A maid knelt on the ground, desperately clutching Ji Zizhao's skirt, "Eldest Daughter of the Ji family, our mistress took a great risk to her life just to see you!"
Ji Zizhao frowned, "Speak clearly."
The maid shook her head, "This servant doesn't know what exactly happened to our mistress, but she's been acting strangely these past few days. The First Mistress and the Master feared she might do something shocking at the banquet, so they confined her. Just now, she secretly ran out of her courtyard and instructed this servant to bring the Eldest Daughter of the Ji family to see her!"
Ji Zizhao realized she hadn't seen Ji Ziyan since arriving at the Zhao family.
She vaguely remembered her mother mentioning some time ago that her third sister had been distant from the estate for the past six months. Even sending servants to inquire about her third aunt's well-being had become less frequent, and in the last month or two, no servants had visited at all.
Because of this, her third aunt had specifically made a worried trip to the Zhao family. However, the Zhao family elder had sent her back under the pretense that her third sister had a cold and they feared contagion.
Suppressing her thoughts, Ji Zizhao looked at the maid again and stepped down from the stairs, "Lead the way."
Regardless of whether it was a trap, she couldn't risk her third sister's safety.
The maid quickly got up from the ground and discreetly led Ji Zizhao towards a hidden archway in the rear garden.
The Zhao estate was indeed vast, and its winding paths were even more intricate.
Ji Zizhao followed the maid through numerous turns for a long while before they reached a pond.
"Mis- Mistress!" the maid leading the way suddenly exclaimed, extending her hand forward.
Ji Zizhao followed the maid's gaze and indeed saw a slender figure on a distant arched bridge.
"Mistress, what are you doing? Please don't do anything foolish!" the maid cried out in distress, grabbing Ji Zizhao's hand frantically and pleading, "Eldest Daughter of the Ji family, please stop my mistress. I'll go call for help now!"
Without waiting for Ji Zizhao to respond, she hurried away.
Ji Zizhao watched the maid's retreating figure, then turned to look at the silhouette on the bridge and suddenly smiled.
Holding up her skirt, Ji Zizhao walked onto the bridge, approaching the figure step by step.
Unexpectedly, just as Ji Zizhao was about to reach the figure from behind, the figure suddenly tiptoed and lunged towards the pond before them!
However!
The body only bent halfway before abruptly stopping!
A hand had tightly grasped the figure's sash.
The figure stiffened and instinctively struggled to break free.
Ji Zizhao suddenly retracted her extended arm, pulling the figure back towards her.
The person, losing their balance, turned to face Ji Zizhao.
Their eyes met. Ji Zizhao's dark and deep gaze startled the person, making their legs go weak, nearly causing them to fall.
Ji Zizhao looked at the trembling face before her and frowned, "Ziqiao."
When Ji Ziyan married into the Grand Tutor's mansion, her third aunt, wanting to ensure Ji Ziyan was not looked down upon, had prepared over sixty dowry chests. Including gifts from the various wives, it was at least eighty chests. The accompanying maids had also been carefully selected, with over twenty chosen.
The Zhao family's First Mistress, perhaps intimidated by the Ji family's display or harboring other intentions, accepted the dowry intact but sent back the accompanying maids to the Ji family.
Only two maids who had grown up by Ji Ziyan's side, Shuihuan and Ziqiao, were kept.
Ziqiao hadn't expected Ji Zizhao to see through her disguise and bit her lip in frustration, "Eldest Daughter."
Ji Zizhao lowered her gaze to look at the head-bowed Ziqiao, "Where is your young lady?"
Ziqiao trembled, her lips tightly pressed, unsure how to answer.
The First Mistress had warned her that success was mandatory and failure unthinkable. If she messed this up, she would have no future.
Fortunately, the useless Eldest Daughter had come today, and she likely wouldn't see through the scheme. As long as she followed the First Mistress's instructions and jumped into the pond, everything else would fall into place.
With this thought, Ziqiao turned and tried to jump into the pond again.
However, the flicker in her eyes didn't escape Ji Zizhao's.
Ji Zizhao grabbed Ziqiao's collar first, her eyes completely devoid of warmth, "Ziqiao, do you still remember whose family you belong to?"
Ji Zizhao had already begun to ponder what game the Zhao family was playing.
But she never imagined that Ziqiao would lead a rebellion against her mistress!
If this was the case, then her third sister was likely now in danger...
Ziqiao's body shook, and she began to struggle again.
Ji Zizhao's earlier words were meant to subtly remind Ziqiao to be wise and return to the right path, but it was clear Ziqiao was determined to side with the Zhao family.
Since that was the case...
"Ziqiao, as your third young lady's dowry maid, even if you couldn't protect her with your life, you shouldn't have committed such a treacherous act. Since you refuse to turn back, I won't force you any longer. After all, the Ji family has no place for those worse than pigs and dogs."
Ji Zizhao looked at Ziqiao with calm and indifferent eyes.
But the cold glint that flickered in her eyes sent a shiver through Ziqiao.
"You seem very eager to jump into the pond. You grew up by your third young lady's side. Even without merit, you have served with hardship over the years. Since this is what you desire, I shall send you on your way." Ji Zizhao grabbed Ziqiao's collar and suddenly turned, pressing Ziqiao's body firmly against the edge of the bridge.
The hard bridge dug painfully into Ziqiao's lower back, but what terrified her most was the cold, murderous aura emanating from the Eldest Daughter before her.
She had grown up by her third young lady's side, but she had only met the Eldest Daughter a handful of times.
During festivals and family gatherings, people in the estate would often gossip about the Eldest Daughter, and she never saw her defend herself. Thus, Ziqiao had naturally assumed the Eldest Daughter was indeed a complete weakling.
But now, she was shocked to discover that the Eldest Daughter was someone she had never understood!
Ji Zizhao's grip was immense, and she soon lifted Ziqiao into the air.
Ziqiao's eyes widened in shock, and she choked back a terrified sob, "Eldest— Eldest Daughter, spare— spare my life..."
Ji Zizhao's calm, cold eyes remained motionless. Before Ziqiao could even finish her words, she suddenly released her grip on Ziqiao's collar.
Ziqiao's heart pounded as she plummeted towards the pond. This time, she was truly terrified...
"Splash—!"
Water erupted.
A maid who had been waiting in hiding immediately cried out, "Not good! The Eldest Daughter of the Ji family pushed the Mistress into the pond! Someone come quickly!"
Ji Zizhao stood steadily on the arched bridge, making no move to leave.
If the Zhao family wanted to frame her for pushing her third sister, they would need to prepare ample evidence.
Ziqiao, who had fallen into the pond, was likely of little use anymore.
Even the most foolish person in the Zhao family wouldn't bring Ziqiao before her to testify against her.
Therefore, she had no choice but to play along to see her true third sister.