Chapter 52 [VIP]
It's late at night.
Granny Wan gently fanned Ji Shi on the couch.
“Madam, I have already arranged with the old woman guarding the gate that we will leave the mansion at midnight.”
"Don't worry."
Ji's face was covered with layers of white gauze.
She stared blankly at the ceiling with her eyes open, and gave a barely audible "hmm".
When Ji was in the storeroom, she wasn't directly burned by the flames, but her skin was too delicate, and she got burned by the heat from moving boxes too close. She also got caught in the rain, which caused some small blisters on her cheeks.
Granny Wan herself had a high fever and couldn't stay by her side. Who would have thought that, whether it was from discomfort or something else, all the blisters were broken in just one night.
After that, her cheeks became red and swollen, and Ji Shi no longer dared to look in the mirror.
"Madam, Madam."
Granny Wan called out softly a few times, and seeing that she was asleep, she tiptoed out.
It was pitch black outside. Now that the lady had lost power, no one lit the lanterns in the main courtyard, and most of the servants had been transferred away, leaving only the lady's personal maid and a few rough-working women. At this hour, even the rough-working women had gone to sleep.
The Dowager Madam gave the order, and the main courtyard was locked. Even when the imperial edict came from the palace a few days ago, the Dowager Madam was not allowed to leave.
If this continues, the lady may really be sent to the estate to fend for herself.
Granny Wan felt heavy-hearted. She groped her way to the courtyard gate in the dark, where the old woman guarding the gate said impatiently in a low voice, "Why are you so slow? Do you want to go out or not?"
"Yes, I want it."
Granny Wan gave the old woman she used to look down on a fawning smile, took a purse from her bosom, and stuffed it into her hand.
The old woman, her eyes lingering on her purse, finally managed a slight smile and urged, "Hurry up and head towards the east side gate. Granny Zhao is on duty today, and I've already given her instructions. I'll be changing shifts at noon, so don't come back too late, or you'll have to wait until midnight."
"Yes, yes, I will definitely keep that in mind."
Granny Wan peeked around, then slipped out the door.
She carefully avoided people, stuffed a purse full of loose silver coins, and then left the mansion through the east side gate.
Granny Wan stood in the long alley and let out a long sigh of relief.
It's finally out.
The moon was bright and the stars were few; all around was quiet.
The city gates had long been closed. Granny Wan walked to the city gate and sat down, waiting patiently. As dawn approached, more and more people gathered near the city gates. Granny Wan rented a carriage from a carriage shop, and as soon as the city gates opened, she immediately went out and headed straight for the Women's Temple.
The mountain gate had just opened.
When she saw Ji Nanke, Granny Wan burst into tears.
"Miss, if you don't go back soon, Madam really won't be able to live!"
Ji Nanke stared blankly at Granny Wan, whose temples were now streaked with gray and who looked ten years older.
"What's wrong, Granny?" Her hibiscus face was full of surprise. "Has something happened to Aunt?"
Granny Wan knelt down, her legs giving way, and grabbed Ji Nanke's skirt. Tears streaming down her face, she recounted the events of the past few days, choking back sobs, "Madam's burns are severe, and she still gets fevers from time to time. But the Grand Madam has ordered that she be sent to the estate immediately. Cousin, we can still call for a doctor in the capital, but if she goes to the estate, she'll be completely helpless. How will Madam survive?"
"Miss, please come back with me quickly."
"Only you can make decisions for Madam. You are the future Third Prince's consort, and Madam will definitely listen to you."
"You are going back now on the emperor's orders, so the young lady can't do anything to you."
Ji Nanke fell silent. She looked at Granny Wan with pity and wiped away her tears with a handkerchief.
"no."
The Third Prince sent someone to tell her that she had been waiting for the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion to send someone to pick her up these past few days.
However, given that my aunt's situation in the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion was so dire...
Then she absolutely cannot go back now!
Granny Ji gripped her skirt tightly and blurted out incredulously, "Young Miss!"
"Granny." Ji Nanke brushed her hand away, stood up, walked past the kneeling Granny Wan, and faced the window, saying, "Now the entire Zhenguo Duke's Mansion is in Gu Zhizhuo's hands. Have you thought about what I would face if I went back?"
Ji Nanke wore a plain-colored long dress and was still beautiful even without makeup.
Her eyes shimmered in the sunlight, yet held an unyielding determination.
Granny Wan stood there stunned, managing to utter only one sentence: "Young lady, are you not going to save Madam?"
"Madam is about to collapse!" he said, tears streaming down his old face.
Alas. Granny Wan is loyal, but she is too dull-witted. She can't even understand this simple truth. No wonder her aunt couldn't defeat Gu Zhizhuo and was forced into a corner.
She could only repeat it in simple terms: "The Gu family has been slow to send anyone to pick me up because Gu Zhizhuo wants to see me slink back home like a stray dog, so that she can trample me under her feet."
"Based on the status of that Third Prince's consort?" Ji Nanke chuckled. "Granny, let's not even talk about the fact that the marriage hasn't been officially granted yet. Even if it were, I'm surnamed Ji, and I can't be the master of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion."
“My aunt was imprisoned for arson, which is a huge mistake on her part. Do you think the Gu family will release her just because I say a word?”
Ji Nanke walked over to her, helped her up, and said slowly, "Think about it carefully, isn't that the truth?"
Granny Wan half-raised her head, crying even more bitterly: "Then Madam..."
"Granny Wan, don't be anxious." Ji Nanke's hands were wet with her tears, and she frowned slightly in disgust, but her tone remained gentle. "My aunt raised me, how could I let her suffer without caring?"
Granny Wan nodded hesitantly.
"Granny, you must understand that only when the Gu family has no choice but to submit to me will my words carry weight in their eyes."
Ji Nanke patted her shoulder: "Granny, if you really care about your aunt, then do me a favor."
Granny Wan said urgently, "Please speak. I'll do anything to save Madam!"
"After you return to the capital, go to the Xiangxi Tower. Around noon, you should be able to see the carriage of Princess Zhaoyang's residence."
When she last visited Zhaoyang, she mentioned that she had recently been supporting an actor.
Zhaoyang was the emperor's eldest princess, and her relationship with her husband was not good. Although she did not openly keep male lovers, she still liked to support some good-looking actors. This was something Sun Nian once told her in a private conversation.
Sun Nian also said that, out of respect for the imperial son-in-law, Zhaoyang didn't keep the people in the princess's residence, fearing the emperor's wrath. In reality, they were kept at her estate in the suburbs, to be dismissed when she grew tired of them. As long as it didn't become public, the emperor didn't really care.
Ji Nanke felt a little envious of such carefree days.
You must make sure she sees you.
Granny Wan was the aunt's personal attendant, and Zhaoyang would always take her with her when she went out. Zhaoyang would definitely recognize her.
"Tell her I've prepared a lot of wild mushrooms, and then tell her..."
Ji Nanke carefully explained everything she wanted to say, and then wrote a letter for the nanny to give to Madam Ji.
Once Granny Wan had memorized everything, Ji Nanke had her maid Yixin prepare a bag of wild mushrooms. She repeatedly reminded Granny Wan of the instructions. Granny Wan left anxiously, clutching the letter and the mushrooms.
As soon as she left, Ji Nanke immediately stopped smiling.
After a while, she asked the nun to summon the abbot. Her face was as elegant and noble as ever, and she said with a smile, "Abbot, there is good news. The two distinguished guests who came last time will be coming again in a few days."
The abbot was overjoyed upon hearing this.
The two noble guests from last time, even though they were traveling incognito, still possessed an extraordinary air about them, and the abbess dared not be negligent at all. Ji Nanke later secretly told her that the two who came were the Empress Dowager and Princess Zhaoyang.
The abbess was both surprised and delighted. Her nunnery didn't usually have many worshippers, and she never expected that one day she would be able to entertain such a distinguished person.
Ji Nanke personally greeted them, chatting and laughing. She could tell that both esteemed guests had a very good impression of Ji Nanke. To meet such distinguished guests even once in one's lifetime was already a great fortune; she never expected they would come again!
The abbot exclaimed in delight, "Miss Ji, is what you're saying true?"
Ji Nanke nodded slightly, her smile gentle: "Our temple has excellent mushroom dishes. Last time, the old lady tasted them and thought they were quite good. I told her that you had brought some wild mushrooms from Yunnan, and she agreed to come again in a few days to take a walk around."
After she finished speaking, she seemed a little embarrassed and pursed her lips, saying, "Just now, my aunt sent my personal nanny, and the Emperor ordered the Duke's Mansion to take me back. These past few days, I've been very grateful for your care, Abbot. I thought I couldn't just leave like this, so I decided to wait until the Old Madam and the others come before going back."
The abbot was deeply moved.
Ever since Miss Ji moved here, the lives of the women's temple have improved day by day. First, Miss Ji's mushroom feast made with mushrooms from the back mountain received a lot of praise, and more and more pilgrims came. Now, a ladder to heaven has been built for them.
Not only that, but in order to help the female disciples reach the Heavenly Ladder, he even stopped returning to the Duke's Mansion.
The abbot held her hands, overwhelmed with emotion, and said repeatedly, "Miss Ji, we have to rely on you for everything."
“That’s only right,” Ji Nanke said gently, then added, “Master, the old lady really likes the Jade Emperor Pavilion in our temple. Do you think we should clean and decorate it again?”
"Yes, yes! Of course I want it."
The abbess was overjoyed. If they could gain the favor of a noble person, perhaps one day they too could become the head of the Taiqing Temple.
It's all thanks to Miss Ji.
"I'll take care of it," Ji Nanke said considerately. "I know the old lady's preferences. You can just ask a few Taoist boys to help me out."
She arranged everything in a very orderly manner, and the abbot repeatedly agreed and did everything as she said.
Ji Nanke played with the tassels of the purse hanging down, and slowly curved the corners of her mouth into a smile.
Gu Zhizhuo will always be fighting and arguing in this small inner courtyard, thinking that if he defeats his aunt, he will bow down and admit defeat to her.
They will stop at nothing to compete for someone's affections.
Ji Nanke slowly shook her head. Gu Zhizhuo's vision was too narrow. Indeed, a woman raised in the inner quarters was nothing special.
Of course she will go back.
And she must return in glory! The Duke of Zhenguo's mansion must bow down and beg her to return; only in this way can she pull her aunt out of the mire and stand in an invincible position.
After seeing the abbot off, Ji Nanke didn't go to the Jade Emperor Pavilion beforehand. She instructed the nuns to temporarily close the doors and not receive any worshippers. She also asked the abbot to prepare the best wild mushrooms and gave the kitchen several recipes to try. She then spent the entire day cleaning the Jade Emperor Pavilion.
The abbot was extremely nervous.
She was afraid that the Empress Dowager and her entourage would arrive too quickly and the temple would not be prepared, and she was also afraid that they would not come at all and she would be disappointed.
Fortunately, she didn't have to worry for long. In less than three days, Princess Zhaoyang arrived with the Empress Dowager.
"Madam Jiang, Sister Zhao."
The two women came incognito. The Empress Dowager used the alias Madam Jiang, and Zhaoyang called herself Sun Zhao. Ji Nanke pretended not to know their identities.
"Ke'er".
Zhao Yang held her hand affectionately, "It's been so many days since we last met. I... I thought you had already gone back."
"If I go back, I won't be able to see you and Madam today, wouldn't that be a pity?"
Ji Nanke spoke with an open mind, leading them into the Women's Temple. Along the way, they enjoyed the scenery and chatted, making the Empress Dowager smile from ear to ear. She affectionately tapped her forehead and praised her several times.
The scenery was elegant and serene. After walking for a while, while the Empress Dowager was enjoying the view, Zhao Yang took her arm and began to talk about how she had been bullied by Gu Zhizhuo. She spoke indignantly about Gu Zhizhuo's various rude and unreasonable behaviors.
After the flower festival, she was scolded by her father, who refused to see her for several days.
Ji Nanke gently comforted him:
"My cousin doesn't actually have any bad intentions; she's just a bit spoiled and willful at home."
“Even my aunt has to give in to her on a daily basis, for fear of upsetting her.”
"Don't take it to heart."
"Sigh, with her being 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 anyone to pick you up? My father..."
Zhao Yang pursed her lips and changed her words, saying, "My father said that the palace has already sent a message to the Duke's mansion."
Ji Nanke's eyes dimmed noticeably, yet she seemed indifferent as she said, "The nun is doing quite well. If I go back, my cousin will be worried."
"You!"
Zhao Yang was truly disappointed in him.
Ji Nanke laughed and whispered in her ear, "The peach blossom talismans in our temple are the most effective. Sister Zhao, would you like to ask for one?"
Zhao Yang thought of the female impersonator she had recently taken a liking to: "Great. Recently, a female impersonator has appeared in the capital. She has a male body but a female appearance, and is extremely alluring, even more so than..."
"Do you know Shen Xu from the Eastern Depot?" she whispered teasingly in Ji Nanke's ear.
Ji Nanke knew Shen Xu, having caught a glimpse of him once during a banquet at the palace. His eyes were far too sinister, making her very uncomfortable. She truly couldn't understand why the emperor would keep someone who so readily slaughtered entire families by his side, and even offer him a high position.
Zhao Yang said with great interest, "This man in blue is only slightly less handsome than Shen Xu."
When she was to marry, she asked her father, the emperor, for Shen Xu, but he refused and even scolded her. What a pity, such a beauty could not be obtained.
She leaned closer to Ji Nanke and gave her a knowing smile: "...The one in green I've got my eye on has a supple figure, a slender waist, and long legs. She's absolutely stunning."
The Empress Dowager, who was enjoying the scenery, overheard a few words and scolded, "Zhao'er! Stop talking nonsense."
"Grandmother," Zhao Yang went over and took the Empress Dowager's arm again, "His singing is also very good. Next time I will bring him into the palace and have him sing for you. I just really like his singing style, really."
"Don't go too far and embarrass the prince consort."
Mm. Zhao Yang coaxed the Empress Dowager with just a few words and persuaded her to agree to visit the Jade Emperor Pavilion.
The Jade Emperor Pavilion is not far away, only about a hundred steps away.
Half of the guards remained outside. Zhaoyang helped the Empress Dowager step 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 lattice door was used as a partition.
Further ahead are upward stairs; the Jade Emperor Pavilion has three floors.
As soon as they entered, the female Taoist priestess greeted them. Zhaoyang smiled and asked for a peach blossom talisman, so the female Taoist priestess led her upstairs.
The steps were a bit narrow, so Zhaoyang gestured to the guards and palace maids not to follow too closely.
Ji Nanke glanced up slightly, then followed behind with a smile.
"Ke'er, when you return to the capital, I'll invite you to see a play."
"OK……"
As Zhaoyang walked up the steps, still savoring the image of Qingyi's narrow waist and wasp hips, she was about to turn around to speak when she lost her footing and stumbled down the steps, crashing directly into the wooden altar where the Jade Emperor was enshrined.
The statue above swayed precariously and almost in the blink of an eye, it fell towards Zhaoyang.
If you get hit, you'll either suffer a head injury or, in severe cases, risk losing your life.
The image of the Jade Emperor was reflected in Zhaoyang's pupils, and her beautiful face was filled with fear.
Zhao Yang raised her arms to shield herself, and then heard a voice say, "Sister Zhao, be careful."
Ji Nanke rushed over from the side, grabbed her arm, and the two of them lunged forward together.
boom!
The clay sculpture crashed to the ground and shattered into pieces; the force of the impact seemed to shake the ground as well.
Ji Nanke shielded Zhao Yang with her body, and the flying mud hit her wrist, causing Ji Nanke to let out a painful groan.
The Empress Dowager finally realized what was happening and shouted, "Someone, someone come quickly!" Her voice was so shrill it was almost unrecognizable.
All of this happened so fast that the palace maids and guards rushed over.
With the help of a palace maid, Zhao Yang slowly got up. She glanced back and saw Ji Nanke clutching her wrist in pain, but still managed a forced smile at her: "Madam Jiang, Sister Zhao, I'm fine."
"Quick, Ke'er is injured, quick!" Zhao Yang cried out, her face pale with fright. "Go and fetch the doctor... go and call the physician."
"Ke'er, how are you?" The Empress Dowager hurried down the steps, her face full of emotion. If it weren't for her risking her life to save Zhaoyang today, she would have suffered greatly.
Zhao Yang grabbed Ji Nanke's sleeve and looked at her red wrist, her brows furrowing: "It's too far from the capital. Come back with me, and I'll call the best doctor to examine you." She was genuinely anxious, "Where else did you bump into? Does it hurt?"
"It's alright, Sister Zhao." Ji Nanke quickly put down her sleeves. "I'll go and ask the abbot to come and take a look at me."
She was injured and couldn't even call a doctor; what noble lady was as pitiful as her?! Zhao Yang made a decisive decision: "No. You must come back with me!"
Ji Nanke shook her head: "Sister Zhao, I know you are good to me, but I can't leave. If I leave, I will have nowhere to go when I return to the capital. Sister Zhao, I can't stay in your mansion forever. I still have a place to stay in this nunnery."
"The Duke of Zhenguo's mansion didn't come to pick you up?!" the Empress Dowager asked in shock.
Such a good child, yet the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion doesn't appreciate him at all.
"Ke'er, you and Ai... you and I will personally escort you back."
Ji Nanke smiled, a faint sorrow appearing in her beautiful eyes, and sighed, "My aunt is under house arrest. Even if she were to go back, she would only be subject to others' whims. Why bother?"
As she spoke, she comforted them, "Mrs. Jiang, I only have a few minor scratches, it's nothing."
"The Duchess has been confined to her quarters?" The Empress Dowager was unaware of this.
The marriage to Lady Ji was bestowed by imperial decree of the late emperor; how could the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion do such a thing!
She was so disappointed.
No wonder this child preferred to stay in the impoverished Nunnery. Living as a dependent is indeed difficult.
"Rest assured," the Empress Dowager said, wiping the dust from her face with her own hand, her expression stern. "You saved the First Princess's life; I will remember that."
Ji Nanke's pupils widened gradually, and she said incredulously, "Madam Jiang, you...you..."
“My grandmother is the Empress Dowager,” Zhao Yang said proudly to her. “Were you surprised?”
Zhao Yang snorted, "The Duke of Zhenguo's mansion defied the imperial decree and humiliated the Duchess and you in every way. Don't worry, Grandmother will get justice for you."
Ji Nanke slowly loosened her grip on her right hand.
Her eyelashes trembled slightly, concealing the two words in her eyes—
It's done!
From a young age, she knew that she was extremely lucky, and that nothing she thought of or did was impossible for her.
Luck always seems to be on her side.
"Guards!" the Empress Dowager ordered coldly. "Go to the Duke of Zhenguo's residence and convey my oral message, instructing the Duke's Dowager and Duchess to come here and bring Ke'er back to the residence."
Ji Nanke hesitated, then said, "Your Majesty, but... my cousin..."
"Oh, and Miss Gu too, let her come along as well!"
An hour later, the Zhenguo Duke's Mansion welcomed the head eunuch from the Empress Dowager's side.
After relaying the Empress Dowager's decree, the head eunuch was still very dissatisfied and said in a sarcastic tone, "Before the city gates are closed, the Dowager should hurry up and not be late, lest she be accused of disobeying the imperial decree."
The old lady's expression was very bad. The things Ji Shi had done had made her completely impatient with the Ji family, including her former favorite, Ji Nanke.
Therefore, when Li Deshun asked her to send someone to pick up Ji Nanke last time, she kept putting it off.
Unexpectedly, Ji Nanke managed to get in touch with the Empress Dowager and even had the Empress Dowager intervene on her behalf.
He instructed his own wife, the Dowager Lady of the Duke's Mansion, to personally greet her!
She hasn't become the Third Prince's wife yet!
The old lady was furious, but she had to suppress her anger and comply.
She sent Granny Zhu to the main courtyard, then went to call Gu Zhizhuo, repeatedly instructing her, "Tell Zhuo'er to keep her anger to herself; I'm still furious."
"Honestly, why does everything have to come to the Gu family? Ji Nanke's surname is Ji, not Gu. Isn't raising her this big enough?!"
"So what if she saved the princess? We're not going to beg for her credit for saving the princess."
Granny Zhu readily agreed.
She went to the main courtyard first to tell Madam Ji to make preparations quickly. Then she went to Lingxiao Courtyard. Granny Zhu didn't even go inside. She waited anxiously in the corridor and told her what the Grand Madam had said. She carefully emphasized, "Young Miss, the Grand Madam said that if you really don't want to go, just say that you are sick."
"go."
The word sounded like heavenly music, and Granny Zhu was completely relieved.
"Then this servant will take her leave."
Gu Zhizhu didn't even look up; she was looking at a piece of silk paper that she had taken out of the cat's collar.
The silk paper was as thin as a cicada's wing, and the characters on it were as small as mosquitoes or flies.
It's done.
From a young age, she knew that she was unlucky and that things like her wishes coming true were never hers.
However, things can be accomplished without relying on one's thoughts.
A note from the author:
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