After the replacement marriage, I was forced to fight at home

After Meng Wan found out that it was Song, Liu, and Jiang who came to the Huainan Marquis' Mansion, she breathed a sigh of relief. It was right that Wang didn't come. Just standing there would be enough for her to drink a few pots of wine.

After a while, the sound of female musicians playing music began to sound. It should be said that a sound similar to a horn was heard, more like a prelude to a reminder.

Everyone stood in respect, and the Queen walked in, surrounded by concubines. Imperial Concubine Xiang and Concubine Xian walked behind the Queen. The three were about the same age. The Queen smiled and nodded to the ladies around her as she walked. Imperial Concubine Xiang looked up and looked forward, showing great aura. Although Concubine Xian was not as friendly as the Queen, she also smiled and looked approachable.

When the queen sat on the throne, everyone knelt down and bowed to greet her. For a moment, the slogans of "Long live the queen" penetrated the hall and spread far away.

After the female official standing beside her led the concubines, ladies of state and nobles to kneel and worship, the Empress waved her hand and said, "Everyone, get up. Today is a good day. I am very happy to see you again. Let's continue with the old rules. We will have Yuanxiao in Jinxiu Tower, let the ladies relax for a while, play some games, and chat about family matters. Then we will go to Chengtian Hall to enjoy the lanterns, guess lantern riddles, and finally go to Kunning Palace, where we will have a lively reunion dinner."

Everyone thanked the queen for her kindness. They sat on both sides, with their backs straight and looking like great men.

While waiting for the palace maids to bring up the Yuanxiao, the Empress took the lead in eating one, then smiled and waved, "Yong'an, come here."

Meng Wan turned around and saw a bright-looking and energetic girl of about fifteen or sixteen years old walking towards him. She was dressed very gorgeously and wore a headdress on her head that Meng Wan had never seen before. It was obviously priceless.

"These young ladies are now in your care. Can you please let us rest assured?"

Princess Yong'an smiled and said, "Don't worry, mother. I'm fine. All you ladies need to do is be at ease."

The Queen smiled and said, "Yong'an has arranged a lot of entertainment for all the young ladies today. Those who don't like to walk around can go upstairs to play cards, and those who like the scenery outside can ask the palace maids to take them for a walk. The ice on the lake in the Imperial Garden is also solid, so everyone can play freely today. I think all the ladies will be relieved."

Everyone said, "Don't worry, don't worry." The Queen smiled and told a female official beside her a few words. Then Princess Yong'an asked everyone to go upstairs, and she even took Zhou Yingning and the little granddaughter of the Shang Prince's hand and led them upstairs.

Hu's face was full of light. She went to see Madam Meng from the Duke Zhong's Mansion. Seeing Madam Meng staring at Zhou Yingning's back, she felt happy that her efforts in recent period were not in vain as she finally made this person notice Ning'er.

"Everyone, you don't have to bow. Let's just chat today. There's no need to gather around me. I know what you're thinking. Let me take a look."

After the queen said this, everyone seemed to relax a little. First, the daughter-in-law of the Minister of Revenue Gao Zhan, the queen's sister-in-law, laughed and said, "The queen is really considerate of us. We just accompany the ladies to chat and relieve their boredom. It is already a grace from the ladies."

The people who were close to the Gao family or the Queen nodded in agreement, snorted disdainfully at the Imperial Concubine, and turned to ask the Crown Princess who was two people away from them, "When will the one in your palace give birth?"

Meng Wan went with everyone else to see the Crown Princess. The Crown Princess's family was not high-born, her father was only a fourth-rank official, and was promoted to the third rank because his daughter became the Crown Princess. He had no real power, and there were no outstanding men in his family.

The Crown Princess was petite and cute. She smiled and said, "It will take until May."

"You have to take good care of him, don't be like that guy two years ago, who ended up being happy for nothing." Concubine Xiang snorted coldly.

The Crown Princess looked unhappy, and everyone remained silent. Meng Wan did hear Zhou Yu mention this. Three years ago, a maid in the East Palace gave birth to a stillborn baby, a fully formed male baby. It was said that the Crown Prince and his wife were sad for a long time because their son did not survive.

On this happy day, why did Concubine Xiang point her finger at the Crown Princess? Meng Wan thought of the palace banquet plan Zhou Yu had mentioned, saying that if it succeeded, Prince Duan would have no chance of getting that position.

Could it be that the imperial concubine has noticed this or that she did it on purpose?

Meng Wan couldn't figure it out, and she didn't plan to think about it anymore. Zhou Yu would take care of the outside affairs, so she just had to deal with her own affairs.

The Queen Mother frowned. This Imperial Concubine Xiang was always like this. No matter the occasion or the situation, she only cared about doing what she wanted.

Princess Jing smiled and said, "Mother was only concerned about the young ladies having fun, but she didn't think that there were many new brides sitting here. How about I ask for mercy for them and allow them to go and see the fun of the young ladies?"

The Queen nodded and said, "That's right. They are newly married and still have the mentality of little girls. How can they sit with us?"

After the Queen finished speaking, she began to call out names. Those who were called out were all those who had just got married last year, and everyone stood in a row.

"Look, it's great to be as young as a flower. Compared to them, how can we not age?"

Xian Fei took over the conversation, "The Queen is in her prime, how can she be called 'old'? Others may not know how to see it, but if someone says that the Queen and I are old, I will not agree."

Everyone laughed when they heard this.

Meng Wan looked up at Concubine Xian, a real beauty, and it was not an exaggeration to say that she still had a charming demeanor. Princess Jing was indeed Concubine Xian's daughter-in-law, and both of them were very good at talking. They were nothing like Concubine Xiang and her mother-in-law, one with eyes that were as big as the top of her head, and the other with a brat-like manner, and you had to prick up your ears to hear what they said.

The Empress first called over the youngest daughter-in-law who had just moved into Prince Li's mansion last spring. After a few words, she looked at Meng Wan and turned to ask Mrs. Hu, "Is this your second daughter-in-law?"

Mrs. Hu smiled and said, "That's right. The one I got married to last autumn is the second young lady of the Huainan Marquis's Mansion."

When Song heard Hu mention her family, she stood up immediately and bowed to the queen, "I was engaged to the second young master of the Prince Shen's mansion since I was a child."

The queen nodded, "I remember, is this the one who has been in the temple praying for the family?"

After receiving a positive answer, the Queen waved to Meng Wan, who stepped forward and knelt down to greet her.

The queen waited for Meng Wan to finish her kowtow, then took her hand and said, "Last time you and A Yu came to thank me, I didn't have time to look at you more. Today, I see that you are really good-looking. The Huainan Marquisate will take good care of you."

Song quickly said that she dared not, with a humble smile on her face.

"Which sister did your brother marry?" the Queen asked Princess Jing.

Princess Jing said, "She is the eldest daughter of the Huainan Marquis's Mansion."

The queen nodded and said, "It's a pity that your sister didn't come today, and Princess Rui is not feeling well, otherwise you three sisters could have gathered in the palace."

The Hong family is a noble family and is not eligible to attend today's palace banquet.

When the queen mentioned Meng Qi, all the noble ladies showed understanding expressions, and Song's face, which had just been smiling, turned red. This useless girl could cause so much trouble just by going back to her parents' home.

Princess Jing frowned slightly, thinking that Hong Zhe had made all the arrangements and was waiting to use Meng Qi, but then she heard that Meng Qi was under house arrest by Prince Rui.

Hong Zhe was so angry. He finally got this opportunity to suppress the increasingly restless King Rui, but now...

It was all because of Meng Juan, who was short-sighted and jealous, that she didn't even consider the situation. The letter was just Hong Zhe coaxing Meng Qi into willingly planning for him. But she took the letter and got in the car and went to the Rui Wang Mansion. As luck would have it, she blocked Rui Wang and Meng Qi at the gate of the mansion.

Princess Jing tried hard to calm herself down. As for Meng Juan, the two slaps given to her by her third brother were just light blows and it didn't show how strong her temper was.