In the blink of an eye, it was New Year's Day.
Early in the morning, four imperial carriages arrived, and down from them came two officials from the Secretariat, several palace maids holding gift boxes, several eunuchs holding ceremonial objects, and a group of horse-riding guards.
They arrived at the gate of the Jiang family and shouted loudly: "The emperor has issued an order!"
The gatekeeper jumped up in shock and ran into the backyard to report.
Chunniang and her daughter had gotten up early, put on new clothes, and were preparing breakfast when they were startled by the servant's report. They immediately called their two sons and Jiang Quanhuzi to the door to receive the order.
A group of people were welcomed into the main hall to read the imperial edict. The whole family prepared the incense table, dressed up and knelt down to listen to the edict.
It turned out that the emperor was hosting a banquet for his ministers and their families in the Hall of Supreme Harmony today, and invited the Jiang family to attend the banquet.
There were two more imperial edicts. One was to confer the title of sixth-rank Anren on Xu Chunniang, and to grant her a set of formal dresses and ribbons, as well as a book.
In addition, Jiang Yingbao was conferred the title of the second-rank Qinchuan County Princess, and was given a ceremonial robe, a sash, a jade butterfly, and some corresponding ceremonial vessels, as well as eight palace maids, a county princess's mansion, a sedan chair, and twelve guards.
Looking at the palace maids and eunuchs holding the ceremonial vessels, Yingbao was a little confused.
A messenger smiled and said, "Princess Qinchuan, hurry up and accept the decree. You will have to go to the palace to express your gratitude later."
Yingbao kowtowed immediately to accept the order.
Holding the imperial edict and the jade butterfly in his hands, he didn't know what to say for a moment.
Unexpectedly, her master appointed her as the county lady and gave her Qinchuan County as his fief.
This is a treatment only available to the daughter of a prince or duke.
After receiving the order, Chunniang and her son wanted to keep the interpreter and others for dinner, but they shook their heads and said, "We have to go back and report, so we won't stay long."
Seeing this, Jiang Jie quickly took out two big red envelopes and handed them to the two servants. Several eunuchs also received a red envelope each.
After seeing off the official who delivered the imperial edict, the family looked at the eight palace maids.
A senior palace maid bowed to Ying Baofu: "Slave Meixiang, I pay my respects to the county lady."
Another palace maid also knelt down and saluted: "Greetings to the county lady, my name is Lanxiang."
"Nuhexiang..."
"My name is Qiuxiang..."
Four eunuchs also came over to pay their respects: "Guixiang, Jinxi, Yulian, Yudahai, pay their respects to the county lady."
Yingbao nodded and asked them to stand up.
Meixiang, the chief palace maid, said, "The county lord will come to the palace to express his gratitude later. Let me help you get dressed."
"Okay." Yingbao took A Niang's arm and walked into the house.
Today, Chunniang will also wear the dress of a sixth-rank lady, put on a sash, go to the palace to express her gratitude, and attend the palace banquet.
In addition, she and her daughter also had to listen to Meixiang talk about the rules and etiquette of the palace.
Fortunately, these palace maids can accompany me to the palace this time. Even if I can't remember, I should not be impolite with the palace maids reminding me.
Four palace maids dressed up Yingbao and her daughter, and put on makeup for them, then stood by with their hands hanging down.
Yingbao's dress was longer than A Niang's, and the back of it dragged on the ground, making her look particularly majestic.
After Chunniang put on the dress suitable for a lady of noble birth, her aura instantly improved. With her pretty face, she looked no worse than those ladies from aristocratic families.
Afterwards, the whole family went to the palace for a banquet, but Jiang Quan was not on the invitation list.
Fortunately, Jiang Quan was broad-minded. After happily seeing off his third aunt and little cousin, he went back to his room and sat on the kang to count his money.
When Yingbao's carriage arrived at the gate of the imperial city, it saw that the place was crowded with officials' carriages and sedan chairs.
Her carriage was a royal carriage granted by the emperor, and she could enter directly.
Eunuchs and guards cleared the way and the crowd at the door made way.
Drive into the imperial city, enter the Xuanyou Gate, and follow the north-south street to the Huitong Gate outside the Zichen Hall.
As long as you pass through the Huitong Gate, you will reach the imperial palace.
Inside Huitong Gate, there is the imperial kitchen of the Shangshi Bureau of the Palace Province, as well as the Shangyao Bureau, Shangyun Bureau, Shangyi Bureau, Shangshe Bureau and Shangcha Bureau, a total of six Shang Bureaus, which are usually heavily guarded.
Those who could enter through this door were the emperor and his concubines' confidants and close attendants.
At this moment, outside the Huitong Gate, the provincial governor, imperial pharmacist, personal attendants, chariot officers, the car yard, the yellow yard, soldiers from various internal departments and other miscellaneous personnel were waiting to be summoned at any time.
All the people in charge of purchasing and paying tribute in the palace also entered the palace from here.
Yingbao and A Niang got off the car and walked into Huitong Gate surrounded by several palace maids.
Afterwards they came to the side hall next to the Zichen Hall, the Wenhe Hall. Meixiang said that the emperor would stay here for a while.
There were indeed many eunuchs and palace maids guarding the entrance of Wenhe Hall. It seemed that the emperor was already in the hall.
After the announcement, Yingbao and Chunniang walked into the hall.
Zhou Wuchang was seen sitting on the dragon throne, wearing a bright yellow dragon robe and a crown woven from gold threads on his head.
"Your Majesty, may your Majesty be blessed with good health!"
The mother and daughter kowtowed three times and bowed nine times to Zhou Wuchang in a proper manner.
Zhou Wuchang smiled: "Stand up. Take a seat."
The palace servants on both sides immediately brought two round stools.
After expressing their gratitude, Yingbao and A Niang sat down on the stools.
She thought for a moment and asked, "Your Majesty, has Qinchuan County really been given to my disciple as a fiefdom?"
Zhou Wuchang nodded.
Yingbao smiled and said, "Then I will return to live in Qinchuan County in the future."
"You wish. You need to stay in the capital." Zhou Wuchang picked up the teacup and took a sip.
"Why?"
Zhou Wuchang: "You haven't married yet. Once I choose a husband for you, you can move to Qinchuan County."
Yingbao: “…”
Zhou Wuchang added: "Today is a palace banquet, so you can take a closer look. If you think any young master is pleasing to your eye, tell me."
Yingbao's head was full of black lines.
Zhou Wuchang: "You are not young anymore. There are not many unmarried women in this dynasty who are 17 years old. Every time I go to court, I have to listen to those old ministers complaining about you. I don't know how many times you and Zhou Hao and Zhang Min have been impeached by those old ministers. I am helpless."
"What if the person I like is not in the capital?" Yingbao tried to struggle desperately.
Zhou Wuchang: "It doesn't matter. As long as you tell me who it is, I will grant you marriage."
"What if he doesn't agree?" Yingbao asked with blinking eyes.
Zhou Wuchang snorted: "No problem, I will call him over to ask him."
Seeing Yingbao was about to speak again, the emperor hurriedly said, "The banquet will begin immediately. You can go to the Chuigong Hall first."
The Chuigong Hall is right next to the Zichen Hall, and today all the palace concubines and ladies are attending the banquet in this hall.
When Yingbao saw her master asking her to leave, she had no choice but to say goodbye to A-niang.
When we arrived at the Chuigong Hall, many ladies of honor were already seated in the hall.
Yingbao and Chunniang were led by the eunuchs in the palace to their seats.
There is no way around it, because of their different ranks, her and A Niang's positions are also different.
Fortunately, Old Madam Wu and Old Madam Luo were also there. Their ranks were the same as Chunniang's, both of them were sixth-rank Anren, so they sat together.
Yingbao felt relieved when she saw her mother sitting next to Old Madam Wu, and nodded to the ladies around her.
She was a county lady of the second rank, with a status equal to that of a royal family member, and she sat together with several ladies of the first and second ranks.
Meixiang secretly told her that among these ladies, there were Concubine Yao Shu's biological mother, Concubine Lu Xian's biological mother, and two others, namely Concubine Chen Hui's mother and Concubine Zhong De's mother.
They look young, about the same age as Chunniang.
"Are you the emperor's female disciple?" Mrs. Lu asked with a smile.