Chapter 24: With Grandmother Here, No One Dares Harm You

In the Xuanzheng Hall, Prime Minister Gao pressed his forehead to the ground, tears streaming down his aged face:

"Your Majesty, this old minister begs Your Majesty to seek justice for me..."

Facing Prime Minister Gao, who was sobbing with a runny nose and tears, the Emperor felt his head throb. He coughed lightly and said:

"Prime Minister, Lady Wu is your beloved concubine, isn't she? And the eldest young lady of the Jun family is said to be your niece, and even your betrothed daughter-in-law. This is a matter of your own backyard, so how can I, the Emperor, seek justice for you?"

The Emperor spoke in plain, blunt terms. Prime Minister Gao was instantly stunned, his crying stopping abruptly. At this moment, Prime Minister Gao would have killed Lady Wu if he could.

If Jun Jun Zijin were here, he would surely agree that this Emperor was to his taste, adorable.

But the Prime Minister had to be appeased, so the Emperor continued:

"This matter was caused by the Crown Prince. Very well, I shall send the Crown Prince to go with you."

As Quan Quan Aoyu entered the Xuanzheng Hall, this was the scene he saw.

A shadow guard reported: "The old Lady Gao is likely beyond saving. People from the Prime Minister's residence are on their way to the Jun residence, and the Prime Minister has come to the palace to lodge a complaint." Worried that the Prime Minister's residence and the Jun residence would take their anger out on Jun Jun Zijin, he had come from the Eastern Palace to the Xuanzheng Hall.

As soon as the Emperor finished speaking, he saw the Crown Prince arrive:

"Crown Prince, you have arrived at the perfect time!"

"Go with the Prime Minister and see what is going on."

"By the way, Crown Prince, this is truly a matter of the Prime Minister's backyard; as an outsider, it is not good for you to interfere too much. Here is what you shall do: go and convey my imperial decree to Guo Guo Yuanzheng, telling him to do his utmost to save the life of the Old Lady. Whatever medicinal herbs are needed, the palace will provide them!"

In fact, the Emperor assigning this matter to the Crown Prince suited Quan Quan Aoyu perfectly; he had come to the Xuanzheng Hall specifically to request an imperial decree.

Although Prime Minister Gao was unwilling in his heart, he had no choice but to kowtow and thank the Emperor for his grace.

At the Jun residence, Jun Zhengming only learned of this incident upon seeing the people from the Prime Minister's residence. He was so angry that his vision went dark, his face turned red, and he was filled with shame, exclaiming: "Wicked child! Wicked child!"

But anger aside, an explanation had to be given to the Prime Minister's residence. After soothing the people from the Prime Minister's residence, Jun Zhengming summoned the Lady, the Young Ladies, and the concubines of the residence to the main hall.

Inside the main hall, Jun Jun Yiyi, who had originally only been sobbing, was so frightened by Jun Zhengming's angry shout that she threw herself into the First Lady's arms and wailed.

Jun Jun Zijin and Jun Jun Shuyan sat opposite Jun Zhengming. Seeing Jun Zhengming's furious appearance, Jun Jun Shuyan felt a bit afraid and leaned closer to Jun Jun Zijin. Jun Jun Zijin patted the back of her hand to reassure her.

"Father, Mother, you must seek justice for your daughter!"

Jun Jun Yiyi poured out the humiliation she had suffered at the Prime Minister's residence while crying:

"I merely spoke a single sentence to His Highness the Crown Prince, yet Old Lady Gao made me lose face and even demanded that I play the zither for everyone present. When guests dine, if music is needed to liven the mood, it should be the Prime Minister's own zither player. Yet Old Lady Gao actually made me perform for them! The Second Young Lady and the Fourth Young Lady only cared about watching the show, and the Third Young Lady even pushed me! I am so aggrieved!"

Jun Jun Yiyi had never cried so sorrowfully as she did at this moment. Her crying seemed capable of piercing the clouds, echoing throughout the entire heavens and earth. Tears gushed from her beautiful eyes, sliding down her cheeks. Her body trembled as if she were about to suffocate and die in the next second.

The First Lady's heart ached, and she kept patting Jun Jun Yiyi's back, but Jun Jun Yiyi only cried harder.

Jun Jun Zijin chuckled lightly. "Truly turning the tables and blaming the victim." The Fourth Young Lady, Jun Jun Shuyan, wanted to speak, but Zhou Zhou Yiniang pulled her and shook her head.

Jun Zhengming slapped the table and stood up with a "Pa!" sound, pointing at Jun Jun Zijin, Jun Jun Zhidie, and Jun Jun Shuyan, and angrily shouted: "What exactly are you trying to do?"

Jun Jun Zhidie was about to protest but was stopped by the Second Lady, Li Shi.

Li Shi was a shrew. Although she usually followed the First Lady's lead, how could she swallow this anger when Jun Zhengming sided with the eldest daughter to turn the tables and falsely accuse her daughter?

Li Shi stood up with a "Ceng!" sound, placed her hands on her hips, and shouted loudly: "Master, we cannot listen to the eldest young lady's one-sided account today. Our Jun Zhidie has always been obedient and sensible; how could she do such a thing? As for the eldest young lady, who knows if she failed to seduce His Highness the Crown Prince and is instead deliberately framing her own sisters?"

Upon hearing these words, the First Lady's face immediately darkened. "Second Sister-in-law, what kind of words are these? Jun Yiyi has always been kind and weak, knowledgeable and polite. How could she act in such a manner?"

Jun Zhengming frowned tightly and scolded: "Stop arguing!"

Jun Zhengming had nowhere to vent his anger, so he pointed at Jun Jun Zijin again and said viciously:

"Ever since you returned, our residence has not had a moment of peace. I, your father, ask you today: your eldest sister is weak and fragile, yet you take pleasure in her misfortune and let others bully her. What exactly are you trying to do? If you wish to avenge being driven out of the family home six years ago, then take it out on me. Why must you harm your eldest sister with such humiliation?"

Jun Jun Yiyi stopped sobbing and spoke:

"Second Sister, in the past you were the legitimate daughter, and I loved and respected you. Even later, when I became the eldest legitimate sister, and you tried to kill me, I did not hold it against you. You were sent away to the manor, but that was not my fault. Since you returned these past few days, as the eldest legitimate sister, I have shown you great care. Why do you hate me so?"

Lady Wu, her heart aching, wiped Jun Jun Yiyi's tears and said: "Our Jun Yiyi is simply kind-hearted. Back then, you harmed your eldest legitimate sister and even beat me, which is why your father sent you away to the manor. I, thinking you were young, assigned Nurse Liu to go with you to the manor to serve you. These past few years, your food, clothing, and expenses at the manor were no worse than those in the residence. If the Second Young Lady still has grievances, then blame me, your stepmother."

Everyone present understood clearly: Lady Wu was saying that being a stepmother was difficult; no matter how well she treated the Second Young Lady, the Second Young Lady would not treat her well. Indeed, Jun Zhengming was so angry that his veins bulged.

Watching this family of three sing and play along with each other, Jun Jun Zijin felt irritation rise in his heart. He set down his teacup, looked at Jun Zhengming coldly, and remained silent for a long time.

Just as Jun Zhengming felt a chill in his heart under her gaze, which seemed devoid of emotion yet also turbulent, she finally spoke lightly:

"Six years ago, I let you handle me as you pleased, unable to resist. But Jun Zijin also has a temper. This matter is not difficult to investigate. Father might as well send someone to ask those who were present at the time or others in the Prime Minister's residence; naturally, the truth will be known. If Father still refuses to distinguish black from white, then you must give me an explanation."

Jun Zhengming's face turned pale then red, finding it hard to save face. The First Lady wanted to fan the flames, but Jun Jun Shuyan could no longer bear it. She broke free from Zhou Zhou Yiniang's grip on her hand and stood up with a "Teng!" sound:

"Do you still have any sense of reason? The Second Sister and I sat at the same table; we were both arranged in the very last row of the concubine daughters' seating, far away from the First Sister. How could the First Sister see us harming her?"

Upon hearing this, Jun Jun Yiyi leaned back into Lady Wu's arms and began to wail again: "Mother, I am so humiliated; I do not wish to live..."

At this moment, the Old Lady arrived in a wheelchair and shouted: "Everyone, be silent!"

Jun Zhengming was stunned and stood up: "Mother, why did you have to be disturbed?"

"The residence is in an uproar. If I do not come now, are you going to drive the Second Young Lady out of the residence again? Just wait for me to die!"

Jun Jun Zijin felt a warmth in his heart and called out: "Grandmother..."

"Do not be afraid; Grandmother is here!" The Old Lady cast a loving glance at Jun Jun Zijin, instantly calming his previously agitated heart.

The Old Lady turned her head and began to reprimand Jun Zhengming:

"Such a huge incident has occurred at the Prime Minister's residence. Instead of having the mind to argue here, why not see if you can be of any help?"

The Old Lady then looked at the First Lady and said:

"And you, Lady Wu. If a life is truly lost at the Prime Minister's residence, I fear your younger sister cannot withstand it either. Neither you nor your daughter can remain unscathed; the entire Jun family will have no good outcome!"

Jun Zhengming was filled with shame. Lady Wu was similarly scolded into lowering her head, her heart seething with hatred as she gritted her teeth, yet she dared not speak at this moment.

Next, the Old Lady ordered Nurse Wang to investigate immediately:

"The full details of today's incident must be investigated thoroughly."

"Find out the current condition of Old Lady Gao." The Old Lady then gave instructions to the steward.

A short while later, the steward rushed in to report: "Old Lady Gao has suffered a stroke; she is unlikely to survive the night. Even Physician Guo Guo Yuanzheng is powerless to save her..." The steward secretly glanced at the First Lady: "Unless Divine Physician Fang..."

Upon hearing this, Jun Zhengming slumped onto the stool, his eyes vacant.

Suddenly, Jun Jun Zijin said: "As for Old Lady Gao's illness, let me try."

The First Lady said, "Although the Second Young Lady means well, how can you possibly cure the illness of the High Lady Gao?"

Li Shi took up the conversation: "Exactly. Even though you were sent to the manor back then and hold a grudge, do not drag the entire Jun family into it."

Li Shi's words were vicious, implying that Jun Jun Zijin intended to kill the entire Jun family.

Jun Jun Zijin had no time for argument and said:

"Whether I can cure her or not, we will only know once we go."

If she went to treat the High Lady Gao this time and succeeded, she might not be rewarded. If she failed, neither the Prime Minister's mansion nor the Jun family would let it go. How could she not understand this? But she did not want the Jun family to suffer and upset her grandmother. In her heart, her grandmother was the grandmother she had lost and regained in her past life; she absolutely could not let her grandmother be implicated.

The Old Lady nodded and praised her, saying:

"If the Prime Minister's mansion has an incident, the Jun family cannot escape blame regardless. We ought to contribute what little we can. Second Young Lady, you go. No matter the outcome, as long as your grandmother is here, no one dares harm you in the slightest!"

Jun Jun Zijin personally took the medicine chest and golden needles, saying only that time waited for no one, and then hurried to the Prime Minister's mansion with Nanny Zhou and Xiao He.