In the Embroidered Court.
The sounds of smashing tables, chairs, and vases crackled loudly.
The cries of maids and servants were incessant.
The second daughter-in-law, Yu Fenglan, looking at the mess in the courtyard, felt a fire burning in her heart.
The hundred-year-old Ji family was now being led by a good-for-nothing, would the Ji family become a laughingstock of the entire imperial city from now on?
Xiang Yin rushed over, a blood-red whip mark still on her face, "Second Madam, what should we do?"
The third daughter-in-law, Yin Wenying, hurried over, "Who dares to block Xiu Jie'er's whip? It's just that that good-for-nothing quit being the Fifth Prince's consort and insisted on returning to manage the Ji family. You can only count yourselves unlucky. Just wait until Xiu Jie'er calms down herself."
The Emperor himself knew the Ji family's second daughter's temper was like raging fire and thunder, and when angered, she was utterly merciless!
Once, someone who courted death had stood in the path of the Ji family's second daughter's whip, and had been whipped by Ji Zixiu until their bones were broken.
Now, looking at Ji Zixiu raging in the room, even the second daughter-in-law, Yu Fenglan, was trembling with fear.
Xiang Yin bit her lip and lowered her head aggrievedly.
If the master was unhappy, did it mean they, the servants, deserved to die?
The third daughter-in-law, Yin Wenying, stood by coldly, watching.
She rather hoped that the louder Xiu Jie'er made a scene, the better. Perhaps then the Old Madam would change her mind and take back the reins from that good-for-nothing.
A familiar figure suddenly caught her eye.
Ji Zizhao, accompanied by Qing Zhu and Xin Lan, approached slowly.
Her eyes were calm, as if she couldn't hear the servants' screams or see the mess in the courtyard, heading directly towards the room.
Seeing this, the second daughter-in-law, Yu Fenglan, was about to step forward to stop her.
She knew her daughter's temper, and at this moment, if Zhao Jie went in, she would surely be beaten as well.
The third daughter-in-law, Yin Wenying, grabbed the second sister-in-law's arm, "She wants to find trouble for herself, why should second sister-in-law bother? In my opinion, someone like that pretense-putting good-for-nothing needs someone like Xiu Jie'er to deal with. Perhaps by scaring her a little, she'll voluntarily give up managing the Ji family."
Hearing this, the second daughter-in-law stopped, looked carefully at her third sister-in-law, and finally fell silent.
If Xiu'er's few lashes could help the Ji family get rid of a good-for-nothing manager, she would accept being punished along with it.
"Qing Zhu, Xin Lan, you two stay here."
"Yes, Miss."
Ji Zizhao left the two by her side at the door, then lifted her skirt and stepped over the threshold.
The room was already a scene of utter chaos, with maids and servants lying on the floor.
It was impossible to tell whose blood had splattered all over the walls.
The moment Ji Zixiu saw Ji Zizhao, she tightened her grip on the whip, "Good-for-nothing, you dare to come?"
Ji Zizhao's calm eyes met Ji Zixiu's fiery figure, "I heard the Ji family's second daughter is so useless that she has to vent her anger on her own servants. This is quite an unusual spectacle, so I had to come and see."
"I hit my own servants, who dares to laugh at me!"
"They were sold to the Ji family, yes, but they also earn their due wages every month with their own hands. No one has the right to trample on their dignity, especially not someone like you, who has no worries about food and clothing and doesn't know the value of money."
Ji Zizhao's words caused the servants in the embroidered court to be both surprised and touched.
They, who had served their masters for so many years, were sometimes treated worse than pigs and dogs.
Over time, perhaps they had even forgotten that they were human beings themselves. Yet, the first person to grant them respect was the eldest daughter, whom they had never truly acknowledged.
Ji Zixiu was indeed angry, but she didn't intend to kill these people.
It was just that as the most valiant second daughter of the Ji family, she would not be lectured by a good-for-nothing!
"All of you, get out!"
With just a few simple words, Ji Zixiu transferred all her fury to Ji Zizhao.
The servants fled the room in a panic, running out as if mad.
In the courtyard, the third daughter-in-law, Yin Wenying, saw this and her schadenfreude intensified, "Second sister-in-law, just wait. Soon that good-for-nothing will have to flee like this."
The second Madam, Yu Fenglan, nodded with a conflicted expression, "I hope the eldest daughter is sensible enough."
After all, she was a member of the Ji family, and she certainly didn't wish for her to be killed by her daughter's hands.
However, if the eldest daughter truly became fearful because of this and relinquished the reins, that would be good.
Inside the room.
Ji Zixiu's eyes were blazing, her fists clenched so tightly they crackled.
She looked at Ji Zizhao standing not far away, wishing she could burn her to ashes to vent her anger, "What's the use even if you become the manager of the Ji family? Can you avenge the Ji family? But I can!"
Ji Zizhao calmly looked at her and retorted, "Avenging the Ji family at the cost of your own life... and then what?"
Ji Zixiu paused, "And then..."
Ji Zizhao continued, "This matter is complex, it's not as simple as you've heard. How could your grandfather, who led his troops with great skill and treated his soldiers like his own, be accused of acting arbitrarily? Your uncles were all capable fighters who campaigned on the battlefield for years, how could they suddenly be called reckless? The men of the Ji family are gone, but the Ji family still has a hall full of widows. You can indeed seek revenge under the guise of vengeance, but have you ever considered the fate of the other members of the Ji family? Do you want them all to be buried with you to be satisfied!"
Ji Zixiu was choked.
She stared blankly at Ji Zizhao standing not far away, feeling for the first time that this elder sister, whom she had never acknowledged, was so unfamiliar.
So sharp and so fierce...
"You're just saying pretty words, but in reality, you're just a good-for-nothing who only knows how to talk. If you're really that capable, fight me. If you win, I'll obey you!" Ji Zixiu shook her head in disbelief, thinking it was all an illusion. The person in front of her was still the same good-for-nothing who never fought for anything and retreated from everything.
"Fight with me?"
Ji Zizhao smiled, then said mockingly, "You are not qualified."
Ji Zixiu gritted her teeth, "Good-for-nothing, don't look down on me!"
As she spoke, she swung her whip directly at Ji Zizhao.
In the courtyard, the second daughter-in-law, Yu Fenglan, was so startled by Ji Zixiu's angry roar that her legs went weak.
The third daughter-in-law, Yin Wenying, snorted.
Xiu Jie was truly enraged.
It seemed that before long, that good-for-nothing would be crying and voluntarily handing over the reins.
The servants in the courtyard stared intently at the room not far away, all holding their breath.
Thinking of the eldest daughter's help just now, they naturally didn't want the eldest daughter to be in trouble.
But...
The second daughter's whip was the most feared in the imperial city, and no one could dodge it!
At some point, the room that had been making noise suddenly quieted down.
Everyone in the courtyard held their breath, waiting, watching.
Suddenly, someone stepped out of the threshold.
"It's... it's the eldest daughter!"
Someone shouted, and then everyone stared wide-eyed in astonishment.
The eldest daughter came out unharmed...
How, how was this possible!
The second daughter-in-law, Yu Fenglan, was stunned to see Ji Zizhao emerge.
Before she could even speak, she rushed into the room.
Soon, the second daughter-in-law, Yu Fenglan's exclamations echoed from inside the room.
"Xiu'er, what's wrong with you?"
"Quick, someone help the second daughter up!"
"What, what is that thing?"
"Second Madam!"
"Quick, get ten more people, help Second Madam up too!"
The third daughter-in-law, Yin Wenying, who had been waiting to watch the spectacle, swallowed involuntarily as she heard the sounds.
Just then, Ji Zizhao walked over.
When she stopped in front of the third daughter-in-law, Yin Wenying, Ji Zizhao smiled calmly, "Third aunt, if you have any opinions in the future, you can come directly to me. There's no need to go to so much trouble stirring up trouble."
With these words, she directly exposed the third daughter-in-law, Yin Wenying's little scheme.
Watching Ji Zizhao's back as she continued to walk out of the courtyard, the third daughter-in-law, Yin Wenying, swallowed again.
Perhaps, if possible...
She even wished she could swallow back the words she had just spoken to the Old Madam.