But Pingting understood these matters. Neither she nor her husband were fools; they knew the situation clearly, but it simply wasn't time to fall out completely.
After all, Huangfu Yifan had not crossed her bottom line, and they did not wish to instigate unnecessary bloodshed.
Zhao Jiaqi shook her head slightly at her, "Regardless of what the Emperor thinks, your elder brother and I only wish to live here peacefully. To watch our children grow up healthy and well, that is all. Of course, if the Emperor becomes too aggressive and even threatens the lives of the elderly and children, I won't object to rebelling and establishing a new king!"
She dared to say this, unafraid that Pingting would betray her to the Emperor. Before she was married, she was a princess, but now she was Fan Xudong's wife, the mother of three children, and more importantly, Fan family's daughter-in-law.
Zhao Jiaqi said this to give Pingting a warning. Her imperial concubine mother and maternal family were all in the capital. If she were to rebel, it would affect the Yao family's status in the capital.
After she finished answering Pingting's question, the carriage fell silent. The oppressive atmosphere was surprisingly heavy, intensifying the already unpleasant mood.
"Sister-in-law, I want to bring my imperial concubine mother with me when we return to the capital. If things go… my imperial concubine mother's days in the palace will likely be difficult. I am worried!"
Zhao Jiaqi held her icy small hand, understanding her dilemma. One family, one maternal family; no matter her choice, it would be wrong.
"Of course, you can. If you can, bring your maternal grandfather and uncles to the fiefdom as well. We have plenty of space in our inner city!"
Pingting smiled at her gratefully, though her heart was bitter. She still shook her head and politely declined her sister-in-law's kind offer. "If my imperial concubine mother comes with me, the reason is simple. If my maternal grandfather and uncles all come with me, it will definitely attract the Emperor's attention. Don't lose the big picture for a small gain!"
Making this decision must have pained Pingting deeply!
Zhao Jiaqi chuckled and shook her. "What are you doing? We haven't reached that point yet. What if we're mistaken and the Emperor has no such intentions? Wouldn't we be worrying unnecessarily?"
Pingting also smiled upon hearing this, but she knew in her heart that the Emperor surely had such intentions. It was just that her sister-in-law didn't want her to worry.
The carriage sped for ten days and finally arrived in the capital.
After settling into the mansion, Fan Zehao submitted a memorial stating his arrival in the capital, awaiting an imperial summons for the remaining matters.
The next day, Huangfu Xian, accompanied by his consort and Huangfu Xu, came to the Zhenguo Prince's mansion.
As soon as Xian Wang entered, he began to complain to Zhao Jiaqi, "Sister-in-law, why did you only just arrive? We've been waiting for you in the capital for over half a month! If you hadn't come soon, we would have come looking for you."
Zhao Jiaqi was a little bewildered.
"We received the imperial decree and only came the day after. We rushed here without stopping. We arrived before the end of the first lunar month!"
Huangfu Xian and Huangfu Xu heard this and silently calculated the time. The dates of the imperial decree were different!
Fan Mingyue knitted her willow-leaf eyebrows. "Sister-in-law, our Xian Prince's mansion received the imperial decree in the twelfth lunar month. If I understand you correctly, did you perhaps receive the decree to attend the Emperor's grand wedding after the New Year?"
Zhao Jiaqi remained silent, giving her a look to let her figure it out!
Her heart was filled with mixed emotions. It was clear that the Emperor was deliberately targeting their Zhenguo Prince's mansion.
"Princess Consort, do you know who the Emperor is marrying as Empress?" Huangfu Xu brought up the topic.
Xian Wang immediately understood the meaning of the Xiaoyao Prince. Seeing that his sister-in-law was still in the dark, he picked up where the Xiaoyao Prince left off and said, "The prospective Empress is the second legitimate daughter of General Jiang Zancheng, Jiang Youyou."
"General Jiang Zancheng has always been stationed at the southern border and is a very low-key person. As for Jiang Youyou, she didn't participate in the imperial selection last time because she was ill!"
After speaking, Huangfu Xian winked at her, eager for his sister-in-law to praise him.
However, Zhao Jiaqi's mind was preoccupied with the implications of the Emperor marrying a general's daughter.
Xiaoyao Wang looked around and couldn't find the Prince. He asked, "Where is the Zhenguo Prince?"
"He went to the Prime Minister's mansion with Song Fei and will be back shortly!"
Xiaoyao Wang nodded and began discussing the achievements of the dual trade markets with Huangfu Xian. The two of them were engrossed in conversation.
Fan Mingyue winked at Zhao Jiaqi. Zhao Jiaqi saw it but had no idea what she wanted to do, yet she led her to the warm chamber.
As soon as Fan Mingyue entered the warm chamber, she sat on the chair, visibly anxious, and almost tore a hole in the silk handkerchief she was holding.
"Consort, do you have something to say to this Princess Consort? Speak freely!"
Zhao Jiaqi did not need her to beat around the bush. Ever since she married Fan Zehao, she had known Fan Mingyue. Fan Mingyue also knew what kind of person she was.
"Sister-in-law, I know it's inappropriate to call you this, but I have truly repented. My father, mother, and brother all know they were wrong. I beg you to give us an opportunity to amend our ways and forgive us!"
This sudden confession caught Zhao Jiaqi completely off guard. The turn of events was too abrupt.
She couldn't understand how someone so malicious could suddenly change for the better.
"Fan Mingyue, let's be frank. Whether your family has truly repented or changed for the better is irrelevant to us. Fan Zehao and I will not trouble you. It would be even better if we could coexist as strangers."
"If you cannot do that, then do not bother us again!"
Fan Mingyue saw that Zhao Jiaqi truly didn't believe her family had changed for the better, and she anxiously said, "Sister-in-law, I am telling the truth. I know you don't believe me, but you will see in future actions!"
Zhao Jiaqi looked at her earnest face, truly unsure of what schemes were brewing in her mind.
Didn't she say "you will see in future actions"?
Then she would wait and see how that would play out!
Xian Wang and Xiaoyao Wang did not get to see the Zhenguo Prince return, but they received startling news.
Wang Zhanlin, with the Empress Dowager's backing, had Granny Pi send a small piece of paper to Zhao Jiaqi, mixed in with a box of pastries, to the mansion.
She pointed to the box at Da Zhuang, who was guarding the gate, and instructed him a few words before Granny Pi left, not even entering the mansion's gate.
Da Zhuang went to the front hall, took out the note from the food container, and presented it to Zhao Jiaqi, who was entertaining guests. "Princess Consort, someone outside just sent this. They asked me to give it to you!"
Zhao Jiaqi looked at the note in his hand, feeling quite surprised.
She took the note from Da Zhuang, opened it, and broke out in a cold sweat.
'The Emperor sent Huang Kangtai five days ago to personally escort your parents and children from your fiefdom.'
What did this mean?
While they were rushing to the capital, the Emperor had sent someone to fetch their family during their absence! And without their knowledge!
Zhao Jiaqi clutched the note tightly. Her rosy face gradually turned pale, and anger flashed in her eyes, impossible to conceal.
Seeing her angry expression, everyone was curious about what had happened to make this "She-devil"'s face change so suddenly.
Huangfu Xian's curiosity outweighed his concern. He smiled and asked, "Sister-in-law, you look unwell. Has something happened?"