Transmigration: From Farmer To Empress

Cai Wei stepped off the phoenix palanquin and smiled warmly at everyone, "I was feeling a bit unwell earlier, which made all the ladies wait for so long."

"The Empress Dowager is too polite; we are unworthy of such consideration!"

All the madams maintained their propriety, bowing their heads and answering in unison. No one dared to look directly at the Empress Dowager’s countenance, and they all humbly made way with lowered eyes.

Cai Wei walked slowly ahead, followed by Huan Qiu, Xiao Zhi, and others. Behind them were two rows of palace maids holding feather fans, fragrant beads, handkerchiefs, and rinse bowls. The entire procession was extremely grand.

Seeing Cai Wei’s entourage and the Empress of Great Jin’s presence, Princess Tuotuo became even more determined to replace her and become the Empress herself. She lifted her chin and smiled sinisterly, following the crowd into the doorway of Shuntian Hall.

Li Ruizhu came to pay her respects with a heart full of injustice. She did not want to come here to be humiliated, but it had been so long since she had last seen Nangong Yi. Her intense longing made her restless and threw her usual reserve to the wind. Even though she knew that coming here would make her feel stifled and humiliated, she had to come and see him to alleviate her heartache.

The throne had already been set up in Shuntian Hall, and Cai Wei took her seat in front of it, ready to receive the homage of the assembly once more.

First to approach were the Royal Consorts of the various royal palaces. The Retired Emperor’s offspring were not plentiful, with only The Prince, King Qin, King Jin, and King of Chu reaching adulthood. However, King Jin had his royal status revoked earlier due to a witchcraft scandal and was now confined to his mansion; the King of Chu, due to his close ties with The Prince, also had his royal status revoked after The Prince’s rebellion and was exiled to Bianzhou, thousands of miles away. Thus, the Royal Consorts who came to meet Cai Wei were the wives and widows of the Retired Emperor’s brothers and nephews, many of whom were elderly women. Although they were much older than Cai Wei by decades, in ancient times, a society with strict hierarchical rules would never allow significant age to override the propriety between ruler and subject.

At first, Cai Wei felt uncomfortable seeing the elderly Royal Consorts kowtow to her, but when she saw that most of the noble ladies in the hall were also elders, her reluctance was overruled by her determination, and she readily accepted the homage.

After the Royal Consorts, it was time for the Princesses, County Princesses, and District Princesses to pay their respects.

The Retired Emperor had five daughters; besides Empress Nangong Yu, there was Princess Zhao Gui, who was raised by Jin Guifei, and three other daughters born to concubines of lesser rank.

Princess Zhao Gui, 16 years old this year, had a concubine mother of low status. Since Jin Guifei had taken a sword for the Retired Emperor and suffered damage to her womb, rendering her unable to have more children, the Emperor granted her the wish of having both a son and a daughter. He took a daughter born to a concubine and placed her in Jin Guifei’s care, bestowing the name Princess Zhao Gui and granting her the same esteemed treatment received by Princess Zhao Yang.