Wang Qingyao stayed at the Duke of Zhongyong’s mansion for most of the afternoon. As she was returning, she ran into Xiao Yun at the second gate.
Seeing her come back from outside, Xiao Yun’s eyebrows immediately twisted into a knot. "You went out to play? Where did you go? There are so many people outside..."
Wang Qingyao placed her hand on his wrist with an air of authority. "No, I just went to Duke of Zhongyong’s mansion to play with Fang Yuan."
Xiao Yun breathed a sigh of relief, only to hear Wang Qingyao ask in a displeased tone, "Why didn't you tell me that the imperial consorts were going to the palace for an audience tomorrow?"
Xiao Yun’s heart sank. He gave her a guilty smile. "I forgot."
"You didn't forget; you deliberately didn't tell me because you didn't want me to go."
"It's just that you're pregnant, and there are many rules in the palace, requiring constant kowtowing and kneeling. I was afraid you'd get tired, so I wanted to find an excuse to inform the Empress Dowager..."
"Xiao Yun," Wang Qingyao suddenly looked at him sternly.
Xiao Yun felt a prickle of unease under her gaze and asked cautiously, "What is it?"
"Do you know? Pregnant women shouldn't be too sedentary, nor should they eat too well. They need to walk and exercise more, otherwise, they might have a difficult labor and not be able to give birth, leading to the death of both mother and child..."
Wang Qingyao was fearless in her speech, but Xiao Yun’s expression changed as he sensed her words taking a wrong turn. He quickly reached out and covered her mouth. "What nonsense are you talking about? Good luck, good luck!"
"I'm serious. You can ask Imperial Physician Lu if you don't believe me. Do you know why the wives of noble families often have difficult childbirths, while women who work in the countryside give birth as easily as a hen lays an egg? It's because..."
Wang Qingyao pushed away Xiao Yun's hand and continued her long discourse.
However, before she could finish, Xiao Yun impatiently interrupted her. "Alright, alright, you can go, you can go. Just stop talking."
Wang Qingyao closed her mouth with satisfaction.
The next day, which was the second day of the Lunar New Year, both inner and outer imperial consorts were to pay their respects at the Empress Dowager’s Cishou Palace.
Although Consort Wei was favored above all others in the harem, she did not hold the rank of Empress. To avoid criticism from the censors, the Emperor had her receive the audience with the Empress Dowager in Cishou Palace, rather than in Huayang Palace alone.
Consort Fang, who lived a reclusive life and rarely attended banquets, was obliged to attend the audience.
When Wang Qingyao first saw her, she was quite surprised.
Consort Fang, however, appeared calm. Dressed in the attire and headdress of a consort dowager, she exuded a youthful grace.
Wang Qingyao had always assumed that paying respects to the Empress Dowager simply involved everyone kneeling and shouting, "Long live the Empress Dowager, may she live for ten thousand, ten thousand, ten thousand years!" and then it would be over.
After all, that's how it was depicted in television dramas. Even when the Empress and Emperor received audiences from officials and noble ladies, it was usually just a couple of shouts. Then, the director would pan out to show a grand and magnificent scene.
But it was not so.
On this day, both the Empress Dowager and Consort Wei wore magnificent ceremonial robes and sat regally at the head of the main hall of Cishou Palace. The entire palace was filled with music.
Accompanied by the music, the imperial concubines, princesses, county princesses, and consorts of princes, and county princes entered from the east gate to offer their congratulations to the Empress Dowager and Consort Wei.
Wives of officials of rank three and above stood on the east and west sides according to their rank, offering their respects with the music.
As the Emperor had not yet established a crown prince, among the consorts of princes, the Consort of Prince Rong, Wei Qing, held the highest status. She led the others in presenting congratulatory scrolls to the Empress Dowager and Consort Wei. These scrolls were similar to modern greeting cards, but more formal and with a fixed format.
The scrolls also had to be read out individually: "So-and-so from the family of..., on the occasion of the New Year, specially offers congratulations to the Empress Dowager and Consort Wei."
With so many people, eighty or ninety at least, reading each one out made Wang Qingyao drowsy.
Finally, when the ceremony concluded, everyone knelt and bowed to the four directions, and then slowly exited Cishou Palace in order of precedence, returning home.
Wei Qing, the three consorts of Prince Ding'an's mansion, and Feng Jiangduo were kept by the Empress Dowager for a chat.
The Empress Dowager was old, and elders often enjoyed playing matchmaker. Seeing that Feng Jiangduo was beautiful and had a good demeanor, she couldn't help but try to set her up.
"Consort Wei, what do you think of this child as a daughter-in-law for you?" the Empress Dowager asked, half-jokingly, half-seriously.
Wang Qingyao and the old consort dowager were simultaneously startled and exchanged a glance.
Consort Wei then seriously appraised Feng Jiangduo, showing a look of great satisfaction. "I think she is a good match for Zhao'er, and with her martial skills, she will surely be able to manage Zhao'er well in the future."
Yuan Zhao was the Fourth Prince, now Prince Qi.
Although Consort Wei had not said anything about Kang Yutong's suicide, she knew in her heart that Prince Qi was involved.
If he could marry a capable consort, Prince Qi might commit fewer absurdities in the future.
With this thought, she was about to order someone to fetch gifts to express her favor towards Feng Jiangduo.
Wang Qingyao's mind raced, trying to find some topic to steer the conversation away from this matter. But before she could think of anything, the usually reticent Consort Fang spoke up from the side, "The young county princess and His Highness Prince Qi are indeed well-matched."
The hall fell silent.
Everyone knew a little about Consort Fang's temperament. Keeping her here was merely because the old consort dowager and Wang Qingyao were staying, and it would not be appropriate for her to leave alone. No one expected her to speak up voluntarily.
The old consort dowager glanced at her.
Consort Fang continued, "I heard that His Highness Prince Qi is skilled in archery and exceptional in martial arts. The young county princess also happens to have high attainments in this area. It seems to be fate."