Qi Leyun was nervous and uneasy, not daring to raise her head and look around, nor daring to chat with the sisters around her, standing before the palace hall in torment.
“Why aren’t they letting us in yet?” She couldn’t help asking her mother in a low voice, her expression anxious. “Are they deliberately punishing me?”
Just like when she made mistakes at home, her grandmother liked to summon her but then ignore her, making her stand at the door.
Although Lady Qi had just frightened her daughter, seeing her daughter’s little face so pale, she couldn’t bear it: “Her Majesty the Empress wouldn’t be so bored. She’s not a child.”
She meant that even if Chu Zhao was a child, now that she had become empress, she couldn’t act like a child anymore.
If she did, the noble ladies would look down on her.
Originally, sitting in the empress position didn’t fully convince everyone, and there was much unfavorable speculation.
As mother and daughter spoke in low voices, a eunuch loudly announced that the empress was ascending her throne and the noble ladies should have an audience.
Everyone put away their various thoughts and filed into the empress hall. Inside the hall, eunuchs and palace maids stood like geese in formation. On the empress throne surrounded by precious fans and incense burners, a girl sat upright with a smile in her eyes and brows.
Below her, a woman already stood in attendance. People hadn’t known her before, but now they all did—the empress’s cousin.
“We greet Her Majesty the Empress, may you live a thousand years.” Everyone knelt down together and kowtowed.
From above their heads, a clear and bright female voice fell.
“You may dispense with courtesy and rise.”
……
……
Palace maids filed in and filled the seats with delicacies, but the noble ladies couldn’t sit down and enjoy them with focus. First, several marquis wives were invited before the empress, spoke a few words, then were granted seats. Then more noble ladies were invited one by one.
“This palace came to the capital late, and being young, I don’t know all the ladies,” Chu Zhao said with a smile. “Today I specially wanted to meet everyone.”
The marquis wives who had been granted seats smiled and pointed at the noble ladies nearby, introducing who was whose wife, what her surname was, what her name was.
Chu Zhao would then speak a few words with each lady.
Seeing this scene, Qi Leyun was both nervous and expectant. After waiting a long time—who told her father’s official rank to be low?—it was finally her turn. Lady Qi stood up while once again warning Qi Leyun with her eyes, then walked forward anxiously.
From afar she could see that girl smiling. Looking closer, she had bright eyes and white teeth, her expression calm and generous. Though clearly a young girl, she didn’t make people feel inexperienced or immature, and no one dared look down on her—perhaps because of this empress ceremonial robe.
Lady Qi lowered her head in courtesy and announced her identity.
The marquis wives beside her were about to introduce them when Chu Zhao spoke first: “This palace knows this one. This palace was mischievous together with Miss Qi before.”
Hearing these words, the ladies were stunned, then couldn’t help but burst out laughing.
What this “mischievous” referred to, the ladies naturally knew—the Chu Garden literary gathering.
Qi Leyun was even more delighted and excited, nearly stepping forward, fortunately her mother was prepared and stepped on her skirt hem.
“Your Majesty, you still remember,” she said stammering, looking at Chu Zhao.
The girl wearing a golden jade crown sat on the throne, like a deity statue in a temple, solemn and magnificent. But suddenly she squeezed her eyes, and in an instant they were like falling stars: “What is Miss Qi saying? Is my memory that poor? I haven’t forgotten that you lost to me more times.”
Qi Leyun’s face turned completely red. She wanted to laugh yet also retort, finally saying: “I, I will work hard to study. In the future, I’ll compete with you again, with Your Majesty.”
Chu Zhao smiled: “Good.” After saying this, she looked at Lady Qi again, her smile returning to dignified. “Lady Qi has taught Miss Qi very well.”
Lady Qi quickly performed courtesy and thanked her: “Your Majesty the Empress overpraises me.”
Chu Zhao said nothing more and nodded with a smile. Lady Qi then withdrew with Miss Qi. After they left, Chu Zhao smiled again at the several marquis wives who had been granted seats: “I’ve had no mother since childhood and grew up in the border region without sisters. Coming to the capital, I was very happy to have playmates. After experiencing this calamity and being able to meet again, it truly makes one happy. Ladies, please don’t laugh at me.”
How could they? To have such a nostalgic empress—they were too happy! The marquis wives all stood up saying “Your Majesty worries too much” and “It is precisely because of Your Majesty’s bravery that more people were spared from calamity.”
Chu Zhao looked at Chu Tang again: “Now that I’ve entered the palace, only elder sister remains at home. Uncle and aunt are also unwell. In the future, I hope the ladies will look after my cousin more.”
Chu Tang performed courtesy to the marquis wives.
The marquis wives quickly returned the courtesy and helped her up. They immediately invited Chu Tang to join their seats. Chu Tang didn’t decline and went with them smiling.
Because of these interludes, the atmosphere in the empress hall was relaxed and pleasant. Some girls even boldly stood up to offer tea to the empress, asking in a trembling voice: “Will Your Majesty still hold literary gatherings in the future?”
Chu Zhao said with a smile: “Of course. Should we perhaps also determine a female champion then, and award official positions and noble titles?”
Hearing these words, the girls in the hall all cried out together.
Qi Leyun even jumped up shouting “Yes, yes!” ignoring her mother pinching her leg beside her.
The ladies looked on helplessly with smiles, unable to stop them. Moreover, in their hearts they were slightly moved—if their family’s girls could truly win a championship in the imperial palace hall, it would bring honor to the clan.
As they chatted and laughed, Eunuch Qi came in with a smile.
“Your Majesty,” he said with a smile, “His Majesty’s side is about to conclude. He requests Your Majesty to come see him.”
While the empress held a banquet, the emperor was also entertaining high officials and aristocratic families in the front hall. Hearing these words, the hall returned to quiet. The ladies were about to kowtow and take their leave when they saw Chu Zhao stand up.
“Then all the ladies should follow this palace to see His Majesty together.”
When the noble ladies followed Chu Zhao to the front hall, the front hall had already received notice. The right side positions were cleared out and given to the womenfolk.
Men and women stood on either side, watching Chu Zhao walk slowly forward.
The child in emperor’s ceremonial robes sat properly on the dragon throne. Seeing the approaching girl, he very much wanted to stand up to greet her, but was stopped by Deng Yi’s light cough from below. He could only wait for Chu Zhao to approach.
Chu Zhao first paid respects to the emperor. After being granted exemption from courtesy, she stepped forward and took the hand the child couldn’t help extending again, sitting down with him.
The front hall was even more imposing than the rear hall. The emperor and empress seated on high—their small figures could not be looked at directly. The men and women in the hall performed courtesy and kowtowed together.