Tang Di was still quite cordial when he saw Ji Zizhao.
If it weren't for the eldest daughter of the Ji family giving him medicine and acupuncture in advance today, even if he had an iron body, he would have succumbed to the dozens of boards from the county yamen. How could he be like now, getting up with a pat on his backside and being a good fellow again?
Hearing Tang Di's words, Ji Zizhao's heart inexplicably tightened.
Zhong Xinyi's injuries were not as severe as Xue Yinuo and Xu Meiqing's because someone recognized her identity.
This could be confirmed by what the children in the town said.
They dared to abduct the general's daughter and the minister's daughter, and they could clearly investigate the niece of the current Empress. What was strange if they really found out about Fourth Sister's identity?
What was strange was why that county magistrate specifically wanted to see her.
Ji Zizhao suddenly turned and walked into the house.
Tang Di looked at Ji Zizhao's retreating back and suddenly felt a slight thrill. This was the first time he had seen the eldest daughter of the Ji family back down. It was truly rarer than a Western spectacle. How should he comfort her…
Before Tang Di could finish thinking, he saw Ji Zizhao walk back in front of him.
"Let's go." Ji Zizhao smoothed her sleeves as if nothing had happened, her heart filled with worry for her fourth sister. Without waiting for Tang Di to lead, she had already walked towards the courtyard exit.
Tang Di, "..."
What else could he say?
He couldn't say anything!
Ji Zizhao followed Tang Di all the way to the deepest part of the temporary palace. After passing through layers of guards, she went underground along a stone gate.
The Emperor's decision to build this dungeon was purely for emergencies. However, for many years, Yulin had enjoyed peace and prosperity, and the dungeon of the temporary palace had become semi-abandoned.
The dungeon was somewhat damp but clean.
Using the flickering torches on the wall, Ji Zizhao saw Xie Jinglan, who was examining the crimes.
This Xie Jinglan was completely different from Ji Zizhao's impression of him. He lacked a bit of his usual laziness and gentleness, and instead possessed a stern severity. Especially his face hidden in the shadows was so sharp that one dared not look directly at him.
As if hearing footsteps, Xie Jinglan slowly raised his head. Upon seeing Ji Zizhao, he stood up and walked over. Knowing that she was concerned about her sister, he said directly, "Follow me."
Ji Zizhao nodded and followed Xie Jinglan's steps.
"It would be best if he voluntarily tells you the truth. If he has other intentions, there's no need to worry. Noble Consort Xi has already obtained the letter of severance from the Liang family. As long as he is interrogated with torture, he will confess, though it will take some time." Xie Jinglan noticed a pit on the ground and carefully pulled Ji Zizhao aside.
Ji Zizhao knew that Xie Jinglan was reassuring her.
She naturally trusted him, but she couldn't wait.
The county magistrate had been captured, but those who had carried out the deed were still at large. Now that her fourth sister was in their hands, the longer it dragged on, the more suffering her fourth sister would endure.
The Ji family would also be in more danger!
Thinking this, Ji Zizhao's dark eyes deepened slightly.
The dungeon was not large. After only a few sentences, they arrived at the place where the county magistrate was confined.
The county magistrate, sitting in the prison cell with disheveled hair, sneered upon seeing Xie Jinglan. "I remember that Fourth Highness was a coward who only dared to hide behind Princess Wenhui when he was a child. Later, when Princess Wenhui grew tired of Fourth Highness being far from the imperial city, Fourth Highness did not even have the courage to personally see her off. For years, he has been willing to humble himself in the Ministry of Revenue, doing trivial chores. I was originally curious why Fourth Highness suddenly changed his ways. Now it seems…"
As the county magistrate spoke, his gaze fell on Ji Zizhao.
Ji Zizhao disliked being looked at like that and turned to leave.
The county magistrate was surprised that Ji Zizhao would actually leave, a flicker of astonishment in his eyes. He quickly spoke again, "I was merely sighing. Eldest Miss Ji is so spirited, it's no wonder she has captured Fourth Highness's heart. Even Princess Wenhui, upon her return, is left in the cold."
Ji Zizhao stopped, but did not turn her head.
The county magistrate then looked at Xie Jinglan and said, "I only wish to speak to Eldest Miss Ji alone."
Xie Jinglan stood there with an unchanged expression, as if he hadn't heard. Only when Ji Zizhao turned back and nodded at him did he open the prison cell, accompany Ji Zizhao inside personally, and then had a chair brought in. After Ji Zizhao was seated, he turned and left.
County magistrate, "..."
This kind of attention and favor, perhaps even Noble Consort Xi had never experienced?
"Now it's just the two of us. Say what you want to say." Ji Zizhao leaned back in the chair, looking carelessly at the county magistrate sitting on the straw mat.
The county magistrate slightly raised his eyes, scrutinizing the woman sitting in a high position.
Young, exceptionally beautiful, and with extraordinary methods.
Not only was she intelligent, but she could also make the Fourth Prince and even the Empress unconditionally lend a helping hand, to the point that even Noble Consort Xi, who had always been rampant in the palace, was powerless to resist…
Truly, the children of a tiger are not dogs!
"Since Eldest Miss Ji knows that Noble Consort Xi has written a letter of severance to the Liang family, I have nothing to hide. If Eldest Miss Ji spares my life, I will tell Eldest Miss Ji where your sister is." The county magistrate stared at Ji Zizhao.
Ji Zizhao let out a snort, amused. "Your men molested my friend and then got into a big fight, and now they've abducted my fourth sister. Such evil deeds are intolerable. Magistrate, you think too highly of me. I don't actually have such a benevolent heart."
The county magistrate was not afraid, his eyes flashing with a dirty gleam like a rat. "Eldest Miss Ji can ignore my fate, but can Eldest Miss Ji really stand by and watch the Ji family face utter destruction again?"
Ji Zizhao's heart jolted, but her face remained calm as she waved her sleeve. "I don't understand what you're talking about."
"What Eldest Miss Ji has hidden on Fourth Miss Ji, Eldest Miss Ji must understand…" Before he could finish speaking, a strong sense of suffocation swept through the county magistrate's body.
The suffocating sensation, accompanied by waves of intense itching, overwhelmed him. Helpless, the county magistrate fell to the ground in pain. After a long while, he looked at Ji Zizhao and said, "You, you poisoned me?"
Ji Zizhao waved her sleeve again and leaned closer to the county magistrate. "You have done countless evil deeds helping Noble Consort Xi all these years. I thought you were cunning enough, but I didn't expect you to be such a fool. You also said that you hold evidence that would destroy my Ji family. In that case, you should have been prepared to die by my hand long ago."
The county magistrate naturally knew that Ji Zizhao hated him to death, but he hadn't expected Ji Zizhao to actually dare!
His decision to approach Ji Zizhao was to find a way to survive.
How did it turn out to be…
Dying even faster?
The county magistrate stared intently at Ji Zizhao, as if trying to find a flaw on her face. "Doesn't Eldest Miss Ji… want to know where Fourth Miss Ji is?"
Ji Zizhao's heart tightened, and her limbs turned cold. But under the county magistrate's gaze, she could not show any emotion. "I am about to become the Fourth Prince's consort. A stepping stone like the Ji family is no longer useful. In fact, I should thank you for helping me eliminate the hidden danger of the Ji family."