Chapter 12 The First Encounter

  I only saw two eunuchs coming in from outside the palace, one holding a tray with a red pile of cloth on it. Why did I say it was a pile? I really couldn't tell what it was. What was Empress Aunt going to give me? Hmm, behind them was another eunuch, also holding a tray, and on it was a crown, no less than a pearl-encrusted crown, with a blue gemstone in the middle. How beautiful!

  Empress Tang took the crown from the eunuch's hands and said to me, "Fei Xue, this was passed down to me by my mother empress. Today, I give it to you. From now on, it belongs to you."

  What's going on again? Why are you sending me a crown, could it be...?

  "The queen's gift is well sent." The emperor's uncle laughed and said, "It would be even better to give this deep blue star to Fei Xue, the queen is really thoughtful."

  The emperor finished speaking, and below was a burst of noise. My head is rusty, what's going on? What is this Deep Blue Star?

  Empress Dowager seemed to notice a fleeting expression on my face, "Fei Xue, this is the imperial crown worn by all the empresses of the Huanglin dynasty. Each empress must receive it from the emperor's mother. This crown was personally handed over to me by the previous empress dowager. At that time, she told me 'This dark blue star is the expectation of all our people towards our royal family. I hope you will manage the harem well, assist the emperor in governing the country, and be a symbol of the mother of the nation.' Today, I pass on to you what my mother-in-law said to me, hoping that you will also manage the harem well and assist the emperor in governing our dynasty in the future. From now on, remember that you will be the mother of the nation."

  My mom, no way. Just then, Aunt Tang finished speaking and stretched out her hand to put the crown in front of me. I don't want it, I thought it was beautiful just now, but... can I refuse? My hands were stuck, neither stretching out nor pulling back, just hanging there stiffly. I felt my heart trembling, having never been so scared in my life, why did I feel like there was an unbearable weight on my shoulders now? I knew everyone present was staring at me, making me break out in cold sweat all over.

  "Snow, don't be afraid, I'll teach you, come on." The queen seemed to sense the fear in my heart and said very gently: "No matter what happens in the future, we will always support you from behind, don't be afraid, go on."

  The emperor uncle was also on the side, looking at me with a very kind eye, my hand just stretched out like that, I swear it was absolutely not my intention, anyway, it was my hand that stretched out by itself, my brain did not let it go. If I had known that after I took over the imperial crown, it would bring me so much pain in the future, I would never have taken it no matter what.

  When the Star of Deep Blue shone in my hand, I felt a sense of familiarity. And it seemed to have a response, that blue light seemed to be getting stronger and stronger.

  "Alright, tonight's banquet is to celebrate my first princess, and now Princess Lan Meng will be the future empress of our dynasty..."

  It's been half a month since that banquet ended, and I'm well aware that since that night, I've become a celebrity in this dynasty. So it's better for me to keep a low profile. Every morning, after paying respects to the Emperor Uncle, I follow the Empress and Noble Consort Aunt to learn how to be a mother of the nation. In the afternoon, I paint, play with Dangdang and Xiaodezi, or go to the Imperial Kitchen to find delicious food. Also, my newly recognized parents often come to play with me, and I don't know what Father said to Mother, but she's been coaxed into being well-behaved, no longer falling ill, and is increasingly convinced that I'm their daughter.

  The queen never believed that her daughter was dead, and thought that she had been secretly taken out by the king to be cured of an illness, so I naturally became her daughter.

  It's still snowing outside, after finishing the etiquette class in the morning, I've been thinking of going to the imperial kitchen to find the manager and ask them to make boiled fish, but I don't know if they can do it.

  "Come on, let's go to the dining room." The more I think about it, the more I want to eat, and I really want to have steamed fish right away.

  "But, Princess, it's snowing outside, be careful not to catch a chill. Unless, Princess, you'd like something to eat? I can have the imperial kitchen prepare it and send it over?" Dongdong glanced outside, seemingly worried that my body couldn't withstand the cold.

  "It's okay, let's go"

  ...and then led them towards the imperial dining hall...