Just like Jing Jiaren, Jing Rujiu took leave to return to the Divination Continent to participate in the Divination Conference when she was studying in the inner academy. Back then, Jing Ruge and Zhang Zhanyi also took leave and came to cheer for Jing Rujiu.
After seeing Yu Huang''s outfit tonight, the two of them recognized at a nce that the gown Yu Huang was wearing was the gown passed down to Jing Rujiu during the coronation ceremony.
Yu Huang''s appearance was simr to Jing Rujiu''s. As she stood in the magnificent banquet hall while wearing the same gown as Jing Rujiu, the couple thought that they had seen the young Jing Rujiu. At this moment, the other old experts who had personally witnessed Jing Rujiu''s coronation ceremony also recognized the origin of the gown Yu Huang was wearing.
They exchanged looks. There was probably going to be drama tonight.
Jing Rujiu was taboo to the Jing family and was the shame of Old Madam Jing''s life. Tonight was Old Madam Jing''s 500th birthday, but Yu Huang was wearing the same Saintess Descends gown Jing Rujiu wore. What was her motive?
After Jing Ruge returned to his senses, the corners of his mouth twitched stiffly as he said to Yu Huang, "Madam Yu Huang, your outfit for tonight is very stunning. I wonder which styling studio helped design your look?" He asked this because he wanted to know if it was the studio''s mistake or Yu Huang''s own idea.
If it was the former, it would be fine. If it was thetter, then Yu Huang''s motive was worth pondering.
Yu Huang smiled and was about to answer when she suddenly heard the bell ring.
It was eight o''clock sharp.
The birthday banquet was about to begin.
At this moment, Qingxi Momo, who was wearing a long ck butler''s dress, appeared in the high corridor on the second floor of the banquet hall. After she pulled the bell beside her and shook it, a pleasant bell sounded in the hall. Then, Qingxi Momo shouted loudly, "Old Madam is here!"
The birthday star''s appearance instantly captured the attention of all the guests.
Jing Ruge hurriedly excused herself and led Zhang Zhanyi to the spiral staircase.
Yu Huang lowered her eyes with a smile. Then, she also raised her head and looked towards the second floor.
On both sides of the banquet hall on the first floor, there was a spiral staircase connecting to the second floor. In the middle of the stairs on the second floor, there was a high corridor tform. Hand-carved golden railings were at the edge of the tform, giving it avish look. The birthday girl, Madam Jing, stood above the high corridor and stared at the guests below condescendingly.
Tonight, Madam Jing was wearing a long dress embroidered with silvery cranes. Her snow-white hair was curled and draped behind her shoulders. The 500-year-old Madam Jing looked to be in her forties and was still quite charming.
She had put on light makeup. There was a snowke-shaped essory in the middle of her forehead and a golden crown.
She looked like an ice queen standing on the peak of a snow mountain.
The moment she appeared, she attracted the attention of everyone present.
On Old Madam Jing''s right, there stood an aloof and cold figure. It was Jing Jiaren. Tonight, Jing Jiaren was wearing a custom tailored ck V-neck gown. Her princess-cut hairstyle made her face look as exquisite as that of a doll.
The grandmother and grandchild stood together. One represented the Jing family''s present, and the other symbolized the Jing family''s future.
Suddenly, the steward shouted loudly, "Madam, I hope you will be blessed and live a long life!"
Upon hearing this, all the guests turned to face Old Madam Jing.
The experts of the same generation cupped their fists and congratted Old Madam Jing. The younger generation bowed to congratte her. Even the President of the Starlight Empire and his wife bowed to Old Madam Jing.
That scene was truly spectacr.
As a junior, Yu Huang also bowed. Her congrattions were mixed with everyone''s elses voices, so it was impossible to discern.
Old Madam Jing ced her hands on the railing.<novelsnext></novelsnext>
She stared at the distinguished guests in the banquet hall below. At this moment, no matter who they were, they had to congratte her.
This was the status that absolute power gave her.
Old Madam Jing turned to look at Jing Jiaren with a meaningful gaze. Jing Jiaren looked calm, but she was actually shocked by the scene of the guests congratting the old woman on her birthday.
Power.
Status.
She wanted them all!
Undisguised ambition appeared in Jing Jiaren''s eyes. When Old Madam Jing saw the ambition in Jing Jiaren''s eyes, a mysterious smile appeared on her cold face.
"Esteemed guests, you''ve alle from afar. I apologize for not weing you guys properly." Old Madam Jing smiled as she said, "Please feel at home. Tonight, we''ll drink to our heart''s content and not return until we''re drunk!"
"Alright!"
The guests straightened up and began socializing.
Old Madam Jing brought Jing Jiaren downstairs.
Just as she reached the middle of the spiral staircase, Old Madam Jing suddenly heard Jing Jiaren say, "Grandma, Prime Emperor Divine Miracle is here too."
Upon hearing this, Old Madam Jing was surprised.
She thought that since her rtionship with Yu Huang had be so strained, Prime Emperor Divine Miracle wouldn''t attend her birthday banquet.
Old Madam Jing stopped in her tracks and looked in the direction Jing Jiaren indicated. Sure enough, she saw Song Ji, who was surrounded by people trying to curry favor with him.
Song Ji stood in the middle of the hall. Mo Xiao was standing on his left, and Si Cheng was standing behind him. The woman on his right, whose arm Song Ji was holding, was Yu Huang.
When Old Madam Jing saw Yu Huang''s appearance clearly, her pupils dted slightly. Tonight, Yu Huang was wearing the same style of makeup and gown as Jing Rujiu. She was tall and had phoenix eyes. As she stood in the banquet hall, she looked very simr to Jing Rujiu when she was young.
It would be difficult for even mother and daughter to have such simr temperaments and figures.
In an instant, she had a shback to more than a hundred years ago. Old Madam Jing seemed to have returned to the day when Jing Rujiu won first ce at the Divination Conference and was given the title of Saintess.
Jing Jiaren also saw Yu Huang.
Jing Jiaren didn''t recognize the gown, but she remembered her aunt''s voice and appearance deeply. Tonight, Yu Huang looked even more simr to her aunt than usual.
What was she trying to do?
"Grandma, calm down." Jing Jiaren reached out a hand to Old Madam Jing and held her hand as they walked down the spiral staircase. The grandmother and granddaughter walked towards Song Ji and the others at the same time.
Among all the guests tonight, the person with the highest status was Song Ji. Even though tonight''s banquet was Madam Jing''s home ground, Madam Jing still had to take the initiative to greet Song Ji.
"Divine Prime Emperor." Old Madam Jing stood outside the crowd as she shouted at Song Ji, who was surrounded by everyone.
Seeing that Old Madam Jing had taken the initiative to walk over, the other guests greeted Old Madam Jing and said a few words of blessing before leaving so that Old Madam Jing could chat with Song Ji.