Xinlan did not understand Luohong's panic, but she still nodded.
Luohong seemed truly anxious and quickly added, "His Highness the Fifth Prince drank too much in the guest courtyard. Hurry and buy some hangover soup from the street."
Xinlan glanced back at Yongmei in the woodshed, "But..."
Luohong's face turned cold, "No 'buts.' Do as I say. If something truly happens to His Highness the Fifth Prince in your Ji family, how will your Ji family bear the responsibility?"
It was common knowledge in the imperial city that the eldest daughter of the Ji family was to marry into the Fifth Prince's mansion. Xinlan, afraid this incident would affect her young lady's relationship with the Fifth Prince, hastily nodded and ran off.
Only after Xinlan had disappeared from sight did Luohong open the door to the woodshed. "His Highness the Fifth Prince wants to see you."
Yongmei's heart trembled, and her cheeks involuntarily began to flush.
Luohong saw through Yongmei's thoughts at a glance, and a deep disgust churned within her.
However, no matter how unwilling Luohong was, she dared not disobey the Fifth Prince's orders. She still brought Yongmei to the guest courtyard.
Following Luohong's instructions, Yongmei bravely pushed open the door. "Your servant, Yongmei, comes to pay respects to His Highness the Fifth Prince..."
Inside the room, Xie Jingzhou was leaning on the bed, his eyes hazy. He wore only the imperial python robe, which further highlighted his status and handsome bearing. Su Dan Novel Network.
As if hearing Yongmei's voice, Xie Jingzhou slowly looked over. "Come here."
Yongmei took a few steps forward bravely. She had initially thought Luohong's words were merely an excuse to send Xinlan away, but seeing now that the Fifth Prince was indeed drunk, she began, "Your Highness the Fifth Prince, drinking excessively harms your health. Your servant..."
Before she could finish speaking, Xie Jingzhou grabbed her hand.
Yongmei froze, feeling as if her heart would leap out of her throat. "Your Highness the Fifth Prince, you are truly drunk..."
Xie Jingzhou chuckled foolishly. "Drunk? If I weren't drunk, how could I see you?"
Yongmei was stunned again, her eyes widening in disbelief.
But just as a silent joy began to spread in her heart, the name Xie Jingzhou called out brought her back to reality. "Zizhao, when will you stop disliking me, and when will you understand my intentions?"
Only then did Yongmei realize she had been mistaken for her young lady.
However, before she could explain, her arm was suddenly held tight. When Yongmei reacted again, she was already being pressed onto the bed by Xie Jingzhou.
Yongmei trembled all over. "Your Highness the Fifth Prince, your servant..."
Xie Jingzhou no longer gave her time to speak and roughly sealed her mouth.
Luohong, standing outside the door, heard the commotion from inside. Humiliated and unwilling, her eyes reddened, but she bit her lip tightly and lifted her face, preventing the tears welling up in her eyes from falling.
After Chen Shi had passed, Ji Zizhao walked silently with the female members of the Ji family towards the city gates.
Though they were reluctant to bid farewell to the men of the Ji family, amidst their sorrow, they felt an unprecedented sense of emptiness.
It was only at this moment that the younger daughters of the Ji family understood the words their eldest sister had spoken.
The Ji family had no one to rely on. If they wished to continue navigating this turbulent era, they would have to stand on their own.
They truly needed to grow up quickly.
Yang Lang had been walking silently at the very end. As they approached the city gates, he stopped.
Ji Zizhao seemed to sense something and looked back, seeing her maternal uncle preparing to mount his horse.
Assisting her mother, Ji Zizhao spoke first, "Uncle, are you returning?"
Yang Lang nodded. "The men of the Ji family have been buried. I should return now."
The First Madam, Lin Wanyun, felt a thousand unspoken sentiments of reluctance towards her brother, but no words could escape her lips. She could only gaze at him tearfully.
Seeing his sister's sorrowful and deeply reluctant expression, Yang Lang also felt a pang in his heart. "Now that the Ji family has no men to lead, although you, as the matriarch, must personally handle everything, remember to take care of your own health. If you have time, bring Zizhao home to visit. Father and Mother miss you dearly."
The First Madam Lin Wanyun nodded tearfully.
Yang Lang then walked up to Ji Zizhao and gently stroked her head. "Our Zizhao is truly a young lady now. With this, I can rest assured even if I leave."
Ji Zizhao narrowed her eyes slightly, feeling the warmth emanating from her uncle.
After a long moment, she signaled to Qingzhu beside her.
Qingzhu stepped forward and handed over a bundle.
Yang Lang was about to refuse when Ji Zizhao spoke first, "It's just some provisions for the journey. If Uncle refuses even this, how can my mother and I send you off with peace of mind?"
Yang Lang looked at the moderately sized bundle, thinking it likely contained only some dried food. He no longer stood on ceremony, slung it onto his back, mounted his horse, and after a lingering, reluctant glance at his sister and niece, he rode away.
However, not long after Yang Lang set off, he found the bundle on his back digging into his shoulder painfully.
With no other choice, he tightened the reins and took down the bundle.
To his surprise, upon opening it, Yang Lang was so shocked he nearly fell off his horse.
Inside, not only were there ingots of a hundred taels of silver, but also a thick stack of banknotes. Looking at the small pouches interspersed within, they were filled with handfuls of loose silver.
From smallest to largest, no detail was missed.
It was evident that all his expenses, from lodging to travel, had been meticulously prepared.
Yang Lang: "..."
Is his niece really this wealthy?
Yang Lang turned back helplessly, but the Ji family's female contingent was already out of sight.
Although the men of the Ji family had been laid to rest, the people of the imperial city were still immersed in the grandeur of the funeral procession, unable to extricate themselves.
Soon, the news reached the imperial palace.
In the Imperial Study, Emperor Xiaochang listened to his ministers' counsel in silence for a long time.
The common people's faith and admiration for the Ji family had not surprised Emperor Xiaochang.
It was precisely because the Ji family was so beloved by the people that Emperor Xiaochang had impulsively given the military token to the Second Prince, intending for the Second Prince to curb the Ji family's influence.
Who would have thought...
The Second Prince not only failed to curb the Ji family but also led nearly one hundred thousand of his own troops to their doom.
"It was unexpected that the daughters of the Ji family would surpass the men. With all their male family members gone, they can still attract both the Fourth Prince and the Fifth Prince to pay their respects. Moreover, I hear that today the Seventh Prince even sent members of the dissenting Ji family branches to the Fengtian Prefecture to clear the way for the Ji family," the Left Prime Minister praised with admiration.
Emperor Xiaochang had long heard that the Fourth and Fifth princes had gone to the Ji family.
However, this was natural. He had already rehabilitated the Ji family, and it was pleasing to him that the princes went to pay their respects.
As for the Seventh...
Emperor Xiaochang couldn't help but reveal a smile. "I didn't expect the Seventh to have a serious side. That's rather rare."