Favoring Qie Over Wife (53)

All the officials and noble families who supported Zhao Cheng were in celebration.

Fortunately, it was the third prince who became the Emperor. When the tide rises, the boat floats. Since it was the prince they supported who became the venerated Son of Heaven, their own statuses would rise in accordance as well.

In fact, this kind of outcome was not unexpected. If one said that nearly half of those who engaged in politics were on Zhao Cheng's side, they would not be wrong. Song Jia listened to the rumors that ran rampant inside the capital from her maidservants with a smile on her face, her good mood apparent to all.

There were rumors which made Song Jia happy, such as how good an Emperor Zhao Cheng would be, and who would become his Empress. The people speculated that Prime Minister Li's di daughter could not be taken lightly, as her backing was not something many can surpass. However, she was out of favor, and the third prince was now the Emperor, with no one above him. Like this, wouldn't it be too easy for him to elevate his beloved concubine's status and make her become his Empress?

These people didn't know, but there were only two days left before the year was over. Since Song Jia and Zhao Cheng were about to divorce, how could she become his Empress?

Naturally, it would be Bai Mei Lien.

Of course, Song Jia's good mood was not only because of this. Zhao Cheng had become the monarch, and her mission was near to its completion. She could finally go back home!

My salary, here I come~

Song Jia was all smiles as she sat in front of the window, her eyes curved into crescents. In front of her was a plate with slices of watermelon on it, while her other hand leisurely held a palm fan.

"Ruolan, it seems that we are blessed with good weather today."

Hearing her name being called, Ruolan looked up from the clover-shaped purse that she was sewing and followed Song Jia's stare. Her eyebrows furrowed at the sky that was quickly turning dark.

This was the 'good weather' that wang fei mentioned? Could it be that those rumors in the capital had affected wang fei so much that her grief made her blind?

Keeping her thoughts to herself, Ruolan smiled and agreed, "Wang fei is right, we really do have good weather today."

"As soon as the mourning period is over, let's go out and eat many delicious desserts. We'll invite third sister and fourth sister to come with us too."

Ruolan nodded. If she had been listening closely, she would have detected the anomaly in Song Jia's words. If Song Jia hoped to be the Empress, she wouldn't be able to leave the palace easily and what more, shop outside like a carefree civilian. How could the mother of the world be allowed to roam such crowded places?

"Wang fei!" Minglan suddenly rushed in from outside, her face filled with excitement. "The steward just hurried over and told me that there's someone from the palace requesting an audience!"

Eh? Someone from the palace?

Seeing Song Jia's confused look, Minglan helpfully added, "The steward also said that it's one of the high-ranking eunuchs that especially serves His Majesty! He's here to read out an imperial decree to wang fei."

An imperial decree?!

Song Jia stood up, her face blank. It couldn't be what she thought it would be, right?

Although her heart was echoing Sun Wukong's suffering of being pressed down under a mountain for five hundred years, Song Jia nevertheless still gracefully walked towards the outer rooms to await the announcement of the imperial decree.

When the high-ranked eunuch came, he was not as arrogant as Song Jia had expected. Instead, he bowed his head respectfully towards her before picking up the yellow imperial decree from an eight-sided bright red tray that was being held up by a lower-ranked eunuch.

"By order from the heavens, His Majesty decreed to welcome niangniang into the palace, to manage the affairs of the hougong and to accompany His Majesty in observing the mourning period. Niangniang, His Majesty especially told this servant to say that after the three months of mourning period was over, niangniang will be conferred the title of Empress, and anyone who says otherwise will be accused of slander, going against the will of the Emperor, and be sentenced with a crime punishable by death."

The eunuch bowed his head even deeper as he said those last few words.

Song Jia was startled. Was this Zhao Cheng's way of reassuring her that the rumors in the capital were in the end just that, rumors. But he didn't have to sentence them with capital punishment, ah! Was he trying to show the might of imperial power, so that his reign will become smoother in the future?

Song Jia shook her head. No, no, no! That itself wasn't important! The real question was, why is he making her his Empress and not Bai Mei Lien?[1]

Hesitatingly, Song Jia asked, "Are you sure...you're in the right place? This is the zhengfang."

This grandma is the infamous unfavored wang fei! Go to the side courtyard, the side courtyard!

But the high-ranked eunuch was expressionless as he said, "Is niangniang the eldest eldest di daughter of Prime Minister Li, praised by His Majesty for her beautiful and wise spirit, virtuous and calm demeanor, multitude of great talents and vast intelligence?"

Song Jia's voice was weak as she replied, "Maybe..."

"Then this servant is not wrong, asking niangniang to please receive His Majesty's summons."

What else could Song Jia say? In the end, she could only murmur, "Thanking Your Majesty for his benevolent grace."

"Niangniang, a carriage is waiting to take you to the palace, as soon as niangniang is ready, I'll call for the imperial bodyguards to escort you along the way."

Even the imperial bodyguards are here?!

Song Jia felt like she was about to faint. What a great fanfare this husband of hers had created just to welcome her, smashing all of her hard-won efforts into dust! It was as if he was announcing to the whole world that she was the Emperor's woman, whoever bullies her will meet their ancestors in heaven, whoever thinks of touching her will be killed in one stroke. This was not the typical behavior of someone who was about to divorce his big wife, ah!

"Gong-gong, please wait for a moment. I still have to pack a few things to bring into the imperial palace."

"Niangniang, please be at ease, this servant will patiently wait here."

After successfully getting an affirmative reply, Song Jia fled the outer rooms as if rabid dogs were chasing her. Back in her bedchamber, she paced back and forth with her hand pressed to her forehead while Minglan and Ruolan quickly packed her things.

"Move slowly, make sure to drag it as long as possible...actually no, I'll do it myself, the two of you can leave."

Minglan and Ruolan, seeing that her expression didn't seem right, quietly exchanged looks and retreated out of the room. Perhaps wang fei was still in shock from the sudden news. It was best to give her some personal space to calm her mind.

[1] While Emperors who didn't choose their official wife as their Empress were very rare, it sometimes happens especially if his wife's background/the family behind her isn't powerful enough.