No one dared to refuse a summons from Imperial Consort Xi.
When Ji Zizhao changed her clothes and arrived at Imperial Consort Xi's temporary palace, many young ladies had already gathered in the garden.
From a distance, they were all beauties who had participated in the imperial concubine selection. Seeing them now, no one was unfamiliar.
Xue Yinuo and others had also arrived early. Seeing Ji Zizhao enter, they hurried over, but none of them could force a smile.
Looking around at the people standing in this back garden, they were either destined imperial princes' consorts or daughters of high officials who had participated in the imperial concubine selection. Why would Ji Zizhao be summoned at this time?
Xue Yinuo's expression was grim, "Looking at the people standing in this courtyard now, I don't see anyone who is physically disabled and needs to find a physician."
Xu Meiqing tugged at Xue Yinuo, gesturing for her to lower her voice.
"Zizhao, why don't you leave first?" Among the few people, only Zhong Xinyi knew that Ji Zizhao was the destined consort of the Fourth Prince. However, Ji Zizhao's presence was in the capacity of a minor official from the Imperial Academy of Medicine. To put it bluntly, she was a subordinate. Now, to be grouped with these noble ladies, it was obvious to anyone with a brain that they wanted to make a fool of Ji Zizhao.
"Imperial Consort Xi's invitation, how could I leave first?" Facing the concern of several people, Ji Zizhao smiled indifferently. She suspected that this banquet hosted by Imperial Consort Xi had ill intentions, so why would she voluntarily expose a vulnerability to be exploited?
Seeing this, Xue Yinuo and the others had nothing more to say and could only secretly sweat for Ji Zizhao.
As they were talking, they saw Zuo Xiuhua leading palace maids walking over. She stopped and started along the way, smiling and greeting the young ladies in the courtyard.
The fact that Zuo Xiuhua was the future consort of the Fifth Prince was already an unspoken secret known to everyone. Therefore, the young ladies in the courtyard treated Zuo Xiuhua with great courtesy.
Zuo Xiuhua, confident in her status as the future consort of the Fifth Prince, exuded an air of unattainable arrogance. Especially when she looked towards Ji Zizhao's group, she didn't even bother to greet them and directly led her palace maids to other places.
Seeing this, the other young ladies also kept their distance from Ji Zizhao's group.
Although they said nothing on their faces, everyone in their hearts understood that the future Fifth Prince clearly looked down on the eldest daughter of the Ji family. Even if she was the adopted granddaughter of the Zhong family, what did that matter? Today was a gathering of imperial city young ladies and future imperial consorts. What was Ji Zizhao in comparison?
To put it nicely, she was an official from the Imperial Academy of Medicine. To put it harshly, she was merely a servant accompanying them.
Xing Jiqiu stood among the crowd in the distance, watching Ji Zizhao, who was being isolated by everyone. She was breaking out in a cold sweat. Especially seeing that Ji Zizhao could still chat and laugh with the people around her, unfazed, she was truly surprised. If she were the one being isolated, she would have been utterly ashamed by now.
Another figure walked in from the entrance. Everyone looked over and saw Ji Renran and Liang Lanyi.
These two were now clearly concubines, so it was not unexpected for them to be together.
However, their current status was considered beneath dust by the people in the courtyard. From the moment they entered, no one paid them any attention.
Xue Yinuo couldn't help but sneer, "Birds of a feather flock together, indeed."
As soon as Zhong Xinyi saw Liang Lanyi, she became angry. Seeing Liang Lanyi's submissive demeanor now, a complete change from her arrogance yesterday, she felt like laughing her head off.
Zuo Xiuhua felt an unspeakable sense of pleasure seeing Ji Renran and Liang Lanyi being left out in the courtyard. When no one was paying attention, she quietly entered the inner palace.
In the inner palace, Imperial Consort Xi was sitting by the window, clearly able to see everything in the courtyard.
Zuo Xiuhua walked to Imperial Consort Xi's side and bowed, "Ji Renran is truly ignorant of heaven and earth. She dared to come after receiving Your Ladyship's invitation, without considering her own status."
Imperial Consort Xi lowered her alluring eyes slightly, her gaze sharp. "The invitation I sent, let alone a mere concubine of the Fifth Prince, even the future consorts of other princes would not dare to refuse. Do you think I am insignificant and anyone can reject me?"
Zuo Xiuhua was so frightened that she immediately knelt on the ground. "Your Ladyship, please calm your anger. This humble subject did not mean that... This humble subject merely believes that Ji Renran is not worthy of attending Your Ladyship's snow appreciation banquet."
Imperial Consort Xi smiled coldly, "If these two were not here today, how could others perceive Ji Zizhao and Zhong Xinyi as narrow-minded and petty individuals?"
Even if everyone in the courtyard looked down on these two, Ji Zizhao and Zhong Xinyi must not.
One was a half-sister, and the other had a recent unpleasant encounter. If Ji Zizhao and Zhong Xinyi truly ignored Ji Renran and Liang Lanyi like everyone else, others would not think that these two were of low status, but rather that Ji Zizhao and Zhong Xinyi were petty and disregarded the bigger picture. Su Dan Novel Network.
Ji Zizhao was the destined consort of the Fourth Prince, and Zhong Xinyi was the Empress's niece. If this matter were to reach the Emperor, how would the Emperor view it?
At that time, even the Emperor would likely think that the Empress was of the same ilk.
Zuo Xiuhua, who belatedly understood, quickly flattered, "Your Ladyship is wise. Ji Zizhao, no matter how hard she tries to calculate, cannot fathom even one ten-thousandth of Your Ladyship's schemes. As for Zhong Xinyi, she is not even worth mentioning."
Imperial Consort Xi chuckled, "You do know how to speak."
"It is not that this humble subject speaks well, but that Ji Zizhao cannot be compared to Your Ladyship. Your Ladyship's strategies have always been profound and unfathomable. If anyone could truly see through Your Ladyship's intentions, they would be a celestial being descended to earth..." Zuo Xiuhua dared to say this because she was certain that Ji Zizhao would not proactively speak to Ji Renran. Currently, Ji Renran and Liang Lanyi were merely concubines. How could Ji Zizhao lower herself to such a level?
However, as Zuo Xiuhua's words fell, Imperial Consort Xi's fair brows furrowed tightly.
Zuo Xiuhua looked out the window suspiciously. With just one glance, she almost collapsed onto the ground in shock!
She saw that Ji Zizhao and Zhong Xinyi, who had been standing far away, had, at some point, moved to stand in front of Ji Renran and Liang Lanyi...
How was this possible?!
Imperial Consort Xi narrowed her eyes, looking out the window, her voice laced with a hint of chilling coldness, "What did you just say about someone who could see through my intentions?"
The words "celestial being descended to earth" were like a thorn stuck in Zuo Xiuhua's throat.
Looking at Imperial Consort Xi's pale face, Zuo Xiuhua was almost in tears from anxiety.
Who would have thought that Ji Zizhao would actually come?!
In the courtyard, Ji Renran looked at Ji Zizhao with a dark expression, "Eldest Sister, you and Miss Zhong stand here without saying a word. Are you just here to watch me and Miss Liang make a fool of ourselves?"
Ji Zizhao smiled faintly, "Since Sister Renran knows you are a joke, whether I speak or not, it doesn't change that reality, does it?"
Ji Renran: "..."
Who could sew Ji Zizhao's mouth shut!