All Hail Cousin Brother

Chapter 1083: Lost Long Ago

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Old Madam Song was also excited. The Empress wanted to summon them. It was obvious that she had taken into account their past relationship. It was time for the matter of Mingzhao entering the court to be settled.

Old Madam Song and Madam Zhu quickly washed up and followed the eunuchs into the palace.

Yu Youyao was only wearing her informal clothes, but she was still noble and dignified. Old Madam Song and Madam Zhu quickly knelt down and bowed, but they sighed deeply.

They had liked Yu Youyao since she was young. They felt that it was too rare for her mother to die early, and for her grandmother to be seriously ill and lingering on the bed. Her father did not dote on her, and her stepmother was scheming. In such a family, she was still bright-eyed and not timid.

However, who would have thought that the delicate and cute person in the past would have such good fortune?!

Yu Youyao quickly asked someone to help them up and give them seats.

When the two sides met, they sighed with emotion. It was inevitable that they would reminisce about their old relationship and talk about the current situation. However, because Yu Youyao’s status was different, Old Madam Song and Madam Zhu inevitably sounded a little reserved when talking.

Yu Youyao had mixed feelings. She turned to ask Song Wanhui, “How’s Third Sister Song?”

At the mention of Song Wanhui, a smile appeared on Old Madam Song’s face. “Not long after our family went to Xi’an, the clan helped to matchmake and arranged a marriage for Wanhui. It’s General Huaiyong, who’s guarding the Wei River. In the past, he was a small general under the emperor. General Huaiyong’s family has some ties with our family. After we arrived in Xi’an, we came to visit. For some reason, he took a fancy to Wanhui…”

Yu Youyao knew this.

General Huaiyong was a direct descendant of Yin Huaixi and was a fourth-grade official. He was 26 years old. When the two sides agreed to marry, Yin Huaixi received the news immediately. He reported General Huaiyong’s character and the entire situation in the family to her in a letter.

General Huaiyong’s father had also been a young general under King Li of Zhou. After he died in battle, there were only orphans and widows left in the family, and he had received a lot of care from King Li of Zhou.

After Yin Huaixi ascended the throne, General Huaiyong was rewarded based on his contributions. He was conferred the title of General Zhaoyong. He was a third-grade official and was also a border official.

Yu Youyao smiled. “General Zhaoyong’s character is precious. The emperor often praises him, and it’s also a rare good marriage. The Matriarch has good taste.”

General Zhaoyong only had his mother in his family, and she also had a good personality. General Zhaoyong had a good personality and was worthy of being entrusted with for the rest of his life. Therefore, after knowing about this marriage, Yu Youyao did not get involved.

The smile on Madam Zhu’s face deepened. “Isn’t that so? I was worried earlier that the two of them had just gotten engaged and were already in a hurry to get married. I was always feeling uncertain. Who knew that after Wanhui married into the General Residence, she and her mother-in-law had the same temperament? There were no messy matters in the family. The two of them are husband and wife, and their lives are stable. I was happy to see it.”

At that time, General Huaiyong was 26 years old, six or seven years older than Wanhui. She was a little unhappy, but it was her mother-in-law who insisted on getting married. Wanhui was also a little interested in General Huaiyong, so she could only reluctantly agree.

Considering that both parties were not young, the marriage was quickly arranged. She was originally worried that Wanhui would suffer.

Unexpectedly, on the day of the wedding, General Zhaoyong left the city before dawn to hunt a pair of live geese and followed the bridal escort team to the Song family.

It was said that from the moment the two sides were engaged, General Zhaoyong had started searching for wild geese every day.

Geese were loyal birds. They would die together with their spouses. When geese flew south and north, they would fly as a pair. They were no longer alone. There was a meaning of “holding your partner’s hand and growing old with them.”

Only then did the Song family truly agree to this marriage.

Looking at the smiles on Madam Zhu and Old Madam Song’s faces, she knew that Song Wanhui was living a comfortable life. Yu Youyao was sincerely happy for her.

The next day, Song Mingzhao received an edict to enter the palace to visit the new emperor.

Seeing the dignified emperor sitting on the dragon throne, Song Mingzhao suddenly recalled that from the time he went to the Yu Residence to visit, the new emperor was still “Cousin Zhou”. He sat beside his “cousin” and took small tweezers to help peel the longans and pine nuts for her to eat.

Only he knew whether the heart of the lotus seed was truly bitter.

Song Mingzhao slowly lowered his head, feeling crazed and indignant. At this moment, when he saw such a new emperor and thought of the scenes in the past, he suddenly realized something.

He had lost long ago.

Song Mingzhao made up for the lack of the Left Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Official Personnel Affairs that Yu Zongzheng had been thinking about. He was also appointed as the Grand Secretary of the Imperial Library. He entered the cabinet and rise through the ranks.

After Song Mingzhao returned home, the palace sent over an oral order from the new emperor.

He would return to the old residence of the Zhenguo Marquis Residence and bestow the name of the Song Residence. Old Madam Song would also be conferred with the title of “Madam of the State of Qin.” As for Madam Zhu, it would depend on her son, Song Mingzhao.

Since ancient times, conferring titles of honor on the wife of a deserving official and making his sons heirs to his titles was nothing much.

After returning to the “Song Residence”, Song Mingzhao was almost sick. He renovated and decorated the Jiuzhao Pavilion bit by bit according to the appearance of “Yu Youyao” after marrying into the Zhenguo Marquis Residence in his nightmare. It was as if only in this way could she truly have a place in his heart. The dream that used to make him suffer in the past had now become his only comfort in his life.

After Song Mingzhao entered the court, Emperor Zhaoyong issued a decree to confer the title of Duke Wenzhong on Yu Zongshen.

He became the second minister to receive the posthumous title of Duke Wenzhong, after Duke Zhang Wenzhong.

For a moment, there were various opinions.

Some people felt that Yu Zongshen had dedicated himself to the Great Zhou all his life and died of illness. He was worthy of Duke Yu Wenzhong’s reputation.

Some people also felt that when Duke Yu Wenzhong was still alive, he had abandoned the capital to protect the north to help the new emperor pacify the North. It was only right for the new emperor to bestow a posthumous title.

There were also a few people who were jealous that the Yu Clan was placed in an important position by the new emperor.

They felt that Yu Zongshen was deceiving the world. After the new emperor ascended the throne, he had employed a large number of members of the Yu Clan. It was obvious that he was blinded by lust and doted on his relatives.

Then, he cleared the names of some ministers of the previous dynasty, including the Duke of Ning, the heir of the Duke of Ning, Elder Lu, and so on.

He had regained the title of Duke Ning and was conferred the title of Marquis of Zhongyong.

Having two titles was also very rare in the past dynasties.

In addition, Empress Ning was also conferred the title of “Madam of the Rong Nation.” Even Princess Liyang was given the title of “Princess Qiuli.”

The Great Zhou Dynasty had long been destroyed, and the previous titles of Empress Ning and Princess Liyang were only in name. They were no longer as honorable as before.

He had given her enough dignity.

If the Ning Clan could be more diligent, they would also be placed in an important position after entering the court. The revival of the Ning Clan would be imminent.

Yin Huaixi said calmly, “Did the Madam of the Rong Nation say when she would leave the palace?”

Eunuch Zhu hurriedly said, “Previously, the Madam of the Rong Nation requested to see the emperor and was sent away by me. There hasn’t been any news from the Yi Kun Palace these past few days. I think she hasn’t seen the emperor and will be delayed for a while.”

His words were very tactful, and his meaning was complicated. He was just short of saying that the Madam of the Rong Nation was greedy and unwilling to leave the palace just like that. She refused to leave until she saw the emperor.

He also felt that Empress Ning was insensible.