Zhang Ji's men threw Sun Tang into the alley and sped away.
Sun Tang, Sun Yunxiao's only son, had always been spoon-fed since childhood. He had never suffered such humiliation.
Freeing himself from the sack, Sun Tang, filled with hatred, returned home and wailed, claiming he had been beaten.
The old madam of the Sun family, who doted on her grandson, immediately vowed revenge.
Sun Yunxiao, currently serving as the Vice Censor-in-Chief, was heartbroken but remained calm.
All his trusted followers were with the Second Prince on his journey to Luoyi. If he handled this matter privately now, it was bound to leak and cause trouble. Although he didn't fear anything, it was better to keep a low profile before the Second Prince's return.
This way, others wouldn't focus their attention on him, thus avoiding the entanglement of unwanted affairs.
After much deliberation, Sun Yunxiao took his son directly to the Fengtian Prefecture in Shenghuang City.
Since his own son had been beaten, using the court's authority was the most reliable approach.
The Prefect of Fengtian was woken up by the sound of the drum in the middle of the night. He arrived at the courtroom, full of anger, only to see Sun Yunxiao standing there with a face eight shades darker than his own.
"What wind blows Master Sun here?" The Prefect of Fengtian quickly put on a fawning expression.
Sun Yunxiao, a high-ranking official of the third rank, disdained to engage with a minor official. "Just now, my son was beaten. I require the Prefect of Fengtian to administer justice."
The Prefect of Fengtian was stunned, his eyeballs nearly popping out. "Who dares to be so audacious?"
Sun Tang, who was sitting arrogantly in a chair, gritted his teeth and said, "The Ji family, Ji Zizhao!"
Ji...
Ji Zizhao?!
The Prefect of Fengtian's eyeballs finally landed on the floor.
Sun Yunxiao, preoccupied with how to handle the matter, had forgotten to ask who had inflicted the harm. Now, hearing the name Ji Zizhao, he knitted his brows.
He was currently doing his utmost to quell the matter precisely to avoid the Ji family's scrutiny.
How could it be such a coincidence that the eldest daughter of the Ji family beat his son?
"Did the eldest daughter of the Ji family give a reason for beating you?" Sun Yunxiao asked his son with a grave look.
Sun Tang dared not tell the truth and shook his head guiltily. "I had some unpleasantness with the third daughter of the Ji family today. I suppose she came to defend her."
Sun Yunxiao nodded.
If that was the case, it wasn't a big deal.
Besides, that eldest daughter of the Ji family was nothing but a useless person, with no great abilities.
At this moment, Sun Yunxiao, who was contemplating how to deal with Ji Zizhao later, was unaware that everything he was doing was precisely what Ji Zizhao had planned.
Not long after, Ji Zizhao arrived at the courtroom, accompanied by Zhang Ji.
Given the taxes the Ji family had paid this time, even the Emperor had praised them. The Prefect of Fengtian, who always went with the flow, abandoned his previous arrogance and deliberately walked alongside Ji Zizhao.
As soon as Sun Tang saw Ji Zizhao, he gnashed his teeth in hatred. "Ji Zizhao, you had your subordinates tie me up and then beat me. This is an act of utter audacity and shrewish behavior!"
Ji Zizhao raised her eyes, her gaze falling lightly on Sun Tang, her emotions inscrutable.
Sun Yunxiao also looked coldly at Ji Zizhao. "Everyone in Shenghuang City knows that the eldest daughter of the Ji family is an aloof immortal who hides in the Ji family, never seeing the light of day. Yet, little did we know that the eldest daughter of the Ji family is also such a sinister and cunning person."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Ji's expression darkened.
This was, in essence, indirectly calling their young lady a good-for-nothing!
"Young Master Sun repeatedly claims I disrespected you, but dare you state the reason?" Ji Zizhao's expression was calm. She not only ignored Sun Tang's scolding but also dismissed Sun Yunxiao's words as utter nonsense.
Sun Yunxiao clenched his fists.
This was the first time he had been so ignored, especially by someone of lesser standing.
However, Ji Zizhao truly did not look at him, her eyes fixed solely on Sun Tang, as if she could see through him.
Sun Tang shivered under her deep, chilling gaze, not daring to answer.
If his father knew he had said something he shouldn't have, what would happen then?
Seeing his son remain silent, Sun Yunxiao assumed he had a handle on something and looked at Sun Tang meaningfully. "Where did you say you were in pain just now?"
He could deal with the leverage later.
Right now, the issue was getting Fengtian Prefecture to handle Ji family's assault.
Sun Tang was already in pain all over. Upon hearing his father's words, his pain intensified.
"Here, here, and here... this is the person who led the beating!" Sun Tang angrily pointed at Zhang Ji, then bared his teeth and lifted his robes.
Zhang Ji tensed his whole body, mentally prepared to take all the blame.
He knew how heavily he had struck.
But!
As Sun Tang dramatically lifted his clothes, as if he were about to lose half his life, there wasn't even a single bruise, let alone any wounds!
Under the bright candlelight of the courtroom, his flabby flesh was clearly exposed!
Sun Yunxiao's eyes widened, and his face turned as black as coal. "Where are your injuries!"
Sun Tang: "..."
It seemed they were lost?
Unwilling to give up, Sun Tang gritted his teeth and stripped off layer after layer of his clothing. But even with only his underpants left, there wasn't a trace of a wound.
This strange sight even stunned Zhang Ji.
He then remembered the medicinal juice the young lady had secretly given Sun Tang to swallow beforehand...
Glancing at the young lady beside him, Zhang Ji was filled with shock and profound respect.
Such methods, such boldness...
It was truly magnificent!
"Master Sun summoned me here late at night just to see this?" Ji Zizhao asked with a half-smile, her eyes filled with unflappable coldness. "First, you falsely accused my Ji family, and then you attempted to defile me. That the Sun family can still stand here with such righteousness, I am truly curious, who gave the Sun family such audacity."
Sun Tang gritted his teeth in anger. "You..."
"Shut up!" Sun Yunxiao glared at Sun Tang. If he wasn't his own son, he would have slapped him long ago. He then looked deeply at the nonchalant Ji Zizhao, grabbed Sun Tang, and strode out of the courtroom.
His actions tonight were indeed rash; he had rushed to Fengtian Prefecture without understanding the full picture.
However, it was impossible for him to bow to a junior. Moreover, he could not believe his son would lie!
"Are you sure the eldest daughter of the Ji family really beat you?" Sun Yunxiao asked Sun Tang as they got into the carriage.
Sun Tang was so wronged he felt like crying. "It's absolutely true! Your son would never dare to deceive you, father!"
Just then, Ji Zizhao also walked out of Fengtian Prefecture.
Their eyes met. Ji Zizhao was the first to flash a cold smile at Sun Yunxiao.
Sun Yunxiao trembled all over, then recalled Ji Zizhao's words just now.
Who gave the Sun family such audacity...
Could Ji Zizhao be questioning who the Sun family's patron was?
Impossible...
Absolutely impossible!
That Ji Zizhao was merely a good-for-nothing from the Ji family, how could she possess such a meticulous mind.
Ji Zizhao, who had gotten into her carriage, only instructed softly after the Sun family's carriage had driven away, "Uncle Ji, personally keep an eye on the Sun family. Report any slightest disturbance promptly."
"Yes, young lady."
After the events of this night, it would not be an exaggeration to say that Zhang Ji was in awe of this young lady.
Ji Zizhao thought for a moment and then said, "Have the people around you spread the word about tonight's events, saying... the Sun family, relying on their influence, bullied the Ji family, which has no male heirs, and further insulted the eldest daughter of the Ji family as a good-for-nothing."
Zhang Ji had never seen anyone so adept at smearing themselves.
In Fengtian Prefecture.
The scribe looked at the empty courtroom, utterly bewildered. "Sir, what is going on here..."
Prefect of Fengtian: "..."
Ask me? Who am I supposed to ask!