With a "shwoop," Huo Ling instantly stood up, completely ignoring the numerous guests around and instinctively hiding behind Ye Xiao, who had also stood up. The swift movement caught the attention of those nearby, leading to suspicions - was this not the first time the royal prince had done something like this?
Huo Ling reacted in time to avoid being taken advantage of. Ye Xiao, equally quick on the draw, even managed to kick the table's leg as he stood up, causing a serving girl to fall to the ground without resistance.
"Ah!"
The serving girl's scream abruptly halted as she bit her tongue when she hit the ground.
A loud thud made Huo Ling instinctively flinch. Then, feeling the danger had passed, he peered out curiously from behind the protective Ye Xiao to quietly size up the serving girl who lay on the ground in pain.
The serving girl, crying from the pain, paid no mind to the dirt on her body and tried to prop herself up while mumbling through her pain, beckoning to Huo Ling with her unclear speech, "Your Hi... your Highness."
As she lifted her head, most of the people in the hall could now see her face. She was a beauty whose eyes seemed to speak. Even with the dust from her fall, it couldn't hide her beauty, instead making her seem more delicate and pitiful.
Her timid gaze, the posture that seemed to seek redemption from Huo Ling, and the alluring figure hinted at by the revealing neckline of her servant's dress captured the attention of those who thought they had figured out what would become of this mischievous but captivating serving girl.
How could such a beauty not be cherished?
Most people expected Huo Ling to step out from behind Ye Xiao and help the girl, expressing his indifference while inquiring about her situation before deciding whether to request her from the Duke Ding's Mansion.
However, was Huo Ling the type of person one could easily speculate about?
Realizing that his overly reactive behavior earlier deserved reproach, Huo Ling, who was glared at by Ye Xiao out of the corner of his eye, rubbed his nose in frustration. Then, as if nothing had happened, he gracefully assumed the posture that befit a prince, walked out from behind Ye Xiao, and, towering over the girl who expected his pity, scolded, "How dare you be so shameless? Can I not defend myself from being taken advantage of by you?"
As the serving girl's pained moans subsided, she mustered the strength to speak, albeit still stuttering, "Your... y-your Highness, I-I didn't mean to. P-please forgive me."
Huo Ling, feeling even more aggrieved than the girl, retorted, "You didn't mean to? Does that give you the right to take advantage of me?"
Without waiting for her to defend herself, he, irritated by being bumped into, took a step back, feeling it was not enough, and promptly retreated to Ye Xiao's side.
"Never mind. I can't be bothered whether you did it on purpose or not. I just want to know...” Huo Ling turned his head to Ye Xiao and pointed to the crying serving girl on the ground, "Cousin, is she from the Duke Ding's Mansion?"
Unexpectedly, the Duke Ding's Mansion would have a servant with no sign of compliance. This had a profound impact on Huo Ling, akin to seeing the queen and his mother getting along. Having missed the main point, Huo Ling asked a good question, while Ye Xiao, who had no idea about the number of servants in the Duke Ding's Mansion, shook his head in denial, "She seems to have emerged from nowhere, like a mouse."
The emotionally devoid word "mouse" made the serving girl stiffen, and she began to cry even more wretchedly. Rather than confronting Ye Xiao to prove her identity, she tearfully explained her innocence to Huo Ling, seemingly attempting to win over the prince, who was still indignant for being almost taken advantage of.
The sight of a princess crying might have made Huo Ling anxious, but the unknown beauty crying only gave him a headache. "If you cry again, I'll have you thrown out."
With these words, the serving girl's crying ceased abruptly, but her whole body remained bowed on the ground, with only her shoulders trembling, signaling she was still crying silently.
Ye Xiao's frown hinted at the breach of security within the Duke Ding's Mansion. His expression turned cold. "Is such a person worthy of the Duke Ding's Mansion?"
The management of the Duke Ding's Mansion used the same discipline as the military, under strict control, and no servant dared to act this way under their watchful eyes. Moreover, the girl's behavior resembled an untrained horse encountered during his business trip to Hangzhou. It appeared that the short-term training could not mask the deeply ingrained behavior.
Without exposing the girl's true identity, Ye Xiao was about to order her removal. But perhaps moved by the pitiful sight of the beautiful girl, someone not only showed sympathy but also stood up against the mistreatment. "Ye Commander, Your Highness, how can you treat a weak woman like this?"
This sudden hoarse questioning overwhelmed Huo Ling, who couldn't help but tilt his head in confusion. "We should be asking, what did I do wrong? I wouldn't have minded if I had been splashed with tea unintentionally, but can I not get upset if someone tries to take advantage of me?"
"What kind of logic is that?" Arms folded, Huo Ling appeared displeased, "Is your logic the same as that of Commander Ye?"
Although Huo Ling's words were somewhat convoluted, even the sound-minded understood them. And, naturally, so did Ye Commander.
All eyes focused on Ye Commander, while Huo Ling's sudden counter-question left Ye Commander dumbfounded. After struggling a few times to explain his reasoning, Ye Commander found himself unable to articulate credible explanations.
Finally, Ye Commander could only say, "Your Highness, that was not what I meant."
"Right," not planning to let the issue go easily, Huo Ling continued, "So, what did you mean?"
"Your Highness, I…”
When Ye Commander turned from questioning Huo Ling to explaining, Ye Xiao, who had not given Ye Commander even half a glance, brought his gaze back from his father, Ye Zhizhang's direction. Aware of his son's preference for watching a show rather than taking part, Ye Xiao had no intention of allowing him to perform for his father.
Before Ye Xiao could converse with Ye Commander, he reached out, placed his hand on Huo Ling's shoulder, and Huo Ling, seizing the hint, fell silent.
Assuming they had chosen to let the serving girl off lightly, Ye Commander relaxed. However, just as he was about to help the still-squatted girl to her feet, a member of the Jin Mansion suddenly appeared, grabbed the serving girl by the collar, and promptly dragged her out of the banquet hall, so swiftly that no sound of her pained cries emerged.
The scene felt surreal, as though the flying fish that - for a second - seemed to have leaped into view of everyone had been nothing but an illusion.
Glancing at Ye Commander, who still stood motionless with his hand not yet withdrawn, and the unresponsive Huo Ling and Ye Xiao, it seemed that no one wanted to know why the Royal Guards were present at a banquet or what would become of the beauty Ye Xiao had ordered to be taken away, or whether Huo Ling's experience was an accident or a plot. Those with or without intentions all chose to remain silent.
Before Ye Commander could come to his senses and speak, a member of the Jin Mansion, who had appeared out of nowhere, knocked him out with a single swift blow.
With another "thud," Ye Commander's body met with the ground, but the Royal Guards did not take him out of the banquet hall. Instead, they allowed him to remain sprawled on the floor, while the people from the Duke Ding's Mansion did not make any move.
The abrupt silence was replaced by the original liveliness. It was as if no one had seen a living person fall to the ground.
While Ye Xiao decisively resolved the situation, Huo Ling did not feel useless. He wished he had the same ability but knew it was beyond him. Instead of jealousy, he praised Ye Xiao, "Ye Xiao, you are amazing!"
Inside, Ye Xiao was pleased to be commended by Huo Ling but maintained an expressionless facade. "Of course."
If it were easy for an unknown entity to latch onto Huo Ling or for Ye Commander, who never cared about others' sentiments, to successfully provoke a dispute, he wouldn't be the Commander of the Royal Guards.
Even though Ye Xiao spoke calmly and expressionlessly, inside, Huo Ling couldn't help but imagine what Ye Xiao's satisfied expression would look like, based on the time when he had failed to provoke him when he was the crown prince, Huo Li, filled with murderous intent.
Think about the days when there were Yuexiao, who used to annoy the Crown Prince Huo Li so much that his head hurt. Huo Ling's original displeasure because someone tried to take advantage of him gradually disappeared, but the joy that gradually appeared in his heart did not last long, and the smile on his lips froze.
It was just randomly following a servant into a courtyard. Why, upon pushing open the door, did he see his third brother's daughter, his niece - Princess Changning?