Zhao Xi stood in front of his mother, wiping away his tears and asking resentfully, "When Father said he wouldn't force us anymore, was it just for a short time or forever?"

Feng Liyan's eyes flickered slightly, and he softened his tone, "You are my daughter, it is only right for me to find you a husband, and the men I find for you are all talented and virtuous. Take Yang Sheng, for example, he is majestic and extraordinary, and he has the bearing of a prefect. Would your father harm you?"

Zhao Xi sneered, "A second-married, talented old man with a child who can be my father?"

Feng Liyan took a deep breath, desperately suppressing his anger. "You scoundrel, where is your filial piety? How dare you disobey your father like this?"

Zhao Xi was also furious, "I'm neither kind to my superiors nor filial to my inferiors. I'm only filial to my mother. Even if Heaven knew, it wouldn't strike me with lightning!"

At this moment, Feng Hui, who had staggered over with his wife, interjected, "Zhao Xi, arguing with your father is useless. Why don't you just give in? I heard that your mother gave away a million in family fortune to save you. Tsk, I should have had a share in that, right?"

Zhao Xi roared, "Shut up, you bastard who doesn't even acknowledge or protect his own mother! Like father, like son, none of you are good people!"

Feng Hui curled his lip and snorted coldly, his eyes filled with resentment. He couldn't protect him when he was a child, so how could he expect him to protect him now?

Feng Liyan pointed at Zhao Xi, his anger blazing. "Fine, very well. You forced me to do this. Guards, lock them up."

"I'll tie you up today and make you agree to the marriage."

A group of old women rushed over to arrest people, but the people from the princess's residence quickly stopped them, and the scene turned into a chaotic brawl.

Zhao Xi hugged her mother in fear, closed her eyes, and screamed, "Xiao Zhixing, I'm yours from now on, come save me!!"

Boom!

The sound of a gate collapsing echoed in the distance, followed by a familiar voice, "You're here, you're here. Aren't you usually so arrogant? Why are you acting so cowardly now?"

Zhao Xi burst into tears of joy, "Waaaaah, I'm not a coward, waaaah, don't call me a coward..."

The viewers in the live stream felt both sad and amused upon hearing this.

Feng Liyan felt a chill run down his spine and turned around to demand, "What's going on?"

The steward scrambled over with a group of guards, shouting, "It's terrible, Your Highness! Prince Yuansheng and his men have broken down the gate and stormed in! We can't stop them!"

This is a true killing machine; just standing there and giving a glance would scare him to death.

Now that he had something to rely on, Zhao Xi became arrogant and said, "Let us out right now, or you'll be sorry."

Feng Liyan wished he could kill this rebellious daughter.

Soon, Xiao Zhixing stepped into the courtyard with his hands behind his back. His gaze swept over Zhao Xi's face with some disdain. "Why are you crying? Doesn't your whip have the power to lash people? Look how aggrieved you are. You can't even scare a few old women."

Zhao Xi blushed and weakly defended himself, "I... I don't randomly hit people anymore..."

Feng Liyan glared at Xiao Zhixing, "Prince Yuansheng, you dare to barge into my residence in broad daylight? Do you not respect the Feng family?"

Xiao Zhixing nodded. "When has your Feng family ever caught my eye? If it weren't for Madam Feng spending a fortune to ask me to come and save your life, do you think I would have wanted to come to this filthy and smelly place?"

Feng Liyan's teeth chattered with rage. "Xiao Zhixing! You...you trespassed on a private residence! As a prince, you have broken the law! I will definitely report you to the Emperor!"

Xiao Zhixing looked completely unconcerned. "I'm here to rescue someone. Before you impeach me, why don't you first impeach yourself for disrespecting the Princess of Dasheng?"

Feng Liyan's face turned ashen with anger. "This is a matter of my family. It is only natural for me to discipline my own daughter. Even before His Majesty, I am in the right."

Xiao Zhixing gave a forced smile, "She was bestowed the title of Princess by His Majesty, when did she become your daughter?"

Feng Liyan was furious, his chest aching from the blockage.

According to etiquette, Zhao Xi is indeed no longer considered his daughter; it's just a matter of whether she acknowledges it or not.

Zhao Xi helped Madam Feng run behind Xiao Zhixing, seemingly having made some kind of decision. "Lord Feng, from now on, I will only treat you as a subject and ruler, not as a blood relative. I hope you will know your place when you see me in the future."

Feng Liyan was furious, like a raging lion, "Zhao Xi, you disloyal and unfilial..."

Xiao Zhixing interrupted him, "Shut up! Whether the princess is filial or not is none of your business. If you dare to spout nonsense again, I can shut you up!"

The entire courtyard was tense, with the Feng family members trembling as they stood in front of Feng Liyan, fearing that she might suddenly lash out and hurt someone.

Seeing Feng Liyan faint from anger, Xiao Zhixing, in a fit of rage, added fuel to the fire by pulling out a stack of silver notes from his sleeve and shaking them forcefully. "I will protect Zhao Xi and Madam Feng's lives. Anyone who dares to harm them is provoking me."

Xiao Zhixing left behind his menacing words and swaggered away with Zhao Xi and her daughter.

Behind him, Feng Liyan was filled with rage, his vision went black, and he fell backward.

"My lord! My lord—"

As she walked out of the dilapidated Feng Mansion, Madam Feng looked dazed. Turning back, tears streamed down her face.

Zhao Xi's eyes also reddened, feeling both relieved to have survived a calamity and a sense of liberation. She supported her mother and asked, "Mother, will you live with me in the Princess's Mansion from now on?"

Madam Feng grasped her hand and nodded vigorously, "Okay!"

He closed his eyes and fainted after saying that.

Xiao Zhixing escorted the two to the princess's residence and also helped summon the imperial physician.

"Madam Feng was depressed and her mind was shaken by the sudden change. She couldn't bear the blow and fainted. She should take some calming medicine for a few days and try to think less and calm her mind in the future."

Zhao Xi agreed, saw the imperial physician off, and instructed her personal maid to take good care of her mother before she went to find Xiao Zhixing, who was waiting in the courtyard.

Seeing her standing by the lotus pond with her hands behind her back, admiring the red carp, Zhao Xi paused and slowly walked over.

She thought, no wonder so many people are willing to follow her, that figure is indeed tall and reliable.

Hearing footsteps, Xiao Zhixing didn't turn around. "What do you plan to do in the future?"

Zhao Xi walked to her side, stared blankly at the withered lotus for a while, and then said, "Be the truly free Zhao Xi."

Xiao Zhixing chuckled, "The Feng family is no longer your support. Have you thought it through?"

Zhao Xi dropped his pretense, relaxed his shoulders, and smiled. "I rely on myself, aren't you the same?"

"Besides, you won't abandon me, will you?"

Xiao Zhixing's lips curled up. "I'll find out about those things your mother gave me sooner or later. Do you think I'll help you for the rest of my life in return?"

Zhao Xi glared at her hatefully, "Cunning, sly, bastard, you won't act until you see the benefit!"

Xiao Zhixing let her scold him, saying, "Thank you for the compliment."

Zhao Xi stomped her foot and raised her chin, "You just want to be with this princess? Humph, I'll follow you then."

With thirty people in the Gentleman's Courtyard, it's foreseeable that their future prospects will be good, and she has the confidence to say this.

During her three years in Suzhou with Zhao Xianyin, she also grew rapidly, and she understood the local customs and conditions of Suzhou better than Zhao Xianyin.

Xiao Zhixing nodded. "That's more like it. You should feel honored. Xiao Yinyin has always wanted this kind of treatment."

Zhao Xi rolled his eyes at her.

Xiao Zhixing then asked, "What are your mother's plans?"

After all, Madam Feng is the wife of a marquis. It's acceptable for her to separate from Feng Liyan temporarily, but doing so for too long would invite criticism.

This world is far more unfriendly to women than to men.