Yao Jingyun was startled, and dared not neglect this person. She cast a look at the wet nurse beside her, and a chair and tea were quickly brought up.
The wet nurse served pastries and placed them on the small tea table beside her, smiling, "The palace maid was busy just now, please forgive the lack of hospitality, madam."
"I'm not one to be offended," she waved her sleeve and continued, "It's fine, I'm not that petty. Waiting for a moment or two won't make a difference!"
Yao Jingyun sized up the woman. She had to admit, she wasn't much to look at, but her words were sharp and her methods extraordinary. Her deeds were well-known throughout the harem.
The Imperial Noble Consort withdrew her gaze and finally spoke, "The Zhenguo Madam indeed has a noble spirit. I wonder what you think of the matter between Pingting and your young uncle!"
What do I think?
"That depends on what the Imperial Noble Consort thinks!"
Passing the buck, she could do that too!
Yao Jingyun had already prepared words to retort, but when the question was thrown back at her, her head began to ache.
"I don't think it's suitable. What do you think!"
Zhao Jiaqi guessed her meaning and smiled, "Pingting's status is noble, that is beyond doubt. Xu Dong, although a rising star and now the Great General of Cavalry, is worthy of a princess. However, I am not a party to this matter and will not comment on the feelings between them. Whether it's suitable or not, only they know. Why doesn't Your Ladyship listen to Pingting's opinion?"
"Hmph, parents' orders, matchmaker's words. Pingting's marriage is my decision. A second-rank Great General wants to marry a princess? That's a delusion!"
Yao Jingyun didn't want to argue with the family of a minister favored by the Emperor. With a wave of her hand, emanating an imposing aura, she said, "Go home and tell that boy to give up this foolish thought. If he's ungrateful, and I have to deal with him harshly later, don't blame me for being ruthless."
Zhao Jiaqi stood up and looked at her calmly, "My Fan family may not be a prominent clan, but we have one thing: we protect our own. Your Ladyship would do well to pray that nothing happens to my younger brother, otherwise, before the Emperor, I will show you no leniency either."
In this life, she hated threats the most. At worst, it would be a fight to the death, where no one would emerge unscathed!
After leaving the palace, she saw Pingting waiting for her in a carriage outside. Zhao Jiaqi relayed everything she had said to her verbatim.
Pingting lowered her eyes, tears welling up, "Sister-in-law, I don't want to marry anyone else. What should I do?"
Zhao Jiaqi patted her hand and comforted her, "Don't mention this matter for now. Marriage proposals are initiated by the man. Whether it succeeds or not, you have to try. The more you bring this up in front of Your Ladyship now, the more she will be repulsed."
Pingting nodded. Her wet nurse had said the same thing.
She said that if the young General Fan truly liked her, he would propose himself, not through her.
On the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, Fan Zehao escorted Zong Shengguo back to the capital safely. The great hero had returned, and the common people naturally lined the streets to welcome him.
The valiant and imposing Great General had once again achieved merit, this time turning the tide of defeat, recapturing city after city, and even forcing the enemy to write a letter of surrender again. This had never happened in history.
Standing in a private room at the Tianxiang Wine House, watching her husband's heroic demeanor, Zhao Jiaqi smiled faintly.
Murong Sheng, standing beside her, was so envious he could have bitten his tongue. "Alright, alright, stop being infatuated. You can admire him properly tonight. Now, can you teach us how to make sweet potato noodles into a delicacy?"
This cartload of sweet potato noodles had cost him a considerable amount of manpower and money.
Zhao Jiaqi glanced at him, surprised that he, a businessman, would ask such a question.
"Do I have to call you stupid? Take out a small portion of the sweet potato noodles. I'll make a snack for you. Wouldn't that encourage you to open shops in various prefectures along the way?"
"Why would you want to shear one sheep bald? Who else would you shear then!"
Murong Sheng was stunned by her scolding. He watched her go downstairs, pouting. The key was, he wanted to know what kind of snack she was making!
Soon, the hot and sour noodles were ready. Spicy, sour, and refreshing, served with various small dishes, they looked quite appetizing.
"These are tastier than potato noodles. The noodles can also be used in dishes, made into sweet potato cakes, or chopped and used to make dumplings and buns. You can add some to stir-fries or stews. This is delicious and inexpensive!"
She spoke until her throat was dry, but he was already eating. Whether he had taken her words to heart, she didn't know.
After Fan Zehao safely sent the person to the post station, he returned to the palace to report. The Emperor detained him for a shared dinner, during which he was praised profusely.
In the dead of night, Wang Zhanlin, leading a few eunuchs, carried the drunken man back to the mansion. He was slumped over, unable to utter a coherent sentence.
Seeing this, Zhao Jiaqi wished she could throw him into ice water to clear his head. But being soft-hearted, she only thought about it.
"Throw him on the ground. The ground is cool, he'll like it!"
Wang Zhanlin's eyes bulged out in disbelief. "Madam wants the Prince to sleep on the ground...Isn't that improper?"
Zhao Jiaqi asked suspiciously, "Prince?"
"The Emperor just bestowed the title of King Zhenguo upon him today. He is a first-rank prince, a great honor, of noble status."
When Wang Zhanlin said these words, he deliberately emphasized them, as if afraid she wouldn't hear.
Zhao Jiaqi was shocked to the core, but she maintained a composed demeanor. She calmly told them to throw the man on the ground, "Just toss him on the ground. He's a Prince, and I'm the Princess Consort!"
Wang Zhanlin looked at this and realized the Prince's status at home was not high. He was fierce outside like a tiger descending the mountain, but at home, he was like a cat.
Just toss him?
How could they dare? This was the formidable Prince.
So, with Wang Zhanlin steeling himself, he still had people place him on the bed. Without daring to say more, he bowed to Zhao Jiaqi and withdrew from the room.
He had stumbled in, but he left as if he had wings, running at full speed.
Inside the room, when they were alone, Zhao Jiaqi agilely tried to tear off his clothes. But armor was too heavy, so she couldn't. She was about to call for someone to help him up for a hot bath when, in the very instant she turned, she was embraced tightly by someone behind her.
"My wife is so formidable, daring to throw the Prince on the ground. You've got guts!"
Zhao Jiaqi looked at him in astonishment. Her eyes were clear, her speech coherent, and her tongue was not slurred. He didn't look drunk at all!
"My courage comes from you! Faking drunkenness to fool the Emperor, do you find your neck too sturdy?"
Fan Zehao hugged her, sighed deeply, his warm breath spraying into her ear, tickling her. She retaliated by pinching his waist.