It was lunchtime, and even though the foreign delegation had left the palace, the officials in the hall still had the good fortune to eat the imperial kitchen's dishes in the palace. Such an opportunity was not common.
The New Year's banquet celebrated with the emperor, the Deer Cry Banquet for newly appointed scholars, and the Qionglin Banquet for newly appointed scholars, among others.
Regardless of the type of palace banquet, it was an honor for the officials who could attend, reflecting their political status and identity.
However, for Hong Xiaoduo and Kaiyang, one big and one small, it wasn't a very happy thing, because they felt uncomfortable.
Actually, it's not that the two of them can't eat casually like they always do, but things are different now.
Kaiyang reminded himself to eat properly. He wasn't afraid of being ridiculed for his poor table manners, but he was concerned that people would say his mother hadn't taught him properly.
Moreover, they didn't want others to laugh at their grandfather and father.
Hong Xiaoduo actually had the same idea.
She knew what Kaiyang was thinking. She was gratified but also heartbroken. She wasn't sure what the child would be like when he grew up if he hadn't returned to the Wei family and had stayed with her. But he would definitely have had a happier childhood, free from constraints.
"Don't be too reserved later. You're just a kid, and those important officials shouldn't be so tasteless as to laugh at you," Hong Xiaoduo whispered to Kaiyang while they waited for their meal.
Kaiyang had just nodded when he saw a eunuch talking to Eunuch Fu at the palace gate. After listening, Eunuch Fu turned around and looked at him and Hong Xiaoduo. Then, Eunuch Fu returned to the emperor's side and said something, and the emperor also looked over.
"Young Lady Hong, the Empress has sent someone to invite you to the Phoenix Palace for lunch. Please go." The Emperor said to Hong Xiaoduo with a smile.
The Empress? All the officials in the hall turned to look at the Emperor. Empress Gao had been released from the Cold Palace, and the Emperor had ordered the Imperial Observatory to select an auspicious day to restore her to her imperial status. The auspicious day had been chosen: September 16th, half a month from now.
However, she was originally the empress, and she was framed and wronged. Now that the truth has been found out, even if she has not been officially restored to her position as empress, it is not inappropriate for the emperor to call her empress now.
Besides, even if there was something wrong, who among those present would dare to stand up and correct it?
Those who reacted quickly understood what was going on and why the Empress had invited Hong Xiaoduo to have lunch at Fengyi Palace. If it weren't for this young lady Hong, the Empress would still be in the Cold Palace, and even if the poisoning was discovered, it would probably be too late to save her.
In that case, Lady Hong can be considered the Empress's benefactor.
At this moment, Hong Xiaoduo hesitated and looked at Kaiyang. Before she could speak, the emperor said again, "Take Wei Kaiyang with you."
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Upon hearing that Kaiyang could be taken along, Hong Xiaoduo immediately expressed her gratitude and led Kaiyang away with the people from Fengyi Palace.
Watching the two figures walking out of the palace gate, the emperor thought to himself, he had seen many martial arts figures before, but she was truly unique in that she didn't act like an emperor.
She was just thanking His Majesty. Hmph, if he hadn't taken the initiative to ask Kaiyang to come along, she probably would have asked him anyway. If he didn't agree, the Emperor thought she would refuse the Empress's advances. She's absolutely capable of doing that!
The emperor himself didn't know why, but he just knew!
The person who came to invite them was Eunuch Kang from the Empress's palace, who was only in his thirties.
Because Hong Xiaoduo insisted on not riding in the sedan chair brought by Eunuch Kang, on the grounds that she could enjoy the beautiful scenery inside the palace by walking there, Eunuch Kang introduced the scenery along the way, and even said that the scenery in the garden of Fengyi Palace was even better.
Hong Xiaoduo claimed to be appreciating the scenery along the way, but her pace was not slow enough to enjoy the view. Even if she had been kind to the Empress, and even if she was not afraid of the Empress's status, she would not really stroll around and appreciate the scenery. Why would she make the Empress wait? She wasn't out of her mind.
"The one beside His Majesty is called Eunuch Fu, and you are called Eunuch Kang. So, are there also Eunuch An and Eunuch Shou?" Hong Xiaoduo asked jokingly.
Kang Gonggong laughed and said, "Miss Huihong, there is indeed an Eunuch An, who serves by the Empress Dowager's side. As far as I know, there is no Eunuch Shou."
Amidst laughter and conversation, they arrived at Fengyi Palace. As they approached, the number of palace maids they encountered along the way noticeably increased.
"Your Majesty, Lady Hong and Wei Kaiyang, the grandson of Minister Wei, have arrived," Eunuch Kang announced outside the palace gate.
Hong Xiaoduo couldn't help but wonder if she would hear the Empress say "let them in" or if a palace maid or eunuch would come out and welcome her and Kaiyang in.
The next moment, a noble yet gentle woman stepped out, followed closely by palace maids and nannies.
"This humble woman, Hong Xiaoduo, greets Your Majesty the Empress and wishes Your Majesty a thousand years of life." Hong Xiaoduo bowed to Empress Gao with clasped hands.
"This humble subject, Wei Kaiyang, greets Your Majesty the Empress and wishes you a long life, a thousand years!" Kaiyang imitated her.
Empress Gao looked at the two people in front of her, one big and one small, and sized them up before her gaze returned to Hong Xiaoduo's face: "You are Hong Xiaoduo who saved me. My benefactor is above me, please accept my bow."
No sooner had she finished speaking than the Empress lifted her skirt and prepared to kneel.
Fortunately, Hong Xiaoduo reacted quickly, raising her hands to stop her: "Your Majesty, please don't do this, this humble woman cannot accept it." She said it was a bow, so why did she kneel down?
"If it weren't for you, I would still be in the Cold Palace, covered in filth, and might have already died from poisoning. How can you say I can't bear it?" The Empress said, her eyes reddening.
She had been in the cold palace for seven years, and her initial expectations had slowly turned into despair and a sense of waiting to die.
She was unwilling to accept it, but time slowly wore her down, from initially being filled with expectation to later becoming disappointed, numb, and waiting to die!
Unexpectedly, she was not destined to die. Without any warning, the emperor took her out of the cold palace, and the truth of what happened back then was revealed. It was at that time that she learned that she had given birth to a prince, not a princess.
All of this is because of the girl in front of me.
"Your Majesty, please don't be sad. The worst days are over, and from now on, there will be good days. Besides, I have already received a reward from His Majesty. So, Your Majesty, please don't feel indebted to me." Hong Xiaoduo comforted the somewhat agitated Empress.
"Your Highness, let's go inside and talk. It's getting windy outside," Eunuch Kang quickly advised.
What Eunuch Kang was actually implying to the Empress was that since they were outside, they could go inside and talk things over slowly!
"Yes, Your Majesty, let's go inside and talk. When will the food be served? On the way here, we were wondering what delicious dishes Your Majesty had prepared." Hong Xiaoduo said with a smile, deliberately trying to lighten the atmosphere a bit...
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