AMLFS Chapter 111

Chapter 112: Conferment

Chapter 112: Conferment

The autumn scenery was pleasant. In the small courtyard’s garden, Song Huaixi was running around, holding the cotton string in his hand.

The other end of the cotton string was taut, pulling a butterfly kite.

“Sister-in-law, look! Our kite is flying so high!” Song Huaixi wore a peach-red jacket, his head tilted high, his round eyes curved as he watched the kite soaring higher and higher into the sky.

“Huaixi, be careful. Watch the road and don’t trip,” Zhao Qiongwan sat on a stone stool beside him, tidying up the kite-making tools while smiling and reminding him.

“Understood, sister-in-law,” Song Huaixi obediently replied.

The little yellow-brown dog at his feet also followed him, running around and yapping, “Woof! Woof woof!”

“Little Wolf, don’t follow me, you’ll get stepped on,” Song Huaixi said to the little dog at his feet while busy reeling in and releasing the string in his hand.

But the little dog couldn’t understand and became even more excited, barking around him.

Song Huaixi stopped running, holding the cotton string in his hand, staring at the little dog on the ground. Little Wolf also squatted down, sticking out its tongue, the dog and the boy staring at each other.

“You want to fly a kite too?” Song Huaixi looked at the kite string in his hand and then at the little dog looking up at him. “But Little Wolf, you don’t have hands. You can’t fly a kite.”

“Pfft.”

Zhao Qiongwan chuckled at their conversation. Song Huaixi always had some strange ideas that couldn’t help but make people smile.

The little dog tilted its head, although it didn’t understand what he was saying, its enthusiasm undiminished, “Woof! Woof woof!”

Seeing its persistence, Song Huaixi pondered a method while pulling on the string to prevent the kite from falling.

“Ah! I’ve got it!”

Looking at the little dog, Song Huaixi had a flash of inspiration. He squatted down and used his teeth to bite the cotton string in his hand, then tied the cotton string to the little dog’s tail.

“That way you can fly a kite.” Patting his hands, Song Huaixi felt he was simply too clever.

Looking up, he saw the kite in the sky teetering. Song Huaixi anxiously shouted, “Run quickly, Little Wolf! The kite is going to fall.”

This time, Little Wolf seemed to understand, sprinting with all its might. The kite, which had been teetering just now, now flew up again, flying higher and higher, straightening the dog’s tail.

“Hahahaha,” Zhao Qiongwan couldn’t straighten up from laughing at the scene before her. “Oh my, Huaixi, you’re so funny…”

As the two were playing, Zhao Lu hurriedly ran over from the front hall, “Your Royal Highness, Madam. The imperial decree has arrived. Please go to the front hall to receive the decree.”

“What? The imperial court is issuing a decree?” Zhao Qiongwan’s heart skipped a beat. They knew very little about the battle situation on the front lines.

Could it be that the Prince lost the battle? Shaking her head, Zhao Qiongwan suppressed the thought in her heart, sure that it wouldn’t happen.

“What’s wrong? Sister-in-law?” Seeing them talking, Song Huaixi ran over, carrying Little Wolf.

Zhao Qiongwan looked at the knot on the dog’s tail that hadn’t been untied yet, went forward to untie it, and put the little dog he was holding down, “The imperial decree has arrived, we must quickly go to receive the decree.”

“Ah?”

Song Huaixi looked blank, and was hurriedly dragged to the front hall. As soon as they entered the front hall, everyone knelt on the ground in unison, their faces solemn. Song Huaixi was also helped to kneel on the ground.

In front of them was a person wearing eunuch attire, holding a bright yellow silk cloth.

Song Huaixi was stunned, the scene before him was somewhat familiar. Right, when he got married, a eunuch also came to his house with yellow cloth.

The eunuch delivering the decree saw that the person had arrived, his face beaming. He opened the cloth in his hand and proclaimed the decree:

“By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: I and Huaixi have known and understood each other, our affection is very deep. You possess both virtue and appearance, gentle and kind nature, dignified and respectful conduct. I commend your actions and hereby establish you as Empress, to reside in the central palace, to be of one heart and one mind with me, to jointly promote the welfare of the state and protect the common people. This is the decree!”

“Empress, please accept the decree.” The eunuch bent down and presented the imperial decree to Song Huaixi, his expression respectful.

Looking at the bright yellow silk cloth being sent in front of him, Song Huaixi stood up and took it with both hands. His expression mixed with confusion.

The eunuch said a lot, but why couldn’t he understand?

“Huaixi, you’ve been conferred as Empress!” Zhao Qiongwan reminded Song Huaixi in a low voice, seeing his confusion.

Song Huaixi blinked his round eyes, still at a loss, “Empress?”

“The Prince won, became the Emperor, you’re the Empress now!” Seeing that his mind wasn’t working, Zhao Qiongwan had to change her explanation.

Who knew he would directly seize the wrong point and turn around in surprise, “Zhao Fangye won!? When is he coming back!”

Everyone’s eyes were filled with helpless smiles, knowing that he didn’t understand these things. Not knowing what great glory this was. In fact, the Song family members felt a chill in their hearts the moment they heard that Song Huaixi was conferred as Empress.

After all, there had never been a precedent for a man to be Empress in previous dynasties. Zhao Fangye’s actions undoubtedly broke the precedent. Breaking the precedent would surely be an instruction issued under countless pressures.

Song Zigen remembered the conversation he had with Zhao Fangye in front of the bed that day, and now truly believed that Zhao Fangye would sincerely treat Huaixi well.

Song Huaixi didn’t know what everyone was happy about, he was happy too. Zhao Fangye won! Zhao Fangye is so awesome!

“Eunuch, when is Zhao Fangye coming back?” Song Huaixi, holding the bright yellow silk cloth, couldn’t help but ask the eunuch about Zhao Fangye’s return date.

The eunuch delivering the decree had already adapted to him directly calling the Son of Heaven by name, and respectfully said, “His Majesty has ordered me to immediately escort the Empress into the capital. The carriages are ready.”

Everyone walked out of the courtyard gate and saw that the quiet alleyway was crowded with magnificent carriages, an endless procession.

Song Huaixi, in splendid clothes, sat in a luxurious luan carriage, clinging to the car window and looking at the scenery outside, his mind still unable to process it.

Everything happened too fast, he was just flying a kite in the courtyard. In the blink of an eye, he was stuffed into a carriage and embarked on the road to the capital.

Reaching out to touch the soft brocade beneath him, Song Huaixi curiously looked at the interior of the carriage. Everything that met his eyes was engraved with exquisite patterns and lacquered with gold.

“So beautiful…” Song Huaixi’s eyes were sparkling, this was bigger and more beautiful than the sedan chair he had on his wedding day.

Deputy General Sun led a group of personal guards to protect the convoy on the left and right, the carriage team heading mightily towards the capital.

Imperial Study, Zhao Fangye sat in a circular chair. He put down the official roster in his hand and reached out to pinch his tired brow. The little eunuch beside him immediately handed him a cup of White Hair Silver Needle tea.

Dynastic changes were just like this, the victor becomes king. The Forbidden City was still just changing masters again, no one would find it strange, everything was natural.

Taking a sip of tea, Zhao Fangye’s stern face didn’t have any extra expression. The little eunuch beside him was trembling, afraid of making a mistake and angering the Emperor.

Waving his hand, he dismissed the servants. Zhao Fangye sat alone in the quiet hall, taking out the jade pendant in front of his chest and gently stroking it. He had only lived in the huge palace for less than half a month and already felt unbearably lonely.

Sun Shu’s letter was placed in the center of the imperial desk: “The Empress is well, and will arrive in the capital within three days.”