Wang Yunyin noticed that after she finished speaking, Duan Yunfeng’s expression suddenly froze.

After a few moments, his eyes filled with tears.

Wang Yunyin was stunned. She quickly pulled him inside and whispered, “What’s wrong?”

Duan Yunfeng turned his head with a sorrowful expression, wiping his eyes. “Nothing.”

Wang Yunyin was momentarily confused. “Huh?”

Duan Yunfeng closed his eyes, his voice tinged with sadness. “The princess is gone…”

Wang Yunyin was shocked by her son’s “heartbroken” expression. Her mind immediately leaped to the worst possible scenario, thinking that something must have happened to her daughter-in-law. “What do you mean, gone?”

“It happened a few days ago… suddenly, just like that, she was gone.” Duan Yunfeng found it increasingly difficult to speak to his mother about this, and all the accumulated frustration over the past few days burst out at that moment. “She’s gone, and there won’t be any more princesses. It’s all gone…”

As he thought about how his brief first love had turned out to be a man, Duan Yunfeng covered his face with both hands and couldn’t help but mutter in sorrow, “It feels like I’ll never love again…”

Wang Yunyin: “…”

If the princess had passed away, it must have been a heavy blow to Duan Yunfeng. Wang Yunyin could only comfort him by patting his shoulder. Then she turned to Zhou Ye. “How could it happen so suddenly? One minute everything was fine, and then… sigh…”

Zhou Ye numbly nodded. “Indeed… it was very sudden.”

Wang Yunyin sighed and, somewhat at a loss, looked at Duan Yunfeng. “Well, if you want something to eat, just pick what you like. I still need to go visit His Majesty…”

“What?” Duan Yunfeng suddenly raised his head, no longer sad. “Why do you need to visit him?”

Wang Yunyin also widened her eyes, looking at him with a confused expression. “Otherwise, why would I have come all the way from Taiyuan?”

Duan Yunfeng: “Wasn’t it to visit me?”

“Of course, visiting you is part of it.” Wang Yunyin straightened his hair that had fallen over his forehead. “But the Emperor’s edict about him ruling in Chang’an has already reached Taiyuan. How could your father, a King stationed in Hedong, not show any response?”

Duan Yunfeng: “He’s not going to threaten you, is he?”

Wang Yunyin smacked his shoulder. “Threaten? What threat?”

She sighed, looking somewhat exasperated. “The Emperor sent a letter to your father, talking about some past events, and mentioned how fortunate it was that your father was guarding Hedong. He’s a great contributor to the Yan Empire, and in the future, they’ll still need to rely on him. Your father immediately became emotional, saying that the Emperor truly remembers him and was definitely coerced by traitors back then. He wished he could have rushed to the capital immediately, but he had to stay at the frontier to defend the borders. So, here I am.”

Duan Yunfeng: “…”

This Emperor must really be a fox spirit in disguise!

He snorted and grabbed Wang Yunyin’s hand. “Mother, you’ve only just arrived, and you haven’t even said two words to me before you’re rushing off to see him. What for?”

Wang Yunyin: “Stop talking nonsense. I came to the capital on behalf of your father, so naturally, I need to pay my respects to His Majesty.”

Duan Yunfeng pouted unhappily. “Fine, I’ll go with you.”

He accompanied Wang Yunyin all the way to the outside of the Xijing Residence, sent someone inside to announce their arrival, and then waited in the yard outside.

Inside the Xijing Residence, Li Jinxi led Wang Yunyin to the back hall and ordered someone to prepare tea for her. “Your Highness, please wait here for a moment. I have already informed His Majesty, and he is handling some state affairs. He should be here shortly.”

Wang Yunyin took a sip of tea. “Thank you, Eunuch Li.”

She quietly glanced around. On the table before her, there was an incense burner with dragon’s saliva incense burning. The room was simply decorated, with no sign of extravagance or lavishness.

Wang Yunyin felt a little puzzled. She had always heard that the Emperor loved music and indulgence, neglecting his duties as emperor, but here, there was no sign of such behavior.

As she was thinking, the sound of footsteps grew louder, and a voice outside announced, “His Majesty has arrived.”

Wang Yunyin immediately stood up, ready to kneel in respect, but a very young voice stopped her. “The Princess has traveled all the way from Taiyuan. The journey must have been exhausting. There’s no need for excessive formalities.”

The young Emperor, wearing a black robe, was tall and had a noble appearance.

Wang Yunyin stared at his face and inwardly gasped. She took a deep breath. The Emperor looked like this, and the Princess was his biological sister—no wonder her son had been so insistent about marrying her.

She suddenly understood.

It wasn’t entirely her son’s fault for being impulsive.

It wasn’t… wasn’t impulsive at all.

It was just natural, perhaps.

But it was a pity that she never got to meet the Princess in person. How could it all have suddenly ended like this…

Xiao Heng: “Is everything well in Taiyuan?”

Wang Yunyin was taken aback. “Ah?” she replied, not immediately understanding.

Xiao Heng asked again.

He thought to himself that Duan Yunfeng’s appearance must have been inherited from his mother, especially those slightly downward-turned eyes. The expression of doubt on his face was almost identical.

“Everything is fine in Taiyuan,” Wang Yunyin said solemnly. “The king of North should have come to pay his respects to His Majesty personally, but the Northern Barbarians have been stirring lately, and Taiyuan needs someone to defend it. He couldn’t leave his post, so I came in his place.”

Xiao Heng smiled slightly. “It’s no matter. I know the loyalty of the King of the North well…”

In fact, Wang Yunyin’s arrival in Chang’an had already made the King of the North’s stance clear.

If he had any reservations or intentions to oppose the Emperor, he would never have allowed his wife to come to Chang’an to pay her respects.

Xiao Heng: “The King of the North has made great contributions to the Yan Empire. I’ve always planned to reward him. Since the Princess is here today, I will announce it to you now. I intend to elevate the King of the North to the title of Prince of Jin, and I will also grant the heir the title of General of the Cavalry and the position of Left Minister of the Secretariat, allowing him to establish his own office with the same ceremonial rank as the Three Excellencies.”

Wang Yunyin was taken aback. Elevating him to Prince of Jin was acceptable, and since Duan Yunfeng had indeed made great contributions to the Yan Empire, and his achievements deserved recognition. But the Emperor’s promotion of Duan Yunfeng was somewhat excessive.

Establishing his own office meant he would be allowed to open his own residence, recruit his own staff, and the rank of “ceremonial equal to the Three Excellencies” meant that he would receive the same level of treatment as the highest officials in the empire. This kind of treatment was usually reserved for extremely favored ministers or those at the pinnacle of power.

Her son was only twenty years old, and he was being granted such a prestigious position. Who knew how arrogant he might become in the future.

Wang Yunyin felt no joy; instead, she was deeply worried. “Thank you for Your Majesty’s kindness, but my son is impetuous and has no real accomplishments. How could he be worthy of such an honor? It’s also our fault for not raising him properly. He tends to speak without thinking and may have offended many people…”

Xiao Heng only smiled. “He’s still young. Why would I make an issue out of it?”

Wang Yunyin was stunned. The Emperor was also quite young, yet his tone was so mature.

Xiao Heng: “Besides, having a youthful heart full of sincerity is not a bad thing. I’m rewarding him because I have high hopes for him. As for the title and the rewards, The Princess need not worry. I know what I’m doing.”

Since the Emperor had said so, Wang Yunyin couldn’t refuse. She could only express her thanks. “I thank Your Majesty on behalf of the King and the Heir.”

Xiao Heng signaled her not to be overly formal and then asked, “How is the Heir doing these days?”

Wang Yunyin gasped, “Ah, isn’t Duan Yunfeng unwell?”

Xiao Heng replied, “The Heir has taken leave these past few days, saying he was feeling unwell. I’ve been busy with state affairs and haven’t had a chance to visit him.”

Wang Yunyin’s heart skipped a beat. She thought to herself that the little brat must be throwing a tantrum and deliberately finding excuses not to attend court. She decided to give him a good talking-to when she got back, but in front of the Emperor, she could only maintain a smile. “He’s better now, almost fully recovered. He will definitely attend court tomorrow.”^[1]pffft hahahahahahahaha be ready Duan Yunfeng 😹

Xiao Heng smiled. “That’s good to hear. Now I can be at ease.”

After chatting for a bit more, Xiao Heng returned to his duties. Wang Yunyin stood up to take her leave, preparing to depart.

Before leaving, she suddenly remembered something. With her head lowered, she sighed, “Your Majesty, regarding the Princess’s matter, I hope you find solace.”

Xiao Heng: “…”

…

In the back yard of the Xijing Residence.

Duan Yunfeng had been waiting outside, bored and even pulling leaves off a tree. But finally, Wang Yunyin emerged.

He immediately stepped forward, “Mother, you should say less to him. The Emperor is full of crafty words. The more you talk, the more he’ll entangle you.”

Wang Yunyin gave his shoulder a firm slap. “Keep quiet.”

She then grabbed his hand and whispered, “Do you think serving in the court is just child’s play, where all the ministers are your father and mother and everything will go your way?”

Duan Yunfeng was about to speak, but Wang Yunyin sharply interrupted him. “Listen to me. If you’ve decided to swear loyalty to the Emperor, you must understand the proper conduct between ruler and subject. The Emperor may be temporarily tolerant because of your military achievements and the North’s forces, but once the empire stabilizes, what will happen when he remembers these things? It could very well become a thorn in his heart, and you’ll never know how he might hold you accountable!”

She gave his head a tap. “You… you threw a tantrum pretending to be ill and didn’t attend court. Tomorrow, you’re going to attend court properly. Understand?”

Duan Yunfeng snorted inwardly, thinking the Emperor even went behind his back to report him—how despicable!

He still obediently nodded. “Okay.”

Wang Yunyin warned, “Don’t imitate your father. Be more mindful, do you hear me?”

Duan Yunfeng: “…”

Wang Yunyin looked at his drooping expression, reached out to pinch his cheek, and sighed, “You’ve grown up, but you’ve only grown physically.”

Duan Yunfeng frowned and retorted, “I have grown! I’ve grown a lot! My whole body is full of wisdom!”

Wang Yunyin responded, “Alright, I know you well enough.”

Duan Yunfeng was like his father in many ways. When he was young, he used to look at people with those big puppy-like eyes, and when he threw a tantrum, everyone just gave him whatever he wanted. The family indulged him, and it led to his current careless nature. She feared that it would cause trouble for him in the future.

Wang Yunyin added, “You don’t have to fight for these military achievements. How many high-ranking ministers have a good end? If it doesn’t work out, you can just come home. Your father and I are still not old.”

Duan Yunfeng lowered his head and muttered, “I understand. I’ll attend court tomorrow.”

The next morning.

Duan Yunfeng put on his court attire, holding a tablet in his hand, and made his way to the Xijing Residence.

It just so happened that today was the Emperor’s first awarding ceremony after taking control of Chang’an. The Emperor, seated on the high throne, wore a bright yellow imperial robe and a crown that reached to the sky, enhancing his majestic presence. On either side of him stood rows of guards holding axes and halberds, while the court officials stood in orderly ranks, dressed in their formal robes.

Li Jinxi, holding the imperial decree, began reading aloud Xiao Heng’s awards.

The people who had followed him in establishing his rule were to be rewarded. This would ensure their loyalty to him in the future.

Xiao Heng first appointed Wang Muchuan as the Chancellor, in charge of the six ministries, and promoted Liu Jun to the Commander of the Imperial Guards.

After Liu Jun received his reward, he repeatedly bowed to express his gratitude before returning to his place. He stood beside Duan Yunfeng and glanced sideways at the heir to the King of the North. In his heart, he thought that since the Emperor had already promoted the King of the North to the title of Prince of Jin, he probably wouldn’t reward the heir further. Moreover, the Emperor’s most trusted person now was himself. This thought filled him with a sense of superiority.

Soon, they heard Li Jinxi’s loud voice proclaiming the next award: “Duan Yunfeng, Heir of the King of the North, loyal and dedicated to the country, with outstanding contributions. He is hereby promoted to Left Minister of the Department of State Affairs and General of the Cavalry. Additionally, he is specially granted the Emperor’s robes and jade belt.^[2]it usually symbolizes a great honor or promotion to a very high rank. Emperor’s Robe: Being awarded such a robe (often a dragon robe or longpao) is symbolic of imperial favor, power, or being … Continue reading This is the Emperor’s command!”

Everyone present, including Duan Yunfeng himself, was stunned for a moment.

The Emperor’s robes referred to the dragon robes worn by the Emperor himself.

It is known that when the Emperor grants a subject his dragon robe and jade belt, it signifies supreme honor and favor. Since the establishment of the current dynasty, there had been few instances of such an award. In the past, it was only Emperor Taizu who granted his own dragon robe to a loyal minister who had saved him.

Such a reward was typically given only when a subject had made an enormous contribution.

Moreover, Xiao Heng rarely wore the imperial robes; he usually wore regular clothes and even instructed those around him not to focus on his attire. As a result, he only had two sets of official imperial robes.

Yet, he casually gave one of them to Duan Yunfeng, which inevitably raised suspicions.

Duan Yunfeng suppressed his surprise and slowly stepped forward, glancing at the Emperor on the high throne. He thought to himself that this was undoubtedly Xiao Heng’s way of winning over him and the King of the North’s forces. As for the robe, he didn’t care for it—he had no interest in wearing the Emperor’s old clothes. Hmph…

But he still respectfully said, “I have not achieved any remarkable merit, Your Majesty, and I fear I do not deserve this.”

The Emperor, who had been sitting on the throne for a long time, suddenly stood up. Xiao Heng slowly descended the steps and walked up to Duan Yunfeng.

“Whether you deserve it or not, I will decide,” Xiao Heng said, looking down at Duan Yunfeng. He then gestured to the ceremonial officer holding the robe and jade belt to pass it to him. “Bring it to me.”

Duan Yunfeng had no choice but to thank him with a cupped fist.

What happened next startled him. Xiao Heng suddenly stepped right in front of him, their noses nearly touching. In front of everyone, the Emperor reached out and draped the dragon robe over Duan Yunfeng’s shoulders.

Duan Yunfeng’s breath caught in his throat.

The Emperor’s presence was too close. Suddenly, he felt a tickling sensation all over his body, as though he were being pricked with tiny needles. He instinctively wanted to pull away…

Wait, wasn’t it customary for the Emperor to wear the robes himself when awarding them?

How could they stand it, with the Emperor’s breath this close?