The entrance of the Ji family mansion was bustling.
The Ji family women watched as Luo Hong led the Prefect of Fengtian and the yamen runners, their expressions wary.
Not long after Zhaojie’er had divorced the Fifth Prince, people from the Fifth Prince’s residence showed up at their door. If they weren't intentionally causing trouble, then what were they doing?
Originally, they had been quite surprised when Zhaojie’er told them about the Fifth Prince’s schemes.
Now, it seemed they had truly been blind, almost watching Zhaojie’er jump into a pit of fire with their own eyes.
Madam Lin Wanyun, the first wife, couldn’t help but speak, "Miss Luo Hong, what are you doing? Zizhao and the Fifth Prince's divorce was the Emperor's decree. Since it cannot be changed, why can't it be a peaceful parting?"
Luo Hong frowned, "I don't understand what Madam Lin Wanyun of the Ji family means."
Madam Lin Wanyun trembled with anger.
How could she not know that Luo Hong was deliberately playing dumb? Yet, she was powerless to do anything.
"The Fifth Prince's residence being attacked by an assassin is no small matter. I believe Miss Luo Hong would not wrong an innocent person. If the Ji family is truly innocent, all it takes is for me to bring my men for a search, and the truth will be revealed." The Prefect of Fengtian seized the opportunity.
Although the Ji family was a Marquis's mansion, and the eldest daughter of the Ji family was a Princess, there was still a difference in status compared to a Prince. If this matter was not clarified today, and the Emperor pursued it later, how would he be able to bear the responsibility?
The Ji family women had never seen such an arrogant and bullying person, their faces turning pale with anger.
Ji Zixiu clenched her fists, "Go to hell with your bullshit! We Ji family members have always lived upright and honorable lives. How could we do such sneaky things!"
Luo Hong gave a cold laugh, "Whether it was done or not, we'll only know after a search."
Ji Ziyan frowned, "Our Ji family's status is not as noble as the Fifth Prince's residence, but you cannot conduct a large-scale search based on Miss Luo Hong's word alone. You must present evidence that is convincing."
Luo Hong snorted disdainfully, "I personally saw the thief who wanted to harm the Fifth Prince sneak into the Ji family's gate. That's why I brought people to pursue him all the way here. If the third daughter of the Ji family asks for evidence, then I am the evidence! So, the Ji family are all people who cannot understand reason. No wonder the Ji family has had successive daughters divorced and sent away."
Ji Ziyan was hit where it hurt, her face turning green.
Ji Zixiu, seeing her third sister at a disadvantage, was so angry she could eat people, "You are merely a servant of the Fifth Prince's residence, what are you being so arrogant about here? Other people's servants are meant to be ordered around, how can you be so different? If you want to talk about evidence, then I say I say I say the Ji family is being intruded upon by thieves! I personally saw the thief sneak into the Fifth Prince's residence!"
Luo Hong's face also turned green.
She had never expected the Ji family to be so bold as to obstruct people from the Fifth Prince's residence.
Fortunately, Luo Hong turned and looked directly at the Prefect of Fengtian behind her, "The Fifth Prince is currently unconscious in his residence. If the Prefect of Fengtian does not investigate this matter today, when Consort Xi learns of it tomorrow, she will surely report it to the Emperor!"
Both Consort Xi and the Emperor were figures not to be trifled with.
The Prefect of Fengtian could only call out to the yamen runners behind him, "Search! Search them thoroughly!"
The yamen runners rushed in, barging their way through.
"Is there no law anymore?"
"How can you trespass into our Ji family like this!"
"This is utterly outrageous!"
The wives from various branches of the Ji family desperately tried to rush forward and stop them, but they were no match for the yamen runners.
Seeing the yamen runners already rushing into the backyard, Ji Ziyan pulled Ji Zixiu and whispered, "I'll keep these people occupied here. You quickly go and send a message to Eldest Sister."
The one who divorced the Fifth Prince was Eldest Sister. It was obvious who Luo Hong intended to trouble now.
Ji Zixiu nodded, turned, and ran towards Zhaoyuan.
Luo Hong glanced at Ji Zixiu's retreating figure, a silent smirk playing on her lips, and followed.
Compared to the other courtyards that had already been thoroughly ransacked, Zhaoyuan was exceptionally quiet.
Ji Zixiu entered the courtyard and was about to walk into the house when she heard Luo Hong's voice behind her.
"Second daughter of the Ji family, rushing about so hurriedly... are you perhaps trying to send a message?"
Ji Zixiu was truly angered. She turned to look at Luo Hong, "Are all the people from your Fifth Prince's residence like mad dogs!"
Luo Hong gritted her teeth, "Your Ji family is truly unreasonable! Clearly, you were the ones who ungratefully initiated the divorce, and then unwillingly found thieves to sneak into the Fifth Prince's residence to cause trouble. Now you are the ones pressing charges first!"
Ji Zixiu could not tolerate such shameless slander!
"Your Fifth Prince's residence is the shameless one! Today I will whip you to death to show that Fifth Prince, so he dares not come to our Ji family to smear mud in the future!" Ji Zixiu's eyes turned scarlet, and she drew a nine-section whip from her waist.
Just then, the Prefect of Fengtian, followed by a few yamen runners, arrived.
When he saw Ji Zixiu brandishing her whip, let alone the Prefect of Fengtian, even the Ji family women turned pale with fright.
Luo Hong was a servant whose life was not worth much, but everyone in the imperial city knew that Luo Hong was assigned to the Fifth Prince by Consort Xi.
If Ji Zixiu truly struck Luo Hong today, wouldn't that be equivalent to slapping the faces of Consort Xi and the Fifth Prince simultaneously?
"Zixiu, don't be foolish, stop immediately!" The voice of Second Madam Yu Fenglan was hoarse.
However, as everyone hurried over, Ji Zixiu also swung the whip in her hand.
Luo Hong looked at the whip waving in mid-air, about to fall on her. Naturally, she feared pain.
But what she hoped for more now was for the whip to fall on her quickly.
As long as the Ji family injured her tonight, the Ji family would not be able to escape this matter easily!
Seeing the whip rapidly descending towards Luo Hong, the Ji family women panicked.
"Ji Zixiu, stop." A clear, cold voice suddenly rang out.
Unlike everyone's frantic expressions, the voice was calm and steady, instantly calming the heart just by listening to it.
The whip, only a few inches away from Luo Hong, was abruptly retracted, as if nothing had happened.
Luo Hong looked at Ji Zixiu not far away with unwillingness.
It was so close!
Ji Zixiu was also curious as to why she obeyed so readily. But facing her elder sister's orders and instructions, her body instinctively went from resisting to complete obedience.
Upon hearing Zhaojie’er's voice, the Ji family women also breathed a collective sigh of relief.
Luo Hong looked at the relieved expressions on everyone's faces and felt even worse.
Perhaps it was too quiet, or perhaps everyone had started to calm down.
Unbeknownst to them, everyone began to smell a faint scent of blood wafting through Zhaoyuan.
Even the Prefect of Fengtian frowned.
He had initially thought this matter was just the Fifth Prince's unrequited resentment after the divorce, looking for an excuse to vent his anger.
But now, smelling the scent of blood…
Could it be that the Ji family had truly done something treacherous?
Luo Hong, who also smelled the scent, smirked silently.
As His Highness had predicted, Ji Zizhao had no time to conceal the evidence.