Greetings, Ninth Uncle

The Emperor suddenly appeared in the temple’s plum blossom garden, and everyone instantly became panicked and excited. Meeting the Holy One was the most honorable glory a subject could ever get. During the palace exam¹, the palace would even prepare a preventive heart medicine for older candidates, so that they wouldn’t pass out of excitement when finally seeing the Emperor.

At this moment, both the Huo family and Cheng family’s servants were all in a similar panic. They were so excited that they almost felt dizzy. Not to mention those ordinary servants, even the two dignified misses Cheng Yujin and Cheng Yumo, at most had only met Wangfei and Junwangfei² in their life before. They had never seen an imperial consort in the palace, let alone the Empress or Empress Dowager. Now they suddenly jumped high and were going to see the Emperor. They were naturally so overwhelmed with panic and excitement, no different than those palace exam’s candidates.

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Although Huo Changyuan had met the Emperor before, it was on large public occasions with hundreds of civil and military officials present. Even if the Emperor had once personally spoken to him at a palace banquet, they were being separated half a hall apart. It couldn’t be compared to a meeting in such a private and close distance. Therefore, Huo Changyuan was also very nervous. The only person who was still as calm as usual was probably only Cheng Yuanjing alone.

No matter whether the Emperor just passed by and wouldn’t take a single look at them, they still couldn’t be careless in their etiquette. They had to bow their heads from the moment of the Emperor’s arrival until his procession was completely gone.

Before the Emperor even reached the garden, some eunuchs were naturally dispatched as the frontrunners. After a while, they came back to report the situation ahead. Hearing there were people in the pavilion nearby, the Emperor suddenly became interested and walked straight towards them.

As the Emperor’s procession approaching, Huo Changyuan’s body became visibly tightened. Cheng Yumo’s face also turned pale. Cheng Yujin, whose premonition became true, used the corner of her eyes to sweep a gaze at Cheng Yuanjing, who was standing beside her.

The Emperor came out this time was obviously just for seeing Cheng Yuanjing. Inside the palace, the Emperor’s each and every move was watched by countless people. It was impossible for him to summon Cheng Yuanjing alone. By accompanying Empress Dowager outside the palace, the rules relaxed, and no one would stop the Emperor from walking around the flower garden.

Even so, the Emperor’s whereabouts had, and would, never be a secret. Everyone knew where the Emperor went and who he met in the garden. In no time, the news would soon pass in all directions. At this juncture, Cheng Yuanjing still needed to conceal himself, and meeting alone was too conspicuous. When the news reached Empress Dowager and Senior Grand Secretary Yang, they might feel suspicious of Cheng Yuanjing’s identity. The Emperor couldn’t let Cheng Yuanjing take such a great risk, so they needed someone to be his cover.

Huo Changyuan was just right. His status was not too high nor too low. His status was not low enough that people might get suspicious if the Emperor stopped to talk to him, nor was it high enough that he had an intersection with the Yang family. Huo Changyuan’s ennoblement was also taken care of by the Emperor. When passing by, the Emperor saw Huo Changyuan and stopped to say one or two words, which was reasonable.

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After figuring out the whole picture, Cheng Yujin suddenly understood. No wonder Cheng Yuanjing and Huo Changyuan were walking together. No wonder Cheng Yuanjing, who wasn’t close to Huo Changyuan, deliberately talked to him and lured him into a walk in the garden. This plum blossom garden was open to the public, and it was normal for people to meet here coincidentally.

Cheng Yujin silently sympathized with Huo Changyuan, a fool being used as a cover but was kept in the dark. Huo Changyuan certainly didn’t realize that his movements were being manipulated in secret, and even the timing he entered the garden was unknowingly directed by Cheng Yuanjing. Only Cheng Yujin and Cheng Yumo’s presence was coincidental, but that was not necessarily in a bad meaning.

Old Madam Cheng also had the intention to let Zhai Yanlin see Cheng Yujin through the garden’s open platform. Old Madam Cheng very well understood Cheng Yujin’s beauty. Whether it was men or women, they would be satisfied upon seeing her look. Therefore, the Old Madam secretly agreed to arrange the meeting. Who knew that the time Cheng Yujin arrived in the garden happened to collide with the time arranged by Cheng Yuanjing and the Emperor.

Huo Changyuan and Cheng Yumo were husband and wife. They naturally would stay for a while after running into each other. Cheng Yujin also couldn’t possibly go away right after seeing her relatives. As a result of such coincidental timing and place, she became a part of the cover group to meet the Emperor.

Cheng Yujin sighed in silence. Her luck today was too strange. However, Huo family and Cheng family were in-laws. Cheng Yumo was Huo Changyuan’s wife, Cheng Yujin was Marchioness Huo’s elder sister, and Cheng Yuanjing was their uncle. There was nothing strange with the four of them sitting together in the garden. It was an even better cover than Huo Changyuan alone, which was why Cheng Yuanjing didn’t stop Huo Changyuan from seeing Cheng Yumo just now.

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1. Palace Exam: The last stage of the imperial examination where the candidates take the exam in front of the emperor and other dignitaries.
2. Wangfei is the wife of a Wang (first-rank prince, usually sons of emperors). Junwangfei is the wife of a Junwang (second-rank prince, usually sons and grandsons of a Wang).