Soon, all dozen-odd chests were opened.
Everyone present froze for a moment.
Thirteen whole chests, filled with gold, silver, jade, and all manner of rare treasures.
The sunlight was just right.
In the final chest was a Snow-White Wolf Cub letting out soft little howls. Gathered beneath the sunlight, everything glittered so brilliantly that it hurt to look.
"They're all... for me?"
Chu Youning's eyes widened, her mouth forming an O.
So many?
And that Hachi! Such an adorable Hachi! It looks just like the dog I used to have. It must feel amazing to cuddle and scritch. Slurp~
But come to think of it... all this auntie business. I've only been an aunt to this bunch of royal kids for a few days! What is this, nesting dolls? In the blink of an eye, I've got an aunt of my own too. Sigh...
Chu Zhaohua smiled and nodded. "They're for you."
Then she looked at Chu Wenzong and continued, "The investiture ceremony isn't over yet, is it? Shall we continue?"
From beginning to end, there was not the slightest hint of lost control in Chu Zhaohua's eyes.
Chu Wenzong discreetly moved his fingers behind his back, signaling the Death Squad to protect everyone from their positions around the area, before resuming the ceremony.
Next, Qing Qianxue recited a whole pile of incomprehensible words like some mystical charlatan.
The final step was even simpler.
Chu Youning accompanied the others to the Imperial Ancestral Shrine.
The shrine was opened for offerings to the imperial ancestors, after which an elderly, respected member of the imperial clan added the name Chu Youning to the imperial genealogy.
With that, the ceremony was complete.
By the time all that hodgepodge of proceedings was over, noon had already passed.
Quite a few stomachs had begun growling