The ladies felt nauseous listening to this.
Regardless of why Zhao Jie'er had struck someone, was it right for your Jiang family to use this as leverage to force Zhao Jie'er to become a concubine?
To put it nicely, this was an extortion. To put it bluntly, it was forcing a decent person into a life of ill repute!
However, the situation had escalated to this point. Even though the ladies' hearts were in turmoil, they dared not speak carelessly. If the Jiang family truly pressed the issue and went to the yamen, what would become of Zhao Jie'er?
"Madam Jiang certainly wields a great deal of authority," a clear, cold voice suddenly sounded from the doorway.
The ladies, who had been clutching their handkerchiefs until they were damp, breathed a collective sigh of relief as Ji Zizhao entered.
Zhao Jie'er had finally arrived.
The moment Jiang Guangcheng saw Ji Zizhao, his eyes blazed with anger. "Regardless of the reason, the way the eldest sister of the Ji family acted today is wrong!"
When Madam Jiang saw Ji Zizhao, she wished she could slap her twice. Suppressing her rage, she said, "I know that the eldest daughter of the Ji family and my Sheng'er had some unclear dealings before. The eldest daughter of the Ji family is proud and refused to be Sheng'er's concubine. But I never expected her to bear such a grudge and attack me so viciously. Now, I overlook past grievances; what more does the eldest daughter of the Ji family want?"
Madam Jiang's impassioned speech was so convincing that if the other ladies didn't know Ji Zizhao's character, they would have believed her to be a villain of the worst kind.
Gu Peilan quickly interjected, "Zhao Jie'er, you must not be rude. Hurry and apologize to Madam Jiang."
Ji Zizhao raised an eyebrow. "Have you been living too comfortably in the Ji family that you've forgotten your own status? Madam Stepmother, do I need to remind you what the word 'stepmother' implies?"
Gu Peilan's face stiffened, her breathing becoming visibly tighter.
How could she not understand the implications of being a stepmother, having no real power and being restricted in every way? In essence, Ji Zizhao had given her the coveted title of First Madam but simultaneously pressed the word "stepmother" upon her, ensuring that the mere mention of it would remind her that she was merely a replacement for Lin Wanyun!
"What is the eldest daughter of the Ji family doing? Regardless, Madam Ji is your stepmother. Is this how you treat someone who bore children for your father?" Madam Tong, though not related by blood to Gu Peilan, was more than willing to step on Ji Zizhao at any opportunity.
Ji Zizhao sneered, "I don't care about any entanglements between the Tong family and the Jiang family. This is currently a matter between the Jiang family and the Ji family. If Madam Tong wishes to sit here, my Ji family is not lacking in a cup of tea. However, on Ji family grounds, it is not the place for an outsider to point fingers."
Her words were as cutting as could be! Madam Tong had never met anyone so unsparing in their speech. A block of air rose in her chest, nearly causing her to faint. Even after recovering, her face was a ghastly green.
The ladies of the Ji family watched this scene, feeling that Zhao Jie'er's words had gone a bit too far. Yet, why couldn't they help but feel a surge of delight in their hearts?
"The eldest daughter of the Ji family is truly sharp-tongued. I have witnessed it today. I wonder if the eldest daughter of the Ji family behaves so fiercely even in the palace?" Madam Jiang's threat was clear. The Jiang family was powerful and could easily bribe people in the palace to cause trouble and bring down Ji Zizhao.
Ji Zizhao's gaze swept over Jiang Guangcheng, then settled on Madam Jiang. "Madam Jiang, on what grounds do you assume it was me who sent someone to beat them?"
Her words hit everyone like a thunderclap. Madam Jiang froze, her face turning pale. The reason she assumed the attacker was sent by Ji Zizhao was that the methods used to humiliate her were the same as those she had used to humiliate Ji Ziyun. But could Madam Jiang dare to say this?
Of course not. Under the suspicious gazes of everyone, Madam Jiang could only feign an appearance of wronged innocence and magnanimity. "I know, the eldest daughter of the Ji family and our Sheng'er..."
She was intending to slander Ji Zizhao's reputation as well! However, Ji Zizhao had no patience to listen further and interrupted, "Madam Jiang's silence is irrelevant. However, I did hear of a terrible incident a few days ago. After my third sister encountered Madam Jiang at the restaurant, she was ambushed, had a sack thrown over her head, and was humiliated while kneeling."
The Ji family members' hearts tightened upon hearing this. No one wanted to recall the state in which Sister Yun had been carried back. Third Madam Yin Wenying clenched her fists, her eyes reddening with pain. Even the Old Madam, who usually observed with a cold detachment, looked displeased, as Sister Yun's humiliation was also a disgrace to the Ji family.
"Is the eldest daughter of the Ji family intending to slander me?" Madam Jiang, of course, would not admit to it.
Ji Zizhao was not surprised, as it was expected. "Whether it is slander or not is not for me to decide. Just now, I instructed the Ji family guards to offer a reward for the capture of the culprits who humiliated my third sister that day. We should have news soon."
Madam Jiang: "..."
It was like a bolt from the blue! Jiang Guangcheng was unaware of these matters, but seeing his mother's expression, he understood everything. No wonder Ji Zizhao had people surround his mother; it turned out his mother had first attacked the other family's third sister!
Knowing that the matter could no longer be kept from her son, Madam Jiang cast a pleading look at Jiang Guangcheng. But before Jiang Guangcheng could formulate a way to help his mother escape, a commotion arose at the entrance of the courtyard.
Everyone craned their necks to look and saw Zhang Ji, along with several guards and a few townspeople, entering.
"Eldest Daughter, these people all saw the one who attacked Third Young Lady that day, and their portraits have been drawn," Zhang Ji said, handing the completed portraits to Ji Zizhao.
As Ji Zizhao took them, she deliberately flashed them in front of Madam Jiang's eyes...
Madam Jiang, already guilty, trembled upon seeing the faces in the portraits and directly fell off her stool. This scene drew the attention of everyone in the main hall. Assisted by Jiang Guangcheng, Madam Jiang could only stubbornly insist, "The eldest daughter of the Ji family doesn't truly believe whatever others say, does she?"
Ji Zizhao smiled faintly. "Of course not. However, coincidentally, the person who saved my third sister that day lives in the Ji family."
Madam Jiang: "..."
Another thunderclap struck the top of her head!
"Uncle Ji, please go and invite Han Xian over."
"Yes, Eldest Daughter."
Han Xian had already heard about the commotion in the main courtyard and arrived quickly. After carefully examining the portraits in Ji Zizhao's hand, he nodded his confirmation with certainty.
Ji Zizhao then gave another cold smile. "Send the portraits to the yamen. I believe they will be able to apprehend the culprits soon."
"No!" Madam Jiang shrieked. As everyone's gaze fell upon her, it was too late to regret her outburst.