Chapter 146 The Liang Family Has a Daughter

Those who came to the banquet today were all powerful people in the capital, including the wives of old-school bureaucrats and the wives of rising talents.

For a while, the main hall of Shou'an Academy was filled with beautiful women in elegant clothes, the jingling of jewelry, and the chirping of orioles and swallows.

Empress Dowager Jiang sat firmly in the hall, accepting the worship of the crowd with a kind smile on her face.

The ladies and young ladies were chatting with the Empress Dowager and the Imperial Concubine while quietly observing how Imperial Concubine Meng was acting.

Meng Yan's name was already a household name in the capital. It was common knowledge that she was favored by the Emperor.

However, in previous years, all matters big and small in the palace were always handled by Imperial Noble Consort Liang Chengbi, and she just sat on the side as a leisurely concubine.

But when news about her came out, it was either about jealousy or quarreling with the emperor. Most of the noble families in the capital regarded her as a joke.

However, in the past six months, there have been frequent changes in the palace. First, none of the newly selected concubines this year could win the emperor's favor. Then Liang Chengbi was deposed from the position of Imperial Noble Consort and demoted to a concubine without a title. Then, rumors spread in the palace that the emperor intended to make Concubine Meng the empress.

These aristocratic families, having seen many storms, naturally wouldn't follow the crowd so easily. They remained on hold until the news was confirmed. However, this news still sent shockwaves through everyone's hearts.

The throne of empress has been vacant for several years, and now the emperor intends to appoint a new empress, which means that the situation in the harem of the previous dynasty will undergo a huge change.

Others might be okay with it, but the Liang family was a bit impatient. Liang Chengbi had managed the harem for years, and had endured it with great difficulty until now, but in the end, he was making wedding dresses for others. How could he be willing to accept this?

What's more, the Liang family is now facing a situation of a lack of successors and is in urgent need of electing younger generations to take charge of the family. They are unwilling to see the phoenix crown fall into the hands of others.

Old Madam Liang also brought her two daughters with her today. They chatted and laughed with the Queen Mother in the hall, and the atmosphere was very intimate and harmonious.

Everyone understood each other tacitly and just said a few words of gossip.

Meng Yan accepted the greetings from everyone, greeted them with a smile, and glanced at the family.

Among the three daughters of the Liang family, only Liang Chengbi was born to Old Lady Liang herself, and the two brought here now were both born out of wedlock.

Meng Yan looked at them coldly and saw that both girls were very beautiful, one gorgeous and the other gentle, and both were even more beautiful than Liang Chengbi, the concubine in the palace.

Promoting these two girls was clearly an attempt to step on Liang Chengbi to climb the social ladder. Although it was for the sake of the family, one wondered what Madam Liang, Liang Chengbi's biological mother, felt.

Madam Liang, however, remained composed, chatting and laughing cheerfully with the Empress Dowager, showing no signs of unusual behavior. Such demeanor truly made her worthy of being the wife of the Prime Minister.

But Empress Dowager Jiang said, "Over the years since Concubine Liang entered the palace, she has been filial to me, serving the Emperor and managing the imperial court. Both I and the Emperor remember her hard work. The Emperor punished her only because she made some mistakes earlier. Please don't take it to heart, my dear sister."

The Queen Mother spoke politely, and the faces of the women in the Liang family all lit up.

Madam Liang smiled and replied, "Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, your words are truly humiliating. The Emperor is a wise ruler, and he will naturally make fair decisions. Since Concubine Liang has done something wrong, it is only natural that she should be punished. When this news reached the mansion, our master sighed all day long, saying that he had not properly raised his daughter at home, and that she had caused trouble in the palace, causing trouble for the Emperor and the Empress Dowager. He felt very guilty."

Empress Dowager Jiang smiled slightly, said nothing, and asked the two girls' ages.

Madam Liang's smile faded a little, but she still replied respectfully, "Your Majesty, this is my second daughter, Yanhua, who is sixteen years old. This one is my third daughter, Chunrong, who is fifteen and a half years old."

Empress Dowager Jiang listened and laughed, "What a nice name! They look so young, like a budding flower. I remember their elder sister was only sixteen when she entered the Crown Prince's residence." She called the two girls over and took a closer look before smiling at Old Madam Liang, "They are truly two fine girls. I think they are even prettier than their elder sister."

Meng Yan was listening below and couldn't help laughing. She almost laughed out loud, so she quickly picked up the tea bowl and took a sip to cover it up.

The Empress Dowager's words were clearly intended to cause trouble for Old Madam Liang.

The two illegitimate girls are both prettier than Liang Chengbi. If they really enter the palace, where will Liang Chengbi stand?

As expected, Madam Liang's expression stiffened for a moment, but she immediately returned to normal and smiled, "Your Majesty, I am so flattered. These two girls of mine are but humble servants, unworthy of such a noble family."

Empress Dowager Jiang asked again, "Have you betrothed her to someone? If not, I can help you take a look."

Madam Liang hesitated slightly before speaking, "In that case, I would like to thank the Empress Dowager for her kindness. When the marriage is successful, I will definitely bring a generous gift to Shoukang Palace and kowtow to the Empress Dowager to thank her for being the matchmaker!"

As soon as she said this, Meng Yan and Queen Mother Jiang exchanged glances, both of them knowing in their hearts that the Liang family was not a monolithic entity.

It was Liang Benwu's idea to send the two illegitimate daughters into the palace, but Old Lady Liang obviously did not want these two illegitimate daughters to step on the heads of her own daughters.

This time, I can write something about it.

Meng Yan saw that the second daughter, Liang Yanhua, was quiet and shy. As she listened to the Empress Dowager and her stepmother discussing her marriage, she lowered her head shyly, not daring to look at anyone. The third daughter, Liang Chunrong, on the other hand, raised her slender eyebrows, seeming quite dissatisfied.

But when Madam Liang changed the subject, she suddenly smiled at him, "It's been a while since I've come to the palace to pay my respects to the Imperial Concubine. Please don't be upset, Imperial Concubine. It's simply because I've been so busy with the chores at the palace. Imperial Concubine Liang has always benefited from your care in the palace, and everyone in the Liang family is grateful to you. Even if Imperial Concubine Liang has made some shortcomings, please forgive me and don't take it to heart."

If someone didn't know, they would think that Meng Yan and Liang Chengbi were sworn sisters!

Everyone in the Liang family secretly wanted to tear her apart.

Meng Yan narrowed her eyes and smiled faintly, "Old Madam, what are you talking about? This palace and Concubine Liang are both the emperor's concubines. Serving the emperor well is our duty, and everything else is just a minor matter. Even if Concubine Liang has committed any offense, it is still a violation of the emperor. How can it be said that this palace is not willing to take it to heart?"

A crack appeared on Mrs. Liang's kindly smiling face.

She was openly mocking Liang Chengbi for not being favored by the emperor, having been out of favor for many years, and now being rejected by the emperor!

This slutty vixen, if she hadn't been seducing the emperor for years, how could she have caused Bi'er to be out of favor for so many years!

If it weren't for her upbringing and scruples, Madam Liang would have already pounced on her and scratched Meng Yan's charming and seductive face.

"Your Highness," Liang Chunrong, who was standing beside her, suddenly spoke up, taking a step forward and bowing gently towards Meng Yan. "The epidemic is raging in the capital right now. When I was at home, I often heard my father worry about the common people. Your Highness Liang sometimes sent messages from the palace, saying that the national treasury was empty, and she was also frugal and cutting back on expenses in the palace, just to share some of the worries with the emperor. Your Highness is now holding this flower viewing banquet in Shanghe Garden. Isn't it... inappropriate? I am stupid, and I hope Your Highness can give me some guidance."