Gu Peilan knew exactly how Lin Wanyun had died.
She had thought that burying Lin Wanyun hastily would bring peace.
But who would have thought that the first thing Ji Zizhao would do upon her return was to open the coffin!
Although Gu Peilan was not a doctor, her guilty conscience made her unable to let Ji Zizhao truly open the coffin. Otherwise, if something were to happen, how would she account for it?
Once Ji Renran calmed down, she thought similarly to her mother.
So, without waiting for Gu Peilan to speak, Ji Renran took the initiative to suggest, "Since older sister is back, why don't I go with Mother to see her, and pay respects to the former First Madam at the same time."
Gu Peilan knew clearly, but outwardly said, "But today, Mother should be taking you back to the Ji family to acknowledge your ancestors!"
Ji Renran's eyes welled up with tears. She held her mother's hand and choked, "The dead should be respected. Mother and I are not in a hurry for this one moment."
It must be said that Gu Peilan and Ji Renran put on quite a show.
By appearing to prioritize the former madam over themselves, if Ji Zizhao blocked their entry, it would be Ji Zizhao's fault.
Even the ladies in the courtyard nodded slightly.
They did not expect that the newly arrived First Madam and her eldest daughter would go to such lengths.
Gu Peilan, afraid of missing Ji Zizhao's coffin opening, quickly ordered the Ji manor's servants to accompany her.
Ji Renran also had to go along, getting into the carriage with her mother.
In the carriage, Gu Peilan appeared somewhat uneasy. "What do you think Ji Zizhao wants to do?"
Ji Renran thought for a moment. "She knows her birth mother died, and it's normal for her to be suspicious out of grief. As long as Mother does her best to stop Ji Zizhao from opening the coffin, no matter how suspicious Ji Zizhao is, it will be in vain."
Gu Peilan nodded, but her heart was still uneasy.
After all, she was someone who dared to confront the Second Prince in front of the imperial palace, how could she not be afraid?
At the same time, the Old Madam of the Ji family also heard the news of Ji Zizhao's return.
The news came so suddenly that she dropped her Buddhist beads in shock. "Sister Zhao is really back?"
Granny Xu picked up the beads and said, "It is absolutely true. The eldest young lady is heading towards the ancestral graves now, saying she wants to open the coffin to pay respects to the First Madam."
Upon hearing this, the Old Madam's heart trembled again.
She remembered that Sister Zhao had some knowledge of medicine. If the coffin were truly opened, would she discover something?
The Old Madam grew more and more restless. She quickly instructed Granny Xu, "Send someone to follow. Tell Gu Peilan to absolutely stop Sister Zhao from opening the coffin. If something uncontrollable happens, no one knows what Sister Zhao might do, and I'm afraid even I won't be able to stop her."
Granny Xu nodded and turned to leave the room.
The Old Madam thought for a moment, then called a maid. "Go to the other courtyards and call everyone out. No matter what, today the Ji family is hosting, and the guests in the courtyard need to be attended to."
Those people referred to the ladies from the other branches.
The maid took her orders and left in a hurry. However, when she arrived at the various courtyards, she found that the ladies were not there.
Upon hearing this news, the Old Madam was both angry and resentful. But thinking that she could not lose face for the Ji family, she had to personally go out and temporarily appease the guests in the courtyard.
Of course, the Old Madam's greater worry was about Ji Zizhao.
Amidst the Old Madam's worries, Gu Peilan and Ji Renran both arrived at the Ji family's graveyard.
Looking at the high mountain, Gu Peilan's legs felt a little weak.
It was not from fatigue, but from her guilty conscience, unwilling to face the ancestors of the Ji family.
Several carriages were parked not far away. Ji Renran helped Gu Peilan, and they both turned around. To their surprise, the ladies from the various branches, who had claimed to be ill and returned to their maiden homes, were now approaching with the Third Young Lady accompanying them.
Gu Peilan thought, "..."
What happened to being sick?
What happened to returning to their maiden homes?!
Since the ladies dared to come, they were not afraid of how Gu Peilan would view them.
Ji Renran spoke first, "It's fortunate that Mother is still worried about the health of the aunts. It seems that was unnecessary."
Ji Ziyan, who was leaning on the Third Madam, heard this and replied without being subservient or overbearing, "It's quite strange. When I heard Eldest Sister was back, all my physical discomfort vanished instantly. It's often said that the body and mind are connected. It seems that's precisely the case now."
The Third Madam, Yin Wenying, pulled her daughter. "Don't waste time. We should hurry up the mountain to see Sister Zhao."
Ji Ziyan smiled at Ji Renran again before following the other ladies up the mountain.
Gu Peilan remained at the foot of the mountain, her face looking extremely displeased.
So, talking to them was a waste of time?
Ji Renran's mind remained steady. "Ji Zizhao lived with them after all. No matter how new we are, we can't compare to Ji Zizhao. However, from now on, Mother will be the First Madam of the Ji family. Once we exert force, they won't dare to be so presumptuous."
Gu Peilan nodded. She glanced at the mountain peak above and then, with Ji Renran, took a step forward.
It took a full half hour to get from the foot to the top of the mountain.
By the time Gu Peilan and Ji Renran arrived, they were already out of breath.
Just then, they saw Lin Wanyun's coffin being carried out.
Without thinking, Gu Peilan rushed forward a few steps, grabbed the sleeve of the person in front of her, and said, "I know Sister Zhao is worried about the First Madam, but the First Madam has already been laid to rest. Why does Sister Zhao still cruelly disturb her? Isn't Sister Zhao afraid that the First Madam won't be able to rest in peace in the netherworld!"
These words were harsh.
It was essentially a threat to Ji Zizhao.
The accusation of not letting her mother rest even in death was enough to make Ji Zizhao be cursed by the people of the imperial city for the rest of her life.
Ji Renran also stepped forward, her eyes red, and pleaded, "I know Eldest Sister has grievances, but the facts cannot be changed. Please, Eldest Sister, look forward. Mother and I will take good care of Eldest Sister in the future. Of course, if Eldest Sister resents Mother and me, Mother and I are willing to leave the Ji family..."
These words were even more vicious.
If it were spread that Ji Zizhao did not allow her own sister to return home, she would likely be cursed as less than a pig or dog.
The several ladies, just watching from the side, felt their limbs turn cold.
This mother and daughter pair, who appeared understanding and accommodating, were actually forcing a person to their death with their words!
To put it bluntly, they were forcing Sister Zhao to agree to their entry.
The person whose sleeve Gu Peilan had been grabbing remained calm, her demeanor steady.
Gu Peilan did not believe that after saying those words, Ji Zizhao could still remain so calm and composed.
She was probably just pretending.
Just as Gu Peilan was certain that Ji Zizhao would be so angry she would cry, she saw the person whose sleeve was being grabbed turn her head slightly, her expression indifferent. "You have the wrong person."
Gu Peilan and Ji Renran were both startled.
This person was not Ji Zizhao?
Then, where was the real Ji Zizhao?!
The flower street of the imperial city was a place that all respectable women avoided.
To put it plainly, any woman who walked here was likely from a brothel.
The merchants doing business here were long accustomed to the flirtatious demeanor of those women of the night. But today, a different kind of woman appeared on the flower street.
There were many flower streets in the imperial city, but women famous for their beauty were few and far between.
The merchants doing business here had long since grown tired of seeing the same faces.
But the woman they saw today was different. Her beauty was secondary; what mattered most was that she was unfamiliar!
Within an hour, everyone on the flower street knew that a new beauty had arrived in town.
Ji Zongyou, who had been hungover all night, intended to find a random stall to have some hot porridge. He happened to overhear the merchants' discussions.
Even though his stomach was growling, Ji Zongyou lost all appetite.
Looking around the flower street, what beauty had he not seen before?
Seeing this, Ji Zongyou stood up and kicked the small stall in front of him. "Where is the woman you are talking about?"
By now, everyone on the flower street knew this was the young Marquis of the Ji family, and no one dared to provoke him.
The small merchant pointed towards a restaurant across the street. "I heard she's there."
Ji Zongyou turned, squinted at the restaurant across the street, and strode inside.
It wasn't a mealtime, so there weren't many people in the restaurant.
As Ji Zongyou entered, his eyes immediately fell upon a peerless beauty sitting in a corner.
She wore a bright silk dress, and the low neckline revealed her fair nape. Her dark hair was styled into an auspicious bun, and a plum blossom jade hairpin was inserted into her hair.
Even from a distance, seeing her profile, her face as beautiful as a hibiscus and her skin as white as snow made one's mouth water.
Ji Zongyou swallowed and walked directly towards the figure, sitting down next to the beauty without waiting for her reaction.
Upon closer inspection, her exquisite features were even more stunning.
The woman was startled by Ji Zongyou. "Who are you?"
Ji Zongyou lewdly appraised the woman. "My identity would likely shock you, my beauty. But don't worry, as long as you are sensible, I will ensure you have wealth and prosperity in the future."
The woman was curious. "Is the young master that capable?"
"Naturally. I am the only male heir of the Ji family, and the future Marquis. Do you know the Ji family? It's a Marquisate personally conferred by the Emperor." After saying this so many times, Ji Zongyou himself felt that he deserved to return to the Ji family and enjoy life.
The woman was not surprised. "I heard that the Ji family is not what it used to be."
"A starving camel is still bigger than a horse. Besides, my mother is about to become the First Madam of the Ji family. At that time, all the Ji family's wealth will be under my mother's control."
"You are lying to me. Everyone knows that the power of the Ji family rests in the hands of the eldest young lady."
As soon as Ji Zizhao was mentioned, Ji Zongyou's eyes were filled with ferocity. "Why bring up that unlucky thing? When I wasn't back, and the Ji family had no male heir, it was her turn. Now that I am back, what business is it of hers? If she dares to do anything, I will not indulge her!"
Ji Zongyou naturally hated Ji Zizhao. In his eyes, she was someone blocking his path to wealth.
However, he quickly looked at the beauty in front of him with desire, unwilling to let the scenery in front of him be ruined by someone like Ji Zizhao.
However, the woman seemed unmoved and stood up, ready to leave.
Ji Zongyou grabbed the woman's wrist. "Where are you going?"
The woman glanced at Ji Zongyou indifferently. "Naturally, I am leaving."
Ji Zongyou tightened his grip on the woman's wrist. "I am the Marquis of the Ji family. Who gave you the courage to be so disrespectful to me! If you truly upset me, even all the heads in your family combined wouldn't be enough for me to chop off! I tell you, our Ji family's prestige is widespread, even the Emperor shows us respect!"
The few remaining diners saw Ji Zongyou's rage and immediately got up and retreated towards the entrance.
This was someone they dared not provoke. Just a few days ago, over a courtesan, he had gotten into a fight with someone else on this street, nearly beating the person to death. Later, it was heard that the Old Madam of the Ji family had intervened with money to settle the matter.
Although the diners present were unwilling to admit it, the Ji family was probably not what it used to be.
The noble family of loyal generals was a thing of the past.
Just when all the diners thought the woman would be scared into kneeling and begging for mercy, and would not escape being ravaged by Ji Zongyou, the woman's expression turned grim.
It seemed several times uglier than Ji Zongyou's!
The woman looked at Ji Zongyou coldly for a few seconds, then suddenly called out, "Qingzhu."
Instantly, a figure burst through the window and, before Ji Zongyou could react, twisted his arm behind his back and forced him to the ground.
Faced with such a reversal, let alone the diners in the inn, even Ji Zongyou was stunned for a moment.
Someone dared to lay a hand on him, a Marquis?!
"You shameless slut! I gave you face, and you refuse it, daring to lay a hand on me! Believe it or not, I'll find people to chop off all your family's heads! I tell you, our Ji family's reputation is far-reaching; even the Emperor respects our Ji family!"