The news of Ji Ziyan falling into the pond quickly spread throughout the Zhao family.
The guests put down their chopsticks and rose to go to the small garden. However, due to the separation of sexes, most male guests stood at a distance, watching, not daring to approach rashly.
Grand Tutor Zhao accompanied the male guests by the water's edge, forcing a smile as he appeased them.
Ji Zizhao, standing on the arched bridge, watched this indifferent scene, her heart growing colder.
The eldest daughter-in-law of the Zhao family had fallen into the water, yet Grand Tutor Zhao was still busy entertaining guests. As for her husband, Zhao Liang, he was nowhere to be seen even now. It was clear what kind of life Ji Ziyan was leading in the Zhao family.
Instead, the servants who were fishing out Zi Qiao arrived promptly. Not a single master of the Zhao family had appeared yet, and the servants were already frantically hauling out the unconscious Zi Qiao and carrying her away.
After another short period, the mistress of the Zhao family, supported by Nanny Sun, finally arrived.
“What unpleasantness occurred between the eldest daughter of the Ji family and Ziyan? How could she resort to violence? Ziyan is carrying a child!” As soon as she saw Ji Zizhao, Madam Zhao began to reprimand her sternly without any preamble.
The surrounding guests, upon hearing this, all turned to look at Ji Zizhao with anger.
Grand Tutor Zhao, who had been standing with the male guests, only hurried over when he heard about the pregnancy. “Madam, is what you said true? Ziyan is pregnant?”
Madam Zhao nodded with tears in her eyes. “The pregnancy is still in its early stages. We had planned to announce it during your birthday celebration today, making it a double celebration. But, but I never expected…”
Grand Tutor Zhao turned to look at Ji Zizhao, his hateful gaze as if he wanted to devour her alive.
Ji Zizhao, however, only looked at Madam Zhao and asked, “Where is third sister now?”
Grand Tutor Zhao suddenly snapped back to attention and also looked at his wife, asking, “Where was Ziyan taken? Have you called a doctor? No matter what, we must try to save the child in her womb!”
Madam Zhao wiped her tears and nodded. “When I heard the news, I had already sent someone to fetch a doctor. My lord is right, we should prioritize Ziyan. Only when Ziyan wakes up will we know why the eldest daughter of the Ji family tried to kill her!”
Grand Tutor Zhao quickly pulled his wife towards the arch bridge, not forgetting to order the guards to keep an eye on Ji Zizhao and escort her to Ji Ziyan's courtyard.
In an instant, dozens of guards surrounded Ji Zizhao tightly, as if they were afraid she would escape.
Ji Zizhao, of course, had no intention of running.
Or rather, not only did she have no intention of running, but she actively followed behind Madam Zhao.
If she hadn't wanted to, Zi Qiao would never have fallen into the water, and the Zhao family would have no reason to put on such a show. But if that were the case, she feared it would be even harder to see her third sister.
Therefore, Ji Zizhao seized the opportunity to meet Ji Ziyan!
In the small pavilion in the middle of the lake, a group of young dandies also heard the commotion.
Lu Yong was the first to slam the table and exclaim, “Nonsense! The eldest daughter of the Ji family would never do such a thing!”
Although the others were reluctant to believe that the proud and upright eldest daughter of the Ji family would cruelly harm her own sister, since the incident had occurred, they decided to go and see for themselves.
After all, seeing is believing.
Ma Jingbo walked up to Zhao Liang and gently comforted him, “Brother Zhao, rest assured, everything will be fine.”
Zhao Liang nodded perfunctorily and slowly rose with the others, showing no sign of urgency.
Xie Jinglan glanced at Zhao Liang, his eyes filled with darkness.
Meanwhile, Madam Zhao was leading a group of people towards Ji Ziyan's courtyard.
Ji Zizhao followed silently at the very end, her thoughts racing.
Seeing how anxious Grand Tutor Zhao was about the child in Ji Ziyan's womb, it seemed his concern was genuine.
On the other hand, Madam Zhao's confidence in bringing everyone to Ji Ziyan's courtyard and her assertion that Ji Ziyan would confront Ji Zizhao upon waking suggested a lack of pretense.
The children of the Ji family had always been upright and honorable. Ji Zizhao could not believe that Ji Ziyan would dare to collude with Madam Zhao to slander her, her elder sister.
Could it be that Madam Zhao’s confidence…
Was not based on the belief that Ji Ziyan would help slander her, but on the certainty that Ji Ziyan would be unable to speak!
Upon recalling Zi Qiao impersonating Ji Ziyan, Ji Zizhao's heart sank even further.
Led by Madam Zhao, everyone arrived at Ji Ziyan's courtyard. As Ji Zizhao entered the room with Madam Zhao and Grand Tutor Zhao, she saw Ji Ziyan lying on the bed, pale and lifeless!
Even though Ji Zizhao had anticipated this situation, her heart clenched fiercely!
She remembered how beautiful and graceful her third sister was when she married into the Zhao family. How had it come to this in such a short time, that her once vibrant third sister was now unable to even open her eyes?
A young doctor was examining Ji Ziyan by the bedside.
Grand Tutor Zhao hurried over and asked, “How is she? Is the child safe?”
The doctor shook his head. “It could not be saved.”
Grand Tutor Zhao's anxiety vanished without a trace. He sat down on a chair, not even glancing at the bed, showing no concern for Ji Ziyan's life or death.
Ji Zizhao's hands, hidden in her sleeves, clenched tightly. Uncontrollable rage surged within her, her blood boiling as if about to erupt. Her whitened fingers, from the force of her grip, longed to pick up the largest vase in the room and smash it over the heads of the Zhao family.
The doctor continued to busy himself by the bedside for a moment before walking over to Madam Zhao and saying, “The eldest daughter-in-law of the Zhao family inhaled a lot of water. Although she is still breathing, I fear she will not last much longer.”
Madam Zhao did not seem particularly saddened by this news. Instead, she turned and glared at Ji Zizhao, “Eldest daughter of the Ji family, you heard what the doctor just said. If today’s matter…”
Before she could finish speaking, Madam Zhao froze.
She realized that behind her, the space was empty. Where had Ji Zizhao gone?
Where, where was she…
At that moment, Ji Zizhao, her eyes dark, had already walked to the bedside.
While the few people in the room were still taken by surprise, she reached under the quilt.
Beneath the quilt, Ji Ziyan's body was completely soaked, looking as if she had just been pulled from the water. Especially her wrist, so thin it seemed it could break with a slight force, was chillingly cold.
Ji Zizhao's fingers quickly pressed against Ji Ziyan's wrist, while her other hand meticulously examined Ji Ziyan's head and body.
It was during this examination that Ji Zizhao felt the urge to kill.
How dare the Zhao family!