latelenovela Chapter 455 The appointed time has arrived; I must go find her.
Chapter 455 The appointed time has arrived; I must go find her.
The younger sister found it very amazing and thought for a long time before saying, "Big sister, do you remember when we found Xiaoxia, she was with the wolf?"
Si Muyan smiled and said, "Yes, that's what I said too. When we found her on the mountain, she was in the arms of a mother wolf, so she looked like a wolf too. But it's been too long, and I don't remember what the wolf looked like, so I don't know if it was one of the same few wolves."
The younger sister said, "Perhaps it was that pack of wolves. The wolves mistook Xia'er for their child. They actually came all this way to visit her from such a distance..."
If that's true, then the wolf pack is truly formidable; it's a mystery how they managed to find their way to Kyoto.
It can only be said that many things are preordained by fate.
The younger sister added, "They even left two wolf cubs for Xia'er, that's quite interesting."
Si Muyan said, "It's only been two months, and Xiaoxia has become very familiar with the two wolf cubs, just like raising two dogs. However, the wolf cubs have grown up and become much fiercer. Your Majesty doesn't know that Xiaoxia has now become the mountain king, leading two wolves to patrol the mountains every day."
After the two women talked for a while, the younger sister asked, "Elder sister, I am the only one in the palace now, why don't you stay here?"
Before, he had to worry about the Emperor, but now he doesn't. Moreover, Shao Qin's condition has improved, and he is always thinking about his younger sister.
Si Muyan sighed and said, "Your Majesty, let's go see Father."
The two arrived at the Thousand Carp Pond together and saw Si Xingzhi still fishing there.
The younger sister called a palace maid to ask.
The palace maid replied, "The Marquis sat there the whole time, and once he filled a bucket, he would release the koi back into the water to start fishing again..."
The younger sister was stunned.
Si Muyan said, "Father isn't really stupid. It's true that he has a mental illness, but that's not entirely true. He doesn't like power struggles by nature. He just wants to live his life quietly. The estate is just like that. He doesn't have to worry about anything. When he's busy, he helps me tend to the crops. When he's not busy, he goes fishing and hiking. He's very leisurely."
The younger sister nodded: "It is indeed suitable for Father. It seems that you are doing quite well on the estate."
Si Muyan nodded: "Don't worry about us, Your Majesty... it's lonely at the top, and we are powerless to share your burdens. But since you have chosen this path, you should put the people first."
"You...support me?"
Si Muyan smiled and said, "Your Majesty, I don't agree, I understand."
My younger sister's eyes welled up with tears again.
After seeing off the Si family, the first thing the younger sister did was to bestow the title of princess upon Si Yunxia.
This matter also sparked considerable discussion in the imperial court.
After all, in the past, simply bestowing the title of princess would not have mattered to anyone, but now that the emperor is an empress, the princess is no ordinary person.
For example, will this princess become the crown princess in the future?
The current emperor has no children and shows no intention of taking a consort.
Some court officials believed that since the Great Zhou dynasty belonged to the Xiao family, the Xiao family should be prioritized. They suggested selecting an heir from the Xiao family's imperial clan to be adopted, so that the heir could inherit the throne when he came of age.
Some court officials also believed that it would be better for the emperor to marry a man from the Xiao family clan as his consort, and have a son who would then be made crown prince.
In short, their idea was that only descendants of the Xiao family were worthy of being imperial heirs, and others were not.
Si Yunxia's surname is Si. I heard that her biological father was just an ordinary farmer. Such a princess is the best she can be, and she can never become the crown princess.
But the younger sister was furious. She threw the memorial out and shouted, "I haven't even warmed my throne yet, and they're already so impatient, trying to drag me off!"
The cabinet ministers advised, "Your Majesty, the court officials are only concerned about ensuring the continuation of the dynasty. After all, if Your Majesty were a man, you would have already chosen to marry a consort at this age."
The younger sister looked at the speaker and sneered, "The late emperor has only been dead for a year. If I were to observe mourning for him, it would take at least three years!"
They were then driven away.
Back in her bedchamber, the younger sister was exhausted. Looking at the unchanged furnishings, her thoughts drifted back to the past.
The late emperor lived here with her for two years, and it was in this Zichen Palace that she gradually fell in love with him.
But... I can't think about it anymore.
Before long, the three-year period was over, and the people no longer resisted the rumors about the empress, because the country was peaceful and prosperous.
Moreover, many of the policies introduced are very beneficial to ordinary people. Everyone lives and works in peace and contentment, so they don't care whether the people in high positions are male or female.
In addition, the most talked-about issues are the various policies concerning women.
Women could serve as officials in the imperial court. However, it was not mandatory. If a woman preferred to stay at home to be a wife and mother, she could stay at home. If she was willing to study diligently and wanted to contribute to the country, she was free to go out and serve.
This policy was widely applauded, especially by many talented women. In the past, they could only communicate with their sisters, and if there were men present at poetry gatherings or similar events, they were taught to hide their talents so as not to embarrass the men.
Now there's no need for that; they can compete against each other in the school.
Of course, there are also many pedantic people who feel that women don't need to learn too much, and even restrict the women in their own families.
But that doesn't matter.
The younger sister said, "Eating should be done gradually. You can't get fat overnight. People's mindset will gradually change."
Therefore, more and more women are supporting the younger sister.
However, their support for the Empress was less than their praise for another person.
That is Princess Xintong.
For the past three years, the second sister has traveled throughout the entire Great Zhou Dynasty, putting legal knowledge into practice. Moreover, she noticed that basic hygiene practices were inadequate, so she combined legal education with hygiene education.
Moreover, wherever she went, she would do her utmost to speak up for women. Especially in backward places where women were looked down upon, she would crack down on violent men and establish punishments that punished men and women equally.
All of this made the women extremely grateful to her.
"We women can hold up half the sky too, and it was Princess Xintong who blew away the gloom for us!"
“Princess Xintong is tireless and speaks up for women everywhere. With such a leader, we will definitely not be inferior.”
The calls reached the capital, and the one who couldn't contain himself the most was Prince Ning. He counted down the days and rushed to the palace to see his younger sister.
"Your Majesty has given me three years to serve you, and I have devoted myself to assisting you for those three years. Now that the court is stable, I can leave with peace of mind."
The younger sister asked, "Are you going to find Si Mutong?"
Prince Ning bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I made a three-year agreement with her. Now that the three years have passed, she is too busy with many things to come back. So, I have no choice but to go and find her."
The younger sister laughed: "But I believe that you were not forced to do this. Last winter you began to hand over the affairs of state to others, and this is what you have been waiting for, isn't it?"
Prince Ning said, "Your Majesty, my heart for Princess Xintong is as clear as the sun and moon. I beg Your Highness to grant my request."