Everyone looked towards the source of the voice.

The speaker was a purple-clad young lady with apricot-shaped eyes. Her gaze was fixed on Jiang Si, her slightly upturned lips betraying undisguised mockery.

Unlike the other girls, Jiang Si simply lowered her head slightly, looking for a suitable place to sit.

Seeing that Jiang Si was ignoring her, the purple-clad girl’s eyebrows shot up in anger. She raised her voice, “I’m talking to you. Are you deaf?”

Only then did Jiang Si raise her eyes, looking over with a calm expression.

She recognized this girl too. She was from the Marquis of Taiping’s household, surnamed Chen, with the given name Huifu.

In her previous life, when Jiang Si became Yan Wang’s consort, she had met this Miss Chen from the Marquis of Taiping’s household.

At that time, they had no particular interaction. Perhaps Miss Chen had been dissatisfied with her but never showed it.

Yet today, the hostility was so obvious.

Jiang Si quickly understood the reason behind it.

Chen Huifu’s mother was Princess Ninglo. Her full brother and his close friends – the son of the Minister of Rites Yang Shengcai, the son from the General’s mansion Cui Yi, and the son of the Vice Minister of Rites – were childhood friends who had grown up together. These four were the ones who had harmed her Second Brother on the Jinshui River.

Yang Shengcai had drowned, and the other three hadn’t fared well either. It was already clear that these four families were angry at her Second Brother and by extension, at the entire Earl of Dongping’s household.

Chen Huifu’s obvious hostility towards her probably stemmed from this.

Seeing Jiang Si look over, Chen Huifu’s tone became even more caustic. “Huh, so you’re not deaf after all. Ignoring others when they speak to you – it’s clear you have no manners.”

Jiang Si sat down, took out her handkerchief to wipe her hands, and leisurely picked up a date from the fruit plate in front of her, playing with it.

She ignored Chen Huifu’s provocation, causing the other girls to look on with interest, eager for drama.

Chen Huifu was greatly angered by Jiang Si’s dismissive attitude as if she could hear the other girls’ mocking laughter.

She strode over to Jiang Si, placed her hand on the table, and said darkly, “It seems you are deaf. Otherwise, how could you be so ill-mannered!”

Jiang Si raised an eyebrow slightly, tossed the date back onto the table, and looked up at Chen Huifu with a smile.

Usually, quarrels between young ladies weren’t worth bothering with, but when someone was repeatedly aggressive, she didn’t feel like holding back anymore.

She had never been able to play the role of a demure, virtuous lady and let others stand up for her.

Ahem, of course, no one would stand up for her anyway.

Thinking about it, her interpersonal relationships seemed a bit poor.

“What are you smiling at?” Chen Huifu asked Jiang Si, looking down at her.

But in terms of presence, the seated girl overshadowed her.

“I’m smiling because I now understand what manners and upbringing mean to Miss Chen.”

Chen Huifu was taken aback. “You know me?”

Jiang Si smiled. “Miss Chen has been pointing at me and causing trouble. Am I not allowed to know who you are?”

Soft laughter rippled through the room.

Chen Huifu was greatly embarrassed and angrily said, “If you knew who I was, why did you pretend to be mute when I asked you earlier?”

Jiang Si sighed. Though her voice was soft, those paying attention could hear her. “I usually only respond to those who speak like humans. As for others, it depends on the situation.”

“You!” Chen Huifu hadn’t expected someone of Jiang Si’s background to dare speak so boldly to her. She became angry and embarrassed, laughing coldly as she extended her hand. “Hand it over!”

Jiang Si looked at her.

“Don’t play dumb. I want to check your invitation. I suspect you didn’t actually receive an invitation to the Plum Blossom Appreciation Banquet and snuck in here. Huh, do you think having a pretty face means you’ll gain the favor of the nobles? Let me tell you, that’s just a foolish dream!”

Jiang Si frowned thoughtfully, then asked seriously, “So, are you jealous that I’m good-looking?”

Having half of her true feelings exposed, Chen Huifu’s face darkened further. She gritted her teeth and said, “Hand it over, or I’ll call the eunuchs to escort you out!”

A girl in plain clothes who had been sitting next to Chen Huifu walked over and gently advised, “Huifu, let it go.”

Jiang Si leisurely observed the girl who came to mediate.

She recognized this young lady as well. She was Yang Shengcai’s sister, Yang Sulian.

Yang Sulian had a reputation in noble circles for being quiet and well-mannered. She had no worries about marriage prospects. Her attendance at the Plum Blossom Appreciation Banquet today was merely a formality.

Her elder sister was the current Crown Princess, so she couldn’t possibly marry another prince.

“Sulian, you don’t need to persuade me. Today, I must see whether her invitation is real or not!”

A sweet voice rang out: “Miss Chen, why are you being so aggressive?”

Chen Huifu suddenly looked towards the source of the voice, meeting the gaze of Ji Fanghua, the young lady from the Duke of Anguo’s household.

Jiang Si was somewhat surprised.

She had just been lamenting her poor relationships, but unexpectedly, someone stood up for her, and that person was Ji Fanghua.

After she and Ji Chongyi broke off their engagement, her connections with the Duke of Anguo’s household became somewhat awkward in others’ eyes.

What surprised her was that Ji Fanghua ignored this awkwardness and spoke up in this situation.

Chen Huifu stared at Ji Fanghua for a moment, then suddenly smiled. “Miss Ji, didn’t your family break off the engagement with the Earl of Dongping’s household? Why are you still so close with Jiang Si? Oh, I know, could it be that you still want to be family…”

Chen Huifu didn’t finish her sentence, but her implication was clear: either the Duke of Anguo’s household intended for Jiang Si to become Ji Chongyi’s concubine, or Jiang Si harbored such thoughts herself.

This was, of course, pure sarcasm, and full of malice.

Ji Fanghua’s face showed a hint of anger. “Miss Chen, mind your words. Don’t you realize where we are?”

Chen Huifu sneered, “Miss Ji should be the one to pay attention to where we are. Your interference won’t earn you any gratitude, and you might lose your opportunities. That would be a shame.”

From various perspectives, Ji Fanghua was indeed a hot candidate for the position of princess consort, being the niece of Consort Xian.

“Thank you, Miss Ji.” As soon as Chen Huifu finished speaking, Jiang Si’s voice rang out.

Ji Fanghua gave Jiang Si a small smile.

She didn’t care about the position of princess consort. She only wished to find a husband of equal status whom she knew well, neither marrying a commoner like her third brother and ending up in a difficult situation, nor marrying into the royal family where she couldn’t even breathe freely.

Chen Huifu watched the exchange between the two, her anger rising. “Is Miss Jiang unable to produce a real invitation? Is that why you’re stalling?”

Jiang Si rested her chin on her hand, her relaxed posture further highlighting the other’s agitation. “I didn’t know the palace nobles had hired Miss Chen as a eunuch. But Miss Chen shouldn’t be checking here, you should be guarding the inner city gate.”

This comment elicited laughter from the other girls.

“Consort Xian arrives, Consort Zhuang arrives—”

With the eunuch’s loud announcement, the girls immediately composed themselves, returning to their graceful and elegant demeanors.

Chen Huifu, having failed to gain the upper hand verbally, was holding back her anger. The arrival of the consorts prevented her from lashing out, leaving her face ashen with rage.

Ji Fanghua had quietly moved over at some point and sat down next to Jiang Si. “Sister Jiang, is it alright if I sit here?”

Jiang Si nodded with a smile. “Of course.”

The girls paid their respects to Consort Xian and Consort Zhuang before taking their seats.

Consort Xian slowly surveyed the noble ladies present. When her gaze fell on Jiang Si’s face, the smile at the corner of her mouth faltered.