Nanny Gui quickly had the Emperor and the Ji family summoned to the Imperial Palace.
The various ladies-in-waiting, who had been in the palace paying their respects to the Empress, now sat in their chairs, their hearts stirring with a thirst for gossip.
They signaled to each other with their eyes:
"Leave?"
"Don't leave!"
"A chance to see some Ji family drama? How rare is that!"
"The Ji family is usually so harmonious. Who ever gets to see a scandal in the Prime Minister's household?"
"The Lord Imperial Censor will have plenty to write about tomorrow."
They didn't leave, and the Empress didn't send them away, so everyone just continued to sit there.
...
The moment Mother Ji entered the palace, she instantly understood what had happened.
'I knew it. Back when Ji Xiaosong was born, I should have watched her get dashed to death with my own eyes!'
After Mr. Ji and Mother Ji paid their respects to the Emperor and Empress, they were not permitted to be seated.
