Did the seventh consort pay for his company?

Hua Jing barely had time to open her mouth to retort when a sharp voice cut through the air.

"Well, well, well… what do we have here?"

A nobleman, dressed in fine robes and a belly that suggested he enjoyed more than his fair share of feasts, strode toward them. His gaze flickered between Hua Jing and Zhao Yan, sharp with judgment.

His eyes settled on Hua Jing, and a look of utter disgust contorted his face.

"Seventh Consort," he spat, his tone dripping with disdain, "I thought you had some shame, but I see now I was gravely mistaken!"

Hua Jing blinked.

What?

The nobleman sneered. "To think that the honored Seventh Consort would be sneaking around in the dark with some man—without even a hint of remorse! Shameless! Utterly shameless!"

They were now calling her a honorable consort because she was now a part of royalty but when she was still staying here they all looked down on her for being an illegitimate daughter!