“……” Lady Qin and the others looked at the empress in disbelief. What did she do wrong?

In the Feng Luan palace, around 7 or 8 ladies from the noble families had already arrived. After listening to Empress Wei, all of their graceful looking faces showed interest in what was happening.

Empress Wei shook her head and sighed: “You don’t seem to know yet.”

Su knew that something felt wrong. However, they were at the Feng Luan palace, everyone here would believe anything the empress said, so they should just go along with her.

After they brought Qin Jiu back to the residence, they could scold and punish her as their wish, as it was their own family affair. The empress, that would know about this issue could not punish them for their wrongdoings as it was not her responsibility.

Su smiled apologetically: “My highness, it is my..….”

She wanted to stand in for Lady Qin, yet she was harshly interrupted by the Empress:

“Someone, please take them to meet the imperial noble consort.”

In front of such an audience, the Empress did not even care about Lady Qin’s feelings

Lady Qin, Su and Qing Xin felt that the gaze from the people around them was like a needle poking on their faces, their faces turned bright red.

Qing Xi looked stiff, she was ashamed and angered.

This was the first time Qing Xi met Empress Wei after Qin Jiu’s return. Previously, Empress Wei would still treat her nicely as she was the daughter of her sister, this was her first time facing the empress’s cold treatment.

“Lady Qin, Lady Su, Miss Qin, please.” A round-faced palace maid with a flat attitude, stretched out her hand and signaled them to move.

“……” Lady Qin was trying to make eye contact with Qin Jiu.

Qin Jiu held a napkin in her hand and wiped away her nonexistent tears, she didn’t even bother to look at Lady Qin, “Sob……”

“Grandma only trusts my second sister, she didn’t believe me at all..….”

Her shoulders trembled, accompanied with an innocent look.

The round-faced palace maid walked closer to the three from the Qin family, her smile deepened, yet her gaze was still ice cold.

Su was sure that if they didn’t leave, Empress Wei would embarrass them further.

Su secretly tugged on Lady Qin’s arm, the three of them gloomily left the Feng Luan palace with the palace maid.

The three of them could feel the intense gaze from the others coming from behind them, and their faint laugh as they mocked them.

Lady Qin couldn’t balance herself as she walked, the Qin’s family reputation is ruined!

The empress ignored the three of them, she proudly glanced at Qin Jiu, this little girl is truly intelligent.

It was obvious that Lady Qin wanted Qin Jiu to plead for them. Qin Jiu’s last name is Qin, and she was her granddaughter, if she ignored her grandma’s request, then the blame would be on her. But now, everything was different.

In the meantime, more noble women started coming in to greet the Empress, and the main hall appeared to be more lively.

The empress was having a casual conversation with the noble women, seeing as there were many girls in the hall, she smiled and said to the second princess: “Xin an, you should bring some of the girls to tour around the royal garden, go on a relaxing walk and admire the flowers in the garden.”

The second princess, Xin An was only fifteen years old, her biological mother died of labor dystocia, and she was under the care of Empress Wei since young.

Xin An was wearing a red butterfly patterned silk dress, her hair was tied with a crescent moon hairpin. She looked sweet and beautiful and had a gentle smile on her oval-shaped face.

She stood up and invited Qin Jiu to come along, she stepped out of the Feng Luan palace with a group of ladies.