Ji Renran was here to be selected as a concubine, so it was natural for her to seek an ally in advance.
No sooner had Auntie Zhinan left than Ji Renran arrived, her intention to piggyback on the favor too obvious.
But Ji Zizhao knew very well that Auntie Zhinan was from Fengyi Palace.
All the young ladies were to go to Fengyi Palace for the grand selection, but if the imperial consorts in each chamber did not fancy them, the Empress would not persuade them further.
Moreover, Ji Renran was so ambiguously involved with the Fifth Prince. How could she not know that Noble Consort Xi and the Empress were at odds?
Therefore, Ji Zizhao did not believe that Ji Renran had come all this way solely to express sisterly affection and to bask in Auntie Zhinan's favor.
Thus, Ji Zizhao's gaze towards Ji Renran held a trace of scrutiny.
"If Sister Renran says so, I am curious. Have you done something I do not know of, Sister Renran, that makes you so guilty?"
In the sunlight, her dark eyes were bright and piercing, making Ji Renran tremble all over.
Had Ji Zizhao discovered something?
No, impossible.
Ji Renran repeatedly denied it in her heart.
She had not expected Zhinan of Fengyi Palace to appear at this moment. She had merely gone with the flow; everything was so natural and reasonable. How could Ji Zizhao possibly see through it?
Thinking this, Ji Renran smiled again and said, "If I have done anything wrong, please, elder sister, enlighten me. I will surely correct it and not cause elder sister to enter the palace early to avoid me."
Ji Zizhao replied, "I am entering the palace to be on duty. It is naturally different from Sister Renran coming to the palace for appearances. Even if we enter the palace together, we will use different gates. Since it is so troublesome, it is better for us to go our separate ways, which would be more convenient."
Her words were so blunt that the young ladies beside them almost burst into laughter.
However, what she said was not wrong. Currently, Ji Zizhao was using the side gate of the palace, while Ji Renran, who was entering the palace for the selection, could only use the small back gate.
Someone who could only use a small gate insisted on dragging someone else through the side gate to enter the palace together...
Was this not asking for humiliation?
Everyone suddenly realized that this Miss Renran of the Ji family seemed not very intelligent.
The suppressed laughter occasionally drifted over with the wind, and Ji Renran's face turned ashen.
Even if she had not expected Ji Zizhao to play along, she had not expected Ji Zizhao to retort so sharply.
She completely disregarded sisterly affection!
Ji Zizhao did not care what Ji Renran was planning in her heart; she had no intention of indulging her.
As for sisterly affection...
The moment Ji Renran stepped over her mother's corpse with Gu Peilan, it had long since vanished.
Too lazy to look at Ji Renran's ashen face, Ji Zizhao withdrew her arm and turned to leave.
Ji Renran watched Ji Zizhao's retreating back, her gentle eyes filled with hatred and unwillingness.
In the blink of an eye, Ji Zizhao had disappeared, but Ji Renran still stood frozen in place.
Xue Yinuo couldn't help but laugh, "Has she become a statue from shock and can't even move?"
Xu Meiqing: "..."
Wouldn't it be more satisfying to keep such a laugh to oneself?
Why are you exposing all your teeth!
The escorting嬷嬷 (wet nurse/senior female servant) could not delay everyone because of Ji Renran alone.
Thinking that the attitude of the eldest young lady of the Ji family earlier was not very friendly, the escorting嬷嬷's attitude towards Ji Renran was also not as good, "Why are you still daydreaming here? If you are late and make the Empress and the consorts of various palaces wait, how will you bear the responsibility?"
As the嬷嬷 spoke, she tugged at Ji Renran's sleeve.
As a result, Ji Renran, who had been standing motionless, collapsed to the ground like a fallen leaf.
The escorting嬷嬷: "..."
This time, it indeed startled the young ladies present.
A person standing well suddenly collapsing, who wouldn't be scared?
A few who had a decent relationship with Ji Renran hurried over.
One of them even said, "Did the eldest young lady of the Ji family trouble you just now?"
Such a direct question made everyone's heart skip a beat.
Even though Ji Zizhao was on duty in the palace, the young ladies entering the palace were all candidates to become daughters-in-law of the royal family. Su Dan Novel Network.
If Ji Zizhao had indeed done something to the potential daughters-in-law of the royal family, and if the ladies above were to blame her, the crime would be neither great nor small.
Especially since Ji Renran's entry into the palace was based on a portrait from Huaqing Palace.
And the person speaking was Zuo Xiuhua, the daughter of the current Left Prime Minister.
Given her father's high position in court, her words naturally carried weight.
Even some young ladies, wanting to curry favor with Zuo Xiuhua, began to accuse Ji Zizhao.
Ji Renran sat on the ground like a withered flower, her head bowed amidst the surrounding chattering accusations, as if she heard nothing.
Xue Yinuo's anger flared up seeing Ji Renran's appearance.
Was this not tacit approval?
Xu Meiqing also felt a chill in her heart. Ji Renran and Ji Zizhao were sisters from the same father, yet she would frame her own sister like this. It was truly...
Zhong Xinyi could not let others slander Ji Zizhao like this. "What exactly happened? The person involved has not even spoken yet, so why is the eldest young lady of the Zuo family in such a hurry to make a conclusion? Did the eldest young lady of the Zuo family personally see the eldest young lady of the Ji family push Miss Renran of the Ji family?"
Zuo Xiuhua wanted to stir up trouble, but she was not foolish enough to take the blame herself. "Miss Renran of the Ji family had just spoken a few words with the eldest young lady of the Ji family, and then she collapsed. I am merely stating the facts as they are."
"The person involved is still sitting on the ground, so why does the eldest young lady of the Zuo family need to state the facts?"
Zuo Xiuhua: "..."
What kind of medicine did she eat to speak up for Ji Zizhao like this!
Zhong Xinyi raised her eyebrows and looked at Zuo Xiuhua. If you can help Ji Renran, why can't I help Ji Zizhao?
Seeing Zhong Xinyi speak, Xu Meiqing also added, "We were all standing together earlier and were a bit far away. I didn't clearly see what happened. I wonder if anyone saw it clearly and could stand up and explain in detail."
Although the young ladies present were trying to please Zuo Xiuhua due to her status, they would certainly not do something as foolish as telling outright lies in the palace.
Furthermore, although General Zhong, the elder of the Zhong family, was not as powerful in court as Prime Minister Zuo, the Zhong family was the maternal family of the Empress. Zhong Xinyi, as the Empress's niece, was someone no one dared to provoke openly.
Even Zuo Xiuhua could only glare coldly at Zhong Xinyi and dared not speak further.
Xue Yinuo looked at Ji Renran and said, "In my opinion, it is clearest if Miss Renran speaks for herself."
Ji Renran: "..."
Being singled out like this, she could not even continue to play dead!