If Ji Zizhao knew that in the old madam's heart she was already a ruthless person, she would be grateful.
Because her actions could be described as cruel and heartless, even venomous.
"That beast Ji Zongyou defiled the people in my courtyard. Not only did none of those who knew feel remorse or heartache, they even plotted to kill Xinlan. You say I'm heartless, but is the grandmother who secretly sent Ji Zongyou away truly a benevolent Buddha?"
Ji Zizhao looked at her grandmother calmly, her voice devoid of any emotion, yet carrying a bone-chilling coldness.
She had said it before: leaving Gu Peilan and others alive was precisely so they would have a terrible end.
"Revenge must be taken, and accounts must be settled. It's only a matter of time."
The old madam's heart skipped a beat, her expression turning even more unpleasant.
Ji Zizhao had indeed taken revenge. Not only did she avenge Ji Zongyou, but she had also meticulously planned to leave everyone with nothing.
Whether it was Gu Peilan, Ji Renran, or herself and Ji Zongyou, they all wholeheartedly awaited the hereditary succession. As soon as Ji Zongyou became the heir, they would naturally hold their heads high.
The old madam believed this matter was a foregone conclusion. To her surprise, Ji Zizhao had silently extinguished their last flicker of hope. Worse, she had utterly defeated them!
She had been foolish. If she had known this would happen, she should have forced Ji Zongyou to apologize to Ji Zizhao.
"Grandmother, you must not regret sending that beast away back then. Granddaughter will not hide it from you. Even if you had brought that beast before me then, today's events would not have changed in the slightest."
Whether it was Ji Zongyou, Gu Peilan, or Ji Renran...
Those who owed her, she would eventually collect, with interest.
Ji Zizhao would certainly not let them off, but they were not important enough to dictate her decisions.
The old madam trembled, her eyes widening in disbelief.
How could this fiend say such things? Hereditary succession was the Ji family's only hope of establishing a firm foothold in the imperial city. How dare this fiend...
"Ji Zongyou is arrogant, greedy for wealth and lust, tyrannical, and lawless! If such a person were to truly become the heir of the Ji family, grandmother, how long do you think he could last with his notorious reputation? The Emperor who can grant hereditary succession can also revoke it. Where would the Ji family go then? Where would the century-old reputation of the Ji family's military lineage go? How would the ancestors who died on the battlefield for the Ji family maintain their honor? Where would grandfather, father, and uncles be placed!"
The Ji family must not be ruined by such a scoundrel.
Since it was clear that the path ahead led to ruin, staying put was the only way out.
The old madam naturally did not believe Ji Zizhao's words.
Her grandchildren were her beloved ones, raised with care. Even if her grandson was somewhat immature, it was merely youthful impetuosity. He would surely settle down once he married and established himself. As for her granddaughter, she had always been sensible and obedient, always putting her grandmother first.
If the old madam had known Ji Zizhao would be so cruel, she should have found someone to smother Ji Zizhao in her cradle the moment she was born.
Ji Zizhao looked at the old madam's hateful and angry expression and knew her grandmother was still stubbornly refusing to see reason.
However, she wasn't disappointed. She hadn't expected her grandmother to understand, or rather, if her grandmother had truly understood, she wouldn't have made those foolish decisions.
But it didn't matter. Time was long, and the road was still stretching ahead. Since Grandmother couldn't comprehend, she might as well experience it firsthand.
After all, the deepest pain and suffering are those one experiences oneself.
Standing outside the door, Madam Xu listened to the eldest young lady's words, and her heart grew half-cold.
While she still couldn't understand why the eldest young lady would treat the Ji family this way, recalling the old madam's actions, she lacked the courage to question the eldest young lady.
To put it bluntly, if you slap someone, do you expect them to offer you a sweet date in return?
It was just that she didn't know when the old madam would truly understand this simple truth.
Alas!
The news of the old madam's stroke and paralysis was strictly suppressed by Ji Zizhao.
Apart from the servants in the main courtyard, even the other servants in the mansion were unaware.
Although the madams of the various branches did not understand Ji Zizhao's intentions, they thought that since Sister Zhao had acted this way, she must have her reasons, and they only needed to cooperate as much as possible.
Meanwhile, facing the impenetrable Ji family, Gu Peilan, who was staying at the Tong family, was greatly distressed.
She had thought that by spending money, her son's hereditary succession was a sure thing. Now, it was a complete failure, with not even a trace of hope remaining.
Several days had passed since the letter was sent, and there had been no movement from the Ji family, let alone anyone sent to fetch them.
Gu Peilan was at a loss for what to do and could only turn to her daughter for advice, "Didn't you say last time that as long as the Old Master Tong wrote a letter to the old madam, she would definitely reprimand Ji Zizhao and take back control? Why has there been no movement for so long?"
"Are you questioning me, Mother?" Ji Renran's heart was in turmoil.
Logically, at this point, Grandmother should have already sent someone to bring them back.
Ji Zizhao was now an enemy of the Ji family, so Grandmother would naturally lean towards their side. Even if her brother couldn't become the heir, Grandmother would never ignore them.
"No, it's just that I'm at a loss, too. To put it bluntly, it's all that bitch Ji Zizhao's doing!" Gu Peilan's heart churned with anger whenever she thought about the attitude of the Tong family towards her that day. Such lackeys, if it weren't for her son's failure to become the heir, how would the Tong family dare to be so indifferent to her?
"Mother, instead of secretly cursing here, wouldn't it be better to help your daughter think about how to apologize to the Fifth Prince?" Ji Renran understood her mother's distress, but her own situation was now the most critical.
Since leaving the palace, there had been no word from the Fifth Prince. How could she not be afraid?
If the Fifth Prince truly abandoned her, then she would be utterly finished.
Gu Peilan was not foolish either. The Tong family's current safe haven was obtained through the Fifth Prince. "There's no movement from the Fifth Prince, but that wet nurse Song beside you was personally sent by the Fifth Prince. Since she's by your side, she's your person. If you don't fare well, neither will a mere servant. Why don't you have her help you convey a message to the Fifth Prince and speak a few good words?"
Ji Renran certainly didn't want to be subservient to a servant, but upon careful consideration, apart from Madam Song, she couldn't find anyone else who could speak to the Fifth Prince. After much hesitation, she nodded. It seemed this was the only way now.