Nanny Xu entered the room first, heading towards the inner chamber, her voice resonating, "Old Madam, the Eldest Daughter is here to take your pulse."
As they entered the inner chamber with Nanny Xu, the Old Madam's unfinished words came to an abrupt halt.
Ji Zongyou, naturally unwilling to let anyone disrupt his plans, knitted his brows, ready to curse Nanny Xu, that old hag, for interfering. Just then, Ji Zizhao strode in.
The moment Ji Zizhao entered, Ji Ziyan quickly stepped forward, "Eldest Sister, I..."
The words she wanted to say surged to her throat, but when she actually opened her mouth, she didn't know where to begin.
Ji Zizhao patted Ji Ziyan's still trembling hand and said softly, "Third Sister has already done more than enough."
If Third Sister hadn't been so patient, the Old Madam would have already dismissed them.
Ji Ziyan's throat felt even more constricted. She hadn't said a word, yet her Eldest Sister knew everything.
This was Eldest Sister; no matter the time or place, she would always stand by their side, their strong support.
"Leave the rest to me. If you're tired, go back and rest first." In such a chaotic environment, Ji Zizhao truly feared she would blind her sister.
Ji Ziyan, however, was worried about her Eldest Sister and remained standing there.
Seeing this, Ji Zizhao didn't insist. She patted Ji Ziyan's hand again before heading towards the inner chamber.
From beginning to end, Ji Zizhao did not glance at Ji Zongyou.
But as Ji Zizhao approached the inner chamber, Ji Zongyou's heart lurched, "Ji Zizhao, you wretched..."
Before he could finish, Ji Zizhao stopped and turned to look at him.
Ji Zongyou, whose words had been cut short, felt his throat churn. Although Ji Zizhao's dark eyes were calm, he instantly felt his limbs turn cold and his heart chill.
And just as Ji Zongyou felt his limbs grow numb with cold, he saw Ji Zizhao walking towards him!
Ji Zongyou, terrified, scrambled backward, trying to grab a nearby maid to shield himself.
But no matter how frantic his movements, Ji Zizhao still reached for him.
Ji Zizhao slightly bent down, towering over Ji Zongyou as she reached for him. It didn't matter that Ji Zongyou was unclothed; her slightly cool hands, without hesitation, clasped around his neck.
Ji Zongyou was petrified, his mouth opening to shout, "Gra-Grandmother, Eldest Sister has gone mad, she, she..."
Ji Zizhao let out a light laugh, interrupting him. Beneath her calm facade brewed a storm he couldn't withstand, "If Brother Zongyou is wise, he'd best think thrice before speaking. If you speak disrespectfully to me, I will really hit you."
Ji Zongyou: "..."
Who hits people so righteously!
Ji Zizhao had no time to dwell on Ji Zongyou's reaction. As she released him, she turned and left.
Ji Zongyou watched Ji Zizhao's retreating back, his throat feeling like it was choked with cotton.
His mother had told him to provoke freely, implying he would get hit, but if anyone else beat him, he might recover in a few days. But if Ji Zizhao laid hands on him...
He might not even get to eat dumplings this year!
Looking at his now numb legs, it was a lie to say Ji Zongyou wasn't afraid.
But as Ji Zizhao's figure disappeared from the main hall, Ji Zongyou's panic slowly turned into disdain.
Grandmother doted on him so much. What if Ji Zizhao went to Grandmother now?
Grandmother would surely let him leave.
On the bed in the inner chamber, the bitter scent of medicinal decoction permeated the air.
The Old Madam lying on the bed immediately closed her eyes upon seeing Ji Zizhao enter.
Her rejection was too obvious.
Nanny Xu sighed inwardly, but she couldn't say much, so she quietly withdrew from the room and closed the door.
"Your granddaughter pays her respects to Grandmother." Ji Zizhao bowed to the Old Madam.
As expected, the Old Madam didn't even lift her eyelids.
Ji Zizhao didn't mind. She got up, walked to the bedside, adjusted her skirt, and sat down. She placed her hand on the Old Madam's wrist, carefully examining her body.
In the main hall, Ji Zongyou, having waited in vain for Grandmother to finish speaking, impatiently urged, "Grandmother, Third Sister is glaring at me, and I truly feel unwell. I only wish to live longer to fulfill my filial duties to Grandmother. Grandmother, please take pity on your grandson..."
Even Nanny Xu, standing by the door, scoffed at such a hypocritical display of pitiable weakness.
But the Old Madam was clearly taken in.
Hearing her beloved grandson cry out in pain and injustice, her heart trembled violently.
This was the grandson she had doted on and protected inch by inch as he grew.
Ji Zizhao acted as if she heard nothing, calmly stating, "The Cun Kou pulse is floating and tight, indicating cold and weakness. Although the wind affliction has not completely subsided, with continued nourishment, Grandmother will gradually be able to walk and sit again, and her speech will become more fluent."
Upon hearing this, the Old Madam's wrist trembled uncontrollably.
Even though she disliked Ji Zizhao, who always contradicted her, she couldn't deny Ji Zizhao's medical skills.
How could she not be excited to know she could return to her former self?
However, the thought of facing Ji Zizhao as soon as she opened her eyes made her reluctant.
She knew Ji Zizhao had confined Ji Zongyou to the main courtyard precisely to make him lose composure in front of her.
While the Old Madam was genuinely hurt by Ji Zongyou's actions, she also could not forgive the meddling Ji Zizhao.
Didn't noble young masters have tempers? As the Eldest Daughter, Ji Zizhao should have shown leniency and indulgence, but look at the good deeds Ji Zizhao had done?
"Grandmother might be thinking that as the Eldest Daughter, I should be more lenient with my younger siblings in the estate," Ji Zizhao's voice suddenly sounded.
The Old Madam, her thoughts exposed, blinked.
Ji Zizhao paused before continuing, "As the eldest, one's responsibilities are unavoidable. It is precisely because of this that Second Sister could join the army with honor, Third Sister could return to the Ji family safely, and Fourth Sister has been able to support herself all these years."
Hearing this, Nanny Xu's eyes welled up.
Although Eldest Daughter had never forcefully interfered in anything, she always managed to clear the path and protect every young lady in the household when they needed it most.
Such an Eldest Daughter, let alone deserving of her sisters, the Ji family owed her.
Frankly, if not for Eldest Daughter holding the fort, the Ji family would likely have fallen apart long ago.
Inside the room, the Old Madam was not as sentimental as Nanny Xu.
What Ji Zizhao had done was indeed not easy, but since she held the Ji family's seal, she deserved it.
Was it easy for any eldest son or daughter?
Ji Zizhao, seeing her grandmother's complacent acceptance, did not argue. She continued, "I protect my sisters because they understand warmth and cold, but why should a brute like him receive my favoritism! Protection!"
Her grandson was the only male heir of the Ji family, how could he be a brute?
The Old Madam could no longer control her anger and opened her eyes, glaring coldly at Ji Zizhao.
Ji Zizhao, unconcerned, continued, "Does Grandmother know why everyone in the Ji family has begun to distance themselves from you, and why no one even comes to pay their respects anymore?"
The Old Madam of course knew it was because of Ji Zongyou, but so what? "I, my grandson, you, you all, don't love him... it's also because you're jealous, he has, has the affection you don't... no, it's fine, I, I'll dote on my own grandson myself..."
Her incoherent words were full of favoritism and doting towards Ji Zongyou. Su Dan Novel Network
Ji Zizhao felt no jealousy, merely calmly asking, "It is natural for Grandmother to dote on her grandson, but does the grandson who has always been doted on by Grandmother truly love Grandmother?"
The Old Madam instinctively wanted to affirm, but recalling Ji Zongyou's recent behavior in the main courtyard, her righteous certainty faltered into guilt in her throat.