After admiring and showing off for a while, the Empress then beckoned everyone to the palace to sit.
The imperial consorts of various palaces, being observant, politely declined and left in pairs.
On the way to Kunning Palace, the Empress affectionately held Zhao Jiaqi's hand, chatting and laughing as they walked.
They spoke of everyday matters, but when Yu Meng was mentioned, the Empress could not stop praising, saying how well the couple had raised her.
"The Empress flatters me. Yu Meng was always mischievous since she was little and difficult to control. She doesn't do things a young lady should, but instead learned martial arts. Her father and I were very worried!"
Leng Shuang frowned slightly upon hearing this, but the expression was fleeting. She quickly resumed her amiable smile.
"What need do noble ladies have to embroider or make clothes nowadays? It's all done by the embroiderers in the manor. Conversely, these noble ladies may not possess the same skills as the county princess. My younger brother speaks very highly of the county princess!"
The Empress's younger brother?
Zhao Jiaqi was a bit confused. "The Empress's younger brother is..."
Leng Shuang, seeing her bewildered look, immediately understood and smiled. "Look at my memory, I forgot to introduce myself."
"My maiden name is Leng Shuang, the legitimate daughter of the Prime Minister's manor. Leng Han is my younger brother."
As soon as Leng Han was mentioned, Zhao Jiaqi knew who it was. She had never imagined that Leng Han had such a formidable background.
"So, the Empress's brother is Leng Han. General Leng leads his troops effectively and possesses great general demeanor. He is a very fine young man!"
Leng Shuang seized the opportunity. "My brother is only eighteen, tall and promising. The legitimate daughter of the Duke of Qi's manor is a talented woman in the capital, yet my brother simply doesn't fancy her. He says he wants to find a wife who shares his temperament and gets along with him. My father, mother, and I are truly worried sick about his marriage!"
Zhao Jiaqi found it difficult to respond to these words, but she vaguely guessed that the Empress's invitation was not purely for casual conversation.
"General Leng is so outstanding, I'm sure noble ladies in the capital are lining up. The Prime Minister's manor is not short of daughters-in-law!"
Seeing that Zhao Jiaqi was not taking the bait, the Empress grew suspicious.
Perhaps she hadn't understood her intention? Or perhaps she had, and was playing dumb?
For the sake of the Prime Minister's manor, her own status, and her brother's happiness, Leng Shuang decided to speak more directly.
However, seeing how she had just rebuffed Consort Mei, she didn't seem like someone who would easily concede. If she were to refuse her now, she would lose face throughout the entire capital.
Lost in thought, they arrived at Kunning Palace.
Kunning Palace was the most luxurious in the imperial harem. The courtyard was spacious, and it housed many rare and exotic treasures, even a talking myna bird.
The koi in the pond were half a meter long and were guarded by dedicated personnel. Seeing this, Su Ya could not help but gasp in amazement.
Leng Shuang noticed that the consorts were all captivated by the koi in her pond and smiled. "These carp are not afraid of people. If you go and feed them, even the koi at the bottom of the water will come out to compete for food. It's quite a spectacle."
As soon as the Empress finished speaking, the eunuch, having received a hint, began to feed the fish in the lake. Soon, the surface of the lake churned, and the sight of fish leaping out of the water drew their attention.
Pingtang had seen such things in the palace and was not interested. If she could catch a couple of them, she could have one braised and the other made into spicy fish. That would be quite delicious. Unfortunately, these were ornamental koi, the Empress's favorites.
She hadn't understood the Empress's intentions and walked foolishly to Zhao Jiaqi's side. "Sister-in-law, these koi have grown so big, do you think they might have become spirits?"
Her sister-in-law was truly a master of imagination. Could these creatures become spirits?
"No, they can't!"
Pingtang frowned. "Even weasels can be deified, let alone such beautiful fish?"
"You've read too many storybooks and see spirits in every animal."
If humans were so cunning, could animals become spirits? They would likely be eaten long before they could become spirits.
The remaining rare and exotic beasts needed protection to reproduce; otherwise, extinction was a possibility.
The Empress observed Pingtang with a cold gaze. Seeing that she had no interest in watching the fish, she led her into the main hall.
The palace maids were very observant. As soon as the three of them sat down, hot tea, pastries, and fresh fruit appeared on the tea table.
Shortly after they were served, the attendant palace maids withdrew, and even the imperial nurses attending the Empress gradually disappeared from the hall.
This scene puzzled Zhao Jiaqi, and Pingtang, standing beside her, also sensed something was amiss.
She feigned curiosity and asked, "The Empress is truly too good to these palace maids and eunuchs. She's so far along in her pregnancy, and these nurses and maids dare to leave so freely. Aren't they afraid..."
She didn't finish her sentence, but it was clear what she meant.
Leng Shuang smiled faintly. "These palace maids are also human. They've been standing for a long time and need to rest. It's nothing."
The sisters-in-law exchanged glances. Although the Empress's words sounded kind, they knew that one couldn't hold such a position without considerable influence.
Clearly, neither of them believed her.
Not long after, a wet nurse from outside the door entered, bowing to the person on the phoenix throne. "Your Highness, General Leng has entered the palace to pay his respects to the Empress and has brought two baskets of cherries."
Hearing that her younger brother had arrived, Leng Shuang's spirits immediately lifted. She straightened up from her slumped posture on the chair.
"Please invite him in quickly."
She smiled brightly at Zhao Jiaqi. "My brother is a protective soul. Whenever he gets something good to eat, he rushes to bring it to me. When he marries a wife, he will surely protect her completely."
Zhao Jiaqi offered no comment, merely smiling faintly at Leng Shuang. Pingtang, on the other hand, spoke a fair word. "Protecting family is what men should do."
"If he can protect his wife from being mistreated by his family, not grow tired of the new and discard the old, not scold or beat his wife, not favor sons over daughters, not take concubines, not have secondary wives, and treat his wife well consistently, then such a man is a good match for a woman."
Zhao Jiaqi smiled and silently gave Pingtang a thumbs-up.
"Sister-in-law, what you said is absolutely correct. If a woman can marry such a man, she will be very happy!"
No concubines, not favoring sons over daughters?
How was that possible? Leng Shuang immediately dismissed the idea. "That's completely unrealistic. If the wife is unable to give birth to a legitimate heir, won't the vast family fortune be without successor?"
"As the saying goes, there are three ways to be unfilial, and not having offspring is the greatest. This is not a joke."
Pingtang looked curiously at the Empress, wondering if the Empress was perhaps foolish.
If she couldn't give birth to a legitimate heir, what would she have to do with the vast family fortune?
Although she held the title of legitimate mother, the children would still be closer to their own mother. At most, she would be supported in her old age.
Although she didn't say these words aloud, her look of disbelief was enough for people to guess what she was thinking.