Yue Jiang nodded and hummed in agreement.
Jing Yan glanced back at her without saying a word, but there was a glimmer in his dark eyes, like stars in the night, faint yet reassuring.
After a stick of incense had burned, the two arrived at the altar on East Street, where a crowd of people stood around it.
Jing Yan led Yue Jiang down the carriage slowly, accompanied by Empress Dowager Cheng, Cheng Suyun, and officials from the Ministry of Rites.
Except for Empress Dowager Cheng's carriage, which remained completely still, a large group of people disembarked in order, with the orphans at the front leading the way, and everyone knelt and bowed to Jing Yan.
After the sound subsided, Jing Yan was about to take Yue Jiang onto the stage, but before he could even take a step, Li Dagen crawled out on his knees in the lead.
He kowtowed deeply, glancing around but not noticing Yue Jiang at all, his disappointment evident: "Your Highness, in previous years Princess Cheng was there, but today..."
"With Princess Yuejiang here today, what's wrong with that?" Jing Yan interrupted Li Dagen before he could finish speaking.
His voice wasn't loud, nor was it deliberately loud, but it had a powerful, persuasive quality, like a gentle stream that doesn't need to make a deafening noise to shatter dissent.
Li Dagen was startled by Jing Yan's words. He paused and swallowed several times.
Over the years, the orphans have seemed to be living a life of luxury, all because of the Cheng family's constant support and guidance. Without the Cheng family's support, they would be like loose hemp, easily scattered.
It's no wonder that Li Dagen was shocked when he heard these words, but they were naturally the weaker party, and the Jing Kingdom royal family owed each of their orphaned families a life.
Li Dagen could lead the charge in overturning Yue Jiang's stall, but he wouldn't dare to overturn the altar today. He suddenly pounded his head and wailed.
"Your Highness, what do you intend to do? How could a lowly person like me dare to question you? But Empress Dowager Cheng and the Cheng family are different."
"The Cheng family has devoted themselves to the Jing Kingdom for many years. The Jing Kingdom cannot let them lose their family members and the respect of the royal family. Otherwise, how can the Jing Kingdom be worthy of the loyal ministers who once gave their lives?"
"His Majesty treats the Cheng family with great courtesy and has allowed Consort Cheng and Empress Ye to share the stage. Why can't Your Highness do the same?"
Jing Yan's emotions remained relatively calm. He merely lifted his eyelids slightly and said indifferently, "Oh, so you mean to say that you're heartless and ungrateful?"
“Your Highness, I didn’t mean that. I just wanted Your Highness to follow the old rules and give the Cheng family the treatment they deserve, so that Princess Cheng could share the stage with you and Princess Yuejiang,” Li Dagen took a deep breath and slammed his head heavily to the ground with a thud.
"If it weren't for Princess Cheng, I and the other orphans would not have been able to accept the hard work Your Highness has put in today."
"Does that mean I can't even go on stage if I don't do as you say?" Jing Yan's tone was devoid of any emotion.
Yue Jiang glanced at him lightly, only to see that Jing Yan's gaze was distant, not even glancing at Li Dagen, as if he didn't care about the person in front of him, but it would be difficult for others to make decisions about him.
On the other side, Empress Dowager Cheng and Cheng Suyun sat in the carriage, watching the commotion unfold clearly.
Jing Yan and Yue Jiang were unable to get onto the stage for a long time, and the orphans began to cry one after another.
Empress Dowager Cheng found it to be exactly what she wanted.
The bruises and swelling on Cheng Suyun's face had not yet subsided, and to prevent incense smoke and dust from getting on her face, she wore a veil today.
Seeing the stalemate outside, she felt an itch in her heart, wishing she could immediately go and resolve the situation, slap Yue Jiang in the face, and let her know who was worthy to stand beside His Highness.
"Great-aunt, shall we go out?"
Empress Dowager Cheng glanced at Cheng Suyun and said unhurriedly, "If you go out on your own, someone will come and invite you, right? You might as well come over. It'll be fine if you wait a little longer."
“Great-aunt, you are right.”
Cheng Suyun felt that she had been too hasty; it would have been better if His Highness had come to invite them personally.
She was to be gently and smilingly invited out by His Highness in front of everyone, leaving Yue Jiang standing aside and completely neglected.
It's strange, the Yue Kingdom sent envoys, but not a single one came to give Yue Jiang face today.
Cheng Suyun had heard that the young prince of that Moon Kingdom was very young, immature, and unreliable, and that he was always out having fun.
As Cheng Suyun was thinking this smugly, another commotion broke out in front of the sacrificial altar. She looked around and saw a group of farmers running towards them.
She was now afraid to even look at them, and she pulled on Empress Dowager Cheng to show her the strange thing.
"Great-aunt, look!"
...
The farmers, young and old, men and women, all stood up for Yuejiang as soon as they arrived.
"Princess Yuejiang is His Highness's Crown Princess. We have no objection to His Highness praying for blessings together with the Crown Princess. However, it would be inconvenient to delay the time, so we hope His Highness and Princess Yuejiang will begin soon."
"Princess Yuejiang is our benefactor. As soon as she arrived, she sent people to help us sow seeds and plow the spring, gave us new high-yield seeds, and taught us how to grow crops better."
"They even arranged medical consultations for us, shortening our spring planting time this year and giving us plenty of free time to recuperate."
"I ask you, which princess sent for a political marriage could do what Princess Yuejiang did? Princess Yuejiang is not qualified, so who is?"
Upon closer inspection, Li Dagen realized that these people were the same farmers who had stolen their porridge last time, and they were here to cause trouble again today.
They took advantage of us quite a bit last time, and now there are even more people in front of the altar.
If their orphans silently accept this, who will think they are different from others in the future, and who will respect them?
"What are you farmers doing here causing trouble? What does today's ceremony to commemorate the fallen heroes have to do with you? You've already taken advantage of this once, are you trying to take even more?"
“What advantage have we gained? Every year we pay taxes and supply the army with food. This year, our children went to the battlefield and gave their lives for the Jing Kingdom. Among us are orphans and widows who have lost the pillar of their families.”
“Whose family isn’t struggling? Every penny and every ingot of silver we’ve paid to Anguo and the Feng family over the past forty years was scraped together by the entire Jingguo. Who will appreciate our hard work over the past forty years!”
“In previous years, you people were always domineering, always acting like the pitiful people of Jing Kingdom, expecting everyone to give way to you. And at times like this, you always stood at the forefront. Once the sacrifice was over, the people above took most of the offerings, leaving us with only oily residue.”
"We should also have a place here today. Since we are here, we cannot be without Princess Yuejiang. Only Princess Yuejiang is worthy to pray for our deceased relatives with His Highness."
Although they won the battle against the Feng family, casualties were inevitable.
Those people died on the battlefield, and new families in Jing Kingdom became pitiful people without children, fathers, or husbands.
Not to mention that they were entitled to this kind of service, even those whose families had no sons going to the battlefield, they were contributing to the country by paying taxes and providing food.
No one can deny their contributions.
"That's right."
No sooner had Tian Nong finished speaking than a carefree and unrestrained voice lazily emerged from a side path left behind by the crowd.
Yue Lang glanced at everyone present, and finally his gaze fell on Yue Jiang.
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