The matter of ancestral records was, to Third Master Ji, of little consequence.
However, with the embers still smoldering in his courtyard and the mansion gates collapsed, Third Master Ji was in no mood to readily comply with Ji Zizhao's wishes.
The Ji family womenfolk waited by the city gates for the ancestral records, while the bodies of the Ji men had yet to return home.
The mere thought of her grandfather, father, and uncles finding no peace even in death sent a chilling coldness through Ji Zizhao, laced with a sharp, surging menace.
"Since Third Uncle-Ancestor is not keen on expediency, I shall have to oblige you to the end."
Ji Zizhao's voice, icy as dripped water, made Third Master Ji tremble all over. "You, what do you want to do?"
Ji Zizhao calmly shifted her gaze from the people in the courtyard and merely instructed Qingzhu and Lianju by her side, "Search for me! Even if we have to dismantle this mansion today, I must see the ancestral records!"
Qingzhu and Lianju took their orders and walked directly into the mansion.
Third Master Ji was about to go mad with fury. "Let me see who dares! You rebels! A bunch of ignorant juniors dare to be presumptuous in my presence! Guards! Seize these two unruly servants!"
At Third Master Ji's command, the servants, along with his two sons, lunged towards Qingzhu and Lianju. In their eyes, both Lianju and Qingzhu were merely two useless maids.
However, in the eyes of Qingzhu and Lianju, these people could barely be considered human.
One was a young general by the side of the Old Master Ji, the other a death warrior personally chosen by the Old Master Ji. Far from being able to stop the two women, even a hundred more would not be their match.
Qingzhu moved swiftly, Lianju struck with ferocity.
One to the left, one to the right, clearing the path simultaneously. In the blink of an eye, everyone before them was thrown to the ground.
Third Master Ji's wife, along with his daughters-in-law, were terrified to death.
For a time, exclamations of shock and cries of grief echoed ceaselessly within the mansion.
The watchman standing at the gate, witnessing this scene, could not stop trembling.
He seriously suspected that Third Master Ji might be a fool and could not comprehend where the people in this mansion found the courage to oppose the eldest daughter of the Ji family.
The difference in strength...
was immeasurable by any ruler!
Qingzhu rushed into the main hall to search for the ancestral records. Lianju emerged from the hall a moment later, placing a chair behind Ji Zizhao.
The second son of Third Master Ji glared at the fair-faced young woman, knowing that all this was her doing. He suddenly raised a wooden stick by his side and charged directly towards Ji Zizhao.
"You this..."
Before he could finish speaking, his wrist was firmly gripped.
The second son of Third Master Ji, who had intended to curse, instantly changed color from the pain. "It hurts, it hurts, let go, let go..."
Lianju held the second son of Third Master Ji's wrist tightly but looked at Ji Zizhao beside her. "Miss?"
Ji Zizhao unhurriedly sat down on the chair, offering no reply.
With unspoken understanding, Lianju's gaze sharpened. She applied pressure with her fingers and twisted her wrist...
"Crack!"
The entire arm of the second son of Third Master Ji snapped!
Third Master Ji was stunned!
Everyone in the courtyard was stunned!
Looking at Ji Zizhao, who remained unfazed, they felt a wave of coldness from their soles to the top of their heads.
This was no good-for-nothing!
This was an outright devil who killed without batting an eye!
The wife of Third Master Ji was about to collapse. She quickly turned and ordered the maid behind her, "Quick, go fetch the ancestral records!"
The maid dared not delay and quickly turned to run towards the back courtyard.
Soon, the maid returned with the ancestral records and tremblingly handed them to Ji Zizhao.
Ji Zizhao took the ancestral records, flipped through them, and seeing no issues, called out, "Qingzhu, Lianju."
Lianju and Qingzhu, who had been ransacking the main hall, returned to Ji Zizhao's side in an instant.
Ji Zizhao slowly stood up and, under the terrified gaze of everyone in the courtyard, turned to leave the mansion.
Third Master Ji watched the slender back, his chest aching with hatred. "Ji Zizhao, you wait! I will absolutely not let today's matter go! At dawn, I will report to the authorities! And I will go to the General's Mansion to seek an explanation!"
Ji Zizhao stopped, tilted her head leisurely, her dark eyes still frosty in the dim firelight. "I don't care. I am merely a good-for-nothing in the eyes of the imperial city's citizens. Third Uncle-Ancestor, are you sure anyone will believe your words?"
Third Master Ji: "..."
So his son's beating was in vain?
And his mansion's gates collapsed for nothing?!
Ji Zizhao withdrew her gaze, but before exiting the mansion, she said to Qingzhu beside her, "Second Uncle-Ancestor was indeed right. With this, we should be able to catch up with Grandfather's remains returning to the city."
Qingzhu did not understand her lady's words but nodded without asking further questions.
She knew that her lady never spoke useless words.
Ji Zizhao certainly did not speak in vain.
Although Third Uncle-Ancestor was a bit arrogant, he was not someone who could handle major matters. Therefore, the act of holding the Ji family's ancestral records hostage, causing the Ji family anxiety, and even preventing all the male members of the Ji family from being properly buried, was a self-defeating act that could only have been conceived by the more cunning Second Uncle-Ancestor.
Ji Zizhao was not entirely certain at first, but after she had indeed retrieved the ancestral records from Third Uncle-Ancestor, she was convinced.
He wanted revenge for the Ji family's refusal to adopt the grandchildren of the two branches, and he wanted to watch the fire from across the river...
Second Uncle-Ancestor's calculations were indeed sounding quite clear.
Amidst the residual smoke filling the courtyard, even if Third Master Ji was slow-witted, he finally understood Ji Zizhao's words.
Enraged, he didn't even bother with any explanations and charged out of his mansion in fury.
Inside the carriage, Ji Zizhao watched Third Master Ji storm away before lowering the curtain.
Trying to play innocent after doing such despicable things was simply not an option with her.
At this moment, Second Master Ji of the Ji family was leisurely drinking tea in his own main hall. Unaware that Ji Zizhao had easily obtained the ancestral records, he was also unaware that Third Master Ji had already stormed into his mansion.
He was secretly chuckling about what the Ji family would do without ancestral records and how his brainless younger brother would trouble Ji Zizhao. Just as Second Master Ji raised his head, a fist the size of a sandbag flew towards his face.
Completely caught off guard, Second Master Ji's eyes almost popped out. He clutched his eye and looked at the furious Third Master Ji. "Third brother, what is the meaning of this?"
What meaning?
What meaning, your mother's leg!
Without another word, Third Master Ji grabbed Second Master Ji by the collar and looked down to see the superior Biluochun tea placed on the wooden table. His anger flared even more.
What Ji Zizhao, that dead girl, said was indeed correct. The idea of withholding the ancestral records was yours, old bastard. To trick me into letting that Ji family girl cause trouble, and then deceive me by saying it was for my revenge that you reluctantly handed over the records, only for my mansion to be burned and smoked! And yet you sit here playing the good guy, enjoying your leisure?
And drinking tea...
I'll make you drink!
So enraged that he lost all reason, Third Master Ji grabbed a teacup from the wooden table and smashed it onto Second Master Ji's head.
Everyone in Second Master Ji's household was stunned.
They watched the two brothers, who had rolled onto the ground and were fighting, with wide eyes, forgetting even to intervene.