Chapter 610: Did the Ji Family Fill Their Heads with Water?

Chapter 610: Chapter 610: Did the Ji Family Fill Their Heads with Water?

Just as Song Ci said, even without a prize, the young ladies present would still perform diligently. After over an hour, the results were laid out, and someone requested Princess Consort Ji and Prime Minister Song Ci to comment on who was the leader.

It’s something to offend people, but Song Ci can also choose not to do it, so he smiled and said, "These beautiful young ladies are all good in this old woman’s eyes. To really have this old woman pick a leader is difficult. How about this, we’ve all watched the performances, and each of us has the right to vote, so let’s vote."

"How exactly does this voting work?" Princess Anping asked curiously.

Song Ci smiled and said, "Naturally, everyone writes down who they think is the best, put it in a bowl, and after the voting ends, we’ll tally it up."

As for if anyone might write down their own name, that’s inevitable, but what’s the harm in that? Aren’t there extra people, like her, Song Ci, the Princess, and Princess Consort Ji, who are fair and impartial?

And those ladies who brought several girls to the banquet still only have one vote, so it’s hard to say who they’ll give it to.

Princess Anping thought this idea was good, and Princess Consort Ji didn’t say much seeing this, after all, she values talent the most. How to choose if everyone privately writes their own name?

So, everyone wrote a vote, folded it, and put it in a big bowl. Once the voting was complete, Princess Anping announced the count, and the one who became the leader was Sun Qingrou, the daughter of the Shuntian Prefecture official, a girl with crescent moon eyes.

Song Ci looked at Princess Consort Ji and saw that she didn’t have much joy on her face as she quietly sipped her tea.

Why Princess Consort Ji wasn’t happy, she could roughly guess, it was nothing more than thinking that Miss Sun’s background was too low. Her father was just a Fourth Rank official, how could she be a match for Prince Min?

She didn’t even consider what good it is to marry a wife of noble birth or even power, perhaps not only being overshadowed by the wife but also drawing the Emperor’s suspicion.

What’s the matter, does the Vassal King want to rebel by marrying a wife with such a strong backing?

Too bad, Princess Consort Ji couldn’t think of this.

Sun Qingrou being the leader naturally upset some people, especially the young ladies from the Ji Family brought by Ji Madam, who were eyeing those pieces of jewelry with envy, for the leader could choose three of their favorite prizes.

Those precious jewelry pieces were something they dreamed of.

Forgot to mention, the Ji Family was newly wealthy, but all of the men in their family took concubines, with quite a few legitimate and illegitimate children, resulting in tight economic conditions.

It’s said that some young ladies even have to share a courtyard, and their monthly allowance is only two taels of silver, with the illegitimate ones only getting one tael.

Without money in hand, naturally, there’s no extra money to buy much jewelry. Why else would they look so envious?

If it wasn’t for the voting suggested by Song Ci and the evaluation done by the Princess Consort, they might have received the leadership title and thus the jewelry.

For a moment, resentful gazes fell sharply on Song Ci.

Song Ci, being perceptive, immediately met those resentful eyes.

Really, why are you looking at me like I killed your father?

"Madam Song, with Prime Minister Song renowned for his knowledge, you must have his demeanor. Why don’t you share some wisdom with us? Let us juniors broaden our horizons?"

A young lady from the Ji Family named Ji Suqin looked at Song Ci and spoke.

"Indeed, since the first snow has fallen, why don’t you compose a poem, Madam, for us to admire?" added another, Ji Suyun.

Song Ci raised an eyebrow; are the Ji Family’s brains filled with water instead of brains?