Chapter 186: A Huge Misunderstanding

At this moment, he paced back and forth in the hall, his steps hurried and chaotic; every few paces, he could not help but look toward the door, his eyes filled with anxiety and anticipation.

"Grandmother, please rest a while longer, I will go keep watch at the door."

Jun Chengcai said softly, his voice also sounding hoarse and weary.

The Old Lady nodded slightly, murmuring to herself:

"Girl, you are finally coming back; you really are going to worry your grandmother to death."

At this time, the masters and servants in the residence were already in a state of total chaos. The steward, Wei Zhong, was pacing anxiously to the side, steam rising from his head.

Wei Zhong’s brows were so furrowed they could crush a mosquito! He would knit his brows tightly and shout instructions to the nanny nearby:

"Go and see if anything is missing from the newly arranged courtyard; if our Second Young Lady isn't comfortable, how many heads do I have to be beheaded?"

Then he would wave his arms, directing the servants:

"Hurry, clean the courtyard until it is spotless, not a speck of dust allowed; we must make our Second Young Lady feel that this place is even more comfortable than the palace!"

The servants swung their brooms vigorously, darting back and forth in the courtyard and kicking up a cloud of dust; the maids held buckets of water, meticulously scrubbing the large bluestone path.

Each one was drenched in sweat, yet they dared not slack off in the slightest.

Maids and nannies carried tea sets and snacks, their steps hurried, fearing they might miss something.

Just then, a servant ran over in a rush, panting as he said:

"Steward, Steward, the Second Young Lady's palace carriage has already left the palace gates!"

The masters and servants, who had been driven to distraction, could no longer sit still and hurried toward the residence gate. Before the silent gate, the scene suddenly became bustling with life, a truly spectacular sight.

It was unknown how much time had passed.

"They're here, they're here!"

Someone shouted. The originally noisy scene instantly fell silent; everyone held their breath, all looking toward the intersection in unison.

They saw the Princess's dedicated palace carriage slowly approaching from afar, the wheels rolling over the bluestone road with a dull, rhythmic sound.

The sides of the road were crowded with onlookers, and the crowd was buzzing with discussion.

"Truly, heaven be praised, the Princess Qingping has finally returned."

"Oh my, this display is even livelier than when His Majesty himself goes on an inspection tour!"

A street vendor pointed at the squad of fully armed soldiers on both sides of the palace carriage and couldn't help but exclaim loudly, drawing side-glances from passersby.

Although Jun Zijin’s complexion still carried some of the pallor of a recent illness, the resilience and indifference in her bright eyes had not diminished in the slightest.

Riding in the palace carriage, she saw from afar the large crowd gathered outside the residence gate, waiting expectantly. Her heart warmed, and her excitement about returning home deepened.

Before the carriage had even come to a complete stop, the masters and servants of the Jun family swarmed forward in a rush.

Jun Chengcai was the first to dash over, eagerly opening the carriage door.

"Little sister, you have finally returned."

Jun Zijin stepped out of the carriage and offered Jun Chengcai a weak, yet incredibly warm smile:

"Brother, I have made you all worry."

The Old Lady, sitting in a wheelchair, was also quickly pushed to the front; her eyes glistened with tears as she reached out with trembling hands to take hold of Jun Zijin’s.

"My dear granddaughter, you have finally returned."

Looking at the Old Lady’s bloodshot eyes, Jun Zijin felt a lump in her throat; the word "Grandmother" almost broke her composure.

The women, maids, and nannies present could not bear such a scene, and one by one, their eyes turned red.

Zhou Yiniang was seen silently wiping away tears to the side.

Jun Shuyan, both crying and laughing, shouted "Second Sister" and threw herself at Jun Zijin.

Jun Zijin chuckled, caught Jun Shuyan steadily, and said with a light laugh:

"Silly girl, stop crying."

Jun Shuyan looked up at Jun Zijin with tear-blurred eyes.

Just then, another carriage drove up from the distance; the curtain was lifted, revealing a face that was both pitiful and stunningly beautiful.

It was Jun Yiyi, who had been punished and sent to the nunnery, only to return upon reaching the age of fifteen.

Seeing the masters and servants of the residence gathered at the gate, she assumed they were all there specifically to welcome her, and a surge of pride rose in her heart.

As the carriage drew closer, she saw a group of people surrounding Jun Zijin, weeping and wailing. The Jun residence was surrounded by a squad of fully armed soldiers holding long spears and wearing heavy armor.

Jun Yiyi and her personal maid, Yan'er, were both stunned; there were at least a hundred soldiers in that squad.

After a long while, she came to her senses, shocked, mistakenly believing that Jun Zijin had committed a heinous crime and that these soldiers had come to arrest her.

She couldn't help but laugh out loud, her laughter filled with undisguised triumph.

"It seems I have returned at just the right time; there is a great show to watch as soon as I get home."

In her joy, she no longer minded that not a single person at the gate had come to welcome her.

Jun Yiyi glanced at the carriage driver and said impatiently:

"You, offer your back; let this young lady step on it!"

The driver looked back at Jun Yiyi, his heart skipped a beat, and he quickly averted his gaze.

The eldest young lady of the Jun family was truly a strange one; her face changed so quickly. A moment ago she was pitiful and beautiful enough to make one afraid to look, and now she was suddenly so ferocious that it made one even more afraid to look.

The driver dared not utter a sound, rolled his eyes inwardly, and obediently arched his back, letting Jun Yiyi step on him.

Just as Jun Yiyi stepped off the carriage using the driver’s back, she saw that not only did no one in the crowd at the gate welcome her, but they didn't even spare her a glance. One by one, they crowded around Jun Zijin and entered the residence.

She was confused, and suddenly grabbed the armor of a guard at the gate, asking shrilly:

"Aren't you here to arrest Jun Zijin? Why did she go inside? What are you still standing there for? Go and arrest her!"

The guard was startled and, as a reflex, raised his leg to kick, but seeing that it was the once virtuous and talented eldest young lady of the Jun family, he barely managed to hold back.

The guard was bewildered; who didn't know that the eldest young lady of the Jun family was not only beautiful but also a talented woman famous throughout Jingcheng?

Although rumors had recently spread in Jingcheng about this eldest young lady’s lack of virtue, how was it that now, not only was her reputation poor, but her brain seemed to have problems too?

The guard said nothing, just stared at her as if she were a fool, which made Jun Yiyi’s heart crawl with unease.

Jun Yiyi was embarrassed and angry, and she shouted viciously:

"If you aren't going to arrest Jun Zijin, why are you glaring at me? Be careful, or I'll tell Prince Yi and make you suffer the consequences!"

Upon hearing "Prince Yi," the guard finally spoke:

"The eldest young lady must not be clear on the situation. The Princess is someone highly regarded by His Majesty; we are all here to protect her. How could you slander her as you please?"

Jun Yiyi had made a huge blunder, and her face flashed with a mix of dissatisfaction and embarrassment. At this moment, the steward, Wei Zhong, finally walked out.

Seeing this situation, he hurriedly stepped forward to apologize to the guard.

"My lord, our eldest young lady had an accident some time ago, and there is something wrong here."

As he spoke, he pointed to his own head.