Yi Ye Bao Fu

Chapter 371 Getting the Benefit and Then Complaining

In the front hall, all the official ladies and daughters of noble families were neatly seated.

If so many people were gathered together, one or two missing would likely go unnoticed.

But the crucial point was that Ji Zizhao stood alone outside the hall entrance, making her extremely conspicuous. It was impossible not to draw attention.

Those seated inside, seeing Ji Zizhao standing alone outside, could not help but stare with curiosity.

"What is going on? Does Princess Ronghe not have a seat?"

"If there truly isn't one, then it would be quite a spectacle."

"If Princess Ronghe came uninvited without a summons, it would be an act of deceiving the emperor!"

Faced with the murmurs of the crowd, Ji Renran showed no intention of explaining.

Xu Meiqing, seated beside her, found the comments exasperating.

"Please, use your brains. If Ji Zizhao hadn't received the emperor's invitation, she wouldn't even be able to enter the palace gates."

Xue Yinuo had no time for internal complaints. She cast a cold glance at those who seemed eager to stir up trouble and declared, "You all claim to be noble and aloof, yet you engage in backbiting like market gossips. With such character, are you truly ladies of noble birth? I see no difference between you and common gossips!"

Her words immediately provoked quite a few of the young ladies present.

However, remembering that Xue Yinuo's father was a general, they had to endure their resentment, no matter how unwilling.

"My sisters are merely curious. Why does Miss Xue the elder need to be so serious? Princess Ronghe is standing alone at the entrance, and we merely feel pity for her, which is why we've voiced our opinions." Princess Yun'an, from a marquis's household, naturally did not fear Xue Yinuo.

Similarly, Xue Yinuo was not intimidated by Princess Yun'an.

But before Xue Yinuo could retort, Xu Meiqing tugged at her sleeve, "Stop arguing. Look towards the entrance..."

The crowd had been waiting to witness Ji Zizhao's predicament. Hearing Xu Meiqing's words, not only Xue Yinuo but almost all the young ladies in the hall turned their gaze towards the entrance.

A palace attendant was seen standing directly in front of Ji Zizhao.

However, they were too far away, and even with their ears strained, the crowd could not make out their conversation.

Princess Yun'an, seeing Ji Zizhao blocked outside by the attendant, chuckled, "Perhaps as they say, Princess Ronghe truly has no invitation. From the looks of it, Princess Ronghe is about to be sent away."

Her words caused everyone to turn their attention to Ji Renran.

As sisters, Ji Renran naturally knew whether Ji Zizhao had an invitation.

Jin Xueyan, seated beside Ji Renran, also asked curiously, "Ji Zizhao really has no invitation?"

Ji Zizhao did indeed have an invitation.

But Ji Renran shook her head and whispered, "Eldest Sister has always been distant from me. How would I know about her affairs?"

Even her own sister was unaware, which made it highly probable.

Xue Yinuo, agitated, stood up abruptly.

"What are you doing?" Xu Meiqing exclaimed, startled.

"What else? I naturally want to find a way to get Ji Zizhao in!"

Xu Meiqing pressed Xue Yinuo back into her seat. "Sit down quickly. If even you cause a scene at the entrance, it will be irreparable."

She did not believe Ji Zizhao lacked an invitation, so the matter still needed to be observed.

Princess Yun'an was almost laughing. She always thought Ji Zizhao was arrogant, but today she had suffered a great humiliation.

Zhong Xinyi, seated further away, looked back at Ji Renran's calm and beautiful face, feeling increasingly uncomfortable. After all, Ji Zizhao was Ji Renran's full sister. Now, Ji Zizhao was standing alone and being ostracized, yet her sister, Ji Renran, remained indifferent.

Although she had learned from Ji Renran that their sisterly relationship was poor, Ji Renran had always spoken of Ji Zizhao's aloofness and calculating nature. But now, it didn't seem to be the case.

At the entrance, the palace attendant who had been standing before Ji Zizhao turned and returned to the main hall.

To everyone's surprise, Ji Zizhao followed him in!

At this banquet, the emperor sat at the main seat, beside the Empress. The seats below were for noble consorts and other imperial concubines. On the other side, the princes were seated in order of seniority. Behind the princes and consorts were the civil and military officials.

These young ladies of the imperial city, who appeared to be of high status on a daily basis, held no special importance at such a banquet and could only occupy the last seats behind the officials.

However, under the gaze of everyone present, Ji Zizhao took a seat amongst the officials.

If Ji Zizhao standing at the entrance was conspicuous, then Ji Zizhao sitting alone in the midst of the officials' seats was now glaringly obvious!

The ladies who had been gloating moments ago were utterly shocked, exchanging stunned glances.

The smile on Princess Yun'an's face froze on her cheekbones, clearly incredulous.

Now, let alone mocking Ji Zizhao, they could barely even get a clear look at her!

Even Xue Yinuo and Xu Meiqing were bewildered by this treatment.

What was going on?

Ji Renran was equally surprised, but she did not show it. She quietly remarked to Jin Xueyan beside her, "That is a seat only ministers of the court are qualified to occupy. Eldest Sister is indeed different from us."

Jin Xueyan's heart churned with anger, thinking that Ji Zizhao always got all the good things.

But before she could speak, Princess Yun'an preempted her, "We are both young ladies attending the banquet, why is she different from us!"

The palace attendant standing beside Ji Zizhao heard this and turned to bow, "Princess Ronghe has rendered meritorious service on her journey to Luoyi. The Emperor has decreed that Princess Ronghe may take this seat."

Everyone gasped, drawing in a collective breath. It was the Emperor's decree?

So...

Ji Zizhao was not being looked down upon, but rather, she was being highly regarded?!

Princess Yun'an's face immediately turned pale.

She recalled that the journey to Luoyi was supposed to have been her mission. She had deliberately feigned illness to let Ji Zizhao take her place. She thought she had avoided trouble, only to hand over glory to someone else.

Ji Zizhao had no time to spare for Princess Yun'an's fragile feelings. She looked back at the pale-faced Princess Yun'an and said unhurriedly, "Speaking of which, it was originally you, Princess Yun'an, who was supposed to go to Luoyi. But alas... things are unpredictable. Princess Yun'an, do you not agree?"

Princess Yun'an's pallid face instantly darkened. Damn Ji Zizhao, grabbing benefits and then rubbing it in!

Who dared to defy the Emperor's decree?

Now, the more joy the other young ladies had felt moments ago, the more envious they were.

Jin Xueyan, looking at Princess Yun'an's face that had turned from pale to dark, secretly rejoiced. Fortunately, she had swallowed her words a moment later, or she herself would have been the one facing a blackened complexion.

Ji Renran clenched the handkerchief in her hand, her fingers turning white.

Why did good things always fall upon Ji Zizhao?

Why!