Xie Lanzhi felt her smooth hands caressing her body. She had barely managed to suppress a trace of desire, but it was instantly aroused again.
After enduring the ordeal all the way back to the palace, Xie Lanzhi went straight to the bathhouse to take a bath, trying to calm herself down.
Si Xitong had showered earlier, and after changing into her nightgown, she lay in bed for almost half an hour. Just as she was drifting off to sleep, she sensed someone gradually approaching. The person tiptoed into bed, careful not to wake her. She blew out the candle and slipped into the covers.
Si Xitong almost instinctively snuggled up to the person next to her, found a spot to lie down, and fell asleep to the sound of her heartbeat.
She quickly fell asleep.
On the other side of the blanket, Xie Lanzhi's eyes were wide open, as if they were copper bells. The girl in her arms had a shapely figure pressed against her chest.
She couldn't sleep at all that night.
early morning.
With dark circles under her eyes, Xie Lanzhi hurriedly went to court after finishing breakfast.
Si Xitong was still eating when she saw that she had finished eating and left.
She couldn't help but worry, "Didn't she sleep well?"
You probably haven't been sleeping well.
Xiao Xiu, standing beside her, seemed hesitant to speak. She wanted to remind the princess to pay more attention to her figure, perhaps because she should realize that her undergarment had become almost an inch too big.
Unbeknownst to her, the princess had also matured into a young woman, just like a pink peach.
Marshal Xie probably realized this, which is why she had insomnia.
The civil and military officials in the Golden Palace were concerned about the exhausted appearance of their ruler.
Xie Lanzhi yawned frequently and drifted off into thought, her mind filled with the image of the little girl, her smile lingering in her mind.
She couldn't help but rub her forehead: "What do you ministers have to report?"
Many elderly people in the Golden Palace have taken leave because they drank too much at last night's birthday banquet and couldn't get up this morning, unlike the younger people.
Duke Zheng stubbornly remained in the Golden Palace, continuing his petition with the officials from yesterday: "We implore General Xie to persuade the princess so that she may be reinstated as soon as possible."
Xie Lanzhi waved her hand: "Princess, there's no rush."
Xie Guang also said, "Marshal, this dragging on is not like you. Normally, you would have given the order directly."
Xie Lanzhi asked, "Do you no longer wish to attend court?"
Xie Guang immediately shut his mouth, looking aggrieved. What had he done wrong now? Xie Xia couldn't bear to look at him; his elder brother was truly hopeless. He was always taking advantage of the Marshal's displeasure.
Xie Ji, however, took the initiative to present a petition from the people: "Grand Marshal, this is a petition from the people of Tianjing."
The Xie officials all frowned upon hearing this; these commoners in Tianjing were truly addicted to petitioning.
They haven't seen their Grand Marshal pay attention to public opinion or act on time.
Xie Xia couldn't help but remind Xie Guang: "Brother, you're not even as good as an ordinary citizen."
Xie Guang glared at him angrily.
Xie Lanzhi had no time to pay attention to the various schemes of her subordinates. She said, "Pass it up."
She read through the petition, which was written by a down-on-his-luck scholar from Tianjing. His handwriting was good, his writing was fluent and his thoughts were clear. The general idea was that the Tianjing royal family had a history of more than two hundred years, and most of the people in Tianjing were Jin people. As long as the legitimate wife was restored, many poor refugees would no longer have to suffer from the oppression of the rebel army and bandits who took advantage of the chaos, and would no longer be turned into commodities in the slave market and sold to various places.
Once the princess is restored to the throne and the Jin dynasty is restored, the Xie family will surely be praised for their lasting fame.
Xie Lanzhi understood perfectly well that in times of chaos, what the people yearned for was nothing more than stability. These commoners clearly saw the Empress as a hope that would free them from their constant wandering, a glimmer of hope for life.
Fortunately, these people chose the right person.
But it was not ordinary people who started it; it was people spreading the message among the people that gathered public opinion.
Xie Lanzhi said, "Xie Ji, the person who submitted the petition is a talented individual. I have always admired those who speak out for the people. Send someone to test his understanding of the people's livelihood. If he is competent, then appoint or dismiss him from his post."
Xie Ji said, "Yes, then what should be done with the petition?"
"The petition has five thousand handprints and signatures, meaning that one in ten citizens of Tianjing supports the restoration of the throne. How could I, the commander, possibly obstruct the will of the people?" Xie Lanzhi said, sweeping her gaze across the crowd: "And what are your brilliant ideas?"
The Xie family members all nodded in agreement: "We naturally support the will of the people. Moreover, Madam Si is the matriarch of the Xie family. Supporting her is supporting the entire Xie family."
Duke Zheng also said, "The people's will is clear, and it is imminent for Her Highness the Princess to be restored to the throne."
"Since everyone shares the same opinion," Xie Lanzhi immediately distributed the petition and announced to the crowd, "Since Si married me, I have been very successful. First, I thwarted the conspiracy between the Northern Region and the Shi Kingdom, and then I recovered Tianjing. All of this shows that Si is an auspicious person, a bright pearl in the world. Whoever possesses her will possess the world."
A note from the author:
Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 16:58:24 on November 26, 2021 and 18:06:25 on November 27, 2021!
Thank you to the little angel who threw the grenade: 1 fan;
Thank you to the little angels who threw landmines: Wu Yu Mao and Mi 1;
Thank you to the little angels who watered the nutrient solution: mymymy (5 bottles); Xinxin (4 bottles);
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
Chapter 31 Princess Fengning is granted the title of Nine-Rank Official
"Today, there is no one in the court or outside the court who does not support the restoration of the Lady. I hereby announce that, with all the necessary certifications, Si Xitong will be restored to her position as the eldest princess of the royal family."
"The seal-granting ceremony will be held immediately in three days."
"We obey your command!" everyone replied.
On the day of the investiture ceremony, the people of Tianjing learned that the late emperor's daughter was to be restored to her princess status, and the news spread throughout the streets and alleys. They began to elaborate on the many benefits of the princess's restoration.
“As long as the Nine Jin are restored to their rightful place, the displaced people can respect the Princess as their master and become Jin people, instead of being bought and sold as unruly people.”
"Those scoundrels won't dare to grab us like wild chickens and send us to our deaths anymore."
"Having a status is better than not having one. I don't want to live like this anymore, being bullied everywhere."
"Only by becoming citizens of the Nine Jin can we live like the people of the Eight Jin, and maybe even be qualified to farm."
"We no longer have to wander from place to place."
Soon someone shouted, "Long live the Princess!"
The refugees cheered, "Long live the Princess! Long live the Princess!"
For the first time, the streets and alleys had the atmosphere that usually only exists during the Chinese New Year.
In the Golden Palace, officials from Tianjing knelt in the passageway between two dragon-carved pillars to welcome Si Xitong.
The Xie officials bowed their heads in respect.
Si Xitong, clad in a long red robe embroidered with phoenix patterns, the hem resembling phoenix feathers, and wearing a gold-threaded crown befitting her status as a legitimate wife, walked gracefully down the red carpet into the Golden Palace with dignified bearing and her hands tucked into her sleeves. Palace maids trailed her phoenix robe behind her.
Xie Lanzhi was waiting for her on the throne when she saw Si Xitong step in.
Dressed in a phoenix coronet and red gown, with exquisite beauty, she looked every bit the bride, but she knew this wasn't a wedding ceremony. Rather, it was the young girl's first step towards becoming an empress.
She finally took the first step.
The officials in charge of rites and Li Ling, the Vice Minister of Rites, began to read the sacrificial text of the Jin Dynasty, which was lengthy and sacred.
Si Xitong stood dignifiedly, while Xie Lanzhi stared at her intently, looking very serious.
It's hard not to imagine her demeanor when she unifies the world in the future.
Half an hour later, Li Ling finished reading, and then the official in charge of ceremonies stood next to Xie Lanzhi with the sandalwood tray bearing the phoenix seal.
Xie Lanzhi stood up and personally handed the gold-wrapped seal to Si Xitong.
"Princess Fengning, from today onwards, your status as the legitimate wife is restored, and you are granted the border city of Bianzhou as your fief."
Si Xitong bowed slightly to her: "Thank you for your great kindness, Your Majesty! Fu Feng will certainly not disappoint you."
Xie Lanzhi said with a complicated expression, "I hereby grant you Lanzhang Palace as your sleeping quarters."
Si Xitong said, "I am fortunate to be able to share a bed with the Princess."
Seeing how polite she was, Xie Lanzhi couldn't help but complain, "We've been sharing a bed for almost half a year."
Si Xitong suddenly said in a low voice, "It takes decades to grow old together. When I am old and faded, please thank Your Majesty for not despising your wife who has shared your hardships."
Xie Lanzhi felt she was being criticized as well. She raised her eyebrows and said, "How could that be! If anyone is going to grow old and lose their beauty, it'll be me a few years earlier. Besides, what you said applies to you too."
The old-fashioned Li Ling, who was standing nearby, turned his face away, a little embarrassed. He coughed softly to indicate, "Your Highness should go to the Imperial Ancestral Temple to offer incense to the late Emperor."
Xie Lanzhi blushed. How did she get led off-topic by this little girl? Si Xitong also put away her playfulness and became serious, as if she wasn't the one who had just spoken.
It can change at will.
Afterwards, Si Xitong followed the official in charge of rites and Li Ling to the Temple of the Emperor. The Temple of the Emperor has always been a place where only the Emperor himself has entered. On important days each year, members of the direct line of the family can also enter to worship. Not to mention Si Xitong himself, who is a member of the direct line of the family. However, there are only two descendants left in the direct line of the family, and the incense offerings have dwindled. Si Xitong must enter the Temple of the Emperor to offer incense to the Emperor's tablet.
Entering the Emperor's Temple also signifies that Si Xitong is now Princess Fengning, the true heir of the throne!
All the kings in various regions had to respect her as their master.
In the Jin Dynasty, the title of Princess was a powerful one. Her fiefdom and military entourage were on par with those of princes, and sometimes she was even superior to princes, sitting on equal footing with them.
Xie Lanzhi assigned Xie Shangguang's two thousand men to protect Si Xitong.
Xie Shangguang was very happy. Ever since his mistress sentenced Xie Yongxin, that beast, and sent his mother and that retainer to the Southern Region for punishment, he heard that the retainer had been executed and Xie Yongxin's mother had been sent to a nunnery to live a solitary life.
His revered person had increased to include his mistress.
Xie Lanzhi knew that her trip to the Emperor's Temple to offer sacrifices would take a whole day, and she wouldn't be able to return until evening.
A temporary meeting was held at Jianzhang Palace to discuss the restoration of the proper hierarchy and the restoration of ritual music.
They all acted under the pretext of Princess Fengning's reinstatement.
Xie Lanzhi directly selected Wu Qiu.
"Wu Qiu, from now on you will be appointed as the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of War."
Upon receiving his appointment, Wu Qiu bowed respectfully and said, "Your subject obeys the decree."
"Taking this opportunity, I intend to establish a new system for examiners in Tianjing." Xie Lanzhi told Wu Qiu about the prototype of the imperial examination system. Wu Qiu, who was well-read, immediately understood what she meant.
Furthermore, Wu Qiu said, "Marshal, this imperial examination system seems to be based on the same principle as the Southern Dynasty's 'education for all' policy."
The Southern Dynasty in this world is a county town, but it's a very peculiar little country. Despite being small, the entire nation is populated by scholars. They can't fight, but whenever someone tries to invade, they surrender and adopt their own system. Some dynasties have used this system, but within a century, internal strife intensifies, and they are eventually invaded and destroyed by foreign enemies.
This system, which had been in place for a century, was thus swallowed up by the flames of history.