Ji Zizhao had been thinking a while back that Jian Qiu would likely be leaving the palace soon.
She hadn't expected Jian Qiu to appear before her so quickly.
Looking again at Fu Bao, who was kneeling beside Jian Qiu…
Ji Zizhao remembered that this man was the young eunuch who served the Second Prince.
Fu Bao looked at Ji Zizhao, his voice trembling with emotion, "When we were in Luoyi, Princess Ronghe showed me great kindness. Later, I begged the Seventh Prince to take me in. Her Majesty the Empress was benevolent and granted my request, allowing me to leave the palace to accompany Princess Ronghe."
When Ji Zizhao had saved Fu Bao, she had merely thought that despite serving the Second Prince, his nature was pure. She hadn't expected that a simple act of kindness would lead Fu Bao to remember her grace so deeply.
Perhaps this was the reward for good deeds.
Ji Zizhao personally helped Jian Qiu and Fu Bao, who were kneeling before her, to their feet. "Why have you come here?"
Fu Bao smiled and said, "Auntie Jian Qiu and I left the palace and went directly to the Ji family. We heard that Princess Ronghe was not at the manor. The third young lady of the Ji family saw how eager we were to see Princess Ronghe and ordered a carriage to send us over."
Ji Zizhao understood immediately.
It was likely that her third sister had sent them over specifically, fearing that the Tong family would hinder her and her second sister and make it difficult for them to extricate themselves.
"From now on, we are all family. It's more convenient to call me Miss. There's no need to keep addressing me as Princess."
Hearing this, Jian Qiu also smiled and said, "Princess Ronghe is approachable and dislikes using her status to her advantage. However, Princess Ronghe's title was bestowed by the Emperor. Even if Princess Ronghe doesn't care, others certainly cannot overlook it."
Who this was aimed at was self-evident.
But whether it was the Old Madam Tong or the imperial governess who had been acting so arrogantly just moments before, they could only listen in silence.
Simply because…
Jian Qiu's name was too well-known.
Although the Empress Dowager had never been Empress and had directly become Empress Dowager after Emperor Xiaochang ascended the throne, Jian Qiu had accompanied her from the time she entered the palace as a concubine at fifteen, all the way through her various ranks to Noble Consort.
It could be said that anyone who had ever entered the palace could not have failed to hear of Jian Qiu's name.
Ji Zixiu, who had once accompanied her elder sister to block the palace gates, naturally knew Jian Qiu. She now deliberately said, "Auntie Jian Qiu has probably come too late. Just now, Old Madam Tong specifically found an imperial governess who used to serve in the palace, saying that starting tomorrow, my eldest sister would learn the rules for attending palace banquets from that governess."
The governess on the steps heard this and her body trembled.
Immediately after, Jian Qiu's gaze swept in their direction.
After a careful appraisal, Jian Qiu couldn't help but frown. "May I ask where this governess previously served? I don't recall ever seeing her."
The governess dared not put on airs now and quickly walked down from the steps, replying with a smile, "Imperial Governess Jian Qiu was once a popular figure in Huiren Palace, how could an old servant like me have met you?"
"Whether we've met or not, the governess can tell us where she previously served," Jian Qiu said, detecting the governess's evasiveness but having no intention of letting it go.
This time, she had left the palace to seek refuge with the eldest daughter of the Ji family. If she couldn't even handle this situation, what face would she have to continue serving by the eldest daughter's side?
Old Madam Tong, seeing Jian Qiu's aggressive demeanor, smiled and said, "The governess at our residence has served many mistresses in the palace."
The implication was that even if you were someone from the Empress Dowager's side, you shouldn't look down on my subordinate.
Jian Qiu smiled faintly, still looking at the governess before her. "Is that so? Then the governess might as well tell us a name."
Seeing that she could no longer avoid it, the governess had no choice but to brace herself and state a name. "This old servant once served Consort An."
Ah, a familiar acquaintance.
Speaking of which, this Consort An was extremely restless. Back then, she had relied on being the first among the new consorts to gain the Emperor's favor and had become incredibly arrogant and unruly. She had even dared to be late for the Empress Dowager's banquet and deliberately provoked the Empress during the feast.
Such a person who disrupted the harem, the Empress Dowager naturally could not keep.
This matter had been handled by Jian Qiu.
After Consort An died, her servants were reassigned to the Laundry Bureau.
Now, thinking of Old Madam Tong's words from earlier, Jian Qiu smiled. "A place like the Laundry Bureau handles the clothes of the imperial consorts, so it's only natural that she served many consorts."
Old Madam Tong: "..."
What was going on?
The governess's old face turned so red it was purple. If you poked her with a needle, it would probably burst with blood.
She had spent all her money to bribe the governess at Old Madam Tong's residence, thinking she could have a place to retire after leaving the palace. Believing that no one would know about her past in the palace, she had casually fabricated stories and desperately tried to embellish her own reputation.
And Old Madam Tong, of course, knew nothing of this!
So, with Jian Qiu's words exposing everything, Old Madam Tong's face also felt like it was burning with pain!
A governess who had been doted on by the household turned out to be a mere servant in the palace's Laundry Bureau…
Who could possibly withstand such a devastating blow!
Ji Zixiu was about to burst into laughter. "They treat a dead servant like an ancestor. The Tong family truly has a big heart. But speaking of which, Old Madam Tong should be grateful to my eldest sister. If it weren't for my eldest sister's sake, Old Madam Tong might have remained in the dark for many more years."
Ji Zizhao also hadn't expected that there was such an untold story hidden behind the governess.
However, seeing that Jian Qiu could clearly handle the situation today, she remained silent.
Jian Qiu then smiled at Old Madam Tong again. "Princess Ronghe appreciates Old Madam Tong's kindness. However, as I have now left the palace, there is no need for Old Madam Tong to trouble herself with teaching palace etiquette. I will, of course, carefully inform Princess Ronghe of the palace rules."
What else could Old Madam Tong say!
"Auntie Jian Qiu is right. Others certainly cannot compare to Auntie Jian Qiu's thoughtfulness and care," Old Madam Tong said, not forgetting to glare at the governess beside her.
She had lost so much face today!
The governess trembled all over and lowered her head, not daring to speak.
Fu Bao, seeing that the situation was almost resolved, seized the opportune moment and said, "When I arrived, the madams from each household were inquiring when Princess Ronghe and the Second Miss would return. They are likely impatient by now."
Ji Zixiu looked at Fu Bao, who had already proactively waited by the carriage, and couldn't help but envy her.
The people around her eldest sister were truly so clever and capable. One helped politely decline, and the other helped bid farewell, so thoughtful and tactful that she didn't even have a chance to intervene.
Looking again at Gu Peilan and Ji Renran, they were truly infuriated.
These days, while they had been away from the Ji family, no one in the Ji family had paid them any attention. Yet, Ji Zizhao and Ji Zixiu had barely left the manor, and the people of the Ji family were already waiting expectantly in the manor.
Although she knew Fu Bao's words were deliberate, Gu Peilan and Ji Renran were still very angry.
Ji Zizhao looked at Old Madam Tong and smiled. "Since that's the case, I will take my second sister and take our leave first."
Having already lost face and dignity, Old Madam Tong had no reason to keep Ji Zizhao there. "Princess Ronghe, please go slowly. I will personally host a banquet one day and invite Princess Ronghe to visit my manor."