On the 15th day of the fourth month, Li Chuyun, the chief inspector of the Palace Front Office, was the first to submit a memorial praising the late emperor's daughter Fu for her love for the soldiers and the people, and her dignified manners, and that she should be given the honorific title of Empress Duanci. Ministers submitted memorials one after another, requesting that Empress Fu be given an honorific title.
Guo Shao had mentioned this matter to important officials a long time ago, and the court officials might have heard the news. Besides, Fu Jinzhan had indeed pleaded for the soldiers many times before, and advised the late emperor to treat the soldiers well. Over the years, her prestige in the hearts of the imperial guards was already very high. After Guo Shao expressed his attitude, no one objected to this matter. It was just a matter of conferring the title of emperor. It was Li Chuyun who first proposed it, which surprised Guo Shao.
The eunuch Cao Tai calmly left the Jinxiang Hall and hurried to the Zide Hall to report the good news.
The title of honor is a respectful title given to a person while he is alive, so there are no etiquette rules in all dynasties. Compared with the posthumous title that is recorded in history for thousands of years after death, this title is not important and of course has no practical significance. But it is different for Fu Jinzhan, it is a very important matter.
Although Guo Shao did not change the country's name, Fu Jinzhan's status and position were still rather awkward, so Fu Jinzhan basically stopped showing up after Guo Shao ascended the throne; now if the ministers and the emperor give her a title of honor, it would be a public affirmation of her status and a statement of the new court's attitude towards her.
Cao Tai glanced at Concubine Du who was standing beside Fu Jinzhan. Concubine Du slightly bent her knees towards Fu Jinzhan, trying to avoid him. Unexpectedly, Cao Tai immediately told her the truth.
Concubine Du immediately stopped and said happily: Congratulations, Your Majesty.
Fu Jinzhan sat upright on the couch, nodded slightly, and was very calm.
Cao Tai said anxiously: "After the court is dismissed, His Majesty should send the memorial to the Empress's palace for you to read." When Du heard this, she thought it was a happy event and not a secret, so she stayed to accompany Fu Jinzhan.
After a long time, the eunuch reported that the emperor had arrived. Fu Jinzhan sat on the imperial couch without moving, but looked towards the door. Concubine Du also glanced sideways, waiting for the new emperor to show up.
Finally, a man in a purple floral robe walked in. The people around him knelt on the ground one after another. Concubine Du was stunned for a moment, and then quickly kowtowed. Everyone shouted: "Greetings to Your Majesty."
Stand up, the man's voice said.
Concubine Du suddenly found that her ears were hot and her heart was beating fast, and she felt a little breathless. At first, she thought she was nervous about meeting the emperor, but soon she realized that it was not the case. In terms of power, before Guo Shao ascended the throne, Fu Jinzhan's power and status were not lower than the emperor, and Concubine Du often stayed with her and did not feel nervous.
Today, the court has submitted a petition to give the emperor's sister-in-law a title. This is the opinion of many ministers. Please read it. Guo Shao came over holding a pile of petitions.
The closer she got, the more nervous Du became, even though the emperor didn't pay any attention to her at all.
It had been a long time since Mrs. Du had seen a male. For several years, the men she had seen were either women or eunuchs. Eunuchs were also men at first, but Mrs. Du could instinctively feel the huge difference.
Listening to Guo Shao's voice, although polite and gentle, it has a completely different aura from that of eunuchs and palace maids. She couldn't help but quietly look up and pay attention to Guo Shao, who was tall, strong, and straight, with a face tanned by the sun, and slightly rough skin, faintly emitting some indescribable aura. When he raised his hand and clenched his fist, the veins on the back of his broad palm were highlighted. It was completely without the fine whiteness and delicacy of women, but there was a simple masculine aura everywhere. Du Shi hadn't felt this for a long time.
At this moment, Guo Shao's bright eyes suddenly fell on Mrs. Du's face. Mrs. Du was frightened and lowered her head in a hurry, not daring to move. Fortunately, Guo Shao continued to talk to Mrs. Fu and did not pay attention.
But only then did Mrs. Du realize that the emperor might not be able to see through her thoughts, but Mrs. Fu next to her must have seen it because women are observant and can notice any clues.
Du pretended to observe Fu casually, and sure enough, the empress looked at her differently. That smiling look made Du feel ashamed for a moment.
Only then did Du understand a truth: some subtle little actions are often thought to be unnoticed by others or not thought too much about by others, but often the opposite happens.
Her attention has shifted from Guo Shao to Fu Jinzhan, who is more related to her fate. She found that Fu Jinzhan is graceful and dignified, speaks slowly and politely, and is very decent from her demeanor to her tone.
There is a rather grand ceremony for the title of the emperor. In addition to going to the Imperial Ancestral Temple to pay respect, the wives of officials of the second rank and above in the capital must go to the palace to present a congratulatory memorial, and the emperor will present the golden book and seal to complete the ceremony. After such a ceremony, all the dignitaries will know the reputation of the person being honored.
There are preparations for ceremonies, and it was agreed that the ceremony would be held in the palace five days later, on April 20. In addition to arranging personnel and etiquette, the preparations also included notifying the dignitaries in Beijing.
Duke Meng Chang of Qin was shocked when he suddenly received the imperial edict, but he was relieved after learning the details.
Lady Huarui was also given a rank, so Meng Chang told her about it so that she could prepare. Seeing that Lady Huarui was not worried at all and seemed a little happy, Meng Chang said casually: "It's really strange. The new emperor ascended the throne and the imperial edict did not forget to give you a title. What is the blacksmith Guo planning? He can summon you to the palace when there is a grand ceremony."
Madam Huarui glared at him and said: Why are you still daydreaming? You gave me the title of Madam because you want to win over the hearts of the people in Shu.
Meng Chang was glared at by Lady Huarui, and he only thought that she was cute, with a beautiful face and a soft and graceful figure, so he said: If you haven't slept with me for a long time, I don't want to
Meng Chang hadn't had the chance to gamble for a while. He saved some money and bought a dozen maids. He was not short of women, but a woman as beautiful as Madam Huarui was always hard to find, and he was tempted again.
Unexpectedly, Madam Huarui said angrily: I don't want to get that kind of dirty disease.
Last time Meng Chang went to a gambling house to visit prostitutes, he contracted a pus-filled syphilis, which infected all the palace maids. It was hard to cure him. But the doctor said that some people could not be cured from the root of the disease. The disease would not be fatal, but Lady Huarui felt uncomfortable when she thought about it.
She couldn't be tempted by Meng Chang now. After arriving in Tokyo, he couldn't find an alchemist and stopped taking elixirs. But he still had nothing to do all day, and the lack of elixirs harmed his body. His health was not much better, and he was whiter and fatter than in Shu. Lady Huarui felt that something was missing.
She turned her head and saw Meng Chang sitting, taking up the entire chair, like a pile of soft meat spread out on it, with his loose and soft silk robe rumpled together, making the whole person look shapeless.
Meng Chang sighed again: When we were in Chengdu, you never dared to disobey me.
Lady Huarui remained silent, thinking that Meng Chang was telling the truth. Not to mention that she did not dare to resist when he was emperor, in fact, she liked him much more at that time because he was the emperor's majestic presence.
But Lady Huarui immediately thought of the crystal palace that Meng Chang had spent a lot of money to build for her by the river. For a moment, she felt a little guilty, remembering that Meng Chang had not been mean to her before.
That's all. Meng Chang was not angry at all, but rather a little depressed and uncomfortable.
He looked at Madam Huarui up and down and couldn't help asking: "Last time we were bullied by a minor official, but we solved it quickly. Was it because of your relationship with Jingniang, or did that blacksmith Guo take a fancy to you?"
Madam Huarui said hurriedly: Of course it was Jingniang who helped
Meng Chang asked again: Why did Zuo You, the Junior Secretary of the Ministry of Rites, also come
Madam Huarui suddenly felt that Meng Chang was sometimes easily calculated by others, but he was not stupid. She said vaguely: Jingniang was originally from the current emperor's mansion, but she is not a person in officialdom. To deal with officials, she can only seek help from the current emperor's staff.
That was something Meng Chang seemed to be thinking about.
Lady Huarui said: If the emperor is interested in me, and even makes me his lady, and takes me directly to the palace, what can I do
After hearing this, Meng Chang was stunned for a moment and nodded in agreement.
When Lady Huarui said this, it really reminded herself why Guo Shao ignored her. If he had forgotten, how could she remember Guo Shao's neglect of her by conferring a title on her? She felt very disappointed, and a gloomy look appeared between her brows.
Once, she couldn't help wanting to find Jingniang, hoping to get close to Guo Shao through Jingniang; but Jingniang was not in Guo's house, and no one knew where she had gone. Lady Huarui did not succeed, and only felt ashamed when she came back. As a married woman, she had fallen to the point of actively seducing others.
And now, with the opportunity to enter the palace and meet the emperor, it seems that she can meet Guo Shao again. Lady Huarui feels a little complicated for a moment.