The news of the incident at Fengyi Palace quickly spread throughout the palace.
However, the matter was kept under tight wraps, and everyone knew something had happened but were unaware of the specific cause.
The oppressive atmosphere within the palace was chilling, making even a shallow breath feel fraught with anxiety.
When Nanny Zhang came to the Imperial Hospital to fetch a physician, the young ladies who were not involved had already been escorted out of the palace by the palace attendants.
Upon hearing that the Fifth Prince had fainted, Zou Hansheng's expression turned grim.
But it was inconvenient to ask too many questions at the Imperial Hospital, so he hurried out of the courtyard with his medicine chest, following Nanny Zhang.
As Nanny Zhang was leaving, she spotted Ji Zizhao tidying away the medicinal herbs. Her eyes seemed poisoned.
Ji Zizhao acted as if she hadn't noticed. After organizing the herbs, she left her post as scheduled.
Walking towards the palace gate, she saw all the palace attendants she encountered with their heads bowed, hurrying along.
Looking at those anxious faces, she knew how displeased the Emperor must be at that moment.
Even though Ji Zizhao wasn't personally present, everything was a result of her calculations and plans. Therefore, even by just thinking about it, she could imagine the explosive scene that had just unfolded at Fengyi Palace.
Ji Renran wanted to marry the Fifth Prince, so let's see if she could tolerate his ruthlessness.
The Fifth Prince wanted to use Ji Renran, so he should at least see Ji Renran's selfishness.
She had merely gone with the flow, allowing those people to reveal their true feelings.
Such frankness, wasn't it good?
"Eldest Daughter of the Ji family."
As Ji Zizhao, who had just exited the palace gate, was about to board her carriage, someone blocked her path.
Ji Zizhao looked up, and Jiang Guangcheng's face appeared before her eyes.
"Is there something?" To be honest, Ji Zizhao did not want to see this face at the moment. She feared she might not be able to control herself.
Hearing this, Jiang Guangcheng couldn't help but gasp.
The sun was setting, and the sky was filled with rosy clouds.
The woman standing in front of him, with her fair skin and dark hair, was still as beautiful and captivating as he remembered.
Clearly, she was the same person, but her indifferent tone sent a chill down his spine.
Jiang Guangcheng was quite relieved that the day's commotion had not entangled Ji Zizhao. He could have pretended that nothing had happened and not mention it at all, but he didn't want to be a petty person. "Eldest Daughter of the Ji family, I assume you've heard about today's events. Actually..."
He had overheard Consort Xi mention that Ji Zizhao had feelings for the Fourth Prince when he accompanied Zou Hansheng to take Consort Xi's pulse that day.
Jiang Guangcheng felt as if struck by lightning. The Ji Zizhao in his heart, who was not swayed by worldly matters or wealth, how could she be like other women, yearning for vanity and climbing the social ladder?
"Actually, I didn't take Consort Xi's words to heart. But since that day, I've been unable to eat or sleep, fearing that the Eldest Daughter of the Ji family might be bewitched by the Fourth Prince. Later, Imperial Physician Zou found me and asked if I was willing to try."
Jiang Guangcheng only wanted to prevent Ji Zizhao from being corrupted by the Fourth Prince and becoming a woman who craved vanity. He never expected that Consort Xi and the Fifth Prince had other schemes.
However, seeing Ji Zizhao unharmed before him, he breathed a sigh of relief. "Fortunately, the Eldest Daughter of the Ji family is safe."
Hearing this, Ji Zizhao couldn't help but scoff inwardly.
Especially seeing Jiang Guangcheng's relieved expression, the scoff in her heart could no longer be contained and spilled out onto her lips.
"If there's nothing else, please let me pass."
She had initially wondered what reason could make him act as Consort Xi's pawn.
But now, it seemed she couldn't even be bothered to speak to him.
Seeing Ji Zizhao about to leave, Jiang Guangcheng quickly stepped forward again. "Doesn't the Eldest Daughter of the Ji family want to ask why I would do such a thing?"
Ji Zizhao took a step towards the carriage, using her actions to tell him that she didn't want to know.
Jiang Guangcheng, unwilling to give up, chased after her. "My devotion to the Eldest Daughter of the Ji family is unwavering. Can't the Eldest Daughter of the Ji family truly not see it? If it weren't for the Eldest Daughter of the Ji family to have a good reputation, why would I do such a thing? I've thought it through carefully. Although the Eldest Daughter of the Ji family is divorced, I don't care about worldly opinions."
Fu Bao, who had just opened the carriage door, froze for a moment.
The words sounded strange, but for some reason, she felt something was off.
Seeing Ji Zizhao's silence, Jiang Guangcheng paused and continued, "My family has strict rules, but the Eldest Daughter of the Ji family need not worry. Once you are married into my family, I will treat you wholeheartedly. As for my mother, please rest assured, Eldest Daughter of the Ji family. As long as you bear a son for my family, my mother will surely allow you to be a secondary wife."
This time, Ji Zizhao truly laughed out loud. "So, should I be overwhelmed with gratitude and eagerly await the gates of the Jiang family?"
Jiang Guangcheng felt that Ji Zizhao's tone was not happy, but he assumed she was merely concerned about the title of secondary wife. "Eldest Daughter of the Ji family, please rest assured. Whether you are a wife or a concubine, I will still treat you the same."
"Unfortunately, I don't want your good intentions, what should I do?"
Jiang Guangcheng was stunned, then smiled helplessly. "The Ji family's eldest daughter in my heart is not someone who throws a tantrum."
Ji Zizhao, with one foot on the carriage step, truly didn't want to waste any more words.
But if she really left like this now, she feared she would wake up laughing in her dreams.
She turned and stood firmly on the ground, her gaze towards Jiang Guangcheng now carrying a hint of coldness and scrutiny. "Just because you like me, you can selfishly make decisions for me? Just because you like me, you dare to scheme with a tiger in private? You keep saying you like me, but what I see in your eyes is nothing but your condescending pity and self-righteous selfishness."
From beginning to end, she had only asked one question, and he had completely dictated the rest of her life.
Ji Zizhao understood that this kind of extremely selfish, chauvinistic mindset was a common ailment among men in this era.
But please, don't preach to her so righteously in front of her.
She didn't understand and didn't have the time to indulge it.
Jiang Guangcheng's eyes widened in shock. "Eldest Daughter of the Ji family, why would you say that?"
Ji Zizhao sneered. "I didn't agree to your demands as you wished, so you're acting as if you've been hurt and questioning me. How can you propose those unreasonable conditions, and I don't even have the right to refuse?"
Jiang Guangcheng found the person before him somewhat strange, so strange that his heart began to panic.
However, after careful consideration, he understood. "So, what Consort Xi said is true. You actually want to marry the Fourth Prince and live a life of luxury."
Some people are born with privilege, but their hearts hold fairness and respect.
Others are born inferiors, and their hearts are filled with hatred for the wealthy.
However, Ji Zizhao was too lazy to say such things anymore.
Facing Jiang Guangcheng's questioning, she simply replied with certainty, "You guessed correctly."
Jiang Guangcheng's pupils contracted, his eyes reddened with a sense of being deeply struck.
He had never imagined that Ji Zizhao was such a woman. It was truly a hardship that he had yearned for her for so long.
Watching Ji Zizhao board the carriage, Jiang Guangcheng suddenly let out a sneer. "So it turns out the Fourth Prince's appearance before the Fifth Prince today was not intentional. Although I don't know what the Fourth Prince said to enrage the Fifth Prince and make him leave the side hall, I'm afraid I wouldn't have been spoken of well by the Fourth Prince either."
Ji Zizhao was startled. She hadn't expected the Fourth Prince to use provocation to make the Fifth Prince fall into the trap.
However, looking at Jiang Guangcheng's self-assured demeanor, she truthfully replied, "If you think so, I'm afraid you'll be disappointed. The Fourth Prince never mentioned you once from beginning to end."
Jiang Guangcheng stared blankly, his eyes wide. Ji Zizhao's carriage, however, had already sped away.
Fu Bao, driving the carriage, sighed with a mixture of sympathy and helplessness.
This Officer Jiang seemed upright, and his words weren't really problematic.
But what he shouldn't have done was treat his young lady like other women.
Back then, after the Second Prince spoke to his young lady in a similar manner, he was slapped by his young lady all the way to Luoyi, and would likely never return to the imperial capital for the rest of his life.
Even the Seventh Prince, the infamous troublemaker of the imperial capital, dared not speak to his young lady like that.
Officer Jiang was truly...
She didn't know what to say.