505 Palace Banquet (2)
“Got it.” Shen Yijia felt that Song Jingchen treated her like a child.
After alighting from the carriage, there was a young eunuch leading the way at the entrance of the palace. After entering the door, the men and women had to separate. The men went to the front hall, while the women had to go to the back palace through the other door.
Noticing Song Jingchen’s worried gaze, Shen Yijia grinned at him and blinked. “Don’t worry, I’ll definitely be good and not cause trouble.”
Song Jingchen’s eyelids twitched. He inexplicably remembered that she had promised him the same thing the last time she went to Autumn Deer Academy.
In the end, she climbed over Madam Qiu’s wall.
He pursed his lips and said, “Try not to go anywhere less crowded.”
Shen Yijia was about to nod when a cold voice sounded from behind. “Is this Madam Song?”
Shen Yijia turned around and saw a slender girl standing behind her.
Shen Yijia had seen her once. She was the eldest daughter of the Yuan family.
However, the two of them didn’t know each other. She glanced at Song Jingchen before nodding.
Yuan Yuwan bowed to Song Jingchen before explaining, “Ruoshui once mentioned Madam Song to me. If you don’t mind, let’s go in together.”
The Yuan family’s carriage was in front of the Song family. When she got out of the carriage just now, she saw them and did not enter with the rest of the Yuan family.
Yuan Yuwan had often attended palace banquets with Pavilion Elder Yuan, and Song Jingchen didn’t know when Shen Yijia would meet Madam Xiao after entering. With her around, Song Jingchen was much more relieved. He cupped his hands and said, “Thank you.”
Yuan Yuwan nodded with a faint smile.
In the past, the Yuan family could also cut the queue and enter. However, after a few years, they were barely able to attend the palace banquet.
Under the guidance of the palace maids, the two of them went to Changchun Palace to pay their respects to the Noble Consort.
Imperial Concubine Liu was in charge of the phoenix seal now, and the empress dowager was not in the palace. It could be said that she dominated the harem alone. Apart from not having the title of empress, everything else was equivalent to the existence of the empress.
There were already seven or eight women sitting in the Changchun Palace. They were all smiling and talking to Imperial Concubine Liu.
As for those with insufficient status, they could enter and pay their respects one after another.
When Shen Yijia and the other woman entered the hall, all the women looked at them.
They had all seen the eldest daughter of the Yuan family before. At a glance, everyone’s gazes landed on Shen Yijia. They were either probing, sizing her up, or stunned.
The reason why they were curious about her was mainly because she was unknown when she was Second Miss Shen. This time, when she returned to the capital, she was framed by her family and sued in court. Everyone wanted to see who she was.
After sizing her up, many people couldn’t help but think to themselves, “Madam Song is too good-looking.”
Yuan Yuwan was worried that Shen Yijia would show her fear under his gaze, so she walked in front of her quickly, blocking some unfriendly gazes.
Shen Yijia was stunned. There was a hint of confusion in her eyes, but she quickly reacted. She blinked and followed Yuan Yuwan. She looked straight ahead and did not look at the women around her.
The two of them quickly walked up to Noble Consort Liu and bent their knees to greet her. “Greetings, Noble Consort.”
Madam Li had already strictly taught Shen Yijia how to bow. It was not perfect, but at least there was nothing wrong.
She felt that she had done a good job, but all the women present had sharp eyes and could tell at a glance that she was unfamiliar.
Hence, after being stunned, everyone looked at her with more disdain.
“There’s no need to stand on ceremony.” Imperial Concubine Liu smiled and raised her hand to get them up.
Shen Yijia thought that it was time for them to leave.
Unexpectedly, a girl in a red palace dress and two buns suddenly spoke.
“I thought that a woman who can marry Master Song would be extremely talented. It turns out that she’s just an idiotic beauty.” As the girl spoke, she looked at Shen Yijia with disdain.
Apart from Princess Linghui, who had fallen in love with Song Jingchen in the past, no one else could be so arrogant in the harem.
When everyone heard this, they could not help but cover their mouths with a handkerchief. This Princess Linghui was too direct.
Shen Yijia blinked and nodded seriously. “Thank you for the compliment. I know I’m good-looking.”
As for the first part, she ignored it.
A trace of shock flashed across Imperial Concubine Liu’s face, but she quickly returned to normal. She reprimanded her calmly, “Linghui, don’t spout nonsense.”
Princess Linghui snorted angrily. How was she praising her? Did this person not understand human language?
