Luo Hong stormed out of the Ji family estate. Just as she was about to board her carriage, the Fifth Prince's carriage drove past. Luo Hong promptly had her carriage return to her residence and pursued the Fifth Prince's carriage herself.
Yun Zheng, who was driving the carriage, caught sight of Luo Hong following behind and reported truthfully, "Your Highness, it's Miss Luo Hong."
Silence reigned in the carriage for a moment before Xie Jingzhou's emotionless voice emerged, "Continue driving."
Yun Zheng said no more and continued to drive the carriage as if he hadn't seen Luo Hong.
Xie Jingzhou raised a hand to lift the carriage curtain, his dark eyes filled with indifference as he watched Luo Hong, drenched in sweat, struggling behind. There was not a hint of gratitude, only disgust as he furrowed his brows.
His father was prone to suspicion. To help him evade his father's scrutiny and to secretly gather influence, his mother had him suppress his nature from a young age, feigning a pure and harmless demeanor. Over time, everything around him was arranged by his mother. However, his mother never asked him if he actually liked it. Just like this Luo Hong, who always acted as if she were the mistress of the household!
"Yun Zheng, slow down." Xie Jingzhou looked at Luo Hong, who was already gasping for breath, and suddenly recalled sending her to the Ji family today. The carriage gradually slowed.
Luo Hong finally caught up to the carriage. "This servant greets Your Highness."
Xie Jingzhou nodded before inquiring, "How was it at the Ji family?"
Luo Hong thought of the base expression Ji Zizhao had shown upon seeing the Fifth Prince's gifts and suppressed her jealousy and hatred. "The eldest daughter of the Ji family accepted the gifts, but she seemed a little unhappy, as if she blamed Your Highness for sending them late. She also said that most of the gifts Your Highness sent weren't to her liking..." Luo Hong slandered her thus, hoping to damage Ji Zizhao's image.
She never expected that Xie Jingzhou would not only be indifferent but that his tightly pursed lips would curve into a captivating arc. As long as Ji Zizhao accepted what he sent, it was good. Moreover, the more difficult a woman was, the more she cared about that man.
There was still some time before his second brother's return. He had to use Ji Zizhao to stabilize Sun Yunxiao. "It's almost the seventh day of the seventh month. Send an invitation to the eldest daughter of the Ji family, saying I invite her for a boat ride." Xie Jingzhou felt that this Ji Zizhao was not as worthless as rumored. He wanted to eliminate the Ji family, but if Ji Zizhao was truly intelligent, keeping her around wouldn't be bad.
The Crown Prince of Yulin had not yet been established, and all the princes were coveting the throne. At such a crucial time, he would not miss any valuable or exploitable person.
Luo Hong's heart felt as if it were being pricked by needles. "Your Highness's intentions, I fear the eldest daughter of the Ji family may not understand."
"Luo Hong, what exactly are you trying to say?"
"Your Highness, you may not know, but this servant was ordered by Your Highness to go to the Ji family today. I never expected that not only would no one from the Ji family come to greet me, but the eldest daughter of the Ji family also spoke wildly, not only slandering and belittling Your Highness but also giving this servant a cold shoulder. I am but a servant and do not care, but for the eldest daughter of the Ji family to act this way is to tarnish Your Highness's reputation..." Luo Hong did not want the Fifth Prince to have any good impression of the Ji family's good-for-nothing. However, before she could finish speaking, the carriage that had been moving forward stopped at the entrance of the Fifth Prince's mansion. At this moment, the guards who should have been guarding the entrance were all slumped on the steps, in disarray. Only a heroic and valiant woman could be seen standing at the mansion entrance with a cold gaze.
Xie Jingzhou dismounted from the carriage, supported by Yun Zheng. His demeanor had already shifted from timid and cowardly. Upon seeing the woman at the mansion entrance, he trembled and cried out, "Who... who are you... What... what do you want?"
The woman on the steps walked down step by step and cupped her fists at Xie Jingzhou. "I am Qing Zhu. I was formerly a young general under Old General Ji and am now ordered by Old General Ji to protect the eldest daughter of the Ji family."
As soon as Xie Jingzhou heard the name Ji family, a flicker of strangeness flashed in his eyes. Luo Hong immediately stepped forward to shield Xie Jingzhou and glared at Qing Zhu. "How dare you, a mere servant of the Ji family, act so brazenly at the Fifth Prince's mansion!"
Qing Zhu's expression was impassive, her eyes, devoid of any emotion, looked past Luo Hong towards the Fifth Prince standing behind her. "My eldest lady said this is a thank-you gift for Miss Luo Hong's visit to the Ji family today. Miss Luo Hong need not feel touched. My eldest lady says it's called reciprocity."
Luo Hong: "..." Which eye saw her feeling touched?
"What does the eldest daughter of the Ji family mean by this? Are you saying our prince sent the wrong gift?" Even now, Luo Hong did not forget to slander Ji Zizhao in front of Xie Jingzhou.
However, Qing Zhu was unimpressed. She repeated what Ji Zizhao had instructed. "My eldest lady said that since the servants of the Fifth Prince's mansion can run to the Ji family to flaunt their power and be arrogant, then our Ji family can also send people to the Fifth Prince's mansion to be unrestrained. I imagine the Fifth Prince will not be angry. After all, the Ji family is just imitating the Fifth Prince's mansion."
After Qing Zhu finished speaking, she cupped her fists again and turned to leave. Luo Hong, however, remained frozen in place, not daring to turn her head. With the Fifth Prince's intelligence, how could he not guess what had happened when she went to the Ji family today? Thinking of her recent slander of Ji Zizhao, Luo Hong felt her cheeks burn. The so-called slap in the face could be no more intense than this! How dare that Ji Zizhao?!
"Luo Hong, is this how you handle matters for me? Go to your residence and receive your punishment." Xie Jingzhou said coldly, then, supported by Yun Zheng, entered the mansion without looking back.
In the afterglow of the setting sun, Luo Hong stood petrified at the entrance of the Fifth Prince's mansion. Unable to vent her anger, she could only cast her furious and unwilling gaze towards the guards who were still slumped on the steps. A bunch of useless good-for-nothings, why didn't they drive away the Ji family's servants! The guards: "..." They did want to drive them away... but only if they could win!
In the main hall of the Ji family, several daughters-in-law were gathered around the old madam, chatting. Ji Zizhao, following the Ji family's rules, came to pay her respects to the old madam morning and evening. "Your granddaughter pays her respects to grandmother. May grandmother be well."
The old madam waved her hand, her face, deeply lined, showing no emotion. "Get up." According to etiquette, the daughters-in-law, despite being elders, were all supposed to bow and greet the person in charge of the Ji family. However, seeing Ji Zizhao already seated beside the old madam, none of them stood up. Just a nobody wielding authority like a chicken feather, why should they bow and scrape?
The old madam saw that her daughters-in-law had not moved and had no intention of intervening for Ji Zizhao. She looked at Lin Wanyun and continued their previous conversation. "Eldest daughter-in-law, you were just saying that Grand Tutor Zhao's birthday is approaching?"
Li Wanyun stood up and nodded. "What the old madam says is true. I heard that Grand Tutor Zhao's mansion is already making arrangements these days, and our mansion has just received an invitation from the Grand Tutor's mansion." Upon saying this, she glanced with heartache at her daughter, who was being looked down upon by everyone.
Ji Zizhao did not mind the disregard of her aunts. Respect, even if ill-informed, was sincere. Disrespect, even with incense burning and worship, was merely affectation. If there was anything Ji Zizhao cared about, it was her mother's words just now.
Due to Emperor Xiaochang's arranged marriage, Ji Ziyan, the third daughter of the Ji family, married the son of Grand Tutor Zhao several years ago. Although the Ji and Zhao families were related, they had never interacted over the years. At the time, the Zhao family had even excused the three-day return visit. It could be said that the Zhao family, from the bottom of their hearts, had never thought much of the Ji family. Grand Tutor Zhao had even bluntly stated in court that her grandfather was a reckless brute who only knew how to use force. Her grandfather also disliked Grand Tutor Zhao's self-righteous demeanor, and thus they rarely met.
When the Ji family was at its peak, the Zhao family had not sent an invitation. Now that the Ji family had fallen, the Zhao family sent an invitation... Such an abnormal move, how could it not be surprising?