I dress up as a poor noblewoman, and I bring my whole family home with my literary talent.

Chapter 55: The Nine Heavens Palace Gates Open, People from All Nations Pay Homage to the Emperor
Hearing the words 'exceptional promotion', Shen Liuyun was not too surprised.

When Song Lingyi heard 'King Li' mention her, she bowed and saluted: "Your humble servant Song Lingyi pays respects to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince!"

Shen Liuyun lowered his eyes and glanced at the bamboo slip in her hand.

"Free gift"

Then a breeze blew past

Just like when they first met, Shen Liuyun left cleanly and decisively.

Song Lingyi looked at the stone-blue figure's back. Before she had time to think, she was brought back to reality by Li Huaizhong's words, "Madam Song, please come in."

It was at this time that Song Lingyi woke up.

Since she came to deliver the bamboo slips, she should have only to hand them over to the eunuch in Xuanzheng Hall. Why did she have to enter the hall?
But before Song Lingyi could ask, Li Huaizhong pushed open the carved wooden door for her.

The Xuan Zheng Hall was filled with sunlight, and the empress sat in a golden light.

Unlike the last time, this time the empress wore a bright yellow dragon robe with wide sleeves. The unique nobility of a person who had been in power for many years and the spirit of war and killing from countless battles merged into that of an unparalleled emperor.

Song Lingyi looked at the empress on the altar and couldn't help but feel tears welling up in her eyes.

A sentence suddenly came to my mind: "Gods are not gods from the beginning, but they need the power of faith to build their thrones."

If so, as the emperor of Daliang, who fought wars in the south and the north, expanded the territory, and was loyally believed in by countless people, she was a god on earth!
And now, the god is before her.

"Your Majesty, long live the Emperor!"

"No gifts."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Li Huaizhong silently presented the bamboo slips brought by Song Lingyi to the dragon table.

The empress's voice was easygoing and relaxed, and there was no sense of being frugal or mysterious in her words. "I summoned Lady Song here today because of something."

Song Lingyi nodded and said, "It is my honor to be able to share your majesty's worries!"

The empress said, "I received a letter from an outside tribe. The writer has read your poems and admires your poems about the border. Most outside tribes will never be able to come to Chang'an in their lifetime, so I would like to ask you to write another poem with Chang'an as the theme and give it to him."

It turned out that she was asked to write poetry.

Song Lingyi was relieved now, and said loudly: "I will definitely fulfill your mission!"

The empress raised her hand to signal, and Li Huaizhong immediately led her to the side hall. The side hall was furnished like a small study, and the four treasures of the study were already prepared on the desk.

There is an armchair behind the rosewood desk, but Song Lingyi definitely cannot sit on it.

"No one will disturb you here, so Miss Song can just concentrate on writing poetry." Li Huaizhong said.

Red painted door closed

Sunlight seeping through the window

Song Lingyi walked to the table, searched her mind for a moment, and then picked up the pen to write down the poem.

When the last stroke was finished, Song Lingyi looked at the poem on the rice paper, very satisfied. She cleared her throat and called the palace maid guarding the door.

The maid presented the poem to the empress
The empress looked solemn as she savored the poem, her admiration evident in her eyes.

The crimson-capped cockerel announces the dawn, and the imperial robes are presented to the emperor. The gates of the palace are opened, and people from all over the world pay homage to the emperor. As the sun rises, the palms of the immortals move, and the incense is about to float beside the dragon robes. After the court is over, the five-colored edict must be edited, and the sound of the pendants returns to the Phoenix Pond.

If the theme is Chang'an, one can describe the prosperity of Chang'an, but if the poem is to be presented to a foreign tribe, it is better to write a poem that can show the strength of the country and the majesty of the emperor. "This poem is very much to my liking." The empress finally moved her eyes away from the rice paper and fell on Song Lingyi in the center of the hall. "What reward does Miss Song want?"

"It is enough to be appreciated by Your Majesty. I dare not ask for reward." Song Lingyi was neither humble nor arrogant.

The empress smiled sweetly: "Heaven moves vigorously, and a gentleman should constantly strive for self-improvement. I still remember clearly what Luo Xueshi said when he came to report the situation. I made an exception and promoted you to the palace. You have great ambitions. Do you feel wronged in the position of a mere eighth-rank official?"

Song Lingyi was slightly startled. Getting promoted and getting rich must be done step by step. No one can become fat in one go. "Your Majesty, I don't feel wronged. It is the luckiest thing in my life to be promoted by Your Majesty. For Your Majesty, promoting a female official is just a matter of thought. But this thought can withstand thousands of hardships and setbacks."

"I think you are honest, so I will owe you this reward for now. Go back and think it over carefully, then come back and talk to me." said the empress.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

…………

"Is the water hot?"

He Qing scooped half a bucket of water and gently poured it on Song Lingyi's black hair that hung down in the wooden basin. Song Lingyi's hair was black, shiny, and thick, and after being wetted by water, it looked like fine black satin.

"Not hot."

He Qing increased the water flow a little bit, and Song Lingyi scooped some of the cream on the wooden table and rubbed it on her hair, gently kneading it into fine foam. The cream with sesame seeds and white tung leaves exuded a fragrance that was almost spicy, like freshly cut grass.

The bamboos were covered with smoke and the moon was shining. In the trees outside the yard, cicadas began to chirp.

"You said that His Majesty asked you to write a poem today and also gave you a reward?" He Qing was a little bit unbelievable. He was the emperor who was above everyone else, but it was so easy for him to meet with an eighth-rank female official.

Song Lingyi said softly, "Hmm"

"Then why don't you want anything?" He Qing asked in confusion.

Song Lingyi rubbed her hair randomly, "I'm not indifferent to fame and fortune, I'm just afraid..."

"What are you afraid of?"

Of course, she was afraid of Yu Youzhi's targeting. Last time at Zhongsi Gate, he had warned her, obviously wanting to tell her to keep a low profile in the palace so that she could last long.

She died once, so she cherishes her life.
However, Song Lingyi did not dare to say this openly. "I am afraid of too much. I am not even familiar with the job of the head of the household register. I have just written a poem and you want this and that. Wouldn't it make people laugh..."

"What's so funny about this? I don't know how many people in this palace are looking forward to such an opportunity!" He Qing scooped another ladle of water to help Song Lingyi rinse her hair. He put down the ladle only when the white foam left by the bath cream disappeared. He took a large piece of linen from the shelf next to him and said, "But it's better to be low-key, so as not to arouse jealousy."

Song Lingyi raised her hands, held her long wet hair in one hand, and took the linen towel handed to her by He Qing with the other hand. She flexibly twisted her hair and the linen towel together and fixed them on top of her head, like an Arab turban.

There were still some drops of water on her brow, making her fair face look even more delicate and beautiful like a lotus flower just emerging in summer.

"Sister He and I have the same idea."

"Come, let me scoop water for you!"

Song Lingyi switched places with He Qing. He Qing sat on a small stool and buried her head in the wooden basin. Song Lingyi scooped some water and slowly poured it over her.

While scooping water, he kept looking at the fire and asked with a smile: "Sister He, do you want to make some tea later?"

"Don't drink anymore. What if you can't sleep late at night? Don't drink anymore and go to bed early." He Qing said.

During this period of time, her relationship with Song Lingyi has become better and better.

The White Dew Festival had passed, and the night was no longer hot, but rather a little cool. The two of them moved two stools to sit in the yard, feeling extremely comfortable.

(End of this chapter)