Although Pei Xie showed little expression, Zhu Xingxu’s intuition told her he was in a very bad mood.
His lips were pressed tightly together, and there was a trace of impatience in his eyes.
He stood far behind the other two, as if he had not arrived with them.
As if sensing someone watching him, Pei Xie looked up.
Zhu Xingli immediately leaned back and withdrew her gaze.
That was close. Zhu Xingxu turned, intending to speak with Ji Chiying. Instead, she found Ji Chiying staring fixedly out the window.
Her gaze was directed at the Third Prince and Ji Qingqing below.
Zhu Xingxu wanted to comfort her but did not know what to say.
Should she say he had always been like this?
Or that he had not meant it?
Downstairs, the Third Prince called over a server and said something. The server shook his head.
He was likely asking for a private room, but none were available.
The Third Prince frowned and spoke again. This time the server nodded and went upstairs.
Soon, he knocked on their private room.
“Ladies, the Third Prince wishes to add money to exchange for this room.”
Before Zhu Xingxu could respond, Ji Chiying said firmly, “We are not switching.”
There was anger on her face.
The server left and went to ask the neighboring room instead.
Ji Chiying lowered her head so much that Zhu Xingxu could not see her expression clearly.
“Are you alright?” Zhu Xingxu asked softly.
Ji Chiying bit her lower lip.
“Why would he do this? Did he not say…”
She did not finish the sentence, but Zhu Xingxu guessed he had already expressed his feelings earlier.
“When I was waiting at your house this morning, he came too. Ji Qingqing came out first and led him away.”
Ji Chiying froze. “I am sorry,” Zhu Xingxu said quietly. “I did not tell you.”
Ji Chiying shook her head.
“If he can be led away by a few words from Qingqing, then in his heart, I was never that important.”
She stared blankly at the tall stage below.
Footsteps sounded outside.
“As expected of Your Highness. You found a room so quickly.”
It was Ji Qingqing’s voice.
Then the Third Prince spoke. “It is rare to come out to enjoy the opera. We should enjoy it properly.”
Ji Qingqing laughed sweetly.
It seemed someone had agreed to switch rooms with them.
Zhu Xingxu looked at Ji Chiying with concern.
Ji Chiying acted as if she had heard nothing. Her eyes remained fixed on the stage.
Suddenly, the lights on the stage brightened.
The performance began.
In the neighboring room, Ji Qingqing’s voice rose in complaint.
“Your Highness, this room is too ordinary. I want to change.”
They were standing at the doorway and speaking loudly enough to be heard clearly.
The Third Prince lowered his voice, likely aware that the people next door could hear.
“Stop making trouble. Every other room is already occupied.”
After a moment, Ji Qingqing finally relented.
Once their door closed, the sounds from next door disappeared.
Ji Chiying focused on the performance. Occasionally she smiled faintly, as if nothing had happened.
Shang Wenxiu finished his tasks and entered their room, closing the door behind him. He chose to sit beside Zhu Xingxu.
“How is the performance?” he asked Ji Chiying.
“It is quite good,” she replied gently.
He could see her mood was low, so he looked at Zhu Xingxu for an explanation.
Zhu Xingxu signaled for him to step outside to talk.
“I will continue with my work,” Shang Wenxiu said aloud.
“Alright,” Ji Chiying answered politely.
After a while, Zhu Xingxu said, “I am going to freshen up. Would you like to come?”
Ji Chiying shook her head. “You go.”
Zhu Xingxu left the room and carefully closed the door behind her.
Downstairs, she found Shang Wenxiu in a secluded corner and told him everything that had happened in the morning and just now.
A confident smile appeared on his face.
“If he does not cherish her, then I will take the opportunity.”
Zhu Xingxu lightly punched him. “Do not act recklessly. She is a respectable young lady.”
“Am I not a respectable gentleman?” he asked, sounding wronged.
She glanced at him sideways. “It does not look like it.”
They were still bickering when someone approached.
Shang Wenxiu was the first to notice. He stopped playing around and stood properly.
Zhu Xingxu turned around.
It was Pei Xie. Her heart skipped.
Sensing the strange atmosphere, Shang Wenxiu quickly made an excuse and left.
Zhu Xingxu silently cursed him for abandoning her.
Pei Xie kept his eyes on her.
“I came with my third brother,” he said calmly.
“What a coincidence,” she replied. “I came with friends.”
Because of his investigations into the forces inside and outside the court, he had already recognized Shang Wenxiu at a glance.
He wanted to ask about their relationship, but he knew he had no right to do so.
“I need your help,” he said instead.
Helping him would bring many benefits. The greatest one was that he would owe her a favor.
He led her to a more secluded place.
“Did you notice the foreigners in the hall?”
She nodded. She had seen them as soon as she entered.
“They are the Crown Prince’s men. They came to deliver a message.”
He explained that the Crown Prince’s mother had belonged to the former dynasty, which had close ties with foreign lands. Those lands still wished to restore the former dynasty.
Zhu Xingxu frowned. “Has the Rui court not offered them enough benefits?”
He smiled slightly. “They value loyalty deeply. No matter how many benefits Rui gives them, it cannot compare to their feelings for the former dynasty.”
She shook her head. “There are no eternal friends. There are only eternal interests.”
He studied her carefully.
“And what about you?”
“With people, feelings matter,” she replied honestly. “If everything is based on profit, it would be too hurtful.”
For some reason, hearing that made his mood much better.
“In a while, I will change into a servant’s clothes and follow behind you. I will guide you to retrieve the scroll that contains the message.”
She agreed.
When she returned upstairs, chaos had already broken out.
Ji Qingqing was confronting Ji Chiying about the private room.
“Why do you get to stay in this room?”
“That has nothing to do with you,” Ji Chiying replied coldly.
“Then leave now. I want this room.”
“I arrived first.”
Seeing that Ji Chiying refused to give in, Ji Qingqing’s eyes flashed coldly. She suddenly fell backward.
The Third Prince hurried forward and caught her.
Ji Qingqing’s scheme succeeded. She briefly smiled before putting on a pitiful expression.
“Second Sister, if you did not want to switch, you could have said so. Why did you push me?”
“I did not push you,” Ji Chiying said in disbelief. “You fell by yourself.”
The Third Prince frowned.
“Ah Ying, do not argue. Why would she fall on purpose? She could get hurt.”
Hearing him judge without investigating, Shang Wenxiu stepped forward and stood in front of Ji Chiying.
“That is enough, Third Prince. I saw it clearly. She fell on her own. It has nothing to do with Ji Chiying.”
The Third Prince’s eyes turned hostile.
“You again.”
“Why can it not be me?” Shang Wenxiu replied.
The Third Prince supported Ji Qingqing.
“I hope you will stay away from Ah Ying.”
Shang Wenxiu laughed in anger. “Perhaps you should put down the beauty in your arms before saying that.”
“I am only helping her up,” the Third Prince said unhappily.
“Ji Chiying has been wronged. I will stand on her side.”
They glared at each other. Ji Chiying trembled behind Shang Wenxiu.
“That is enough. Your Highness, if you do not believe me, I will leave.”
She ran out. When she turned, Zhu Xingxu could see tears in the corner of her eyes.
Shang Wenxiu followed her without hesitation.
Zhu Xingxu glared at the Third Prince.
“Why are you unwilling to believe her? In your eyes, is she someone who would harm others?”
He froze for a moment but still turned his face away.
Ji Qingqing quickly pretended to feel dizzy.
“Your Highness, I feel unwell.”
He lowered his head. “I will send you back.”
Zhu Xingxu wanted to salvage the situation, but seeing him like this, she gave up.
There was no saving this.
She walked out of the theater.
Not far away, she saw Shang Wenxiu gently comforting Ji Chiying. His eyes were full of concern, while Ji Chiying sobbed softly.
Zhu Xingxu suddenly felt awkward about whether she should approach.
At that moment, a quiet voice sounded beside her.
“What are you looking at?”
Pei Xie, now in disguise, had appeared silently at her side.