Luo Hong watched as the Prince before her slowly knelt towards the ground, a surging tide of jealousy and hatred within her heart.
Suddenly, a figure blocked her view.
Ji Zizhao moved impassively to stand before Luo Hong and gently extended her hand, "Miss Luo Hong, your silver hairpin is askew."
Luo Hong grew even more incensed. Her Prince had disregarded all decorum to kneel, yet Ji family's eldest daughter was concerned with an insignificant item like a silver hairpin. It was truly...
A faint, delicate fragrance suddenly enveloped her entire being.
When Luo Hong came to her senses again, Ji Zizhao's outstretched arms had already brushed past her ears, lightly helping to adjust the silver hairpin.
Disgust surged within Luo Hong, and she instinctively tried to step back.
However, Ji Zizhao moved faster, ducking her head close to Luo Hong's ear, a smile playing on her lips. She moved her lips, her voice like a gentle breeze.
Her ethereal voice, interspersed with each word, blew into Luo Hong's ears like a needle. Before Luo Hong could even react, she felt her body sway.
Around them, it had become quiet without anyone knowing when.
Even Xie Jingzhou, who had been continuously apologizing and admitting fault, was silent.
Luo Hong, in the midst of the silence, suddenly came back to herself. She then realized the people around were still staring at her, lost in thought. Looking ahead, Luo Hong nearly stumbled, almost collapsing to the ground.
She saw that the Fifth Prince, who should have been kneeling before Ji Zizhao, was now kneeling before her!
Everything had happened too suddenly.
And so...
Everyone was somewhat stunned.
Xie Jingzhou, kneeling on the ground, looked at Luo Hong, who stood before him stunned like a goose. Though he did not speak words of blame, a sharp, fierce glint flashed in his narrow eyes.
The first to recover was Madam Lin Wanyun, the eldest madam. "I've long heard that there is a loyal lady named Luo Hong by the Fifth Prince's side. Today, I finally witnessed what it means to be eager to protect one's master."
How could the other madams not understand the meaning behind such words of reconciliation?
They might not have great abilities, but they were capable of speaking well. Seeing that the eldest madam had initiated, they quickly chimed in, two or three at a time, all praising Luo Hong's loyalty and thoughtfulness, and not forgetting to flatter Consort Xi in the palace.
Xie Jingzhou knelt on the ground, embarrassed and filled with anger that Ji Zizhao had escaped unscathed. However, the situation had now developed to this point, and it was impossible for him to force Ji Zizhao to return with him by kneeling.
"I have come here today, firstly, to seek Zizhao's forgiveness, and secondly, to pay respects to the heroic spirits of the Ji family's men. I implore the madams to lead the way." Xie Jingzhou looked at the surrounding madams pitifully, his voice choked with emotion several times.
Such genuine emotion, such piety that moved heaven and earth, even Ji Zixiu, who stood beside them, was bewildered. "Eldest Sister, isn't the Fifth Prince a bit too sentimental?"
If one didn't know better, they would think his entire family had perished.
Ji Zizhao felt waves of disgust surge within her. The culprit now dared to wish to pay respects to the heroic spirits of the Ji family's men. He was not afraid of being haunted by the vengeful spirits of the Ji family.
Alas, she did not have the right or the confidence to openly fall out with the Fifth Prince at this moment.
This was the ridiculousness and helplessness of supreme imperial power.
Since he wished to feign sincerity, she would indulge him. This way, he could quickly roll out of her sight.
"Fifth Prince, this way please." Suppressing the urge to kill this scumbag with her bare hands, Ji Zizhao turned and headed towards the mourning hall.
The younger daughters of the Ji family quickly followed their eldest sister's retreating figure.
Madam Lin Wanyun, unable to ignore the awkwardness of the Fifth Prince kneeling to her servant, turned and led the others slowly towards the mourning hall, aiming to alleviate the situation subtly.
Only when people had moved some distance away did Xie Jingzhou lower his voice and say, "Help me up quickly!"
Luo Hong hurried forward a few steps and helped the Fifth Prince up. Together, they walked towards the Ji family's mourning hall.
Xie Jingzhou's eyes, filled with a fierce, shifting glare, occasionally assessed Luo Hong by his side. Even his voice was like poison, chilling her to the bone. "Luo Hong, you are becoming more useless by the day! Mother Consort once praised you for your efficiency, yet I didn't know you were worse than a dog."
If Luo Hong hadn't ruined things just now, Ji Zizhao would have been speechless and would have obediently agreed to return to the Fifth Prince's residence with him.
Xie Jingzhou did not consider his words harsh. What difference was there between someone who wanted to achieve great things but couldn't even be ruthless, and a useless person?
Luo Hong's lips turned pale, and she explained with grievance, "Your Highness misunderstands. It wasn't me, it was... it was the Ji family's eldest daughter..."
Just moments ago, when Ji Zizhao had approached her, she had whispered in her ear, 'Don't you always like your Prince? If so, shall I fulfill your wish?' Then, she had inexplicably found herself standing before the Fifth Prince.
Luo Hong dared not repeat these words to the Fifth Prince, but she was certain that what had just happened was Ji Zizhao's doing!
Xie Jingzhou listened to Luo Hong's confident assertion but did not believe her at all. He had been present at the scene just moments ago. If Ji Zizhao had truly done something, how could it have escaped his notice?
"Luo Hong, I warn you to be more shrewd. Don't forget our purpose for coming to the Ji family. What happened just now was the first and last time." He was not unaware of Luo Hong's infatuation. He just hadn't expected Luo Hong to be so bold as to disrupt his plan.
Luo Hong felt deeply wronged and wanted to explain further, but the Ji family's mourning hall was already close at hand.
Within the mourning hall were the ceremonial clothes of the Ji family's men. Xie Jingzhou entered without any pressure, kneeling before each memorial tablet of the Ji family's men and pouring out his heart. When he became emotional, he even shed tears.
There were no ugly men in the royal family; every prince was exceptionally handsome.
Although Xie Jingzhou was somewhat cowardly, his handsome face nevertheless inspired pity. It was for this reason that the common people in the city, despite knowing that the Fifth Prince was weak and timid, could not bring themselves to dislike him.
Xie Jingzhou knew his strengths very well. Therefore, even with his back to the Ji family's female relatives, he could imagine that those women were already moved by his appearance.
In fact, Xie Jingzhou's thoughts were not entirely wrong. The Ji family's female relatives did not have a bad impression of him. It was precisely because of this that they were so surprised when Ji Zizhao returned to the Ji family.
But the problem was that the warmth of the Fourth Prince was still lingering in the Ji family.
As the saying goes, comparisons are odious.
Compared to the Fourth Prince's gentle jade-like demeanor, the Fifth Prince's wailing was...
Rather unbearable to watch.
The madams, unable to bear watching the Fifth Prince weeping uncontrollably, began to chat quietly.
Ji Zixiu, who could no longer hold back, also leaned close to her eldest sister and whispered, "Eldest Sister, I've solved the second riddle you gave me. When will you give me the third one?"
Ji Zizhao smiled with satisfaction. "Shall I have Xinlan send it to you a little later?"
Ji Zixiu was already becoming impatient.
"What riddle?" Ji Ziyan asked curiously.
She had already heard from the maids that their second sister often tinkered with a small medicine bottle in her room. It was normal for sisters to have their own secrets, but the key point was that the person who could keep their second sister confined to her room was their eldest sister, which made her curious.
Ji Zixiu said mysteriously, "What does a child know so much for?"
Ji Ziyan: "..."
You're only a year older than me, aren't you?
Ji Zizhao looked at Ji Zixiu's smug expression, and a rare smile touched her lips.
In fact, she had originally prepared that item for her second sister. However, her second sister was still too restless, and it would be more prudent to let her temper her character a bit longer.
Outside the mourning hall, the Ji family's female relatives were happily chatting. On the Su Dan Novel Network.
Inside the mourning hall, Xie Jingzhou's face had long since turned as black as ink.
Normally, whenever he displayed a weak, beast-like expression, whether it was a young lady or a madam from an official family, or even a consort in the palace, they would all shower him with affection and pity.
His father had paid attention to him all these years precisely because he was best at capturing people's tender spots.
But now, these Ji family female relatives were ignoring him, who was crying heaven and earth, and were all chatting in twos and threes. Faced with such a stark contrast, how could Xie Jingxi not be angry?
Were the Ji family's eyes blind?!
A surge of anger blocked his chest. Xie Jingxi glanced at the cold ground and, deciding to go all out, closed his eyes.
Luo Hong, who was also indignant on behalf of her Prince, watched as her Prince swayed and fell towards the ground, her face turning ashen with fear.
"Your Highness! Your Highness, what is wrong?"