The New Year's Eve banquet includes a segment where dishes are served.
Almost every official serving in the capital had a family. If an official's rank was too low to attend the banquet, the palace would send someone to deliver the dishes to their residence.
Su Wanyan remembered that she hadn't attended any of the previous New Year's Eve banquets, nor had she managed to stay up all night at the mansion; she always went to bed early every year.
This year, he not only attended the New Year's Eve banquet, but also went to bed later than usual.
After several rounds of drinks, the Empress Dowager temporarily left the palace to rest. The young emperor also temporarily left shortly after the Empress Dowager left. Although the two of them left, the Empress Dowager and the young emperor would return to the palace later.
So the annual banquet is still going on.
On New Year's Eve, there is a custom of staying up all night. The officials and their families who come to attend the New Year's Eve banquet are all arranged to stay in the palace. Many officials agree to drink until dawn during the banquet.
In the latter half of the event, most of the women would leave their seats and chat in small groups about their private matters.
Naturally, in a heavily guarded place like the imperial palace, these ministers' wives and their wives were extremely cautious in their words and actions.
Su Wanyan didn't wait for the second half; she left Taide Palace not long after the Empress Dowager and the young emperor had left their seats.
The winter night was bitterly cold. Having just stepped out of the warm palace, the cold wind instantly swept away any drowsiness on my face.
"Wanyan." Not long after I came out of the hall, Dai Zhiwan's voice rang out behind me.
Su Wanyan turned around and saw Xu Yixuan and Dai Zhiwan. She stepped forward with a smile and asked, "Why are you two out here too?"
"The Empress Dowager and the Emperor are no longer here, what's the point of staying in the palace?" They never attended these kinds of banquets before, and they're not used to it now that they're here.
With Brother Xu and Second Brother inside, that's enough.
Once the conversation had begun, Dai Zhiwan and Xu Yixuan seemed to only then realize what was happening and bowed to Yu Nanqing: "Your subject greets Your Highness."
Yu Nanqing nodded and looked at Su Wanyan: "I'll wait for you over there."
He pointed to the terrace below the steps.
"good."
As soon as Yu Nanqing left, Dai Zhiwan and Xu Yixuan pulled Su Wanyan aside: "Wanyan, have you heard? A palace maid died in the Empress Dowager's palace."
Su Wanyan's brow twitched slightly.
It's not unusual for a palace maid to die in the palace, but the fact that it happened in the Empress Dowager's palace immediately reminded Su Wanyan of the palace maid who had come to see her that day.
She countered, "What was that palace maid's name?"
"Qingran".
Su Wanyan's heart skipped a beat; it was true!
Xu Yixuan looked around before saying softly, "Wanyan, you probably know that we wouldn't bring this up with you without a reason."
It was precisely because they knew that this palace maid came from the Empress Dowager's palace and that they discovered that the palace maid had secretly contacted Su Wanyan before her death that Xu Yixuan and Dai Zhiwan spoke up to remind her.
Currently, the only two people in the palace who are at odds are the Grand Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager sending a palace maid to find Su Wanyan is no different from provoking the Grand Empress Dowager.
The emperor's birth mother was, after all, Xia Yunshang, and the Empress Dowager was trying to cut off all of the Empress Dowager's opportunities.
Su Wanyan understood what Xu Yixuan was saying, and she asked curiously, "When did this happen? I didn't hear a word about it."
"The palace must keep it a secret; the news will never get out, especially since it's just an insignificant palace maid."
However, although the palace kept it a secret, those who were interested would still notice, especially given the extraordinary circumstances, particularly the matters concerning the Empress Dowager and the Empress.
Since Xu Yixuan and Dai Zhiwan knew about this, others must also know that the Empress Dowager had sent someone to find Su Wanyan.
Su Wanyan covered her lips slightly: "That day, the Empress Dowager sent someone to find me. I did not agree, thinking that the Empress Dowager would find another opportunity in the future. I even said that I would see the Empress Dowager at the New Year's Eve banquet, but I did not expect that she did not even show up at the New Year's Eve banquet."
"No matter what, you still need to be careful," Xu Yixuan reminded her.
She always felt that if it weren't for the current situation in the Great Jin Dynasty, the Empress Dowager would not have let Prince Gong's Mansion go.
Not everyone in the court supported the Empress Dowager's rule, but they all kept quiet and did nothing. Rather than letting the young emperor ascend the throne as a puppet, many ministers were hoping that Yu Nanqing could step in and resolve the matter.
At least that's the idea behind the Changshun family.
Of course, they could never say such things.
Su Wanyan smiled and nodded: "Don't worry, nothing will happen."
"It's late and the night is cold. Let's all go back quickly. Tomorrow is the day for the ceremony to honor and confer titles on military merits. You all have to get up early."
"Hmm." Su Wanyan was also thinking about this matter, and said with a smile, "Then I'll be going now. You should also go back quickly and give my regards to the old Duke."
The three men bowed and took their leave.
On the first day of the Lunar New Year, before the court officials entered the palace, the emperor would get up early to burn incense, bathe, and go to the Buddhist temple in the palace to worship and offer incense.
After the Buddhist ceremony was completed, the emperor would go to the Empress Dowager's palace to have breakfast with her.
Originally, this procedure was to be completed by the emperor in the empress's palace.
However, the young emperor is still too young to marry, so this process naturally falls to the Empress Dowager.
After breakfast, the Empress Dowager would naturally go to oversee the grand homage outside the Golden Palace.
This grand court ceremony will not only bestow blessings upon all officials, but also grant a general amnesty to the entire nation, as Yu Nanqing has returned victorious, seizing the territory of the East Sea and expanding the Great Jin's borders. All prisoners in jail will be pardoned after the New Year.
During the grand investiture ceremony, Su Wanyan wore the court dress of a first-rank noblewoman and a jade crown. When the Empress Dowager called her name, she calmly stepped forward and knelt to pay her respects.
When the Empress Dowager issued the imperial edict and seal, Su Wanyan presented them with both hands above her head and received them steadily.
Yu Nanqing was granted a fiefdom and seal. After the fiefdom was granted, Yu Nanqing would have full control over the fiefdom, including the right to collect taxes and conscript soldiers. The administration, military and financial affairs of Fuzhou would be entirely managed by Yu Nanqing himself.
Even local laws could be formulated by Yu Nanqing.
Of course, according to the laws of the Great Jin Dynasty, in order to prevent the vassal kings from declaring themselves emperors, Yu Nanqing was required to report all the situations in Fuzhou to the court every year, and the court would also occasionally send imperial envoys to inspect the performance of the government.
However, in any case, having a fiefdom was a great joy for Su Wanyan and Yu Nanqing. With the emperor far away in Fuzhou, they could do whatever they wanted.
Apart from Si Yang, who was also present at the investiture ceremony, the other investitures were not bestowed individually. Instead, the eunuch read them aloud before sending them to the army.
The rewards bestowed upon Xiaobu and the others by Tanaka were sent to Prince Gong's residence.
The investiture document from Lü Cezhong was to be sent to the frontier by express courier, effective immediately.
In addition to the soldiers, the entire Dragon Flag Army received a raise in their pay. This news spread throughout the Dragon Flag Army, and all the soldiers wore expressions of joy.
Having military merits is good, but if not, receiving some real money is also good.
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