Could it be that the words she had just spoken with her sister were overheard by a servant of the prince’s mansion, and the servant then reported them to Gu Jianli?
Ji Pingjuan’s heart raced a few beats faster.
No, it can’t be?
The reason she had spoken so recklessly with Ji Pinglian was precisely because the place was secluded. Before speaking, she had clearly checked that there was no one around! How could the servants of the mansion have overheard?
In her mind, Ji Pingjuan cursed the imaginary servant who relayed the message, swearing by their ancestors for eighteen generations. Today was a day of feasting in the mansion; which servant was so indiscreet to displease both the host and guests? Was it due to ignorance or deliberate provocation?
Wait… could it be that it wasn’t today’s words with her sister that reached Gu Jianli’s ears, but something else? After all… it wasn’t the first time she had gossiped behind Gu Jianli’s back. On the way here, she had also spoken about Gu Jianli while riding with Rong Guanyin. Could it be that Rong Guanyin relayed the words to Gu Jianli?
For a moment, Ji Pingjuan was uncertain.
She thought of many things, but it all passed in an instant.
She quickly smiled again, feigning innocence, and spoke cheerfully, “Your Highness, your words are truly frightening. Pingjuan doesn’t even know if she should stay as a guest! Who knows which vile person is deliberately whispering in your ear, stirring up trouble. However, with so many people and so much going on today, it’s possible someone misheard something. Your Highness, please don’t believe one side of the story, and don’t get angry over a misunderstanding. I’m just a humble concubine’s daughter, even if I were given a hundredfold courage, I wouldn’t dare speak recklessly!”
The surrounding guests looked at each other, not daring to speak easily, choosing to observe first.
Ji Pinglian sat nearby, her heart sinking, but she maintained her composed demeanor as a princess.
“What’s going on here?” Princess Guangxian approached with her maidservants, followed by several women of similar age from the capital.
Ji Pinglian’s heart sank further, and she hurriedly rose to ask, “Mother, why are you here?”
“The princess consort sent someone to call me here.” Princess Guangxian glanced at Ji Pingjuan, then looked questioningly at Gu Jianli.
Both Ji Pinglian and Ji Pingjuan felt things were getting worse. How could Gu Jianli be so heedless of today being her father’s birthday celebration? Was she really going to escalate the situation?
“Sorry to trouble you, Princess Guangxian, but your mansion’s fifth young lady has spoken some inappropriate words. Since you are her stepmother, I had no choice but to ask you to come and decide.”
Princess Guangxian vaguely sensed that the matter was serious enough for Gu Jianli to bring it to light. She asked, “What inappropriate words did Pingjuan say?”
Gu Jianli slightly curved her lips.
“Although Gu Jianli has restored her appearance, what of it? She still ends up a laughingstock. My dear sister is a hundred times better than Gu Jianli and would never marry someone like that, wasting her life. Ji Zhao grew up in the Western Depot, where they are all crippled eunuchs. Eunuchs are either trampled underfoot, treated worse than dogs, or they are sinister, perverse, disgusting old things. Ji Zhao is obviously the latter, who knows how he usually whips and humiliates Gu Jianli.”
Gu Jianli repeated Ji Pinglian’s words.
The same words, when spoken by Ji Pingjuan, sounded sharp, vicious, and filthy. Gu Jianli, however, recited them in a calm, measured tone, without any emotion. She did not emphasize any particular word, nor did she shy away from repeating the vulgarities that should not have come from a lady’s mouth, articulating them clearly.
She clearly showed no anger, her voice soft and gentle, yet it resonated with authority. Without anger, she still maintained her dominance, her dignified exterior cloaking her lofty reprimand.
Ji Pinglian, who hadn’t initially taken it seriously, now looked grim. Gu Jianli’s words had implicated her as well! She had thought Gu Jianli was merely venting on a concubine’s daughter, but Ji Pinglian’s status was equivalent to Gu Jianli’s. How could she disregard the reputations of both families?
As Gu Jianli finished speaking, the surroundings fell into a deathly silence.
Pairs of eyes secretly glanced at Ji Wujing. The words spoken by Gu Jianli were not unfamiliar to those around. They had heard these rumors to varying degrees, though never in such coarse terms. They had thought Ji Pingjuan had said something to anger Gu Jianli, but never expected that she would slander Ji Wujing!
Ji Wujing had come with Gu Jianli but had lagged behind a few steps leisurely. Upon reaching the crowd, he had casually sat at an empty stone table and was now idly spinning a teacup.
Ji Pingjuan, realizing the situation, vehemently denied it!
Her eyes quickly reddened, and she showed a pitifully sad expression.
“Your Highness, you have wronged me! How could a humble concubine’s daughter like me dare to speak ill of you! Moreover, I would never dare speak so of Master Ji!” she sobbed quietly, looking pitiable.
Ji Pinglian also reacted. Since Gu Jianli had implicated her, she couldn’t easily avoid the matter. She spoke, “Princess Shengyi, I don’t know where you heard these words. But since they mentioned me, I must get to the bottom of it. We came today to celebrate, not to cause trouble. Even if my concubine sister lacks some sense, she wouldn’t say such things.”
Princess Guangxian’s face darkened. She couldn’t believe that her outstanding legitimate daughter and sweet, obedient concubine daughter would speak such foul words behind someone’s back. It felt like a slap in the face, an accusation of poor upbringing.
Ji Pingjuan cried, “I don’t know who wants to frame me and harm me! Since you seem so certain, tell me who spread the words! Bring that wretch here, and I’ll confront them! What grudge do they hold against me to harm me so?”
Ji Pinglian added, “Princess Shengyi, bring the person who relayed the message for confrontation. His Majesty is here today as well, we can ask him to adjudicate if necessary. Hopefully, it’s just a misunderstanding caused by a servant’s error, so our two families’ relations aren’t damaged.”
Ji Pingjuan firmly denied ever saying it, trying to pin the blame on a servant. Ji Pinglian had the same intent, also subtly warning Gu Jianli to retract before things escalated.
Ji Wujing, who had been spinning the teacup, placed it down, raising his eyebrows with a mocking laugh. Leisurely, he said, “I am that wretch.”
Ji Pingjuan was stunned. It wasn’t a servant who had overheard and reported to Gu Jianli, but Ji Wujing himself who had heard it firsthand?
Ji Wujing lifted his eyelids, looking at Ji Pingjuan, then smiled at her. His tone was slow, even playful, as he casually said, “Tsk, now this sinister, perverse, disgusting old thing has become a wretch? Thanks for the compliment?”
“I, I, I…” The usually eloquent Ji Pingjuan was at a loss for words, her face turned pale, and her legs trembled, unable to stand steady.
Ji Wujing rarely smiled. When he did, countless people were terrified, fearing he might lose his temper and start beheading. The surrounding people instinctively stepped back.
Gu Jianli spoke again, “Unfortunately, I was also present. How do Princess Wenlian and Fifth Miss Ji wish to confront this? Are you suggesting that both Wujing and I are deaf or intentionally framing you? Today is my father’s birthday celebration. The Gu family has treated you as honored guests, yet you speak such words in our mansion and in our presence. It seems the ones disregarding our long-standing relationship are not from our Gu family.”
Gu Jianli slightly turned her face, instructing the stern-faced matron behind her, “Nanny Liu, please run and invite Master Chen from the Western Depot, let Master Chen judge whether the words of Fifth Miss Ji are true.”
“No, no…” Ji Pingjuan, no longer having the righteous confidence from her earlier denial, now felt her courage deflated with a simple prick.
Both wicked and foolish, she also lacked courage.
Ji Pinglian’s face also turned ugly. Her eyes flickered, quickly trying to think of a solution, but her mind was blank, filled with panic.
After all, Princess Guangxian had experienced such situations before. As things had come to this point, her thoughts quickly turned, and she made a decision.
“You wretch, you’ve even corrupted your legitimate sister!” She slapped Ji Pingjuan across the face, her expression filled with sorrow, anger, and the disappointment of a loving stepmother.
Ji Pingjuan was stunned by the slap.
Although she was a concubine’s daughter, she was still the daughter of a prince. Back home, except for having to curry favor with her stepmother and legitimate sister, she walked with pride outside the mansion. She had followed them to the capital this time, planning for her own marriage prospects. Being slapped in public today, how could she save face?
“I treated you as my own, raised you by my side, let you attend the same classes as your legitimate sister, and never lacked in food or clothing. Why can’t you rid yourself of your birth mother’s bad traits?” Princess Guangxian scolded loudly, exuding the authority of a princess. Within this authority was the disappointment and sadness of a stepmother.
Mentioning her birth mother, Ji Pingjuan’s eyes quickly reddened. She had no place to hide her shame and anger, yet she had no right to retort.
Princess Guangxian dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief, looked at Gu Jianli, sighed deeply, and said, “I shouldn’t have brought her to the capital this time. It’s my lack of discipline that has upset you and Master Ji. I feel guilty. Whether she needs to be punished or even beaten to death, it’s up to the Gu family, and I would have no complaints!”
Gu Jianli maintained a faint smile, her expression unchanged, and said, “Princess, you speak too gravely. I, as a junior, do not deserve your apology. As for your mansion’s fifth young lady… she is your family member, and I have no right to beat her to death. She should be punished according to your family rules. Although I am in the capital, I have heard of your excellent household management and strict family discipline. I trust you to handle it appropriately.”
Gu Jianli had no doubt that Princess Guangxian would not let Ji Pingjuan off easily. Ji Pingjuan was just a concubine’s daughter who had implicated Ji Pinglian today. There was no way the princess would be lenient. A stepmother had many ways to deal with a concubine’s daughter.
As for Ji Pinglian, Gu Jianli glanced at her lightly.
Gu Jianli did not intend to treat Ji Pinglian with the same severity as Ji Pingjuan. After all, those words were not spoken by Ji Pinglian. Today’s events were enough to humiliate her. Her stay in the capital would not be pleasant, and whether she could restore her reputation would depend on her own abilities.
Gu Jianli looked at Ji Wujing and noticed an unusual expression on his face, with a strange crimson glint in his eyes.
In the next moment, a eunuch’s high-pitched voice called from afar, “Assassin, protect His Majesty…”