allonlinenovel Chapter 478 The Lady of Imperial Decree
Chapter 478 The Lady of Imperial Decree
The day of our triumphant return.
The first thing Jiang Zifeng and the others did was to report to the new emperor and receive their reward.
General Lu's second son is still guarding the border. Only his grandson Jiang Zifeng and grandson Lu Mingshan have returned.
There was also Cui Yan's cousin, Cui Sanlang.
All three were of marriageable age, but the new emperor disliked the practice of arranging marriages for people, so he only gave them rewards and assigned them jobs.
Lu Mingshan was calm and composed, so he was assigned to the Imperial Guard.
As for Cui Sanlang, at the request of his father, Prefect Cui, the new emperor arranged for him to work in the Dali Temple so that he wouldn't be idle, giving him a job that would keep him running around like crazy.
When it was Jiang Zifeng's turn, he didn't ask for any reward, but instead asked for one for his mother: "Your Majesty, I've heard that those who have rendered meritorious service in the military can ask for rewards for their families. May I ask for an imperial title for my mother?"
Emperor Jing looked at her quietly for a long time without saying a word.
This made Jiang Zifeng feel somewhat uneasy and anxious.
Did I say something I shouldn't have?
It is said that being with a king is like being with a tiger.
He had never met the previous emperor, but he was quite familiar with the one before him, with whom he had shared drinks and laughter.
Could it be that his personality changed drastically after becoming emperor?
Jiang Zifeng looked up at the new emperor.
He was still the same as before, with a relaxed and cheerful expression.
The only change is that he is more dignified than before, and there is a sense of distance between him and others.
Just as Jiang Zifeng was feeling uneasy, Emperor Jing smiled and said, "You should accept your reward as it is due. Your mother has her own merits, and you don't need to ask for a reward for her."
Merit?
What great things has his mother accomplished during the years he's been away from the capital?
It seems that this was not mentioned in the family letters.
Just as the Emperor was waiting to continue, Eunuch Yu stepped forward to explain: "General, Lady Lu has rendered meritorious service in saving the Empress. She has also donated grain and fodder to the border, built roads and bridges for the people of Jiangzhou, opened granaries to distribute grain and provide relief on several occasions, and led the people of Cangzhou to wipe out the spies of the Northern Barbarians. She is truly a heroine among women. The Emperor has already prepared the edict of investiture for her and is just waiting for your triumphant return to bestow the titles and rewards upon her."
"That's great!" Jiang Zifeng was delighted to hear.
The eunuch's words were the Emperor's will; everyone said that Mother was a heroine among women, such high praise.
He then took the opportunity to mention the matter of changing his surname to the emperor in front of all the officials.
Jiang Zifeng didn't think too much about it; she just felt it was a good time to strike while the iron was hot.
Emperor Jing felt that Jiang Zifeng had changed; she had become more clever.
They really know how to pick a day.
Looking at those censors who seemed to want to say something but couldn't find the words, I felt a pang of envy.
He really wanted to laugh.
They had just lifted Lu San Niangzi up high.
A mother who was just as capable as any man, and a father who was infamous and dismissed from his post.
Even crows know the instinct to feed their parents, and lambs kneel to suckle; it is only natural for humans to choose the mother who raised them to adulthood.
No matter how great the rules of etiquette are, they cannot surpass benevolence, righteousness, and morality.
These old folks used to talk about etiquette and ancestral rules...
None of these seem to apply now.
They couldn't utter a single word in rebuttal.
Emperor Jing readily agreed to Jiang Zifeng's request, and from then on, there were only Lu Ziyan and Lu Zifeng.
Lu Qingyao never expected that her son's first visit to the palace would bring her back an imperial edict conferring her a title of nobility.
She was conferred the title of First-Rank Imperial Lady.
Her mother was granted the title of Lady because of her father's military achievements, but she was granted it because of her own merits.
The emperor also asked her to set an example for women throughout the land.
Not only that, the eunuch also brought another imperial edict.
The emperor bestowed upon her the title of Imperial Merchant.
She remained calm while the eunuch was there, but after he left, she became so excited that she couldn't speak.
She was naturally happy to be granted the title of Imperial Noblewoman.
But what made her even happier was being granted the title of Imperial Merchant. She earned this position through her own abilities, rather than by exchanging it with the Empress Dowager. This allowed her to fully utilize her status and do many meaningful things.
Miao Miao was even happier than her mother when she heard the news.
The Empress Dowager looked down on her mother and used her power to oppress her, forcing her to submit by offering her the title of Imperial Merchant.
However, the new emperor outmaneuvered him.
She believed that the new emperor was weak and that the empress was her own niece, so she had control over both the court and the harem.
But she overlooked one thing.
Imperial power is unshakeable. My uncle is not the kind of emperor who can be manipulated at will. How could he allow the Empress Dowager to interfere in matters of state?
There is no room for two tigers in one mountain.
The uncle probably didn't want to confront her directly, so he used this incident to express his attitude.
Hear the news.
The Empress Dowager, who rarely gets angry, could no longer hold back.
Since becoming Empress Dowager, and then Grand Empress Dowager, she has finally become the most honored woman in the world.
The higher you stand, the fewer rivals you have.
It's been a long time since a woman has angered her.
Lu Qingyao was the first one.
Her good-for-nothing nephew actually resigned from his official post for a divorced woman, wanting to retire and return to his hometown. He was simply trampling on the face of the Empress Dowager and disgracing the Mu family.
There is no cure!
What's most infuriating is that this kid actually sent all the spies she sent to the Dali Temple.
The Mu family will be ruined by him sooner or later.
I've never seen such a stupid and dumb person.
That woman has both sons and daughters, and her business is thriving, which shows she is no ordinary person.
For a woman like this, nothing is more important than Mu Yunji. How could such a person be content to stay at home, to be a dutiful wife and mother?
But Mu Yunji was bewitched.
Such unwavering dedication.
What frustrated her most was that the new emperor, despite his outward compliance, had bestowed upon Lu Qingyao an imperial title and granted her the title of Imperial Merchant.
This completely disregards her status as the Empress Dowager.
She even married her precious niece to this guy, paving the way for him wholeheartedly. Now that he's on the throne, she's turning her back on him.
This is going to drive her crazy!
The more I think about it, the angrier and more depressed I become.
As a result, the Empress Dowager became depressed and fell ill.
This time I'm really sick.
The person most worried was Mu Qianxue, after all, her aunt loved her and treated her like a daughter.
She was caught in the middle, which put her in a difficult position.
When two tigers fight, one will surely be injured. Imperial power must eventually return to the emperor's hands; only in this way can the country enjoy lasting peace and prosperity.
She could only let her aunt suffer.
She didn't mention Emperor Jing at all, only comforting her aunt about her brother's situation.
“Aunt, please don’t worry. You know my brother’s personality. The more you try to stop him, the more he wants to do it. Your obstruction will only unite them against a common enemy and accelerate their relationship. Why don’t you… try letting it go?”
She had reservations about her brother's relationship with Sister Lu.
The main reason is that the eldest brother values Sister Lu too much, but Sister Lu's life has many things more important than love: her children, her parents, and even her business empire that spans the entire Nine Provinces.
Every single one of them was the result of her hard work and dedication.
I wonder what place my older brother holds in Sister Lu's heart.
What she worries about is that once she gets it, her obsession will disappear, and once the passion fades, life will become mundane.
I'm afraid my older brother's expectations will be disappointed.
I'm afraid my elder brother will regret not having any children and will regret his initial choice.
I'm even more afraid that Sister Lu accepted my brother out of momentary gratitude and a desire to repay a debt of kindness.
A harmonious and happy marriage is not maintained by these things.
So let's put it aside for a while and let them see things clearly before making a choice.
“Aunt, you don’t need to worry about the inheritance. As long as the child has Mu family blood, is of good character, and is intelligent and quick-witted, that’s fine. It doesn’t necessarily have to be my eldest brother’s offspring. What if he has a good-for-nothing playboy who runs away with dogs and cockfights and ruins the Mu family? Wouldn’t that be even more infuriating?”
"Then let it go." The Empress Dowager felt that her niece's words made sense: "I was too hasty. As long as they don't get married this year, I will not interfere in their affairs."
She refused to believe that Aji, who faced those children every day, never thought of having one of his own.
There's also the pressure of inheriting the title, which shouldn't be placed on her.
It could easily cause discord between the aunt and niece.
The elders of the Mu family are probably even more anxious than she is; they might have secretly sent people into Aji's room.
If it works out, she really won't care about Aji and Lu Qingyao's marriage. If he wants to marry, let him marry. She'll also take a few concubines and entrust the important task of continuing the family line to them. Then she'll choose a good one and register her under the name of the mistress.
It's not bad either.
Thinking this way, the Empress Dowager felt much more at ease.
Thinking it over, he ordered people to search everywhere for women who looked like Lu Qingyao.
You don't like that look.
Then marry them all and see them to your heart's content.
Mu Qianxue was completely stunned. How did her attempts to persuade her turn out like this?
I want to cry without tears.
But seeing that her aunt was no longer angry, the wrinkles on her brows relaxed considerably.
She was relieved.
If the elder brother's heart is truly as steady as a rock, then his aunt's actions are nothing more than punching cotton.
“Aunt, please don’t worry about these troublesome things. How about I take you and Yuan’er to stay at the Imperial Sister’s villa for a few days? I’ve heard that the scenery there is beautiful, and it’s the perfect time for peonies to bloom.”
The Empress Dowager glanced at her niece; how could she not know her intentions?
She's alive now, how could she not understand?
"Never mind, children and grandchildren have their own blessings. I'm too lazy to worry about this. I'll go tomorrow."
……
Without his aunt's obstruction, Mu Yunji was like a wild horse set free, unrestrained.
They moved directly to the house next to Lu Qingyao's.
He would often run to Miao Miao's house, and would come over for meals from time to time, claiming that he wanted to spar with Brother Feng and even wanted to teach little Miao Miao how to shoot arrows.
It is said that women should also know some skills for self-defense.
Miaomiao doesn't disagree with this.
but……
"Godfather, why don't you come up with a different excuse? My arms and hands hurt from all this training. I'm going to be crippled!" Miao Miao said, clinging to the white wolf's back and looking longingly at Mu Yunji.
Mu Yunji: ...
It was a bit embarrassing; a little kid had seen right through me.
"How about I teach you to write?"
"No."
"Will you teach me Cuju?"
Miao Miao: "...You can't play ball every day, or your legs will break."
“Then I’ll teach you…” Mu Yunji racked his brains trying to figure out what to teach.
"Teach me to ride a horse," Miao Miao said, looking at him, and happily made the decision.
Don't let his military background fool you; he's incredibly perceptive and even more patient than my aunt.
Every time her aunt taught her to ride a horse, she would let her ride by herself, and only when she was about to fall off would she pull her out.
It happens every time.
No one was hurt, but it was scary.
It was like a scene from a horror movie.
This day is a day off.
The family was eating when the godfather arrived again, carrying a wooden bucket containing several catfish, saying it was time for an extra meal.
No one would refuse delicious food.
Godfather always brings his own food, bringing them different kinds of ingredients every day.
Aunt Xiuxiu loves it the most; good ingredients can be transformed into top-notch dishes through her skillful hands.
While waiting for the fish, Miaomiao sat between her mother and godfather, drinking plum juice.
I really don't understand why there has to be a "her" between the two of them?
She felt like a giant light bulb, so bright and shiny, and wanted to shrink under the table.
Her mother lifted her up.
Then my godfather spoke.
“Yaoyao…” Mu Yunji looked at Lu Qingyao through Miaomiao.
However, everyone looked at him at the same time.
He continued, "My aunt no longer objects, so how about I have my mother propose marriage another day?"
"puff……"
Miao Miao spat out the plum juice she had just drunk.
It sprayed all over his face.
She quickly picked up the handkerchief she used to wipe her mouth and began wiping her godfather's face: "Godfather, close your eyes, I'll wipe it for you."
My godfather's direct approach was really something...
And their efficiency is truly remarkable; they settled things with the Empress Dowager in such a short time, without troubling my mother at all.
He seems like someone I can entrust with my work.
But that was too direct; it embarrassed my mother.
If my godfather had said something like that before my mother married Jiang Yunze, then Jiang Yunze wouldn't have stood a chance.
Lu Qingyao took out her own handkerchief and silently replaced the handkerchief in her daughter's hand.
Pulling Mu Yunji into the next room, she said, "Didn't you say you'd let me think about it? Why did you say it in front of the child?"
"I'm so happy, the first thing I wanted to do was tell you what you think?" Mu Yunji beamed, his smile so wide it almost disappeared as he stared intently at Lu Qingyao, waiting for her reply.
"Brother Mu, please allow me to think about it..."
"Yaoyao, is there something on your mind? Tell me, and we'll work together to resolve it. Don't keep it bottled up inside." Mu Yunji stepped forward.
He didn't understand what Yao Yao was afraid of.
Without the Empress Dowager's obstruction, Lu Qingyao had even more concerns.
She looked at Mu Yunji: "Did you submit a memorial to the Emperor to resign from your official post?"
She didn't want Mu Yunji to go to such lengths for her.
This love was too heavy; she was afraid she couldn't bear it.
But there was nothing she could do.
"His Majesty did not agree." Mu Yunji felt a little guilty, as he had not intended for Yao Yao to know about this.
It must have been that little girl Miaomiao who told her.
"Where is your mother? Did she give her permission? And what about the elders of the Mu family?" Lu Qingyao knew that Old Madam Mu would neither say no nor object.
I genuinely hope they are doing well.
But she must have some regrets.
"My mother's idea is that as long as I'm willing, that's fine. As for the elders, we don't need to worry about them." Mu Yunji got angry when he talked about the elders of the Mu family.
Those old guys, I don't know where they found some women, all of whom look somewhat like Yao Yao. If Yao Yao finds out, it'll be terrible.
That's why he moved out directly, to be closer to Yao Yao.
Lu Qingyao knew this was how it would be; the Empress Dowager wouldn't agree, she was just using a different method to obstruct it.
The Empress Dowager even summoned her mother to the palace to speak with her and asked her mother to persuade her.
She was actually quite conflicted: "Brother Mu, everyone says that marriage is a union of two families. If we don't care about anything else, we might end up making enemies rather than relatives. Even so, do you still want to get married?"
Mu Yunji was speechless. He had been away from home for many years, and his mother had made all the decisions about the household affairs.
He never cared about it, nor did he ever think about it.
Seeing that he didn't speak, Lu Qingyao continued, "Putting aside other factors, ask yourself honestly, don't you really want to have a child with your bloodline who looks like you?"
"Even if we overcome all difficulties and obstacles to be together, when you see other people surrounded by their children and grandchildren, when you face your aunt and the elders of the clan, can we really say that we have no regrets?"
Life is full of regrets.
She didn't want Mu Yunji to leave so much behind just because of her.
"Brother Mu, let's give each other some time to think..."
……