After Meng Qianqian and Lu Yuan finished their dinner at Changming Palace, the sky had already darkened.
Chen Fei was a considerate elder. Although she was often criticized for her humble origins, her speech and conduct exuded impeccable refinement.
Not only did Meng Qianqian like Chen Fei, but even Liu Qingyun seemed reluctant to leave.
Who could understand the joy of meeting a mother-in-law who didn’t make everything about herself?
Before departing, Chen Fei called Liu Qingyun and Meng Qianqian into her chambers and gave each of them a delicate little box as a meeting gift.
"Once you’ve accepted my mother’s gifts, that makes you my wife,"
Lu Zhaoyan said from the doorway.
Chen Fei shot her son a disapproving glance. "Dream on."
She then turned to Liu Qingyun and said, "Don’t listen to him. Everything will happen as fate intends."
Lu Zhaoyan felt bitter inside: Mother, your son’s already grown up, but his wife hasn’t even passed through the gates yet.
Lu Yuan gloated gleefully, "Whose fault is that? Isn’t it because you’re incompetent?"
Lu Zhaoyan chuckled coldly, "Still better than a certain someone faking a marriage."
Lu Yuan’s smile froze. "Who told you that?"
On the rooftop, Yu Zichuan made a swift escape.
Lu Yuan clenched her fists. "Yu! Zi! Chuan!"
Meng Qianqian’s lips curled into a faint smile.
Chen Fei sighed reluctantly, "Return to the Crown Prince Mansion. If you delay any longer, the palace gates will close."
The group bid her farewell.
The Si Snake and Ji Li left just as they had arrived, vanishing into the night in the blink of an eye.
Yu Zichuan and Chen Long, on the other hand, casually followed behind Lu Zhaoyan and Lu Yuan.
By now, it was no secret that Meng Qianqian had interactions with the Crown Prince Mansion. Thus, there was no need to avoid suspicion as she walked beside Liu Qingyun.
She noticed that Liu Qingyun seemed somewhat preoccupied, constantly glancing around as they went.
She whispered, "Mother, what are you looking for?"
Liu Qingyun maintained a straight face. "Nothing."
Meng Qianqian’s eyes flickered, and she chuckled lightly. "Mother, you’ve been unusually quiet today."
"I thought you’d cause an uproar."
"Do I seem like the kind of person to stir up trouble?"
"Ah—help! Help—help!"
From an eastern palace came a series of piercing screams from palace attendants.
Moments later, similar panicked cries came from the west.
If Meng Qianqian recalled correctly, the eastern palace was Changchun Palace, where Consort Hu resided, while the west housed Han Yu Pavilion, the residence of Shen Zhaorong, King Qi’s mother.
Meng Qianqian glanced over at Liu Qingyun. "Mother, was this your doing?"
Liu Qingyun replied earnestly, "Don’t talk nonsense. This has nothing to do with me."
It was the Gu’s doing. What did it have to do with her?
That night, out of nowhere, both Changchun Palace and Han Yu Pavilion were swarmed by a hive of wasps, leaving the two places in utter chaos.
Shen Zhaorong’s lips were stung so badly they resembled sausages.
Meanwhile, Consort Hu, who had only just recovered from a brutal beating by Consort Jiang, was once again stung beyond recognition. It was, to say the least, a miserable sight.
Consort Hu sought the Empress to plead for justice, claiming that the mischief had been orchestrated by Chen Fei and the Crown Prince Mansion.
However, before she could voice her accusations, her white cat scratched the Empress.
Luckily, a palace maid intervened in time, so only the Empress’s sleeve was torn.
Even so, the Empress was so frightened that she refused to stay a moment longer and immediately returned to Kunning Palace.
When the news reached Consort Jiang’s chamber, she was overjoyed. "Serves them right!"
She remarked with a sly smile, "Ah, I just realized—Chen Fei is quite the character, and her future daughter-in-law as well. Someone, take my Purple Gold Head Ornament and send it to Chen Fei."
The female official looked at Consort Jiang in confusion. "Your Grace, why would you—"
Consort Jiang responded indifferently, "Isn’t it obvious? I’m supporting her!"
The female official hesitated. "...You’re not doing this because the Crown Prince gifted you ten thousand taels, are you?"
Consort Jiang: "Silence."