“This was sent by the Regent,” Xu Yuehuai hurriedly explained. “Mother, I really don’t know which one to wear. Since I’m going to the Imperial Concubine’s birthday banquet, I shouldn’t steal her thunder, but both of my outfits are bright and eye-catching, and I’m afraid they’ll be too conspicuous.”
After hearing this, the Duchess of Zhenguo nodded and then chuckled, "You must not think about these things. Once you enter the palace, it won't just be about competing with the Imperial Concubine. There will be so many other noble ladies who will be even more flamboyant than you."
After saying that, she looked at the two outfits carefully again: "A-Yue, you should wear the one the prince chose. This one should suit your complexion better."
Xu Yuehuai stopped worrying about it after hearing that: "Okay, godmother, then wait for me."
As she spoke, Xu Yuehuai picked up her clothes and went to change. When she came out again in the blink of an eye, she was indeed different from others. The clothes suited her extremely well, as if they were tailor-made for her.
"Ah Yue, you look so beautiful, it's like it was made just for you." The Duchess of Zhenguo couldn't help but praise you, "Indeed, the Prince understands you better."
Xu Yuehuai felt a little embarrassed upon hearing this, and her face flushed slightly.
After changing her clothes, Xu Yuehuai followed the Duchess of Zhenguo into the carriage and went to the palace.
Upon arriving at the palace gate, they disembarked and went inside. She helped the Duchess of Zhenguo down from the carriage, and the two of them took the invitation and gifts and prepared to go to the birthday party.
Unexpectedly, as soon as he got off the carriage and before he even entered the palace gate, he bumped into Zhao Min.
When Zhao Min saw that Xu Yuehuai was wearing a dress even more beautiful than the one she wore that day, she was instantly furious.
"Is it really true that just any Tom, Dick, or Harry can come to Consort Min's birthday banquet?" Zhao Min asked the guard beside her, pointing at Xu Yuehuai.
The guard was at a loss for words.
Seeing that Xu Yuehuai remained silent, Zhao Min became even more arrogant and domineering: "Heh, she's just a cook, how dare she come to the palace?"
Xu Yuehuai didn't want to pay attention to her, but she was persistent and went too far, so she couldn't stand it anymore: "Miss Zhao, what do you mean by this? I entered the door with the invitation openly and honestly, I didn't steal it, so why am I not worthy?"
Upon hearing this, the Duchess of Zhenguo knew that the visitor was up to no good. She immediately pulled Xu Yuehuai behind her and said calmly, "Please make way, Miss Zhao."
"Make way? Why should I make way? You absolutely cannot enter the palace today. I find it disgusting to be with such a poor cook." Zhao Min glanced at the Duchess of Zhenguo, not daring to offend her, but unable to swallow her anger, she simply continued arguing.
"As the daughter of the Prime Minister, is it proper for you to cause trouble in public at the palace gate?" The Duchess of Zhenguo was already angry after hearing Zhao Min's words, and seeing that she wouldn't stop, she decided to teach her a lesson. "Besides, this is my daughter. How can she be of low status and not allowed to enter the palace?"
Her face turned cold the moment she finished speaking.
Zhao Min, who was standing to the side, initially thought they were just standing together by chance, but she never expected that they were actually related.
Seeing that Zhao Min remained silent, the Duchess of Zhenguo asked the guard standing nearby, "How does our Duke of Zhenguo's daughter compare to the Prime Minister's daughter?"
"If it were the Duchess of the State, she would be even more so." Seeing that someone had offered him a way out, the guard immediately took the opportunity.
Upon hearing this, Zhao Min immediately lost face and began to complain angrily, but she couldn't openly curse the wife of the Duke of Zhenguo.
In the end, all she could do was say something sarcastic before leaving: "Fine, fine, your Duke Zhenguo's mansion is the most powerful."
After Zhao Min left, Xu Yuehuai and the Lady of the Duke of Zhenguo also left hand in hand.
At this moment, Xu Yuehuai was deeply moved. After all, it was the Duchess of Zhenguo who protected Zhao Min when she caused trouble. Even though she was not their biological daughter, they had always treated her as one.
However, the original owner's biological parents were nothing more than vampires who only knew how to beg for money.
Although Zhao Min left, she was extremely unhappy and couldn't wait to find her aunt to vent her anger.
"Aunt, I was bullied at the palace gate just now." Zhao Min began to complain as soon as she arrived at Consort Min's palace, looking all wronged.
When Consort Min saw her tearful appearance, she instantly felt sorry for her.
She quickly pulled the person into her arms: "Min'er, what's wrong with you?"
"Aunt, you must help me this time. I don't know where this village woman came from, but she has become the daughter of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion. She has provoked me time and time again. She clearly doesn't respect our Prime Minister's mansion." Zhao Min completely ignored her own mistakes.
Consort Min's eyes darkened.
The Zhao family is a prestigious clan, and even the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion shouldn't dare to humiliate them like this.
She quickly ruffled the other person's hair: "To bully you is to bully me, and I will definitely help you get revenge."
Meanwhile, the Empress had also heard about their argument at the palace gate. She disliked Consort Min for her arrogance and naturally disliked her niece as well, so she wanted to call over the Duchess of Zhenguo and Xu Yuehuai to appease her.
At this moment, the Duchess of Zhenguo and Xu Yuehuai intended to pay their respects to the Empress, but before they even reached the Empress's palace, they received a summons from the Empress.
"Lady Duchess, Miss Duchess, Her Majesty the Empress requests your presence at the palace for instruction." The Empress sent her head maid, Amber, to announce this.
Upon hearing this, Xu Yuehuai frowned.
They had just caused trouble at the palace gate when the Empress summoned them, the implication of which was self-evident.
She quickly tugged at the sleeve of the Duchess.
The Duchess shook her head at this, then smiled and replied, "Alright, it just so happens that my daughter and I are also going to pay our respects to Her Majesty the Empress."
As they spoke, they followed the head palace maid to the Phoenix Palace.
The Duchess did not say much, but chuckled twice at Xu Yuehuai to reassure her.
But before they even reached Fengyi Palace, Ah Qi received the news.
The high priest was pleased to see how diligently Ah Qi was preparing. The court should not be involved with the harem, but these princes were in an awkward position, belonging to both the harem and the court. Ah Qi had the support of Marquis Ningyuan and the prime minister in the court, and he also needed suitable people to help him handle things in the harem.
"Your Highness, just now the Imperial Concubine sent someone to inform you that the Empress has summoned the Duchess of Zhenguo and her daughter, and they are currently on their way to Fengyi Palace. The Imperial Concubine is worried that they might say something detrimental to Your Highness, so she sent someone to inform you." The maid Liuli hurriedly spoke.
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