Despite his burning anger, Duke Chen dared not fail to gather his entire family and, dressed in their finest attire, go out to greet him.
When the group of people came out, Ji Fengyao, Ji Fengming, Hei Xiao and Xi Que were playing cards, which they had never seen before, in a carriage with raised partitions on all four sides.
Ji Fengming and Xi Que both had a lot of small white strips stuck to their faces, making the scene quite comical.
The four of them were making a ruckus and had a great time blocking the entrance to the Duke's mansion.
Ji Fengming's attempt to cheat and destroy the cards failed, and when he suddenly turned around and saw Duke Chen and the others coming out, he felt as if he had found a punching bag.
As he ripped the small note stuck to his face, he complained impatiently, "Why did it take you so long to come out? You've kept us waiting for ages. If the Empress Dowager came, would you make her wait like this too?"
Duke Chen and others: "!!!"
Damn it, these crude and vulgar bandits are just trying to make themselves look good!
How can you compare to the Empress Dowager?!
I really don't want to bow down to these scoundrels, I'm so angry!
With a face darker than a black pot, Duke Chen led his family forward and bowed respectfully to Ji Fengyao: "Welcome, Ninth Princess Consort. I was unaware that you were coming on the Empress Dowager's orders. This old minister has failed to greet you properly. My apologies."
Ji Fengyao sat calmly in the carriage, accepting their greetings, before finally getting off with the help of Xi Que.
With a wave of her hand, she said, "Sure, sure."
She twirled the gold plaque with the character "Yi" given to her by the Empress Dowager on her finger, and with a flick of her wrist, the plaque nearly hit the Duke of Chen's face.
Seeing this, Chen Xiao, who was being supported by two guards, also had a flash of fury in his eyes.
Chen Ziying, who was on the verge of exploding in anger, also wanted to step forward and start a fight.
Chen Shiyu quickly glared at them to stop them.
That's the Empress Dowager's "Yi" gold medal. Even if the Ninth Princess "accidentally" smashes it in someone's face, it's all for nothing!
Looking at the pavilions, towers, carved beams, and painted rafters in the Duke's mansion, Ji Fengyao couldn't help but exclaim to the Duke of Chen with great envy, "The Duke of Chen's mansion is so magnificent! It's much more impressive than our royal mansion. It's almost like the imperial palace!"
Upon hearing this, Duke Chen's face immediately darkened even further.
If the Emperor heard this, he would think that their family wanted to live in the palace and had rebellious intentions! But looking at Ji Fengyao's innocent and carefree appearance, it didn't seem like she was doing it on purpose.
Even the Duke of Chen couldn't bring himself to argue with a bandit over words, so he could only reply with a forced smile, "You flatter me, Ninth Princess."
We arrived at the entrance of the main hall of the Duke's mansion.
The Duke of Chen, observing all the proper etiquette, said in a cool and indifferent tone, "Please take a seat, Ninth Princess Consort."
"No, no, the Empress Dowager's leg ailment has been flaring up frequently lately, and I'm in a hurry to find medicinal herbs from my downstream supplier. Duke Chen, why don't you just take me and Physician Xiao to the manor's storeroom to look at the herbs?" Ji Fengyao said in a grand and dignified manner, seemingly oblivious to the fact that the Duke and the others' faces were crumbling as if they were about to fall.
"If you need any medicinal herbs, just write them down and have someone find them. Why do you have to open our storeroom? I think you're just old dogs who can't change their nature, trying to take advantage of our misfortune!" Chen Ziying couldn't hold back any longer and jumped out to curse.
Ji Fengyao ignored Chen Ziying completely, and instead looked at the Duke of Chen with a half-smile, praising, "Duke of Chen, your second young lady is well-mannered and speaks so beautifully."
Duke of Chen: "..."
Chen Ziying: "!!"
This uncouth bandit, what gives her the right to be sarcastic? She acts like she's more cultured than everyone else!
“Sister, since they are unwilling to open the treasury, there must be something more important in the treasury than the Empress Dowager that outsiders cannot see. Let’s not force them and go,” Ji Fengming said understandingly.
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