Madam Jiang's complexion had clearly improved significantly. Her hair had been redone, and her clothes were new, yet her face remained swollen beyond recognition.
From a distance, she hardly looked human. Even Jiang Guang Sheng stared for a while before recognizing his mother.
The moment Madam Jiang saw her son enter, she dissolved into tears. "The Ji family is utterly overbearing! Sheng'er, you must get justice for me..."
Jiang Guang Sheng stood frozen, completely taken aback that it was the Ji family. "Mother, do you know who from the Ji family it was?"
Madam Jiang gritted her teeth so hard they clicked. "Besides that Ji Zizhao, who else could it be!"
Jiang Guang Sheng clenched his fists as he looked at his mother's bruised face.
How could Ji Zizhao be so ruthless!
Ruthless?
Ji Zizhao, who had also heard the news, didn't think so.
Madam Jiang, having dared to lay hands on her third sister, should have expected the consequences.
Her Ji family never left any loose ends.
Ji Zizhao took the money bag, already prepared, from Shui Ling and handed it to Zhang Ji. "Uncle Ji, you and the other brothers have worked hard today. This silver is for you to have a drink."
Zhang Ji knew the eldest young lady was always polite. He accepted the silver bag without hesitation. However, when he opened it and saw the amount, he was stunned.
There was not only silver but also bank notes... Su Dan Fiction Network.
This was far too much.
"Eldest young lady, this..."
"Actually, there's one more thing I need to trouble Uncle Ji with."
Zhang Ji immediately adopted a serious demeanor. "Please, Eldest young lady, just command me."
Ji Zizhao narrowed her eyes with a smile. "It's not a big matter, really. It's just that while Uncle Ji and the brothers are having their drinks, help me spread a few words..."
Zhang Ji listened carefully, and as he listened, his breathing grew tighter.
He had been wondering if it was wise for the eldest young lady to beat up Madam Jiang so brazenly. Now, hearing her words, he suddenly understood. The eldest young lady had already planned out the remaining ninety-nine steps.
"Don't worry, Eldest young lady. I know what to do."
"Go," Ji Zizhao thought to herself, calculating that if Jiang Guang Sheng found out, he wouldn't let this matter rest. She had to seize the time.
As soon as Zhang Ji left, Mo Hen entered, carrying an aura of chill.
At the same time, two booklets were respectfully placed before Ji Zizhao.
Ji Zizhao picked up the two booklets and examined them. One was a list of the Zhao family's household staff, and the other was an old booklet detailing the Ji family's recruitment of new soldiers. It seemed to be from a long time ago, as both booklets were in a dilapidated state.
Mo Hen said softly, "The person Miss wants to inquire about is in these two booklets."
Ji Zizhao raised her eyebrows curiously. She first looked through the Zhao family's household staff list, then flipped through the Ji family's recruitment booklet. She soon discovered that a person named Han Xian appeared in both.
Mo Hen knew his young lady had always had an exceptional memory. He hadn't expected her to find the common point so quickly. A trace of surprise flashed in his eyes before he continued, "I've investigated myself. This Han Xian initially served as a messenger with the Eldest Master. Later, he was injured protecting the Eldest Master on the battlefield, and was sent to the Ji family to recuperate..."
Ji Zizhao carefully recalled past events and vaguely remembered something.
When she was ten years old, her father had indeed brought back a young man from the army. Her grandmother never bothered with such matters, and her mother simply kept the young man in her courtyard to recover.
At that time, Ji Zizhao only went with the flow and paid little attention to the people and events around her. Later, she incidentally heard that the young man was bullied by a servant from her grandmother's courtyard and was pushed into a pond. Fortunately, her third sister happened to pass by and saved him.
Over the years, the events of that time had long since settled deep in her memory.
But now, thinking about it carefully, Ji Zizhao's heart skipped a beat. She quickly looked at the Zhao family's household staff booklet and saw the record of Han Xian entering the Zhao residence. It was the year her third sister married into the Zhao family!
"Do you know why Han Xian left the army back then?"
"I've inquired, Eldest young lady. Han Xian said he was recuperating at the Ji family, but after falling into the pond, his recovery was completely delayed."
Ji Zizhao was silent for a long time, then called Shui Ling into the room. "Find Shui Huan. Remember not to alarm Third Sister."
Actually, the whole matter was not difficult to guess, and Ji Zizhao already had an answer in mind. But as it concerned her third sister's lifelong happiness, Ji Zizhao had to investigate thoroughly to be sure. Shui Huan had been with her third sister the longest, so she would naturally know the most.
As Ji Zizhao was thinking, Shui Huan arrived.
"Shui Huan, do you still remember, after Third Sister married into the Zhao family, besides you following her devotedly, did anyone else appear by Third Sister's side?"
As soon as Shui Huan heard the name Zhao family, hatred filled her eyes.
If the eldest young lady hadn't asked, she would have preferred to die rather than recall her time at the Zhao family. The entire Zhao family was a group of demons who devoured people without spitting out bones. How could such a residence...
As if realizing something, Shui Huan paused, and the hatred in her eyes subsided somewhat. "Since Eldest young lady is asking, I do remember. When my mistress was severely beaten by that Zhao family son-in-law, someone secretly brought her medicine. When the Zhao family hosted a banquet and my mistress missed her meal due to busyness, someone privately brought food to her room..."
Those days at the Zhao family were too long ago, and Shui Huan couldn't recall many things. However, she clearly remembered one event. "When my mistress was lying unconscious in the Zhao family, a servant followed the young master and beat him. When the entire household was searching for the culprit, that person rushed into my mistress's courtyard, insisting on taking her away. However, the Zhao family had too many people. Later, I heard that servant was beaten until he was barely alive and was expelled from the Zhao family that very night."
Hearing Shui Huan's words, what else could Ji Zizhao not understand?
Where were there so many coincidences in this world? It was all someone silently contributing from behind.
Shui Huan didn't understand the eldest young lady's thoughts. She gritted her teeth and suddenly knelt on the ground. "Eldest young lady, Han Xian is not a bad person, and he treated my mistress very well. I still cannot bear to recall the suffering my mistress endured in the Zhao family. Now that I finally see my mistress smiling happily, I am genuinely pleased from the bottom of my heart. I implore Eldest young lady not to send Han Xian away."
Ji Zizhao looked at Shui Huan kneeling before her and said softly, "Don't worry, I won't send him away."
On the contrary, she intended to facilitate this matter.
However, the Ji family was currently extremely prejudiced against Han Xian's identity, so she had to find a way to improve Han Xian's image first.
"Eldest young lady, the Jiang family has arrived. They say they want the Eldest young lady to give them an explanation!" Nanny He hurried in.
Ji Zizhao suddenly smiled. "They've arrived at just the right time."