363 To be Forced [Bonus chapter]

Xu Zifan arrived at the palace after receiving word from Lóng Wei that Li Hua wanted to meet with him. He asked her why she called him out of the blue.

“Elder Brother, I want you to help Princess Jingfei,” Li Hua requested.

“What?” Xu Zifan was perplexed to hear Li Hua’s request. “Why do you want me to help the First Princess?” He questioned her.

Li Hua informed him how much Jingfei loved Huang Xi. However, he was not interested in her. “So, if my brother could ask Commander Huang Xi to think about it once, then it would be of great help. Princess Jingfei is upset because Commander Huang Xi ignores her presence. She loves him a lot,” Li Hua stated.

“I won’t help the First Princess,” Xu Zifan replied.

“Why?” Li Hua furrowed her brows together.

“Because it is inappropriate for me to speak in their case. Also, you should stay away from her. She tried to harm you,” Xu Zifan stated. He was adamant about his decision to not help Princess Jingfei in any way.

“Did Prince Lóng Wei say anything to my brother? Did he ask him not to agree to my request?” Li Hua inquired.

“Why would Prince Lóng Wei say this to me?” Xu Zifan was confused. “I cannot help her. It is her problem, so she must solve it,” he stated.

.....

“At least, help Princess Jingfei for me,” Li Hua urged and joined her hands. “Please, Elder Brother. You are close friends with Commander Huang Xi. If you talk with him, then he may try to give Princess Jingfei a chance.”

“Huang Xi despises Princess Jingfei. He will be upset with him for even trying to speak about her with him. So, don’t be adamant about this. Your brother will fulfil any request other than this,” he said. Li Hua lowered her hands and shook her head.

“Elder Brother could have talked with Commander Huang Xi if he wanted. Princess Jingfei will be married off soon after the Crown Prince’s wedding. I only wanted her to have a happy life,” Li Hua explained. “I will talk with Commander Huang Xi myself. Elder Brother can leave and rest in his residence.”

Xu Zifan pressed his fingers against the temple of his forehead.

“Don’t talk with Huang Xi about this,” Xu Zifan said, and told her that he would do that.

“Really?” Li Hua suddenly turned happy.

“Did my sister leave any options for me?” Xu Zifan remarked, and she pouted her lips. “But I would like to meet Princess Jingfei before that,” he put forward his condition.

“I will ask the maidservant to bring Princess Jingfei here.” Li Hua stood up and went outside.

historical

“How can she help the person who once tried to harm her? Did Prince Lóng Wei not ask her to stop?” He mumbled. Xu Zifan could not refuse her request because she was his dear sister.

Li Hua returned soon and told Xu Zifan that soon Jingfei would be there.

“Hmm.”

“Elder Brother, Prince Lóng Wei has agreed to look into his past. So, I won’t do anything behind his back,” Li Hua informed him.

Xu Zifan was relieved to hear that. “You made a good decision,” he said and smiled. “It is going to be tough for Prince Lóng Wei. When he was in the cold palace with me, he once told me something about his past. Forgive me for hiding it from you,” he asserted. Li Hua peered at him with inquisitiveness.

“He regretted being born as the prince. If he had not been the Prince, he would have been at a better place with his mother. He told me that. However, I asked him if he could be happy with his mother in the palace too. His answer was strange. He said it could not be possible. That’s why he hates her,” Xu Zifan told Li Hua the exact same words that Lóng Wei had told him once.

“So, the problem was the palace,” Li Hua said.

They both paused as they heard the footsteps. Xu Zifan looked towards the door and then rose to his feet as he saw Jingfei entering. He bowed at her and then looked straight ahead. Jingfei showed the curtsey towards him before taking a seat.

Li Hua and Xu Zifan sat after her in their respective seats.

“Princess Jingfei, my elder brother has agreed to help you. However, he wanted to converse with you before doing anything,” Li Hua told her.

Jingfei nodded at her and glanced at Xu Zifan. She first thanked him for agreeing to help her. Xu Zifan wanted to say a lot of things to her, but because Li Hua was there, he kept control of his tongue.

“I would like to ask the Princess if she is aware of the fact that Huang Xi doesn’t like her.” Xu Zifan’s words perplexed her. Li Hua asked her brother why he said that and apologized to Jingfei on her brother’s behalf.

“Li Hua, let her answer. One must admit the truth no matter how bitter it is,” Xu Zifan told her before looking at Jingfei.

“I know. I am regretful for that day when I thought I was wrong about my younger brother. That’s why Huang Xi doesn’t like me. However, I want to give my best. If I tell my father that I want to marry Huang Xi, he will make it happen immediately. Because he is the King. However, I do not want it to be forced. I want Huang Xi to talk with me at least once in peace,” Jingfei told him everything that was on her mind for a long time.

“He ignores me if I am around him. I cannot even talk to him. So, I want someone close to him to make it possible for me.” Jingfei’s voice quivered and she took a pause.

“The First Princess should have been careful that day. Huang Xi has a lot of respect for Prince Lóng Wei. That’s another reason why he started to despise you,” Xu Zifan told the truth to her. Jingfei was dejected to learn that Huang Xi hated her.

“However, I will talk with him once and will send the answer to the First Princess through my sister,” Xu Zifan told her.

Jingfei hummed and lowered her head.