A quick glance around the hall revealed scattered people on all sides.

She had arrived early, but she didn't expect so many people to arrive first, all dressed in gorgeous clothes and adorned with pearls and jade.

Jiang Shuwan also saw an acquaintance—Yao Jinshu.

"Wanwan, over here."

Yao Jinshu was also happy to see Jiang Shuwan and waved her over.

Ever since Pei Shushu and Yao Zhijie got engaged, her relationship with Jiang Shuwan has become even better.

The two gathered together and talked for a while. Suddenly, Yao Jinshu said mysteriously, "Have you heard? Today's palace banquet was organized by Consort Gao."

"..."

Jiang Shuwan was taken aback for a moment, then asked in a low voice, "Why is it Consort Gao? Shouldn't it be Her Majesty the Empress?"

"Who knows? It's one thing in the past, but Consort Gao used to manage the six palaces and she was in charge of arranging the palace banquets. But last year, Her Majesty the Empress regained the Phoenix Seal, so the palace banquets should have been arranged by Her Majesty the Empress. I didn't expect that at the last minute, it was handed over to Consort Gao again."

After speaking softly, Yao Jinshu pointed to the busy palace maids and eunuchs in the hall and said, "These are all people from Consort Gao's palace. I heard that the Empress was so angry about this that she fell ill. I wonder if Her Majesty the Empress will come later?"

"...They should come."

Jiang Shuwan said hesitantly.

She truly hadn't expected that the power dynamics in the harem would change so quickly.

Just a while ago, the eldest prince lost the Minister of Revenue, and now Consort Gao has lost her power in the harem.

She thought the faction of the First Prince and Consort Gao was about to collapse, but unexpectedly, the First Prince married Guo Yaqin in a short period of time.

With the Guo family's help, Consort Gao has started to act arrogantly again.

What is the old emperor playing at...?

Jiang Shuwan clicked her tongue twice in her mind, but didn't think much of it. Yao Jinshu, however, was thinking a lot more.

"I heard that Princess Nan'an has also 'recovered' from her illness and left the palace. Be careful, Li Yuyan and Guo Yaqin are not easy to deal with."

As she was talking, Jiang Shuwan caught sight of another person out of the corner of her eye. The person was dragging her weak body, her lips were slightly pale, and even heavy makeup could not hide her sickly appearance.

"Jiang Yao, aren't you sick?"

Upon seeing Jiang Shuwan, Jiang Yao was also taken aback for a moment. The next second, she straightened her back, raised her chin, and said with great arrogance, "How can a few minor illnesses stop me from attending the palace banquet?"

"..."

Looking at the weak-looking Jiang Yao, Jiang Shuwan remembered that Madam Bo had said at the New Year's Eve dinner yesterday that their family would not be attending the palace banquet this year.

Jiang Yao came despite her illness, which shows how strong-willed she is despite her physical disability.

Unafraid of rumors.

"Isn't that Madam Xiaobo? The most talented woman in Dajing."

Why is she here?

"I heard her family just took a courtesan as a concubine. It's so shameful! I never imagined that the young master, who is so handsome, would actually frequent prostitutes in private, and people even came to their mansion to make a scene..."

"I heard that Jiang Yao fell ill because of him. It's a waste of talent. Although Jiang Yao's behavior is unsavory, her talent is first-rate..."

Upon seeing Jiang Yao, the ladies of noble families pointed at her and began to gossip. These ladies were different from the young noblemen at Li Yuyan's banquet last time. They had official ranks, and they didn't hold back when they talked about people. Their voices were quite loud.

Hearing these words, Jiang Yao was not intimidated and immediately gave them a sharp look.

"..."

"How dare she! How dare she, a mere ordinary woman with no rank, glare at me?"

"Let it go. Although she has no official rank or title, she was still commended by His Majesty. It's the New Year, and if we cause a scene here, we'll all be in deep trouble."

As they spoke, the ladies of noble families and other prominent households calmed down and dispersed.

Turning around with an air of arrogance, Jiang Yao looked at Jiang Shuwan and said meaningfully,

"How have you been lately, big sister? I received the chestnuts you sent, and I understand your intentions. But you really underestimate me. Neither Little Peach nor anyone else is enough to bring me down."

"..."

But I told you to stay at the Earl's residence, not to force yourself to attend the palace banquet!

Seeing Jiang Yao coughing so hard she felt like she was going to cough up her lungs while she was talking, Jiang Shuwan quickly asked a palace maid to bring her a cup of hot water.

Jiang Yao is too crazy.

Although she misunderstood, if it were her, she would have stayed in bed when she was sick, and would never have forced herself to attend the banquet just to save face.

There were no antibiotics or emergency numbers like 110 in this era...

Grabbing Jiang Yao's arm to make her sit down, and seeing that Jiang Yao was trying to struggle, Jiang Shuwan quickly told her about Consort Gao's banquet.

"Wouldn't Guo Yaqin be extremely pleased with herself?"

With Guo Yaqin as a common and powerful enemy, Jiang Yao decided not to argue with Jiang Shuwan anymore.

"The Guo family hates the Earl's Mansion the most, and Guo Yaqin is now the Crown Prince's Consort. I'm afraid she'll make trouble for me later?"

"..."

Jiang Shuwan, however, did not think so.

Guo Yaqin naturally hated the Earl's Mansion and Jiang Yao, but the Earl's Mansion had nothing but a title now.

Without the Marquis's family as a relative, the Earl's family would be completely at Guo Yaqin's mercy.

The Pei family is of high status, with the Marquis and Earl's mansions being closely connected. The eldest prince's influence in the Ministry of Revenue was completely uprooted by Pei Yanzhi, so if Guo Yaqin were to make trouble, it would definitely be on her side.

With the Marquis's mansion gone, the Earl's mansion is naturally no threat.

However, this is, after all, a palace banquet. Guo Yaqin has only just become the Crown Prince's consort. Does she dare to cause trouble in such a setting?

"Her Majesty the Empress has arrived! Her Imperial Concubine has arrived!"

Before they knew it, everyone had arrived. The Empress and Consort Gao walked in gracefully amidst the high-pitched chanting of the eunuchs.

The Empress wore a bright yellow phoenix robe embroidered with peonies, trailing on the ground, and a golden crown, exuding elegance and grace.

Consort Gao wore a bright crimson palace dress, so vibrant and eye-catching that her presence was no less imposing than that of the Empress.

"Get up."

With a slight gesture of raising her right hand, the Empress smiled and said a few words before instructing the eunuchs to begin the banquet. She then drank with everyone. Although Consort Gao was also seated in her own place, eunuchs kept coming over to deliver messages, often whispering to her.

"Is there anything that the Imperial Concubine cannot tell me in front of me?"

Setting down her wine cup, the Empress looked at Consort Gao with a half-smile.

"How dare I? It's just that His Majesty in the Yuanqing Palace next door found the singing and dancing boring, and the little eunuch didn't know what to do, so he could only come to me. After all, I was the one who organized the palace banquet."

The Empress was furious upon hearing this, and she downed the remaining wine in her cup in one gulp. The Empress then stepped forward.

"Your Highness, I am feeling unwell, so I will leave this place to you."

"Your Majesty, I respectfully see you off."

As soon as the Empress left, the atmosphere in Shaohua Palace changed. Besides the smug Consort Gao, there was also Guo Yaqin with a smug look on her face.

In particular, Guo Yaqin would occasionally glance at Jiang Shuwan with a contemptuous look in her eyes.

"Is Guo Yaqin about to make a move?"

Just when everyone thought Guo Yaqin was about to make trouble, Li Yuyan, dressed in a light purple dress, suddenly stood up gracefully in the tense and anxious Shaohua Palace.

...