Ji Ruoyun, though willful, knew the matter was grave and quickly explained the truth.
Upon hearing this, the Old Madam slapped Ji Ruoyun across the face. "Absurd! How could you be so reckless!"
Ji Ruoyun clutched her face, crying in grievance, "Now that the person is dead, what's the use of you blaming me? Besides, this matter isn't entirely my fault! If anyone is to blame, it's Ji Zongyou for being too ruthless."
The Old Madam's face turned pale, her heart struck with shock.
Ji Zongyou was pampered by her own hands; she knew his character was lawless.
But the Old Madam never imagined things would escalate to a point she could no longer control.
Glancing at her daughter, who only knew how to blame others, the Old Madam quickly summoned Madam Xu. "Hurry and tell the gatekeepers to keep a tight watch on everyone in the manor. From today onwards, anyone who enters or leaves without permission will be beaten to death with clubs!"
Ji Ruoyun felt her mother was being too severe. "As long as Mother agrees to let them enter the Ji family, no one in the Ji family will dare to disobey."
The Old Madam sighed in resignation. Though she didn't want to admit it, she had to. "The Ji family now belongs to Sister Zhao."
If Lin's death was concealed as suicide, even the Yang family in Bianjing, no matter how suspicious, couldn't say otherwise.
However, if this matter truly alarmed Ji Zizhao, then Gu Peilan could only dream of setting foot in the Ji family.
Although the Old Madam blamed Gu Peilan's schemes, she still had a grandson and granddaughter wandering outside. No matter how angry she was, she had to favor them.
The dead could not be resurrected; what use was the Old Madam's anger?
After all, they were family. As long as they entered the household, it was enough.
Seeing her mother's worried expression, Ji Ruoyun casually sat on the soft couch and began eating melon seeds.
As long as her mother intervened, no one would dare investigate the First Madam's cause of death.
As for sending the message…
Ji Ruoyun recalled what Ji Renran had said and felt no concern.
Now she and Gu Peilan were on the same boat. Even if Ji Renran didn't help her, she wouldn't stand by and watch her own mother die.
Ji Renran was not exaggerating.
At this moment, she stood outside the Fifth Prince's manor.
Before long, the tightly shut manor gates opened, and Luo Hong led Ji Renran inside.
Meanwhile, in the Ji family, Madam Xu conveyed the Old Madam's orders to the gatekeepers.
Along with them, the grim news of the First Madam's death was also spread.
The various ladies of the Ji family were terrified.
No one could have imagined how someone could die so suddenly.
But the Old Madam had issued a death order, claiming the First Madam had committed suicide out of longing for her daughter. Citing the inauspiciousness of opening the coffin, she refused everyone's request and ordered a hasty burial the next morning.
"Please, just let me go out for a moment, please..." Shui Huan, standing on the manor steps, had her mouth dry. The young gatekeeper remained unmoved.
Shui Huan knew that the reason she could stand here today was entirely due to the First Young Lady's rescue.
She would never forget such a life-saving grace.
Shui Huan steeled herself and knelt on the ground.
A hand suddenly gripped her wrist.
As Shui Huan looked up, she saw Zhang Ji with a cold, stern expression. "This is the Old Madam's death order; no one can break it. If you're wise, quickly return to your own courtyard, or don't blame me for ordering you beaten to death here as a warning!"
Saying this, Zhang Ji roughly pushed Shui Huan down the steps.
Shui Huan fell painfully at the bottom of the steps. Looking at Zhang Ji, who turned to leave, she didn't rush to pester him further.
Because her left hand, which had been tightly clutching the letter, was now empty.
After instructing the gatekeepers to continue guarding the manor gates, Zhang Ji smoothly left the manor.
Once the gates of the Ji family were completely closed, Zhang Ji led out a pre-prepared horse from a nearby alley.
Mounting the horse, he headed straight for the city gates.
He had thought that by guarding the Zhao family's entrance, the First Madam would be safe from any accidents.
But when he saw the First Madam again, she was already in a coffin...
Zhang Ji, remembering the First Young Lady's parting instructions, was filled with guilt.
He knew Shui Huan was from the Third Young Lady's courtyard and understood that Shui Huan leaving with the letter must have been at the Third Young Lady's instigation.
As he neared the city gates, Zhang Ji could only pray that he would deliver this letter to the First Young Lady himself.
A cold wind swept from behind.
Zhang Ji, on horseback, had no time to dodge and was immediately swept off his mount.
Lying on the ground, Zhang Ji vaguely saw several black-clad figures surrounding him.
"Who are you! How dare you cause trouble under the Son of Heaven's gaze!" Zhang Ji struggled to get up.
But one of the black-clad figures stepped on his shoulder. "If you're sensible, go back to the Ji family now, and we might spare your life."
Zhang Ji's heart leaped. He instinctively tightened his grip on the letter. "Whose people are you?"
No matter how suspicious the First Madam's death was, it was still a family affair of the Ji family. Why would it alarm these people with such fierce auras and unfathomable skills?
"It seems you don't intend to return alive." The black-clad figure pressing on Zhang Ji's shoulder suddenly exerted force, and with a snap, Zhang Ji's entire arm broke.
Zhang Ji gritted his teeth, enduring the pain, and stood up again, rushing towards the city gates not far away.
The black-clad figures followed closely, surrounding Zhang Ji once more.
The night was dim, and the cold wind blew.
Zhang Ji, no longer feeling where the pain was, lay on the ground, using his last ounce of strength to look at the city gates within reach, and finally closed his eyes in unwilling resignation.
He had, after all, failed the First Young Lady's trust...
Seeing that Zhang Ji had lost consciousness, the black-clad figures drew long swords from their waists and raised Zhang Ji's head, slashing towards his neck.
At the critical moment, an extremely powerful internal force surged against the wind.
The black-clad figures present had no time to react. In the blink of an eye, they all fell to the ground.
Tang Di emerged from a nearby alley, walked around the fallen black-clad figures, and after searching them one by one, found a letter in Zhang Ji's hand.
"Your Highness."
Xie Jinglan, in the carriage, looked at the blood-stained letter in Tang Di's hand, silently fiddling with the thumb ring.
The faint candlelight flickered on his fair face, adding a dark hue to his handsome features.
Huo Niangong then approached the carriage and said in a low voice, "Reporting to Your Highness, those people were all dead warriors, with no distinguishing features."
Tang Di chuckled upon hearing this. "The Ji family's domestic affairs have even stirred up dead warriors. Truly remarkable."
The identity of dead warriors was difficult to investigate, but in the imperial city, those who dared to raise and could afford dead warriors...
There weren't many.
"Avoid the main road and deliver the letter to Ji Zizhao as quickly as possible."
Tang Di was startled. "Your Highness, are you going to meddle in the Ji family's First Young Lady's domestic affairs?"
Xie Jinglan's expression was calm. "Consider it an apology."
When he discovered the Ji family's illegitimate child, he had foreseen that the Ji family would not be peaceful during Ji Zizhao's absence from the capital.
He had even guessed that there must be someone backing the illegitimate child.
He had not expected that Ji Zizhao's mother would suffer such a misfortune.
Thinking of Ji Zizhao's temperament... Xie Jinglan couldn't help but feel a throbbing headache.
He hoped his offered apology wouldn't be too late.
"Your Highness, what should we do with that person?" Huo Niangong pointed at Zhang Ji not far away.
Xie Jinglan said indifferently, "Send him to the Four Great Medical Halls."
He could save one if possible, and he hoped that girl wouldn't take it too seriously.