In a moment of impulse, I forcibly kissed my brother's best friend.

Today was truly exhausting—more tiring than going to the battlefield.

The Spring Ploughing Ceremony was held as scheduled.

In previous years, the ceremony consisted of three parts: worshipping the god of agriculture, leading officials to personally plow the fields, and hosting a banquet for the officials.

This year, following the sacrificial ceremony, an imperial edict was issued immediately to demonstrate the importance attached to the event.

When the new edict to "encourage agriculture and sericulture, and reduce taxes and corvée labor" was issued, it immediately caused a sensation.

Many landless people knelt down and cried out for the God of Agriculture's intervention, some even weeping bitterly. The wrinkles and hardships on their faces spoke volumes about their longing for the land and their numbness to the suffering of life.

The cries scattered in the spring breeze, carrying a heavy weight.

A banquet was held for all officials at the imperial palace where the spring hunt took place.

Empress Wu specially prepared a dish of five-grain wheat porridge, which was served to everyone from officials and noblewomen to representatives of old farmers.

The aroma of wheat rice is simple and comforting, with the unique sweetness of grains, but it cannot mask its roughness.

"Your Majesty is so kind." The Emperor's eyes welled up with tears as he looked at the grains of rice on the table.

Wheat rice was a staple food for farmers; it consisted of coarse, steamed wheat grains. It was rarely eaten by the gentry, let alone by emperors.

Empress Wu's move also demonstrated her determination to implement her policies to the officials and gentry.

The emperor picked up his bowl and chopsticks and was the first to finish the entire bowl of wheat porridge.

When other members of the royal family, nobles, officials, and their wives saw this, they quickly followed suit, not daring to leave a single grain of rice.

For a moment, only the sound of chewing could be heard in the hall, and no one dared to show the slightest disgust.

After a while, the farmers' dance began, and the scene became lively again.

The music was melodious, and the dancers, dressed in colorful clothes and holding ears of rice, twirled and danced in the center of the hall, their sleeves fluttering like butterflies.

Xie Yige sat with the Xie family members, and Xie Wanning was sitting next to her.

Cui Yutang and Zhou Xuan'an sat in the officials' section, separated by the crowd. Cui Yutang's gaze would occasionally drift in her direction.

Today, not only have civil and military officials gathered, but also various established and emerging families, imperial relatives, and other prominent clans have also come together to celebrate, creating a scene of great prosperity.

A moment later, a palace maid came and bowed to Xie Yige: "Young Lady Xie, Her Majesty the Empress summons you."

Xie Yige and Xie Wanning were both taken aback.

Xie Yige quickly looked towards the throne, where she saw Empress Wu talking intimately with the Emperor, a gentle smile on her lips.

Xie Yige quickly composed herself, got up, and walked to the center of the main hall.

She slightly bent her knees, placed her hands in front of her waist, and performed the solemn bow of a noblewoman.

"Your subject, Xie Yige, respectfully wishes Your Majesty and Empress Dowager good health."

Xie Yige's appearance immediately drew everyone's attention.

Everyone in the hall looked up and saw a young girl with bright, sparkling eyes, an oval face that exuded a gentle and delicate charm, and an elegant dress that could not conceal her innate beauty. She knelt there, neither humble nor arrogant, with dignified bearing.

Empress Wu smiled slightly, her palm facing down, and waved to Xie Yige.

"Come forward and let His Majesty and I see you."

Xie Yige walked up to them as instructed, feeling uneasy, but still managed to force a smile.

She could feel countless gazes falling on her—some curious, some scrutinizing, some envious, and some jealous.

Cui Yutang and Zhou Xuan'an below were so nervous they were practically jumping out of their throats.

"Your Majesty, don't you think this child looks just like you? They're both so lovable," Empress Wu said with a smile, her tone affectionate.

"Yes, I am lucky." The emperor nodded with a smile, his expression even showing a hint of pleasure. "When I was young, I was loved by my father, mother, and brothers, and now I have the empress who dotes on me."

"What kind of gift should we give her as a greeting?" Empress Wu asked the Emperor.

"It is best if the Empress makes the decision. I will listen to the Empress." The Emperor patted Empress Wu's hand, his eyes full of trust.

Wu looked at Xie Yige. At this moment, Xie Yige's eyebrows and eyes were long and slender, and she was dignified with a smile, like a slowly unfolding scroll.

"I find you very pleasing to the eye, so I will bestow upon you the Nine Dragons Bright Moon Pearl and a white jade pendant carved with mulberry, silkworm and grain motifs."

After speaking, Empress Wu personally took off a white jade carving of silkworms and grains from her waist. Everyone in the hall was astonished and had different thoughts. This was something that Empress Wu wore herself, and it had extraordinary significance.

Xie Yige quickly accepted the gift with both hands and kowtowed again to express her gratitude.

Holding the two imperial gifts, she returned to her seat, still somewhat dazed and confused.

Although Cui Yutang secretly breathed a sigh of relief, his eyes were filled with even more doubt—how did the Empress know about Yige? And why was she so concerned about their intimacy?

Everyone in the room was shocked and puzzled.

Many people have already found out that she is Cui Yutang's fiancée, and now there is much discussion and speculation about the reasons behind it.

"Could it be that it's inconvenient to promote Cui Yutang again in the short term, so the favor has fallen on his fiancée?"

"He deserves the most credit for this new edict. Drafting the edict itself is not difficult, but the most difficult part is the implementation of the supporting regulations, which truly demonstrates its effectiveness."

"I have heard that he divided the country into twelve circuits, and further categorized them according to the local customs and the power of the aristocratic families in each prefecture and county, and set different implementation strategies for each. After reviewing them carefully, I feel that this man is meticulous in his thinking and decisive in his actions. I am afraid that his achievements in the future will surpass those of his father."

The banquet was halfway through.

Xie Wanning quietly leaned close to Xie Yige's ear: "Yige, I'd like to go change my clothes."

This is a code word used by women when they've drunk too much water and need to relieve themselves.

"I'd like to too," Xie Yige said, her face slightly flushed. She had been a little nervous before leaving home and had drunk a lot of water. It was her first time attending such a palace banquet, and she had absolutely no experience.

They told Liu Shi and then quietly slipped out.

Before leaving, Xie Yige secretly glanced at Cui Yutang, who was talking to his colleague next to him. But as if sensing her gaze, their eyes met in mid-air.

After the two women came out of the restroom, a woman rushed in and accidentally bumped into Xie Yige.

The woman said "sorry" and left without me even getting a good look at her face.

Xie Wanning's expression turned serious.

She took Xie Yige's hand: "Yige, come with me."

She led Xie Yige behind a screen and said in a low voice, "Check if you have anything extra or missing."

Xie Yige was startled and quickly searched her own body. Xie Wanning also helped check her belt and cuffs.

"Nothing is extra or missing." Xie Yige breathed a sigh of relief. "I have entrusted the items bestowed by Her Majesty to my maternal grandmother for safekeeping."

"That's good." Xie Wanning was relieved.

After the two came out, Cui Yutang, who was waiting not far away, followed them from a distance. He only sat back down in his seat after they returned to the banquet.

Tomorrow is the hunting day, so the Emperor and Empress told everyone to disperse early and go back to rest.

Xie Yige returned to her assigned dormitory, but after sleeping until midnight, she felt increasingly unwell.

"Zhixia, I feel unwell, give me some water."

Xie Yige tugged at her nightgown, her voice hoarse and weak. Her face was flushed an unnatural red, her lips were a vibrant rouge, and a strand of hair fell beside her cheek, adding to her allure.

Zhixia immediately woke up and brought the water to her lips.

Xie Yige felt no relief after drinking it. The heat rose from the depths of her body, like a fire burning in her internal organs, and she couldn't suppress it no matter what she did; tears welled up in her eyes.