Xie Jingzhou quickly extended his hand, "Eldest Daughter of the Ji family, please speak. If I can, I will willingly go through fire and water for you. However, please do not make things too difficult for me. Such significant matters I cannot decide alone and must consult my Imperial Mother."
Qingzhu, seeing the fifth prince's cowardly and timid demeanor, frowned with disgust.
Ji Zizhao, as if oblivious, suddenly bent her knees. "Mei, Lan, Zhu, and Ju have grown up with me. I treat them like sisters. Now that the Ji family is in such a state... I wonder if Your Highness would be willing to take in Yongmei? Yongmei is diligent and sensible, and she can surely serve and care for Your Highness well. This way... I would be at ease."
The hand beneath Xie Jingzhou's sleeve suddenly clenched.
On the surface, however, he remained as bewildered as ever. "Eldest Daughter of the Ji family, what kind of words are these? This matter is too sudden, and I dare not decide. After I return and report to my Imperial Mother, I will give you an answer, how about that?"
Ji Zizhao, as if from the bottom of her heart, expressed her gratitude. "Your Highness's benevolence, Ji Zizhao will remember it always."
Seeing Ji Zizhao still kneeling, Xie Jingzhou wanted to offer a hand to help her up, but seemed afraid. The outstretched hand trembled in mid-air.
Ji Zizhao smiled understandingly, then stood up on her own and walked towards the carriage.
After sitting back into the carriage, she offered Xie Jingzhou another nod before lowering the carriage curtain.
The moment the curtain fell, the smile vanished from Ji Zizhao's face, leaving only a look of icy coldness.
To observe the form and measure the qi of a physician.
Just now, when she insisted on divorce, the fifth prince's qi was clearly in disarray.
However, Ji Zizhao did not expect the fifth prince to be so skilled at concealment and disguise.
Truly brilliant and captivating.
The moment Xie Jingzhou got into the carriage, he swept all the tea sets off the low table.
After a long while, he looked at Luohong beside him and asked, "What do you think of that Yongmei?"
Luohong, seated beside him, replied truthfully, "Yongmei does indeed wish to be Your Highness's person. However, this servant never imagined that that servant, Yongmei, would be so overconfident..."
Before Luohong could finish speaking, Xie Jingzhou raised his hand to interrupt.
In this exchange, Eldest Daughter of the Ji family spoke appropriately, with both advancement and retreat, making her temperament difficult to fathom.
But if even Luohong said so, it was likely that someone was indeed behind this.
Xie Jingzhou lowered his arm, his dark eyes deep. "How to discipline servants should not require me to tell you, correct?"
"Your Highness, rest assured, this servant knows what to do."
Ji Zizhao returned to the Ji family in the afternoon.
She first went to Yan Yuan and thoroughly examined her third sister's injuries before heaving a sigh of relief.
"You just need to continue to revere it. But remember to take your medicine on time," Ji Zizhao handed the newly written prescription to the third madam, Yin Wenying.
Ji Ziyan sat by the bedside, staring blankly at a certain spot, without any response.
While the third madam Yin Wenying was busy instructing someone to fetch the medicine, Ji Zizhao leaned in and whispered, "A person lives a lifetime, like grass in autumn, like a dream, fleeting years. We daughters of the Ji family have great aspirations and ambitions for the world. Even if we do not fade in the inner courtyards, we can live our true selves. Third sister, you should think carefully about what you need. If you need my help, you can always come to me."
When the third madam Yin Wenying returned to the room, she saw Ji Zizhao saying something. Fearing she might corrupt her daughter, she hurried over.
"I heard that Zhaojie has come to Yan Yuan since returning from outside. Zhaojie must be tired. I will not keep you."
Ji Zizhao had said what she needed to say. Facing her third aunt's polite dismissal, she did not expose her and left the room with a faint smile.
The third madam Yin Wenying stood by the window, watching Ji Zizhao's retreating figure. She did not realize that Ji Ziyan, who had been unresponsive and silent on the bed, was slowly clenching her fingers.
Only after seeing Ji Zizhao leave the courtyard did the third madam Yin Wenying turn back and say, "Zhaojie didn't say anything to you, did she? Mother tells you, no matter what she says to you, she is harming you. When you married into the Zhao family, she obstructed it, but in fact, she was simply envious of you. Perhaps she is still jealous and resentful that you married well into the Zhao family. Otherwise, why would she have to make things so difficult to resolve this time?"
Ji Ziyan, who was leaning against the bedside, slowly raised her head, her lips moving as if she wanted to say something.
The third madam Yin Wenying paused and then said, "Ziyan, this Ji family is no longer what it used to be. When the second prince returns with the military order, no one knows how the Emperor will pass judgment. Your father is no longer here. If even you cannot be safe, how can you expect your mother to live?"
Ji Ziyan, who had just found her backbone and courage, looked at her mother's red eyes and finally released her clenched hands.
"Mother, you want me to go back, don't you? As soon as possible."
The third madam Yin Wenying was stunned and nodded tearfully with joy. "Good, good. Mother will start arranging it now."
The third madam Yin Wenying, walking out the door with great joy, thought her daughter was finally going back and escaping the Ji family's troubles. She did not notice the despair hidden in her dry, hoarse voice.
Ji Ziyan closed her dry eyes with a heart as dead as ashes.
Forget it...
Let it be.
Yongmei, who was waiting in Zhaoyuan, saw her mistress return and hurried to meet her. "Mistress, have you seen the fifth prince?"
Ji Zizhao's face was as dark as water, and she was too lazy to answer.
Seeing her mistress's expression, Yongmei assumed something unpleasant had happened between her mistress and the fifth prince. She hurried alongside and added, "The fifth prince's feelings for you are as clear as day. Mistress, you must not betray the fifth prince's true heart. If you truly feel uncomfortable, why don't I go and invite the first madam over now..."
"Yongmei, how old are you this year?" Ji Zizhao suddenly interrupted.
Yongmei was startled. "This servant is fifteen this year."
Ji Zizhao's dark eyes were deep, making it impossible to discern her emotions. "You have truly grown up. Now you even interfere in my affairs."
Yongmei was startled and quickly knelt on the ground in fear. "This servant dares not. This servant merely believes the fifth prince is sincere towards you."
Ji Zizhao suppressed her anger and said in a deep voice, "I understand your intentions, but since you are my servant, you must do your duty. If you continue to run to my mother's courtyard, I will send you to Yun Yuan to serve my mother tomorrow, alright?"
Yongmei's face turned deathly pale, and she kowtowed anxiously. "This servant was wrong. This servant will never dare again."
She fancied the fifth prince, firstly because he was good-looking, and secondly because he was naturally weak and timid. Even Luohong, who was bestowed upon the fifth prince by Consort Xi, could act like a tyrant in the fifth prince's residence. If she were to become the fifth prince's concubine, wouldn't she be able to hold her head high from then on?
Therefore, no matter what, she had to stay by her mistress's side.
Ji Zizhao glanced at Yongmei again and turned into the room.
The fifth prince had already extended his hand towards the Ji family, which meant there was someone within the Ji family helping the fifth prince from the inside.
She, who did not want to alert the snake, could use Yongmei to lure out other traitors.
"Qingzhu, keep a close eye on Yongmei's actions during this period. Secretly record everyone she comes into contact with."
"Yes, your subordinate understands."