"Oh my, looks like Miss Queenie isn't in a good mood today, is she?" Jenny Zhu grinned, all smug. "Well, what do you expect? You used to be 'second only to the Emperor, with everyone bowing at your feet.' Now you're nothing!"
"And soon, Mrs. Wan will be promoted, the Empress and Lady of Grace will both be official daughters, and you'll be even more of a nobody!" Jenny Zhu added, gloating.
"Miss Queenie, Miss Jenny, whether our Miss Chloe enters the palace or not, she's still the daughter of Prime Minister Zhu and the head of the Zhu family. It's not your place to mock her!" Claire couldn't stand it anymore.
Jenny Zhu glanced at Claire, smiling. "So what if she's the Prime Minister's daughter? For a woman, birth doesn't matter—marriage does! Your Miss Chloe is useless. She'll end up as someone's concubine or marry an old geezer. We'll mock her all we want! What are you gonna do about it?"
"That's nonsense!" Claire was so angry she was grinding her teeth.
Jenny Zhu, seeing Claire riled up, got even more excited and pointed at Queenie Zhu: "But Queenie is different! She was the female champion in last year's Clan Tournament! If she wins first place at the upcoming marriage selection, she'll be the General's wife!"
Queenie Zhu's face lit up, clearly thrilled.
Looks like she really wants to be the General's wife, huh?
Grace rolled her eyes and said, "Well, I wish you luck! If you really become the General's wife by the Empress Dowager's decree, that'll bring honor to our Zhu family!"
"Hmph! Just you wait and see!" Jenny Zhu said, chin held high.
"Fine, I'll be waiting!" Grace stroked the fur on her Antler Serpent's head and said, "Now, can you move aside?"
Jenny Zhu reluctantly stepped aside.
Grace was about to squeeze through the crowd when Queenie Zhu suddenly shouted, "Hey! Wait!"
"What now?"
"What's that you've got? Is it an Antler Serpent?" Queenie Zhu spotted the beautiful Antler Serpent in Grace's arms and immediately took a liking to it.
"Yep!" Grace hugged it tighter. "Why?"
"It's actually pretty cute," Queenie Zhu bent down to get a closer look. "Is it your spirit pet?"
"That's right."
"It looks really smart..." Queenie Zhu's eyes flashed with greed. "Give it to me!"
Queenie Zhu has always loved snatching Grace's things since they were kids.
If it belongs to Grace, Queenie Zhu wants to snatch it!
"This is my spirit pet. Why should I give it to you?" Grace tried to stuff the Antler Serpent into her Sanctum.
But for some reason, no matter how hard she tried, it stayed outside.
"Because you're a loser!" Queenie Zhu sneered, completely unreasonable. "This world belongs to the strong. If you're weak, you deserve to lose your stuff!"
With that, she reached out to grab it.
"Stop!" Tenner and Edward Wang blocked Queenie Zhu. "Miss Queenie, aren't you afraid the Prime Minister will punish you if he finds out?"
"Get lost! You two mutts dare block me?" Queenie Zhu kicked both Edward Wang and Tenner, sending them flying.
The crowd finally shrieked and scattered.
Grace took a deep breath, torn between beating Queenie Zhu up or leaving first. But Queenie had already grabbed the Antler Serpent by the neck.
"Give it to me! Or I'll kill it and no one gets it!" Queenie Zhu's face twisted with malice.
"Let—go!" Grace's anger flared, her words sharp and cold.