In just three days, the usually low-profile Ji family had become the talk of the capital.
The case within the Ji household had spread throughout the city. Such incidents of internecine strife among the women of a household were always a topic of great interest, especially since it occurred in the residence of the highly respected and upright Dean Ji. People were not only surprised but also more eager to discuss it, all waiting with bated breath for the outcome of the investigation. Was it really possible that Lady Ji had committed murder?
If it were true, and the concubine’s daughter had indeed reported it to the authorities, wouldn’t that mean Lord Ji knew the truth and intentionally covered it up?
This would certainly tarnish his reputation for being upright and wise.
Thus, Ji Chongwang’s reputation was under scrutiny.
He was well aware of how many eyes were on this case. Although he was angered by Ji Yunkou’s foolish actions, he wasn’t particularly worried about the case itself. Gu Rou’s body had been soaking in the lake for a long time, and it had rained that day. Any evidence would have been washed away, and upon careful inspection, apart from a small missing piece of fabric, there was nothing unusual. It was very likely that she had slipped and fallen into the water.
Confident in this, Ji Chongwang believed that as long as the authorities conducted a proper investigation, the truth would come out, and his family would be exonerated.
However, he had never expected that the Jinyiwei, those dreaded Jinyiwei, would intervene and take over the case, even moving Lin Chan to Zhaoyu Prison!
Zhaoyu Prison—once accused and imprisoned there, even the innocent could be made to appear guilty.
But before Ji Chongwang could react, Lin Chan was released.
She was released…
Without any trial or investigation, she was sent back to the Ji residence in an eight-carrier sedan chair provided by the Northern Patrol Office, escorted by several Jinyiwei officers. It was a grand and ostentatious display.
At that moment, Ji Chongwang had just finished court and felt the complex gazes of his peers. It wasn’t until the eunuch outside the hall came to congratulate him that he realized what had happened, but this wasn’t a cause for celebration.
In fact, this was worse than Lin Chan being detained!
Had the case been handled by the local authorities, her innocence could have been proven within a few days. But with the Jinyiwei taking over and then releasing her in such a high-profile manner, it made it seem as though Lin Chan was indeed involved in the murder, and the Jinyiwei had intervened on Ji Chongwang’s behalf to get her released.
After all, the Ji and Huo families were soon to be in-laws, making it difficult for people not to suspect this.
Even the court officials who had believed Ji Chongwang and Huo Xian were not in cahoots were now beginning to waver. Ji Chongwang could see his precarious situation through their eyes, especially since—
Huo Xian, from a distance, called out on the steps of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, “Father-in-law!”
This drew the attention of the officials who had not yet left. Ji Chongwang’s face darkened instantly.
But this young favorite of the emperor was skilled at causing trouble while maintaining a facade of politeness. He approached Ji Chongwang, bowed respectfully, and even invited him to Wangjiang Tower for a drink.
Ji Chongwang naturally did not attend. He brushed his sleeves and left immediately.
Under the night sky, Chaolu sat on the windowsill, swinging her legs, and vividly recounted, “I heard that after returning to the mansion, Ji Chongwang has been in the waterside pavilion ever since. He’s still there, probably fuming with anger.”
Ji Yuluo, resting her chin in her hand, played with the pearl pendant on her hairpin. Every night, she made time to listen to Chaolu’s reports about the significant matters in the capital and the Ji mansion. Hearing about Ji Chongwang’s misfortune for several consecutive days brought a subtle sense of satisfaction to her brows, but it was only faint.
After hearing this, Hongshuang, standing nearby, furrowed her brows with concern and said, “Huo Xian… I heard that not long ago, while escorting Grand Tutor Xu He, he trampled the man to serious injury, and within a few days, the man died in prison. He was already sentenced to death, but to be tortured like this beforehand shows how brutal Huo Xian is. Miss, we must be extremely cautious when we go to the Huo residence.”
Ji Yuluo’s face lost some of its satisfaction as she recalled her encounters with Huo Xian, feeling a bit more uneasy.
She thought, if there was a chance to get rid of Huo Xian after dealing with Zhao Yong, it would be good. After all, having recognized that vile eunuch as his adoptive father, eliminating Huo Xian would be a service to the people.
Under the bright moonlight, the young girl’s face was cold as she seriously contemplated this matter.
Seeing her like this, Hongshuang and Chaolu quietly tried to leave, but suddenly there were some chaotic noises outside the door, followed by someone angrily shouting, “Don’t stop me! Ji Yunyao, Ji Yunyao, come out!”
The door was then forcefully pushed open, and Chaolu immediately jumped out of the window.
Biwu blocked Ji Yunkou, anxiously saying, “Second Miss, what are you doing?”
Ji Yunkou had already rushed to Ji Yuluo. She had been living in misery lately; without Gu Rou to protect her, she was confined to her room by Ji Chongwang. The situation at Fuxia Courtyard was deteriorating, and even the cleaning maids dared to show her disdain. She no longer had the luster she once had, her hair disheveled and unkempt.
Her eyes were bloodshot as she questioned, “It was you, wasn’t it? You incited Juan’er to urge me to report to the authorities, didn’t you?”
After being confined for three days, Ji Yunkou wasn’t foolish. She realized that the situation was indeed rash, but she thought that sending Lin Chan to prison would settle things.
Just as Juan’er had said, without her mother, her brother taken away by Lin Chan, her future as a concubine’s daughter looked bleak. Lin Chan and her mother were at odds, so she feared retaliation. But if Lin Chan were imprisoned, things would be different. Without the mistress of the house, her life wouldn’t be so difficult.
Moreover, Lin Chan was responsible for her mother’s death. Reporting it to the authorities would surely ensure Lin Chan’s conviction.
At that time, overwhelmed by Gu Rou’s death, and trusting Juan’er, Ji Yunkou decided to bang the drum of grievance at the courthouse.
But within three days, Lin Chan had returned to the mansion?!
Juan’er had not said it would be like this…
So, Ji Yunkou sought out Juan’er for an explanation, only to find out that Juan’er had become Ji Yunyao’s dowry maid!
Ji Yunkou suddenly realized that her attempt to seek justice had backfired, placing herself in a dire situation, offending both Lin Chan and her father.
Ji Yunkou screamed hysterically as Biwu and Hongshuang restrained her. Ji Yuluo watched calmly, unmoved, until Ji Yunkou shouted, “You used to act so gentle and unassuming, deceiving everyone! I thought you were really that kind and innocent, but it turns out you’re full of schemes to harm your own family! No wonder you’re so evil, considering you were born to that lowly woman—”
“Pa!” A sharp sound startled the birds outside, causing them to fly away, and the commotion inside the room came to a sudden halt.
Ji Yunkou was stunned.
Biwu was also stunned.
Only Hongshuang remained unfazed, not seeing anything unusual.
Ji Yuluo said, “You all go out. I’ll have a chat with Second Miss.”
Biwu, unable to believe it, let go, her face full of disbelief as she and Hongshuang exited the inner room. As the two maids released her, Ji Yunkou fell straight to the ground. Ji Yuluo squatted in front of her, gently brushing her fingers over the slap mark on her face, her voice very gentle as she asked, “Does it hurt?”
With a smile, she said, “Second Sister, let me tell you a story.”
“Once upon a time, there was a poor scholar…”
Moonlight spilled through the window, a cold crow perched on the treetop, making the night seem serene and peaceful.
Hongshuang stood under the shade of a tree, holding a box of candied fruit pastries. She had inquired about Ji Yuluo’s arrival in the capital. Unlike Chaolu, who was always by Miss Yuluo’s side, Hongshuang had mostly served the master but had heard some stories about Miss Yuluo’s background. There was one thing she was particularly curious about, which she had been pondering for two or three days, and finally asked, “So, the real Miss Yunyao…?”
Chaolu, her cheeks puffed with pastries, swallowed and casually said, “Dead. I buried her.”
Hongshuang was speechless, coughing lightly before asking, “Did our Miss do it?”
It wasn’t too surprising. Miss Yuluo’s actions were always decisive. If she had no feelings for the Ji family and Ji Yunyao’s existence was an obstacle, getting rid of her would be just a minor task.
But this time, it wasn’t like that.
Chaolu shook her head and said, “She was killed by that concubine. Miss even went into the lake to try to save her, but she was already dead when pulled out. At that time, Miss…”
Chaolu furrowed her brow, recalling Ji Yuluo’s expression that night. There was no sadness or grief; she merely frowned, looking at the lifeless face identical to hers with a mix of displeasure and complex frustration.
Chaolu struggled for words for a long time, making Hongshuang hold her breath, almost suffocating from the suspense.
At that moment, water dripped from the tree, landing on Hongshuang’s neck. She shivered and looked up, saying, “Is it snowing?”
Chaolu paused her chewing, looked up as well, and immediately frowned.
It was snowing, and Miss did not like snow.
Instinctively, she glanced toward the window lit by an oil lamp.
Inside, the previous hostility had drained from Ji Yunkou. She looked as if she’d heard a ghost story, her face pale with fear, trembling lips unable to believe what she had just heard. “Father couldn’t have… That fire, did it really burn that dancer and her child to death?”
With her mother’s image already shattered, her father’s was now also destroyed.
Ji Yunkou was dumbfounded.
Ji Yuluo smiled slightly, leaning close to Ji Yunkou and whispering, “Yes. Three lives in one house. If this got out, what do you think would happen? Second Sister, if you keep quiet, you can still be a somewhat respectable official’s daughter. But if you talk nonsense, you will only be the daughter of a criminal.”
Ji Yunkou shivered, suddenly understanding why her mother had fought with Lin Chan for so many years without ever revealing this secret. If the truth were exposed, it would implicate the entire family, including her!
“I…”
Ji Yuluo helped her up, saying, “It’s late. Go back.”
Ji Yunkou, almost forgetting why she had come, walked away in a daze.
Biwu, seeing her come out, took a timid step back. Only after she was sure Ji Yunkou was leaving did she rush into the room, asking, “Miss, are you alright?”
Ji Yuluo shook her head, brushing the dust off her skirt. She turned to see the snowflakes gently falling outside, melting as they touched the ground.
She pursed her lips slightly, her eyes filled with a faint shadow, her voice so low it was almost inaudible, “I hate snow the most.”
