In the winter season, as the nights grew colder and the dew heavier, every household shut their doors and windows tightly, extinguishing their candles one after another. Shouchun Hall, hidden in the lush shade of the sycamore trees, had branches climbing up its eaves, appearing somewhat eerie in the night rather than orderly.
After leaving the other courtyard, Chaolu quietly made her way to Shouchun Hall and squatted relaxedly on the rooftop, taking out her booklet and charcoal pencil.
The Ji Mansion was vast, with different courtyards housing different people. Unless Miss specifically instructed otherwise, Chaolu had no fixed routine on whom to watch over each day; she followed her own preferences, though she preferred Shouchun Hall.
The servants in Shouchun Hall were well-off, and the snacks from the small kitchen never repeated, each fitting her taste—unlike Muqiu Courtyard’s, which were too bland, or Fuxia Courtyard’s, which were too sweet. And as for Ji Chongwang’s study, he only drank tea.
After quickly finishing a plate of honey cakes, Chaolu popped a piece of candy into her mouth and quietly lifted a tile, releasing a burst of medicinal scent—
Madam Jiang had been gravely ill for many years, drinking medicine as if it were tea every day, and had grown accustomed to it.
She leaned against the edge of the bed, her entire body emaciated to the point of being skin and bones. Her clothes hung loosely on her frame, and her hands, like withered branches, took the medicine bowl, drinking half of it before starting to cough. The maid beside her quickly patted her back.
The maid’s surname was Fang, an old servant of the Ji family.
She sighed and said, “This prescription has been used for half a month and isn’t working much anymore. We should find a new one soon.”
Madam Jiang only shook her head, saying, “Don’t bother. I’m already halfway into the grave; even a divine prescription wouldn’t help—bring the prayer beads, I’ll chant for half an hour and then rest.”
Madam Jiang was a devout Buddhist, especially since her illness worsened, finding solace in chanting and praying. Shouchun Hall even had a special prayer room for her, where she spent half an hour each night before sleeping, which worked better than any calming medicine.
But recently, she had been worried about her eldest daughter’s marriage and the future of the Ji family, making her health even worse.
Nanny Fang brought the prayer beads but advised, “How about skipping tonight? You can chant tomorrow.”
Normally, Madam Jiang would have refused, but today she was too preoccupied, fearing to offend Buddha, and she sank back into bed, saying, “Forget it. Has the master returned?”
Nanny Fang replied, “Not yet. I heard the emperor ordered an execution, and people were kneeling outside the palace, not even getting a chance to see him.”
They were all pleading for Grand Tutor Xu, including Ji Chongwang.
Madam Jiang sighed, thinking about the instigator of this trouble, and inevitably thought of her eldest granddaughter, who was to marry this instigator. She asked, “Has Muqiu Courtyard been behaving today?”
Using the word “behaving” showed Madam Jiang’s dissatisfaction with her daughter-in-law, Qin’s temperament.
Lin Chan, the youngest girl in the family, was spoiled and inevitably self-centered and willful. When Ji Chongwang married, Madam Jiang was worried, but Lin Chan’s father held a high position in the cabinet and had great influence, being Ji Chongwang’s mentor. Madam Jiang thought that women would mature after marriage…
Unexpectedly, Lin Chan remained as arrogant as ever for ten years, still behaving like the little miss of the Lin family.
But at her age, such willfulness appeared petty, constantly opposing concubines and venting on the eldest daughter—what kind of behavior was that?
The servants dared not speak in her presence but secretly criticized her as narrow-minded and unreasonable.
Madam Jiang had advised her to restrain her temper, especially towards Ji Yuluo, reminding her that everyone has limits to their patience, and if pushed too far, even a rabbit will bite back, potentially causing trouble in the future.
But Lin Chan didn’t listen, and her eldest granddaughter was indeed unassertive, enduring years of beatings and scoldings without causing an upheaval. Madam Jiang eventually stopped interfering, especially after her prolonged illness, leaving her too weary to bother with such household trifles.
Times are different now, and Lin Chan can no longer be allowed to act recklessly.
Nanny Fang said, “Rest assured, Madam. The Madam is just putting on airs. Actually, she took your words to heart last night and even sought me out afterward to discuss it in depth.”
Hearing this, Madam Jiang’s expression softened slightly, but she still let out a dissatisfied snort.
Nanny Fang quickly added, “The eldest miss received the box of jewelry. She will likely come to pay her respects in the coming days. Shall we see her or not?”
Shouchun Hall had kept its doors closed for many years. Since Madam Jiang’s illness worsened, the younger generation was excused from their morning and evening greetings. She spent her days focusing on her health and praying, rarely even allowing Ji Chongwang inside unless it was something significant.
Therefore, it would be quite normal if the old lady decided not to see anyone.
But she remained silent for a long time, seemingly in a daze. After a while, she sighed, “Let’s not see her…”
Madam Jiang murmured, “Looking at her makes me think of another… I feel uneasy. For so many years, I still don’t know if she’s alive.”
Nanny Fang’s expression changed slightly, her palm slipping and nearly breaking the medicine bowl.
With such heavy thoughts, Madam Jiang fell ill again and couldn’t even go to the temple to offer incense on the old master’s death anniversary on the fifteenth.
Early that morning, after Ji Chongwang left for the morning court, Lin Chan led a group of people onto the carriage. There were three carriages in total. Lin Chan and Ji Xianyu shared one, while the maids and older servants occupied another, leaving Ji Yuluo to sit with Ji Yunkou. As for Gu Rou, being a concubine, she wasn’t considered part of the family and wasn’t qualified to go.
However, Ji Xianyu, under Lin Chan’s cold gaze, insisted on getting into Ji Yuluo’s carriage. Ji Yunkou was speechless; she had no desire to watch the two sisters flaunt their affection in front of her. Moreover, the carriage was narrow—how could it accommodate three people?
Ji Xianyu apologetically looked at her, “Second sister, I’m sorry, but could you ride with Mother…?”
She had no intention of leaving.
With no choice, Ji Yunkou reluctantly joined Lin Chan in her carriage.
The group set off.
The carriage passed through the bustling market, heading towards the city gate.
Inside the carriage, Ji Xianyu handed Ji Yuluo a silk pouch and said, “I’ve heard that the mountain roads have been unsafe lately, with frequent bandit attacks. Many people have been harmed. Although we have enough guards today, just in case, take this amulet for safety. It’s very effective.”
Under Ji Xianyu’s expectant gaze, Ji Yuluo could only fasten the pouch to her waist.
She turned her head to look at the bustling scene outside. The streets were lined with shops, crowded with people. Morning was the prime time for families to shop, making the roads heavily congested. It took the carriage a long time to move through the densely packed streets.
As they neared the city gate, Ji Yuluo noticed a long, winding queue of people trying to leave the city and remarked, “What day is it today that so many people are leaving the city?”
Ji Xianyu, eating a pastry, swallowed it with some hot tea and said, “It’s not that there are many people leaving the city, but the pace is slow. The officers are inspecting thoroughly, scrutinizing every travel permit, especially for women.”
Ji Yuluo paused, her eyes revealing a sharp glint before she concealed it and said, “Is it because of the assassination at the Huo residence last month?”
Ji Xianyu nodded, not questioning how Ji Yuluo knew about it since the incident was widely known.
She sighed, “It’s been a whole month, and the Jinyiwei are still arresting people everywhere. Since the assassin was a woman, they are questioning every young lady, causing widespread panic. I heard that because of this, Lord Huo has been impeached several times.”
After speaking, Ji Xianyu quickly stopped, remembering that the person who had been criticized multiple times was her future brother-in-law. Fearing she might bring up her elder sister’s sorrow, she cautiously glanced at Ji Yuluo.
Ji Yuluo’s expression remained unchanged. She rested her chin on the back of her fingers and asked casually, “Was there such a commotion in the Huo residence when they were attacked in the past?”
“I haven’t heard of such incidents before,” Ji Xianyu replied thoughtfully, shaking her head after a moment of consideration.
As they spoke, a sudden commotion broke out in the crowd. The noise grew louder, and they faintly heard someone shouting, “Make way, everyone make way!”
The coachman steered the carriage to the side. Ji Xianyu opened the door and leaned out, asking, “What’s going on? What’s happening?”
“Miss, it seems to be the prison cart of Grand Tutor Xu.”
Ji Yuluo lifted the curtain and looked outside, indeed seeing a tall prison cart. Through the gaps in the crowd, she glimpsed a corner of prison clothes and a few strands of white hair. A few days ago, Xu He had been imprisoned outside the city. Today, he was being brought into the city for execution.
She had heard of Grand Tutor Xu He.
He was the only person to achieve the six highest honors since the founding of the Great Zhou Dynasty, a status that many envied but dared not aspire to. Appointed as the Crown Prince’s tutor by the Emperor Xianzhen, though the Crown Prince did not ascend the throne in the end, the subsequent Emperor also respected him greatly and even attended his lectures personally. Calling him the Emperor’s teacher was not an exaggeration.
Xu He was a man of vast knowledge and integrity, but his only flaw was his unyielding honesty and lack of flexibility. He would criticize even the Emperor’s mistakes, disregarding the fact that his own head was still on his shoulders.
With a broad-minded ruler, this might have been tolerated. However, the current Emperor reportedly disliked officials who remonstrated with him. It seemed that the Emperor had long been dissatisfied with this outspoken Grand Tutor, otherwise, how could he have ordered his execution so readily?
Ji Yuluo lifted her gaze slightly, feeling neither admiration nor pity. She could not understand the actions of someone who placed himself in danger while trying to uphold the world, which in the end was merely a futile self-sacrifice.
As she pondered this, the area beyond the city gates suddenly fell silent.
The officers escorting the prisoner drew their swords, and the noisy crowd retreated, splitting into two sides and forming a path. In the prison cart sat an elderly man with half-white hair, disheveled and wearing shackles, looking wretched but still full of vigor. He raised his head and shouted angrily, his words clear and forceful:
“Huo Xian! Such a sinister villain, deceiving the Emperor and framing court officials, is a calamity to our Great Yong! The Huo family, founders of the nation and loyal generals for generations, has produced such an unworthy descendant, truly a disgrace! When General Lou praised you as a promising talent and took you as his disciple to teach you martial arts, how could he rest in peace knowing this? Though I die today, the righteous will never perish. You may kill one or two, but can you exterminate all the virtuous officials in the world?”
“Throughout history, traitors have met bad ends. Your current survival is merely temporary. Such actions will surely lead to a fate where not even your corpse will remain intact, and your lineage will be cut off! I only regret that I was too bound by rules to strike you down in court and uphold justice for the heavens!”
He continued to curse, leaving Ji Xianyu stunned. The words “lineage cut off” implied that her elder sister was also being cursed.
She hurriedly lowered the curtain, as if this could block out the loud voice outside, and consoled, “Sister… these words don’t count, don’t take them to heart.”
Ji Yuluo smiled at her and said, “Don’t worry, I’m fine.”
But to Ji Xianyu, that smile looked like a facade of strength no matter how she saw it.
Outside, the angry shouts continued, growing more intense. Grand Tutor Xu, with his vast knowledge and eloquence, was cursing Huo Xian so thoroughly that he seemed like a rat in a sewer, making everyone feel disgusted.
Moreover, he detailed Huo Xian’s evil deeds over the years, each one more heinous than the last: indulging in pleasures, forcibly taking a colleague’s concubine; corrupting the inner palace, deceiving the Emperor, causing him to neglect state affairs for months; showing no respect for the law, bringing a sword into the palace, and killing a censor who impeached him in court; colluding with eunuchs to disrupt the court, harming officials, even skinning people alive—his cruelty was beyond words. If written down, it would be an astonishing ten-thousand-word indictment.
Ji Yuluo listened with great interest. Some of these rumors she had heard before, some were new to her. Just as she found it intriguing, the ground suddenly shook, accompanied by the sound of galloping hooves.
The surroundings grew noisy once more as someone exclaimed in fear:
“The Office of Enforcement, the Office of Enforcement is here.”
“Quick, let’s go, let’s leave the city tomorrow instead. What bad luck…”
Ji Yuluo paused, and the hairpin she was fiddling with inadvertently cut her fingertip.
After a brief moment of distraction, she looked up and glimpsed through the gap in the curtain a large group of people rapidly approaching from a distance. Among them, one person stood out, even from afar, due to his flamboyant qilin robe. As he rode swiftly with the cold wind, the qilin on his robe seemed like a soaring eagle, exuding an imposing aura.
As they passed, a gust of wind lifted the curtain. In that instant, he suddenly turned his head and seemed to glance at her, almost casually.
