Jian Qiu was surprised that her young lady suddenly asked about matters within the palace. After careful consideration, she replied, "The incident back then was indeed quite significant, as it involved the Seventh Prince's birth mother."
Ji Zizhao...
She truly hadn't expected it to be related to the Seventh Prince at all.
Recalling the past, Jian Qiu couldn't help but sigh, "After the young mistress of the Ji family departed, the Seventh Prince's birth mother was the one who consistently held sway in the palace. However, after giving birth to the Seventh Prince, her health declined. The physician treating the Seventh Prince's birth mother at that time was precisely the current Prefect Zou."
So much time had passed, and Jian Qiu couldn't recall everything clearly. She only vaguely remembered that it was the late Empress Dowager's birthday, and people in the palace were celebrating. News of the Seventh Prince's birth mother falling ill arrived from her quarters. Fearing they would offend the Empress Dowager by making a fuss, the servants attending to the Seventh Prince's birth mother sought help from the Imperial Hospital.
As Prefect Zou had been treating the Seventh Prince's birth mother's illness, no one in the harem dared to interfere. Prefect Zhang sent someone to Prefect Zou's residence, but Prefect Zou refused, stating that the messenger lacked a palace token and thus it did not comply with the rules and procedures.
"Later, Prefect Zhang learned of this and had to personally go to the Seventh Prince's birth mother's quarters. However, due to the excessive delay and the fact that Prefect Zhang did not have the Seventh Prince's birth mother's previous medical records, the delay proved fatal, and she passed away."
The past was too grim, and even Jian Qiu was unwilling to revisit it.
She vividly recalled that since her entry into the palace, the Seventh Prince's birth mother had always been kind to everyone and had never had any disputes with others in the harem. Yet, such a good person met a tragic end.
As a result, people in the palace later secretly spread rumors that the Seventh Prince was an inauspicious child, saying that his arrival had taken his mother away.
Fortunately, the Emperor was enlightened. Out of his affection for the Seventh Prince's birth mother, he doted on the child and sent the Seventh Prince to be raised by the Empress a few years later.
"Does the Seventh Prince know about these matters?" Ji Zizhao asked softly.
Jian Qiu shook her head. "The Emperor issued a death order regarding this matter, so no one in the palace dared to speak of it."
Ji Zizhao thought that was plausible. Given the Seventh Prince's temperament, if he truly knew that Zou Li's delay had led to his mother's death, he would likely have sent Zou Li and his entire family to their deaths long ago.
"Why are you asking about this, young lady? Has something happened in the palace?" Jian Qiu knew that with her young lady's disposition, she wouldn't inquire about irrelevant matters without reason.
Ji Zizhao confided in Jian Qiu as one of her trusted confidantes, having nothing to hide. She recounted the atmosphere in the palace and the Emperor's reaction, saying, "I don't know why, but I feel as if the two matters might be connected. Perhaps I'm overthinking it."
Jian Qiu's grip on the wooden comb tightened. After a pause, she looked at Ji Zizhao in the mirror and said, "The death of the Seventh Prince's birth mother plunged the entire palace into a bloody storm. If the current Emperor reacts the same way he did then, the palace is likely to see more lives lost."
Hearing this, Ji Zizhao instinctively clenched her hands, only to realize they were already ice-cold.
Just then, Shui Ling entered with servants carrying a bathing tub. Ji Zizhao leaned against the tub, immersing herself in the lukewarm water, yet her icy hands remained stubbornly cold.
A quarter of an hour later, Ji Zizhao changed into her loungewear under Shui Ling's service. As Shui Ling and her attendants were leaving with the bathing tub, Madam Xu entered. "Young lady, the Third Madam is here."
Third Aunt?
"Please invite her in."
Madam Xu nodded, and shortly thereafter, the Third Madam, Yin Wenying, entered.
"Zhao'er, Third Aunt implores you to quickly persuade your third sister," Third Madam Yin Wenying said, grasping Ji Zizhao's hands as soon as she entered. She was truly anxious, her eyes reddening.
Ji Zizhao was taken aback. "What has happened? Third Aunt, please tell me slowly."
Third Madam Yin Wenying...
She truly didn't know where to begin!
After much thought, Third Madam Yin Wenying recounted how Ji Ziyun had been beaten. But that wasn't the main point. The crucial issue was, "Your third sister brought the person who saved her back to the estate. I initially thought that since the person had saved your third sister's life, it was fine to bring them back. But who knew that this pre-meditated individual would secretly seduce your third sister? Yesterday, your third sister told me she would marry no one but him in this lifetime!"
Ji Zizhao...
She was genuinely astonished.
Thinking of the Zhao family in the past, Third Madam Yin Wenying still felt a lingering fear. "Your third sister was bullied by the Zhao family for so long. I was afraid she would become too impressionable and be deceived again."
"Third Aunt means that person is currently in our estate?"
"They are still staying here. I wanted to have them expelled, but your third sister argued with me over it."
Ji Zizhao truly didn't know what to say. She never imagined so many things would transpire during her absence from the estate.
"Third Aunt, please don't worry. I'll need to speak with third sister about this first." Ji Zizhao's current concern wasn't the man in the estate, but rather who had beaten her third sister.
No wonder she hadn't seen her third sister at the estate entrance when she returned. She had initially thought her third sister was occupied with estate matters. Now, it seemed her third sister was still recovering from her injuries and didn't want her to worry.
With this thought, Ji Zizhao couldn't afford any further delay. After seeing off her third aunt, she donned a cloak, grabbed her medicine chest, and headed to her third sister's courtyard.
In Yun Yuan, Shui Huan saw the eldest young lady arrive and quickly went to inform her own mistress.
Upon hearing that her eldest sister had arrived, Ji Ziyun knew it must be her mother causing a scene. Thinking there was no avoiding it, she personally stepped out of the room to greet her eldest sister.
Ji Zizhao quickly ascended the steps and immediately saw Ji Ziyun's still bruised and swollen face under the lamplight. Frowning, she pulled her into the room without a word and began to examine her thoroughly.
Seeing that her eldest sister had even brought her medicine chest, Ji Ziyun felt a surge of warmth. "Eldest sister just returned, and you should be resting. It's my fault for causing you worry. There's no need to trouble yourself; I've already had a doctor examine me. These are just minor injuries."
"Don't talk nonsense. You are my sister, and I will always protect you." Ji Zizhao pulled Ji Ziyun to sit down and carefully applied ointment from the medicine chest.
The injuries on her body were not severe, all superficial wounds. However, even the slightest scratch on her sister was unbearable for Ji Zizhao.
Ji Zizhao waited until Ji Ziyun's injuries were treated before asking, "Who was it that struck you?"