Border Cook

Chapter 653 Reward
Xia Mingyue's stomach was empty at this time. Seeing that Fan Jinglan and Xiao Yufei were not too particular when eating, refusing to let the palace servants serve them, and even picking food for each other, she felt more relaxed and enjoyed breakfast with the two of them.

Xia Mingyue enjoyed the food here comfortably, while Lu Qiyan and Xia Yunji waited for a while in the side hall of Chongyang Palace.

Only after receiving a message from inside did they enter the hall.

At this moment in the hall, it was time for the morning court session.

Civil and military officials were lined up on both sides, and the emperor sat on the dragon throne in the center. Wherever he looked, everyone bowed their heads, not daring to move at all.

It can be said that it is full of oppression.

Lu Qiyan and Xia Yunji also tensed up their nerves and walked forward slowly. When they reached the front, they knelt down and bowed.

"Lu Qiyan, commander of the Western Frontier Army's Shenwu Army, pays respect to His Majesty. Long live the emperor."

"Xia Yunji, acting commander of the Western Frontier Army's White Tiger Army, pays respect to His Majesty. Long live the emperor."

"Stand up." The emperor raised his hand.

After Lu Qiyan and Xia Yunji stood up, the emperor looked them up and down and burst into hearty laughter.

"The two army commanders are so young, which shows that there are many rising stars in the Western Frontier Army. This just shows that our Great Zhou country is full of talents, young people are emerging in large numbers, and the national strength is prosperous!"

When the emperor said this, the other court officials naturally echoed him, "Your Majesty is right!"

"Your Majesty is wise and powerful. Our Great Zhou will naturally prosper and win every battle."

"Your Majesty's virtue is so great that it has reached the heavens. The gods and Buddhas will certainly feel it and protect our Great Zhou Kingdom so that it will be stable and the people will live in peace."

"Your Majesty governs the country well, the country is peaceful, and the people live and work in peace and contentment. This is truly a blessing for the country!"

"..."

Several ministers flattered the emperor openly, making the emperor smile even more. He said, "You are wrong. The Great Zhou Kingdom is the Great Zhou Kingdom of all the people in the world, and it is also the Great Zhou Kingdom of all the ministers. The current peace and prosperity is also due to the loyalty of the ministers to the court. I know this in my heart."

"But the word loyalty has different levels. I see how each person performs. I will reward those who are loyal and dedicated, and punish those who have ulterior motives!"

The last word was almost squeezed out from between the emperor's teeth, carrying a strong warning tone.

This startled some people in the hall and their faces changed.

Some people even couldn't help but shiver.

"Yes." Everyone responded in unison.

The emperor nodded with satisfaction, and looked at Lu Qiyan and Xia Yunji again, "Lu Qiyan, the commander of the Shenwu Army, has been in the army for a long time, has made countless contributions, and has devoted himself to assisting the commander of the wing, defeating the Jinwei Kingdom several times. He can be said to be an unparalleled national hero."

"The current Lu Qiyan is the deputy commander of the Western Frontier Army, and is named Marquis Dingyuan, a title that has been passed down for three generations. He is also rewarded with a thousand taels of gold, a hundred rolls of silk, and five hundred acres of fertile land!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace." Lu Qiyan bowed upright to express his gratitude.

"Xia Yunji, the interim commander of the White Tiger Army, is brave and good at fighting. He can be regarded as the sharpest blade in the Western Frontier Army. He is appointed as the official commander of the White Tiger Army and is granted the title of Divine Tiger General, a thousand taels of gold, and a hundred acres of fertile land."

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace." Xia Yunji also expressed his gratitude loudly.

Then, the two of them said in unison, "From now on, I will do my best to serve the emperor and be loyal to the Great Zhou Kingdom."

"Very good." The emperor nodded in appreciation and looked at the others. "Marquis Dingyuan and General Shenhu are like this. You, my dear ministers, must follow their example and work even harder in the future."

"Yes." The ministers responded, and many people looked at Lu Qiyan and Xia Yunji.

He is young and promising, a talented young man, and is so appreciated by the emperor. His future is limitless, and he will definitely make many friends in the future.

However, the military generals have been stationed at the border for a long time. After they came to the capital to receive rewards, they will probably have to return to the border soon after the New Year. It is not easy to make and maintain relationships with them.

Especially the military generals who were in charge of military affairs, most of them were civil servants in the capital, so if one tried to make excessive friends with them, it would appear to be very deliberate.

Such a task still needs to be handed over to one's wife.

After all, in socializing at the harem, the degree of friendship between women represents the closeness of their relationship with each other.

Many people already have such little thoughts in their hearts, but they do not show it on their faces, and just lower their eyes to hide their thoughts.

Lu Qiyan and Xia Yunji naturally felt the scrutiny and inquiring gazes of many people, but they did not care. They just lowered their heads and stepped aside, listening to the emperor handling his daily affairs.

At this time, Xia Mingyue and the other two had already enjoyed their breakfast.

After a short while, the three of them went to the Queen Mother's Palace.

As soon as the three of them stepped into the palace gate, they heard bursts of hearty laughter coming from inside the hall.

"They say the Queen Mother gets younger as she gets older. I didn't believe it at first, but after seeing her today, I finally understand. She's been acting like a child in the palace all day, but she's really getting younger as she gets older."

The Queen Mother raised her eyebrows when she heard this, and she even leaned closer to the Queen, "Look what I said, I said this old man came to the palace today for no other reason than to tease me, but you just didn't believe me. Now you understand, I'm saying I'm an old witch."

"It's rare that I don't say a few sarcastic words to you, but you're not used to it? Then I know. From now on, I have to tell you that the wrinkles on your face have deepened and the wrinkles at the corners of your eyes can kill mosquitoes. Only then will you feel comfortable!"

"Listen, you've been away for two years, and you haven't learned any other skills, but your ability to quarrel and provoke others has become even better." The Queen Mother laughed, "It seems that I have to learn from you, so that when I see you again, your tongue will be even more powerful, and I wonder if I can cure you."

"Then I am very much looking forward to it, but you must not just talk about it, you must do what you say. Don't get itchy and sick all over when I ask you to go out for a walk. If I ask you to go out for a walk, you will feel uncomfortable all over because you have been in the palace. If you live with me for a while, you can see the mountains, enjoy the scenery, walk around, and feel happy in your heart, and you will feel comfortable all over."

"I do want to, but I need to be as lucky as you." The Queen Mother curled her lips, "Your children and grandchildren are all easy to take care of. Look at my children, not a single one is easy to take care of. If I don't keep an eye on them at home, who knows what big trouble they might cause. How can I feel at ease going out for a stroll?"

"Children and grandchildren have their own blessings, and you must let go when it is time to let go..."

These words were spoken with great earnestness, yet Xia Mingyue, who was about to go in, frowned slightly.

Not to mention that the content of these words is not something that ordinary people can say, the sound of the words...

Sound familiar?

Xia Mingyue complained in her heart, but she didn't dare to think too much. She just followed Fan Jinglan and Xiao Yufei into the hall and bowed together. "Greetings to the Empress Dowager, Mother, and Old Madam."

"Meet the Queen Mother, the Queen Mother, and the Old Madam."

"Your servant Xia pays respect to the Queen Mother, Her Majesty the Queen..."

When Xia Mingyue's eyes fell on the old lady sitting with the empress dowager, she was immediately surprised, "Madam He?"

"Good boy." Without waiting for the empress dowager and the queen to speak, Madam He smiled at Xia Mingyue first.

"Hurry up and get up." The Queen Mother also waved at Xia Mingyue, "Sit next to me, so that I can take a good look at you."

A palace servant brought a stool over, and Xia Mingyue responded, "Yes, thank you, Queen Mother." Then she sat on the stool next to the Queen Mother.

Xiao Yufei and Fan Jinglan also took their seats one after another.

"Good boy." The Queen Mother took Xia Mingyue's hand, looked at her carefully, and nodded, "Not bad at all."

She has a dignified appearance, good temperament and well-mannered manners.

"When did my vision become bad?" Madam He echoed, "Old fellow, since you also think it's good, shouldn't you express your appreciation? When it comes to compliments, all words are empty. Show some real substance!"

"I was wondering why you, old thing, came to the palace so early this morning. I was thinking that you were thinking about me, an old woman. After all this time, is it because Mingyue is coming to the palace today, and you came here specially to support her and ask for a reward?" The Queen Mother glanced at Madam He with a look of disgust on her face.

"What else?" Madam He was not to be outdone. "Do you really think that you hold such a high position in my heart that it's worth me getting up so early? I'm not afraid to tell you the truth. If Mingyue hadn't come today and you hadn't invited me here in a sedan chair, I wouldn't have even set foot in your palace!"

"Look at your temper. It's exactly the same as before. It's just that I can tolerate you a little. If it were someone else, I would have stopped playing with you long ago." The Queen Mother curled her lips.

Madam He's mouth curled into a line, "Don't talk about this. If you don't play with me, there will be no one else to play with. Come on, come on, you should quickly issue an imperial decree to reward the people who deserve it. Let Mingyue take the reward and go to the Queen's Palace to talk. Let's talk again. Let me cherish you more!"

The Queen Mother had been deliberately keeping a stern face, but when she heard the last sentence, she couldn't help but laugh out loud, "Old bastard! I knew you were attached to me!"

"Come on, come on, let's stop bickering. The younger ones have never seen this kind of thing before. If they get scared and think we are really those unrefined and vulgar women, that would be bad."

As the queen mother spoke, she held Xia Mingyue's hand affectionately and said with a smile, "I know what you do at the border every day, and I think it's very good. As a woman, you rely on your own strengths to benefit your family and others. It is indeed very commendable."

"Then how about passing on my imperial decree to confer upon you the title of Lord of Anle Township?"

The most prestigious title for women is princess, followed by county lady, township lady, and pavilion lady.

Among them, the village chief was of the fourth rank, which was only one level lower than the third rank of the marquis.

Moreover, above the village lady is the county lady, and the county lady is a title that can only be enjoyed by the daughter of a prince.

It was a great honor for Xia Mingyue to jump from an ordinary woman to become a village chief. She was also the first person to enjoy this honor since the founding of the Great Zhou Kingdom.

As for the word "Anle", the people are safe and happy. The former is handled by Lu Qiyan, and the latter is promoted by Xia Mingyue. The couple works together, which is very appropriate.

Xia Mingyue was flattered and knelt down quickly to pay her respects. "I am overjoyed and grateful for your reward, Your Majesty."

"Get up." The Queen Mother raised her hand with a smile.

Madam He, who was standing by, leaned closer to the Empress Dowager, her eyebrows slightly raised, "I thought you were going to confer the title of Madam Mingming on Mingyue, but you actually conferred the title of Township Lord?"

"A lady of imperial title, no matter what rank she is, always has the word 'imperial title' in front of it, and also the identity of lady. Others can tell at a glance that her honor is earned by her husband or children and grandchildren. But it's different for a village lady. This is her own glory and her own identity," explained the empress dowager.

"Not bad." Madam He gave the Queen Mother a thumbs up. "It's you who sees things clearly and thinks things through."

The Queen Mother laughed, "Then I'll take it as a compliment from you, and accept it."

"I'm just praising you. What do you mean by just thinking that I'm praising you? Praising you has brought out so many of your worries. I won't bother to praise you in the future." Old lady He turned away angrily.

"Okay, I was just being overly suspicious. Okay, okay, you were just praising me. I was suspicious and misled your kindness. I'll treat you to tea later as an apology. Is that okay?"

"That's pretty much it..."

After the two old kids finished bickering, they continued talking about Xia Mingyue.

"The Queen will arrange the rest of the rewards for Lord Anle. Select some useful and good quality items from the warehouse and give them to Lord Anle as rewards."

The Queen Mother spoke, and the Queen quickly responded, "Yes, don't worry, mother."

"I will take them back first and draw up rewards for them, so as not to disturb the Queen Mother and the old lady."

After the Empress Dowager and Madam He raised their hands, the Queen led Xia Mingyue, Fan Jinglan and Xiao Yufei back to her own palace.

As soon as she arrived at the palace, the queen gave Xia Mingyue the things she had picked out from the warehouse early in the morning.

White jade bracelets, crystal clear jade beads, heavy and exquisitely crafted red-gold hairpins, high-quality Shu brocade, Yun brocade, woven flower brocade, and Suzhou embroidery...

There are numerous and dazzling array of products.

The most valuable of them are two headpieces, one with dark red agate flat flowers, and the other with red gold filigree inlaid with pearls.

The two headpieces are of fine workmanship, exquisite style, and very elegant and beautiful.

"Thank you, Her Majesty, for the reward." Xia Mingyue kowtowed to express her gratitude.

"Rather than calling it a reward, it's better to say that it's what you deserve." The queen smiled kindly. After Xia Mingyue stood up, she pulled her into the side hall to talk together.

"I heard Sister Lan talk about the customs and habits of the people at the border earlier. They are very interesting. I have been in the palace since I was a child and have never seen the outside world. Sister Xia, can you tell me more about it?"

Xiao Yufei smiled and said, "For example, on New Year's Eve, how do ordinary people celebrate? What do they do? Do they also gather together to eat New Year's Eve dinner? What do they eat? Do they set off fireworks, light lanterns, and enjoy flowers like in the palace?"

"I will tell the Empress and the Fifth Princess about this." Xia Mingyue cleared her throat and said, "New Year's Eve and New Year are the most anticipated and lively festivals for ordinary people. Not to mention New Year's Eve, every household starts to get lively since the beginning of the twelfth lunar month..."

According to the actual situation, Xia Mingyue started making new clothes in the twelfth lunar month, preparing New Year's goods, cleaning the house, steaming buns, grinding tofu, killing chickens and buying meat, frying them...all the way to staying up all night on New Year's Eve.