Duke Qi actually understood what was going on the moment he saw Ji Zizhao. Without Ji Zizhao needing to speak, he proactively said, "Since she is the sister of Princess Ronghe, this matter is dropped. I was heading towards Huatang Hall anyway, so it's an honor to escort Princess Ronghe. Princess Ronghe, please."
Ji Zizhao had not expected Duke Qi to give her so much face. "Duke Qi, please don't trouble yourself."
Duke Qi waved his hand dismissively, "Princess Ronghe is too kind. It wasn't a big deal to begin with."
Ji Renran: "..."
Your attitude just now clearly indicated a world-ending crisis!
Ji Zizhao did not want to meddle in Ji Renran's affairs, but now that Ji Renran was in the palace, she represented not herself but the Ji family. If she were to be humiliated, it would bring shame to the Ji family as well.
Seeing that Duke Qi was willing to grant her face and resolve the issue, Ji Zizhao naturally went along with it.
As they walked towards Huatang Hall with Duke Qi, Duke Qi's mouth did not stop chattering. He constantly engaged Ji Zizhao in conversation, drawing curious glances from passersby.
Ji Renran followed silently behind, feeling a pang in her heart as she watched Ji Zizhao and Duke Qi's friendly demeanor.
She no longer wanted to cause trouble for Ji Zizhao. All she wanted was to end this journey quickly, lest she feel like a mere maidservant beside Ji Zizhao!
After walking for a full fifteen minutes, they finally reached Huatang Hall.
Duke Qi had other matters to attend to and did not follow them inside. He escorted Ji Zizhao and Ji Renran to the courtyard entrance and then turned to leave with his retinue.
Quite a few young ladies had already arrived in the courtyard of Huatang Hall.
The imperial city was not that large, and everyone present held similar statuses, so they were not strangers to each other.
The young ladies in the courtyard were chatting in small groups, and the main hall within the courtyard was also bustling with activity.
The moment Ji Zizhao and Ji Renran entered, they immediately attracted the attention of the young ladies in the courtyard.
Ji Renran, who had been trailing behind Ji Zizhao, barely daring to breathe, suddenly found her footing. She quickly moved towards a group of familiar faces and soon joined them in laughter.
Standing amongst the noble young ladies of the imperial city, Ji Renran felt truly alive.
Fortunately, her efforts and the money she had spent in the past trying to please these young ladies and integrate into their circles had not been in vain; today, they had finally paid off.
"Is that Princess Ronghe?" one of the young ladies standing with Ji Renran remarked.
The other young ladies also turned to look at Ji Zizhao, and they said to Ji Renran, "Princess Ronghe is quite something these days. Her reputation among the young ladies of our imperial city is well-known."
Upon hearing this, Ji Renran immediately put on a pitiable expression and said, "That's true. Just now, a Duke from the palace personally escorted my elder sister here. I suppose I've benefited from my elder sister's presence."
When attending a banquet in the palace, who wasn't an outsider in some way?
Precisely because of this, everyone felt even more uneasy upon hearing Ji Renran's words.
They were all attending the palace banquet, yet they had to be cautious and mind the palace staff's expressions, while Princess Ronghe was escorted by a Duke. The difference...
It was truly immeasurable.
They were all young ladies from the imperial city, and none wished to be subservient when entering the palace. After Ji Renran's words, no one wanted to approach Ji Zizhao anymore.
Why get close to her?
Did they want to be outshone by her?
Ji Renran subtly smirked as she saw the young ladies around her shift their gazes awkwardly.
Just then, a few more young ladies whom Ji Renran was familiar with arrived. Ji Renran quickly led the group towards them.
Seeing this, the other young ladies in the courtyard made no move to approach Ji Zizhao.
In an instant, Ji Zizhao found herself standing alone.
If Ji Zizhao were foolish, she wouldn't have understood what was happening in this situation.
However, Ji Zizhao didn't mind. She found a stone bench and sat down, quietly observing the surroundings.
Not all the sleeping quarters in the imperial palace were occupied by masters. For example, Huatang Hall, though filled with lively young ladies, lacked the atmosphere of habitation.
As Ji Zizhao was observing, she vaguely spotted a figure in palace attire sitting in a distant corridor of the sleeping quarters, a writing desk before them, painting alone.
The royal family placed great importance on etiquette and rules. This was a place for the young ladies of the palace to rest, and even princes had to take detours. How much more so for someone in official attire?
Unless...
Ji Zizhao squinted further into other corners of the distant sleeping quarters and indeed saw others in official attire, also holding brushes and painting.
Considering the name of Huatang Hall, everything seemed self-evident.
As Ji Zizhao was contemplating, she heard a woman's voice beside her, "Are you the eldest daughter of the Ji family?"
Ji Zizhao looked up at the sound and saw two young women of similar age standing beside her. The woman who spoke was wearing a lotus-green water-patterned long dress, her dark hair tied up with a light purple ribbon. A few strands of hair playfully dangled over her shoulders, appearing unrestrained and natural.
The woman standing beside her gently reminded her, "Yinuo, how can you address the eldest daughter of the Ji family like that? You should call her Princess Ronghe."
The woman called Yinuo was unfazed. "Princess titles are too bothersome. It's more comfortable to use her name."
Ji Zizhao: "..."
She was indeed bold.
However, Ji Zizhao liked her personality. She stood up and smiled, "I've heard much about Xue Yinuo, the only daughter of General Xue. Miss Xue is known for her unrestrained and unconventional nature. Meeting you today truly lives up to your reputation."
The Xue family, like the Ji family, was a military household, and their daughters were known for their resilience.
When Ji Zizhao was confined to her residence in the past, she had heard the common people of the imperial city say that there was the Xue family's daughter in the south and the Ji family's second daughter in the north, both formidable figures that even men dared not provoke.
Xue Yinuo was surprised. "You know me?"
Ji Zizhao playfully remarked, "Miss Xue's name is as hard as her fists. I wouldn't dare not know you."
Xue Yinuo laughed heartily. "You have an interesting way of speaking. I don't have anything else to do, but before I came to the palace, my father repeatedly instructed me to come and thank you."
"Although it was a small favor, I am grateful for General Xue's politeness."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Without General Xue's introduction, how could I have met the unconventional Miss Xue?"
Xue Yinuo: "..."
This was indeed...
Pleasing!
She disliked people who were stiff and pretentious, and who dwelled on the life-saving grace her father had bestowed. She had originally intended to just go through the motions and leave, but now...
"You seem bored sitting here alone. Why don't you join us?"
Xue Yinuo was not polite at all and plopped down on the stone bench. Pointing to the woman beside her, she added, "This is Xu Meiqing, the third daughter of the Governor of Chuanzhou."
Xu Meiqing was exasperated. "Can't you be a little more dignified?"
Who sits down without an invitation? How big are your buttocks!
Ji Zizhao, however, smiled. "I am indeed a bit bored. Miss Xue and Miss Xu have arrived at just the right time."
Xu Meiqing: "..."
Oh well, this Princess Ronghe was even more straightforward.
She was clearly being ostracized by the other young ladies in the courtyard, yet she could say it so frankly.
Truly remarkable.