Rumor Has It That I'm Pregnant with His Highness' Child

Chapter 667: Lantern Festival

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

A year later, the emperor of the Chen Nation died of illness. The little crown prince, who was only a year old, ascended the throne. As the empress, Shen Luqing successfully advanced to the become the empress dowager.

Because the new emperor was too young to govern himself, Shen Luqing listened to politics as the empress dowager.

During the first morning court assembly, the young new emperor was wearing a dragon robe and sitting on a dragon chair that was too wide for him. He did not know anything yet and had to move from time to time. The palace servants standing at the side had no choice but to lower their voices to coax him, hoping that he would sit obediently and not move.

Behind the dragon throne hung a gauze curtain. Behind the gauze curtain was the empress dowager’s seat.

Shen Luqing sat upright in a wide chair. Her gaze pierced through the thin gauze curtain and watched as the civil and military officials knelt down and bowed.

“Long live the emperor and the empress dowager!”

Shen Luqing raised her right hand, and her wide sleeve swayed. The breeze caused the gauze curtain to sway gently.

“Ministers, rise.”

After a year of recuperation, the lives of the commoners finally got on track.

The destroyed houses were rebuilt, and the abandoned fields were revitalized.

As for the lives that had unfortunately passed away, they would stay in people’s hearts forever.

Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan had paid to open many Juan Niao schools all over Eastern Tang. Not only did the school not accept tuition fees, but it also did not have any restrictions about gender and accepted male and female students at the same time.

If they were students with especially outstanding academic results, they could even receive scholarships to subsidize their families. It was said that not only did studying not cost money, but one could also earn money. Many commoners sent their children to the Juan Niao School.

As long as it was not a busy farming season, the school would always be filled with people.

Tang Guixi was prepared to open an imperial examination and take this opportunity to recruit talents. She often heard Yu Niaoniao mention the Juan Niao School and knew that many girls in the school had outstanding academic results, but she felt that it was a pity that they could not become officials.

Therefore, Tang Guixi waved her hand and crossed out the rule restricting females from taking the imperial examination. She changed it to a rule that was gender agnostic and anyone with both virtue and talent could obtain a positon.

As soon as this matter was out, everyone in the court protested.

In the morning court assembly, the officials argued with Tang Guixi, wanting her to change her mind.

But Tang Guixi did not listen to them at all. No matter how others spat, she always said those words— “I’m the emperor. I have the final say.”

“You have the right to make suggestions, but I also have the right to refuse to listen. ”

“Do you look down on women? Coincidentally, I’m a woman. Which one of you looks down on me? Stand up and let me take a look.”

The ministers were exasperated, but they did not dare to do anything to her. In the end, they could only suppress their anger and go home.

After the new imperial examination system was officially enacted, it caused a huge reaction among the people. Everyone was shocked by this matter. It was unprecedented for a woman to participate in the imperial examination.

However, when they thought about how the emperor of the Eastern Tang was a woman and how she could govern the country, being well-versed in martial arts and was not inferior to men at all, the commoners felt that this matter was not so difficult to accept.

On the day of the imperial examination, many women entered the examination hall. Under Yu Niaoniao’s encouragement, Ling Hai also participated in the imperial examination.

Unfortunately, Ling Hai did not make much progress in his studies and could not pass the examination. After failing the examination, he could not help but be disappointed. This aroused his fighting spirit. He was determined to study hard and be on the rankings the next time he took the imperial examination.

If he could get into the civil service, he could even bring his family to Eastern Tang to stay. Even for his family, he had to work harder.

The first imperial examination since the founding of the Eastern Tang finally ended. After layers of screening and examinations, in the end, there were 99 male and female students.

They entered the royal court of the Eastern Tang and became the new batch of pillars.

Today happened to be the Mid-Autumn Festival. There would be a lantern festival in Xingning City at night.

Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan planned to bring their daughter to the lantern festival. When Tang Guixi found out, she insisted on following. Since she wanted to go, Shen Xu naturally had to follow.

Hence, the five of them changed into the clothes of ordinary people and secretly sneaked into the lantern festival.

Lanterns of various shapes hung on both sides of the street. Each lantern had a note hanging on it. The note had a riddle written on it. Those who guessed the riddle could take the lanterns for free.

During this period, there were also many vendors who sold all kinds of things, including food, necessities, and entertainment. Xiao Juan bought a rattle drum for his daughter. Xiao Yining clearly liked this rattle drum very much. As long as Xiao Juan shook it, she would dance with excitement and laugh. Xiao Juan handed her the rattle drum. “Take it well.”

Xiao Yining hugged the rattle drum tightly, and an even brighter smile bloomed on her fair and rosy face.

Seeing that there were many people gathered in front, Tang Guixi squeezed in curiously and realized that an opera troupe had built a stage there. They were singing now.

She immediately squeezed out again and shouted at Yu Niaoniao and the others.

“Come quickly. Someone’s singing here. It’s very good!”

Yu Niaoniao was very surprised. “Is it a foreign troupe?”

Tang Guixi said, “That’s right. I heard that it’s an opera troupe from the

Imperial Capital. I think its name is Qi… Qi something?”

Yu Niaoniao’s heart skipped a beat and she blurted out, “Is it Qirui Opera

Troupe?”

Tang Guixi nodded vigorously. “Yes, yes, yes! It’s them! Have you heard of them?”

Yu Niaoniao laughed. “I’ve more than heard of them. We’re old acquaintances.”

She turned to Xiao Juan and said, “Let’s go and join in the fun.”

“Yeah.”

There were too many people gathered around the stage. Some of them really could not squeeze in and could only climb into nearby trees or even the roof to watch.

Tang Guixi led the way and forcefully squeezed out a path.

Shen Xu followed closely behind. Xiao Juan hugged his daughter with one arm and Niaoniao with the other to prevent her from being pushed away by the crowd.

It wasn’t easy for them to squeeze into the front row.

Yu Niaoniao looked up and realized that the person performing on the stage was Liu Sixing.

She looked like she had grown a little taller, and her figure had become even slimmer. Her melodious singing voice drifted out, winning waves of cheers.

At this moment, she was singing “Duke Lang in Liaodong”. The plot was turbulent and captivating. The setting on the stage was also unique and very different from ordinary opera troupe.

When the song reached its climax, Tang Guixi could not help but clap and cheer with everyone.

Yu Niaoniao also shouted, “Sixing, that’s awesome!”

On the stage, Liu Sixing heard someone call her name. She glanced down the stage from the corner of her eye and saw Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan in the crowd.

She didn’t stop. She continued to sing smoothly.

When the plot ended, the onlookers threw rewards and shouted for en encore.

Liu Qirui went on stage to thank everyone for their support and said that the night’s performance was over. They had to come back the next for another show.

Seeing that there was no good show to watch, the onlookers reluctantly dispersed.

Liu Qirui jumped off the stage and bowed to Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan. “Greetings, Duke Lang and the Princess Consort.”

Yu Niaoniao reminded him, “We’re no longer Duke Lang and the Princess

Consort of Dayan.”

Tang Guixi crossed her arms and said proudly, “That’s right, that’s right. They already have nothing to do with Dayan. Now, they’re the Founding Duke and Madam of our Eastern Tang. Don’t call them by the wrong address.” Liu Qirui hurriedly bowed again. “Greetings, Founding Duke and Madam..”

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