The empress dowager whipped the empress’ body over ten times. It was only then that her rage was dispelled somewhat. Throwing her whip into the elderly female servant’s hands, the empress dowager then turned and returned to her seat. She said, “If you handle things so unfavorably again next time, this whip won’t be landing hits on you then. Do you understand what I mean?”

“This servant understands. Ah Heng is still of a young age. Please let him off, Your Majesty!” The empress was initially about to faint, but when she heard the empress dowager’s words, she immediately kneeled on the floor again and kowtowed incessantly.

Just a moment ago, the empress was hit so hard that she was sent rolling about on the floor. Furthermore, now that she was kowtowing to plead for leniency, her hairstyle was a total mess. The empress was in a very sorry state.

“Whether I let him off all depends on you! I’m tired. I want to rest now. Someone, come and take the Empress to the back and make herself presentable before returning,” the empress dowager said and left the main hall.

“This servant respectfully sends Your Majesty off!”

Once the empress dowager left, the empress instantly fell and sat on the floor with tears streaming out uncontrollably.

An elderly female servant walked over and glanced at the empress coldly. She said, “Your Majesty, if you please.”

The empress wiped away her tears and wanted to stand up, but she realized her body was in so much pain that she didn’t even have the strength to stand up.

The elderly female servant called two servant girls over with her eyes, and the two girls came forth. They took one side each and supported the empress, helping her to walk.

By the time Du Xiaoli headed out, news of her being conferred with the title of a princess had already spread through all of Phoenix City. When the common people found out about her deeds, they felt deeply grateful towards her. It was all thanks to her that Feng Ming avoided more troubles and wars.

The common people just wanted to pass their days safely and peacefully.

In the meantime, Mu Zimu had gathered everyone to wait at the entrance gate of Sui Yuan Club. When Du Xiaoli got off the carriage, she had it moved swiftly to the back while she waited with the others.

It was because the rewards the emperor gave them were going to arrive at this time.

The members of Sui Yuan Club were initially resting on their break, but they had not left Sui Yuan Club and had instead gathered to have fun together. When they heard Ying Ge arrive at the club and speak of how the emperor had bestowed them with some rewards, they all headed over to the club’s entrance gate and made the preparations to receive the rewards. Each one of them changed into formal wear and stood in wait.

Soon after, Eunuch Shan walked over from a distance with a group of people. Behind him, there were several eunuchs carrying a large wooden board, which faced the sky. There was also one more eunuch holding another reward.

The moment the people of Feng Ming saw this scene, they knew to whom the eunuchs were presenting those rewards and thus followed along to watch.

When Eunuch Shan saw Du Xiaoli waiting at the Sui Yuan Club’s entrance, he quickened his steps over to her and bowed while saying, “This servant greets Your Highness, Princess Changle

!”

“You may dispense with the greeting. I’ve troubled you by having you make a trip here, Eunuch Shan,” Du Xiaoli said with a slight smile.

“You’re being too polite, Your Highness.” Eunuch Shan was very happy to see that Du Xiaoli was still the same as before—without an air of arrogance—despite her new title. “Your Highness, should we begin?”

“Yes.”

Eunuch Shan gave the horsetail whisk in his hand a shake and said, “Everyone in Sui Yuan Club, listen and receive these rewards—”

“Long live His Majesty for many, many years.” Du Xiaoli took the lead, and everyone else in Sui Yuan Club followed suit and knelt down.

Eunuch Shan took out an imperial edit and began to read it out loud: “Mandated by the heavens, His Majesty the Emperor has given an imperial order: ‘Sui Yuan Club successfully held the academy competition and brought it to a satisfactory conclusion. Their contributions cannot go unnoticed. I specially bestow them with a signboard on which I have personally handwritten an inscription. I will also bestow every female and male servant in Sui Yuan Club with 100 taels of fine silver and the head of the club with 500 taels of fine silver. This is all.’ Accept this imperial decree and thank His Majesty for his kindness.”

“Thank you to His Majesty for the rewards. Long live His Majesty many, many years,” Du Xiaoli said.

She extended her hands, and Eunuch Gong placed the imperial edict onto them. It was only then that everyone stood up.

Eunuch Shan gestured with a wave of his hand, and the eunuch carrying a tray stepped forward and stood beside him. Then Eunuch Shan pulled aside the red cloth that was on the tray, revealing the hundreds of silver taels.

Du Xiaoli glanced at Mu Zimu, and the latter had someone go up to take the tray of silver.

After that, the eunuchs carrying the signboard stepped forward.

“Your, His Majesty said that Sui Yuan Club has been too casual, so you should use this signboard as your name board,” Eunuch Shan said.

“Changle understands. I will have it changed immediately,” Du Xiaoli replied. Then she turned and took a red purse from Xia Yuan’s hands and stuffed it into Eunuch Shan’s hands. She said, “It’s been hard on you all.”

“Many thanks for rewarding us, Your Highness. We servants will also be in a happy mood,” Eunuch Shan responded and kept away the purse in his sleeve. He cupped his hands together toward Du Xiaoli and said, “Then we will return to report that we’ve completed this task!”

“Take care, Eunuch Gong!”

“This servant is leaving now.”

Eunuch Shan left with the other eunuchs. Meanwhile, the people who had gathered to watch dispersed. When they left, they were all talking about the event they had just witnessed.

Du Xiaoli had some people take down the name board hanging above Sui Yuan Club’s gate and replace it with the one one Han Mingze wrote, which said ‘The Number One Club Under the Heavens’.

“Uncle Mu, do you feel like our club has become very high-end all of a sudden?” Du Xiaoli watched with satisfaction as the name board was changed.

“Become high-end?” Mu Zimu did not understand what this meant.

“It means increasing in class,” Du Xiaoli explained simply. “‘The Number One Club Under the Heavens’ sounds much more impressive. Actually, I intended to use this name right from the beginning, but it would only cause others to mock us if I’d done so back then. Now, we’re finally hanging this name up there.”

“It’s all due to Mistress’ leadership,” Mu Zimu said.

“Ha, this was all earned through everyone’s hard work,” Du Xiaoli said while smiling. Then she asked the people hanging up the sign, “Is it done?”

The person still on the ladder turned his head and answered, “Yes, it’s already done, Mistress.”

“If it’s done, come down. Let’s go in and distribute the silver!” Du Xiaoli said with a grin.

“Okay!” The person on the ladder climbed down in a few seconds.

References

MoonWhisperer, TWIP's Thoughts

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