The carriage resumed its steady pace, a silence reigning within.
Outside, however, the sounds of fists colliding against the wind were clearly audible.
Ji Zizhao came back to her senses, quickly pushed away the chest in front of her, and returned to her prayer mat.
Xie Jinglan smiled faintly, lifted the carriage curtain, and looked outside.
Outside the carriage, Huo Nian Gong and Qing Zhu were fighting fiercely.
Qing Zhu, seeing that her young lady had been in the Fourth Prince's carriage for so long without coming out, had come to inquire out of worry. Coincidentally, Huo Nian Gong was a person who rarely spoke, often not uttering a single word all day. After Qing Zhu asked a few questions and got no answer, she simply started fighting.
"He's holding my young lady and not replying, I've disliked you for a long time."
Both Ji Zizhao and Xie Jinglan were aware of the tempers of their own people.
So almost simultaneously, the two of them said in unison, "Qing Zhu, Nian Gong, do not be rude."
Instantly, Huo Nian Gong and Qing Zhu stopped fighting and stood on either side.
Huo Nian Gong felt the throbbing pain in his arm and looked at Qing Zhu with a new scrutiny in his previously indifferent gaze. A girl whose fists were as hard as a man's probably only had the path to a nunnery left for her.
Completely unaware of Huo Nian Gong's thoughts, Qing Zhu was only thinking, "Does the Fourth Prince have any strange habits? Why else would he find a poker-faced man to be a bodyguard?"
Outside the carriage, Huo Nian Gong and Qing Zhu stared at each other silently, big eyes meeting small ones.
Inside the carriage, Xie Jinglan lowered the curtain, turned to look at Ji Zizhao opposite him, and said, "The Minister of Dali Temple has not yet sent anyone to present this matter to Father Emperor. He probably hasn't figured out the intentions of the eldest daughter of the Ji family, but that doesn't mean he will never figure it out, or even if he truly doesn't, he wouldn't dare to be so bold as to deceive Father Emperor."
Ji Zizhao naturally understood that Xie Jinglan was forcing her to comply.
But Ji Zizhao also knew even more clearly that once the Dali Temple reported the news of Ren Jun's death to the palace, no matter how she concealed it, it would be impossible to hide any longer.
"I can cooperate with the Fourth Prince, but once the new Emperor ascends the throne, he must protect my Ji family's peace for a hundred years." Although Ji Zizhao did not want to be involved with the Huang family, the path before her offered no room for choice.
And for someone like Xie Jinglan, perhaps being an ally was better than being an opponent.
Because if one day she and he truly fought against each other, even she would not have the confidence to win against him.
Xie Jinglan smiled and nodded, "Alright."
"I can assist the Seventh Prince in ascending the throne together with the Fourth Prince, but during this period, the Fourth Prince absolutely cannot set his sights on my Ji family sisters. If the Fourth Prince breaks the agreement, I will fight back with all my might."
In this backward era, it was not uncommon to consolidate status and form alliances through marriage.
But her family was the driving force behind her progress.
It was her bottom line.
Xie Jinglan took in the determination in her eyes and still smiled and nodded, "Alright."
Fundamentally, the only person he had ever wanted was her.
As for her family, he had neither the interest nor the inclination to scheme against or exploit them.
Ji Zizhao stood up and alighted from the carriage. Before leaving, she glanced back at the carriage. Just then, Xie Jinglan was also looking at her through the carriage window.
Their eyes met again, and he was still him.
The extremely dangerous him from just now seemed to be merely Ji Zizhao's hallucination.
Returning to the carriage, Ji Zizhao carefully instructed, "Qing Zhu, you will go to the Ren family shortly and have the Ren family plead for clemency in front of the Dali Temple as usual. Later in the day, have the old madam of the Ren family personally go to see the Minister of Dali Temple and say that she is thanking him for saving Ren Jun."
Since it was an act, it had to be complete, only then could they deceive the heavens and cross the sea.
Qing Zhu silently remembered her young lady's instructions. After escorting her young lady back to the Ji family, she directly turned and headed for the Ren family.
At a quarter past you, the grand kitchen was filled with wisps of cooking smoke.
Normally, the Ji family would eat their daily dinner with the old madam in the main courtyard. However, during this period, the old madam was not in the mood to entertain everyone, so she pleaded fatigue and told everyone to stay in their respective courtyards.
When Ji Zizhao entered, she saw the maids from various courtyards going to the grand kitchen to collect their meals.
Looking at the orderly servants, Ji Zizhao suddenly remembered the lively scene when her grandfathers were still alive.
But now, there was no longer the past.
Shui Ling, who had just collected her food, saw Ji Zizhao and hurried over, "Young lady, why are you only back now? The Fifth Prince has been at Zhaoyuan for some time."
So soon they came to probe her reaction?
As soon as Ji Zizhao thought of the Fifth Prince's extremely hypocritical face, she felt so disgusted that she wished she could vomit up her undigested food to feel better.
But if she wanted to achieve what she desired, she had to endure it no matter how disgusted she felt.
Closing her eyes, suppressing the wave of nausea, Ji Zizhao walked towards Zhaoyuan with Shui Ling. "Who received the Fifth Prince? And what did the Fifth Prince inquire about?"
Shui Ling replied truthfully, "Heh Ma received him. The Fifth Prince said that he heard the Ren family had come and might have caused trouble for you, so he personally came to see. He also asked where you had gone. Heh Ma said it was not appropriate for a servant to inquire about the master's affairs and turned him away."
Heh Ma, being experienced, could easily handle the Fifth Prince.
However, Ji Zizhao's brows still furrowed involuntarily.
The gatekeepers and servants of the Ji family were always discreet and would never discuss the master's affairs in private. Even if someone dared, they would never run to the Fifth Prince, who was temporarily residing in the Ji family, to gossip.
So it was clear that the Fifth Prince knew the Ren family had come. He had also taken this opportunity to act against Ren Jun. It was either that the Fifth Prince had deliberately sent someone to inquire, or...
There was a mole in the Ji family.
The word "mole" sent a chill through Ji Zizhao's heart.
Because she knew that the latter was the most likely scenario.
Zhaoyuan was brightly lit.
Ji Zizhao took a few deep breaths before entering. She waited until the cool breeze had thoroughly filled her lungs, making her eyes slightly red from the sting, before stepping over the threshold.
In the main hall, Xie Jing Zhou was sitting on a chair, anxious and uneasy.
Seeing Ji Zizhao enter, he immediately walked over, his face full of concern, "Zizhao, what's wrong? Why are your eyes so red?"
Ji Zizhao seemed to have difficulty speaking. After a long choked sob, she finally said with difficulty, "Today, Ren Jun's family came to plead for the Ji family to protect him, but Ren Jun refused to speak. I had planned to take Ren Jun's family to the Dali Temple to persuade Ren Jun to confess early and try to save the Ren family. I never expected that Ren Jun would commit suicide..."
Xie Jing Zhou carefully observed Ji Zizhao's reaction, which seemed normal.
No matter what, Ren Jun was raised by the Ji family. No matter how much hatred there was, there was still some affection.
Fortunately, he had found the right opportunity to send someone to finish Ren Jun, otherwise, if Ren Jun had truly been persuaded by the Ji family...
The consequences would have been unthinkable.
Ji Zizhao seemed to notice nothing unusual. She paused and then said, "Fortunately... Ren Jun was lucky and was saved."
Xie Jing Zhou, who had just been rejoicing, felt as if struck by lightning.