It was just an episode and soon passed. The palace banquet ended shortly after. Since there would be no court sessions for a few days, the emperor would take this day to summon important officials to the Hall of Diligent Government for a talk. And for families with daughters in the palace, the female family members could visit their relatives in the inner palace today.
The Gu family had no daughters in the palace as concubines, so they had nowhere specific to go. They either stayed in the hall or went to the imperial garden to chat and gather with the female relatives of other families.
Gu Liyue, as usual, followed Mrs. Qin and was going to find the young ladies from the Qin family to play with. After all, at present, she was basically not familiar with the noble ladies here. Those she knew didn't have a good relationship with her because of Jiang Yingyue. The sisters from the Qin family were quite nice to her.
However, Lu Yunxi suddenly appeared from somewhere and waved to Gu Liyue. "Liyue, hey, come here. I'll take you to have fun."
Gu Chengzhi immediately reached out, grabbed Lu Yunxi's wrist and threw it away forcefully. "Stay away from my sister!"
Lu Yunxi wasn't annoyed. She stuck out her tongue and said, "Gu Chengzhi, with your sister around, how could I take a fancy to you? I don't like your sissy - like appearance. Stay away from me as soon as possible."
"Lu Yunxi!"
Lu Yunxi successfully enraged Gu Chengzhi. She was extremely proud. She patted Gu Liyue on the shoulder. "I'll slip away first. I'll find you to play next time."
Gu Chengzhi clenched his fists tightly. Seeing Gu Liyue looking at him curiously without blinking, he couldn't hold back his anger and said, "What are you looking at me for?"
Gu Liyue half - opened her mouth and said blankly, "I... I think you, Fourth Brother, really look good."
Gu Chengzhi's face turned even darker. But he was reluctant to get angry with his younger sister. So he simply ignored her and walked away with a flick of his sleeve.
Due to this delay, the sisters from the Qin family had gone somewhere. Gu Liyue didn't dare to wander around. Seeing many young ladies sitting and playing in the side hall, she went over and just sat in the corner without saying a word.
From time to time, some young ladies would come over, mostly to find out about her. Gu Liyue was honest. She would say a few words if she felt like it, and keep silent if she didn't. They found it boring. After asking a few questions and losing interest, they all left.
Gu Liyue propped her face up and watched a young lady playing the zither. The zither was really a wonderful instrument. The young lady looked extremely charming when she was playing it.
A cold snort came from the side. "When Yue'er was seven, her zither playing made her famous in the capital. Not everyone can compare with her."
Gu Liyue looked back and saw that a young woman had sat down beside her at some point. She didn't recognize her. She was just curious. This was a place for young ladies. Why would this young woman come here?
The other noble ladies all stood up and bowed. "May Princess Jing be in good health."
Gu Liyue also stood up and bowed. "May Princess Jing be in good health."
Princess Jing looked at Gu Liyue coldly. After Gu Liyue stood up and bowed, she sat back down. Princess Jing was dissatisfied. She sneered and said, "So disrespectful! I didn't tell you to stand up, yet you stood up on your own?"
Gu Liyue looked blank. "Princess, they all did the same. Why are you only scolding me?"
"How dare you! Who do you think you are? How can you compare yourself with them?"
Gu Liyue had no choice but to stand up and bow again. "I'm Gu Liyue from the Gu family. I pay my respects to Princess Jing."
Princess Jing calmly sipped her tea and ignored her. Gu Liyue could only bend her knees and half - squat there.
This bowing posture was really tiring. Gu Liyue wasn't an ordinary noble lady and wasn't used to it. Even when she had suffered the most in the past, she had never bowed like this. In less than a moment, she couldn't hold on anymore and almost fell.
Princess Jing sneered repeatedly. "So disrespectful. How can you be worthy to be with us? How can you be worthy to be our sister?"
Gu Liyue simply stopped bowing. She stood up and looked at Princess Jing. "So, as long as someone is well - behaved in etiquette, they can be the princess's sister?"
Princess Jing didn't react at first. "What?"
Gu Liyue pointed at the maids beside them. "They are very proper in etiquette. They are probably much more standard than the noble ladies here. Does Princess Jing mean that they are the most suitable to be sisters?"
Princess Jing was extremely angry. She stood up and pointed at Gu Liyue. "How dare you! Kneel down for this princess!"
Gu Liyue sighed secretly in her heart. She was being so bold just not to let the Gu family lose face. Aunt, Aunt, didn't you say that I could do whatever I wanted? It seems that the palace is really not a fun place. I haven't done anything, yet someone comes to pick on me.
She also knew in her heart that it wasn't just her few words that had enraged Princess Jing. This Princess Jing clearly came for her.
But she really didn't understand what she had done to offend Princess Jing.
Gu Liyue had no choice but to kneel down as she was told and hung her head in silence.
But Princess Jing became even angrier. "You? How can you be compared with Yue'er? She is such a proud person, not like you, a spineless weakling!"
Only then did Gu Liyue remember what her aunt had said about the past between Princess Jing and Jiang Yue.
She slightly raised her head. "Your Highness, this subject's daughter has never thought that I'm the least bit similar to Miss Jiang Yue, let alone trying to compare myself with her."
Princess Jing was slightly stunned and then said, "You're somewhat self - aware."
However, Qi Manyan quickly walked over and whispered in Princess Jing's ear. "Your Highness, don't be deceived by her. She is used to being humble. The Gu family shifted the blame and made Yingyue suffer unjustly."
Princess Jing frowned and sneered. "A wild girl from the countryside actually dares to act so arrogantly? Nanny, go and slap her on the mouth for this princess."
Gu Liyue was completely flustered. Why did this princess want to slap her as soon as they disagreed? She... She gritted her teeth and raised her head. "Does Your Highness really want to do this?"
Qi Manyan sneered. "What Princess Jing wants to do, does she still need to ask for your opinion?"
Gu Liyue said, "But I don't know what I've done wrong. If I'm to be punished, I should know clearly. Please enlighten me, Your Highness."
Qi Manyan said, "How could you forget how you persecuted Yingyue?"
Gu Liyue said word by word, "Miss Qi means that everything Jiang Yingyue did was because of my persecution? I never knew I had such great power that I could make Duke Jiang and his wife be so cruel to Jiang Yingyue, who had been raised in the Jiang family since childhood!"
Qi Manyan was extremely angry. She pointed at her. "How could it not be? Relying on the support of the Gu family, you have shifted all the bad things you've done onto Yingyue. It's clearly you..."
Gu Liyue shook her head. "I don't have such great ability. The Jiang family is a duke family. How could they watch their own young lady suffer unjustly? Princess, if you want to punish this subject's daughter because of this, I will never admit it."
Princess Jing looked at her coldly. "It seems that Manyan is right. The girl from the countryside is very scheming. This princess will definitely punish you today, and I will make you convinced!"
She originally wore gloves. Now she gently took them off and slowly walked up to Gu Liyue, obviously intending to do it herself.
Although Gu Liyue was extremely scared inside, she straightened her back. Even if she was beaten, she couldn't lose her momentum. She didn't remember whether it was her father or mother who had said this, but it was deeply engraved in her mind.
Moreover, she was a daughter of the Gu family now. How could she let the Gu family be shamed?
"Does Princess Jing really want to humiliate someone like this in the hall?"