"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Mei Ya took the golden book and the golden treasure with a smile, handed them to Gu Qingtong, and then held the hand that Zhong Mingwei stretched out in front of her. She stood up with his help, and then the emperor and the empress went to the incense table to burn incense and pray.
"Your Majesty is really good to the Empress," someone in the audience sighed, "In the past, the Emperor treated Empress Zhenxianxiao very well. The ceremony of her enthronement was unprecedentedly grand. Empress Zhenxianxiao was pregnant at the time, but the Emperor did not take good care of her like Your Majesty did. I heard that after the ceremony, Empress Zhenxianxiao became weak and died of dystocia. Some people said it was because of the overwork during the ceremony!"
"I've heard about it, too. At the time, I was moved that the retired emperor gave such a grand ceremony to the Empress Zhenxianxiao. I didn't expect that it would cost the Empress Zhenxianxiao her life! It's really shocking," said another official. "But our His Majesty really loves the Empress. I heard that His Majesty had wanted to hold a grand ceremony to crown her. But then the Empress got pregnant. His Majesty ordered all the red tape to be cut out, and even asked the Ministry of Internal Affairs to make a new light phoenix robe and dragon crown. He was afraid that the Empress would be tired, so he accompanied her every step of the way. This shows His Majesty's love."
"Yes, this kind of mutual support and never abandonment is much deeper than the love built up by a pile of gold, jade and jewels."
…
Amid the discussion of the ministers. He Chengzhi, who had been kneeling respectfully with his face pressed to the ground, only raised his head slightly at this moment. He looked at the two people kneeling side by side in front of the incense table from afar, and then at the woman in gorgeous clothes who was carefully helped up by the man in the mist of incense. He watched her slender fingers holding the incense and inserting it into the incense burner. He also watched the two turn around and wave to the courtiers, accepting the kowtows of the civil and military officials and the soldiers. He Chengzhi looked at the beautiful face of the girl and the faint blush on her chin, and couldn't help but reddening his eyes. He was so busy that he lowered his head again, and followed the soldiers to kowtow and shout: "Long live the emperor! Long live the queen!"
…
February 19th of the first year of Tianding
Jingren Palace
This was He Chengzhi's first time to visit Jingren Palace. He held his son's tender hand and followed the palace servants as they walked along the smooth stone road between the red walls and yellow tiles.
"Dad, who are we going to meet?" He Siwen looked up and asked He Chengzhi curiously.
He Siwen is the only son of He Chengzhi and his wife Deng. He is four years old now, but Deng died early. He Chengzhi has been raising He Siwen all these years. As they have been displaced and living in poverty all these years, He Siwen looks much smaller than other children of the same age, but he is also much more sensible than other children of the same age.
"Today, Daddy will take Siwen to see His Majesty and the Empress," He Chengzhi said softly, reaching out to stroke Siwen's head, pausing, and then continuing, "Siwen must be respectful and polite when she sees His Majesty and the Empress later, understand?"
"Yes, Siwen understands," He Siwen nodded in agreement, blinking her big eyes and saying to He Chengzhi, "Daddy has always taught Siwen that His Majesty the Emperor and the Empress are the most honorable people in the world, and Siwen remembers it all."
He Chengzhi squatted down, took out a handkerchief and wiped the willow catkins that had drifted onto He Siwen's face, and said in a deep voice: "They are not only the most noble people in the world, but also the closest people."
"Why?" He Siwen blinked his big eyes, frowned, and looked confused. "Isn't daddy the person Siwen is closest to?"
"They, like Dad, are Siwen's closest people." He Chengzhi said again.
"Oh, Siwen remembers it," He Siwen nodded, then shook his head and said, "Then Siwen will be filial and respectful to them just like he is to his father!"
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