When Xitao saw the candlelight and came to the upper room, Ji Shu was the only one in the room. She was sitting on the bed, but she had a thick red book in her hand.
"Young lady is awake, why didn't you call your servant? Dinner is ready, the young master and the young lady are waiting for you."
"Bring me my box."
Xitao responded, went outside and brought in a locked box with red lacquer carvings. Ji Shu took out a small key from under the pillow and opened the box. Inside was a stack of banknotes stamped with Zhao's banknotes, and also There are some slightly old jewelry and small toys. This box is Ji Shu's treasure box.
She carefully put the red book in. Xitao stood aside, glanced at the words on the book, and said in surprise:
"Miss, what is this booklet?"
"It's the general's betrothal gift list. He just brought it."
Xitao was so frightened that she couldn't open her mouth from ear to ear. How many things did she have to remember in that thick gift list? Has the general staked all his wealth?
Xitao realized that the general and her young lady were not impulsive, but it was precisely this that made things difficult.
The Ji family obstructed her in every possible way, even if Ji Chengfeng and Wen Pingting lobbied among them, there was no way to suppress the word "filial piety", and it would be difficult to reconcile, let alone stay with the general.
"...Miss, it's late at night, let's go have a meal first."
Xitao couldn't bear to pour cold water on Ji Shu and persuaded her gently.
Ji Shu locked the box and said slowly: "Don't worry, get me some pen and paper first. Then ask someone to send a message to the teacher, asking him to leave Brother Yuan in the Imperial College for the time being. He is taking exams these days. Let people talk nonsense in his ears and distract him.”
"This slave knows."
Xitao found someone to go to the Imperial Academy and gave Ji Shu the pen and ink to take to the wing.
Ji Shu had already changed her clothes. She sat behind the desk and quickly wrote a letter home by candlelight. She put down the pen and dried the ink, folded it and handed it to Xitao.
"I will deliver the letter to the palace tomorrow to my aunt, telling her that I miss her after not seeing her for a long time and saying hello to her."
Ji Shu's aunt was only a few years older than her. She was elected to the palace six years ago and is now a concubine.
Xitao carefully collected the letter and said yes.
On the other side of the Ji Mansion, Ji's father, who had not been able to wait for Ji Chengfeng and Ji Shu for a long time, was furious in the hall:
"It's against me! Everything is against me! The books written by saints and sages for more than ten years have been read into the dog's belly! They don't even return home! Hurry up and ask people to find them! Let them get back here as soon as possible!"
The steward reluctantly bowed to Ji's father to calm him down, then ran out of the corner door and asked the nurse to carry a lantern and go looking for him in the streets.
Ji's mother was so angry that she sat aside and cried, "A daughter's house stays out at night and spreads the word to others about what they think of Ji's family. Shu'er is becoming more willful!"
"What's going on! It's so noisy in the middle of the night!"
Mrs. Ji walked into the house holding a dragon-head crutch, and behind her were several beautiful girls, all of whom were girls from the Ji family.
Ji's mother came forward and helped her sit down, crying: "Old lady, Shu'er, Chengfeng and Pingting are not back yet!"
"Huh? The curfew is going to be soon. Why hasn't he come back yet?"
Madam Ji asked, then shook her head, "That's not right. Shu'er is at Wudinghou Mansion. How did you know she didn't come home?"
As soon as these words came out, Ji's father and Ji's mother's expressions stiffened. Ji's mother wanted to be vague: "Old madam, it's okay..."
"Don't hide it from me! Something happened!"
Mrs. Ji saw something ghosty at a glance and knocked her crutch on the ground, "Say!"
The matter in Wudinghou Mansion was so big that the guests did not dare to tell anyone. The rumors had not spread yet, and the girls in Ji Mansion were also very puzzled.
The fifth girl in the third room was worried: "Did something happen to the eldest sister?"
"Auntie, tell me quickly!"
Ji's mother rolled up the silk handkerchief with her fingers to wipe away her tears. She glanced at Ji's father and cried, "Yes, it's Shu'er who is making trouble for divorce!"
Everyone in the hall was shocked. Mrs. Ji took Ji's mother to sit down and asked her to explain the matter carefully. What Ji's mother said was accurate, and Mrs. Ji covered her heart as she listened.
"Mother! Are you okay?"
"Ho, ho... Wu, Wu Ding Hou Mansion - it's too much to bully people!!"
"Mom, don't be excited! Then Qi Chengxu will definitely not be able to escape. Even if Qi Ye is here, the emperor will definitely not be able to spare her!"
Ji's father called the doctor over, and after struggling for a quarter of an hour, he helped Mrs. Ji lie down on the warm bed in the pavilion. Only then did she regain her breath, and her purple lips turned red.
But his expression was still very ugly, "I have been wronged so much every year..."
"Having said that, now that Mr. Qi has repented, he will be severely punished, and the bitch will not be able to stay. Shu'er has been wronged by the Ji family. If she has any grievance, she will be punished for it, and she will not let it go in vain. I feel wronged. As for Mrs. Qi, I don’t think she can live much longer. Debts will be wiped out after death, so what’s the point of being angry with an old woman? It’s really hard to reconcile and leave, but Shu’er will suffer in the future!”
Ji's mother cried endlessly in front of the old lady's bed, "I'm doing this for her own good, why doesn't she listen!"
Mrs. Ji's eyes were straightened, she suddenly fell into a trance, and a voice sounded in her ears, which overlapped with Ji's mother's words.
'Minmin! Mom, this is all for your own good! '
Mrs. Ji suddenly raised her hand and grabbed it towards her chest. Through her clothes, the warm Buddha Gong Jade Pendant was firmly grasped in her palm.
Ji's mother hadn't noticed anything was wrong with her yet and was still crying. Ji Shu didn't understand her painstaking efforts. Ji's father sighed long and short:
"Shu'er has such a wild temperament! He's been like this since he was a child! He finally got over it, but who knew - ugh!"
"Stop talking about it."
Mrs. Ji covered her head and interrupted the two of them.
Father Ji worriedly stepped forward to support his mother. Mrs. Ji grabbed his wrist and said, "Don't make too much of a fuss before this. Shu'er hasn't written the divorce letter yet. You two, don't rush to scold me, force me." People. Let’s talk about this matter slowly.”
The old mother had already said this, so Ji's father and mother naturally didn't dare to say anything and obediently agreed.
Mrs. Ji got off the bed, stood up on crutches, took the fifth girl's hand, and said to Ji's father and mother:
"I'm going back first. Don't tell the clan in advance, okay?"
"Yes, mother."
Mrs. Ji led the people away slowly. For some reason, her usually straight back was a little rickety.
Something seemed to flash in Father Ji's mind, but he couldn't catch it. He rubbed the roots of the mountain and called the steward.
"There's a curfew coming soon. Find everyone, don't look for them now, we'll talk about it tomorrow."
"Yes, sir."
Ji's father originally thought that Ji Chengfeng would definitely go to the morning meeting tomorrow, and then he would find out more about their whereabouts.
Unexpectedly, Ji Chengfeng took a leave of absence directly. Ji's father was so angry that he took a deep breath in the court and stood up to read a book about Wu Dinghou!
Ji's father was already the second assistant in the cabinet, second only to Zhao's first assistant. He usually kept to himself and hardly participated in any fights in the court, but this time he suddenly stood up and participated.
The emperor read the document and became furious, "Where is Marquis Wu Ding!"
Qi Chang closed his eyes and immediately walked out of the queue, "Your Majesty, I am here."
"Asshole! Your second son Qi Chengxu escaped with a military prostitute privately! Hide the traces! Is this true?"
"Your Majesty...this is all a misunderstanding. In fact-"
Before Wu Dinghou finished his sophistry, Qi Ye strolled out of the queue, bowed his head slightly, and said calmly: "Your Majesty, I have a witness for you."
The emperor's eyes flashed, as if there would be an internal fight. He was eager for this, and he readily agreed to call witnesses to the palace.
Wu Dinghou's face turned completely pale. After Chen Wanli and others finished telling what happened, the emperor issued an edict on the spot: "Wu Dinghou was demoted two ranks, Qi Chengxu was dismissed from his post and imprisoned. He was detained for ten days before being convicted. The military prostitute who escaped escaping was hanged. Ten The execution will be carried out in the future. The edict will be drawn up by Ji Aiqing on my behalf!"
"Thank you, Your Majesty——"
