Chapter 89 - 88: The Substitute Eldest Miss 4

Chapter 89: Chapter 88: The Substitute Eldest Miss 4

Zixi glanced around the nearly bare room and sneered, "The Ji family must be really poor!"

The old nanny’s eyes turned vicious. "Just a bankrupt branch of the family from some small-time country estate, and you have the gall to criticize the Ji family. Lord Ji is the Grand Secretary. A courtyard this large is something the likes of you lowlifes have never even seen..."

"Zixi, slap her. From now on, I shouldn’t have to remind you about things like this."

Without so much as a glance at the old nanny, Ji Xiaosong sat down in a chair.

The sunlight fell right on that spot, which she found rather pleasant.

Before the old nanny could react, Zixi had already landed several sharp slaps—SLAP! SLAP!—knocking the woman’s teeth out.

"Our courtyard really is bare. Zixi, once you’re done straightening up, go take a walk through the other courtyards. We’ve come home, after all. There’s certainly nothing wrong with taking a few things from our own family."

"Yes, Miss."

Zixi dragged the old nanny out and tossed her aside, then made a beeline for Ji Yan’s courtyard.

As for how she found the courtyard so precisely? She beat the information out of people.

She asked the maids, nannies, and servants walking about. If they were willing to talk, she let them go. If they weren’t, she offered a ’polite’ greeting with her fists.

Ji Yan wasn’t in the mansion at the time, so when Zixi arrived at her courtyard, she simply took whatever caught her eye.

Her arms could only carry so much, so she simply ripped off a bedsheet and used it as a sack to bundle everything together.

Just then, several burly nannies from Ji Yan’s courtyard rushed out, shouting, "Where did this wild wench come from? How dare you run rampant here!"

Zixi snorted, clutching the bundle tightly. "These things belong to my lady. Of course I’m taking them back."

The nannies weren’t about to give up. Waving their arms, they lunged forward to snatch the bundle.

Zixi’s eyes narrowed. With a flying kick, she sent the nanny in the lead sprawling to the ground.

Seeing this, the other nannies grew fearful, but they still didn’t dare let Zixi leave.

Zixi set down her bundle and cracked her knuckles. "Come on, if you’re not afraid to die."

The nannies exchanged glances. After a moment of hesitation, they summoned their courage and swarmed her.

Zixi was nimble, dodging left and right. Seizing her moments, she threw punches and kicks, beating the nannies until they were stumbling about, crying for their mothers.

Finally, the nannies dared not block her path any longer. Zixi picked up the massive bundle and swaggered out of the courtyard.

Back at Chasing Wind Courtyard, Zixi proudly showed off her spoils to Ji Xiaosong.

"Miss, do you like this decoration? I saw plenty of other nice things in Second Miss Ji’s courtyard. If you’re still missing anything, I’ll go get more for you."

Ji Xiaosong looked at Zixi and gave a helpless smile. "You and your fiery temper. Oh, well. Let’s see if any of this is usable."

Just as they were talking, a commotion erupted outside.

"You scoundrel! You’ve only just arrived at the Ji family, and you’ve already turned the entire household upside down! What exactly are you trying to do?"

It was Mother Ji, and she had brought a massive entourage with her.

Someone had already told her what Zixi had done. Considering the maid’s capabilities, Mother Ji had felt it necessary to bring reinforcements.

"What am I trying to do? Didn’t I make myself clear to Mrs. Ji from the very beginning? Just give me the same treatment as everyone else, and I’ll stop making a scene."

Mother Ji gritted her teeth. "Fine. I’ll agree to your terms. But you had better stay in your place and not cause any more trouble!"

With that, Mother Ji shot Ji Xiaosong a vicious glare before turning to the maids and nannies at her side. "Go and properly furnish the First Miss’s courtyard. Make sure she has everything she’s supposed to, without the slightest oversight. Also, arrange her meals for the coming days. If anything goes wrong, I’ll hold every one of you responsible!"

The maids and nannies answered in unison, "Yes, Madam."

Mother Ji looked at Ji Xiaosong again and snorted. "I’ll let it slide this time. If it happens again, I won’t be so lenient!" With that, she left with her entourage.

Watching Mother Ji’s retreating figure, Ji Xiaosong’s lips curved into a cold smirk.

With the mistress of the house having spoken, the servants below were quick to redecorate Ji Xiaosong’s room.

Sixteen maids and nannies knelt in a line before Ji Xiaosong, their heads bowed in silence.

"I only need Zixi here. The rest of you may go," Ji Xiaosong said nonchalantly, sipping the rose tea Zixi had just prepared.

The head maid trembled. She glanced outside the door, and only after seeing an old nanny nod did she kowtow and leave.

And so, Ji Xiaosong lived in the Ji Mansion for about half a month before Mother Ji summoned her to the front courtyard again.

"Miss, you’ve been here for so long, and no one else from the Ji family has come to see you. Why would they summon you now? Do you think they’re planning something?"

Ji Xiaosong casually prodded a mung bean cake on the table. The pastry was exquisitely made, but it was inedible. It was poisoned.

Ever since her first day in the Ji Mansion, someone had been constantly sending poison to her courtyard.

Everything she ate, wore, and used was tainted with toxins.

Ji Xiaosong had used her Divine Sense to investigate and discovered that everyone in the Ji family had tried to poison her and Zixi.

These poisons wouldn’t kill them immediately. Instead, they would slowly build up over the next three years, eventually causing their bodies to fester and rot until they died.

’That was how the original owner of this body died. Back then, the dose Ji Yan administered was even stronger.’

"If I’m not mistaken, the Crown Prince is coming to see me today."

Ji Xiaosong rose, formed a hand seal, and cleansed the room of all toxins.

"Miss, are you really going to marry him? I’ve heard that the Crown Prince only has a few years left to live."

"Marry him? Of course. During the war on the border, if the Crown Prince hadn’t held his ground to the death, the people of several cities would have been slaughtered. Let’s go. Stay close to me. If anyone gives me trouble, you have my permission to act immediately, no matter who it is."

"Yes, Miss."

Ji Xiaosong led Zixi to the front courtyard at a leisurely pace, where she found Mr. Ji, Mother Ji, Ji Yan, and two younger brothers of about fifteen or sixteen waiting for her with hostile expressions.

Mr. Ji was the first to lash out, snorting coldly. "You need to understand something. You are unworthy of a man as magnificent as the Crown Prince. But since His Majesty has issued the decree, you’ve gotten lucky. Once you are married, remember that your loyalty lies with the Crown Prince and him alone."

Mother Ji added, "When the Crown Prince arrives, you had better be on your best behavior. If you cause any trouble, you’ll regret it!"

Just then, Ji Yan and her two younger brothers caught sight of Ji Xiaosong and were momentarily stunned.

Before them stood Ji Xiaosong, her eyebrows like fine, dark brushstrokes and her eyes as clear as autumn pools. Her skin was fairer than snow, and her lips were a natural crimson. A waterfall of black hair cascaded down to her slender waist. Her entire aura was transcendent, as if she were a Fairy who had descended to the mortal realm.

Ji Yan was the first to snap out of it, her eyes filled with venom. She gritted her teeth and spat, "Hmph, it’s just the face of a seductress. What’s so special about that! She probably survived in the countryside by servicing every wild man she could find."

After a moment, her two brothers also came to their senses, their faces filled with contempt. One of them sneered, "So what if she’s pretty? She’s still just an uncivilized country girl."

The other chimed in, "Exactly. Don’t think you can marry into power just because of your looks."

Ji Xiaosong’s expression remained unchanged. She looked at them coldly and said, "How I choose to conduct myself is none of your business."

Just then, a young servant ran up to report, "The Crown Prince’s carriage will arrive in a quarter of an hour."

Mr. Ji glared at Ji Xiaosong. "We still have time, so let’s get this straight. Remember this: once you’re in the palace, watch what you say and do. Don’t you dare ruin the Ji family’s reputation!"

Ji Xiaosong let out a cold laugh. "Reputation? You think you have any reputation left to speak of?"

She glanced at Zixi, who instantly understood what was expected of her.