Xia Ruqing didn’t expect him to say that.

Knowing he misunderstood, she was about to explain.

But suddenly thought if she could really go out to enjoy a trip this year, it wouldn’t be bad.

So she shamelessly agreed.

"Sure!"

Zhao Junyao laughed, deeply satisfied.

He loved seeing her smile, and her cheerful personality.

She was straightforward and didn’t hold back, always so honest and upright.

How wonderful! His Qingqing was truly wonderful.

...

The New Year’s Eve banquet passed.

The next day was the first day of the Lunar New Year.

Xia Ruqing felt that the first day was the busiest day of the year, without question.

From receiving the consorts’ greetings in the morning, to leading the harem to pay respects to the Empress Dowager, and then to the Grand Temple for ancestral worship with the Empress Dowager.

She was so busy in the morning that she didn’t even have a chance to sit down.

At noon, she hosted a banquet, received the greetings of noble ladies, and in the afternoon, arranged for the royal clan and noble households to receive awards.

She was busy until dark, finally dragging her weary body back to the palace to rest.

Returning to her inner chamber.

She didn’t even have time to undress or wash her hands, gulped down a couple of mouthfuls of tea, and fell asleep.

The next day, she slept straight until the sun was high in the sky.

"Empress, please wake up!"

"Lady Hou and the Young Lady from the Minister’s Mansion are here!"

"Empress?!"

Xia Ruqing groggily opened her eyes to find Zi Yue calling her.

"What’s the matter?"

"Lady Ni and Lady Xia have come!"

Xia Ruqing, still half-awake, finally remembered it was the second day of the new year.

Her sister-in-law and younger sister were supposed to visit!

She quickly got up to dress.

"Why didn’t you wake me earlier?"

Zi Yue and Zi Su helped her dress while bringing water for her to wash her face.

"Your Majesty was too exhausted yesterday, and there was nothing urgent today!"

"We didn’t have the heart to wake you!"

Xia Ruqing didn’t say anything but asked again.

"Did any other family members come to the palace?"

According to custom, they should first come to pay respects to her.

Zi Yue replied.

"Some have already come, and I have already gone to greet them!"

Xia Ruqing nodded.

"That’s good, nothing to worry about then!"

Inwardly she griped: Being an Empress sure comes with a lot of trivial matters!

Fifteen minutes later, she was ready.

Xia Ruqing hurried out of the inner chamber.

Ni Manxue and Xia Caiying were already seated in the main hall, with tea and snacks already served, chatting and laughing for quite a while.

Seeing the Empress come out, they quickly stood up to pay respects.

"Greetings, Your Majesty!"

Xia Ruqing awkwardly smiled.

"Sorry to keep you waiting!"

"Your Majesty, what are you saying, we just got here!" they both said with smiles.

Xia Ruqing exchanged pleasantries with them for a while.

After sending the palace attendants out, she took them into the inner chamber, and sat down on the couch outside the screen.

The inner chamber was the place for conversation.

With no stiff palace attendants watching, they conversed much more relaxed.

After chatting for a while.

Xia Ruqing asked many questions.

"How’s my brother? Did he get hurt returning from the front line?"

"Where is Jingfeng staying now? Has he lost weight? I haven’t seen him since he came back!"

"How is my brother-in-law? Is everything alright with him?"

They were all people she cared about, whom she hadn’t seen in a long time, and they came back from the front line, so she should ask about them more.

Ni Manxue and Xia Caiying both laughed, saying everything was well.

They went over the details again.

After some laughter, they also talked about the children.

Discussing why Jingfeng was still unwilling to marry brought them to lunchtime.

Xia Ruqing invited them to stay for lunch.

The small kitchen prepared a sumptuous meal, and the three women enjoyed the feast.

Ni Manxue kept praising the uniqueness of the food here, and Xia Caiying laughed, saying she ate an extra bowl of rice than usual.

Xia Ruqing generously said.

She could lend them the kitchen maid for a month.

For her to thoroughly teach them the skills, and the two of them applauded and praised repeatedly.

After the meal, they chatted and laughed.

Talk accidentally turned to Xia Ruyi.

Ni Manxue sighed a little.

"I’ve heard... she’s not doing well, she’s written me several letters!"

Xia Caiying confirmed.

"I received them too!"

Then both fell silent.

Helping her? Neither was willing to.

It’s not about kindness; it’s just a mental block they can’t get over.

If the situation were reversed, would Xia Ruyi help them?

Obviously not!

Not only would she not help, but she’d also wish to trample them.

So...why should they help her?

They’re neither the benevolent Guanyin Bodhisattva nor great philanthropists saving the world.

Xia Ruqing nodded in agreement.

"Those pitiful must have detestable traits!"

"How she treated us back then, we’ll treat her the same way!"

"That’s right!" Ni Manxue fumed.

Every time she thought of the past with the Second Master, she couldn’t help but tremble with hatred.

"I won’t help either!"

Xia Caiying also clenched her fingers, face pale.

If her sister-in-law only sympathized with her brother, unable to fully empathize,

she herself had personally experienced it.

That childhood experience, the suffering, no one would understand.

Especially in winter, the feeling of being cold and hungry with nowhere to hide was truly terrifying.

She often had nightmares about it.

That dark and terrifying shadow would haunt her forever, never leaving, impossible to hide from.

After a while of silence.

Ni Manxue broke it.

"On such a good day, such a great festival, why are we talking about this?"

She wiped the redness from her eyes with a handkerchief.

Xia Caiying also came back from the cold with a smile.

"Yes! Why are we talking about this?"

Xia Ruqing smiled, stood up, and asked for a few new plates of freshly brewed aromatic tea and freshly made pastries.

The three of them switched to different topics, moving past this page.

...

After sending the two away in the afternoon, Xia Ruqing took another lovely nap.

Waking up to find it was already evening.

Zi Yue and Zi Su brought in hot water to help her wash and change.

Xia Ruqing casually asked.

"Where’s Yue Er? Off to the Eastern Palace again?"

"Yes!" Zi Su laughed.

"The Princess loves listening to the Crown Prince’s stories!"

Xia Ruqing felt a bit helpless.

"This girl is getting wilder!"

"Only four years old and already wants to ride a horse!"

Who knows what she’ll want when she’s older.

Xia Ruqing thought about it, feeling a headache, as if her daughter was becoming less like a soft, gentle cloak.

Zi Su added.

"I think it’s a good thing!"

"At least the Princess won’t be bullied in the future!"

Xia Ruqing: "..."

She could only use that reasoning to comfort herself now.

...

After the second day, the palace was not as busy.

Xia Ruqing could finally rest peacefully for a few days, and prepare for the Lantern Festival.

Oh right, there was also the Seventh Master’s wedding.

The Seventh Prince and Miss Xu’s wedding was delayed for a year.

The war between Great Chu and Western Xia was raging fiercely.

No one was in the mood to talk about the Prince’s big wedding.

The rise and fall of the nation is everyone’s responsibility.

The Seventh Prince, being part of the Royal Family, should especially set an example of concern for the country and its people.