The Empress Zhong was furious, and Ji Zizhao's expression was equally grim.
However, since the incident had already occurred, anger alone could not solve any problems.
Ji Zizhao clenched her fists, suppressing her anger as she asked, "What happened next?"
"Later, a girl saved us. She was very skilled, but there were too many of those people. In the end, that girl offered to be exchanged for Xu Meiqing and Xue Yinuo, and only then did those people agree." Zhong Xinyi felt that the girl looked very familiar, as if she had seen her somewhere before, but she couldn't recall where.
"By the way, have Xue Yinuo and Xu Meiqing returned?"
"Don't worry, they have both returned safely."
Zhong Xinyi breathed a sigh of relief. Looking at Ji Zizhao's face, she was reminded of the girl who had saved them.
As she looked, Zhong Xinyi suddenly shivered and quickly grabbed Ji Zizhao's hand, "I, I know who it is, it's the Fourth Young Lady of the Ji family!"
Hearing this, Ji Zizhao felt her heart clench.
Fourth sister?
Ji Zibi?!
"Do you know why your Fourth Sister came to the temporary palace?" Empress Zhong, who was nearby, was also startled by this revelation. The matter already involved enough people, and now Ji Zizhao's sister was also implicated?
Ji Zizhao shook her head.
She had been thinking a while ago that her Fourth Sister should have arrived in the imperial city by now and would be able to spend the New Year peacefully at home. She never expected her Fourth Sister to suddenly come to the temporary palace.
"I heard that Xu Jiaqing and Xue Yongnian have already met the Emperor. The young ladies who were attacked are all noble daughters of prestigious families. The Emperor will surely take this seriously. Don't worry, wait for news with me." Empress Zhong comforted Ji Zizhao, but her heart was also uneasy.
Ji Zizhao nodded. This was all they could do for now.
Although the matter was serious, the court officials also valued their reputation, so the incident did not cause a great stir in the temporary palace.
Ji Zizhao sat restlessly in the Empress's sleeping quarters, and Empress Zhong could see Ji Zizhao's anxiety. She sent people to wait for Granny Dai outside several times.
Zhong Xinyi lay on the couch, crying profusely. She had personally witnessed the brutality of those people. Although Xue Yinuo and Xu Meiqing had returned safely, Ji Zizhao's sister had gone with those people to save them. If something happened to Ji Zizhao's sister, how could they have peace of mind?!
Suddenly, footsteps were heard from outside the door.
Ji Zizhao stood up immediately and looked at Granny Dai, who rushed in. She quickly walked up to her, "Granny Dai, what did the Emperor say?"
"When the old servant saw Master Xu and General Xue coming out just now, their expressions were not good, so I carefully asked Feng Gu, who is by the Emperor's side. According to Feng Gu, the Emperor has decided that this matter is an act of local ruffians. To avoid causing panic among the townspeople, he has handed it over to the local county yamen for investigation."
Investigated by the county yamen?
How long would that take!
Ji Zizhao even forgot to formally greet the Empress and walked directly towards the door.
Zhong Xinyi looked at the Empress and asked tearfully, "Aunt, can the county yamen really catch them?"
Empress Zhong said with a headache, "If the county yamen could really catch them, Ji Zizhao wouldn't be in such a hurry to leave. Now, even the ministers in the court dare to take advantage of the situation. What's more, a county yamen that is so far from the capital."
Zhong Xinyi cried even harder, "So, Zizhao's Fourth Sister is in grave danger?"
"I will find a way to deal with this matter." Empress Zhong patted Zhong Xinyi's hand. If she couldn't even protect the family of her future daughter-in-law, what could she say about being the mother of the nation?
Granny Dai knew nothing about the Fourth Young Lady of the Ji family. She only thought that the Eldest Young Lady of the Ji family was seeking justice for the other young ladies. Hearing the Empress's words, her heart skipped a beat. She looked back at Ji Zizhao, who had already walked out of the courtyard, and only hoped that the Eldest Young Lady of the Ji family would act calmly!
Ji Zizhao left the Empress's sleeping quarters and immediately asked the palace servants to arrange a carriage.
Princess Wenhui, who was in her own courtyard, was stunned when she heard the maid's report, "Is this true?"
The maid nodded, "It is absolutely true. I heard that some of the young ladies who were with the Eldest Young Lady of the Ji family were injured in town, but the Emperor wants to settle the matter quietly. I was just thinking of reporting to you and happened to see the Eldest Young Lady of the Ji family arranging for a carriage."
Wenhui knew about the injuries of Xue Yinuo and Xu Meiqing.
But what was Ji Zizhao planning to do by leaving the temporary palace now?
Her father intended to quell the matter, and Ji Zizhao still wanted to butt in!
"Go, have my carriage brought over."
"Princess Wenhui, are you planning to..."
"I want to see how capable Ji Zizhao really is, and I especially want to see her bloody head when she runs into a wall." Wenhui smiled and stood up. She naturally wanted to witness Ji Zizhao's downfall with her own eyes.
Ji Zizhao did not expect that Princess Wenhui would be in the carriage that arrived.
Princess Wenhui lifted the curtain of the carriage and smiled beautifully at Ji Zizhao, "It takes a lot of procedures to arrange a carriage from the temporary palace. I thought the Eldest Young Lady of the Ji family was in such a hurry to leave that she must be going to seek justice for those two young ladies, so I came specially to give you a ride."
Ji Zizhao wouldn't believe a single word Wenhui said.
However, Wenhui was right about one thing: Ji Zizhao was indeed in a hurry.
"In that case, I will trouble Princess Wenhui."
"You are too kind, Eldest Young Lady of the Ji family."
It was not too far from the temporary palace to the town, about half an hour's journey. The carriage drove onto the town's streets.
Sitting in the carriage, Ji Zizhao saw yamen runners in official uniforms walking back and forth on the street. However, they looked more like they were patrolling than investigating.
Wenhui looked at the yamen runners and called out to the palace servant driving the carriage, "Stop the carriage, I'll go down and ask where the incident happened..."
Before she could finish speaking, Ji Zizhao told the palace servant, "Drive away." Su Dan Novel Network
Wenhui looked at Ji Zizhao in a daze, "Since the Eldest Young Lady of the Ji family wants to seek justice, shouldn't she first know where the incident happened so that she can find witnesses?"
Ji Zizhao didn't have time to explain to Wenhui now. She continued to instruct the palace servant to drive the carriage slowly around the town.
Wenhui looked at Ji Zizhao's mysterious behavior with disdain in her heart. Rushing around like a headless fly would be futile even by next year.
Ji Zizhao didn't care about Wenhui's thoughts. Her eyes were always fixed on the window outside. After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, she suddenly said, "Stop!"
Wenhui curiously got out of the carriage with Ji Zizhao. They happened to be standing in front of a restaurant. Looking at the other restaurants on the street, she couldn't help but laugh and say, "There are so many restaurants on this street, how can the Eldest Young Lady of the Ji family be sure that the two young ladies had their incident here?"