Chapter 87 - 86: The Eldest Miss as a Substitute Bride 2

Chapter 87: Chapter 86: The Eldest Miss as a Substitute Bride 2

Ji Mansion?

Nanny Chen had already told Ji Xiaosong the truth of her birth when she came of age.

Over the years, Ji Xiaosong had blossomed into a nation-toppling beauty. If she hadn’t apprenticed under a master and gained her unrivaled skills, her face alone would have made it difficult for her to protect herself.

Of course, this "apprenticeship" was just a cover story Ji Xiaosong had invented. Otherwise, there would be no way to explain where her abilities came from.

For the past eighteen years, the nation had seen little respite from natural disasters and man-made calamities.

Fortunately, the Royal Family was relatively benevolent and constantly sought solutions. Ji Xiaosong had also secretly helped out quite a bit.

"What are people from the Ji Mansion doing here?"

Ji Xiaosong gave her nanny a look, and she immediately led the maids and older female servants out.

’There are so many things in the mansion. It won’t be easy to pack them all up.’

"Song, even though you haven’t paid much attention to the Ji Mansion’s activities over the years, I’ve had people keeping an eye on them. I was always afraid they’d find out you were still alive. Before, I worried they would try to harm you again. Now, I’m afraid they’re after your wealth."

Nanny Chen’s heart pounded as she looked at the opulence filling the room.

When the people from the Ji Mansion arrived unexpectedly just now, her first instinct was to lead them to an abandoned courtyard, terrified that they would see through their facade.

"Don’t worry. When outsiders enter our residence, all they see is an overgrown and desolate wasteland. You have nothing to fear, Grandma."

Ji Xiaosong had long since cast a Blinding Technique, because she knew from the very beginning that the Ji Family would come.

Rongrong had already told her about her mission in this world and explained everyone’s destiny.

Even without this new Ji Xiaosong, the original owner of the body would have survived.

She just would have lived a more humble and sickly life.

The Ji family later had another daughter named Ji Yan.

She had a fiancé, a marriage bestowed by the Emperor, betrothing her to the once brilliant and dashing Crown Prince.

However, six months ago, the Crown Prince, dedicated to his people, personally led troops to the border. He was unfortunately poisoned and injured, leaving his legs crippled. The Imperial Physician predicted he would not live for more than three years.

The Ji family dared not defy the imperial edict. When they happened to learn that their eldest legitimate daughter was still alive, they hurried to bring her back to marry in Ji Yan’s place.

The original owner of the body returned to the mansion, only to be despised, tormented, and oppressed by the Ji Family.

Ji Yan admired the Crown Prince. She hoped he would accept the substitution, since the original edict hadn’t specified which legitimate daughter of the Ji family was to marry him.

At the same time, she worried the Crown Prince might actually choose the original Ji Xiaosong.

So, on the night the Crown Prince was to marry her, a bowl of slow-acting poison sent the original Ji Xiaosong to her death.

When the original owner of the body died, her entire body was covered in festering sores—a horrifying sight.

Ji Xiaosong’s mission in this life is to marry the Crown Prince and bear him at least one heir.

The one who had been reincarnated this time was a once-in-a-millennium emperor.

His great undertaking in his previous life was left unfinished, and he would start anew in this reincarnation.

If he could save the nation from its dire straits, he could become an Immortal.

To be able to help that future son of hers when the time came, Ji Xiaosong had no intention of hiding her power from the start.

Otherwise, with the country in its current state of constant disaster, when would it ever be able to prosper?

Ji Xiaosong didn’t change her clothes. Everyone in her residence knew she was an Immortal’s disciple and could use Spells, so even if she didn’t change, no one would notice anything amiss.

The maids, old servants, and other attendants did not follow. Ji Xiaosong and Nanny Chen now had to play the part of a destitute pair, and their followers couldn’t be there to give them away.

The moment Ji Xiaosong and Nanny Chen entered the side courtyard, the people from the Ji Mansion gave them a quick, contemptuous once-over.

In the eyes of the visitors, Ji Xiaosong was just a sallow and scrawny little girl, whose only redeeming quality was her somewhat decent bearing and upbringing.

"Nanny Chen, it hasn’t been easy for you to raise the young miss all these years. The Master and Madam have decided not to hold it against you for stealing the young miss back then. But the Eldest Miss is still part of the Ji Family, and she must return to her parents’ side."

Nanny Chen was now nearly seventy. Thanks to the good care Ji Xiaosong provided, she had remained quite healthy over the years.

Seeing the contemptuous expression and tone of the person before her, she wished she could march right up and slap them a few times.

Ji Xiaosong stopped her. "When do we depart?"

"Song?"

Nanny Chen was confused, but Ji Xiaosong gave her a reassuring look.

"We depart today. I see this place of yours is dilapidated. There’s no reason to stay here any longer."

The wedding date for the Ji family’s legitimate daughter and the Crown Prince was fast approaching, so they were in a great hurry.

"Very well. Allow me to go pack my clothes."

With that, Ji Xiaosong led Nanny Chen away.

"Oh, Song, when you go to the Ji Mansion, you must hide your abilities well. They never liked you before, so they definitely aren’t coming to you now with good intentions."

Nanny Chen wore a worried expression. It wasn’t that she feared Ji Xiaosong would be bullied; she feared that Ji Xiaosong’s abilities were so great they would inspire wicked ideas in others.

"Grandma, don’t worry. You know what I’m capable of. I’m going to Pingxing Capital City this time. You should come with me."

"This old woman already has one foot in the grave. If not for your care all these years, I’d long be a forgotten pile of dirt. Besides, I wouldn’t be able to handle such a long and bumpy journey."

"Alright. You stay here, Grandma. I’ll only take one big maid with me. The others will all stay here to serve you."

Having been cared for by Ji Xiaosong all these years, Nanny Chen could easily live another eight or ten years, barring any accidents.

But she was indeed old, and a journey of several months would be too much for her body to bear.

A short while later, Ji Xiaosong, along with her big maid Zixi, boarded the carriage with the people from the Ji Mansion and set off for Pingxing Capital City.

The return journey was much faster this time. After all, to get Ji Xiaosong back to the Ji Mansion as quickly as possible, the Ji Family had sent a special carriage for her.

Two months later, the group finally arrived at the main gate of the Ji Mansion.

The main gate was shut tight. The coachman went to a small side door and knocked, and a gatekeeper opened it.

"Go, go, go! The main gate isn’t for a jinx like her to walk through! Don’t let her bring us bad luck! Take her to the rear corner gate. Her courtyard is right next to it."

Ji Xiaosong listened calmly from inside the carriage. When they had finished speaking, she stepped directly out of the carriage.

"Hey, hey, hey! What are you getting out for? We’re about to go through the corner gate. Don’t show your face."

The coachman trotted over, trying to herd Ji Xiaosong back into the carriage.

Over the past two months, even though she hadn’t been meticulously cared for, her face had grown more and more stunning.

If this coachman from the Ji Mansion hadn’t been watching her every day, he would have thought she’d been replaced by someone else.

’And now Ji Xiaosong wants to get out of the carriage? This is a disaster.’

If she were seen, the Master and Madam would surely punish him.

"Why should I use the corner gate? When you came to retrieve me, you said very clearly that I am the Eldest Miss of the Ji family, the eldest legitimate daughter of the current Prime Minister Ji. Why must the eldest legitimate daughter use a corner gate when returning home?"

Ji Xiaosong’s voice was neither too loud nor too soft, but everyone on the street who was watching the commotion heard her clearly.

Her appearance had already drawn a crowd the moment she stepped out of the carriage. After all, when would ordinary people ever get a chance to see someone with such nation-toppling beauty?

Now that they knew her identity and heard her words, the gossipy hearts of the people on the street began to stir.