Zhong Xinyi really didn't want to say it, this kind of thing could easily lead to being disliked by everyone, but she was afraid that if she didn't tell Ji Zizhao, rumors would eventually reach her ears.
Rather than letting others poke Ji Zizhao with small knives, it was better for her to close her eyes and deliver a punch first.
"If that's the case, then the Fourth Prince's taste is not bad."
Zhong Xinyi, "..."
Has this child been driven mad by anger?
"You really don't mind?"
"Does minding help?"
Alright...
It really didn't help much.
"But I guarantee you, my Fourth Cousin really has nothing going on with Princess Wenhui. Back then, it was all my Fourth Cousin actively sending gifts to Princess Wenhui, and then Princess Wenhui left without even saying goodbye..." Zhong Xinyi felt she was digging herself into a deeper hole. In her anxiety, she bit her tongue, the pain almost making her cry out.
Ji Zizhao smiled and handed her a cup of tea to rinse her mouth, "Since it was in the past, then it's over."
To delve deeper, who hasn't had a past?
"To be fair, just looking at Princess Wenhui's face, if I were a man, I might have been smitten for a bit." Ji Zizhao was indeed struck by Wenhui's beauty when they first met yesterday, so thinking about it now, if Xie Jinglan had ever been attracted to Wenhui, it would be natural.
Zhong Xinyi suddenly put down her teacup and looked intently at Ji Zizhao, "If I were a man, I would definitely marry no one but you."
Ji Zizhao, "..."
Thank you very much.
"I'm serious. I've never seen a woman as generous as you. But it's really nothing. Although my Fourth Cousin was down for over a month after Princess Wenhui left without saying goodbye, by the time I saw him again, he was completely fine. I remember one time the Eighth Prince deliberately brought up Princess Wenhui to provoke my Fourth Cousin, but my Fourth Cousin didn't show any sadness, not even an expression throughout."
It was from that moment on that Zhong Xinyi began to admire her Fourth Cousin.
Truly, if it were her, she would have cried herself to death in her chambers.
Ji Zizhao thought about Xie Jinglan's temperament, "Mm, that is indeed something he would do."
Seeing that Ji Zizhao was truly alright, Zhong Xinyi breathed a sigh of relief. It was at this moment that she remembered she had promised Xue Yinuo and Xu Meiqing that they would go to the town below the temporary palace to sightsee. By now, it was about time.
Ji Zizhao wasn't very interested in going out to play, so she politely declined.
Zhong Xinyi was still a bit worried that Ji Zizhao might be unhappy, so she didn't insist. She promised to bring her some of the town's specialty plum blossom candy when she returned, and then left in a hurry.
Ji Zizhao watched Zhong Xinyi leave, thinking that the temporary palace would not be peaceful today, and it might not be a bad thing for Zhong Xinyi and the others to stay away.
The Fifth Prince had been seriously injured while saving the Emperor. Although Ji Zizhao couldn't be sure how severe his injuries were, Consort Xi would absolutely not miss this opportunity to claim merit for her son.
Indeed, before noon, news spread from the temporary palace that the Emperor, in recognition of the Fifth Prince's meritorious service in saving him, had promoted him to Deputy Commander of the Imperial Guards, second only to the Commander who oversaw the entire force.
This reward was significant.
But to everyone's surprise, the Fourth Prince, who was present, not only did not object but was the first to cast a vote of agreement.
The other princes, who were already displeased by the Fifth Prince's promotion, turned even darker when they heard the Fourth Prince's endorsement.
Was this the time for magnanimity?
Especially the Eighth Prince, who was so enraged that he immediately challenged the Fourth Prince.
The outcome was predictable; he was directly punished by the Emperor and ordered to kneel outside the temporary palace.
In light of such a stark contrast, Ji Zizhao understood everything.
Whether the Fifth Prince's injury was real or not, as long as the Emperor believed it to be true, that was what mattered.
The Emperor, to compensate for his perceived shortcomings towards his son, would naturally bestow a generous reward. To go against the Emperor at this time would be akin to courting death.
Yet, in the face of personal gain, very few people were truly clear-headed.
But Xie Jinglan had truly achieved this.
Since he couldn't stop it, he might as well go along with the Emperor's wishes.
One gained favor with the Emperor, while the other was punished to brave the cold winds outside...
Who was truly superior was so obvious it couldn't be more so.
Besides, even if the Fifth Prince was highly promoted, it didn't necessarily mean he would have the last laugh.
The Seventh Prince was still fighting valiantly in Tonglin. The Emperor was not unaware of this, and once he returned, the extent of his promotion and the rank of his merit were still unknown.
Later in the day, Ji Zizhao, as per her routine, went to the Empress's chambers to check her pulse.
As expected, the Empress was calm and composed, as if everything was within her foresight.
They were all intelligent people, so there was no need for superfluous words.
Empress Zhong looked at Ji Zizhao's calm demeanor, and her smile widened.
To be so composed at this time, she must have already planned everything thoroughly. Truly worthy of her selection.
Empress Zhong was in a good mood, and her words naturally flowed more freely, hinting at the past between Wenhui and Xie Jinglan.
However, Empress Zhong's central message was clear: Ji Zizhao was the daughter-in-law she had chosen. Never mind that Wenhui had returned, even if the heavens themselves came down, her fourth son would belong to Ji Zizhao.
Ji Zizhao, "..."
She was truly honored by the Empress's great favor.
Ji Zizhao stayed and ate lunch with the Empress before taking her leave. She had barely returned to her courtyard when she saw Princess Wenhui standing at the entrance.
Their eyes met. Ji Zizhao was the first to offer a formal salute, "Your humble subject greets Princess Wenhui."
Princess Wenhui smiled gently, "Yesterday, I found myself quite fond of the Eldest Daughter of the Ji family. Today, I thought I would drop by for a visit. I hope I am not disturbing you, Eldest Daughter of the Ji family?"
Ji Zizhao didn't believe a single word Princess Wenhui said, but with the princess standing at her door, as a subject, she had no reason to refuse a princess.
"If Princess Wenhui does not mind, please come inside." Ji Zizhao extended her hand.
Princess Wenhui nodded with a smile and followed Ji Zizhao into the courtyard. As they walked, her smile faltered slightly. This temporary palace was where the Empress resided, and the palace servants were permanently assigned to attend to the Empress. Yet, now they were all on good terms with Ji Zizhao?
Princess Wenhui had lived here as a child. How had the palace servants treated her then?
Even if they hadn't been indifferent or distant, they were certainly not as warm as they were towards Ji Zizhao today.
Just like now, when the palace servants saw her and Ji Zizhao standing together, though they paid their respects to both, their words to her were respectful yet distant, but when facing Ji Zizhao, they were noticeably more enthusiastic, even their tone and mannerisms were more intimate.
At this moment, it was impossible for Princess Wenhui's heart not to feel a pang of sadness.