While the Emperor and his guests had lunch in the Imperial Gardens, other lunches were being served throughout the palace.
Emperor Zinj's concubines sulked as they dined on their favorite foods. They were never invited to formal or official events. And any event involving Emperor Zinj was a formal event. But he'd taken pains to ensure that no one concubine felt that she was favored over another. So, none of them would be allowed to meet the Lady Empress or her mother. Very few had even met the Crown Prince either.
Jztonna had lunch alone in her quarters as she plotted the Lady Empress Rowena's downfall. She was no fool. She'd seen the way the Crown Prince looked at his wife. The only way anyone else would ever have a place in his heart is if his wife was deceased. Even then, it likely wouldn't be love. But a lonely and grieving man would need some stress relief. And Jztonna knew just how to console a grieving man.
