Before Madam Zou proposed, she had done her homework on Ji Zizhao.
She had imagined Ji Zizhao, a woman working in the Imperial Hospital, to be a gentle and compassionate soul, devoted to saving all living beings.
To her surprise, Ji Zizhao immediately slapped her face!
Was this a doctor?
This was a butcher!
Zou Siyan had never seen anyone dare to speak to her mother like that. She immediately interjected, "What did I just say? Where there are no men in charge, it's bound to be chaotic. If even the mistress is so ill-mannered, what can you expect from the servants!"
Ji Zizhao heard this without any reaction.
It was as if she hadn't heard a word, not even glancing at Zou Siyan.
Zou Siyan took it as Ji Zizhao being afraid to meet her gaze and provocatively said, "I'm talking to you, why are you pretending to be deaf?"
Ji Zizhao still didn't look at Zou Siyan, but smiled at Madam Zou, "The Zou family's upbringing, I'm afraid, is nothing more than this."
Madam Zou: "..."
She felt as if she had been slapped again!
Seeing that Ji Zizhao was only looking at her mother, Zou Siyan became even angrier. She's just a coward who bullies the weak and fears the strong, only daring to throw her weight around in front of elders.
Seeing the atmosphere growing tense, Gu Peilan quickly said to Ji Zizhao, "This is the second daughter of the Zou family. She's usually pampered and innocent. Sister Zha, you are older, you absolutely must not quarrel with a junior."
What's wrong with being older?
Does being older mean you deserve to die!
Ji Zizhao looked at Gu Peilan and said, "I recall when the remarried First Madam and Third Sister managed the household together, the First Madam often acted as an elder and pressured Third Sister. Back then, the remarried First Madam was quite imposing. I never expected her to have such understanding and tolerance now. This ability to blow with the wind and rain, truly makes me ashamed."
Gu Peilan's lips trembled, her smile almost cracking.
If it weren't for the desire to quickly get rid of this little vixen, why would she have to endure this humiliation!
Madam Zou, seeing Ji Zizhao's arrogance even in front of her stepmother, also felt a surge of anger. At such a young age, she didn't understand filial piety. Children without parents really do grow up wild.
Thinking this, Madam Zou couldn't wait to marry Ji Zizhao into her family and properly discipline her.
"I believe the sincerity of our Zou family should be evident to the Eldest Daughter of the Ji family. Once you accept the betrothal gifts, you are half a member of our Zou family. If the Eldest Daughter of the Ji family disagrees, it would be a broken engagement. Our Zou family isn't short of a concubine, but I fear the Eldest Daughter of the Ji family's future marriage prospects will become increasingly difficult."
Madam Zou's words were full of threats.
Ji Zizhao's heart turned cold. The Zou family certainly knew how to play people and words.
These words clearly indicated that if she dared to refuse, Madam Zou would spread the news of today's events.
In Yulin, women were inherently lowly. No one would accuse the Zou family of bullying, they would only say she was promiscuous.
Of course, Ji Zizhao didn't know that because of her, Zou Li had severely scolded Zou Hansheng. The father and son were still giving each other the cold shoulder.
Madam Zou was also at her wit's end, which is why she wanted to marry Ji Zizhao.
As long as Ji Zizhao became her son's concubine, no matter how outstanding she was, her husband wouldn't compare a concubine to his son. If her son had a bad mood, he could take it out on Ji Zizhao. By then, Ji Zizhao would just be an object by her son's side.
Ji Zizhao truly didn't expect that the visitors today would be from the Zou family.
She figured that neither Zou Hansheng nor Zou Li knew about what Madam Zou was doing.
Otherwise, she would have seen some signs from them.
But regardless of whether Zou Hansheng and Zou Li knew, since Madam Zou was here today, she wouldn't be leaving easily.
If she could just come and go as she pleased, wouldn't every family needing a concubine come to her place for a visit?
Seeing that Ji Zizhao hadn't spoken for a long time, Gu Peilan quickly advised from the side, "Madam Zou is speaking the truth. I know being a concubine doesn't sound good, but Sister Zha, you have been divorced before. If you miss this opportunity with the Zou family, you might not find such a good family again."
These words made it sound as if she were a caring stepmother to her stepdaughter.
However, Gu Peilan wasn't afraid of Ji Zizhao overthinking things.
As the mistress of the household, arranging a marriage for her daughter was only natural.
Once Ji Zizhao refused the marriage, she wouldn't be afraid of the rumors spreading.
She didn't believe Ji Zizhao would really ruin her reputation for this and leave the Imperial Hospital.
Ji Zizhao gave a cold glance at Gu Peilan, who had a face full of schemes, and smiled, "Why is the remarried First Madam in such a hurry? Since I have seen the Zou family's betrothal gifts, I must naturally present my dowry for Madam Zou to inspect. However, my people are still on their way to retrieve it. Madam Zou, please be patient."
Gu Peilan's eyes lit up. Did Ji Zizhao agree?
She knew Ji Zizhao wouldn't dare to refuse the marriage.
Once Ji Zizhao married over, she would receive a generous betrothal gift from the Zou family. Not only would she and her son be well-off, but they could also supplement their daughter's dowry.
After all, her daughter was going to be the Third Prince's consort, so her dowry couldn't be shabby.
The more Gu Peilan thought about it, the wider her smile became. It was indeed the right decision not to refuse Madam Zou directly when she came to the Tong family to find her.
Look at the situation now, she was truly reaping a bountiful harvest.
Madam Zou didn't have as many schemes as Gu Peilan, but she still had to say what needed to be said. "By rights, the Eldest Daughter of the Ji family, having been divorced, is not quite qualified to be a daughter-in-law of our Zou family. Fortunately, our Zou family is not a rigid one. Once we marry the Eldest Daughter of the Ji family, we will not discriminate."
Zou Siyan, hearing this, sneered at Ji Zizhao, "Listen, it's only because my mother is enlightened that she'll allow someone like you to enter the family. You'd better serve my brother well in the future."
Madam Zou also nodded, "Eldest Daughter of the Ji family, please rest assured. I will absolutely not confine you to the inner courtyard after you are married. Eldest Daughter of the Ji family can still serve in the palace. However, since you are my son's person, from now on, whether at home or outside, you must put my son first."
Madam Zou truly considered herself a very understanding mother-in-law. For a mere concubine, she could enjoy freedom of movement in their Zou family. Ji Zizhao was lucky indeed to be marrying into their Zou family.
"However, when you return to the mansion, you will still need to personally manage my son's daily needs. As a concubine, you must always do what is expected of you."
Madam Zou spoke more and more, even thinking about the future. "My son is also a kind person. As long as Eldest Daughter of the Ji family serves him well, my son will not mistreat you. If you bear a male heir for our Zou family in the future, it is not impossible to elevate you to the position of a secondary wife."