Chapter 754: The Veiled Woman

Upon returning this time, she not only held no banquet, she didn't even see the Ji Family Elders; instead, she spent two days in her room with one of the women she brought back, doing heaven knows what, and never came out.

She had the Servants deliver three meals a day to the door, and wouldn't even allow anyone to enter the Bedchamber.

This woman wore a veil, and no one had ever seen what she looked like!

The Ji Family Elders discussed it privately: "Hey, has our Clan Leader changed her tastes?"

"Does the Clan Leader not like men anymore, but likes women instead?"

"It's possible, though you couldn't tell before."

"Who knows, let's hope not..."

It was no wonder everyone was discussing it; in the past, whenever the Clan Leader liked a certain man, it was just like this—she wouldn't come out of the Bedchamber for days on end, and would have her three meals a day delivered inside.

After being drugged by Zhu Yiwen last time, the Clan Leader had never let a man into the Bedchamber again, and of course, she had never let a woman stay the night either; this was the first time.

The Elders were filled with anxiety; they hadn't yet emerged from the shadow of Zhu Yiwen, and they were terrified of another female version of Zhu Yiwen appearing!

Everyone spent two days in worry and unease, and the versions of who that woman was spread more and more, but most of them were bad rumors.

It was just that the rumors were still circulating among the upper echelons of the Ji Family, and hadn't reached the ears of the common people!

Two days later.

The Clan Leader finally emerged from the Bedchamber, looking radiant.

But unlike the radiance after favoring a man, this time she exuded confidence from the inside out, along with the determination to accomplish a great task.

Ji Yingjie gathered the clanspeople for a meeting in the Square, and Lao Qi went as well.

Lao Qi stood in the crowd, not at all conspicuous.

The woman Ji Yingjie brought back stood by her side, in a position even higher than Nianyin's.

The woman was tall and slender, looking as if she were frail and weak.

Ji Yingjie announced: "From today on, Han Yao is the Ji Family Military Advisor. When I am away, if everyone has matters to attend to, go and consult the Military Advisor."

"Whoosh—"

As soon as these words were spoken, the crowd was like cold water dropped into a hot wok; it exploded instantly.

"On what grounds?"

"How can a woman of unknown origin be the Military Advisor? No, I don't accept this."

"Didn't the last Military Advisor screw the Ji Family over badly enough? What is wrong with the Clan Leader, has she gone senile? How could she bring back another Military Advisor? Is she trying to destroy the Ji Family's thousand-year foundation with her own hands?"

"We don't want a Military Advisor."

"Investigate this woman's background."

"She doesn't even dare to show her face; what kind of good person could she be?"

"We don't accept this!"

There were many voices below, but they were basically all opposing the appointment of a Military Advisor.

Nianyin didn't feel good about it either, but she had carved the word "obedience" into her bones.

She drew her saber and sternly warned those who were opposing: "What are you doing? Are you rebelling?"

Nianyin standing up for the Clan Leader was not a problem.

However, Han Yao coughed lightly: "Ahem!"

Ji Yingjie was immediately displeased: "Nianyin, what do you think you're doing? I haven't even spoken yet and you're rushing ahead of me; are you that impatient for the position of Clan Leader?"

Nianyin:...

She knelt on one knee: "This subordinate would not dare."

Lao Qi was in the crowd and couldn't hear what they were saying, but seeing Nianyin suddenly kneel to the Clan Leader made him feel very upset.

What kind of trouble is that old witch trying to stir up again?

No, he couldn't just watch Nianyin suffer.

Lao Qi pushed toward the front... by the time he squeezed to the very front of the crowd, he was stopped by a Guard: "You are not allowed to go any further, step back."

The front was all Ji Family management; Lao Qi had no qualifications to go over there.

And Ji Yingjie didn't make things difficult for Nianyin in front of the crowd, but just let her stand up and left it at that.

A sudden gust of wind rose.

The woman's veil was blown up on one side; Lao Qi, who had been stopped and was preparing to step back, suddenly saw Han Yao's veil flutter up, revealing half of her face.

There was a scar on her face...

He found this woman a bit familiar, as if he had seen her somewhere before!

If this were in Jiangzhou, Lao Qi wouldn't have spared her a second glance.

But this was the Ji Family, ten thousand miles away from Jiangzhou; it was rare to see someone he recognized here.

And a woman with a scar on her face at that—who could it be?

He wanted to look more closely, but Han Yao didn't give him the chance.

She whispered something in Ji Yingjie's ear, then turned and left; she walked very quickly, as if she were avoiding someone.

Nianyin's room.

"Bang!"

Nianyin kicked the door open and entered, looking aggressive and furious.

Lao Qi poured a cup of tea and handed it to her: "Calm down, getting angry won't solve any problems."

"You say that lightly? Not get angry? How could I not be angry? I'm about to be angered to death..."

Nianyin told Lao Qi.

This new woman's background was unknown, but she was eloquent and silver-tongued; in just two days, she had coaxed the Clan Leader into being completely obedient to her, and she wouldn't listen to anyone else's words.

Not only did she climb to a high position herself, but she also sowed discord between the Clan Leader and everyone else.

Now, the entire Ji Family is filled with complaints, and everyone is dissatisfied with Han Yao.

Nianyin's loyal advice was hard to hear, and she was rebuked by the Clan Leader as soon as she spoke.

Ji Yingjie's words were piercing; she accused and questioned Nianyin of wanting to cultivate her own power to replace her!

She even stripped Nianyin of her position as First Elder in an arbitrary and dictatorial manner, without even holding an Elder Council meeting.

Nianyin does not care whether she is an Elder, nor does she covet the position of Clan Leader; what she cares about is the Clan Leader's trust.

The fact that the Clan Leader does not trust her is what hurts her the most.

Lao Qi did not try to persuade her, but instead took the opportunity to say: "Nianyin, come with me. Let's go back to Jiangzhou. You can continue your studies in Jiangzhou, and we will get married once you graduate."

Nianyin glared at him fiercely: "You go yourself; I am not leaving."

She believes that the woman by the Clan Leader's side is not right and is highly suspicious.

The appearance of this woman is very similar to the situation when Zhu Yiwen first appeared.

Both times, the two of them sat together for heart-to-heart talks, and then a series of reform measures were introduced one after another.

Those measures were indeed very effective, and many are still being continued today, allowing the Ji Family to rise rapidly in a very short time!

However, Zhu Yiwen had ulterior motives; he did not come to the Ji Family to make it prosperous, but with the goal of replacing it.

The Ji Family, the Clan Leader, and even Nianyin had to pay a huge price to understand this truth.

How much time has passed now, and the Clan Leader has brought back another woman of unknown origin from outside the clan, following the same routine as Zhu Yiwen.

At a time like this, Nianyin certainly would not agree to Lao Qi taking her away, and she refused to leave no matter what.

Since Nianyin would not leave, Lao Qi would not leave either.

He made excuses that his injuries had not yet healed and lingered in Nianyin's room, refusing to leave.

Although the two did not share a bed at night, they were in the same room, and Lao Qi was happy just looking at her.

During the day, Nianyin was nowhere to be seen; she was very busy, leaving early and returning late every day to find evidence that the woman was going to harm the Ji Family!

Evidence of Han Yao harming the Ji Family was not found, but Nianyin was thrown into the Dungeon instead!

Nianci, Elder Lian, and more than twenty others were also locked in the Dungeon along with Nianyin, and the Dungeon was almost full.

It was impossible for Lao Qi not to know about such a big commotion; originally, he should have been implicated and locked up with Nianyin.

But Ji Yingjie is clear about her loves and hates.

Lao Qi was injured because he saved her, so she let him off the hook, telling him to leave immediately and forbidding him from interfering in the internal affairs of the Ji Family.