Chapter 52 Chapter 52 is the only genuine version...

It's late at night.

Nanny Wan gently fanned Ji who was lying on the couch.

"Madam, I have agreed with the gatekeeper that I will leave the house at three o'clock in the morning."

"Don't worry."

Ji's face was covered with layers of white gauze.

She opened her eyes, staring blankly at the ceiling, and made an imperceptible "hmm" sound.

When Ji was in the warehouse, he was not actually burned directly by the flames. It was just that his skin was too delicate, and he was carrying boxes too close to them and was burned by the hot flames. He was also caught in the rain, and some small blisters appeared on his cheeks.

Nanny Wan herself had a high fever and was unable to stay with her. Who would have thought that, perhaps because she was feeling uncomfortable or something else, all the blisters were scratched and burst in just one night.

Afterwards, her cheeks became red and swollen, and Ji Shi was afraid to even look in the mirror.

"Ma'am, ma'am."

Nanny Wan called out to her softly a few times, and when she saw that she was asleep, she tiptoed out.

It was dark outside. With the Madam now out of power, no one lit the lanterns in the main courtyard. Most of the servants had been dispatched, leaving only the Madam's personal maid and a few servants. By this hour, the servants had also gone to bed.

The Madam Dowager gave the order to lock the main courtyard. Even when the palace came to announce the imperial edict a few days ago, the Madam was not allowed to go out.

If this continues, Madam will probably be sent to the farm to fend for herself.

Nanny Wan felt heavy-hearted. She groped her way to the courtyard gate in the dark. The gatekeeper whispered impatiently, "Why are you so slow? Do you want to go out?"

"Yes, yes."

Nanny Wan gave a fawning smile to the old woman whom she had looked down upon before, took out a purse from her bosom and stuffed it into her hand.

The old woman thought about her purse and finally smiled a little. She urged, "Hurry up and go to the east side door. Mrs. Zhao is on duty today. I have already given her all the instructions. I will take over the shift at noon. Don't come back too late, otherwise you will have to wait until the third watch."

"Yes, I will definitely pay attention."

Nanny Wan looked around and slipped out the door.

She carefully avoided people, stuffed a bag of change into her purse, and then left the house through the east side door.

Nanny Wan stood in the long alley and breathed a sigh of relief.

Finally it came out.

The moon is bright and the stars are sparse, and all around is quiet.

The city gate had been closed for a long time, so Nanny Wan walked to the gate and sat down, waiting patiently. As daylight approached and more and more people gathered near the gate, Nanny Wan rented a carriage from the carriage shop. As soon as the gate opened, she left and went straight to the women's temple.

The mountain gate has just opened.

When she saw Ji Nan Ke, Aunt Wan burst into tears.

"Cousin, if you don't go back, Madam will die!"

Ji Nan Ke was stunned when she saw Nanny Wan, whose temples were frosted and she looked ten years older.

"What's wrong, Mammy?" Her face was filled with shock. "Did something happen to my aunt?"

Nanny Wan knelt down with her legs weak, tugged at Ji Nanke's skirt, and tearfully recounted the events of the past few days. She choked with sobs, "Madam is badly burned now, and has a fever from time to time, but the Madam has ordered that she be sent to the manor immediately. Cousin, we can still call a doctor in the capital, but if we go to the manor, there will be no help from heaven or earth. How will Madam survive?"

"Cousin, please come back with me quickly."

"Only you can make the decision for Madam. You are the future consort of the Third Prince, and Madam Dowager will definitely listen to you."

"You are going back now because of the emperor's will. The young lady can't do anything to you."

Ji Nan Ke fell silent. She looked at Aunt Wan with pity and wiped her tears with a handkerchief.

"no."

The Third Prince had someone tell her that she had been waiting for the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion to send someone to pick her up these days.

However, since my aunt’s situation in the Duke of Zhenguo’s Mansion is so bad.

Well, she must not go back now!

Aunt Ji pinched her skirt tightly and blurted out in disbelief: "Cousin!"

"Madam." Ji Nanke pushed her hand away, stood up, walked past the kneeling Madam Wan, and said to the window, "The entire Zhenguo Mansion is now in the hands of Gu Zhizhuo. Have you ever thought about what I will face if I go back?"

Ji Nan Ke was wearing a plain long dress and was still charming even without any makeup.

Her eyes sparkled in the sunlight, and she showed a determination that refused to give in.

Nanny Wan was stunned, and could only utter one sentence: "Cousin, aren't you going to save the lady?"

"Madam can't hold on any longer!" As he said this, tears streamed down his old face.

Alas. Nanny Wan was loyal, but she was too dull to understand even this simple truth. No wonder my aunt couldn't defeat Gu Zhizhuo and was forced into a desperate situation.

She could only repeat herself in a simple and understandable manner: "The Gu family hasn't sent anyone to pick me up yet. Gu Zhizhuo just wants to see me return home in disgrace, like a lost dog. That way, she can trample me under her feet."

"Just based on the identity of the Third Prince's consort?" Ji Nanke laughed, "Mammy, let alone the fact that the marriage has not been granted yet, even if it was granted, my last name is Ji, so I cannot be the head of the Zhenguogong Mansion."

"My aunt was imprisoned for arson. This was her grave fault. How could the Gu family just listen to me and let her go?"

Ji Nanke walked towards her, helped her up, and said slowly: "Think about it carefully, isn't this the truth?"

Nanny Wan half-raised her head and cried even more sadly: "Then Madam..."

"Madame Wan, don't worry." Ji Nanke's hands were stained with her tears. She frowned in disgust, but her tone remained gentle. "My aunt raised me. How could I just let her suffer?"

Aunt Wan nodded with a stammer.

"Madam, you must know that only when the Gu family is forced to bow to me, will my words have any effect in the Gu family."

Ji Nanke patted her shoulder and said, "Mammy, if you really care about your aunt, please do something for me."

Nanny Wan said anxiously, "Tell me. As long as I can save Madam, I'm willing to do anything!"

"When you return to the capital, go to the Xiangxi Tower. Around midday, you should be able to see the carriage from Princess Zhaoyang's mansion."

The last time she came to Zhaoyang, she revealed that she was currently supporting an actor.

Zhaoyang is the emperor's eldest princess. She does not have a good relationship with her husband. Although she does not have any open lovers, she likes to admire some good-looking actors. This is what Sun Nian once said to her in private.

Sun Nian also said that, out of respect for the prince consort, Zhaoyang didn't keep the woman in the princess's mansion, fearing the emperor's reprimand. In fact, she kept her woman at her farm in the suburbs, sending her away when she got tired of her. As long as the matter didn't come to light, the emperor didn't pay much attention to her.

Ji Nanke felt somewhat envious of such a carefree life.

"You must let her see you."

Nanny Wan is my aunt's personal servant and is always brought along when she goes in and out. Zhaoyang must recognize her.

"Tell her I've prepared a lot of wild mushrooms, and then tell her..."

Ji Nan Ke carefully explained everything she wanted to say, and then wrote a letter and asked the nanny to give it to Ji.

After Nanny Wan had memorized everything, Ji Nan Ke asked her maid Yi Xin to pack a bag of wild mushrooms and repeated her instructions several times. Nanny Wan left nervously with the letter and mushrooms in her pocket.

As soon as she left, Ji Nan Ke immediately put away the smile on his face.

After a while, she asked the nun to call the abbot. Her face was as elegant and noble as ever, and she said with a smile: "Abbot, there is good news. The two nobles who came here last time will come again in a few days."

The abbot was overjoyed when he heard this.

The two nobles who had come the other time, even in disguise, still had such an extraordinary demeanor that the abbot did not dare to neglect them at all. Ji Nan Ke later quietly told her that the people who had come were the Empress Dowager and Princess Zhaoyang.

The temple owner was surprised and delighted. Their women's temple usually didn't have many visitors, and she never thought that one day she would be able to entertain such a distinguished person.

Ji Nanke personally greeted them at the time, chatting and laughing. She could tell that both nobles had a very good impression of Ji Nanke. In her lifetime, it was a blessing to be able to see the nobles once, but she didn't expect that the nobles would come again!

The master of the temple was surprised and said, "Miss Ji, what you said is true."

Ji Nanke nodded slightly, smiling faintly, "In our temple, the mushroom dishes are excellent. Last time, the old lady... tasted it and thought it was good. I told her that you had some wild mushrooms brought from Dianzhou, and she promised to come back in a few days to take a walk around."

After she finished speaking, she felt a little embarrassed and pursed her lips and said, "My aunt just sent a personal nanny, and the emperor ordered the Duke's Mansion to take me back. These days, thanks to your care, Master, I think I can't just leave like this, so I decided to wait until the old lady and the others come before going back."

The master of the temple was deeply moved.

Since Miss Ji came to live here, their life at the temple has been getting better and better. First, the mushroom mats Miss Ji made with mushrooms from the back mountain have won a lot of praise, and more and more pilgrims have come. Now, they have built a ladder to ascend to heaven.

Not only that, he even didn't go back to the Duke's Mansion in order to help these girls climb the ladder to heaven.

The master of the temple held her hands, inexplicably excited, and said repeatedly: "Miss Ji, everything depends on you."

"That's as it should be." Ji Nanke said gently, and then said, "Master, the old lady really likes the Jade Emperor Pavilion in our temple. Do you think we should clean it up and decorate it?"

"Yes, yes! Of course."

The temple master's face was filled with joy. If they could gain the favor of an honorable person, perhaps one day they would also be able to become the master of Taiqing Temple.

It’s all thanks to Miss Ji.

"I'll do it." Ji Nanke said considerately, "I know what the old lady likes. You can call a few Taoist children to help me."

She arranged everything in an orderly manner, and the abbot agreed repeatedly and did everything according to her instructions.

Ji Nan Ke played with the hanging tassels of her purse and slowly curled up the corners of her mouth.

Gu Zhizhuo would always fight and quarrel in this small inner house, thinking that if he could defeat his aunt, he would surrender to her.

In order to compete for someone's favor, he will do anything to achieve his goal.

Ji Nan Ke slowly shook her head. Gu Zhizhuo's vision was too narrow. It was also true that a woman who grew up in the inner house was just like that.

Of course she would go back.

And she wanted to return in style! She wanted the Duke of Zhenguo to kowtow and beg her to return. Only in this way could she pull her aunt out of the mire and gain an invincible position.

After seeing off the abbot, Ji Nan Ke did not go to the Jade Emperor Pavilion in advance. He told the nuns to temporarily close the door and not receive pilgrims. He also asked the abbot to prepare the best wild mushrooms and gave the kitchen several recipes to try. He himself cleaned the Jade Emperor Pavilion for the whole day.

The abbot was extremely nervous.

She was afraid that the Empress Dowager and the others would arrive too soon and the temple would not be prepared, but she was also afraid that they would not come and her celebration would be in vain.

Fortunately, she didn't feel uneasy for long. Within three days, Princess Zhaoyang came with the Queen Mother.

"Mrs. Jiang, Sister Zhao."

The two came in disguise. The empress dowager used the alias Madam Jiang, and Zhaoyang called herself Sun Zhao. Ji Nan Ke pretended not to know their identities.

"Ke'er."

Zhao Yang held her hand affectionately and said, "I haven't seen you for a few days, Ben... I thought you had gone back."

"If I go back, I won't be able to see you and my wife today. Isn't that a pity?"

Ji Nan Ke spoke in an open-minded manner and led them into the women's temple. They enjoyed the scenery and laughed along the way, which made the empress dowager smile. She touched her forehead affectionately and praised her several times.

The woman admired the elegant scenery. After walking for a while, while the empress dowager was admiring it, Zhaoyang took her arm and talked about how he was bullied by Gu Zhizhuo. He was filled with righteous indignation and accused Gu Zhizhuo of all his arrogant and rude behavior.

After the flower show, she was angrily scolded by her father, who refused to see her for several days.

Ji Nanke comforted softly:

"My cousin doesn't actually have any bad intentions. She's just spoiled at home and a little willful."

"Even my aunt usually has to give in to her for fear of upsetting her."

"Don't bother with her."

"Ah, she's so domineering, you must have suffered a lot of grievances in the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion." Zhaoyang sighed, "But didn't the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion send someone to pick you up? My father..."

Zhaoyang pursed his lips and changed his words, "My father said that the palace has sent a message to the Duke's Mansion."

Ji Nanke's eyes dimmed noticeably, but she seemed to be nonchalant as she said, "It's good that the girl is taking care of me. If I go back, my cousin will be worried."

“You!”

Zhaoyang was really disappointed with his friend.

Ji Nanke laughed and leaned close to her ear and whispered, "The peach blossom talismans in our temple are the most effective. Sister Zhao, would you like to ask for one?"

Zhaoyang thought of the Qingyi he had recently taken a fancy to: "Great. Recently, a Qingyi appeared in the capital, with a man's body and a woman's appearance, and she was extremely charming, just like..."

"Do you know Chen Xu from the East Factory?" She whispered teasingly in Ji Nan Ke's ear.

Ji Nanke knew Chen Xu, having once seen him from afar during a banquet at the palace. His eyes were so sinister and menacing that she couldn't understand why the emperor would allow someone so willing to exterminate entire families to stay by his side, even granting him a high position.

Zhao Yang said excitedly: "This Qing Yi is only slightly inferior to Chen Xu in appearance."

When she got married, she asked her father for Shen Xu, but he refused and scolded her. It was a pity that such a beauty could not be obtained.

She leaned closer to Ji Nanke and smiled warmly, "...The girl in blue that I like has a soft figure, a slim waist and long legs. She's absolutely stunning."

The Queen Mother, admiring the scenery, overheard a few words and scolded her, "Zhao'er! Stop your nonsense."

"Grandma." Zhaoyang went over and took the Queen Mother's arm. "His singing voice is also good. Next time I will bring him to the palace and let him sing for you. I just like his singing voice, really."

"Don't make too much trouble and embarrass the prince consort."

"Hmm." Zhaoyang coaxed the Queen Mother with just a few words and made her agree to go to the Jade Emperor Pavilion to take a look.

The Jade Emperor Pavilion is not far away, only about a hundred steps away.

Leaving half of the guards outside, Zhaoyang helped the empress dowager into the palace. Facing them was a clay statue of the Jade Emperor, about seven feet tall. Half of the Jade Emperor Pavilion was still under renovation, so a partition door was used as a partition.

Further ahead is a staircase leading upwards. The Jade Emperor Pavilion has three floors.

As soon as they came in, the nun came to greet them. Zhaoyang smiled and said she wanted a peach blossom talisman, and the nun led her upstairs.

The stairs were a bit narrow, so Zhaoyang signaled the guards and palace maids not to follow too closely.

Ji Nan Ke looked up slightly, then followed with a smile.

"Ke'er, when you return to Beijing, I'll invite you to see a play."

"OK……"

Zhaoyang walked up the stairs, still savoring Qingyi's narrow waist and slim buttocks. Just as he was about to turn around and speak, he lost his balance without making a firm step. He stumbled and fell down the stairs, directly hitting the wooden platform where the Jade Emperor was enshrined.

The statue above was shaking, and almost in a breath, it fell towards Zhaoyang.

If you get hit, at best you'll have a bleeding head, and at worst you might lose your life.

The statue of the Jade Emperor was reflected in Zhaoyang's pupils, and her pretty face was full of fear.

Zhao Yang raised her arms to block in front of her, and then she heard a voice: "Sister Zhao, be careful."

Ji Nan Ke rushed over from the side, grabbed her arm, and the two of them rushed forward together.

boom!

The clay statue fell to the ground and shattered into pieces. The huge impact seemed to shake the ground.

Ji Nan Ke used her body to protect Zhao Yang. The splashing mud hit her wrist and Ji Nan Ke let out a painful groan.

The Queen Mother finally reacted and shouted, "Someone come, come quickly!" Her voice was so sharp that it was almost unreliable.

It all happened so quickly that the palace maids and guards rushed over.

Zhaoyang slowly stood up with the help of the palace maid. She glanced back and saw Ji Nanke holding her wrist in pain, but she still forced a smile at her: "Madam Jiang, Sister Zhao, I'm fine."

"Hurry, Ke'er is hurt, hurry!" Zhaoyang's face turned pale with fear, and he shouted loudly, "Hurry up and tell the lady... Hurry up and call the doctor."

"Ke'er, how are you?" The Queen Mother came down the stairs quickly, her face full of emotion. If she hadn't risked her life to save him today, Zhaoyang would have suffered a great punishment.

Zhaoyang pulled up Ji Nanke's sleeve, looked at her red wrist, and frowned: "This place is too far from Beijing, come back with me, I will call the best doctor to see you." She was really anxious, "Where did you hit it? Does it hurt?"

"It's okay, Sister Zhao." Ji Nanke quickly put down her sleeves, "I'll go ask the abbot to take a look at me."

She was injured and couldn't even call a doctor. What other noble lady is as pitiful as her?! Zhao Yang made a quick decision: "No. You must come back with me!"

Ji Nanke shook her head: "Sister Zhao, I know you're good to me, but I can't leave. If I leave, I'll be homeless when I return to the capital. Sister Zhao, I can't stay in your house forever. I still have a place to stay in this women's temple."

"Duke Zhenguo's Mansion didn't come to pick you up?!" the Queen Mother asked in shock.

The Duke of Zhenguo’s Mansion didn’t know how to cherish such a good child.

"Ke'er, you and Ai...you come with me, I will personally send you back."

Ji Nanke smiled, a hint of sadness in her beautiful eyes, and sighed: "My aunt was confined to her house, and she reluctantly went back because she had to rely on others' opinions. Why bother?"

As she spoke, she comforted them: "Mrs. Jiang, I'm just slightly scratched, it's okay."

"The Duke's wife has been confined to her house?" The Queen Mother still didn't know about this.

The marriage between the Ji family was granted by the imperial decree of the late emperor. How could the Duke Zhenguo's Mansion do this!

She was so disappointed.

No wonder this child would rather stay in the poor women's temple. Life under someone else's roof is indeed not easy.

"Don't worry." The Queen Mother wiped the dust off her face with her own hands and said with dignity, "You saved the eldest princess's life. I will remember it in my heart."

Ji Nanke's pupils gradually dilated, and she said in disbelief: "Mrs. Jiang, you...you..."

"My royal grandmother is the current empress dowager." Zhao Yang said to her proudly, "Are you surprised?"

Zhaoyang snorted, "The Zhenguogong Mansion disobeyed the imperial order and humiliated the Duke's wife and you in every possible way. Don't worry, the Empress Dowager will seek justice for you."

Ji Nanke slowly released his clenched right hand.

Her eyelashes trembled slightly, covering up the two words in her eyes——

Done!

Since she was a child, she knew that she was extremely lucky and that nothing she thought of or did could not be achieved.

Luck is always on her side.

"Come here!" the Queen Mother ordered with a cold face, "Go to the Zhenguogong Mansion and tell him to tell his wife and his wife to come here and take Ke'er back home."

Ji Nanke hesitated to speak: "Empress Dowager, but, my cousin..."

"Oh, and Miss Gu, let her come too!"

So, an hour later, the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion welcomed the eunuch in charge of the Queen Mother.

After the eunuch in charge finished recounting the Empress Dowager's instructions, he became very dissatisfied and said in a sarcastic tone, "Madam, you must hurry while the city gates are still open. Don't waste time or you'll be charged with disobeying the Empress Dowager's order."

The lady's face was not good. All the things that Ji Shi had done made her lose all patience with the Ji family, including her former favorite Ji Nan Ke.

So, the last time Li Deshun asked her to send someone to pick up Ji Nan Ke, she kept putting it off.

Unexpectedly, Ji Nan Ke actually hooked up with the Queen Mother and asked her to speak up for her.

Let me, the wife of the Duke's Mansion, go and welcome her in person!

She hasn't become the Third Prince's Consort yet!

The lady was so angry that she was fuming, but she had to suppress her anger and obey.

She sent Nanny Zhu to the main courtyard, then went to call Gu Zhizhuo, and repeatedly warned him, "Tell Miss Zhuo to hold her anger. I'm still very angry."

"Really? Why do you always blame our Gu family for everything? Ji Nanke's last name is Ji, not Gu. Isn't it enough to raise her to this age?!"

"So what if she saved the princess? Our family is not eager to claim the credit for saving the emperor from her."

Nanny Zhu agreed.

She first went to the main courtyard to ask Ji Shi to make preparations quickly, then went to Lingxiao Courtyard. Nanny Zhu hadn't even entered the house, but was waiting anxiously in the corridor. She told the Dowager what she had said, and emphasized carefully, "Miss, the Dowager said that if you really don't want to go, just say you're sick."

"go."

This word was like the sound of nature, and Nanny Zhu was completely relieved.

"Then I will take my leave first."

Gu Zhizhuo didn't even raise her head. She was looking at a piece of silk paper taken out of the cat's collar.

The silk paper is as thin as a cicada's wing, and the words on it are as small as mosquitoes and flies.

Done.

She knew from a young age that she had bad luck and that everything she wanted would never come true.

However, things can be accomplished without relying on thoughts.