After the whole family was swept away, I lay down flat

Chapter 1047 Reason
When Fang heard the news that Ma came to report personally at home, she couldn't help but show confusion and panic on her face.

She didn't know what happened. How could the Queen Mother know her experience? And why would she summon a small person like her? ! Commend? Was what she did worthy of praise?
Hai Baozhu asked Ma in a panic, "Grandma, what's the reason? Why would the palace summon my mother when everything is fine?!"

Ma hurriedly comforted them, "Don't panic. I heard Baoshun say this on the way here. This is good news. The Queen Mother heard about your mother's experience and felt sorry for her for having done great things for her husband's family, but still having to endure criticism from her clansmen. That's why she plans to reward her." Then she turned to Fang and said, "The people from the palace will be here soon. You should quickly change into some decent clothes and get dressed so that you don't have to wait when people arrive."

Fang had a lot of questions to ask, but under Ma's urging, she changed her clothes and combed her hair first. Hai Baozhu quickly called the maids and servants into the house to help her mother. Ma also followed in to help choose clothes and jewelry.

Hai Jiao stayed in the living room. Seeing that Hai Baozhu was also confused, he thought for a moment and reminded him: "Baozhu, you'd better change your clothes in case of an emergency. Someone from the palace is coming to pick up your mother, and they might ask you as well. You are a witness to your cousin's achievements, and perhaps the Queen Mother will want to summon you to ask about what happened in detail."

Hai Baozhu jumped up in shock: "This... this, this, this... what should I wear? If the Queen Mother asks me a question, how should I answer?!"

"You are a scholar, so you can wear student clothes. They should be clean and decent, preferably new. You have to let the nobles in the palace know that you are living a good life now, with no worries about food and clothing, and your studies are going well." Haijiao thought for a while, "Whatever the Empress Dowager asks you, just tell her directly. If you don't know something, just say you don't know. Don't guess or make up lies. If it's really hard to say, just keep silent."

It sounds simple, but Hai Baozhu was still flustered. Aunt Qiu hurriedly found a new set of student uniforms for him. Originally, it was made by Fang herself, and was prepared for him to wear when he returned to Yongping to meet the school officials after the New Year. Now he had to use it in advance.

Hai Baozhu changed his clothes, shoes and socks and came out. He looked quite handsome, but a little bit at a loss. Hai Jiao patted him on the back, reminded him to straighten his back, and said with a smile: "Don't panic, just think of this as a rehearsal. When you take the palace examination in the future, you will go to the main hall of the palace. Now it's just a walk in the imperial city. What's there to panic? You are your mother's son, escorting her into the imperial city. If the Empress Dowager doesn't intend to ask you, you just need to wait outside the palace and take a few glances at the scenery in the palace. When you first came to the capital, weren't you taken by your senior to look at the palace tower from afar? Were you also panicked at that time?"

"How is this the same?" Hai Baozhu muttered softly, and after thinking about it, he calmed down a little.

What his cousin said was true. He would have to go to the Golden Palace sooner or later. If he felt nervous when he entered the palace, how could he participate in the palace examination and write an essay in front of the emperor? The students taught by his teacher in the past had never been so disappointing. He couldn't lose face for his teacher!

Hai Baozhu calmed down and followed Hai Jiao to learn the etiquette of meeting the emperor. He had learned these things before when he was in the master's school. Although the rules of meeting the emperor were different from those of meeting the empress dowager, he was smart and learned them quickly.

When Fang came back to the hall dressed in new clothes, Hai Baozhu looked even calmer than his stepmother. His every move was elegant and graceful, like a great scholar. Seeing him like this, Fang's anxiety dissipated a lot and she soon calmed down.

Hai Jiao, the nephew of the second wife, goes to the palace to guard every day. Today, he got the news in advance and came to report. If he said it was a good thing, then he couldn't be fooling people. She had a clear conscience and just needed to deal with it calmly without panicking. Before the palace envoy arrived, Hai Jiao simply told Fang and Hai Baozhu the bottom line. He mentioned the matter of the newly promoted young general of the imperial army who asked for a title for his stepmother, and said that the young general was very valued by the new monarch recently. It was because the new monarch intended to cultivate and use him that Empress Dowager Xu asked about his stepmother's request for a title. The Ministry of Rites explained why the young general's request was not accepted. The reason was that his biological mother had already been granted a title. His stepmother was remarried and her reputation was damaged. She should not enjoy the same treatment, so it was rejected.

But the young general of the imperial guards thought that he was raised by his stepmother and had been saved by her, so he should repay her and there was no reason not to ask for a title. Moreover, his stepmother was married to his father as his second wife through three matchmakers and six engagements. After entering the family, she behaved properly and was virtuous. Everyone in the family praised her. How could her reputation be damaged?! The court law did not prohibit widows from remarrying, and the reason why the Ministry of Rites rejected his request was really unreliable.

The dispute between the young general and the head of the Ministry of Rites had lasted for several days and had alarmed the harem. When Empress Dowager Xu learned the whole story, she decided to summon the virtuous stepmother to reward her kindness and filial piety.

At this time, someone told the empress dowager about the deeds of Fang, the former eldest daughter-in-law of the Hai family. The empress dowager believed that Fang's behavior was as virtuous and noble as the stepmother of the young general of the imperial guards, so she planned to summon the two of them together.

However, the young general of the imperial guards was a talent that the new emperor intended to use, so his stepmother was the main character of this summons, and Fang was just a by-product. But this was not a bad thing, because the Ministry of Rites might have objections, but they were mainly targeting another lady and would not make things difficult for Fang. Fang just went to the palace to see the Queen Mother, and she would answer whatever the Queen Mother asked. The Queen Mother was always kind and would not embarrass her, nor would she let her go back empty-handed.

At this point, Hai Jiao lowered his voice and said, "Even if the Queen Mother didn't give any formal rewards in the end, but just gave a few pieces of fabric, it would be a great thing for my cousin. With these things given by the palace, who in the family would dare to say anything?!"

Hai Baozhu and Hai Baozhu's eyes suddenly lit up, and they couldn't help showing joy on their faces. Fang was still a little confused at first, but after reacting, she took a deep breath and calmed down: "If I am no longer criticized by the tribe, Baozhu will have a better life in the future, right?" At least she will no longer be regarded as a slut by the tribe, and she can hope to return to her hometown to visit the graves openly.

Hai Baozhu said, "As long as the clan members shut up, I can prepare a dowry for my sister without any worries! There are still some pearls and jade jewelry handed down from our ancestors at home, which the elders in the clan have kept for me, saying that they will be handed over to my wife after I get married. God knows if the things will be returned to me by then? I have long wanted to take them back to add to my sister's dowry, but my aunts and uncles refused. If my mother is no longer slandered by the clan members, she can return to the ancestral home openly. Why should the things in the house be handed over to the clan members for custody?!"

Fang looked at Hai Baozhu, smiled slightly, and said nothing. Even if she could get rid of the stigma, she would not return to the Hai family's ancestral home. Life in the capital was good, and she hoped to live with her daughter and son-in-law.

Haijiao heard the noise outside the door. Familiar with the rules of the palace servants, he immediately guessed, "The people from the palace have arrived."

He looked at everyone and saw that everyone looked nervous, so he turned and walked towards the door.