Chapter 243 Palace Banquet
After listening to Jiang Jingchuan's arrangements, Jiang Ruoxi immediately felt relieved.
"Brother, this is a good idea. Let's give them a taste of their own medicine. Today, we must bring disgrace upon that bitch. If her reputation is ruined, the Second Prince will lose his backer and his reputation will be ruined. Let's see how he can be the Crown Prince!"
Jiang Jingchuan hummed: "Be careful when you go out, don't let anyone see you."
"I know." Jiang Ruoxi glanced at him resentfully.
"I heard that my eldest brother has taken in a concubine? My eldest sister-in-law doesn't care anymore? When I think about how she treated me when she first got married..."
"All right, my little sister."
Jiang Jingchuan smiled bitterly and hugged her shoulders to help her out.
"You don't know your father and mother yet? You wish I could give birth to a boatload of sons. How dare your sister-in-law say anything?"
Jiang Ruoxi was filled with hatred.
It’s all that bitch Gu Huan’s fault!
Ever since Yuan Jieying married into the Jiang family and noticed the relationship between her and the eldest brother, she has been looking down on her. Once, she blocked the two of them in the house and then made a scene in front of her parents, making everyone in the Jiang family know about it.
From then on, the Jiang family tried every means to marry her off, and they wanted her to be married to someone who was equally powerful as the Jiang family, so that Jiang Jingchuan would not dare to think about her.
In the end, they felt that the eldest son-in-law Mu Junyan was the most suitable. In this way, he could also help the Empress Dowager, control the Mu family army, and counter the power of the Emperor and Empress.
Unfortunately, her good fortune was ruined by the bitch Gu Huan. She was rejected for the arranged marriage, which not only brought her shame, but also made her feel neither high nor low. The Empress Dowager, who had always loved her the most, ignored her.
Now, the only way left for her is to enter the palace and become a concubine.
But now, her aunt, Concubine Jiang, dislikes her again!
It’s all that bitch Gu Huan’s fault!
The banquet in Linshui Palace has been set up, and officials above the third rank and their families are welcome to attend.
The Queen went to change her clothes. Gu Huan entered the hall alone and the eunuch led her to her seat.
His sight fell on a cold-faced palace maid. She exchanged a quick glance with Gu Huan, then quickly left the hall and disappeared in a flash.
Gu Huan couldn't help but smile.
Even if Chen Li was dressed as a palace maid, she would not put on a flattering face.
Zhao Chufei was sitting at a table talking with a group of noble ladies. When she saw her, she stood up and said, "Madam Mu, would you like to come sit with us?"
The ladies at the same table all stood up, and someone whispered, "She's in mourning, isn't that a good sign?"
Zhao Chufei gave the lady a look and she immediately shut up.
Seeing her enthusiasm, Gu Huan turned around and was about to walk over.
"Gu Huan, I've been looking for you for a long time. Why did you come here just now?"
Jiang Ruoxi walked towards her smilingly, holding a wine glass and accompanied by a palace maid holding a wine jug.
Gu Huan raised her eyebrows.
Here it comes.
She pretended to be surprised and asked, "County Lady Jiang is looking for me? How strange."
Jiang Ruoxi ignored her sarcasm and said in a good-tempered manner while signaling the maid beside her to pour wine: "Now that Mu Junyan is dead, the misunderstanding between us should be cleared up. Now that the man is gone, there is nothing to fight for between us, don't you think?"
Gu Huan smiled and said, "My husband has never taken Lady Jiang seriously, so why should we argue?"
The two of them did not deliberately lower their voices. They were surrounded by noble ladies and girls. Their back and forth conversation was like a stone thrown into a calm pond, causing ripples.
There was a flurry of whispered discussions.
Jiang Ruoxi's smile froze, the muscles on her blue face twitched with anger, and her smiling eyes contained poison.
Jiang Ruoxi held two wine glasses in her hands and stared at Gu Huan. She suppressed the urge to tear the hateful woman in front of her into pieces and said through gritted teeth, "Then you won't drink this toast!"
Gu Hua smiled and said, "The Jiang family and I have long since fallen out. How can I drink this glass of wine?"
Jiang Ruoxi's hands were shaking so much that she could hardly hold the wine, but she had to drink it!
"Gu Huan, do you have to be so aggressive? It's just a glass of wine, and you're embarrassing the county lady."
Qian Peizhu also came over with a glass of wine, followed by several noble ladies from their party who surrounded her.
Seeing this, Zhao Chufei immediately came over with her sisters.
Zhao Chufei said coldly: "What do you want to do? Since it is the county lady who is toasting, people have to drink voluntarily. How can you force people to drink?"
Gu Huan didn't expect that she would come forward to defend herself.
Zhao Chufei took Gu Huan's hand and said, "Let's go. Don't pay attention to them."
"Oh, sister, you are so arrogant. You are so domineering in public. Have you learned all the etiquette you learned in your daily life?"
A group of people came over in a mighty procession, surrounding a woman in luxurious attire.
The leading woman glanced at Zhao Chufei coldly.
The noble ladies hurriedly bowed and said, "Your servants greet the eldest prince's wife."
The eldest prince's wife Zhao Cuizhu?
Gu Huan looked at her.
She knew that these half-sisters did not get along. It was rumored that Zhao Chufei's mother was her father's childhood sweetheart. Later, her father married Zhao Cuizhu's mother in accordance with his parents' orders. The couple had no love after marriage, and her mother died early due to anger. Her father immediately married his beloved childhood sweetheart.
At that time, Zhao Chufei's mother was already two months pregnant.
It was announced to the public that Zhao Chufei had given birth prematurely, but in fact the two had been secretly having an affair for a long time.
Gu Huan didn't care whether the rumors were true or not, but Marquis Jingwen really loved Zhao Chufei's mother. Even though he only had one daughter, he had no concubines or maids around him.
Even Zhao Chufei's name did not use the character "Cui" but was a new character. The couple loved Zhao Chufei as if she were the apple of their own eye.
Now the favored younger sister is going to marry the second prince, and the two are on opposite sides both in terms of their original families and their camps.
Zhao Chufei bowed in a neither humble nor arrogant manner, and said indifferently: "The tyrant is the one who forces others to drink. I am here to seek justice. Sister, your eyesight has not been good recently, right? Is it because the eldest prince is partying all day and night, and you have hurt your eyes by crying all day?"
Zhao Cuizhu's face darkened: "How outrageous!"
Gu Huan didn't want the two sisters to quarrel because of her, and she had important things to do.
She bowed to Zhao Cuizhu and said, "Prince Consort, there are many people here. It would be disgraceful for you to quarrel with your sisters over outsiders."
Without waiting for Zhao Cuizhu to react, her eyes fell on Jiang Ruoxi's face: "Isn't it just a glass of wine?" Gu Huan reached out and took the wine glass from the palace maid's hand, drank it all, and handed the empty glass to her.
He sneered, "Just because I drink it doesn't mean I accept your apology."
After that, he turned around and smiled gently at Zhao Chufei: "Miss Zhao, let's go over and sit down."
"you!"
Jiang Ruoxi was so furious that she was fuming when she was provoked in public by the bitch she despised. With a vicious look in her eyes, she reached out and pushed the palace maid beside her. The palace maid staggered and the wine jug on the tray spilled all over Gu Huan.
The palace maid also fell heavily to the ground.
After a few screams, Gu Huan turned around and saw that the back of her skirt was all dirty.
Zhao Chufei frowned: "County Lady Jiang! You're going too far!"
Jiang Ruoxi snorted coldly: "It's not me, it's this bitch who didn't stand firmly."
She waved her hand and said, "Someone, drag this vulgar bitch away and beat her to death!"
The maid was so scared that she hugged Jiang Ruoxi's legs and begged, "Please forgive me, my lady, please."
All the guests in the hall looked over, and some came over to see what was happening.
Zhao Chufei could no longer bear it: "Jiang Ruoxi, it was clearly you who pushed her! She is a palace maid, it is not your turn to punish her!"
Jiang Ruoxi snorted arrogantly: "I am more qualified than you to punish the palace maid."
Seeing that they were about to quarrel, Gu Huan held her arm and said, "It's okay, I'll just go change my clothes."
"Princess Jiang, the emperor is hosting a banquet today. If you start fighting here, it won't be a good idea."
Jiang Ruoxi rolled her eyes at her and kicked the maid away: "Get out, useless thing!"
The palace maid didn't dare to cry anymore. She thanked the emperor and ran out in a hurry.
Jiang Ruoxi suddenly smiled, walked forward and pulled Gu Huan: "The Queen Mother's resting room is nearby, I will take you to change clothes."
Zhao Chufei hurriedly pulled Gu Huan and said, "There is a special changing room for officials and their wives. I'll have someone take you there."
Just then, a palace maid came over and respectfully bowed to Gu Huan: "Madam Mu, please follow me."
Gu Huan nodded, gave Zhao Chufei a reassuring look, and left with the palace maid.
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