Jia Huan returned to the room and looked at her swollen, reddened eyelids.
"Just a Ninth-Rank Confucian Lady, and look how much you've cried over it."
"My dear Huan'er!" Concubine Zhao's eyes brimmed with tears. She threw herself into Jia Huan's arms and choked out:
"Carrying such a filial, accomplished son as you was the greatest blessing of my life."
Still crying, she suddenly raised her head.
She noticed the two gleaming gold threads running from the shoulders to the cuffs of Huan'er's silver Flying Fish Uniform.
"You've been promoted again? Would another promotion make you a sixth-rank official?" Concubine Zhao grew excited.
With her own son serving in the Embroidered Uniform Guard, she had long since learned everything about its offices.
A Hundred-Household Commander with three threads was a principal sixth-rank official of the court!
"Yes." Jia Huan nodded.
The Southern Commandant Office had probably taken that into account and refrained from promoting him to a third thread.
In his eyes, official rank mattered little.
An Embroidered Uniform Guard Thousand-Household Commander, whose power reached the heavens, was only a fifth-rank official, yet commanded over a thousand utterly loyal hawks and hounds. Who at court or beyond dared deny him respect?
"Huan'er, I'm planning a banquet so everyone can join in the fun, and celebrate my investiture as a titled lady of the court!"
Once her excitement subsided, Concubine Zhao lifted her chin again as she spoke.
Before, as a concubine in the household, how could she have had the standing to invite others to a feast? But things were different now, and she had to show off in grand style.
"As you please."
In Jia Mu's courtyard.
The atmosphere was as rigid as iron.
Madam Wang's face was covered in storm clouds as she ground her teeth.
"If