The Empress's eyes flickered as she looked at the women behind Zhao Jiaqi and said with a smile, "Everyone, don't be so reserved, come and sit."
Those who were sitting at the stone table now all stood up and made way. Only one woman, dressed in a magnificent crimson robe adorned with peony patterns, remained seated, nibbling on pastries and sipping tea at her leisure.
The Empress's expression faltered slightly, but she quickly regained her composure. She introduced, "This is Noble Consort Mei. She is five months pregnant."
The Empress's words were cleverly phrased. The Noble Consort, relying on her pregnancy with the dragon's heir, could ostentatiously wear attire reserved for the principal wife.
Zhao Jiaqi smiled and remarked, "Looking at the Empress's belly, it seems to be five or six months along as well. It's best not to stand for too long at this stage."
The Empress, being sharp-witted, immediately responded, "Moderate exercise is also good for the body, so labor won't be as difficult when the time comes."
Despite her words, she had already taken a seat on a stone bench cushioned with a mat. This scene almost made Su Ya, who was behind Zhao Jiaqi, burst into laughter.
After they had all settled, Noble Consort Mei finally deigned to look at them, her gaze filled with disdain.
"The world says the Regent's Consort is a monstrous shrew. But I see only a village woman, not the fierce demon the common folk describe."
Zhao Jiaqi observed her, noting her sharp features and somewhat gaunt face. While pretty, her words were not only acrid and harsh but also venomous.
She hadn't provoked this woman, yet she was subjected to verbal attacks and insults, which began to annoy her.
With a smile that didn't reach her eyes, she retorted, "No matter what my status may be, I am my husband's legally wedded wife, who entered the household through the main gate. Unlike a concubine who entered through a side door, arriving silently in a sedan chair, and who is ultimately unworthy of the main hall."
"A concubine, at best, is a mistress. At worst, merely a plaything. The principal wife can scold, beat, or even sell her off at will."
Pingting covered her mouth and giggled, joining in, "Sister-in-law is right. Since ancient times, one takes a wife for virtue and a concubine for beauty. Aren't concubines simply for men's amusement?"
A princess speaking so openly and shamelessly uttered vulgarities. The two sisters-in-law, in perfect unison, infuriated Noble Consort Mei to the point where her lungs felt ready to explode.
The pavilion was plunged into deathly silence. The surrounding consorts exchanged bewildered glances, sending the Regent's Consort a look that said, "You are formidable."
The Empress, seeing Noble Consort Mei's eyes and complexion change, felt a surge of delight. Finally, someone was standing up for her.
"Heh heh, everyone in the Yun Kingdom knows the Regent's Consort is beloved by the people. For their sake, she even shared advanced techniques for high-yield grain cultivation, earning the people's adoration. How could she be the subject of such idle gossip? Noble Consort Mei, you must have misheard."
Noble Consort Mei's face contorted with rage. Her fingers dug into her brocade handkerchief as she stared fixedly at Zhao Jiaqi. "Regent's Consort, you have great audacity! While I am not the Empress, I am recorded in the royal registry. I am not someone who can be casually killed or sold off."
Zhao Jiaqi offered her a faint smile. "Why is Noble Consort so upset? I was merely speaking casually. I didn't expect Noble Consort Mei to take it personally. That is your own fault, Precious Consort. Who goes out of their way to seek trouble for themselves? Wouldn't you agree, Precious Consort?"
"You... what sharp teeth you have! A Consort, yet you mock the current Imperial Consort? You are simply courting death."
Zhao Jiaqi gave a soft hum. "So what if you are the current Imperial Consort? What does that have to do with me? Whether I die or not is not for you to decide."
Seeing the two of them locked in a verbal duel, their words clashing like sharp swords, the Empress felt pleased. However, she did not wish for any mishaps today.
After all, she had invited the Regent's Consort. If anything went wrong, she would surely be reprimanded by the Emperor.
She immediately stepped in to mediate, chiding Noble Consort Mei, "Precious Consort, you must think before you speak. The Regent and the Regent's Consort were personally appointed by His Majesty. They do not need to bow before him. Furthermore, they are the rulers of the inner city. They do not need to pay respects even to His Majesty, let alone to you or me."
Noble Consort Mei's expression changed drastically. She was genuinely unaware of this.
No one had told her, and her father and elder brother had never mentioned it. She had only occasionally heard from the palace maids that the Regent was henpecked, and the Regent's Consort was a shrew, a country bumpkin, and possessed no beauty.
That was why she...
Zhao Jiaqi could see from her shocked eyes that Noble Consort Mei was a rather guileless person, very spoiled.
Wearing a crimson robe with peony patterns was a direct affront to the Empress. A person with deep schemes would never act this way. It was evident she was pampered by her family.
Having exchanged barbs, Zhao Jiaqi turned back and met the Empress's smiling eyes. Her gaze softened, and she returned a faint smile. "According to Eunuch Wang, a batch of precious flowers has arrived in the Imperial Garden. Could those be them?"
She casually pointed towards clusters of fiery red flowers, devoid of leaves, remarkably beautiful. When hundreds or thousands were arranged in the garden, they were truly a marvel.
Upon seeing them, the Empress nodded repeatedly, her lips splitting into a smile. "Yes, yes, these were obtained by my father by chance. They originally bloomed in late summer and early autumn. Great effort was made to have them bloom early. All that hard work has paid off, and they have finally bloomed. They were arranged in the garden yesterday. When I heard the Consort was coming, I invited you to see them first as a novelty."
A novelty, Zhao Jiaqi couldn't help but smile.
Zhao Jiaqi withdrew her gaze and asked the person beside her, "Empress, these flowers are indeed unique. But I wonder, what is their name?"
The Empress shook her head slightly, her hair ornaments jangling with a clear and pleasant sound.
She said, "My father is also unsure of their name. He has consulted ancient texts but found no record. His Majesty wishes to have the court officials come up with a beautiful name during the Flower Viewing Ceremony."
So, they didn't know the name of these flowers?
Seeing that Zhao Jiaqi wasn't particularly surprised by the flowers, the Empress assumed she had seen them before and asked, "Regent's Consort, do you know this flower?"
She shook her head. "No, I haven't seen it."
Even if she knew, she couldn't say. The Empress had just stated that she wanted the officials to name them at the Flower Viewing Ceremony. This was blatant showmanship.
If she stepped forward now and claimed to recognize them, it would be an insult to the Emperor. Without a second thought, she decided to simply say she didn't know.
The Empress's spirits dampened slightly, but she couldn't hide her joy at having acquired a new variety of flower.
Everyone chimed in with smiles, praising the flowers for their beauty and vibrancy.
Only Noble Consort Mei wore a long face, sitting uncomfortably on the stone bench. After a moment of sulking, she found it pointless and left.
At this, everyone's gaze turned to the Empress, who appeared to notice nothing, feigning ignorance of the situation.