Jing Youdi chuckled, feigning a stern expression. "Without your elder sister's backing, you dare to openly covet Concubine Yu. What more would you do if you had someone supporting you?"
Lu Qingwan, shamelessly seizing the opportunity, went along with his jest. "Naturally, I would bring Concubine Yu to the princely manor to admire her beauty daily!"
"You truly have the nerve to say that!"
Jing Youdi pointed at Lu Qingwan from a distance and returned to the matter at hand. "Has Tang Xiao told you the purpose of my summoning you to the palace?"
"He did. I appreciate His Majesty's kind intentions, but is the tea ceremony truly necessary?"
Lu Qingwan pouted, her expression troubled. "Prince Chen is five years older than I am, and his consort is a year older than I am.
Putting that aside, I am merely the Regent's Consort. If Prince and Princess Chen were to serve me tea, wouldn't it cause the late Emperor and Empress to lose face?
Those who know would understand that I am selecting a consort for Prince Chen and have put in some effort. Those who don't might think I am ambitious and disregard the late Empress entirely!"
One should not meddle in affairs outside their purview, Concubine Yu, wouldn't you agree?
A mere concubine, without even a formal title, was sitting as an equal to the Emperor.
One must remember that even when Noble Consort Ye was most favored, her seat was still a few inches lower than Jing Youdi's.
Lu Qingwan was truly curious. What kind of capabilities did this beauty from the Tianxuan Sect possess that she could make Jing Youdi, who was known for his adherence to rules, break his principles for her?
Concubine Yu seemed not to catch the undertones of her words and replied innocently, "Regent's Consort, what you say is mistaken. If someone is unworthy of their position, actions must be taken.
Although you are not old, you are, after all, an elder. Moreover, since His Majesty has spoken, you should accept the tea.
Who would dare to misinterpret His Majesty's intentions?"
Was this her way of countering Lu Qingwan's statement about not meddling in affairs outside one's purview?
And she was using Jing Youdi to pressure Lu Qingwan into accepting the tea from Feng Qingheng and Chen Ruoyu.
The other party's eagerness made Lu Qingwan naturally resistant. However, before she could speak again, Jing Youdi had already interjected.
"Prince Chen, why are you still dawdling? Come and serve the Regent's Consort tea!"
He then turned to the attendant. "Guards, prepare a seat for the Regent's Consort."
The series of arrangements flowed smoothly, leaving Lu Qingwan with no room to escape.
She was now certain that the main event of her visit to the palace today was this cup of tea.
Therefore, she bowed to Jing Youdi and elegantly sat down on the chair brought by the attendant.
Feng Qingheng was clearly reluctant to serve her tea, dawdling for a long time at a distance of over ten feet.
It was only when Jing Youdi coughed impatiently that he, along with Chen Ruoyu, walked over.
"Regent's Consort, please accept this tea!"
First was Feng Qingheng. As a prince, he was not required to kneel, but merely bowing to offer tea to Lu Qingwan was already a great humiliation to her.
His gaze towards Lu Qingwan was as if he wanted to kill her.
Lu Qingwan was puzzled. Concubine Yu had clearly insisted on Feng Qingheng serving her tea, yet Feng Qingheng looked as if he was being forced to acknowledge a sworn enemy. Had they fallen out?
However, she didn't care about such matters. She responded with clear and resounding words, "Alright, my dear nephew!"
This successfully infuriated Feng Qingheng to the point of near death!
Once she had her fill of playing, she pretended to drink the tea, pouring it into her spatial laboratory for poison detection.
Chen Ruoyu was not as distraught as Feng Qingheng, her voice gentle and her expression generous.
Despite this, Lu Qingwan, as usual, poured the tea she offered into her spatial laboratory.
Lu Qingwan then generously took out a bracelet from her embrace and opened it in front of everyone. "His Majesty's decree came as a surprise, and I did not have time to prepare any good gifts.
This is a pair of matching couple's bracelets. The half that Prince Chen wears is the lock, and the half that Princess Chen wears is the key.
A key and a lock, I wish you both as a couple to be of one heart, forever locked together in this life, until death do you part."
May the scumbag be locked away with his devoted followers and no longer harm others!
Chen Ruoyu clearly loved it, holding the bracelet with a look of joy. "Thank you, Regent's Consort. I will surely not fail your teachings."
"Warning, highly toxic substance detected!"
At this moment, the spatial laboratory alarm sounded. It was the tea Lu Qingwan had just poured into it.
The poison detection results were clearly presented in Lu Qingwan's mind. The words "Bai Nian Sheng" were particularly striking.
Lu Qingwan's heart felt as if it had plunged into an ice cellar. Feng Xiwu had almost died from the Bai Nian Sheng sent by Duke Pei.
At that time, the situation was urgent, and she had transferred the Qing Jiang Tong Ming Gu within Feng Xiwu's body into her own. Due to the suppression of Teng She and the energy of the spatial laboratory, the Qing Jiang Tong Ming Gu had not immediately erupted.
Later, she had never found a suitable opportunity to resolve the Qing Jiang Tong Ming Gu within her.
She never expected that Concubine Yu would try to use the opportunity of Feng Qingheng serving tea to trigger the Qing Jiang Tong Ming Gu within her!
When she had treated Feng Xiwu, everyone present had been meticulously screened.
Who was it that had informed Concubine Yu about the Qing Jiang Tong Ming Gu in her body?
She mentally reviewed everyone present at the time, but in the end, she had no clue.
Meanwhile, Jing Youdi spoke again. "I am feeling unwell. The matter of Princess Chen's entry into the royal genealogy shall be presided over by the Regent's Consort."
"Father Emperor!"
Feng Qingheng exclaimed. "How precious is the royal genealogy! Even if you are unwell, I am still here!
At worst, we can have the Minister of the Imperial Clan Court preside over the consort's entry ceremony.
How can Lu Qingwan, a woman, defile the royal genealogy?
Even in ordinary commoner families, there is no rule that allows women to touch the family registry..."
"But the Great Qian imperial family is not an ordinary commoner family."
Jing Youdi's voice was firm and unyielding. "This has nothing to do with whether the Regent's Consort is a woman. Your uncle gave his life for Great Qian, and his consort is worthy of this honor."
Again, it was Feng Xiwu...
Feng Qingheng suppressed the seven dissatisfactions and eight resentments in his heart. He said respectfully, "I understand, Father Emperor. I shall obey your teachings."
Jing Youdi's expression softened slightly. "However, you have reminded me. You and your consort will immediately go to the Hall of Supreme Harmony to worship the ancestors.
I will instruct the Minister of the Imperial Clan Court to fetch the royal genealogy. This way, the Regent's Consort can preside over your consort's entry ceremony here."
Having the Minister of the Imperial Clan Court involved, on the surface, seemed to comply with his earlier statement.
But Feng Qingheng knew very well that Jing Youdi wanted Lu Qingwan to have the honor of presiding over the entry ceremony, yet he also did not want her to be criticized for breaking ancestral rules because she was a woman.
By having Lu Qingwan preside over his consort's entry ceremony in the Weiyang Palace, he was telling the world that Lu Qingwan, a mere woman, could touch the royal genealogy and preside over the consort's entry ceremony, with the Emperor's permission.
Witnessing Jing Youdi's favoritism towards Feng Xiwu once again, Feng Qingheng suppressed his anger and bowed his head. "Yes, Father Emperor."
Then he left Weiyang Palace with Chen Ruoyu.
Concubine Yu beside them said with apparent envy, "Regent's Consort, you are truly fortunate. I have long heard of your harmonious marriage and deep affection.
His Majesty, as your father-in-law, treats you so well. It is truly enviable!"