Upon returning to the manor, they found it immaculately cleaned, complete with attendants and maids. This was clearly the Emperor's doing.
Fan Zehao was quite pleased with Huangfu Xi's arrangements. "It seems he's been very resourceful in my absence, handling everything in advance," he remarked.
Zhao Jiaqi pinched his waist, "Such disrespectful words! Are you not afraid of them reaching the Emperor and implicating your nine generations of kin?"
As her words fell, Fan Zehao's gaze, sharp as a blade, swept over the attending servants. "Whoever dares to spread idle gossip within this manor, I will have their tongues ripped out and their flesh chopped up to feed the dogs!"
"Implicating nine generations? Hmph..." He didn't finish the sentence, but his defiant demeanor made his meaning crystal clear.
Zhao Jiaqi sighed and cautioned him, "This is the capital. Show the Emperor some face, and remember, besides us, there are also important ministers from foreign lands present."
Seeing his wife start her usual lecture, Fan Zehao immediately deflated. He hurried to say, "I was merely frightening these servants, lest they become complacent and neglect their duties."
Wasn't this a tactic for children? He, an adult, resorting to such tricks!
"Immature."
Zhao Jiaqi rolled her eyes, threw that word at him, and headed to the rear courtyard.
In late March and early April, the weather grew warmer, and all nature reawakened.
The peach blossoms in the garden bloomed in profusion, the pear blossoms budded, and even some rarer flowers were on the verge of opening.
A maid serving them said, "The Emperor, knowing that the Prince and Princess were returning to the capital, had the braziers lit early to coax these flowers into blooming. This was so that the Prince and Princess could admire them upon their arrival."
Zhao Jiaqi nodded, "The Emperor is most thoughtful."
The manor had been meticulously renovated and everything was prepared. They could move in immediately without any worries. Even such minute details were handled so perfectly, demonstrating the Emperor's considerable effort.
The next day, he, who had been absent from court for many years, made an unprecedented appearance at the morning assembly.
His arrival silenced the court officials. They all lowered their heads, glancing at Fan Zehao, clad in his four-clawed golden dragon robes.
The Regent!
There was only one in the Yun Kingdom. This man was exceptionally unique, not only the Regent of Yun but also the de facto ruler of the inner city. Even the Emperor treated him with deference.
The civil and military officials, afraid to face him directly, whispered amongst themselves. A significant portion of them didn't even recognize him.
Quan Zhong stepped forward, his gaze immediately falling upon Fan Zehao, dressed in court attire. After a brief pause, he called out, "His Majesty has arrived!"
"Long live His Majesty, ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand years!" The accompanying cry was followed by the act of kneeling.
In the grand hall, only Fan Zehao stood firm, chest puffed out like a hen, standing out from the crowd.
Huangfu Xi, upon entering the court, saw him and his eyes lit up with joy, a smile spreading across his face. He showed no anger and paid no mind to Fan Zehao's failure to bow.
The old ministers knew the inside story, but the new officials, unaware, speculated on how the Emperor would punish him.
However, what followed was the Emperor escorting the Regent into the Golden Luan Hall, bestowing a seat upon him, and placing it beside his own, almost as an equal.
This astonished not only the old ministers, whose eyes nearly popped out, but also bewildered the newly appointed officials.
Huangfu Xi exchanged a few words with him and then dismissed the court. He then led Fan Zehao to the imperial palace and spent the entire day there.
Meanwhile, the Regent's manor was bustling with activity in the afternoon.
In the capital, the wives of officials, one after another, either brought their noble daughters to pay their respects or presented valuable gifts.
Some were overly familiar, but Zhao Jiaqi didn't recognize any of them; she felt no sense of recognition.
Sitting on a chair, she awkwardly watched the officials' wives engage in small talk.
The Minister of Revenue, surnamed Li, his wife, Madam Li, was a dignified and elegant woman. She spoke with a gentle voice, as soft as her figure.
She began with a smile, "Princess Consort, I hear the County Princess is already fourteen years old. Is she accompanying you this time?"
Zhao Jiaqi was a little puzzled by Madam Li's question but replied politely, "Yes, she is. However, my daughter is rather restless and went out to hunt outside the capital early this morning."
Though she didn't explicitly state it, her words implicitly conveyed that her daughter was no delicate lady, and any suitor should be prepared.
Madam Li smiled faintly and said, "The County Princess's temperament is just like my own daughter's. She loves to ride horses and hunt. She always ends up getting hurt while trying to wield her whip."
Although she spoke with what seemed like a complaint, her eyes were filled with doting affection. "I heard that last year the County Princess achieved a great victory against the Asi tribe, which completely idolized my child. She talks every day about wanting to learn from the County Princess. My husband can't control her either, so he lets her have her way."
"She specifically asked me to send her regards to you, Princess Consort. Truthfully, I know she wants to ask if the County Princess has arrived. If she has, she wants to play with the County Princess!"
Zhao Jiaqi listened to her lengthy speech, which seemed to have taken a detour for miles, and found herself a bit dazed.
"Yumeng doesn't have many friends in the capital, so having a few playmates would be wonderful. If Miss Li wishes to visit, we would naturally welcome her."
Madam Zhao Tang, the wife of the Minister of War, scoffed and said with a hint of sarcasm, "Your daughter is known as a troublemaker in our capital. She learns nothing good, only picking up petty thievery. It's best if you keep your daughter away from the County Princess, lest she tarnish the County Princess's reputation as well."
Upon hearing this, Madam Li's face instantly turned pale. She retorted, "My daughter was wronged by a villain, which is why she fell into such a predicament. Unlike some people whose sons engage in illicit acts with their maids, you do not educate them but continue to indulge them. Such a boy still desires to marry a noble lady? He should take a good look at himself in the mirror!"
With a resounding "slap," the tea table beside Madam Zhao Tang vibrated loudly. Angrily, she stood up and pointed at Madam Li, launching into an outburst, "Nonsense! My son is innocent. It is people who cannot stand my son's excellence who deliberately slander him again, attempting to tarnish his reputation. Would an intelligent person believe such nonsense? Only a foolish woman like you would believe it, you idiot!"
Seeing the two noble ladies about to engage in a full-blown argument, Zhao Jiaqi coughed a few times and placed her teacup down heavily on the tea table beside her, producing a crisp sound. Only then did the two women cease their verbal spar.
She glanced at Madam Li and Madam Zhao Tang, her eyes conveying a warning. She stated calmly, "I welcome you all here. If you come to quarrel or seek justice, then you have come to the wrong place."
"I am a person who never meddles in other people's affairs, nor do I judge who is right or wrong. However, both ladies should be mindful of their words. The servants in the Regent's manor are not ours!"
The implication was that every word they spoke would be reported to the Emperor.
Before the ladies could even react, she added, "Envoys from various countries are gradually arriving in the capital. If your internal strife spreads, how will those envoys view our country? How will they view your husbands?"
"On a smaller scale, this is a domestic matter. On a larger scale, if one cannot sweep one's own room, how can one sweep the world? Ladies, do you agree?"
Madam Zhao Tang and Madam Li's faces shifted from pale to green, green to red, and red to white. Whether out of guilt or fear, they both eventually nodded and ceased their arguments.
As for their petty thoughts, they all retreated, choosing to lie low.