After her mind was read, the spoiled brat became the darling of the whole group.

"My second brother?" Xie Xing looked at Luo Mengfei in shock: "You like my second brother?"

Upon hearing this, Luo Mengfei blushed instantly from her face to her neck. She stamped her foot and said shyly, "Why did you say that so loudly!"

Xie Xing's expression was indescribable.

Of all the people to like, why did I have to like Xie Tongchen?

[Xie Tongchen's heart is entirely devoted to Xie Mingzhu, how could he possibly fall for Luo Mengfei?]

She muttered in her mind.

Xie Jiaojiao stood not far from the two of them. Hearing this thought, she looked at Xie Xing with a puzzled expression.

What does this mean?

She didn't understand at first.

Luo Mengfei coughed lightly, raised her chin, and sneered at Xie Xing: "Even if someone from the Xie family were to come to the palace as a companion, it should be Mingzhu, not you?"

After Xie Xing learned that Luo Mengfei liked Xie Tongchen, he looked at Luo Mengfei with a hint of pity.

She laughed and said, "My sister is under house arrest at home; my grandmother won't let her go out."

Luo Mengfei frowned.

Although the Xie family's real daughter has returned, the Xie family treats Xie Mingzhu like their own daughter, even better than they treat Xie Xing. Why would they put Xie Mingzhu in solitary confinement?

Thinking this, Luo Mengfei glared at Xie Xing fiercely: "You must have done something, you vicious woman."

Xie Xing was completely bewildered by the scolding.

Just then, several footsteps and arguing sounds came from the Imperial Garden.

The sound attracted their attention, and the three of them looked in that direction.

On the other side of the Imperial Garden, there stood the Crown Prince, dressed in a bright yellow robe with a five-clawed dragon pattern, with the Third Prince, Luo Qingyun, beside him.

On the other side was the Seventh Prince, Luo Hanfeng.

The three people stood facing each other.

Luo Hanfeng stood on the opposite side of the two, and on the ground between the three of them was a jade pendant.

With one hand behind his back, Luo Cheng'an looked down at the jade pendant on the ground and said in a low voice, "Seventh brother, isn't it just a cheap jade pendant?"

"If you are upset, I will give you a better jade pendant, and then we can put this matter behind us."

Although Luo Cheng'an did not bully Luo Hanfeng as much as Luo Mian did, his tone and eyes were arrogant and condescending, showing that he did not take Luo Hanfeng seriously at all.

Luo Hanfeng didn't speak. He looked down at the jade pendant that was broken in two on the ground. After a long while, he raised his eyes. A shadow fell over his light eyes, but he was smiling.

"Your Majesty is too kind. It's just a jade pendant, nothing to worry about."

Luo Cheng'an hummed in agreement: "In that case, I shall take my leave."

Luo Hanfeng lowered his head, his voice devoid of emotion: "Respectfully seeing off my imperial brother."

Not far from the Imperial Garden.

Xie Xing, Luo Mengfei, and Xie Jiaojiao could see the silent smoke from a great distance.

Luo Mengfei tilted her head: "Didn't the Crown Prince and the Seventh Prince get along like snakes and rats a while ago? How come they've fallen out today?"

Upon hearing this, Xie Xing and Xie Jiaojiao both looked at Luo Mengfei in astonishment.

Xie Jiaojiao quickly covered Luo Mengfei's face with her hand and said softly, "Princess, words can be dangerous. Do not speak ill of His Highness the Crown Prince behind his back."

Luo Mengfei slapped Xie Jiaojiao's hand away with a grim expression. "What's the point of telling her?"

"You're such a coward, so boring."

She rolled her eyes at Xie Jiaojiao and turned to leave.

Xie Jiaojiao stood there, somewhat at a loss.

After the Crown Prince left, Luo Hanfeng squatted down and picked up the jade pendant from the ground.

The jade pendant was broken in two, and judging from its color, it wasn't a very high-quality jade pendant, yet Luo Hanfeng held it in his arms like a precious treasure.

Xie Xing examined it for a while before finally asking, "Could that jade pendant be the one that's very important to Luo Hanfeng?"

The system replied: "Yes, that's the one."

Xie Xing asked in confusion: "Wasn't Luo Cheng'an supposed to destroy the jade pendant? Why do I still need to destroy it?"

System: [Luo Cheng'an only broke the jade pendant in two, so there's still a possibility of piecing it back together. The original owner, however, directly crushed the jade pendant into dust.]

Xie Xing: ...6.

As the thought echoed, the boy who had been squatting on the ground suddenly raised his head, his gloomy and cold eyes looking directly at Xie Xing.

Xie Xing was startled and subconsciously looked away.

Unexpectedly, Luo Hanfeng had already discovered her location.

The two were separated by a lake, so Luo Hanfeng naturally couldn't cross the lake to find Xie Xing.

Seeing this, Xie Jiaojiao quietly stood in front of Xie Xing, blocking Luo Hanfeng's view for Xie Xing.

"Xing'er, the Fifth Princess has left, shall we go back too?" Xie Jiaojiao said gently to Xie Xing.

Xie Xing nodded.

The two went to find Luo Mengfei, who hadn't gone far.

Luo Mengfei had just shown extreme disgust towards Luo Cheng'an and the others, but now, after sitting in the pavilion for a short while, she saw two people walking over from the Imperial Garden.

"Mengfei." Luo Cheng'an saw Luo Mengfei, a gentle smile appeared on his face, and he strode into the pavilion.

Upon seeing that the person who had come was the Crown Prince, Luo Mengfei stood up and gave Luo Cheng'an and Luo Qingyun an awkward bow: "Greetings, Crown Prince and Third Brother."

After the ceremony was completed, before the Crown Prince could even speak, Luo Mengfei had already sat down as if she had finished her perfunctory formality.

It was an open secret that Consort Lin and the Empress were at odds. Among the Emperor's sons, only the Sixth Prince and the Crown Prince were openly at odds.

One held military power and was trusted by the emperor implicitly, while the other was the future crown prince; they were practically irreconcilable enemies.

No one knew what the emperor was really thinking.

Therefore, Luo Mengfei naturally didn't have a good impression of the Crown Prince's faction.

But the Crown Prince was good at putting on a show.

He sat down in front of Luo Mengfei with a smile and said, "I heard that the Imperial Concubine is going to choose a study companion for you?"

"I have a few candidates here, Mengfei will definitely like them."

Luo Mengfei sneered inwardly.

Would she accept the person recommended by Luo Cheng'an?

She asked listlessly, "Who does the Crown Prince want to bring into the palace?"

"Grandmother has already chosen a study companion for me, but I'm afraid it's too late for my brother, the Crown Prince, to say so now."

"Grandmother has already chosen someone for you?" Luo Cheng'an was somewhat surprised.

Just then, Xie Xing and Xie Jiaojiao walked out of the Imperial Garden.

Luo Mengfei's eyes darted around, and she rested her chin on one hand while pointing towards Xie Xing with the other: "Look, isn't that him?"

The Crown Prince pointed in the direction Luo Mengfei was pointing, and he saw Xie Xing.

The smile that had been on his face just moments before suddenly vanished.

"Xie Xing?"

Xie Jiaojiao looked in the direction of the voice, her expression changing slightly. She gently tugged at Xie Xing's sleeve and whispered, "Xing'er, it's the Crown Prince."

Xie Xing naturally saw the Crown Prince.

But now that people have seen it, they can't just ignore it.

She gently patted Xie Jiaojiao's hand to comfort her, then walked over and gave a slight curtsy: "Greetings, Your Highness the Crown Prince, greetings, Third Prince."

Luo Cheng'an narrowed his eyes and stared coldly at Xie Xing.