(The easter egg at the end of the chapter, the trailer for the next volume, is very popular!)
Back at Yongfu Palace, Xue Baojun was sitting in front of the mirror, and Yuzhu was taking off the phoenix crown for her.
"Not to mention... this job is really difficult to do. I have been wearing a phoenix crown for half an hour, and my neck is sore!"
Looking at himself in the mirror, wearing a python robe and a phoenix crown, Xue Baojun complained, but there was a smile on his face.
Just listen to Yuzhu say: "My queen, don't complain in a hurry, you are still busy next!"
Xue Baojun suppressed his smile and said: "So...this phoenix crown is not so easy to wear, but some people always have hot eyes!"
Yuzhu replied: "Your Majesty, your position has been determined, and it is the emperor's order... but it cannot be changed by someone's jealousy!"
"But you see it more clearly than others!"
At this time, I saw a maid bringing clothes, which was a silver-gray velvet jacket skirt.
Looking at the clothes brought by the maid, Yuzhu asked: "Madam, these clothes are really old. Do you want to change them?"
Xue Baoyun said calmly: "It doesn't matter if it's old, as long as it's appropriate!"
Although they are old clothes, they are actually only cut out two years ago, but Xue Baoyun rarely wears them and keeps them at the bottom of the box.
However, the workmanship and materials used in this garment are still of the highest quality and are rarely found in the homes of ordinary wealthy people.
After rewarding the martyrs' families, Xue Baoyun also wanted to express condolences to the martyrs' families whose lives were particularly difficult. This was something she proposed to Zhao Yanxun herself.
Because he was going to ordinary people's homes and wanted to highlight his friendly side, Xue Baoyun did not wear a python robe or Xiapei. He wore "old clothes" just to be more friendly to the people.
When changing clothes, Xue Baojun asked: "Are all the ceremonial guards ready?"
Yuzhu replied: "Reply to your Majesty, it has been prepared a long time ago. We have already sent people to the place where the latter wants to go outside the Dongbian Gate!"
"Um!"
After finishing dressing up, Xue Baojun walked out of the main hall and sat in a sedan chair out of the gate of Yongfu Palace.
After arriving at the Dongbian Gate, Xue Baojun, accompanied by several maids, got on the carriage parked outside the gate.
As a princess, Xue Baoyun seldom went out, and her activities were basically restricted to the inner palace.
Her knowledge of the outside world basically comes from the mouths of the maids.
The carriage started to move. This time Xue Baoyun was traveling. There were more than a hundred ceremonial guards in total. The whole team looked impressive.
From the Dongbian Gate, the team went directly south and walked a few hundred meters out of the gate before truly leaving the palace area.
Their destination today is Yongdingfang in Dongcheng, which is still a bit far away.
There were very few pedestrians on the street, and the Yuanyang Guards were under martial law, so the surroundings were very quiet at the moment, with only the sound of the entire team marching.
Of course, Xue Baoyun was still very interested in the outside world, so he lifted up the gap in the curtains and stared at it for more than ten minutes.
After looking at it for a while and finding it boring, Xue Baoyun said: "Pass this on and ask the guards not to drive the people away. We are here to offer condolences... not to fight!"
"yes!"
At this time, Yuzhu, who was serving in the carriage, said: "My Lady... the guards are also thinking about your safety!"
"I know...but don't forget, we are here just to be seen, to let everyone know that the palace is thinking of every martyred family member!"
Xue Baoyun lowered his voice and said: "If we stop the people now, who will we show this to?"
This is the truth, Yuzhu said quickly: "What you say makes sense!"
Asking Yuzhu to put down the curtain, Xue Baoyun asked: "By the way, I want you to ask Huo An, when will the prince come back? Can you go and ask clearly?"
Yuzhu replied: "My servant asked Huo An. He said that it will take at least seven or eight days for the prince to go out this time...or even longer. It is not impossible!"
"It takes so long?" Xue Baoyun was a little surprised.
Time passed and the carriage arrived outside Yongdingfang.
At this moment, a large number of women and children had gathered at the gate of the square. Except for the people from the Yuanyang Guards and the front guard of the palace, there was not a single man in sight.
The princess was coming, and the Yuanyang government office had given her a greeting two days in advance. All the men were invited out of their homes early this morning and went to wander around other places in the city.
The carriage came to a stop at the gate of the square, and with the help of Yuzhu, Xue Baojun got out of the carriage.
On both sides of the street, hundreds of women looked over, all wanting to witness the princess's graceful appearance.
Although her clothes were "simple", Xue Baoyun still stunned everyone present the moment she appeared.
Immediately afterwards, seven or eight better-dressed women came forward and kowtowed: "Kowtow to the princess..."
These people are from the inner chamber of Yuanyang government officials, and they are here to accompany Xue Baoyun to express condolences.
As a few of them paid homage, seven to eight hundred people on the left and right sides of the square knelt on the ground and knelt down to worship, making Xue Baoyun surrounded by a bustle of people.
Seeing this situation, Xue Baoyun couldn't help but feel shocked. After all, she was still a girl under eighteen.
Trying to calm down, Xue Baoyun slowly stepped out of the carriage with the support of several maids.
Xue Baoyun looked around and said to the wives of the officials in front of him: "No courtesy!"
Then Xue Baojun ordered Yuzhu: "Let them all get up too, the ground is very cold!"
After all, Yuzhu was much more mature and didn't have much stage fright now. He took a few steps forward and shouted to everyone around him: "The empress said that the ground is cold, so you all should get up. Don't kneel down and break your body!"
Yuzhu added fuel to the fire and made everyone present feel the princess's care.
"Your Majesty is truly a bodhisattva with a heart..."
"A mother like this, who is like a Bodhisattva, will have a good marriage with the prince..."
"God bless your empress to live a long life..."
Listening to the voices that kept coming to my ears, although there were some vulgar words in them, the blessings from everyone were sincere.
Walking on the street, there were accompanying maids and eunuchs on the left and right. Xue Baoyun looked around with an easy-going and loving expression on his face.
"When necessary, you can wave to the people and say a few words about homely matters!"
While looking around, Xue Baoyun recalled Zhao Yanxun's words.
Although he was a little embarrassed, Xue Baojun still mustered up his courage and waved to the women on both sides of the street who were looking eagerly.
"Princess...the princess is waving to me!"
"Nonsense... the queen is clearly waving to me..."
Just waving his hands, everyone at the scene was extremely excited. This was something Xue Baoyun didn't expect, but it also gave her a new perspective.
"Happy princess..."
"Happy New Year, Madam..."
"The empress will live a long life..."
Amidst the continuous blessings, Xue Baoyun stopped at the entrance of an alley.
Yuzhu reminded from the side: "Your Majesty... the Xu family is inside!"
In this Xu family, two men of the family were killed in the war, leaving behind a widow with five children, and an old woman who was paralyzed in bed.
Although he received pension from the Yamen, his life was still difficult, so Xue Baoyun, as a typical example, came to express his condolences.
When she came this time, she brought a few stones of grain and other food, which was enough to improve the Xu family's life.
The road in the alley was much narrower, with only soldiers guarding both sides, and no women or children watching on the roadside.
The snow in the alley has been cleared away, but the ground is a little uneven, and Xue Baoyun's embroidered shoes are a bit irritating when walking on it.
Fortunately, the distance was not far, only fifty meters in front and back, and Xue Baojun arrived at the door of Xu's house.
This is a simple small courtyard. Two women are waiting inside, each carrying a child on their backs, and three other children are standing behind the mother.
There were also two women standing at the entrance of the courtyard. When Xue Baojun arrived, they all came to greet him. These two were also the wives of government officials.
After the salute, one of them pointed to the small courtyard and said, "Your Majesty...this is the Xu family!"
"On the left is the daughter-in-law of the eldest son of the Xu family, and on the right is the daughter-in-law of the second eldest son of the Xu family, the old mother of the Xu family. I am ill in bed and can't get up. Please bear with me!"
The women and children in the yard, their clothes patched, were all so nervous at the moment that they were stuck in place like logs.
Another woman at the door rushed into the yard and reminded: "My queen is here, why are you still standing there?"
According to the instructions of the government yesterday, the two women quickly knelt down and kowtowed: "Kowtow to the empress..."
Walking into the courtyard and looking at this extremely simple residence, Xue Baoyun thought of the stable in the palace.
At this moment, she couldn't help but have a trace of doubt. Is this really a place where people can live?
Although the yard had been swept, it was still covered with dirt and dust, and there was not even a place to set foot.
Of course, now Xue Baoyun could only endure the discomfort and walked into the civilian yard.
When he came to the women and children in the courtyard, Xue Baoyun wanted to help the two men up, but he hesitated for a moment and said: "Without courtesy...just get down!"
Seeing these people still kneeling, Xue Baoyun felt confused again. Didn't these people hear it?
At this time, the woman standing behind reminded: "My queen has called you to get up, why don't you thank me quickly?"
Upon hearing this, the woman on the ground kowtowed again and said, "Thank you, empress!"
Xue Baoyun smiled and said in a warm tone: "I am waiting for the prince to come over today just to see how you are doing. If you have any dissatisfaction, you can tell me directly!"
The two daughters-in-law of the Xu family were so panicked at this time that they could still speak, but they were hesitant and unable to speak in detail.
Xue Baoyun asked again: "Is the family short of food?"
At this time, Yuzhu brought a brocade stool, placed it behind Xue Baoyun, and said, "My dearest lady, please sit down!"
The brocade bench seemed out of place with the furnishings in the courtyard, and the appearance of Xue Baoyun's master and servant was even more abrupt.
Faced with Xue Baoyun's question, Xu's parents-in-law stumbled and replied: "I have eaten and drank recently, but there is no labor at home... so I eat when I am hungry and when I am full!"
Her words caused the expressions of the ten officials and wives behind Xue Baoyun to change drastically.