Shadows flickered outside the door just then.
Even without opening it, Ji Zizhao knew who was standing there.
"Send her off," Ji Zizhao said, pushing his chest. In truth, whether Princess Wenhui was sent off or not was not her concern; she simply wasn't accustomed to being so close to him.
Xie Jinglan, however, tightened his embrace, forcing Ji Zizhao to move even closer to him.
What should have been an unfamiliar presence had become intimately familiar.
Ji Zizhao, "..."
Why was this happening out of the blue?
Xie Jinglan turned his head, his thin lips brushing her delicate, slender neck. "As expected, I can't be away from you for too long. We've grown distant so quickly?"
Ji Zizhao's lips twitched. She didn't recall ever being this close to him.
Xie Jinglan gently caressed the skin on her neck with his lips, half-jokingly saying, "Why don't I take you with me wherever I go from now on?"
Her neck felt intensely itchy. Ji Zizhao pushed against his chest again. "As an official of the court, I cannot be absent without leave."
Xie Jinglan stepped back, this time not approaching further. He looked at her eyes, slightly shimmering in the candlelight, and smiled. "When Xiao Qi returns, it will be fine."
Ji Zizhao furrowed her brow. What did the Seventh Prince have to do with this?
Xie Jinglan raised a hand and gently smoothed the stray hairs by her cheek. "When Xiao Qi returns, I can escort you to my mansion with a grand procession. Historically, court officials have a month's leave for their wedding."
Ji Zizhao, "..."
Bring me my great saber!
Xie Jinglan seized the opportunity, stepping forward and suddenly embracing Ji Zizhao's shoulders.
Before Ji Zizhao could react, a kiss landed on her forehead.
Princess Wenhui, who had been waiting outside the door, clenched her hands hidden in her sleeves. Watching the shadow on the window, her fingernails dug deep into her palms.
However, as the door opened, Princess Wenhui immediately regained her usual composure.
As Xie Jinglan walked towards her, Princess Wenhui offered an apologetic smile to Ji Zizhao, who stood at the doorway. "My father worries I am unfamiliar with the temporary palace, so he has asked my Fourth Brother to look after me. My future Fourth Sister-in-law, please do not mind."
"His Highness the Fourth Prince and Princess Wenhui are like siblings; it is only fitting," Ji Zizhao said with a faint smile, bowed, and then turned to enter the sleeping quarters.
Princess Wenhui, "..."
She had never expected Ji Zizhao to truly take on the air of a mistress of the house!
Even without turning back, Ji Zizhao could imagine how wonderful Princess Wenhui's expression must be at that moment.
The Xie Jinglan she knew had always been someone who understood boundaries and knew when to advance and retreat.
Even though their wedding was imminent, he had never made any improper moves.
Yet today, he had changed his usual demeanor, and in front of Princess Wenhui, who was clearly waiting outside the door...
It was obvious that Xie Jinglan was deliberately putting on a show for Princess Wenhui.
If Princess Wenhui truly understood discretion, it would be fine. But if not...
She had no time to share her man with others.
The Lunar New Year was just a few days away. Knowing that the Emperor would be staying at the temporary palace for the festivities, the palace staff had risen before dawn to begin their cleaning.
Ji Zizhao lay on the bed, calculating. The temporary palace was not like the Imperial City; communicating with the outside was exceptionally difficult. Had Uncle Ting's medical clinic and herb garden proceeded smoothly?
However, she figured her fourth sister should have returned to the Imperial City by now. The Empress had also said the Emperor would not remain at the temporary palace for the Lantern Festival. By that calculation, when she returned to the Imperial City, her fourth sister should not have left home yet.
As for the estate, Ji Zizhao was not worried. Her third sister was no longer a pawn to be manipulated, and with the help of several aunts, it should be fine.
Drowsily, Ji Zizhao finally fell asleep.
To her surprise, Zhong Xinyi arrived early the next morning.
Seeing Ji Zizhao sitting at the round table eating breakfast, Zhong Xinyi was visibly relieved. "Seeing you still have an appetite for food puts my mind at ease." Soudan Novel Network
Ji Zizhao smiled at Zhong Xinyi.
Zhong Xinyi glanced around, and seeing no one nearby, leaned closer to Ji Zizhao and said, "Let me tell you, that Princess Wenhui is a jinx. You should stay far away from her, understand?"
This was the first time Ji Zizhao had heard Zhong Xinyi speak so ill of someone behind their back. "What, you don't like her?"
"It's strange, really. When I was little and accompanied my grandmother to the palace to visit my aunt, whenever I met Princess Wenhui, I would always make a mistake. Either I'd trip while walking or drop my bowl while eating. But when Princess Wenhui wasn't around, I never made a fool of myself. Later, I quietly inquired, and other princesses in the palace also had their share of bad luck when they were with Princess Wenhui."
If it weren't for Ji Zizhao, Zhong Xinyi wouldn't have brought up her childhood memories.
To put it nicely, it was a recollection. To put it bluntly, it was a history of her tears and blood each time she visited the palace.
Later, Zhong Xinyi became genuinely afraid. The moment she heard about going to the palace, she would cry. The elder Mrs. Zhong, doting on her granddaughter, gradually reduced the number of times she took Zhong Xinyi to the palace. Over time, Zhong Xinyi and the Empress grew distant.
Ji Zizhao, "..."
If it were one or two times, it could be a coincidence. But for something to happen every single time was perhaps too much of a coincidence.
Ji Zizhao had heard that although the Empress had no daughters, the consorts of the Second Prince and Eighth Prince both had daughters.
However, at that time, she had only vaguely heard her grandfather mention that the two princesses had married off early.
One remained in Xijing, and the other married into a border territory.
The marriages of royal female relatives were all tied to interests. It was natural for the two princesses to marry for the country. Yet, it was this Princess Wenhui, who was not related by blood, who not only escaped the shackles of arranged marriages but also traveled and studied medicine according to her own wishes...
While the Emperor's indulgence was undeniable, blood is thicker than water. The Emperor would not favor an outsider at the expense of his own daughter.
But somehow, this situation had truly occurred.
Ji Zizhao certainly did not believe this was Princess Wenhui's good fortune.
It could only mean that this Princess Wenhui was far more formidable than she appeared.
"And, and also..." Zhong Xinyi looked at Ji Zizhao with great hesitation. She had thought it all through last night, but the words wouldn't come out.
Ji Zizhao smiled. "Let's just be honest with each other."
Zhong Xinyi carefully observed Ji Zizhao's expression. Seeing that her mood was still good, she took a deep breath and said, "When we were little, Fourth Cousin was very fond of Princess Wenhui. He would find all sorts of delicious and fun things to send to Princess Wenhui. But later, as Princess Wenhui left the palace, it just faded away. Don't overthink it, that was all in the past."