Chapter 193: New Year’s Court Visit

Chapter 193: New Year’s Court Visit

On the first day of the Lunar New Year, officials and nobles must pay their respects to the Emperor and attend the grand banquet. Women holding imperial titles would also visit the palace to pay their respects. Besides the Empress Dowager, they would also pay their respects to the Empress.

The Empress had been missing for a long time, and the role of the head of the harem had remained vacant. In addition to the Empress Dowager, the women of external rank must also pay their respects to Imperial Noble Consort Shufei, who was the mother of King Qing.

Naturally, Princess Zhaoyang would attend the palace banquet tomorrow.

"Thank you, Mother." The Empress Dowager spoke perfunctorily, and Princess Zhaoyang replied in kind.

Princess Zhaoyang understood that the Empress Dowager was merely speaking offhandedly.

Perhaps noticing her son’s poor mood, the Empress Dowager, aiming to lighten the mood, became more talkative: "I heard that there is a Miss Kou who bears a striking resemblance to Princess Zhaoyang?"

At these words, Emperor Xingyuan, Princess Zhaoyang, and even Imperial Noble Consort Shufei all turned to look.

The Empress Dowager, confused, asked: "What's the matter?"

"A few days ago, during a banquet at He Garden to honor benefactors who had donated to the disaster relief efforts in Dingbei, my son saw Miss Kou."

"Oh, I heard that this Miss Kou donated 50,000 taels." The Empress Dowager's tone was indifferent.

Princess Zhaoyang saw this and subtly curled her lip.

Mother is still so concerned about money.

"Emperor, is Miss Kou really that similar to Zhaoyang?" The Empress Dowager's interest clearly lay here, not in the donation amount.

Emperor Xingyuan looked at Princess Zhaoyang and nodded with a smile: "She does resemble Zhaoyang a little."

In truth, Miss Kou resembled him more, but it would be strange for him to say so.

"Tomorrow, when the women of external rank enter the palace for the audience, have her family bring her to let me see."

Princess Zhaoyang couldn't help but say, "Tomorrow, those entering the palace are all women of rank with imperial titles. Wouldn't it be inappropriate for a young girl to enter the palace?"

The New Year’s court visit might seem prestigious, but the women of external rank had to begin dressing and preparing in the middle of the night, leaving their homes at the fifth watch of the night. After all the preparation, it was quite an ordeal.

The women permitted to enter the palace held imperial titles and viewed it as an opportunity for social interaction, making the occasion enjoyable for them. However, Miss Kou was just a young girl, and given Mother’s lukewarm impression of her, what benefit would there be in her entering the palace?

It would be purely a hardship, and if she offended someone, it could lead to trouble.

The Empress Dowager glanced at her daughter, Princess Zhaoyang. "Do you think anyone would dare gossip if I think it's appropriate?"

"That's not what I meant," Princess Zhaoyang said, enduring it and lowering her eyes.

Seeing the tense atmosphere between his mother and sister, Emperor Xingyuan hurriedly smoothed things over: "It's really not a big deal. If Mother wishes to see Miss Kou, we can send someone to Shaoqing Mansion to notify her tomorrow morning."

Princess Zhaoyang shot her brother a sideways glance but refrained from further comment.

Imperial Noble Consort Shufei smiled and said, "Miss Kou moved out of her ancestral home and opened a bookstore, which has been very successful. People commend her as a business prodigy."

Hearing this, the Empress Dowager’s eyes flashed with disdain, and she said indifferently: "Then I'm even more curious."

Imperial Noble Consort Shufei smiled.

Princess Zhaoyang's gaze turned cold.

Her royal sister-in-law was capable and not inferior to men; she was not a submissive personality. The Empress Dowager disliked her royal sister-in-law and, by extension, disliked capable girls. Although Imperial Noble Consort Shufei’s words seemed to praise Miss Kou, they were actually setting a trap for her.

When did Miss Kou offend Consort Shu?

Perhaps it's because the son of Count Gu Chang was punished and she couldn't do anything about it, so she took it out on Miss Kou.

Princess Zhaoyang considered this and decided to protect Miss Kou well tomorrow.

At Shaoqing Mansion, it was still dark when the elderly lady got up.

The only ones in Shaoqing Mansion qualified to attend the court congratulation were the elderly lady and Duan Shaoqing.

Fortunately, the elderly lady, now older, needed less sleep. Although she had been fussing over her hair and makeup since the middle of the night, she didn’t find it too difficult, though she felt a bit disoriented.

This disorientation completely cleared when she received the message from the front.

A palace messenger arrived with a message, requesting the elderly lady to bring Miss Kou to the palace.

"Quickly go to the Evening Serenity Abode and inform Miss Kou!" the elderly lady hurriedly instructed.

This was too sudden; if they delayed, it would be disastrous to miss the palace entry time.

Xin You was woken by an urgent call.

"Miss, wake up quickly."

Xin You opened her eyes and sat up immediately. "What is it?"

Xiaolian was also puzzled. "They said you need to go to the palace with the elderly lady for the court congratulation."

The sleepiness vanished from Xin You's eyes as she got off the bed. "Get a crimson skirt and jacket, a gold hairpin inlaid with rubies; no need to prepare other accessories."

As they were getting ready, someone from Ruyitang came again to urge them, afraid of delaying their departure.

Dressed properly and wearing a vermillion clover-patterned cloak, Xin You headed to Ruyitang.

The elderly lady had just finished preparing and, upon seeing Xin You enter, carefully inspected her from top to bottom before letting out a sigh of relief. "You’re presentable. Why aren’t you wearing earrings?"

"Wearing too much might be inappropriate."

The elderly lady thought about it and agreed. An unmarried young girl didn’t need to wear elaborate jewelry; a gold hairpin was sufficient.

"Let’s go. Once we’re in the palace, don’t look at or speak about what you shouldn’t."

The gates of Shaoqing Mansion opened, and firecrackers popped, bringing the festive atmosphere of the New Year.

Xin You followed the elderly lady onto the carriage, with gongs and drums leading the way toward the imperial palace.

When they arrived at the imperial city, it was still early morning, but the palace was decorated with lanterns, with carriages and horses constantly moving, as lively as daytime.

Civil and military officials were offering congratulations in the front hall, while the outer court ladies went to the inner palace.

As Xin You walked, she received countless astonished glances.

It was no wonder others were shocked; among the court ladies in formal attire, a young girl in regular clothes was conspicuous.

The ladies exchanged glances frequently, whispering about why a young girl was among the titled ladies.

This was the Miss Kou who had donated fifty thousand taels?

Once they knew the girl’s identity, the ladies’ expressions became even more complicated.

Although the old saying goes that money makes the ghosts turn the mill, surely not the royal family, though?

Following the ceremonial procedures, New Year’s greetings were made to the Empress Dowager, and then to Consort Shu. Once the banquet began, the ladies began to relax slightly, able to engage in quiet discussions under the cover of the music and dancing.

"Is Madam Duan, mother of Duan Shaoqing, Deputy Director of the Imperial Stables, present?" The Empress Dowager sat at the highest position, her gaze sweeping downward.

The ladies paused mid-chopstick, and the whispers also fell silent.

A nearby palace servant hurriedly replied, "Your Majesty, Madam Duan’s seat is near the entrance of the hall."

Wives of officials of the fifth rank and above had the qualification to enter the palace for New Year’s greetings on the first day of the year. Since Duan Shaoqing was a fourth-rank official, the elderly lady was a fourth-rank Guren, and it was already a privilege that she was not seated outside the main hall.

"Please have Madam Duan bring her granddaughter forward," the Empress Dowager said.

As the palace attendants relayed the message, Madam Duan led Xin You from the entrance to the innermost part of the hall, where she knelt down, visibly moved, saying, "This humble wife greets the Empress Dowager, wishing Your Majesty all the best."

In previous New Year’s ceremonies, the Empress Dowager would converse with some of the ladies, but for someone like her who was seated almost near the outer part of the hall, such an opportunity was rare. Simply being able to see the Empress Dowager clearly would have been sufficient.

Is she benefiting from her granddaughter’s presence this year?

"No need for such formality, Madam," the Empress Dowager, uninterested in Madam Duan, turned her gaze to Xin You. "This must be Miss Kou, is it not? Lift your head so I may see you."