Jiayin subconsciously touched her hair, then turned around, jumped back into the house, and slammed the door shut.
Shui Ling couldn't hold back any longer. She covered her mouth and laughed silently until her stomach hurt.
Shuiyun came up from behind and playfully slapped her twice, but she couldn't help but smile.
Inside the room, Jiayin moved a mirror out of her spatial storage. After seeing her reflection clearly, she angrily shouted, "Zhao Songbai, you brat, you just wait!"
She knew the Third Princess couldn't comb her hair, but she figured it wouldn't be too difficult to just straighten her messy hair and put her jewelry back in place.
Who would have thought that this malicious guy would resort to underhanded tactics!
What hair styling!
She actually tied three pigtails up in the air, like rice seedlings, sticking haphazardly on her head, looking like a crazy woman!
Little did she know, the maids and servants in the courtyard had seen everything clearly while she was standing in front of the door talking...
I'm so ashamed I can't face anyone!
I'll offer a huge reward of ten thousand taels of silver for a method to erase everyone's memories of what just happened!
As Dada walked along the road in the carriage, the Third Princess sneezed twice, then laughed so hard she fell onto the cushions, utterly delighted.
Caiyun, her face flushed from suppressing a laugh, whispered, "Princess, aren't you afraid the princess will hold you accountable later? Just now... just now was so embarrassing!"
The third princess rubbed her sore cheeks and replied coquettishly, "Who told her to make me sad! Even though it wasn't her fault, I can't be jealous. Humph, so many people like her, and look at me..."
At this point, she sighed again, and the smile on her face disappeared.
After all, how can one not be heartbroken and regretful to have someone they've liked for so long turn out like this?
If what Jiayin said is true, then Prince Lu may indeed have another side, not as wonderful as she sees or likes.
But thinking about it carefully, it's not surprising.
Inside and outside the palace, who doesn't wear two faces?
Even a merchant who runs a shop might be friendly and hospitable to outsiders, but he might be harsh on his employees and exploit them for wages.
Moreover, he was the only legitimate son of the Lu family, who guarded the southwest. He had been alone in Xindu for many years, shouldering the responsibility of maintaining all of the Lu family's connections and even relaying the court's movements to the southwest.
How could a gentle and harmless scholar possibly be competent?
The third princess sighed softly and said nothing more.
Caiyun followed her master all the way from the Lu family to Baiyunjian. She overheard a few words in the courtyard and naturally guessed most of what was going on.
She didn't dare to offer any advice at that moment, nor did she know how to do so, so in the end she could only remain silent along with her master...
Soon, the carriage arrived at the palace gate.
The master and servants got out of the carriage and went straight through the door.
Inside and outside the palace, the place with the most eyes and ears is the palace gate.
The third princess combed her hair and straightened her clothes, but her eyes were still red and swollen from crying.
As expected, in less than half an hour, the Third Princess returned from outside the palace crying, and the news spread like wildfire.
In the imperial study, the Emperor put down the memorial, rubbed his temples, and asked, "What exactly happened? Did the Third Princess suffer some injustice outside?"
Steward Yi was in a bit of a predicament, because he didn't know either. After all, the palace maids who accompanied the princess were all from Zhilan Palace, and he couldn't very well go out of his way to inquire about them.
So he told the truth, "Your Majesty, this old servant doesn't know the details either. But the Third Princess left the palace with the Princess. She first went to the Lu family to visit the Prince of Lu, and came out quickly. Then she went to Baiyunjian to look for the Princess."
"Logically speaking, the princess is intelligent and sensible, and would not bully the princess! Perhaps there is some misunderstanding, or perhaps an outsider has angered the princess."
The Emperor nodded. "Jiayin is younger than the Third Princess, but she is very sensible. I feel at ease with the Third Princess being with her. So... it was Lu Zong who angered the Third Princess? Humph!"
The emperor gave a cold snort, clearly displeased.
"Is it wrong for him that the Third Princess has betrothed him to her? Last time he suddenly fell ill, and I haven't even had time to properly investigate the matter. He's so bold as to bully my princess again."
Chief Steward Yi didn't know what else to say, so he said, "Your Majesty, please don't worry too much. Young children are always sensitive and tend to take even the smallest things to heart and be upset for a long time. Perhaps in a few days, they will be fine without any further persuasion."
That makes sense. The emperor thought about it and then let go of his hand.
There were simply too many things to do, and the fact that he could spare even a little free time to care for his daughter was already a rare display of tenderness from a dying emperor...
Inside the Xilong Pavilion, the Crown Prince was also busy reading memorials.
We need to look not only at the current cases, but also at those from previous years, and even some old files, so that we have a clear understanding of the situation.
Although he was raised among the common people and grew up safely and healthily, and was able to study and learn skills, he was not in the palace and therefore missed out on a lot of opportunities to accumulate knowledge and skills.
Now we can only try our best to catch up; there's no other way but to be more diligent.
On the table, amidst a pile of files and memorials, lay a small, snow-white fox.
Perhaps out of boredom, the little fox's three large tails swung back and forth from time to time.
The crown prince occasionally looked up and saw it, and couldn't help but smile.
His increasingly dignified and noble face, because of this smile, vaguely carried some of its original simplicity and peace.
"San Tiao, thank you for keeping me company while I look at the documents. Hang in there, once we're done, I'll have the kitchen prepare your favorite fried fish, okay?"
The three dogs darted into the prince's arms, chirping happily incessantly.
The prince felt a tickle as its large tail brushed against his neck, which made him laugh even harder.
"Does your master know how greedy you are? A plate of fried fish was enough to bribe you, and you're not even going back to Zhilan Palace!"
The three of them shrank their necks, and covered themselves with their big tails like blankets, continuing to play dumb to the very end.
The prince laughed heartily, but his hands became even gentler, stroking the little fox's white fur.
Eunuch Feng led the young eunuch to the door. Hearing the commotion inside, he whispered, "Your Highness, this old servant has brought the tonic soup."
"Come in," His Highness the Crown Prince replied from inside. Eunuch Feng quickly dismissed the young eunuch, personally brought in the nourishing soup, and went in.
He had been serving the Crown Prince for some time now and had figured out some of the prince's habits.
The crown prince preferred quiet and disliked crowds and noise.
As long as you serve him carefully and don't talk too much, he won't blame you even if you make a small mistake.
Overall, he's an easy master to please.
With a slight bow, Eunuch Feng carefully placed the tonic soup on the table and said with a smile, "Your Highness, the Emperor was worried that you were too tired and had harmed your health, so he specially ordered the kitchen to prepare this tonic soup for you."
The crown prince nodded and replied, "Alright, put it down."
Hearing the noise, the little fox scurried out from the prince's arm, poked its head near the soup bowl, twitched its nose twice, and then quickly scurried back inside.
The fox's face was full of disdain.
Seeing that the Crown Prince was in a good mood and clearly adored the little fox, Eunuch Feng chimed in, "San Tiao is really clever; no wonder the Princess dotes on it so much. I heard that the dried fish it eats is specially transported back from Quanzhou!"
"Is that so?" The Crown Prince opened the bowl, drank the tonic soup in one gulp, and ordered, "It's a pity that the three fish are in Xilong Pavilion and have no dried fish to eat. However, let the kitchen fry a plate of crispy fish; they like it too."
"Alright, Your Highness, rest assured, this old servant will personally go and supervise the cook frying the fish."
Eunuch Feng agreed and was about to leave.
Whether it was because they were in a hurry to talk or because they were getting tired of lying down, San Tiao jumped off the table and wanted to follow them to the kitchen.
At this moment, a young eunuch from Chief Eunuch Yi's side urgently came to report, "Your Highness, the Emperor has summoned you and requests that you come with me immediately."
Two updates today!
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