Just as Chu Qing was only a few steps away from the crowd and was about to flash a smile and greet everyone, the Duchess, who was surrounded by the crowd, looked up.
Then, with a smile on her face, she said, "Xin'er, you're finally here. Come quickly and meet these ladies and young misses."
"..." The smile on Chu Qing's face froze. When she turned around, she saw Xu Xin walking slowly towards the group with a shy smile on her face.
"Auntie~" Xu Xin said in a soft voice.
She looked like a delicate and charming young lady.
Then, the Duchess took her hand and introduced her to the others, "She's my sister's daughter, the daughter of the Minister of Revenue. Now, she's married to the Prince of Ning!"
Seeing how much the Duchess doted on Xu Xin, everyone tried to curry favor with her, "So you're the Princess Consort of the Prince of Ning? Your Highness is so beautiful. You and our Prince are truly a match made in heaven!"
"Indeed. You seem so gentle and virtuous. The Prince of Ning is really lucky to have married you."
Chu Qing narrowed her eyes and observed everything in front of her. Hearing all these flatteries, she felt nauseated. So, the smile on her lips became even colder.
The Spring Banquet had just started, and they were already trying to isolate her and give her a hard time? If someone was thin-skinned, they might be so ashamed and angry that they'd turn around and leave.
But who was she? Thin-skinned? That was never an option for her.
Well, except when it came to Wei Ying.
"Your Highness! How dare they act as if they can't see you?" Luo Lu's voice pulled Chu Qing back from her wandering thoughts.
Composing herself, Chu Qing lazily smiled, "If they can't see me, then so be it. I'm happy to be left alone. Come on, let's go for a stroll on our own."
With that, Chu Qing turned around and walked away.
On the other side, the Duchess was chatting and laughing with others while secretly observing Chu Qing out of the corner of her eye. Seeing her about to leave, the Duchess thought she couldn't take the humiliation. She sneered and deliberately raised her voice, "Oh! The Princess Consort of Ning is here too? Why are you leaving without saying hello to us? Do you look down on us?"
The harsh voice suddenly rang out. Chu Qing stopped in her tracks and then slowly turned around.
"Oh, so the Duchess can see me after all?" Chu Qing pursed her lips and smiled, answering in a calm tone.
The Duchess' mocking smile froze on her lips. She had listened to Xu Xin's complaints before and didn't take Chu Qing seriously. She thought she was just a young girl who had just gotten married. No matter how sharp her tongue was, she was sure she could make her feel ashamed and angry. But now, just her calm and composed demeanor was enough to make her jealous, not to mention other things.
She seemed to have really underestimated this... Princess Consort of Ning!
The Duchess frowned slightly and said, "What do you mean, Princess Consort of Ning?"
Chu Qing tilted her head slightly and smiled meaningfully, "Just now, didn't the Duchess see Concubine Xu? She was walking right behind me. You saw her but didn't see me. Everyone, don't you think it's quite strange?"
Before anyone could react, Chu Qing had already said something that wasn't usually spoken in public.
Annoying people was becoming more and more effortless for her.
Most importantly, it was really satisfying!
Sure enough, the Duchess' face immediately darkened.
The others on the side looked embarrassed and didn't know how to respond. They always followed the Duchess' lead. Naturally, they would do as she did. So, seeing the Duchess deliberately ignoring the Princess Consort of Ning just now, they were happy to watch a show. They could please the Duchess and satisfy their own desires at the same time. Why not?
Moreover, Chu Qing's family background had always been looked down upon by these so - called noble families.
She was just a girl from a wealthy family, yet she occupied the position of the Princess Consort of Ning.
It was impossible not to be jealous.
However, now that the other party had directly pointed it out, some of the thin - skinned ones had already blushed and lowered their heads.
"We've never seen you before, so naturally we don't know who you are!" A seemingly more alert young girl said coldly. Before "Liu Xin" could tell her, Chu Qing already knew who the girl was.
Judging from her similar features to the Duchess and their intimate actions, she must be the second young miss of the Duke's Mansion, Zhong Yi, who had a feud with Wei Zhen.
Chu Qing looked at them, smiled slightly, and continued, "If you didn't know my identity before, how do you know it now? Could it be... that Concubine Xu introduced me to you? So you know who I am?"
Just now, Chu Qing had heard these people addressing Xu Xin as "Princess Consort" one after another. It was really ear - piercing.
A concubine consort was just a concubine consort. Adding the word "concubine" made it sound more appropriate!
"If it weren't for my cousin telling us, who would know you?" The young girl's eyes flickered, but her words were full of hostility.
"I see. In that case, it's my fault. I thought Concubine Xu had complained to the Duchess that the Prince doesn't dote on her but only dotes on me. Then the Duchess led everyone to act as if they couldn't see me and give me a hard time. It turns out I was just being paranoid. I hate those women who like to gossip and gather together to chew the fat. They're so shallow. Fortunately, you're not like that! I almost thought you were deliberately ignoring me just now!" Chu Qing smiled brightly, looking as if she had finally let out a sigh of relief.
At this moment, her heart was filled with disgust. Had she, after being around, actually learned Xu Xin's pretentious and disgusting ways?
She couldn't just slap them across the face like before. It was really frustrating.