Xie Jingzhou suppressed the thoughts in his heart and let Luohong enter.
Luohong handed over the invitation in her hand, "The Empress Dowager's seventieth birthday is the day after tomorrow. The invitation list this time consists of royal relatives and nobles, which is a good opportunity for His Highness to secretly build connections."
Xie Jingzhou took the invitation, his gloomy eyes fixed on it for a long time.
After a while, he spoke with an uncertain expression, "Luohong, your boldness is growing."
The invitation listed many names, but there was a small blank space after his. It was obvious that someone had erased the names that came after his.
Now, no matter how much Ji Zizhao clamored for a divorce, as long as he did not give her a letter of reconciliation or a letter of divorce, Ji Zizhao would remain the secondary consort of the Fifth Prince's mansion.
Luohong's actions were as clear as day.
As long as Ji Zizhao did not accompany him to the palace to celebrate the Empress Dowager's birthday, everyone in the palace would know that they were living a loveless marriage. This way, even if he valued his reputation, he would have to give Ji Zizhao a letter of divorce.
"Luohong, who gave you the courage to start calculating even against me?" Xie Jingzhou's cold gaze flickered with killing intent, looking at Luohong, who had been by his side for many years, as if she were a stranger, devoid of emotion.
Luohong, terrified, knelt on the ground. "Your Highness, this servant merely felt that that good-for-nothing from the Ji family was not worth you wasting so much time and energy on!"
Xie Jingzhou lowered his eyes, his gaze icy. "My affairs are not for you to decide. Since you like to meddle so much, I will send you back to the palace tomorrow. That cesspool of a palace will give you plenty of opportunities to meddle." Sudian Novel Network
Luohong's face turned pale, and she grabbed Xie Jingzhou's ankle. "Your Highness, please don't. This servant knows she was wrong, truly knows she was wrong. Please give this servant another chance..."
Xie Jingzhou looked at Luohong, who was crying profusely, unmoved.
However, Luohong's actions did give him an idea.
"Instead of crying, hurry up and fill in the name crossed out on this invitation. Send it to the Ji family tomorrow morning. You must find a way to make Ji Zizhao accept the invitation." His second brother has not returned to the city yet, and it is still uncertain whether the Ji family will fall into ruin. He absolutely cannot alert them at this moment.
Xie Jingzhou did not think that maintaining his relationship with Ji Zizhao was troublesome. Even if the Ji family eventually declined, Ji Zizhao would merely be a plaything for him to keep or discard as he pleased.
Luohong looked at the invitation that had fallen before her. Despite her reluctance, she gritted her teeth and clutched it tightly.
As the Empress Dowager's birthday drew nearer, Emperor Xiaochang, who was known for his filial piety, personally decreed that the palace should hold a grand celebration. The matter of the Second Prince being trapped on Phoenix Mountain was not easily discovered, and now it was completely overshadowed by the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet.
Empress Zhong was feeling unwell. The Fourth Prince personally pleaded with the Emperor to move into the palace from his residence to care for the Empress's health. Emperor Xiaochang, moved by the Fourth Prince's filial piety, granted his request.
Ji Zizhao had just paid her respects to the old madam when Xinlan told her about the rumors in the imperial city. "I never thought the Fourth Prince would be such a filial person."
Ji Zizhao remained silent, focusing on the path ahead.
After the death of her son, Empress Zhong had adopted the Fourth Prince and the Seventh Prince. This was common knowledge in the imperial city. Empress Zhong's poor health was also no secret. However, it was suspicious that Empress Zhong's illness chose this opportune moment to flare up, and the Fourth Prince took this chance to move into the palace to care for her. It seemed too coincidental.
She suspected that caring for her was a pretense, and the real intention was to gather information within the palace.
Ji Zizhao did not expect the relationship between the Fourth Prince and Empress Zhong to be so good.
So good that they could be so candid about such a secret matter.
Yongmei stood anxiously looking out in the Zhaoyuan courtyard. Seeing Ji Zizhao enter, she rushed forward with a smile. "Miss, tomorrow is the Empress Dowager's birthday. Why don't I accompany you out this afternoon to choose a suitable birthday gift for the Empress Dowager?"
Ji Zizhao's footsteps did not falter, as if she had not heard Yongmei.
Xinlan, on the other hand, asked curiously, "What does the Empress Dowager's birthday have to do with us?"
The Emperor was filial, and the Empress Dowager celebrated her birthday every year. However, the Empress Dowager disliked noisy crowds, so in previous years, the Emperor only invited royal relatives and nobles. Other ministers were not eligible to attend the banquet, not even the Old Master when he was alive.
Yongmei, hearing Xinlan's question, said with pride, "How could it have nothing to do with me? I just received an invitation from the Fifth Prince's mansion, stating that Miss will accompany the Fifth Prince to attend the Empress Dowager's birthday tomorrow."
Ji Zizhao suddenly stopped, a wave of disgust rising in her heart.
As long as the Second Prince did not return to the city, the Emperor would not see the military dispatch and could not pass judgment on the Ji family. Someone like the Fifth Prince, who sought stability, would want to keep her in check at this time. If anything happened to the Second Prince, the Fifth Prince could keep her by his side to continue harming the Ji family.
Xinlan looked at the invitation held up by Yongmei and was terrified. "Yongmei, how could you accept the invitation without informing Miss? Are you crazy!"
Yongmei smiled and approached Ji Zizhao, saying indifferently, "Being able to enter the palace to celebrate the Empress Dowager's birthday is something others would beg for. I accepted the invitation for your own good."
Ji Zizhao looked at the unrepentant and even disrespectful Yongmei, her eyes flashing with intense ferocity. If it weren't for the fact that she was using Yongmei to keep the Fifth Prince hooked, she would have dealt with this ungrateful wretch with her own hands long ago.
Suppressing the killing intent in her heart, Ji Zizhao looked at Yongmei and curled her lips. "You are right, the Empress Dowager's birthday is indeed something others cannot obtain. Since you accepted the invitation, you will take the invitation and attend the Empress Dowager's birthday tomorrow."
Yongmei did not expect her miss to dare refuse even the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet and immediately panicked.
She could no longer smile and knelt before Ji Zizhao. "Miss, this servant was wrong. This servant truly considered you, and had no selfish motives..."
Xinlan, seeing the foolish Yongmei, was also anxious. "Yongmei, you are too muddle-headed. Miss's matters should be decided by Miss herself. How can you be so presumptuous?"
Yongmei turned and looked at Xinlan with tearful eyes. "I just wanted Miss to become someone of high status in the imperial city. I never thought Miss would be angry. I had no ill intentions!"
Ji Zizhao coldly watched Yongmei, who was displaying her loyalty to the fullest, and nearly vomited from disgust.
As expected of a good servant trained by the Fifth Prince, she could now lie without even blushing.
"Since you are so loyal, you may kneel. If you can kneel from dawn till dusk, then I will accept the invitation." With that, Ji Zizhao turned and entered the room, instructing Xinlan to keep an eye on Yongmei, as she did not want this ungrateful wretch to see Lianju inside the house.