Third Madam Yin Wenying sighed, "We have already agreed to help your eldest aunt obtain the divorce letter. Soon, your eldest aunt will no longer be part of the Ji family. She will leave here with Zhao Jie'er."
Ji Ziyan froze for a moment, then shook her head, "No, Eldest Sister won't leave."
It wasn't that she didn't wish for her elder sister to leave safely, but rather she firmly believed her elder sister wouldn't abandon everyone in the Ji family.
Third Madam Yin Wenying didn't know where her daughter's confidence came from. Although she didn't agree in her heart, in the current situation, she didn't want to discourage her daughter any further and could only sigh heavily again.
Originally, the Emperor's decree to punish the Ji family was not intended to cause a great commotion. However, the screams now emanating from the Ji family had attracted many passing citizens.
To resolve the matter quickly, the eunuch delivering the imperial decree shifted his attention from Ji Zixiu and walked to the Old Madam with the decree, saying, "Old Madam Ji, receive the imperial decree."
The Old Madam, kneeling on the ground, had a blank mind. Where was the courage to receive the decree?
When Ji Zizhao had broken off her engagement and returned to the Ji family, she hadn't even asked for a reason before handing over control of the Ji family to Ji Zizhao, all for the day when Ji Zizhao would be the one to take the blow for the Ji family.
But who would have thought that that damned Yang Lang would appear midway!
After all her calculations, the blade was now at her own throat!
The Old Madam was not just scared, but more so angry.
The pressure in her chest grew heavier and heavier, and the Old Madam fainted without even catching her breath.
Seeing this, Granny Xu quickly embraced the Old Madam and cried out, "Old Madam, Old Madam, wake up!"
The eunuch, losing all patience, waved at the guards behind him, "Originally, His Majesty wished to grant the Ji family some dignity and specially bestowed poisoned wine. Since the Old Madam Ji is not fortunate enough, someone must help her."
Several guards approached the Old Madam without a word. Some of them snatched the unconscious Old Madam from Granny Xu's arms, carried her to the eaves of the Ji family's entrance, and took out a rope they had prepared beforehand, hanging it from the beam.
The female members of the Ji family watched in horror.
They were going to hang the Old Madam!
"Without asking for justice or reason, you inflict such cruelty upon an elder. Eunuch, you truly have great authority!"
A clear, cold voice suddenly rang out.
Everyone looked in astonishment towards the sound and saw Ji Zizhao slowly arriving, supporting her mother.
Her gaze was firm and steady, and every step she took was heavy and sure.
The female members of the Ji family's eyes widened in surprise, thinking they were hallucinating.
They had all agreed with their eldest sister-in-law to obtain the divorce letter. Had their eldest sister-in-law not told Zhao Jie'er?
The eunuch, under orders to quickly deliver the decree of punishment, had not checked the number of people in the Ji family. Seeing someone arriving late, he immediately became enraged, "Your Ji family is truly audacious! You dare to disrespect His Majesty's imperial decree in such a manner!"
Ji Zizhao stepped forward, her eyes as cold and deep as water, "Checking the number of people is a basic prerequisite before delivering an imperial decree. Yet, Eunuch, you are so negligent, and now you blame my Ji family? His Majesty's imperial decree is indeed inviolable! But by what right do you, Eunuch, deceive the current Emperor so carelessly!"
The eunuch was speechless for a moment, then gritted his teeth, "A sharp-tongued girl! No wonder the men of the Ji family dare to disregard the law on the battlefield and act with impunity. It turns out this Ji family is simply full of unreasonable and unruly people!"
Ji Zizhao stepped forward again, "The situation on the battlefield is something even His Majesty has not personally witnessed, yet you, Eunuch, speak so confidently here. May I ask if you have personally seen anything?"
"You..."
"Or is it that you, relying on His Majesty, simply wish to unjustly kill the orphans of the Ji family!"
Her words, sharp as needles and cutting as a knife, made the eunuch's face change.
How could he have imagined that the Ji family, which had completely collapsed, could still be so defiant!
The news from the Fourth Prince was still vivid.
Hold your breath and wait.
This was enough to prove that even though the Emperor held the military command token, he still felt indebted to the Ji family, who had contributed to Yu Lin for a hundred years.
Alternatively, the Emperor, concerned about his reputation as a wise ruler, did not wish for the matter to escalate into a public scandal in the imperial city.
However, it didn't matter which was the case.
Because Ji Zizhao was standing here today, she had no intention of complying with the Emperor's wishes.
The more the court wished to resolve the matter quietly, the more she intended to make a bigger fuss!
Taking advantage of the eunuch's contemplation for a suitable response, Ji Zizhao immediately ordered, "Guards! Open the gates of the Ji family! My Ji family lives with integrity. Even if we die, we will die with clarity!"
Zhang Ji, who had been kneeling at the back with the guards, heard this and immediately led the guards behind him towards the manor gates.
The eunuch, remembering the Emperor's strict instructions not to let the matter escalate and to handle the Ji family secretly, broke out in a cold sweat. He quickly shouted to the guards beside him to stop them, "Quickly stop these people!"
The guards, who had just endured a lashing from Ji Zixiu, now found themselves outmatched against Zhang Ji and his guards. Some guards didn't even have the strength to draw their swords.
The servants of the Ji family, seeing this, also began to stir and stand up.
These were domestic servants of the Ji family. If the Ji family truly fell, they would also not escape death. Now that even their masters were desperately fighting, what did they have to fear?
Even if they died, they would die with a clear conscience!
Shui Huan was the first maid to rush towards the manor gates. If not for the eldest young lady saving her, she would have died long ago. Now, she would fulfill the eldest young lady's command even if it meant death!
Shui Ling and Xin Lan followed closely. From the day they followed their young lady, their lives had been tied to hers. Now, let alone opening a door, even if a mountain of knives and a sea of fire lay before them, they would charge through!
Lian Ju and Qing Zhu exchanged a look. Qing Zhu, understanding implicitly, rushed to help Zhang Ji and the others, while Lian Ju remained by her young lady's side to protect her.
In an instant, the Ji family courtyard became chaotic.
Yong Mei, secretly observing this scene from a corner, had her legs turn to jelly from fear.
If her young lady were truly conscripted into the army as a military prostitute, what would happen to her?
She was destined to become a concubine to the Fifth Prince, with countless riches and honor awaiting her. She absolutely could not wait to die here with everyone from the Ji family.
Yong Mei's gaze gradually firmed. Taking advantage of the chaos in the courtyard, she quietly ran towards the back gate.
In the front courtyard, everyone was still grappling at the gates of the Ji family manor.
Ji Zixiu gritted her teeth, suddenly gripped her whip, and amidst the melee, swung it towards the manor gates.
The eunuch, seeing Ji Zixiu reach the gates in the blink of an eye, quickly stepped forward to stop her, "What do you want to do? You..."
But before the eunuch could finish speaking, Qing Zhu blocked Ji Zixiu and kicked the eunuch in the stomach, sending him into a daze.
Ji Zixiu seized the opportunity, pushed with all her might, and opened the heavy manor gates.
"Creak..."
With a heavy creaking sound, the tightly shut manor gates slowly swung open outwards.
The citizens standing at the entrance of the Ji family were startled to see the Ji family members slowly appearing.
They had only gathered after hearing the commotion and had no idea what had happened.
Ji Zizhao observed the suspicion in the eyes of the citizens.
To win the citizens over to the Ji family's side, they had to make the citizens understand the full cause and effect.
However, some things, when spoken, were bound to sound pale and unconvincing.
Only by demonstrating the law with oneself could one strike directly at people's hearts.
The eunuch delivering the decree looked at the pairs of eyes outside the gate and felt like crying.
The Emperor had repeatedly warned him to be discreet, to handle it secretly, and to finish quickly. Now, it had turned into this unrecognizable mess. If the Emperor found out, wouldn't he personally execute him?
As the eunuch was about to cry without tears, he saw Ji Zizhao bend her knees and kneel on the ground.
"Your subject, Ji Zizhao, holding the seal of authority for the Ji family, am now the person in charge of the Ji family. I am here today to receive the imperial decree on behalf of the Ji family's widows!" Ji Zizhao's voice was loud and clear, but she did not extend her hand, clearly forcing the eunuch delivering the decree to read the imperial decree again.
The eunuch's teeth itched with hatred.
So this was the recently renowned eldest young lady of the Ji family.
Indeed, as beautiful as her face was, as hateful was she!
The ladies of the Ji family, upon hearing this, suddenly felt their eyes, which were filled with shock, begin to water.
Zhao Jie'er said she was still the head of the Ji family. Zhao Jie'er had given up her plan to live with her eldest sister-in-law and would face adversity with all of them in the Ji family!
Ji Ziyan, clutching her bruised stomach and lying on the ground, looked at her elder sister, who stood like a towering mountain in front of all the female members of the Ji family, and suddenly smiled.
But as she smiled, tears began to fall.
Because she knew and believed even more firmly that since Eldest Sister had come, she must have a plan!