Chapter 35: The Fortune of Changning
Yunsheng continued to blame himself.
"Aunt, it's actually fine to bury the hairpin under the osmanthus tree. It's not worth the risk. If something happens, Yun Pei won't be able to rest in peace in the underground."
Zhao Changning was surprised. She thought that someone like Yun Pei would not be uneasy. Besides, Yun Pei was not her friend.
"Those things buried there are all my friends' belongings. They have no bodies, and no one to send incense to them, so I had no choice but to do this. Yun Pei has a tomb and a tombstone, so why bother? Stealing some incense will be enough."
Yunsheng was speechless. With red eyes, he lowered his head and choked out a sob, "Thank you, Auntie."
Zhao Changning patted his shoulder, rarely showing any disdain for him. "Alright, just help me out and don't make any mistakes. That'll be my repayment."
Yunsheng pursed his lips, nodded vigorously, and for the first time, a look of determination appeared in his eyes.
Halfway through the banquet, the emperor and his ministers were all having a great time, drinking to their heart's content. The sun was setting and red clouds like fire covered the sky.
Zhao Changning felt very tired, and told Anyi, Yunsheng and others to keep a close eye on the people below, while he returned to his residence with a heavy heart.
Too tired.
The intense emotional fluctuations made her dizzy.
Xiao Shun saw his aunt coming back and quickly went to boil some water. "Aunt, do you want to eat something?"
Zhao Changning shook his head, "Let's cook the ginseng. I want to give it a good soak."
A meow was heard, and Xiaobai took graceful steps, rubbing against Zhao Changning's legs affectionately.
Xiao Shun found it funny, "Xiao Bai, where did you come from?"
She said to her aunt, "It's strange. This bad cat hasn't pooped on the road anymore. It's finally stopped. I've been shoveling it away enough..."
Zhao Changning smiled and picked up Xiaobai, rubbing his face against its furry little face. Looking into its clear eyes, he felt relieved.
Zhao Changning went to bed after taking a bath.
At night, Yunsheng also came back tired and was pulled aside by Xiaoshun, looking mysterious.
"Here, drink it quickly." Xiao Shun stuffed a bowl of soup into Yunsheng's hand.
Yunsheng was stunned. "What is this?"
Xiaoshun touched Yunsheng's head and said, "This is ginseng soup. You are so skinny and you cried so much a few days ago. You must be exhausted. Drink it quickly. It will replenish your blood and energy."
Yunsheng held the bowl and his eyes began to feel hot again.
"Every time my aunt takes a bath, I always pour out some ginseng soup in advance and give it to them." Xiao Shun said to himself, "The ginseng this time is not too thick, it's just right for you at your age."
Yunsheng scratched his head, his nose was badly blocked. He choked and said thank you, then tilted his head back and drank it all. Xiaoshun didn't have time to stop him.
When Zhao Changning got up early in the morning, he saw Yunsheng squatting at the door, not knowing what he was doing.
"What’s wrong with you?"
Yunsheng turned his head, and two bloodstains under his nose were particularly obvious. "No, nothing, Auntie, why are you up so early?"
Zhao Changning frowned, "Yeah."
After the coronation ceremony, preparations must be made immediately for the empress's coronation ceremony.
She saw two streaks of blood under his nose and couldn't help asking, "Did you drink my ginseng soup secretly?"
Yunsheng's face flushed red all the way to his ears. He waved his hands desperately, "No, auntie, I really didn't. I didn't drink secretly..."
Zhao Changning saw that he was trying to hide his true intentions and shook his head. "Drink less next time. It's not good to drink too much."
Unexpectedly, the noise woke up Xiaozhi and Xiaobian.
As soon as the two came out, they saw Yunsheng bleeding from his nose. They were not surprised and just burst into laughter.
"Did Xiaoshun give you ginseng soup? Hahahaha, look at your nose bleeding..."
"It's okay, it will be fine soon, hahahaha..."
Yunsheng laughed along, not knowing why, foolishly.
When Zhao Changning arrived at the Qinzheng Hall, it was not yet the hour of Mao and the sky was just getting light. The courtyards and corridors had been tidied up, and the colorful banners hung for the enthronement had been taken down.
She entered the side hall and found Yun Hui and others had already packed up.
As usual, Zhao Changning lit two candles and knelt beside the imperial desk. The entire table was piled with documents. She picked up the documents one by one and read them. Most of them were congratulatory messages to the emperor's accession to the throne, so they were not difficult to sort out.
She had been serving in the Qinzheng Hall these days. Although she had no official title or status, she screened the memorials in advance as usual, and the emperor did not stop her. The people in the cabinet also treated her with courtesy because of the Mingxuan incident.
It was past the hour of Mao before Zhao Changning looked up, staring blankly at the brightly lit window, feeling that something was wrong.
Yun Hui came over to help her sort through the memorials, grumbling, "The Emperor was resting in the harem yesterday and didn't review any memorials. Aunt, these memorials have been piling up for two or three days. Can you even read them? Why bother with all this trouble?"
Zhao Changning suddenly realized that it was time for the court session at dawn. The previous emperor, old and seldom visited the harem, often staying in the Qinzheng Palace, and she was used to waiting on him. The new emperor was young and strong, so why would he come to the Qinzheng Palace at this time? He must have been heading directly from the harem.
She couldn't help laughing, thinking that she was really confused in her work.
"Aunt, guess which concubine's palace the emperor stayed in yesterday?" Yun Hui leaned close to her aunt's ear and whispered, "It was the most difficult concubine to serve in Yonghe Palace. I heard she was very favored in the past. With the Empress's coronation ceremony coming up soon, I think this concubine must be the Imperial Consort."
Zhao Changning ignored her and instead warned, "Stop talking nonsense. You and Anyi should keep an eye on it. The Queen's coronation ceremony may not be as elaborate as the coronation ceremony, but it can't be sloppy. I'll report to the Queen later. This is a rare opportunity, so you should seize it."
Yun Hui's eyes lit up, "Yes, aunt, we will definitely do our job well."
It was not until noon that Zhao Changning finished sorting out these memorials.
She rubbed her sore shoulders and neck, stood up and stretched, then heard a sound coming from outside.
The young emperor in bright yellow entered the Qinzheng Hall with a majestic stride, followed closely by Anyi, who looked cautious.
Although he didn't smile, Zhao Changning could see that he was very proud of himself. He had lost his previous cautiousness and felt even more distant. After the coronation ceremony, he went to the palace of his favorite concubine. It was obvious that he was enjoying the power and the best of his life now.
"I kowtow to the emperor. Long live the emperor." Zhao Changning knelt down and touched the ground with his forehead.
The emperor smiled and gave her a slight support, "Don't kneel so often in the future, Changning. Just do as you did before."
Zhao Changning smiled, lowered his head meekly, stepped aside, and stood with Anyi.
The emperor sat at his desk, looking over the sorted memorials that had been filed away in advance. He couldn't help but smile and said, "No wonder my father can't leave you. Even I'm almost used to you."
Zhao Changning knelt down again, "It's Changning's duty."
The emperor tutted his words and waved his hand with a smile on his face, "Get up."
He flipped through two volumes, then looked up and asked, "Regarding the proposed titles for the harem, the Ministry of Rites said they've already sent the memorial?"
Zhao Changning immediately stepped forward and said, "Yes, Your Majesty, the memorial from the Ministry of Rites has arrived and is awaiting your approval."
The emperor used to have a principal wife, who is now the empress, two concubines, and several concubines. There were not many women, so it was not difficult to arrange rewards for them.
The emperor flipped it open and glanced at it, then nodded. "Very good, but Mei'er's rank is a bit low. Change it to Zhaoyi. You can send it to the Queen later."
After he finished speaking, he picked up the pen and approved it.
This Mei'er is the one from Yonghe Palace, and she was also the one favored by the emperor after his enthronement ceremony yesterday. It seems that she is truly favored.
Zhao Changning just lowered her head and didn't respond. For things like this, the emperor and empress only needed to nod, it was not her turn to speak.
She remembered something, "Your Majesty, there are still several concubines of the previous emperor in the harem, and they need to be properly settled as soon as possible."
The emperor just remembered, "You can discuss this matter with the queen."
Zhao Changning bowed and poured a cup of tea for the emperor, then took Anyi out of the inner room. The new emperor was different from the previous one. He did not like to be disturbed when he was reviewing memorials.
An Yi finally breathed a sigh of relief. "Aunt, please don't let me serve in court anymore. I'm scared seeing so many adults chattering."
Zhao Changning laughed at him, "You were quite brave when you beat people up, so why are you still afraid? Don't worry, if nothing unexpected happens in the future, I will do it myself, and you and An Zhongan will only need to take turns with them occasionally."
She also didn't expect that the people left behind by Hu Gouer were so useful.
Anyi nodded repeatedly, wiping a handful of non-existent sweat, "Thank you, auntie, for loving us."
It is not easy to serve in front of the emperor, and not everyone wants to get close to him.
"Oh, aunt, just now in the court," Anyi said, "the emperor dismissed the son-in-law and son of the Minister of Rites. The Minister himself also said he wanted to retire and return home. Strangely, no one spoke up for him."
Zhao Changning couldn't help but squint when he heard this.
If I remember correctly, the Minister of Rites played a significant role in Mingxuan's concealment of his death, and he strongly condemned Mingxuan's crimes. He also had an ambiguous relationship with Hu Gou'er.
A new official has three things to do when he takes office, and this is the emperor. Even if he wants to cause trouble, he has to stay out of the spotlight for the time being.
"This matter has nothing to do with us, just do your job well."
Zhao Changning asked Yun Hui to serve here, while he went to the Queen's Kunning Palace.
The Queen was fiddling with the lotus pods she had just picked with her maids. Seeing Zhao Changning approach, she quickly waved, "You've come just in time. There aren't many lotus pods at this time of year."
Zhao Changning sat beside him and after tasting a few, he took out the memorial approved by the emperor.
"The positions of the concubines in the harem still need to be stamped with the Empress's phoenix seal. After the ceremony of conferring the title of Empress is completed, they can kowtow before the Empress to express their gratitude."
The late emperor passed away suddenly, and the phoenix seal should have been temporarily placed with the empress dowager. Unfortunately, the Cining Palace had been vacant for many years, and the emperor's biological mother also died early, so before the ceremony of conferring the empress was held, the phoenix seal went directly to the empress.
The queen noticed at a glance that there was a red mark behind Shang Meir's position, but she just moved her eyes slightly and did not say anything.
"Chunyun, bring the phoenix seal to seal it."
Zhao Changning saw the phoenix seal and quickly stood up and knelt. "Changning congratulates the queen in advance. May the queen live a thousand years."
The Queen was in a good mood and quickly helped her up. "I'll need your help in the future and help the Emperor share his worries."
Zhao Changning nodded in agreement and then said, "The enthronement ceremony has been completed, and the Ministry of Rites has chosen an auspicious day for you. The ceremony will be held in the Hall of Supreme Harmony in three days. The Emperor will personally read the enthronement document and grant the empress the title. In the next few days, you will also receive worship from the ladies of honor in the Jiaotai Hall. Your Majesty, I hope you will be in such a state of mind."
The Queen heard the smile in her words and said sincerely, "It sounds very complicated, Changning, you must explain it to me. If anything goes wrong, I will become a laughing stock."
"Your Majesty, you are blessed with great fortune and everything will go smoothly. There will be ceremonial officials to guide you and sponsors by your side, so nothing will go wrong." Zhao Changning smiled and comforted the queen. He discussed the procedures with her for a long time, as well as things that needed special attention.
The queen was also very studious and listened very attentively.
Finally, she took her hand and said, "Changning, I have some good fabrics here. You can use them to make some clothes. When you go out of the palace on your leave, they will definitely look good. Don't wear such dull clothes all day long. You are younger than me."
Zhao Changning's face was filled with surprise at the right moment. "Thank you, Your Majesty, for the gift. It's getting hot soon, and you're so thoughtful. I was just wondering what to wear."
The queen smiled from ear to ear, "You are such a sweet girl, I will have someone send it to you."
She asked, "Should I give you this Phoenix Seal and place it in the Hall of Supreme Harmony in advance?"
Zhao Changning knelt and saluted, "Yes, Your Majesty, I will hand it over to the Imperial Treasures Supervisor for safekeeping. When the time comes, the Emperor will personally hand the Phoenix Seal to you, and then the ceremony will be complete."
The Queen sighed, "I still need you to give me more advice."
Zhao Changning pointed at the memorial again, feeling embarrassed. "Empress, I have to take that memorial back to the Ministry of Rites. They'll need to draft the imperial seal and imperial edict. When the time comes, you'll need this to bestow rewards upon the ladies in the harem."
Chunyun hurriedly brought the letter over.
The queen personally brought the phoenix seal, placed it in a special sandalwood box, and finally locked it with a small golden lock before handing it to Zhao Changning along with the key.
It was also the first time that Zhao Changning saw the phoenix seal. It was a large, square piece of jade, covered in gold and copper, and carved with phoenix patterns. The lines were smooth and gorgeous, very ancient and heavy, and also represented power and dignity.
She took it solemnly and bowed to take her leave.
Chunyun looked at Zhao Changning's slender back and asked in confusion, "Your Majesty, why are you so kind to a palace maid? And you even gave her some special material. I didn't know what you were doing, so I thought you were trying to please her."
"She's no ordinary maid, and I'm just an inexperienced, unsettled queen who's not particularly favored." The queen sighed. "I don't trust anyone right now, except her. She knows the intricacies of the palace best. If I don't befriend her, and someone tries to trip me up right now, and I'm still clueless, it's hard to say whether I can keep my position as queen."
Chunyun was furious when she heard this. "What's so good about Shang Mei'er? A vixen, relying on her looks, dares to yell at you?"
The Queen shook her head, "Chunyun, be careful with your words."
No matter how favored she is, she is just a Zhaoyi.
Chunyun grumbled, "I think Zhao Changning is also very beautiful. Why do you have to believe her?"
The Empress laughed and said, "She served the late Emperor for many years and never entered the harem. Even if she were to enter the Emperor's harem now, it would only be icing on the cake. There are so many beautiful women in the world, what is there to be afraid of?"
When Zhao Changning returned home at night, she saw the cloth sent by the queen. It was indeed suitable for girls of this age, but she didn't like it.
Xiao Shun was very unhappy when he learned that his aunt didn't want it.
"Aunt, you usually wear clothes that only old ladies wear. They don't look good at all. This material is so good. It's delicate and pink. It looks very beautiful."
Zhao Changning just closed his eyes and petted the cat, "If you like it, take it."
Xiao Shun curled her lips and said, "I can't leave the palace, so I can just wear the maid's clothes on weekdays. You can wear them when your aunt goes out of the palace. I will make them for you myself, okay?"
Zhao Changning couldn't stand her pestering anymore, so he let go and carried the cat into the house.
She has a lot of things to do and has no time to deal with such trivial matters.
Two days passed quickly. Seeing that the next day was the ceremony to crown the queen, Zhao Changning was still worried. He summoned the seal of the Shangbaojian and gave him a lot of instructions. He also asked Anyi to accompany him for a while.
Seeing the Phoenix Seal safely placed in the Hall of Supreme Harmony, she finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"This thing is too important. You must keep it under close watch. Do you understand?"
Anyi smiled and said, "Don't worry, everything will be fine."
Zhao Changning stopped by Kunning Palace to talk to the queen, only to find out that the emperor had gone to Yonghe Palace again.
Her expression remained unchanged as she smiled at the frustrated and embarrassed empress, "When you receive the Golden Book and the Golden Treasure tomorrow, no matter who is added to the palace in the future, they will not be able to surpass you. Changning once again congratulates Her Majesty on his thousandth birthday."
The Queen's eyes were dim, "Changning, I'll need your help tomorrow."
"It's a pleasure for Changning." Zhao Changning bowed and took his leave.
In the middle of the night, Zhao Changning was suddenly awakened by the loud slamming of the door and Xiaobai squatting beside the pillow, meowing.
"Auntie, something's wrong, wake up quickly, something's wrong..."
Zhao Changning's heart was in her throat and her eyelids were twitching. She put on her clothes and walked out with sleepy eyes.
Yunsheng looked at his aunt with disheveled hair and quickly turned his head, "Aunt, this is bad, the Phoenix Seal is gone..."
Zhao Changning suddenly woke up.
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