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The Empress Dowager liked Yu Youyao and held her hand. “Good child, what books have you been reading at home?”

A gentle smile appeared on her face as she held her hand kindly, like a loving elder. Even her questions were usually asked by ordinary elders when they saw their juniors. She did not put on any airs.

Unknowingly, it made people lower their guard and forget that the person in front of them was the high and mighty Empress Dowager.

Yu Youyao smiled shyly and replied in a low voice, “The family hired a female teacher for me. I read ‘Lessons for Women’, ‘Internal Training, and ‘The Analects of Women’. I also read ‘The Four Books’ and a little of ‘The Five Classics’.

Reading the books for women was for the sake of virtue, the Four Books for understanding, and the Five Classics for etiquette.

They were all things that young ladies should learn.

The Empress Dowager’s smile deepened. “It’s good to study more. If women study more, they can also know etiquette, virtue, and kindness.” At this point, she changed the topic and said, “The female teacher who taught you is Ye Yingqiu, right? She’s a person with both talent and virtue. In the early years, before she divorced, she had followed her mother-in-law into the palace to meet me. I liked the brush she made and I’ve been using it for many years.”

They were just chatting about family matters, but they were being polite with every word and sentence. As such, Yu Youyao did not dare to be complacent. “Grandmother also said that as a descendant of the Yu Clan, I have to read more books to remember my family’s virtue and highlight my ancestor’s contributions without bringing shame to the family’s style.” At this point, she pursed her lips and smiled. “Ms. Ye often taught me that we cant take the saying ‘it’s a virtue for women to be untalented’ out of context. It doesn’t mean that women don’t need to be talented in studying. Instead, it’s to persuade women to prioritize virtue. Even if we do not have talent, we still have to be virtuous. ”

What was the ancestral virtue and merit of the Yu Clan?

It was nothing more than the word “loyalty” personally bestowed by Emperor Gaozu. Since the Empress Dowager mentioned “virtue”, she naturally followed along.

When the Empress Dowager heard this, her smile deepened and she patted her hand. “The whole Yu Residence is very loyal. The emperor and I will remember it.’

She raised her eyebrows and looked at Yu Youyao.

The slender and weak girl was sitting beside her, but she did not seem flustered or timid. Her legs were closed and her hands were folded on them. She was slender and sat upright. Her back was thin and straight, but she was not rigid. Instead, she had a noble and gentle aura.

Although such an attitude was polite, in front of the nobles, it was inevitable that people would think that she was disrespectful.

However, her shoulders naturally collapsed, and she bent her jade neck, revealing a gentle and respectful expression.

Anyone who saw this would exclaim, “Such great character!”

The Empress Dowager looked at the Treasure Pavillion. There was a white porcelain vase. It was delicate and smoother than jade. The slender bottleneck was very similar to the fair neck of the County Head of Shaoyi. It was smooth and beautiful.

Putting aside her status, she really admired Yu Youyao a little. “No one is as good at teaching as your grandmother.”

These words were clearly praising her grandmother, but they were also praising her in a different way. Yu Youyao smiled shyly. It wasn’t appropriate to mention her own elders, so she subconsciously rubbed the palace token at her waist.

The Empress Dowager noticed her actions and looked down. Yu Youyao had a colorful belt around her waist that only relatives were qualified to wear. There was a palace token hanging on it.

This was probably the palace token that she had asked Auntie Shen to personally choose and give to Yu Youyao back then.

The Empress Dowager smiled again. “She’s young and pure. She’s also good looking when she smiles and is kind and graceful. She’s youthful and fresh and this means that she’s clean and incorruptible. She is beautiful, untainted, kind and virtuous.” At this point, she paused for a moment and continued, “Now that I’ve seen you today, you are indeed as I described back then. Your grandmother has raised you to be virtuous.”

This was the Empress Dowager’s comment about her back then. Yu Youyao was flattered. “I’m ashamed!”

The Empress Dowager patted her hand and changed the topic. “Good child,

Duke Rongs Residence was too ridiculous earlier and made you suffer.”

Yu Youyao’s eyes turned red, and she quickly said, “The emperor and the

Empress Dowager dote on me and uphold justice for me. I’ve received the Emperor’s grace and am deeply grateful for it.” At this point, she suddenly stood up and walked up to the Empress Dowager. She knelt and bowed. “I heard that the Empress Dowager is worried about the drought and is sympathetic to the suffering of the people, and would like to raise money for disaster relief. I’m also willing to share the Emperor’s and the Empress

Dowager’s burdens and help the thousands of commoners of the Great Zhou Dynasty.”

As soon as she finished speaking, the little palace maid serving her handed the brocade box back to Yu Youyao.

Yu Youyao reached out to take it and raised the brocade box above her head. “Although I don’t have the Empress Dowager’s virtue, I still have the heart to follow you. ”

The Empress Dowager glanced at Auntie Shen.

Auntie Shen hurriedly stepped forward and took the brocade box.

Only then did the Empress Dowager say gently, “You’re too kind. Get up quickly. You’re the County Head of Shaoyi, personally bestowed by the

Emperor. You have the title of a royal relative. Don’t kneel for no reason.”

Yu Youyao lowered her head and wiped her tears. She said hoarsely, “Thank you, Your Majesty, for the Empress Dowager’s grace.”

With that, she bowed again before asking the palace maid to help her up and sit on the brocade chair.

The Empress Dowager stuffed the handkerchief into her hand. “Hurry up and wipe your tears. The Emperor has conferred the title of County Head of Shaoyi. From now on, be it relatives or foreign ministers, no one will dare to humiliate you casually.”

These words counted as a promise.

However, how heavy this promise was depended on how much money she had donated.

Yu Youyao lowered her eyes and carefully took the Empress Dowager’s handkerchief. After wiping her tears, she handed it to the palace maid serving her.

The palace maid quickly handed her a cup of tea.

Yu Youyao ate a little before she calmed down a little. “I’ve already sent my old servants to Zhejiang with a token to transport 60 carriages of food and oil, and 20 carriages of medicinal herbs there. They’ll be used to help General Ye and the officials sent by the Imperial Court to save the people.”

Just now, she had donated silver for the drought, but now, she was donating food for the water disaster.

There were 60 carriages of rice and 20 medicinal herbs. These ingredients were all profitable businesses. In total, it was not a small sum.

The Empress Dowager solemnly held her hand. “County Head Shaoyi, you’re wise and righteous. I thank you on behalf of the Emperor and the thousands of commoners of the Great Zhou Dynasty..”