Jiu Niang still left. On the day she left, Huo Chengyi and Zhao Shi both came to see her off. Zhao Shu had a lot of silver prepared, as well as some clothes that didn't look particularly nice. It's safer to keep your wealth hidden when you're out and about.
"If you ever need anything in the future, write back to the capital. Remember, we're all here for you," Zhao said gently. A thousand words couldn't compare to the simple statement, "We are your support."
Jiu Niang's tears streamed down her face, but the capital was a place of sorrow, and she had no choice but to leave.
"Come visit often," Zhao Shu also said. She was never good with words, especially for such farewells, and could only utter the most ordinary words in a pale and powerless manner.
Jiu Niang nodded. "I'm afraid I won't be able to come to your wedding. Here, take this and wish you all the best." She handed over a package, which Zhao Shu carried herself. It was quite heavy, so it must contain some hair ornaments and hairpins, and there must be quite a few of them.
"As long as your intentions are there, that's enough. If you're unhappy there, just come back. Don't make things difficult for yourself. You'll always have a home in the capital."
"I really don't want to leave," Jiu Niang murmured, but in the end she still waved her sleeves and got into the carriage.
The carriage axle rattled on and on until finally her waving hand was no longer visible.
As the weather grew colder, the surroundings were desolate and barren, a scene of utter desolation, much like the final moments when everything had changed and people were no longer the same.
Zhao Shu achieved her goal, but some people will never come back.
Spring goes and autumn comes without waiting, the moon's reflection in the water remains unchanged, the story of Luo Fu raising silkworms is but a fleeting glimpse, and where are the magistrate's five horses now?
She gradually put aside matters of the court; her only worry now was Wei Tingsi, who was still at war and she didn't know when he would return.
Riding together with Zhao, the two got along well and did not feel awkward at all. On the contrary, they were very relaxed and harmonious. "You have not yet met the Empress Dowager. Why don't you come with me to the palace to pay your respects to her? She will surely like a gentle woman like you."
"It is appropriate to go and pay respects, but I have been busy with various affairs for the past few days and have not had the time. I cannot be impolite to go. If I go with you, no one will say anything."
It wasn't that she was burdened with worldly affairs; perhaps it was because of her status that she couldn't go. But Zhao Shu didn't care about such things, and she had no desire to get involved in the Huo family's affairs.
However, although Huo Danlan's mother was his first wife, he preferred Huo Baichuan's mother to Huo Danlan's mother, judging her as a person rather than as an object. This contradiction was somewhat like a double standard, where the magistrate is allowed to set fires while the common people are forbidden to light lamps.
"You don't need to do that. Anyone who dares to say a word will be taught a lesson," Zhao Shu said confidently. Nowadays, there aren't many people in the capital who dare to mess with her.
Zhao Shu chuckled, covering her mouth as if she were a fairy descended from heaven. Her features were not as delicate as Yi De's and Sun Yun's, but her elegant and gentle temperament was unmatched by either of them.
A woman like her is like an orchid blooming in a secluded valley.
With her permission, Zhao Shu lifted the curtain and asked Huo Chengyi, who was riding ahead, "Uncle Huo, my aunt and I are going to the palace to see the Empress Dowager. Will you come?"
Huo Chengyi was somewhat surprised, but he quickly recovered. He was eager for Zhao to go out and make more friends. Because of her status, she had been living in seclusion for many years and had become increasingly quiet. If she could go out and make new friends, she wouldn't be depressed all the time.
He nodded. "It has been many years since I last saw the Empress Dowager. This old man should pay my respects."
Both agreed and immediately turned their horses around and headed towards the main road into the palace. The imperial guards at the gate saw Xiao Guozi and the others beside Zhao Shu and let them pass without checking them.
Upon arriving at Cining Palace, the Empress Dowager greeted Huo Chengyi with a smile, saying, "Old Huo, you've really grown up now. You were so young back then, and now you're all old."
The Empress Dowager made a gesture, describing Huo Chengyi as a child.
Huo Chengyi didn't stand on ceremony. After paying his respects as usual, he retorted, "Empress Dowager, you are younger than me. Now you look even younger. It's been many years since I last saw you, but you haven't changed at all. Heaven is truly unfair."
"Look, look, just like father, like son. You are still the same as ever. No one can out-argue you. I won't say much more. Tell me, why haven't you come to the capital all these years? Are you afraid I'll eat you up?" The Empress Dowager was resenting Huo Chengyi for refusing to serve as an official in the court.
Every emperor had invited members of the Huo family to the court to assist in governing, but almost all of them failed. It's not surprising that the royal family harbored some resentment.
Huo Chengyi laughed it off, saying that he was too incompetent to take on such a heavy responsibility and that he was afraid of harming the country and its people.
Seeing that he was unmoved by reason, the Empress Dowager turned her attention to Zhao Shi. To be honest, she didn't like Zhao Shi very much, but Zhao Shi was Huo Baichuan's mother, so she could tolerate it.
Seeing that Zhao Shi's expression had cooled, Zhao Shi quickly bowed and greeted her. She was well-educated, reasonable, and knew how to behave, which pleased the Empress Dowager. Thinking that Huo Baichuan was still lying in bed, she sighed. As a mother herself, she knew Zhao Shi's suffering.
"Since you are surnamed Zhao, let's grant you a title. You are a distant relative, and Minister Huo has made great contributions to the country, so let's grant you the title of County Princess and bestow upon you the title of Luyang County for a period of ten years."
Zhao wanted to refuse, but Zhao Shu immediately pulled her down to kneel and express her gratitude. Huo Chengyi also did not want her to refuse. The Huo family's property will always belong to the Huo family. Even if he is the head of the family, the Huo family's property will never be his, let alone be given to Zhao.
If it was bestowed by the imperial court, then it would belong solely to Zhao, allowing her to hold her head high in the future. The title of county princess conferred by the imperial court, with a ten-year term, carries considerable weight.
Currently, Zhao Shu is the only member of the imperial clan to be officially granted a title by the court. Even the princes only have titles and no fiefdoms. Huo Chengyi is very satisfied, and his son's diligent service to the court has not been in vain.
Of course, he never thought of exchanging his son's life for wealth and status. The Huo family's immense wealth and status were already at their zenith when the royal family was still a peasant family.
When Huo Chengyi entered the palace, the emperor naturally had to come as well. Firstly, it was to honor Huo Baichuan, and secondly, the arrival of the head of the Huo family carried considerable weight.
The Empress Dowager bestowed upon Zhao the title of County Princess, and Huo Chengyi naturally had to reciprocate. After exchanging a few words with Zhao Yi, the two went to the Imperial Study.
Only a few women remained in Cining Palace, playing leaf games around a table. "Come to the palace often to keep me company in the future," the Empress Dowager muttered to herself. Originally, she was supposed to be saying this to Zhao Shu, but at this moment it seemed more like she was speaking to Zhao Shi.
After saying this, she glanced at Zhao Shi and Zhao Shu knew that she was talking to Zhao Shi. Zhao Shi hurriedly agreed, feeling a little flustered. It was probably because she had been living in seclusion for many years and had not often interacted with people, so she was a little nervous.
"What did the imperial physician say?" the Empress Dowager asked Zhao Shu, turning her head.
Zhao Shu hurriedly replied, "She'll be well. Physician Peng will take care of her personally every day, so Your Majesty can rest assured."
"That's good. I've been hoping for his recovery every day. The fighting in Xiliang is fierce right now. Although we're not short of supplies, I'm still worried. I don't know why, but with muskets being mass-produced, the Emperor has said several times that the national treasury is empty."
Zhao Shu was somewhat surprised, but she quickly realized that the Empress Dowager was saying these things in front of Zhao Shi because she wanted to whisper in her ear.
Zhao is not stupid; she is an extremely intelligent and insightful woman. She will definitely not allow Huo Baichuan's hard-earned political achievements to be erased.
However, she didn't feel comfortable interrupting, so she remained silent and focused on playing, as if she hadn't heard anything.
The court is severely lacking in talent. Several talented members of the Huo family are still farming in remote mountain villages. It's a mystery why they would forgo wealth and status to choose farming.
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