Aida Kang's smile widened noticeably.
"It's fine. You were just laughing a little too loudly at the time. I don't mind," he said.
The Crown Prince's heart tightened. After repeatedly apologizing, he asked nervously, "And my imperial father?"
"Your imperial father is not overly angry. Just as you said earlier, he knows it wasn't entirely your fault."
"Then I…"
"You are still the Crown Prince."
"Really?" The Crown Prince sounded doubtful but couldn't hide a glimmer of hope.
"Yes, really." In a warm tone, Aida Kang reassured him, "Your imperial father has no intention of replacing the Crown Prince. Besides, there's no guarantee anyone else could do better than you."
"But I…"
"As I said, it wasn't your fault—it was Ji Xinghe's fault. You must understand, even I lost to him. Although losing to him shouldn't have happened, it's truly not your fault."
"Uncle Kang, what you say makes me feel much better. Please trust me, I will certainly…"
