Chapter 240: Boasting About Her Husband
Chapter 240: Boasting About Her Husband
Meng Qianqian, accompanied by Ban Xia and Taner, bowed to the new Empress.
Meng Qianqian's graceful demeanor was impeccable, and Ban Xia's gesture was also well-executed. Only Taner seemed a little out of place.
Yao Qingluan spoke gently, "Lady Lu, please rise."
After the three of them stood up, Yao Qingluan's gaze fell on Taner's clever and adorable face, "Are you Taner?"
Taner tilted her head, "Does Your Majesty know me?"
Yao Qingluan smiled, "Last night, His Majesty mentioned you. He said that he left without eating your braised pork."
Hearing this sad news, Taner immediately covered her face and burst into tears, without a single tear, "My braised pork..."
The ladies and young ladies present couldn't help but chuckle, covering their faces.
Yao Qingluan also smiled at Taner's antics, "His Majesty has instructed that if you come today, he will let you eat before you leave."
Taner clenched her fist, "Long live His Majesty!"
Lady Xing was also present, and she waved at Meng Qianqian.
Meng Qianqian walked over and sat down.
Just as she did, a faint sound of derision came from the opposite side.
Meng Qianqian glanced up and saw it was Changning Marquise.
Lu Yuan had truly predicted this accurately.
Coincidentally, Meng Qianqian wasn't in the best of moods today, and if she chose to provoke this, she had no one to blame but herself.
Meng Qianqian said calmly, "Changning Marquise, do you have something against His Majesty? To openly mock him in public?"
Changning Marquise spoke leisurely, "When did I ever mock His Majesty? Lady Lu, don't make baseless accusations."
Meng Qianqian replied, "Your mocking laughter just now, do you think I'm deaf and didn't hear it? What's so funny about His Majesty? Is my maid wrong?"
Changning Marquise's eyes were filled with ridicule, "I wasn't laughing at His Majesty, but at your Governor's Mansion. You can't even afford a few pieces of braised pork, and now you're embarrassing yourselves in the palace."
Meng Qianqian curved her lips, "Of course, the Governor's Mansion can't compare to the Changning Marquis' Mansion in terms of wealth. All three of your sons' official positions were bought with donations, costing at least tens of thousands of taels of silver. Unlike my husband, who rose to the position of Grand Marshal based on his abilities alone."
Changning Marquise had given birth to three sons and a daughter, and none of them amounted to much.
Meng Qianqian's words struck a sensitive nerve for Changning Marquise.
Changning Marquise was a direct daughter of the Yao family and the Emperor's aunt. She never imagined that there would come a day when someone would publicly expose her shortcomings.
Her face turned from pale to red, and she was filled with shame and anger.
She glared at Meng Qianqian and said furiously, "Do you not know how Lu Yuan got his position? You dare to boast about him here, a sycophant and a treacherous official?"
Meng Qianqian raised an eyebrow, "My husband is exceptional, so I will boast about him. Moreover, my husband is highly valued by His Majesty and the Retired Emperor. Changning Marquise, are you implying that the Retired Emperor and His Majesty can't distinguish between loyalty and treachery?"
"Changning Marquise, how dare you criticize my father, the Emperor!"
Along with a cold rebuke, Princess Wanping, dressed in a goose-yellow palace gown, entered the main hall with her personal female attendant.
Changning Marquise's face changed.
Princess Wanping bowed slightly to the Empress and then took her seat on the left, speaking coldly to Changning Marquise, "Lu Yuan is highly valued by my father. To insult Lu Yuan is to insult my father."
Changning Marquise quickly bowed, "This humble wife has spoken out of turn, please forgive me, Your Highness!"
Princess Wanping hummed coldly and picked up the tea offered by a palace maid, no longer paying attention to Changning Marquise.
Meng Qianqian noticed that among those who bowed and apologized to Princess Wanping, there was also a graceful young girl.
"Who is she...?"
Lady Xing explained, "She is Changning Marquise's daughter, Tao Siyu. Her original name was Tao Yu, but a Taoist priest once predicted that she lacked water in her five elements, so they changed her name to 'rain' to represent rain after a clear sky."
Meng Qianqian understood, so it was her.
The Changning Marquis' Mansion wouldn't marry off their concubine's daughter to the Xun family, so it could only be Tao Siyu.
Setting aside Tao Siyu's character, just thinking about Changning Marquise's behavior made Meng Qianqian reluctant to become relatives with the Changning Marquis' Mansion.
Furthermore, Meng Qianqian strongly suspected that Baron Changning's wife had initially set her sights on Xun Yu.
However, Xun Yu was betrothed to the Miaojiang heiress, so how could he possibly take an interest in the mere Tao family's daughter? Baron Changning's wife thus settled for the next best option and planned to marry her daughter to Chenlong.
The entire capital knew that Prime Minister Xun had offered Chenlong as a guard to Princess Wanping, but in the end, the princess lost a bet with him, and Chenlong became her guard.
It was no surprise that the Governor's Mansion and the Chancellor's Mansion were at odds, and Baron Changning's Mansion shared the same enmity towards the Chancellor's Mansion.
Moreover, Baron Changning's wife likely saw Tao Siyu as a rival.
"Your Majesty, my daughter has copied a Buddhist scripture at home and wishes to present it to Your Majesty."
Lady Secretary of Rites came forward and smoothed things over, successfully diverting the topic.
For the Imperial Wedding, officials and generals were not required to contribute to the wedding expenses, but during the audience with the Empress, they would present her with wedding gifts.
During the Retired Emperor's reign, to curb corruption, gifts worth more than two taels of silver were not allowed.
The daughters of noble families could not offer gold, silver, or jewels, so they could only express their sincerity.
The maid presented the Buddhist scripture to Yao Qingluan.
Yao Qingluan opened it and showed a satisfied expression: "Miss Li is very thoughtful."
Miss Li stood up and bowed: "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your praise."
Next, everyone presented their handmade gifts: folding fans, paintings, sachets... The daughter of the Agronomy Minister's family offered a melon she had grown herself, which elicited laughter from the crowd.
Tao Siyu presented a sachet; the dried flowers inside were sun-dried by her, and it had a calming effect. The sachet was also embroidered by her, and the mandarin duck design on it was exquisite, with each feather clearly defined, carrying a wonderful meaning.
Her embroidery skills impressed everyone.
Soon, it was Meng Qianqian's turn.
When Ban Xia opened the box and took out the fan, everyone thought a kitten was about to jump out. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a white cat folding fan.
Not only that, when Ban Xia flipped the fan over, everyone realized that the other side depicted a graceful young lady.
Lady Secretary of Rites exclaimed: "Double-sided embroidery!"
Yao Qingluan glanced at the maid.
Understanding her mistress's intention, the maid immediately brought the fan over and presented it to her.
Yao Qingluan instantly recognized the young lady on the fan as herself, and the cat was her pet, Snowball, which she had raised in the Yao family.
Her mother had said that her cousin disliked cats and did not allow her to bring Snowball into the palace.
This fan soothed her longing for Snowball.
Lady Secretary of Rites smiled and asked: "Your Majesty, we have only heard of double-sided embroidery but have never seen it with our own eyes. May we have a closer look?"
Yao Qingluan nodded and instructed the maid: "Take it to the ladies and young misses for their appreciation."
She then turned to Meng Qianqian and said: "Lady Lu, I really like your gift."
Tao Siyu's sachet paled in comparison, and she felt a bit unconvinced. When the fan was passed to her, she immediately spotted a flaw.
"Lady Lu, may I ask where this fan came from?"
"I embroidered it myself," Meng Qianqian replied.
Tao Siyu smiled: "Lady Lu, I may not be talented, but I've studied embroidery for a few years with my master. This fan is clearly embroidered using the techniques of Smoke and Rain Pavilion."
"What? Smoke and Rain Pavilion? Did she buy this fan from there?"
"Isn't this cheating? We all embroidered our own fans."
"How could she do this..."
The young ladies whispered among themselves, and their gazes towards Meng Qianqian changed.
Lady Xing, who understood Meng Qianqian's character, spoke up: "Miss Tao, everything requires evidence."
Tao Siyu said: "My master is Wu Xiuniang from Smoke and Rain Pavilion, and she is a direct disciple of the Master of the Pavilion. I can recognize the work of Smoke and Rain Pavilion!"
Upon hearing that she was a disciple of Smoke and Rain Pavilion, the crowd's eyes widened.
(End of Chapter)
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