Chapter 262 Instigation

Chapter 262 The Instigation

"You and Liuzheng both call me 'Father,' but I cannot treat one better than the other. This Immunity Token has protected him for twelve years. Fortunately, he was lucky and never needed it. From now on, let it protect you instead."

"This is your father's heartfelt gesture. You must not refuse."

Xie Jinrong looked warmly at Ji Yuntang. He knew the young woman in front of him was just as capable of getting into trouble as his own son.

But there was a difference between them:

Xie Liuzheng's offenses were mostly against street thugs and petty scoundrels in the capital.

Usually, offending these people could be settled with money, and if done well, they might even follow Xie Liuzheng's lead.

But Ji Yuntang was different.

Her penchant for courting disaster far surpassed Xie Liuzheng's.

Though this was Xie Jinrong's first time interacting with Ji Yuntang, he was well aware.

Aside from the Empress, Prince Chen, and Princess Jiu in the palace, Ji Yuntang had essentially offended everyone else!

Especially Emperor Jingyang, Consort Chu, and Prince Qi—they were probably eager for Ji Yuntang to slip up, so they could see her dead.

It was precisely because Ji Yuntang's situation was precarious that Xie Jinrong, after much deliberation, gave her the Immunity Token.

After all, the token would be most useful only in her hands.

Xie Jinrong's words carried the warmth of an elder, warming Ji Yuntang's heart.

For the first time, she experienced true parental love from Xie Jinrong and Madam Cai.

True care and kinship were generous and unconditional, expecting nothing in return.

Unlike the Yongning Hou mansion, where children were just tools to be bled dry and pawns to curry favor with the powerful. Their so-called family love was nothing but a joke.

Ji Yuntang felt a deep warmth. Xie Jinrong publicly defending her was exactly a show of support.

Now, the princes' battle for the throne was intensifying. Everyone wanted to win over the powerful Rongguo Duke's mansion.

Luo Junhe's health was still not fully recovered, and the Prince Ye's mansion's situation was unclear. By doing this, Xie Jinrong was clearly telling everyone that he had taken the Prince Ye's mansion's side. The other princes might as well give up.

For him, this was nothing less than gambling on Luo Junhe's future.

If Luo Junhe succeeded, the Rongguo Duke's mansion would be safe.

But if he failed, the Rongguo Duke's mansion would also be implicated.

With that thought, Ji Yuntang's determination to cure Luo Junhe grew even stronger.

At the same time, she knelt down before Xie Jinrong and Madam Cai, giving a formal bow.

"Ji Yuntang greets Father and Mother. Please accept this daughter's obeisance."

She placed her hands on the ground and bowed deeply to Xie Jinrong and Madam Cai.

Madam Cai was taken aback and instinctively reached out to help Ji Yuntang up.

"Tang'er, what are you doing? We can't possibly accept such a bow. Please get up."

Ji Yuntang looked up calmly at Madam Cai and said clearly.

"Mother, in Dongchen Kingdom, the recognition ceremony requires kneeling and bowing to parents and elders and offering red tea. Since you both have accepted me as your daughter, we must not skip this ritual."

With that, Ji Yuntang turned to Tao Zhi and ordered, "Go to the kitchen and brew two cups of red tea."

Tao Zhi responded, "Yes, I'll go right away."

But before she could leave the courtyard, an old, angry voice rang out.

"Stop her! Che'er, what are you standing there for? Quickly stop that girl!"

It was Madam Ji, who had just woken up and was being supported by Nanny Wang.

As soon as Madam Ji arrived, she saw Ji Yuntang kneeling before Xie Jinrong and his wife for the recognition ceremony.

She flew into a rage and raised her cane to hit Ji Yuntang.

Luckily, Nanny Wang quickly stopped her.

Nanny Wang said, "Old Madam, you've already fainted twice today. You must not get so worked up."

"With the Marquis, Madam, the Heir, and Second Miss here, you should worry less!"

Madam Ji's anger calmed a bit.

But then she saw Tao Zhi about to make tea for Ji Yuntang.

If it were just ordinary tea, it would be one thing. But today's tea was clearly for the recognition ceremony.

Madam Ji remembered clearly: when Ji Yuntang was brought back to the Yongning Hou mansion, Lady Meng took her to Cian Hall.

At that time, she only knelt and bowed once to Madam Ji, Ji Nanchuan, and Lady Meng. She didn't even offer tea.

The ceremony was so simple that the whole thing took less time than it takes to drink a cup of tea.

But now, Ji Yuntang was not only bowing to Xie Jinrong and Madam Cai, but also about to serve them tea!

How could such a thing be permitted!?

Her own grandmother never got tea from Ji Yuntang. Why should outsiders get it?

And in front of all the big shots in the capital!

If Ji Yuntang went through the whole recognition ceremony for Xie Jinrong and his wife today, the Yongning Hou mansion would become the biggest laughingstock and gossip of the capital by tomorrow.

Where would their family's dignity go?

When Madam Ji spoke, Ji Huaiche had already stopped Tao Zhi.

With a cold look, he quickly drew his sword and held it to Tao Zhi's neck.

"You are Ji Yuntang's maid. As the Heir, I won't make things difficult for you. But you cannot leave today."

The cold blade pressed against Tao Zhi's neck, sending a chill from her feet all the way through her body.

Tao Zhi was too scared to move, frozen in fear.

Xie Liuzheng was deeply shocked by Ji Huaiche's shamelessness.

He roared in disbelief, "Ji Huaiche, are you out of your mind? She's just a maidservant, with no grudge against you. Why are you threatening her? Put down the sword, and if you've got the guts, come fight me—I'm the heir!"

Ji Huaiche coldly stared at Xie Liuzheng, saying nothing and not removing the sword from its position.

Madam Ji said sternly, "Heir Xie, Ji Yuntang is a member of the Yongning Marquis's household. Even if she claims to sever ties with the marquisate, she still carries the blood of our house in her veins. Without the marquisate, she is nothing."

"Everyone here must have seen what she has done these past months since marrying Prince Ye."

"She not only brought a dog to her mother's door to extort one hundred thousand taels of silver from her own mother, but also constantly opposes my grandsons and granddaughters, beats people in the street, spreads rumors, and has turned our Yongning Marquis household upside down."

"A wicked woman like her, who is disrespectful, unfilial, and ungrateful, is a curse wherever she goes. If the Duke Rong's household does not wish to follow in the footsteps of our Yongning Marquis's household, you'd be wise to listen to me: do not involve yourself with Ji Yuntang."

"After all, if she could turn against the Yongning Marquis's household for one hundred thousand taels of silver, what wouldn't she do?"

------------