Chapter 256: Adding insult to injury

The whitish sunlight shone obliquely on the vermilion lacquered gate of the Ji Mansion, making Ji Yunchuan's face look even paler than paper.

On that day, when Ji Zehai was imprisoned in Tianlao for losing his composure at the Empress Dowager's palace banquet, many families in the court who had grudges against the Ji family began to add insult to injury.

Therefore, as soon as Chen received Ji Yunchuan's letter, he made arrangements inside and outside the house, wishing to spread the news throughout the capital.

The emperor personally pardoned Ji Zehai, which showed that their Ji family was not despised by the royal family, and also made those who wanted to take action against their Ji family think carefully about their own weight.

However, no matter how glorious Chen thought he was at that time, he felt as shameful as he did now.

Some people who were curious had heard the news and came to the gate of Ji's house to join in the fun. However, they saw the mother and son of the Ji family vomiting while holding the shaft of the carriage.

And although Lord Ji, who was finally released from the Sky Prison, has not yet shown up, some curious people are already standing on the stone steps to look at him.

With the car curtain half opened, some sharp-eyed people could see Ji Zehai lying unconscious on the ground.

His official robe was stained with filth and blood, but the most eye-catching thing was the unknown yellow-green filth covering his face.

"Hey, what is that on Lord Ji's face?" Someone in the crowd pointed at the carriage where Ji Zehai was and exclaimed in surprise.

Everyone was attracted by the sound and came forward to find out what was going on.

Ji Yunchuan saw more and more people gathering around to watch the fun, and he felt something was wrong. He hurriedly pulled down the half-open curtain, trying to hide the situation inside the car.

However, the shaking of the car curtains made the pungent sour smell spread in the air, and the discussions in the crowd became more and more frequent.

Chen also reacted at this moment, and scolded those who came to watch the fun: "What are you looking at, you bunch of unruly people? Get out of here now!"

She then shouted at the servants who were still standing there in a daze, "Are you guys dead? Hurry up and help the master in!"

The servants looked at each other, avoiding gazes and no one dared to step forward.

Chen also tried to suppress the churning in her throat, but she was reluctant to take the step forward to wipe the stains off Ji Zehai's body.

There was a constant smell of rottenness mixed with the smell of blood coming out of the carriage. Chen hesitated for a moment, then grabbed her personal maid's wrist and ordered, "Go in and clean up the Marquis."

The maid had been following Chen, so she naturally saw how dirty and messy Ji Zehai was at the moment.

She hesitated and dared not step forward. Seeing her shrinking back, Chen glared at her fiercely and said angrily, "Go in quickly!"

The maid had no choice but to grit her teeth and walk in.

It had only been half a day since the Emperor pardoned Ji Zehai, and Ji Yunchuan couldn't understand how so many people got the news.

"Mother, how did these people know that father was released by His Majesty?" Ji Yunchuan asked with confusion on his face.

When Ji Yunchuan asked about this, Chen's face flushed with shame.

She whispered, "I specifically asked someone to spread the news."

Hearing this, Ji Yunchuan widened his eyes in surprise, as if he couldn't believe that his mother would do such a stupid thing.

"The Ji family has already been pushed to the center of public opinion because of the palace banquet incident. Now that my father has been released with great difficulty, he should behave himself. My mother is making such a fuss. Does she think His Majesty doesn't dislike the Ji family enough?" There was obvious dissatisfaction and blame in his voice.

Chen was choked by her son's words and felt aggrieved. Her eyes instantly turned red. "Since your father was arrested and imprisoned, how many people have laughed at the Ji family behind our backs. The other day, Duke Wei's mansion held a banquet, and those women who used to have grudges against me came in groups to ridicule me. I just wanted to show these people that our Ji family is still the same Ji family and has not been abandoned by the royal family."

Ji Yunchuan felt his temples throbbing, thinking that the current situation was really embarrassing for the Ji family.

The discussion in the crowd was getting louder and louder at this moment. Someone gloated: "This Marquis of the Ji family deserves to be unlucky. He just stepped out of the gate of the prison and sat on this stinking carriage."

Someone responded jokingly, "That's right. The Ji family specially sent someone to pick up Lord Ji, but they used this smelly carriage. They are truly a noble family. It's not something that ordinary people like us can understand."

"I don't think so." One person deliberately lowered his voice and said mysteriously, "Didn't you see what was left on General Ji's lips? I think the smell in the carriage is..."

He stopped talking after that, but everyone knew what he meant and they all looked at Ji Yunchuan.

Seeing this, Ji Yunchuan hurriedly wiped the corner of his mouth with his sleeve. Seeing the yellow stains on his white sleeves, his face became more and more ugly.

He gritted his teeth, trying to maintain his outward composure, but in his heart he wished he could find a hole to crawl into.

Thinking of the instigator of these things, Ji Yunchuan raised his head, his eyes swept across the crowd gloomily, and finally fell on Shen Ningyuan who was not far away.

She was seen with her arms folded, a playful smile on her lips, watching him and Chen embarrass themselves leisurely.