Chapter 2 The Gathering
The next day, Pingting was watching the children at home when she learned from her mother-in-law that her elder sister-in-law was hosting a banquet. She also wanted to attend, and just after noon, their entire family arrived.
Her elder uncle's family, Fan Xiaofeng's family, and the couple with their children all came. Even Li Wencai, leading Aunt Wang Qian, showed up.
Before they could even get comfortable, Li Chuang arrived with his wife, Fan Meichen, and their child, making the household even livelier.
Fan Xiaofeng's wife, Li Qian, arrived, and naturally, she didn't forget to notify her brother, Li Yi.
When he was notified, he happened to be with Xie Kun. Thus, the news spread like wildfire, and the number of people watching the spectacle in the manor outnumbered the performers.
Zhao Jiaqi rubbed her forehead. Her initial intention was to arrange marriages for the servants, but these people thought it was some kind of banquet hosted by the manor. Now, the crowd was growing larger and larger.
It wasn't even dark yet, but all the elders Zhao Jiaqi knew had brought their families and come.
There was no formal dinner, only small snacks and fruits were prepared, along with fruit juice and fruit wine. The tables were arranged in a circle, and whoever wanted to sit anywhere could. She couldn't manage it.
The adults knew how to play in groups, let alone the children.
With Yumeng as the ringleader, the younger siblings had a blast.
"Mom, Mom, look at Tiantian! She's holding the meat and won't let Duoduo eat it. She just wants to tease him!"
Yumeng ran to Zhao Jiaqi in exasperation, her mouth pouting to the sky. She was so unhappy!
"Duoduo is already so fat, he should lose weight. Let him be teased!"
Zhao Jiaqi remembered the mynah bird they raised at home. Their children had fed it so much that its body was round, its legs were barely visible, and its belly almost dragged on the ground.
"No, Bagge is so tempted that his saliva is drooling all over the place. Go and see!"
Zhao Jiaqi couldn't resist the child's plea and prepared to go and see.
Li Qian only knew that the prince's manor kept a cute pet but had never seen it. She said, "Sister-in-law, I also want to go see Duoduo. Shall I accompany you?"
"Then let's go see together. I haven't seen Duoduo for a long time either!"
With Bailu's words, several women followed Yumeng to her courtyard. Before they even entered the courtyard, they heard Bagge's pitiful whimpering.
Upon entering, they saw Tiantian running ahead with the meat, and Duoduo chasing behind. Whenever Duoduo didn't chase, she would hold the meat in front of his eyes, teasing him. Finally, the dog was annoyed and turned away.
Seeing this scene, everyone burst into laughter!
Pingting's face suddenly flushed red: "Fan Tiantian, are you asking for a beating? Why are you teasing the dog? Give the meat to Duoduo!"
Bailu laughed like a goose, her excited face turning pure red, and she laughed breathlessly, "Princess, Tiantian is so cute! She's a match for the little county princess!"
Pingting rolled her eyes and said helplessly, "What do you mean 'a match'? They are practically cast from the same mold, mischievous to the extreme, and utterly disobedient!"
Zhao Jiaqi pointed at Tiantian and said to Pingting, "See your daughter? Even the dog is annoyed with her. You can imagine that your Tiantian is not as well-behaved as my Yumeng!"
Pingting didn't like these words. She put her hands on her hips and said, "If you say Sisi's family is well-behaved and obedient, I'll agree. But if you say Yumeng is well-behaved, I'll never agree, even if I'm beaten to death!"
"But the facts are right in front of us, and you can't deny it!"
"That's because Yumeng has passed the age where even dogs get annoyed!"
The sisters-in-law started bickering about their children. Everyone was used to it. Regarding the little county princess and her niece, Li Qian believed that her own child was better.
Every mother thought their own child was good. As they argued about whose child was better, they looked away, and the children were already playing together again, where was any sign of happiness or unhappiness?
"Alright, stop being a hypocrite. Our children are all the same!" Pingting, unable to argue with her sister-in-law, was defeated again and said.
Zhao Jiaqi nodded and admitted, "Indeed, which child isn't mischievous? They'll get better in a few years!"
"Yes, maybe by then, she'll be a sensible young lady."
The two mothers found words to praise their own children. No matter how bad their children were, they were good in their parents' eyes.
The noisy evening ended late at night. In the end, the main purpose wasn't achieved, but everyone had a good laugh all night.
On New Year's Eve, the whole family gathered. Unlike previous years with ten dishes and eight courses, this year they mainly ate hot pot. Everyone sat around the table and had a peaceful and lively New Year.
The first day was for New Year's greetings, and the second and third days were for visiting the wife's maiden home.
Pingting had no maiden family to return to, so she simply treated Zhao Jiaqi as her own family and, along with Fan Xudong, returned to the prince's manor.
The year quickly passed to the Lantern Festival. On this day, the streets and alleys of the inner city were decorated with lanterns. It was supposed to be a happy occasion, but upon receiving the imperial decree from Huangfu Yifan, Zhao Jiaqi's face was filled with disdain.
"The Emperor is getting married and has summoned us to the capital. The wedding is set for the second day of the second month, the day of the Dragon's Head."
Last time, several consorts were chosen during the imperial selection, but no empress was chosen. This time, they were marrying an empress with such fanfare. Sigh...
Fan Zehao took the imperial decree, glanced at it, and tossed it aside: "Then we'll go back. It's just a banquet, consider it a trip for us to relax!"
"You say it so lightly. It will take more than a month for a round trip!" Zhao Jiaqi was increasingly reluctant to return to the capital.
Who knew what other trouble would arise from this trip back to the capital!
However, the imperial decree had been issued. If they claimed to be ill and refused to return, they might cause the Emperor to misunderstand even more. Fine, they would go back to the capital with him.
The next day, the sixteenth of the first lunar month, was Yumeng's eighth birthday. Zhao Jiaqi and Fan Zehao celebrated their daughter's birthday, and they set off for the capital on the third day.
However, when they left this time, Fan Zehao left Fan Xudong behind. He feared that the Emperor might detain them in the capital, turning them into hostages. If anything unexpected happened, Fan Xudong could prepare to rescue them.
This time, five hundred special forces soldiers were also dispatched, infiltrating the capital in batches, serving as their last lifeline.
Pingting was no longer the ignorant person she was when she got married.
On this return trip to the capital, she missed her imperial mother and wanted her imperial mother to relinquish the title of Empress Dowager and return to her fiefdom to live a life of peace in her old age.
In the carriage, Pingting and her sister-in-law had a heart-to-heart talk.
"Sister-in-law, tell me honestly, will my brother rebel?"
Zhao Jiaqi's heart leaped, not understanding why Pingting would think that: "What makes you say that?"
"Sister-in-law, the Emperor has been suppressing my brother for more than a day or two. Just last year, regarding the grain and fodder, the war was already over, but there was no sign of the grain and fodder. This clearly shows that they are taking advantage of you and my brother, knowing you wouldn't stand by and watch those soldiers!"
"Also, my brother led more than a hundred thousand soldiers to fight without military power, and the soldiers obeyed him. This is a threat in the Emperor's eyes!"
"Looking back, didn't the Emperor use those excuses when he reduced my brother's military power? Anyone with eyes can see that the Emperor no longer trusts my brother that much. He only wants to get rid of my brother because he still has value."
Pingting sighed, revealing something the Emperor extremely wished to deny: "Furthermore, the Emperor also fears the public opinion. After all, you have made many contributions to the common people. If you and my brother were to have any accidents, then in the eyes of the common people, this Emperor would be a cruel and hypocritical ruler. It is only for his reputation that he has not moved against you!"
Pingting was indeed from a royal family; her analysis of the situation was sound!