The Gilded Cage

Ribbon (1)

In the following days, everyone in the Taiji palace was very busy with the arrival of the Mid-Autumn Festival.

While Chu Ning ordered people to prepare the banquet, she also started to prepare for the establishment of the school.

It was the first time Cuihe did such a major event. Not only did she humbly ask the female officials of the Sixth Bureau for advice every day, but she also took a break from the office several times and went to the various families in Changan to take a look with her own eyes at the family schools for the female relatives to study, and then write down the advantages and disadvantages of each family one by one, and report back to the palace to Chu Ning for discussion.

However, the tense, orderly, and vibrant atmosphere in the palace turned into nothingness when people arrived at Baifu Hall.

Empress Dowager Qi was getting old, and now the Qi family had half-retired from the court and no longer interfered with military and state affairs. Faced with the change in her world, she quickly chanted Buddhist scriptures every day, lived in seclusion, and felt more and more tired.

Seeing that there was already an empress, she finally didn’t want to stay in Taiji Palace anymore and proposed to the Emperor and Empress to move away from Taiji Palace and live alone in Xingqing Palace.

Xingqing Palace was located in the east of Changan City, so its shape was naturally not as good as Taiji Palace, but it has everything inside, and because of its superior terrain, the climate was very pleasant and comfortable.

Xiao Kezhi and Empress Dowager Qi were not incompatible, but now they had a clear boundary, and he treated her as an elder. Regarding this matter, after discussing it with the courtiers, they naturally agreed.

So, on the twelfth day of the eighth month, when the Xingqing speech was finished, Empress Dowager Qi brought some palace servants and her maids and moved there. She even declined to attend the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet.

Xiao Kezhi and Chu Ning saw her off in person, and they didn’t return to Taiji Palace until they saw her settle down in Xingqing Palace. Three days later, it would be August 15th, the Mid-Autumn Festival. The heat was over and the weather was clear. From the Emperor and courtiers to the common people, while immersed in the festive atmosphere of the four circles, they were all very much looking forward to the Empress’s coronation ceremony.

According to the etiquette system, the coronation was first held at the Empress’s natal home. Chu Ning’s parents and close relatives were gone, so Xiao Kezhi asked people to find elders from other offshoots of the Chu Clan and set up a tent outside the mansion in Taiping Square. Chu Ning also left Taiji Palace the day before and moved into the house, then got up early in the morning to wash and wait. Seeing that the hour was approaching, the ceremonial officials held books, spare parts, etc., went northward to worship, and then entered the house. The elders of the Chu family greeted them immediately, and Minister Shang led the female officials into the Empress’s bedroom to help the empress wash and change clothes. The clothes embroidered with five-color rooster patterns and neat accessories made Chu Ning, who was originally gentle and dignified, more noble and gorgeous, especially dazzling and eye-catching, attracting people’s admiration.

Standing by the bronze mirror, Minister Shang smiled and bowed, “Your Highness has a beautiful complexion, no matter what kind of outfit you wear, it goes well with you. Today’s five-colored clothes are even more elegant and dignified.” Chu Ning also looked at herself in the mirror. She smiled when she heard these words and said, “The Sixth Bureau made these divine clothes so exquisitely.”

After a while, the time came, and the female officials led her out of the house to the courtyard in the middle, facing north, the door of the court was wide open. In addition to the principal, deputy envoys and female officials, there were also members of the Chu clan and the accompanying officials. Even the wide road outside the hall was full of people watching the ceremony from afar. The common people were very lively.

As soon as they saw the Empress coming out, the original bustle stopped immediately, and there was silence everywhere, only waiting for the instructions of the ceremony officials. After burning incense and offering sacrifices, the emissary was reading out the book aloud, and then the treasure ribbon was handed over to her. The moment Chu Ning stretched out her hands and took the token, it was officially sealed. The officials present all moved out of the way and bowed on both sides, while the female officials walked in front, welcoming the empress back to her official position.

Outside the main gate, the carriage specially reserved for the empress had already been readied, and the guards and officials retreated to the two sides, waiting for the Empress to board the carriage.

Chu Ning stepped out of the mansion surrounded by everyone and was about to board the car, but there was an orderly sound of footsteps, carriage wheels, and horses from the other side of the street.

Everyone followed the sounds and saw the emperor, who was supposed to be waiting in the Taiji Palace, approaching here in a chariot. His posture was to personally come to pick up the empress back to the palace.

Chu Ning was so surprised that she quickly stopped, turned to meet him, and said in surprise, “Why is Your Majesty here? “According to the rules, there was absolutely no reason for the emperor to greet the empress in person. But Xiao Kezhi got out of the carriagewith a calm smile and stretched out his hand to her, “Of course, I am here to pick up the empress. A’Ning, let’s go home.

Taiji Palace was his home since he was a child, and now it is also her home.

It was dusk, and the setting sun was brilliant, illuminating his silhouette with a magnificent halo.