and horns blared. Everyone was ready to go, the atmosphere as solemn and dignified as if they were going to war.
Xie Wanyun rode a white horse and wore a snow-white hunting suit. He had cold eyebrows, skin as white as snow, and a noble demeanor.
Yan Suizhi, the second-in-command of the cabinet, naturally came as well. However, due to his frail health, he couldn't participate in the hunt, so he took a carriage. He was dazzled by Xie Wanyun's heroic appearance.
The procession started moving and the people stood by the road to watch this grand ceremony.
In reality, royal hunting was far more than simply capturing a few animals. It was an activity with military significance. Imperial hunting was a grand spectacle, known as field hunting. It was also governed by specific etiquette. Hunting that violated these rules was considered a waste of natural resources. Field hunting prohibited the capture of young animals, the collection of bird eggs, the killing of pregnant animals, harming immature young, and the destruction of bird nests. Furthermore, when hunting, the target should be surrounded but not completely eliminated, leaving room for capture, rather than simply catching everything in one fell swoop.
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