Chapter 110: Swollen with Arrogance

Perhaps the Second Branch had suddenly gained power, their hearts swollen with arrogance, so they acted with little restraint, making trouble everywhere with loud clamor all day long.

Li Shi and Jun Jun Zhidie dared not openly cause trouble for Jun Jun Zijin anymore, but their hearts were stifled with frustration; Jun Jun Zhidie suddenly remembered that Jun Jun Yiyi had not shown her face for several days since she fell a few days prior, so she decided to go to Jun Jun Yiyi's Anxiang Pavilion to cause trouble.

Jun Jun Zhidie acted immediately, taking several maids with her and striding toward Jun Jun Yiyi's Anxiang Pavilion with an air of arrogance.

Inside Anxiang Pavilion, Jun Jun Yiyi sat by the window, her complexion somewhat pale; she said to Yan'er beside her:

"Yan'er, have you heard? The Crown Prince has departed for the battlefield; Jun Jun Zijin has now lost her support. I imagine she must be in a state of shock. What a pity I have been resting in the courtyard these past few days and haven't seen it with my own eyes."

Upon hearing this, the corners of Yan'er's mouth curled upward slightly, a glint of schadenfreude flashing in her eyes as she said softly:

"Young Lady, this is good news. That Jun Jun Zijin usually relied on the Crown Prince's favor to be arrogant and look down on everyone; now that His Highness is gone, how long can she continue to be so arrogant? Look at this ice and snow; perhaps the entire army has been wiped out."

Upon hearing this, a complex, indescribable emotion rose in Jun Jun Yiyi's heart. She longed for Jun Jun Zijin to lose all her support and backing, yet she did not want Quan Quan Aoyu to die; although she was somewhat afraid of that cold, ruthless face, she always hoped that one day that face would smile at her.

Jun Jun Yiyi sighed lightly. "Do you think the Crown Prince will really die?"

Just then, Jun Jun Zhidie burst in. Jun Jun Yiyi glared fiercely at the maid guarding the door; the maid stood aside, aggrieved, and said in a low voice:

"Young Lady, this servant could not stop the Third Young Lady..."

Jun Jun Zhidie did not care whether the maid would be punished; as soon as she entered, she let out a cold sneer, her tone sharp and acerbic:

"Oh, isn't this the Eldest Sister? What's wrong? Haven't seen you for a few days; are you hiding here to nurse a pregnancy?"

Jun Jun Yiyi's face turned iron-green with anger; she tried several times to appear calm but failed, so she immediately demanded:

"Jun Jun Zhidie, what do you mean by that?"

Jun Jun Zhidie snorted with contempt, her eyes full of mockery:

"What do I mean? You conceived before marriage, so why pretend to be pure? You fell a few days ago and bled so much; the child is gone? Who doesn't know that!"

Yan'er felt that in this situation she should make her presence felt, so she spoke up first:

"Third Young Lady, it is true that my Young Lady fell, but she only had her monthly period; how could it be as you say?"

Upon hearing this, a flicker of suspicion crossed Jun Jun Zhidie's eyes, but she quickly resumed her sharp, acerbic demeanor. She sneered, walked up to Jun Jun Yiyi, and looked down at her from a superior height:

"Monthly period? Ha, Eldest Sister, that excuse of yours is truly clumsy. Jun Jun Yiyi, do not think that putting on an air of purity can cover up your shameful deeds! You conceived before marriage and brought shame to our Jun family; now the child is gone, what face do you have left to remain in the manor?"

Jun Jun Yiyi's face turned pale; her fingers gripped her sleeve tightly, her nails almost digging into her palm. She forced down the panic in her heart and said coldly:

"Third Sister, if you are so idle, why not embroider flowers or practice the zither? Why must you speak nonsense here and slander an innocent person?"

Seeing her so calm, Jun Jun Zhidie felt a hint of uncertainty in her heart. But Jun Jun Yiyi had long lost her former glory in the manor, so how could she show weakness before Jun Jun Yiyi? She continued to press aggressively:

"Eldest Sister, why must you put on an act? If there were truly nothing shameful, why have you shut yourself in and not left for these past few days? Could it be that you are guilty?"

Jun Jun Yiyi took a deep breath, her gaze shooting at Jun Jun Zhidie like a blade:

"Third Sister, I have been unwell these past few days and have shut myself in to rest; must I report that to you? If you continue to make trouble without reason, I will go before the Old Lady to seek justice!"

Upon hearing the three words "Old Lady," Jun Jun Zhidie's heart tightened instantly. If it truly came before the Old Lady, she might not gain the upper hand.

She gritted her teeth and snorted coldly: "Eldest Sister, do not use the Old Lady to suppress me! If you are truly innocent, dare you find a nanny to verify it?"

Since the incident of conceiving before marriage, Jun Jun Yiyi had been in a state of fear and anxiety these past few days. She had originally planned to keep a low profile, hiding quietly and properly in her own courtyard, but who would have thought that Jun Jun Zhidie would come knocking, refusing to let the matter drop!

Jun Jun Yiyi instinctively clutched the handkerchief in her hand tightly; although she forced herself to remain calm, she could no longer pretend nothing was wrong.

Jun Jun Yiyi felt both shame and anger; a flicker of killing intent flashed in her eyes as she said coldly:

"Third Sister, do you think everyone is as shameless as you, engaging in illicit affairs with the Second Young Master while constantly calling out the Crown Prince's name? You slander me so today; could it be that you wish to divert everyone's attention from your own shameful deeds?"

Seeing that Jun Jun Yiyi had brought up that incident from several months ago, Jun Jun Zhidie flew into a rage of shame and anger, lunging at Jun Jun Yiyi to wrestle and fight.

Jun Jun Yiyi had only recently suffered a miscarriage and lacked strength; Jun Jun Zhidie pinned her to the ground and scratched her face until it was covered in blood.

Jun Jun Yiyi suddenly unleashed her fury, letting out a loud cry—"Get out!"—then kicked Jun Jun Zhidie away with one foot and quickly rose from the ground. Blood still streamed down her cheeks, making her face look extremely ferocious.

Jun Jun Yiyi could no longer care about anything else; she stumbled and ran toward Jingzhu Courtyard. Yan'er chased after her, shouting: "Young Lady, the wound on your face is bleeding; should we call a Physician first?"

Jun Jun Yiyi did not stop her steps; she simply wanted the Old Lady to see that a maid from the Second Branch, who came to mooch, could now ride on the head of the legitimate daughter of the First Branch.

Jun Jun Yiyi ran all the way to Jingzhu Courtyard; Miss Huasheng, seeing Jun Jun Yiyi's bloodied face, feared it would frighten the Old Lady and was about to block her entry, but the Old Lady heard the commotion and said:

"Let her come in."

Jun Jun Yiyi threw herself to her knees before the Old Lady with a thud, weeping and recounting Jun Jun Zhidie's evil deeds:

"Grandmother, your granddaughter was fine in her own courtyard, but the Third Young Sister rushed in and pinned your granddaughter down to beat her. Look at how she beat your granddaughter." Jun Jun Yiyi pointed to her own face as she spoke.

The Old Lady frowned, feeling somewhat displeased. She could not ignore the conduct of the Second Branch, which had been even more arrogant recently; Jun Jun Yiyi was after all her own granddaughter, and the Second Branch had indeed been acting outrageously lately.

Not long after, Jun Jun Zhidie also hurriedly arrived; she glanced at Jun Jun Yiyi kneeling on the ground and was about to argue, but the Old Lady shot her a stern, authoritative look.

Jun Jun Zhidie stopped her words in time; she was no longer of pure character, a fact known to everyone in Jingcheng; originally she had wanted to drag Jun Jun Yiyi down with her. But seeing the Old Lady's anger, she dared not make a sound for the moment.

Seeing this situation, a flicker of triumph flashed in Jun Jun Yiyi's eyes.

The expressions of the two sisters naturally did not escape the Old Lady's eyes; a wave of disappointment washed over her heart. She closed her eyes briefly, unwilling to pay much attention to these two troubling granddaughters, and said:

"You both go back and each copy the scriptures twenty times, reflecting on where you went wrong." She then ordered a maid to fetch a Physician to treat Jun Jun Yiyi's injuries, considering the matter settled.

Jun Jun Zhidie's outburst served as a reminder to Jun Jun Yiyi that this matter was not yet over; even if she managed to get through today, there was no guarantee it would not be dug up again at some point. If it reached the Third Young Master's ears, she would be finished.