Tong Huaqiong turned around and, under the dim candlelight, saw a well-maintained noblewoman leaning out of the carriage, giving her a scornful smile.
"May I ask who you are?" Tong Huaqiong inquired.
The noblewoman’s face suddenly turned very unpleasant.
"How dare you! Aren’t you going to pay respects to Princess Consort Yu," the maid beside the middle-aged beauty scolded.
Tong Huaqiong rolled her eyes at the maid and said, "No one introduced me, how would I know who Princess Consort Yu is? What if she’s an imposter?"
"Who in all of Shengjing would dare impersonate Princess Consort Yu?"
Indeed, just a coarse girl merchant from the countryside.
Even when the Princess Consort humbled herself to come before her, she still wouldn’t bow.
If it weren’t for her being the grandmother of the Heir Apparent, she would have been dragged away and executed long ago.
The maid was quite furious.
At the palace banquet, Mrs. Min indeed pointed out Princess Consort Yu to her, but under the emperor’s watchful eye, Tong Huaqiong didn’t dare look closely. Thus, under the dim lantern lights outside the palace, she failed to recognize the middle-aged beauty before her as Princess Consort Yu.
Besides, she had already established enmity with the Prince Yu Mansion, and bowing wouldn’t mend the relationship, so why bother?
After all, the emperor wouldn’t punish her.
"Forget it, forget it, Sui Feng Village Lady just got to Shengjing from the countryside; it’s normal not to recognize me."
Princess Consort Yu’s tone was filled with intense disdain.
These words were a jab at Tong Huaqiong’s rural origins and lacking insight.
Tong Huaqiong cordially replied, "What the Princess Consort said is correct. As an ignorant woman from the countryside, please forgive me for any offenses."
Princess Consort Yu wanted to slap her forehead.
Yet another shrew who uses rural ignorance as an excuse, just like Mrs. Min, always quick to hurl insults.
Tough as nails.
But no matter how much chaos they caused in the Jinluan Palace, the emperor remained lenient towards them.
"May I ask what business the Princess Consort has with me?" Tong Huaqiong asked.
Recalling the prince’s instructions, the Prince Yu Mansion needed to get along with the grandson of the emperor to please His Majesty. Since the grandson was evidently not warm to Prince Yu, the Prince Yu Mansion planned to start with the grandson’s adoptive grandmother.
The Prince Yu Mansion was willing to bend for goodwill and not hold a grudge over Tong Huaqiong taking them to the Jinluan Palace. If Tong Huaqiong were wise, she would heed the opportunity.
Princess Consort Yu’s smile grew even more amiable, and she said with warmth, "A few days ago, the girl Xiyue offended for a pastry chef. When I spoke to the prince, we realized it was all a misunderstanding. How about I invite Sui Feng Village Lady to the mansion for drinks to apologize another day?"
A weasel wishing a chicken a happy New Year never bodes well.
Drawing Tong Huaqiong close was certainly a means to draw the Heir Apparent close, but Tong Huaqiong did not wish to be used as a pawn.
"There’s no need for an apology drink," Tong Huaqiong quickly refused.
Princess Consort Yu’s smile froze on her face.
She hadn’t expected that even after lowering herself, Tong Huaqiong would refuse so decisively.
Since Princess Consort Yu sought her out, Tong Huaqiong also wanted to expose Zhao Xiyue’s entanglements with Gu Jingzhe.
"Princess Consort Yu, you should keep an eye on Princess Ming Yue. I heard she even blocked my Jingzhe at the Imperial College. Although my Jingzhe has a handsome face, he is married and in perfect harmony with my daughter-in-law, and would never abandon his wife for his future like Su Shihang did. Princess Ming Yue’s blatant actions not only affect my son but also affect her reputation."
"Therefore, I ask the Princess Consort to properly restrain the princess for her reputation’s sake."
Hearing that Princess Ming Yue went to block Tong Huaqiong’s son, Princess Consort Yu was taken aback, a chill rushing from her heels to her head.
It almost took her breath away.
There were so many young talents in Shengjing; was her princess out of her mind to fancy a boy from the countryside?
However, Princess Consort Yu didn’t dare to confront Tong Huaqiong rashly. Given that incident at the Imperial College, it was indeed something Zhao Xiyue could have done.
Ignoring the displeasure on Princess Consort Yu’s face, Tong Huaqiong bowed and got into her own carriage.
...
In the Su Family’s carriage.
Su Shihang sat with his eyes closed.
After leaving the banquet, as the father, he approached his son to talk. His son gave him a cold glance and warned that if he dared interfere with his marriage, it would not end well for the Su Family.
"Unfilial son," Su Shihang cursed.
After all, if he, the father, couldn’t manage his son’s marriage, who could?
In all of Shengjing, who besides himself would yield to his son?
Su Shihang felt his son didn’t acknowledge him as a father because he was wrongly influenced by the Min Family.
He somewhat regretted letting Su Chengmin be raised by the Min Family all along.
He didn’t consider that back then, his heart favored the younger son born of the Lu Family, and after Min Baozhen passed away, he gladly allowed the Min Family to take over the upbringing of Su Chengmin since the Su Family wasn’t lacking sons.
When Su Chengmin got implicated in the late Crown Prince’s rebellion, he severed ties with Su Chengmin. Now, with his son as the Commander of the Imperial Guard, and seeing how his younger son had not amounted to much, he started to show deep fatherly affection again. But how could Su Chengmin reciprocate?
It was the Lu Family’s idea to control Su Chengmin through marriage, ideally having him marry her family’s niece, thus truly bringing Su Chengmin into the Su Family fold.
Su Shihang thought the Lu Family’s idea was sound.
Su Chengmin’s current standing in the emperor’s heart, plus the Mighty General as his backing, many noble families were already inquiring about his marriage.
If Su Chengmin married a noble family girl and gained support, it would not only offer no benefit to the Su Family but would further solidify the Mighty General’s position.
This was something Su Shihang did not wish to see.
The son favored the Min Family no matter what gestures he made. Su Chengmin never acknowledged him, forcing him to take the risky move of publicly asking the emperor to grant a marriage.
With the grant unfulfilled, the thought of his son drifting farther away made Su Shihang irritable.
"Sir, Chengmin is, after all, your son. Fathers and sons don’t hold lasting grudges. He has been outside for so long that he naturally doesn’t understand your good intentions. You should be patient and explain, and he will naturally understand that the Su Family is truly aligned with him," Lu Family said, discerning Su Shihang’s thoughts.
This remark pointed out Su Chengmin’s disregard for kinship and sowed discord over the Min Family’s influence on Su Chengmin.
Those harsh words from Mrs. Min in the palace today would be known throughout Shengjing tomorrow.
She had suffered great humiliation and would not let the Min Family revel in it.
Su Shihang opened his eyes and said sternly, "You should inquire among the other families if there’s a girl Chengmin fancies. If her family is willing to recognize the Su Family and not the Min Family, I wouldn’t mind such a marriage."
He only aimed to keep his son in check, and it didn’t matter if his daughter-in-law was Lu Yiner or another girl, as long as it benefited the Su Family and brought Su Chengmin into the fold, he would acknowledge her as his daughter-in-law.
"Sir, could this be an excuse of Chengmin’s? I’ve seen him preoccupied with official duties; where would he find the time to fancy a girl? Now he bears grudges against us, including towards Yiner. They say adversaries do not meet; let Yiner spend more time with him, and maybe he’ll be willing to marry her," Lu Family suggested.
Lu Yiner gave a well-timed gentle smile from the side.
Su Shihang coldly chuckled and said, "No one knows a son better than his father. If he says he has a girl he fancies, it’s not a lie. You’d better investigate. If I force him to marry Yiner, it would sever our father-son relationship."
"After all, he has harbored grudges against his mother. The best way to resolve them is to respect his wishes."
"Sir, leave this matter to me," Lu Family said.
Hearing Su Shihang mention Min Baozhen made her heart tighten, though she meekly agreed, planning to make inquiries as soon as she returned.
No matter the girl, if it benefits the Su Family and convinces Su Chengmin to acknowledge them, then Su Shihang will accept that girl as his daughter-in-law.
Regardless of which family’s daughter it was, they all sought to benefit the Su Family.
Lu Yiner sat beside them with a perfectly agreeable, gentle smile.
"""