On the second day, Hui’an Gōngzhǔ entered the palace early to pay her respects.

“Daughter greets Imperial Mother.” Hui’an Gōngzhǔ saluted with a straight face.

 This was no longer a greeting, it was more like complaining after holding back a sullen stomach.

Empress Qiao chuckled, “Rise! Look at that sour face of yours. Those who know might understand you’re here to pay respects, but those who don’t might think you’re here to pick a fight with me.”

Hui’an Gōngzhǔ snorted from her nose. There was a sound.

Yo! Where did you get angry?

Empress Qiao was a little surprised: “What? Who provoked you?”

Hui’an Gōngzhǔ snorted again: “Who else could it be besides that Lu Shi?”

Empress Qiao: “…”

Why did she get into trouble with Lu Mingyu again?

Empress Qiao rubbed her forehead and sighed softly: “Didn’t I tell you? If you and Lu Shi don’t get along, you should have less contact with each other. Don’t make a fuss like a black-eyed chicken every time you get together. The key is not to make a fuss and get very angry every time. How come you don’t understand the principle that one learns from one’s mistakes?”

 Hui’an Gōngzhǔ’s almond-shaped eyes widened, showing both anger and a hint of grievance: “I am the Gōngzhǔ’ of Great Wei, the eldest sister of my second brother, born of the same mother. She is a newly wedded dìxí. Why should I, of all people, defer to her? What kind of reasoning is that!”

Empress Qiao also looked helpless: “What else should you do? You are trying to embarrass your second brother!”

When she mentioned Li Jing, Hui’an Gōngzhǔ was even more angry: “Don’t bring up my second brother. All these years, my concern for him was in vain. Ever since he married, does he see anyone other than Lu Shi?”

“Last night, I had an unpleasant argument with Lu Shi. And what did he do? He just stood by Lu Shi’s side. It wasn’t until the end of the banquet that he remembered his elder sister, me.”

“This is also my biological brother. ! It’s a good thing I didn’t ask him to support me, otherwise, I don’t know how much he would have to complain about.”

 “Mother, don’t just try to coax me. It hasn’t been a month since Lu Shi came in, and the second brother has already been with her. In the future, when she gives birth to children and establishes a firm footing, she will no longer take the Imperial Mother and me seriously.”

Empress Qiao felt unhappy after hearing these words.

In the past, her son was filial and respectful. Since returning to Beijing last year he was determined to marry Lu Mingyu. Now it seemed that he had slowly changed into a different person. He had become a bit strange even to her own mother.

For her, the closest people were her children. Emperor Yongjia ranked third at most. As for the son-in-law and daughter-in-law, they had to be further apart. She sincerely hoped for a close and harmonious relationship between her children.

It just happened to be the opposite.

Because of Lu Mingyu, Hui’an Gōngzhǔ, and Li Jing, the sister and brother, there was already a gap.

Empress Qiao sighed secretly and whispered: “Hui An, don’t say anything. Now that Ah Jing and Lu Shi are newly married, Ah Jing won’t listen to what you say. If you continue to make trouble, it will only hurt you. The relationship between brother and sister will deteriorate and you will push Ah Jing further and further away.”

“First, follow Ah Jing’s wishes and be kind to Lu Shi. As time goes by, the relationship between husband and wife will fade one day, and there will be a day when they will become separated. They may even turn against each other, but the bond between mother and son will always remain.”

Hui’an Gōngzhǔ chuckled disdainfully, “Imperial Mother says it nicely. But in the end, isn’t it just because there’s no way to deal with my second brother, so everything has to revolve around him?”

Empress Qiao said. : “…”

Empress Qiao was stabbed in the heart, and she was also a little annoyed. She said with a straight face: “Are you coming to the palace to greet me or to make me angry? If you have nothing to do, then go back to your Princess mansion.”

Hui’an Gōngzhǔ also was annoyed: “I won’t leave! This is my mother’s house. I can stay as long as I like. I can stay as long as I want. I still have to stay in Jiaofang Hall for lunch and dinner, etc. The Fùmǎ will come later to pick me up.”

Empress Qiao was so angry that she rubbed her forehead again: “Thank you for my kindness, otherwise I would have been mad at you.”

Hui’an Gōngzhǔ’s temper was good and bad, and she got the upper hand. Once she calmed down a little, she leaned over affectionately, took Empress Qiao’s arm, and acted like a coquettish girl.

A mother couldn’t resist her daughter’s appearance like this.

Empress Qiao soon laughed again.

The mother and daughter were chatting and joking when the palace maid came to report: “The Empress, the Second Huángzi fēi is here to pay their respects.”

….

To say that Lu Mingyu was really powerful, but she was by no means blindly acting recklessly. On the contrary, Lu Mingyu did not show off her talents all the time. She always followed the etiquette and went to the palace every day to pay her respects.

Empress Qiao nodded slightly: “Let her in.”

She did not forget to tell Hui’an Gōngzhǔ: “Don’t make any noise later.”

Hui’an Gōngzhǔ snorted: “Just don’t take the initiative to mess with me.”

Hui’an Gōngzhǔ might have been fierce with her words, but in truth, just the thought of last night’s slap made her heart pound. In short, she was like a paper tiger, fierce on the surface but timid inside. When faced with a real threat, she lacked the confidence to act.

The “real tiger” soon came in.

Wearing a vermilion skirt, her long hair was tied into a neat bun with a phoenix hairpin on the edge. Phoenix eyes, red lips, skin as white as snow, and full of energy.

“Daughter-in-law Lu Shi pays respects to Imperial Mother,” Lu Mingyu smiled as she bowed to Empress Qiao.

Empress Qiao smiled lightly and said, “No need for courtesy.”

Lu Mingyu stood up after thanking her, and shouted with a smile: “Imperial Elder Sister, you came early today.”

Was she mocking herself for coming to complain so early?

Hui’an Gōngzhǔ felt angry and replied firmly: “I am happy to come early, but it won’t be a hindrance to you.”

Lu Mingyu did not fall out and responded with a smile: “If I knew that the Imperial Elder Sister entered the palace so early, I should have come earlier. As a daughter-in-law, I am no less filial to my mother than the Imperial Elder Sister.”

Hui’an Gōngzhǔ was choked.

Empress Qiao sighed inwardly again.

Look! Lu Mingyu used this method. She turned her face and refused to recognize her relatives. When she was not angry, she talked and smiled, and her etiquette was not lacking at all.

The sweeter the smile, the more ruthless and terrifying it seemed when one fell out. It made people involuntarily have the thought of staying away and not daring to provoke.

This was really awesome.

How could Hui’an Gōngzhǔ defeat her?

Empress Qiao calmed down and said with a smile: “My daughter is filial, and my daughter-in-law is also filial. It seems that I am the most blessed person.” 

Empress Qiao opened her mouth to make peace, and Lu Mingyu naturally wanted to appreciate it, so she responded with a smile: “It is a blessing for a daughter-in-law to meet a mother-in-law who is as magnanimous and considerate as my mother.”

Hui’an Gōngzhǔ wanted to sneer reflexively, but she reluctantly restrained herself when Empress Qiao gave her a calm glance.

Lu Mingyu pretended not to see Hui’an Gōngzhǔ’s bad face and started chatting with Empress Qiao as usual. Hui’an Gōngzhǔ had a sullen face and would never talk to Lu Mingyu.

Soon, the palace steward came to report on palace affairs. Lu Mingyu stopped talking and sat aside with a smile.

If Lu Mingyu didn’t leave, Hui’an Gōngzhǔis was even more unwilling to leave.

This was Jiaofang Hall, and the person sitting on the phoenix chair was her own mother. It was Lu Mingyu who should leave, so she wouldn’t leave.

(End of chapter)