After Mo Yao left, Zhao Yiyi simply ignored Ning Shouzhang. She took Mo Qinghuan's hand and walked into the house, throwing her a grateful look. She knew that Mo Qinghuan was helping her assert her authority. Otherwise, even if she moved back to the General's Mansion one day, her life wouldn't be easy.
"Don't admire me too much. I've already told you that if you don't assert your authority, one day she'll ride roughshod over you. See, in front of you, she even addressed herself as 'I'. If it were me, I'd have someone pull out her tongue long ago!"
Zhao Yiyi burst into laughter. "Hey, it's been a long time since I heard anything about the Regent's second wife. Where is she?"
She leaned over to Mo Qinghuan's ear and whispered, "Could it be that you...?"
Dan'er, hearing Zhao Yiyi's misunderstanding of her mistress, the princess, turned to look at Dongxue. These two sisters didn't have a good impression of her mistress in the first place. If they heard such words and misunderstood further, it wouldn't be good.
So, regardless of etiquette, she stepped forward to explain for Mo Qinghuan. "The General's wife is joking. Don't be fooled by the harsh words my mistress says. In fact, my mistress has a very soft heart. When A Tahuan was injured, it was my mistress who treated her wounds."
"Dan'er, she's just joking. Look how nervous you are."
Dan'er gave an embarrassed smile and retreated behind Mo Qinghuan, obediently following.
When they reached the main hall, although there were many people there today, Mo Qinghuan had the highest status, so she was invited to sit in the topmost seat on the right.
Looking at all those people who were a generation older than her sitting below and bowing to her, she felt at a loss.
Just as she didn't know what to do, someone suddenly walked into the hall from outside.
Everyone had already taken their seats, but when they saw Mu Yanming enter, they quickly stood up and bowed to him.
"Greetings to the Regent."
Mu Yanming raised his hand without saying a word and walked straight towards Mo Qinghuan.
She stood up and smiled as she watched this elegant and noble man walking towards her step by step.
At that moment, time seemed to stand still. She couldn't hear any sounds around her. All she could see was Mu Yanming.
He felt the same way.
Mu Yanming walked up to Mo Qinghuan, took her hand and sat down. Then he said to the Duke of Zhao and his wife sitting in the main seats, "I'm really sorry. I was delayed by something and came late."
The Duke of Zhao had never expected the Regent to attend the birthday banquet in person. He was flattered at this moment. Hearing Mu Yanming's words, he was even more shocked. He quickly pulled his wife up.
"Your Highness, what are you saying? You've given this old man and my humble wife great face by taking time out of your busy schedule to come."
Mu Yanming nodded slightly at him, indicating for him to sit down. Only then did the Duke of Zhao greet everyone to sit down. "Everyone, make yourselves at home."
After Mu Yanming arrived, the originally noisy hall suddenly fell silent. Everyone sat obediently in their seats, not daring to say a word, for fear of saying the wrong thing and getting into trouble.
After a while, Mo Qinghuan felt that the atmosphere in the hall was too oppressive, so she quietly leaned over to Mu Yanming's ear and whispered to him, "Look at how scared everyone is since you came."
He gave a soft laugh but didn't say a word. Mo Qinghuan looked at what he was doing with his hands and only then noticed that he was picking out the bones from the fish.
She watched as he carefully picked out all the bones from the fish, put them on a small plate, and then evenly poured the soup over it.
She was wondering in her heart. She hadn't noticed before that Mu Yanming was so particular about eating fish. Then Mu Yanming pushed the small plate of well - prepared fish in front of her.
Most people in the hall saw this scene. Zhao Yiyi and Ning Shouzhang were sitting together, and she was also looking in Mo Qinghuan's direction.
Seeing Mu Yanming being so attentive to Mo Qinghuan, she couldn't help showing an envious look.
"For me?" Mo Qinghuan was also surprised. She had never seen Mu Yanming being so considerate to her before. What was going on today? Could it be that he came to the Duchess of Zhao's birthday banquet just to show off his affection in front of everyone?
After Mu Yanming picked the fish for Mo Qinghuan, the ladies in the hall all rolled their eyes at their husbands and complained, "Oh, look at other people's husbands, and then look at ours. Oh, it's just unbearable."
Mo Qinghuan lowered her head and smiled softly at the laughter and discussions in the hall.
Seeing that Mo Qinghuan didn't touch the fish on the plate, Mu Yanming picked up a piece and fed it to her mouth.
This action undoubtedly gave another shock to everyone present.
All the ministers were whispering in their hearts. What did the Regent mean? Did he come to the Duchess of Zhao's birthday banquet today specifically to give everyone a lesson on how to pamper one's wife?
The Duke of Zhao didn't care about all this. When Mu Yanming pushed the fish in front of Mo Qinghuan just now, he followed suit. Now, there was also a small plate of fish in front of the Duchess of Zhao. However, his bone - picking wasn't as careful as Mu Yanming's. The Duchess of Zhao got a bone in her first bite.
But she didn't mind. After all, men were generally rough - edged. It was good enough that he had this kind of thought.
A loud - voiced lady in the hall snorted, instantly attracting everyone's attention. "My lord, look at the Regent, and then look at you. I don't care. I want to eat fish too."
Mo Qinghuan looked up with great interest, watching the show. Mu Yanming picked up another piece of meat and put it in her mouth.
Dongxue whispered to her the identities of the couple just now.
"Princess, look. The woman who is talking is the wife of Lord Lin, the deputy censor of the left. This Lady Lin is well - known for her toughness, so Lord Lin is also well - known for being hen - pecked."
"My lady, you don't like fish, do you? Besides, there are so many people here. Keep your voice down." Lord Lin whispered. Although he had deliberately lowered his voice, because the hall was very quiet, everyone still heard what he said.
Many people covered their mouths and laughed. Mo Qinghuan thought that this way of getting along was quite good.
It was different from her and Mu Yanming. Although he doted on her very much, their way of getting along was a bit too formal.
It made her feel no sense of excitement at all.
Thinking of this, she turned to look at the person beside her and found that he was removing the bones from the meat again.
At this time, Lady Lin snorted again. "I like fish now. Hurry up and pick the bones for me."
She still didn't lower her voice, but Lord Lin wasn't angry. He said with a smile, "Okay, since you like fish now, I'll pick the bones for you. Wait a moment."
His words were full of doting. Seeing this, the other lords also started to pick the bones from the fish for their wives.