The Valued Lady is Truly Dominant

Chapter 628: Chapter 628: The Empress Dowager’s Bestie is Truly in Love with Me

The banquet ended with joy between the monarch and his ministers. After sipping some tea, Song Ci sensibly took her leave with a bow.

Seeing her perform the courtesy, Empress Dowager Wang suddenly remembered something and said to Emperor Chu, ”Emperor, look at her, with her aged arms and legs, yet she still has to bow to those of higher rank. Some people even deliberately make it difficult. I don’t find it agreeable.”

Emperor Chu, understanding his mother’s implication, smiled and asked, ”Mother, what do you suggest?”

”Ah Ci has made a great contribution by cultivating these potatoes, which is indeed beneficial to the nation. Though she only requested some merit document, such things are for appearance only and hold no real benefit. At most, they can be flaunted occasionally.”

Everyone silently chuckled, thinking the Empress Dowager was quite naive.

Such documents, if used thoughtfully, could be exchanged for things unmentionable in the future.

Empress Dowager Wang said, ”I won’t ask the Emperor to grant official rewards; just bestow a special privilege to Ah Ci so that she need not bow to anyone except for the Emperor and myself, thus preventing people from using the formality against her.”

She did not defy the conventions drastically by exempting Song Ci from bowing to even the Emperor or herself; it was merely for others. Surely, that wasn’t excessive, was it?

Song Ci was moved to tears, ”Lady, what merit or virtue have I?”

In her heart, she was overjoyed, for the Empress Dowager cherished her deeply. Being exempted from bowing was truly wonderful; she could be truly unrestrained in the future.

”There’s no difficulty in this,” Emperor Chu, being filial and in a good mood, bestowed the privilege with a single decree, exempting Song Ci from bowing, even before the Empress.

Once the Emperor spoke, the Chief Eunuch would record and announce it, causing rumblings of envy within the Beijing Circle.

Partiality, extreme partiality.

Song Ci cared not for others’ envy, but only for her own joy; the benefit brought by her cultivating the potatoes was immense.

Song Zhiyuan also remarked, ”The Empress Dowager indeed indulges and favors you greatly.”

Song Ci replied, ”The Empress Dowager is a person who cherishes the past.” She pursed her lips and said, ”Darling, the Empress Dowager and the Emperor remember the old relationship of sheltering the young, but we cannot leverage such grace. No matter how great your power or ambition in the future, you must never do anything detrimental to the Royal Family, and neither can the descendants of the Song Family.”

Song Zhiyuan’s heart thumped, ”Mother?”

”If you wish for the family to endure and for the Song Family to thrive unfailingly, then remember: Be loyal to the people, the nation, and yourself,” Song Ci spoke gently, ”To cultivate one’s morality, manage the family, govern the state, and bring peace to the world—through the ages, all prominent families emphasized family education and tradition. With a righteous family tradition, the offspring will be upright, greatly reducing the calamities brought to the family, hence ensuring continual legacy.”

”Mother, why bring this up all of a sudden?”

”For I am getting old; when I think of these things and can speak, I should, lest I regret not having the chance to do so when it resurfaces.”

Song Zhiyuan turned pale with fright, ”Mother, are you in any discomfort? Please do not conceal anything from us.”

”Nothing of the sort, I am well. It’s just at times it seems that with honor comes a tendency to be carried away. I fear that one misstep will lead to irreversible ruin, for extreme prosperity breeds decline. Therefore, we must remain vigilant; the word ’caution’ must be engraved in our bones.” Song Ci did not know what the future held for the Song Family, nor why the original elderly lady entrusted her so. But she felt that old lady surely knew something.

Song Ci chose not to say much to others, but she clung to Song Zhiyuan, the family’s prodigy. As long as he was capable and cautious enough, he could lead the Song Family further.

In this way, would she not have fulfilled the expectations of that old lady?