Unlimited estates for rural beauty-Chapter 601 Arriving Safely in the Capital, I Don’t Want Him to Die (1)

As dawn broke, the inn’s serving boy had fed the horses, and after everyone had a bit of breakfast, they set off again. It took six days of travel, and they arrived at the Imperial Palace in the evening.

After a night of rest, Dugu Chen awoke before dawn. He turned his head to see his wife sleeping soundly beside him, then quietly got up and put on a purple robe embroidered with pale blue flowers. His ink-black hair was half-draped, half-tied just as before. He had only worn the Dragon Robe once since his ascension and Feng Xuxu’s coronation as Empress, and then he’d put it away and never worn it again.

After freshening up, he left the bedroom hall and boarded the Dragon Carriage that had been prepared early in the morning to go to the Qianqing Palace for the morning audience.

The assembled ministers stood silently in the great hall, and after Dugu Chen took his seat of supreme authority, the ministers knelt to the ground and greeted him, "Long live the Emperor."

"Long live the Emperor for ten thousand, ten thousand...," the newly appointed Top Scholar, Second Top Scholar, and Third Top Scholar, unaware that one did not shout "Long live the Emperor" during the morning audience, realized too late. Kneeling on the ground with fine beads of sweat upon their foreheads, they glanced up to see that the Emperor’s face did not show displeasure, and the heart that was seized by nerves began to settle.

"Rise."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Dugu Chen looked coldly at the three on the ground, sneering inwardly at the thought that they were indeed bookworms to the core, oblivious to inquire beforehand about court procedures. He raised his eyes to Ma Xiang, parting his thin lips slightly, "Minister of Rites, you have committed a fault."

Ma Xiang was taken aback before realizing he was being addressed. He stepped forward, "Your Majesty, I am unaware." He replied truthfully, as he knew that lying in front of the Emperor, if exposed, would be akin to seeking death. It was better to confess honestly. He had been upright at home, his children had not caused any trouble, and indeed, he did not know what he had done wrong.

"As Minister of Rites, you do not understand the ritual of paying respects to the sovereign by the Top Scholar, Third Top Scholar, and Second Top Scholar upon entering the hall. So tell me, should I personally instruct them in these matters? Or does the Minister of Rites only care about the salary from the Imperial Court and neglect everything else?" His icy tone echoed throughout the great hall.

"I am at fault," Ma Xiang kneeled and confessed, feeling unjustly treated. In the past, cheering "Long live the Emperor" was the norm during morning audiences with past emperors. Little did he know that in this era, the custom had changed to paying respects, and he inwardly chuckled bitterly at his misfortune.

"Your salary is forfeited for three months, rise."

"This old servant thanks Your Majesty," he said shakily, standing up and returning to his place, secretly relieved that the punishment was only a forfeiture of three months’ salary and not a loss of his position.

Feng Xuxu slowly opened her groggy eyes, feeling a bit disoriented, before remembering she was back at the Imperial Palace and in her own spacious, soft bed. She yawned and stretched, feeling more awake now.

Hearing movement in the bedroom, Lan Lengyun came in and saw that the Empress had woken up. She approached and drew back the bed curtains, "Did Your Highness rest well?"

"Yes, compared to those hard beds outside, I still prefer this big bed," she replied, standing up and walking a few steps around the bedroom, stretching her arms and twisting her neck to relieve the stiffness in her body.

"Of course, nothing outside can compare to what we have in the palace," Lan Lengyun said as she efficiently changed the bed linens and took them outside.

Taking a deep breath, Feng Xuxu went through her morning routine in her homemade nightclothes. After her washing was done, she returned to the bedroom, where Lan Lengyun was waiting with clothes ready to help her dress—a process that took almost half an hour.

The breakfast had just been served on the table when someone came back right on time for the meal, followed by two shadows.