After serving tea, Lu Mingyu followed Li Jing to the Ancestral Temple to pay homage to the ancestors and add her name to the Li family’s genealogy. After passing this level, Lu Mingyu officially became the Second Prince’s main wife.

The palace banquet at noon on this day was held in Jiaofang Hall.

Empress Dowager Zhao was not feeling well and did not attend the ceremony on the grounds of physical fatigue.

Empress Dowager Zhao clearly showed her indifference and displeasure. It was obviously not a wonderful thing for a newly married huangzhifei. But Lu Mingyu was calm and composed.

Whether she was really feeling that or was pretending, she was amazing.

The palace banquet was for two people, and the newlyweds Lu Mingyu and Li Jing took a seat as a matter of course. Li Jing would pick up vegetables for Lu Mingyu from time to time, and soon her plate was full.

Princess Hui’an saw this and felt really unhappy. In the past, the relationship between the siblings had always been good. Since Lu Mingyu appeared, she and Li Jingsheng had several quarrels…

It was actually not appropriate to describe it as a quarrel.

The fact was that every time she opened her mouth to provoke or criticize, her brother would hit her back. The frustration in that, let’s not even mention it.

“Princess, this is your favorite braised goose feet.” Fuma Wu said with a low smile: “I picked up a lot for you, you eat slowly.”

Princess Hui’an came to her senses and, seeing a bowl of pointed braised goose feet felt both amused and exasperated. “Why did you serve me so many? Do you think I’m a rice barrel?”

Fuma Wu smiled softly: “You keep looking at the second brother and the others, which shows that you are envious in your heart. How can I, a jiěfū, ^[1]husband of older sister lose to the second brother!”

Princess Hui’an was amused and pinched Fuma Wu’s arm.

Fuma Wu pretended to shiver.

How a couple felt about each other could be known at a glance.

Lu Mingyu saw this scene and couldn’t help but smile.

Princess Hui’an was domineering and unruly, and everyone knew it. It was hard for Fuma Wu to be able to sing harmoniously with Princess Hui’an.

The Eldest huangzhifei was also watching this scene and quickly lowered her head. The Eldest Prince beside her also winked, smiled, picked up the dishes, and put them into her bowl: “You have lost a lot of weight recently, please eat more.”

The Eldest huangzhifei smiled and thanked him softly: “Thank you, Your Highness.”

In the past six months, the Eldest huangzhifei first had a miscarriage, and then fell ill on the bed. Yang Gongren was more than four months pregnant. The imperial physician in the palace who was good at diagnosing pulses had diagnosed that Yang Gongren was pregnant with a son.

The Eldest Prince was overjoyed and went to Yanxi Palace from time to time to pay his respects and visit her.

However, the Eldest Prince was not bad at treating the Eldest huangzhifei. At least, he was considerate in front of others.

…

After the palace banquet, Emperor Yongjia went to the Wenhua Palace to handle political affairs.

Meng Guifei and others got up and left one after another.

In the end, the only ones left in Jiaofang Palace were Lu Mingyu, Li Jing, Princess Hui’an, and Fuma Wu.

Empress Qiao had been tense for a long time, and it was only at this moment that she felt relieved.

Before Empress Qiao opened her mouth with a smile, Princess Hui’an opened her mouth and said to Lu Mingyu: “Lu Mingyu, where do you have the courage to be so disrespectful to Royal Grandmother?”

This sounded quite rude.

Li Jing’s face darkened slightly and he was about to speak. Lu Mingyu stopped him with her gaze.

Princess Hui’an did not appreciate it. Instead, she glared at Li Jing: “As soon as you got married, you turned to her everywhere. As her gūjiě ^[2]husband’s older sister, can’t I say a word?”

“Our Royal Grandmother shouldn’t be making things difficult and mean today. However, she has always had this kind of temper. For so many years, the Royal Mother has had to endure and yield. The reason, we siblings all understand. It’s because Royal Father has always been filial and cannot tolerate anyone disobeying or showing disrespect to Royal Grandmother.”

“Sister Huang is right.” Lu Mingyu answered unhurriedly: “I have also taken this into consideration, so I am extra docile and respectful today.”

Princess Hui’an: “……”

Princess Hui’an choked on the words “docile and respectful” and didn’t know whether to be angry or laugh.

Empress Qiao coughed: “Hui’an, don’t be impatient. Lu Shi just came in, so she doesn’t know your Royal Grandmother’s temper. It is indeed a little bit too much. However, your father hasn’t erupted, and this matter has already passed. Let’s not dwell on it!”

Princess Hui’an was very angry when she heard this: “Mother, you are also favoring her! My father did not erupt, but my father’s face was so ugly in the morning, and my mother also saw it…”

Seeing that the situation was not good, Fuma Wu tugged on Princess Hui’an’s sleeve. Princess Hui’an was furious. She turned around and yelled: “What are you pulling on my sleeves for?”

Fuma Wu was so good-tempered that he even laughed: “Okay, okay, I’ll let go now.”

Princess Huian abruptly turned around and continued angrily, “Where did I go wrong? Royal Mother is usually cautious, and my Second Brother is gentle and modest. Now, however, someone formidable has appeared, daring to confront Royal Grandmother directly. If this continues, it’s only a matter of time before trouble is stirred up!”

Empress Qiao couldn’t do anything about her bad-tempered daughter, so she was about to patiently coax her a few words. She heard Lu Mingyu say: “Sister Hui’an is afraid that I will harm the Royal Mother and His Highness.”

Princess Hui’an snorted: “That’s right! You have vented your anger quite happily. Royal grandmother will definitely nag in Royal Father’s ear. In the end, the account will be credited to Royal mother and Second brother.”

Lu Mingyu said calmly: “You are just saying the opposite. If I swallow my anger, I will bring trouble to the Royal Mother and Your Highness.”

“There are no outsiders here, so I’ll make it clear. The Royal Grandmother’s actions today were definitely not accidental. Someone must have instigated her. The real intention was to humiliate me, the new huangzhifei, and to put pressure on the Royal Mother and His Highness.”

“The Royal Mother is the Empress of the middle palace and the main wife of the Royal Father. Your Highness is the legitimate son of the Royal Father, and his status is nobler than the other princes.”

“As the husband is honored, so is the wife. As the consort of the Second Prince, my status is naturally more distinguished than the consorts of the Eldest Prince and the consorts of the Third and Fourth princes who are about to enter the palace.”

“If I let people make things difficult and bully me as soon as I enter the house, how can I hold my head high and be a good person in the future?”

“If I gave in everywhere from the beginning, wouldn’t anyone be able to step on me in the future?”

“If this continues, who will regard the legitimate line of the Empress’s son in the palace?”

A series of rhetorical questions left Princess Hui’an speechless.

Empress Qiao’s expression also darkened slightly.

Li Jing stared at his newlywed wife but said nothing.

He has already understood Lu Mingyu’s intention.

The court was the battlefield for men, dealing with important national affairs, complicated government affairs, interactions with civil and military officials, winning over courtiers, and so on. It was what he wanted to do.

The harem was the battlefield for women.

She could handle it all! No need for his help!

As long as he stood by her side, that was enough. ^[3]this is why he is the ML and the Third Prince is a scumbag

Lu Mingyu’s eyes were bright and her voice was decisive and firm: “So, from the beginning, you must show your edge. From now on, whoever wants to mess with me must consider whether she has such ability.”

“Everyone knows that I’m not easy to mess with, so no one will dare to mess with me.” ^[4]you go girl!!! fighting (in my best Kdrama imitation)

(End of this chapter)