Because the dynasty faced great turmoil, the Late Emperor, the Crown Prince, and others were quickly buried, and preparations were made for the coronation ceremony of the Imperial Grandson.
As well as the Empress investiture ceremony.
The Imperial Grandson’s and Empress’s ceremonies were held together. By normal standards, this should not be done, but both Deng Yi and Xie Yanfang insisted on it this way, and the court officials’ objections were useless—in today’s court, Deng Yi had been entrusted by the Emperor as regent, holding the imperial seal and military command tokens, while Xie Yanfang was the Imperial Grandson’s only living relative. The Yang family had been nearly massacred by the Third Prince, the Zhao family had been uprooted with nine degrees of kinship exterminated, and more than half the court officials were now currying favor with the Eastern Yang Xie clan.
One was resolute and decisive, the other smiled without speaking, and half the court remained silent.
Before dawn, Chu Zhao began her preparations.
Compared to the Imperial Grandson, Eunuch Qi was more worried about Chu Zhao’s side. The Imperial Grandson had grown up in the imperial family from childhood, with etiquette and rules ingrained in his bones, so he specifically found time to come check on this side.
Inside the palace hall, lanterns blazed brightly, with palace maids and eunuchs standing in rows. As Eunuch Qi walked in, he immediately saw the girl sitting in the center. The girl was having her hair dressed, still wearing simple palace attire, but sitting there, her posture was dignified and her expression composed.
She looked into the mirror, her eyes somewhat distracted, as if her mind was wandering, yet her gaze was focused and naturally imposing without anger.
In that moment, Eunuch Qi inexplicably had the thought that she was born to be Empress.
The girl was perceptive. She lifted her eyes and looked over. Seeing it was Eunuch Qi, the slightly melancholy look in her eyes instantly dispersed, replaced by a smile.
“Is A’Yu well?” she asked.
Eunuch Qi quickly bowed: “All is well, all is well. The young master is worried about you and urged this old servant to come see. If this old servant hadn’t come, he would have run over himself.”
Chu Zhao smiled. Her gaze swept across the table, and she picked up a small dish of plum blossom cakes and handed it to Eunuch Qi: “I ate this and found it just right—not too rich and not too dry. Have him eat a few bites, but don’t dare eat much else.”
Eunuch Qi responded affirmatively and received it with both hands.
At this moment, palace maids brought over various jeweled hairpins and the phoenix crown.
Chu Zhao raised her hand to stop them: “Change clothes first. If I dress my hair first and then change clothes, it will easily become messy, and sitting and lying down will be uncomfortable.”
The palace maids responded affirmatively. The palace matrons on the side didn’t say half a word extra.
Eunuch Qi couldn’t help but glance at Chu Zhao again. These words were strange—it felt as if she had dressed this way before. Though it could also be experience from girls’ preparations.
However, to remember such experience at a time like this and pay attention to her own comfort was quite rare.
This girl really was—Eunuch Qi felt great admiration in his heart. He couldn’t help but think of that night when the girl raised her hand and drew a blade to kill. Then thinking of the girl’s father, when Chu Ling first entered the palace, he too was steady as a mountain. There was nothing so strange about it.
Eunuch Qi withdrew his gaze, holding the plum blossom cakes as he took his leave. There was no need to worry about Miss Chu here; he should focus on looking after the Imperial Grandson.
Chu Zhao saw Eunuch Qi’s look but didn’t mind. She surveyed the great hall. Entering here once again, she didn’t want to and was too lazy to pretend to be a stranger.
She also glanced at the palace maids and matrons standing around with lowered eyes and obedient demeanor.
In that previous life when she was invested as Empress, she had been tormented plenty.
These palace maids, matrons, and eunuchs were not this obedient then. They looked down on her, this nameless woman from a border commandery, constantly saying “this is the rule,” while she trembled with fear, afraid of embarrassing Xiao Xun.
Thinking of this, she stood up and looked at herself in the mirror, now dressed in the Empress ceremonial robes.
Rules—rules were set by the master.
And this time, she was the master here.
……
……
A’Le took a deep breath. Hearing the music playing all around, she couldn’t help but glance at Xiao Man on the other side.
“Xiao Man,” she called softly, “don’t be nervous.”
Xiao Man, dressed as a palace maid, glanced at her.
Even for the Empress investiture, Xiao Man followed at Chu Zhao’s side, together with A’Le responsible for holding the ceremonial cape. By normal standards, this should be undertaken by senior palace matrons, as it was an important occasion that could not tolerate the slightest mistake.
Some palace matrons had raised this point, but Xiao Man firmly insisted it wouldn’t do.
“The more important the occasion, the more dangerous it is,” she said. “We are exactly the ones who regularly work in important occasions.”
The palace matrons were stunned. Dangerous? Did she mean walking wrong, walking too slowly, accidentally tearing something—that kind of danger? And also, what important occasions had she worked in?
Chu Zhao smiled: “It’s fine, just let her follow.”
Hearing Chu Zhao say this, A’Le immediately wanted to follow as well.
What more could the palace matrons say? This obscure Miss Chu had been personally enfeoffed by the Late Emperor in the imperial city, was attended day and night by the young Emperor, was treated respectfully by Eunuch Qi, could sit with Grand Tutor Deng Yi, could converse in detail with the imperial relative Third Master Xie. When she walked out, the Imperial Guards bowed to her—
Even if this young lady truly made a mistake at the investiture ceremony, who would say anything?
A’Le was still somewhat nervous—nervous about not doing well herself. She had never been nervous before. Previously in the dark of night following her mistress in combat entering the imperial city, Xiao Man following the mistress in and out while she guarded the palace hall where the mistress stayed—everything had been her decision then, and she hadn’t thought much of it. But now, looking at the imposing great hall, looking at the mass of court officials, listening to the solemn palace music—
This wasn’t a dream. Miss was truly becoming Empress.
Empress—
“Xiao Man,” she murmured, “do you know what Empress means?”
The Emperor’s wife, the most noble woman in all the land.
When leaving the border commandery with Miss to enter the capital, she had thought the General wanted Miss to find a family in the capital to marry into. She also felt this was appropriate—how could those people in the border commandery be worthy of Miss? But she had never imagined Miss would marry the Emperor and become Empress.
Miss would be Empress from now on!
Xiao Man glanced at her: “I know what Empress means, but no matter what Empress is, isn’t she still Chu Zhao?” She added, “Your hands are shaking. Can you do this or not? If not, I can do it myself.”
A’Le blinked. Yes, she looked at the girl standing in front.