Jiang Yunsan sat among the crowd, listening to the subtly complimentary words from ladies of formerly noble status.
At the seventy-year grand birthday celebration of the Elderly Lady from the Mansion of Duke of Garrison Commander, with her past identity, she naturally would not have been qualified to attend. But now?
Jiang Yunsan looked around her, feeling quite pleased with herself. Now, who would dare to look down on her?
Little did she know, those truly noble young ladies in the distance were whispering to each other, "Is this the common-born young miss from the Grand General's Mansion? She's nothing special after all. Who knows what stroke of luck she had to catch the Imperial Family's eye."
"Indeed, she truly has been transformed from a sparrow into a phoenix now."
"Her Royal Highness the Eldest Princess, accompanied by Princess Qingyang, has arrived!"
With that announcement, the bustling parlor quieted down instantly, and the Elderly Lady, now over seventy years old, personally got up to welcome the arrival of the Eldest Princess.
On seeing this, Jiang Yunsan clenched the handkerchief in her hand tightly. When she had arrived, that old woman had barely even glanced at her, merely sending a daughter-in-law to receive her.
And there was Jiang Lingzhen, as soon as she walked in, those who were originally gathered around her instantly flocked to her side.
Jiang Yunsan could even see many people glancing back and forth between herself and Jiang Lingzhen, obviously comparing the two of them.
She looked down at her own clothing—it was new, made from fabric bestowed by the palace, and was indeed fine among the guests. But it still couldn't compare to the tribute fabric Jiang Lingzhen was wearing.
Nowadays, with only one biological sister left, whenever she obtained anything rare, almost all of it was sent to the Elder Princess Mansion. And since the Eldest Princess cherished her daughter like a treasure, all those rare items were practically all used on Princess Qingyang, Jiang Lingzhen.
Jiang Yunsan overheard the women beside her discussing that the Eastern Pearl embellishing the tip of Princess Qingyang's shoe was a treasure recently presented by the King of the Northeast. The Empress received a pair, the Empress Dowager, who was devoted to Buddhist practice, received a pair, and another was in the hands of the Eldest Princess.
Little did they know, they had actually been used to decorate the tips of Jiang Lingzhen's shoes!
Just that pair of Eastern Pearls stole the spotlight from all the ladies present, not to mention other treasures on Princess Qingyang, which were all rare and hard to find.
Jiang Yunsan felt all the sneers directed at her and couldn't stay a moment longer. She told the people around her that she needed to take a walk outside.
Unknown to her, when her birth mother came over and she didn't stand up to greet her but instead avoided her, many saw it and inwardly snickered at how truly a concubine-born daughter lacked manners.
When the Crown Prince arrived, his eyes immediately found Gu Shengyin among the women.
He had always thought Jiang Lingzhen would be his future wife, and although he found her a bit too prim and proper in his presence, overall, he was quite pleased with his betrothed.
Little did he know that with a single imperial edict from his father, Jiang Yunsan was granted to him as a concubine.
The moment he heard the imperial edict, he wondered, if cousin Ah Zhen didn't marry him, who else would she marry? And who would his future Crown Princess Consort be?
Women like Jiang Yunsan, he could have as many as he wanted. But a beauty like Jiang Lingzhen, there were few in the entire Tianqi Dynasty, and even fewer with such a noble status and an untouchable air about them—Jiang Lingzhen was the only one.
Ji Ye watched Gu Shengyin, who was like the moon surrounded by stars in the crowd, with eyes full of fiery passion. Such beauty, apart from himself, the future Emperor, who was qualified to possess her?
This display of his affection was also quietly noted by onlookers.