Xie Jinglan gently placed the person on the soft couch, and Ji Zizhao instinctively lay prone on the thick cushions.
Though it was an inconspicuous action, Xie Jinglan understood that it was a self-protective measure born of extreme pain. He recalled how he had slept like that for a time when he first learned to ride a horse. The purpose was to avoid friction on the wounds on the inner thighs.
The person on the couch was sleeping soundly, yet Xie Jinglan knew that her journey back had not been as peaceful as it seemed. Traveling at breakneck speed, she could only imagine how bloody and mangled her inner thighs must have been, yet she never cried out in pain. The very next day after returning, she had cornered that illegitimate son of the Ji family in the pleasure quarters. Such was her decisive and swift nature. But beneath her strength, she hid her pain, never uttering a word.
Ji Zizhao on the couch suddenly murmured softly, her long eyelashes fluttering like those of a broken butterfly. Xie Jinglan instinctively leaned in slightly, only to hear her choked whisper, "Mother, I'm sorry..."
Xie Jinglan didn't believe Ji Zizhao's revenge was unwarranted. Upon her return, she had broken both legs of the Ji family's illegitimate son, and then publicly opened the coffin, delivering a severe blow to those who had dared to covet a share of the Ji family's wealth. Even now, the imperial city was in turmoil because of her actions. Everyone said that the eldest daughter of the Ji family was decisive and exacted her revenge blood for blood. Yet, she was so helpless and heartbroken...
Xie Jinglan thought that Ji Zizhao, to this point, was still preserving the Ji family's reputation. It was fortunate that she still possessed reason and considered the bigger picture. Otherwise... she feared the entire Ji family would be turned upside down.
A fleeting sense of relief flashed through his heart, and Xie Jinglan frowned slightly. He himself was surprised to find he was so relieved by her clarity and rationality. And what this relief meant, he could not fathom or articulate.
A tear traced silently down her cheek. This Ji Zizhao was still strong, yet so heartbreaking. Xie Jinglan stood in silence, his slender fingers gently wiping away the teardrop from her smooth cheek. In the dappled sunlight through the window lattice, her dark eyes flashed with sharp light, eventually softening and deeply etching into his gaze, complex and unreadable.
Ji Zizhao slept deeply, but not peacefully. She dreamed of her mother, of the woman who had brought her into this world. Slowly opening her eyes, as the study came into focus, her previously hazy eyes instantly cleared. Ji Zizhao suddenly sat up, only to realize she was sleeping on the soft couch.
"Awake?" a familiar voice chimed pleasantly. Ji Zizhao looked up and saw the white figure who had returned to the desk. Though surprised, she didn't ask how she came to be on the couch. After all, she had slept, and any answer would likely leave her speechless.
"Thank you, Fourth Prince, for your assistance that day in the pleasure quarters," Ji Zizhao said, then stood up and placed a white robe she had been holding on the desk. The corners were neat, and it carried a faint fragrance, clearly having been washed.
Xie Jinglan smiled faintly, as if a playful glint had touched his eyebrows. "That day, the eldest daughter of the Ji family was of unparalleled beauty, a feast for the eyes. Though I'm no hero, beauty still must be saved."
Ji Zizhao: "..." This person was truly asking for a beating, deserving no pity even if he died. Thinking of her attire that day, Ji Zizhao subconsciously furrowed her brows, but quickly smiled and said, "Fourth Prince, your demeanor is exceptional, and your illness only adds to your charm. Though I'm also no hero, beauty still must be saved."
Xie Jinglan was taken aback. That was right, that day when his蛊毒 (gu poison) acted up, he had sent people to the four major medical halls to inquire, and she had appeared before him. It was at that moment he realized she was the one behind the four major medical halls. Although he knew it might not be hidden from her, he hadn't expected her to reveal it now. While jesting, she also warned him that he held her leverage as well. This clever girl... she was still someone who never took a loss.
Tang Di, who had been waiting by the door, entered to receive orders after the eldest daughter of the Ji family had left. As he looked down, he saw the remnant of a chess game on the board. He remembered this game. Before the eldest daughter of the Ji family arrived, the white pieces were trapped, in dire straits. But now... it was a precarious situation! Of course, it wasn't Tang Di's good memory, but rather that he had just been pressured by his prince to solve the game. With a sliver of hope remaining, Tang Di quietly asked, "Your Highness, did the eldest daughter of the Ji family make this move?"
Xie Jinglan smiled faintly. "She only made two moves."
Tang Di: "..." This wasn't fair! With just two moves, the offense and defense had shifted, with the potential to turn the tide. And then he thought about how he had struggled to figure it out... Tang Di had nothing more to say. Tang Di just wanted to cry now.
Ji Zizhao left the study and headed straight for the entrance of the Zhong family mansion. She hadn't spoken of it before because she felt it unnecessary. Her speaking out now wasn't impulsive. Though she didn't know how he had been poisoned, she already knew his identity. Since he wished to conceal it, there must be a reason. Of course, Ji Zizhao didn't care about this so-called reason; she just wanted to tell him that she held leverage over him as well.
Rounding the flower gate, she saw a slender figure approaching. Ji Zizhao didn't stop, but the figure unexpectedly blocked her path.
"I presume you are the eldest daughter of the Ji family. I have long heard of your reputation," said the woman, who was young, with bright features and dressed in silk, indicating her noble status. Ji Zizhao stopped, her demeanor distant yet polite. "Eldest daughter of the Zhong family."
Zhong Xinyi was taken aback. "You know me."
Ji Zizhao smiled faintly. "I heard the Zhongyong Hou only has one daughter. Seeing your fine attire and dignified demeanor, I assumed you must be the eldest daughter of the Zhong family."
Zhong Xinyi's expression softened slightly upon hearing this. She hadn't expected the eldest daughter of the Ji family to speak with such discretion. The Zhong family's wet nurse hurried over from a distance. When she saw her eldest daughter standing with the eldest daughter of the Ji family, her heart leaped into her throat.
"Eldest daughter, the bird's nest soup the old madam stewed for you is just ready. Let this servant accompany you back to drink it," the Zhong family's wet nurse genuinely hoped her eldest daughter wouldn't clash with the eldest daughter of the Ji family.
However, Zhong Xinyi, her heart full of anger, didn't see the worry in the Zhong family's wet nurse's eyes. She merely looked at Ji Zizhao and questioned, "I heard you have a terrible temper. I merely picked up the wrong person, and you punished my attendant?"
The Zhong family's wet nurse trembled, unable to comprehend how her eldest daughter knew about this. Ji Zizhao observed the innocent look on the Zhong family's wet nurse's face and understood. The fact that Ji Renran dared to board the Zhong family's carriage indicated a degree of familiarity with the eldest daughter of the Zhong family. Since it wasn't the Zhong family's wet nurse who said this, who else could it be?