Xie Yuan remained calm, but secretly became increasingly vigilant.
This Empress Dowager Ashina might not have been deliberately looking for trouble, after all, she had previously tried to befriend him.
First, she sent her trusted chief eunuch to Yuezhou to welcome her, and then she had Chief Eunuch Fang tell her many things about the palace and even the capital.
Regardless of whether Empress Dowager Ashina had other motives, in the eyes of the world, this behavior made her appear to be an exceptionally kind mother-in-law who cared deeply for her daughter-in-law.
And just now, she specifically mentioned Xie Zhen.
Listen to what they said; they treated Xie Zhen like a junior member of their own family, and even prepared a gift for them.
Even if someone were to think that Empress Dowager Ashina's actions might violate palace rules, they could simply retort with the phrase "the law is not without human sentiment."
Yes, Empress Dowager Ashina may not have been thorough enough, but she was a kind person and truly treated the Xie siblings as family!
...These can all be considered "open strategies" that allow for both offense and defense.
For Xie Yuan, however, these were pitfalls he was very likely to fall into.
"Empress Dowager Ashina doesn't seem to be that stupid."
Xie Yuan thought to himself, "Have she made so many foolish moves before because she was momentarily complacent and forgot her limits, or was it intentional?"
"And her current behavior, is it deliberately designed, or is someone plotting behind the scenes?"
Xie Yuan wore a standard fake smile, but his brain was racing.
Before long, palace servants filed in carrying trays.
By this time, the Sinicization of the Great Zhou Dynasty had become very profound.
Sitting upright and eating separately are already commonplace.
The palace maids carried in a food table and placed it in front of each guest.
Then, the dishes were served in order.
Xie Yuan knelt upright, his eyes fixed straight ahead, not even glancing at the dining table.
She only glanced at the dishes the palace maid brought out out of the corner of her eye.
The first course was a light cold dish;
The second dish is sashimi (raw fish slices) cut into thin slices.
The third course was lamb chops;
...Several dishes, almost all of which contained meat.
Even that bowl of porridge was rice porridge mixed with minced meat.
Xie Yuan's temples twitched.
She couldn't help but suspect that Empress Dowager Ashina was doing this on purpose—
The late emperor has only been gone for a few months, and the mourning period has not yet ended.
Of course, Empress Dowager Ashina had previously proposed the idea of "replacing the moon with the sun" in order to persuade Helian Jue to marry a Turkic princess.
According to traditional etiquette, one should observe a three-year mourning period after the death of one's parents, but if you calculate carefully, it should actually be twenty-seven months.
Helian Jue then stated that he would observe three years of mourning for the late emperor.
Empress Dowager Ashina couldn't wait, and the court officials also had their own plans, so they all said something—
A country cannot be without a ruler for a single day;
The emperor bears the heavy responsibility of governing the world;
Governing the country well is the greatest act of filial piety towards the late emperor.
Unlike ordinary people who observe three years of mourning, only twenty-seven days of mourning are required!
There was a stalemate between Helian Jue, the Empress Dowager, and the court officials.
Subsequently, Helian Jue defeated the Turkic prince, shattering Empress Dowager Ashina's dream of another marriage alliance with the Turks, and she no longer mentioned the issue of mourning.
As for the court officials, they may have their own plans, but the crucial moment has not yet arrived, and they have also been vague about Helian Jue's mourning period.
If the emperor wants to wear hemp clothing and abstain from meat, then he can do it himself.
The court officials were all watching and waiting, even hoping that Helian Jue would break down and secretly "break the rules".
If they could truly find something to hold against the emperor, the current delicate balance between the court officials and Helian Jue would be broken.
The court officials were able to seize the initiative.
Both Helian Jue and Xie Yuan were aware of this.
Before Xie Yuan returned to the capital, Helian Jue wrote to her mentioning this matter.
Xie Yuan also agreed and decided to observe mourning with Helian Jue.
It's good to observe mourning, especially for Xie Yuan, the daughter-in-law; it brings the most benefits.
She could openly refuse any other women from appearing around Helian Jue, and also prevent the birth of any illegitimate children.
In ancient times, observing mourning meant not only abstaining from celebrations and entertainment, and not eating meat, but also from sexual relations.
Cough cough, even if you have sex, don't get pregnant.
Because it's difficult for outsiders to obtain evidence of sexual intercourse, but the child is clear evidence.
Xie Yuan was the empress, and she had four children.
She has status and children, so she doesn't need to worry about anything else. All she needs to do is protect Helian Jue!
"..."
Xie Yuan's gaze swept over the food in front of him again, and he wondered to himself once more: Did this Empress Dowager really not take the late emperor's mourning period seriously, or was she deliberately setting a trap?
However, Xie Yuan soon realized that regardless of the situation of Empress Dowager Ashina, he was now in a somewhat passive position.
Not eating?
Ha, what are you thinking? "One cannot refuse a gift from an elder!"
Your mother-in-law is so kind; she specially prepared a sumptuous meal for you to welcome you back.
But you refused!
Being scolded for being ungrateful is the least of your worries; if things go wrong, you might even be labeled as unfilial.
eat?
That won't work either!
This is definitely leverage.
Oh, even Emperor Helian Jue observed mourning for the late emperor, yet you, as empress and the mother of the nation, do not abstain from meat and fish?
Furthermore, Xie Yuan had already decided to become a vegetarian.
She didn't just put on an act in front of others; even when she was in Yuezhou, she wore coarse linen clothes and ate simple vegetable porridge.
Xie Yuan deeply understands one principle: either don't do it at all, or do it thoroughly.
It doesn't have to be the best, but it can't have any flaws. And it certainly can't be abandoned halfway.
One should maintain consistency both in public and in private.
Only by strictly adhering to the rules and persisting in them from beginning to end can one avoid giving others any leverage against them!
After the palace maids finished serving the dishes, they did not rush to leave, but instead took a few steps back and stood behind the guests.
Xie Yuanfei quickly racked his brains, trying to figure out how to deal with the current predicament.
Unexpectedly, Empress Dowager Ashina, who was sitting in the main seat, spoke up, "Empress, you have just entered the palace and do not have many capable people around you yet."
"What do you think of the palace maids in my palace? They are all from respectable families near the capital, with clean backgrounds, and they are reliable and capable."
"The key is that these people are all capable individuals whom I have carefully selected."
Xie Yuan was stunned!
Did I guess wrong?
Empress Dowager Ashina never intended to use the matter of food to set a trap for her.
"Alas, Your Majesty, I am not criticizing you, but His Majesty has returned to the capital this time with hardly any palace servants attending to him."
"Your Majesty, this is truly your fault. Even if the Emperor and you have a harmonious marriage, you cannot withhold arrangements for him out of jealousy..."
Empress Dowager Ashina seemed to have seized on Xie Yuan's weakness, and launched into a tirade.
She looks exactly like an ordinary mother-in-law: deliberately trying to make her son unhappy by bribing him with women!
Xie Yuan: ...
I had indeed overestimated this Empress Dowager.
Or rather, I underestimated them.
When someone wants to get back at someone, they do it directly, not through any scheming or plotting!
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