Chapter 124 Toasting Incident
Fushou was no fool. After hearing what Zhao Lingmeng said, he was stunned for a moment and then said, "My mother has been helping me recently. When the time comes, you can bring those two little ones to attend my wedding ceremony."
"I will definitely go to support the princess when the time comes." Zhao Lingmeng took a sip from the water cup and said this sincerely. As for whether others listened or not, it was not something she could control.
Zhao Lingmeng, looking at Princess Fushou's pale face, was simply moved by a moment of compassion. She thought that with Jing Kingdom's improved weapons, the border conflict might escalate. Regardless of whether Jing Kingdom won or lost, someone might even try to arrange a marriage alliance. Zhao Lingmeng felt that Fushou's condition meant she wouldn't live to see Jing Kingdom become stronger.
As for Fushou not going, there must be someone else who will go. That is none of Zhao Lingmeng's business. After all, it is better for me to let my fellow Taoist die than for me. Zhao Lingmeng doesn't know the other people.
Then Zhao Lingmeng also talked to Fushou about some things outside, and Fushou was even happier. "No one has ever told me this before."
"Your health is already in such condition, you should be less sentimental and eat more." Zhao Lingmeng always relies on sarcasm to persuade people.
"You are the only one who dares to speak to me like that. The others..." Princess Fushou was about to complain, but she heard a eunuch outside shouting, "The Emperor and the Empress are here."
Zhao Lingmeng and the others immediately knelt on the ground obediently and asked the two children to lower their heads.
When the Emperor and the Empress walked in, Zhao Lingmeng joined them in shouting, "Long live the Emperor! Long live the Empress!"
The Emperor and the Empress sat down in their seats before loudly commanding, "All the ministers, please stand."
Zhao Lingmeng felt like she had been kneeling for a long time before the Emperor said this. She immediately helped the two children up and sat them properly. Then she listened to the Emperor's speech, then the Empress's, and then the dance began. The dishes on the table also began to arrive at this time.
After the dishes were served, the toasts began. First, the Emperor raised his glass and drank with everyone. Then, the Empress toasted the Emperor and said a few words of good luck. Then it was the turn of the princes and princesses. Since the princes hadn't been crowned yet, the princesses started first.
Fushou calmly poured herself a glass of water, then poured one for Zhao Lingmeng. She leisurely took Zhao Lingmeng's hand and stood up. "Father, Mother, I, along with Fu Ning, offer a toast to you. May peace and prosperity reign over the land."
Zhao Lingmeng also appreciated it and raised her glass along with Fushou.
The Emperor and Empress were delighted to see this and drank from it. The Emperor even said something that surprised everyone in the hall, "I am so lucky to have you two daughters."
The ones who reacted the most were Marquis Wu'an and Princess Huaishu. Princess Huaishu was about to stand up when she heard this. They were both good daughters of the emperor, so what was she? Was she redundant?
But Concubine Li was quick enough to hold her down, otherwise she would have been scolded in front of all the ministers.
Marquis Wu'an was the first to stand up and apologize, "Your Majesty, you may have seen it wrong. The person next to Fushou is my daughter, Princess Funing, not your daughter, Princess Huaishu."
Princess Huaishu had only one thought in her mind at this time: I didn't offend any of you, why did you implicate me? Lipin almost couldn't hold her back.
The emperor smiled on the surface, but what he said was enough to infuriate someone to death. "Marquis Wu'an, look at how stingy you are. With our relationship, your daughter is my daughter!"
If hitting the emperor wouldn't result in punishment, Marquis Wu'an would have grabbed his wine glass and was about to go up. What are you talking about? What do you mean by our relationship? We have no relationship at all.
Marquis Wu'an faced the gazes of the crowd, swallowed his saliva, and could only stubbornly explain: "Your Majesty, please don't talk nonsense. The relationship between you and me is only that of monarch and subject."
Everyone in the hall looked at him with an expression that said, "Marquis Wu'an, don't explain anymore," and he wanted to fight with the emperor again.
The emperor saw that Marquis Wu'an was really a little angry, and he was afraid of making him angry. This was his chess partner, and it would be difficult to find a replacement at that time.
"Changyou, don't be so easily fooled! Anyway, Funing has been named a princess, so be more generous. Give me half of your daughter." The emperor's words of comfort were as good as nothing, which was outrageous.
"Yes, I thank you for your grace." In front of everyone, Marquis Wu'an really had to give the emperor this face, but this was the only way.
When the emperor saw that the old man, Marquis Wu'an, had sat down, he called to Fushou and Funing, saying, "You two should sit down too! Eunuch Zhuo, serve them two more hot dishes so they can eat in peace."
"Thank you, Your Majesty, Father!" The Emperor laughed heartily upon hearing Zhao Lingmeng call him that. But he still felt a pang of regret. If he hadn't been wary of Marquis Wu'an, fearing he might side with the prince, Zhao Lingmeng might be his daughter-in-law now. He would have surely called her "Father" long ago, and wouldn't have bothered with the thought.
For a moment, everyone congratulated the emperor on having another daughter. After all, the emperor had to be given enough face.
If anyone was looking at this scene more unpleasantly, it would be Zhao Lingyun, sitting next to the wife of the Marquis of Wu'an. She couldn't understand how her elder sister, who had married so poorly, had gotten to this point. How had she suddenly reached a height beyond her reach? She knew she was jealous of her.
But in this situation, she didn't dare show anything, and it didn't matter what she thought.
The Third Prince, who was among the concubines, kept looking at Zhao Lingyun. He saw Zhao Lingyun staring at her elder sister, and she thought she envied Zhao Lingmeng for being able to call the Emperor "Father". He thought that sooner or later, he would also let Yun'er call him "Father".
Zhao Lingmeng didn't know that the Third Prince was going crazy at this point, and even if she knew, she probably wouldn't care! Capable people are just that tough. There's a saying that goes, in the face of absolute strength, all conspiracies and tricks are just paper tigers.
After Zhao Lingmeng and the others sat down, the toasts continued. It was relatively calm for several people, but when it came to the third prince, he finished his toast and said a lot of words praising Zhao Lingmeng.
Zhao Lingmeng listened for a long time, then couldn't stand it anymore and interrupted directly, "Third Prince, I won't marry anyone, I only want a son-in-law. Are you eyeing my position as a prince consort? I'm afraid that's a bit embarrassing, isn't it?"
When Zhao Lingmeng said this, there was an uproar. Everyone in the hall felt that the girl from the Wu'an Marquis family was really daring! Upon seeing this, Concubine Rong immediately said, "Fu Ning, you are so presumptuous."
The emperor was almost crying because of these two idiots. Their scheme was clearly laid out in their faces, but they were not stupid.
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