The Empress Dowager returned before Jiang Zhen and Jiang Jun. Once Jiang Jin ascends the throne, she will immediately become the Grand Empress Dowager.
After all, he was her own son. The concubines and princes in the harem thought that the Empress Dowager would be angry, but she accepted it very quickly.
"He is unworthy of his position. You have done a good deed. Why should I be angry?" The Empress Dowager had just turned sixty last year. Perhaps because life in the palace was very comfortable, with no worries and maids to serve her, she looked only about fifty.
She looked at Song Xia with gentle eyes: "You've been in the palace for so many years, and this is the first time I've met you. Soon you will be the Empress Dowager, so please don't be offended. I really didn't like life in the capital before."
“My daughter-in-law understands. Life in the capital is indeed oppressive. If you have a choice, you should naturally live the life you like.”
"It's rare that you're younger than them, yet more insightful than them," the Empress Dowager said with a smile. "Now, under your influence, they've finally come to terms with things."
"Empress Dowager..." Consort Zhuang and the others said shyly, "Let's not talk about those things from the past, it's too embarrassing."
"What's there to be embarrassed about? Living in the royal family, it's normal to scheme against each other. It's already quite remarkable that you can break free from this mindset. I only started to find it meaningless after becoming Empress Dowager. You are better than me, and you understood it before I did."
"Normal does not mean correct, but if it weren't for Her Majesty the Empress, we might never have understood this principle in our entire lives."
"Tell me how the Empress has influenced you all. I've heard you've been living a very happy life in the palace all these years!"
"Only after these eight years have I realized that I wasted all my previous days." A group of people accompanied the Empress Dowager as she strolled through the Imperial Garden, bursts of laughter occasionally escaping her lips. Then, not long after, the Empress Dowager eagerly set off to visit their classrooms and laboratories.
"That's really strange, how does the Empress know so much?"
Song Xia didn't go with them. She left after dropping them off. From afar, she heard Consort Shu explain, "Her Majesty the Empress is clever. She can always learn useful knowledge from books that others look down on."
"Your Majesty, we'll set off some homemade fireworks for you tonight. They're so beautiful! We have red, purple, and green ones, and they're selling very well. We already have a leader for the blue ones, and we'll set them off for you first."
As Song Xia walked away, their voices gradually faded from view. Xiao Jin was about to ascend the throne, and there were still many things to prepare. She did not intend to interfere in the affairs of the previous dynasty, but Xiao Jin had not yet taken a concubine, so she had to make sure that things in the palace were settled.
"Your Majesty, when the Crown Prince ascends the throne, should we arrange a position for the retired emperor?"
Song Xia wanted to make arrangements, but he still wanted to see the emperor first before deciding.
This was not her first time visiting Taiji Palace. Just as Xiaoming had said, Master Qingfeng was different from eight years ago, with more wrinkles around his eyes.
"I believe the Taoist priest is truly a hermit."
"I dare not accept such praise. I have only learned some Taoist divination techniques. Your Majesty is the true goddess incarnate."
"Oh? I don't think I'm some kind of goddess."
Master Qingfeng smiled mysteriously: "Your Majesty, this old Taoist priest said that he knows some divination techniques. Without Your Majesty, the entire Xuan Kingdom would be in dire straits. You can save the Xuan Kingdom from disaster. What else could Your Majesty be but a goddess?"
Song Xia looked at him with slight surprise, not expecting that there was such a capable person who could predict her whereabouts.
Master Qingfeng sighed with emotion: "I only thought that the Empress was a glimmer of hope for Xuan Kingdom. I never expected that the Empress could manage the court so well and also raise six princes with extraordinary talents."
"They are capable on their own."
"They are all rising stars, but without the guidance of the Morning Star, I fear they will all scatter!"
Song Xia no longer denied that this Taoist Qingfeng was indeed different from ordinary monks, which deepened her doubts.
"Does the Taoist priest truly possess the art of immortality?"
Master Qingfeng laughed heartily: "I dare not ask for immortality, I can only wish to prolong my life."
Just then, the emperor came out and heard this, and his expression changed instantly.
"You dare to lie to me? You say the art of immortality is fake? That the immortal sects are fake too?"
Master Qingfeng maintained his calm and composed expression: "Your Majesty, as long as one has the Dao in one's heart, one can achieve immortality."
Song Xia thought to himself, "Isn't that right? The Dao grants immortality, but humans may not."
The emperor became suspicious again, and when he saw Song Xia's mocking gaze, he instantly realized what was happening and became even angrier.
"I'm going to kill you! I'm going to kill you all! You conspired to deceive me, didn't you?"
"Your Majesty, how can rain and thunder be faked?"
The emperor's angry words were choked back down. Song Xia sighed inwardly. With the emperor's suspicious and paranoid nature, it was no wonder that Daoist Qingfeng had been able to fool him for so many years.
She had been to the world of immortals and heroes, but even there, she had never heard of anyone who could live forever. How could she do that in this world without immortal power or cultivation techniques?
Perhaps by doing good deeds and contributing to the common people throughout one's life, one can attain immortality in another sense!
But what about myself?
"Xiao Ling, does someone like me qualify as immortal?"
System Xiaoling thought for a moment: "Xiaxia, I am just a system, I was also created."
Song Xia understood. In her understanding, even the most durable things have a lifespan. The higher-dimensional beings that created the Little Spirit had all perished. Who would be able to repair the Little Spirit when its parts were damaged? That would be the day she said goodbye to all the worlds.
However, that day should be very far away, long enough for her to travel to worlds with different laws. Perhaps the merit she earns at that time can awaken Xiao Ling's higher-dimensional world. But will Xiao Ling, after being repaired, still be Xiao Ling?
Xiao Ling suddenly felt very guilty. It was he who had bound Xia Xia to him, making Xia Xia experience different lives and complete different tasks in each world. After a while, Xia Xia would probably get tired of it!
“No.” Song Xia suddenly spoke up, telling him firmly, “At least not now, Xiao Ling. I’m so happy to have you by my side. I also really like these cubs with their different experiences, and I’m happy to save them. Actually, I’ve come out ahead, because my original life was long gone, but you’ve allowed me to live for so many more years and experience so many different worlds. Look, in this world, I only spent eight years teaching the cubs, but afterwards, I can enjoy life without any worries!”
Upon hearing this, Xiaoling jumped up lively again: "Xiaxia, as long as you don't feel tired or annoyed, that's good. In the future, when we earn energy, you can buy more of the things you like, and it will be easier to go to the world later."
Song Xia chuckled: "I already feel quite relaxed now."
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