"Fire! Fire!"
With the shouts, everyone in the Ji Mansion was awakened.
The fire broke out in the Fengti Xuan. When Ji Shisu rushed there with his men, they found that it was just the dry firewood piled up in the small kitchen of the Fengti Xuan that was burning. Fortunately, it was discovered early, and a few buckets of water put it out.
However, Ji Shisu's plan was completely disrupted.
By now, Zhao Luoning had been awakened by the commotion. She put on her clothes, put on her veil, and comforted the guests staying in the mansion.
She heard from Caixue that Ji Shisu had wanted to break into her boudoir in the middle of the night, and she was so angry that she rolled her eyes at Ji Shisu several times.
Of course, this mysterious fire was also deliberately set by Caixue to stop Ji Shisu.
Zhao Luoning casually came up with an excuse about the dry weather and managed to smooth things over.
Of course, she still had to settle the score with Ji Shisu.
"To have a fire in the middle of the night shows that the household is unstable. From now on, the gatekeepers of each courtyard should keep a close eye and don't let any ill - intentioned villains into the yard!"
Zhao Luoning called over the gatekeepers in the yard and lectured them. Every word was meant for Ji Shisu. Ji Shisu's face flushed and then paled. He was really too embarrassed to stay in the Furong Yuan any longer. After dealing with the fire, he returned to his shop.
On his way out, Ji Shisu happened to meet Ji Shihan who was coming towards him.
"Second brother, what's going on?"
"Nothing. Just a small fire. Why are you even alarmed?"
Hearing this, Ji Shihan finally felt relieved. As the siblings were talking, two old women were walking towards them.
Because it was dark and the paths in the garden were winding, the old women didn't notice the two masters. They were chatting animatedly.
"This fire is really strange."
"Yes. It's been ages since the second master stayed in the Fengti Xuan. That small kitchen hasn't been used for a month or two, right?"
"Do you think it could be her? I heard she was brought back a few hours ago and is now staying in the Buddhist hall."
"It's not impossible. She was unlucky when she was just born. She's really a jinx."
The two of them were getting more and more outrageous. Ji Shisu's face darkened. Yu Chi was very good at reading people's expressions. Seeing this, without waiting for Ji Shisu's order, he went up to punish the two gossiping old women.
Since there were guests in the mansion, the old women were not allowed to cry out even though they were being beaten with the boards. Yu Chi ordered someone to gag their mouths with cloth strips. The boards hit their flesh one after another, making a dull sound.
It was chilling.
Ji Shisu just watched coldly from the side. Most of the time, he was actually very cold - hearted.
Ji Shihan couldn't bear to watch anymore and couldn't help pleading.
"Second brother, why don't you hand these two old women over to the second mistress for handling?"
Zhao Luoning's methods might not be any gentler than Ji Shisu's, but at least they wouldn't have to suffer physical pain.
"This is just a small matter. There's no need to bother her."
After twenty blows of the board, the two old women were beaten to a pulp and couldn't even stand up.
Yu Chi stood in front of them and said harshly, "If you're disrespectful to the masters again in the future, it won't be just twenty blows of the board."
Then, Yu Chi ordered someone to carry the two old women away. Since they couldn't alarm the guests in the mansion, the two old women were directly carried out of the Ji Mansion through the back door and thrown to the manor.
Ji Shihan couldn't bear to look at the miserable scene and turned her face away.
Seeing this, Ji Shisu said, "You're just too soft - hearted. There are so many gossips in the mansion. These old women rely on their seniority and have long become a scourge. You should learn from your second sister - in - law in this regard. When you shouldn't be merciful, you can't show any weakness."
Ji Shihan had been in the Ji Mansion for a long time.
The Ji family had only risen to prominence recently. The old women in the mansion had served the masters for many years and could be considered meritorious. So these old women had more dignity in the Ji family than servants in other families.
Unexpectedly, they would become so insolent.
It was only after Zhao Luoning entered the mansion that the old matriarch and Ji Shisu had stepped in to discipline them a few times, and they had become a bit more well - behaved.
When Madam Ji was in charge before, things were even worse. The old women would gather to drink and play cards, and Madam Ji would turn a blind eye. Of course, when these old women got drunk and had nothing to do, they would gossip about the masters. The biggest victim was Ji Shisu.
The romantic gossips about Ji Shisu's courtyard were all spread by the old women with exaggeration. So Ji Shisu always looked down on these gossiping old women and was never lenient with them.
Thinking of this, Ji Shihan didn't try to persuade her second brother to show mercy anymore. The atmosphere in the mansion really needed to be rectified. She reminded him, "Second brother, the old women were just talking about Ji Jianxue. Do you want to go and check on her?"
Thinking of Ji Jianxue, Ji Shisu frowned even deeper.
She was also a trouble.
"Her own mother doesn't even care about her. Why should I?"
"Well... then should second brother go and tell second sister - in - law? Let her arrange it?" After all, second sister - in - law was the main wife and had the right to manage the children of concubines.
"She's very busy right now. There's no need to let her worry about this."
Ji Shisu didn't want Zhao Luoning to get involved in his harem. Although he knew she wouldn't be jealous, he didn't want her to misunderstand him more.
Moreover, whether it was Ji Jianxue or Ji Jianxue's birth mother, Nan Shuang, he didn't want Luoning to pay too much attention.
The unspeakable secrets in the mansion should just rot in the hearts of the old people.
After thinking for a while, Ji Shisu ordered Yu Chi, "Yu Chi, go and check on the Buddhist hall."
Yu Chi knew what Ji Shisu meant. This was to let him go and warn the servants who served Ji Jianxue.
Yu Chi took the order and retreated.
After Ji Shisu made these arrangements, he talked to Ji Shihan for a few words and then left the mansion. Ji Shihan watched his back and sighed.
After they all left, Xiaozhou dared to tug on Hongshao's sleeve and quietly ask,
"Why does the second master dislike Miss Xue so much?"
It was no wonder that Xiaozhou couldn't help being curious. After all, Ji Jianxue was the first young miss of the Jian generation in the Ji family. Although she was a concubine's daughter, the status of the eldest granddaughter was still noble enough.
But this young miss lived a life even worse than a maid.
Ji Shihan, who was usually very kind to the servants, rarely spoke seriously.
"Didn't you see the fate of those two old women just now? Don't ask about Ji Jianxue's matters in the future."
Xiaozhou was naturally timid. Seeing that even the kind - tempered master was angry, she quickly shut up.
Ji Shihan looked in the direction where Ji Shisu left and felt quite sad.
Actually, Ji Jianxue was a kind - hearted child, but unfortunately, she had a bad birth.
Everyone in the mansion was just curious why Ji Jianxue, as the eldest granddaughter of the Ji family, lived a life even worse than a maid.
They didn't know that keeping this secret from them was actually protecting them.
They didn't know that Ji Jianxue was the child of Ji Shisu's first concubine, Nan Shuang, but not Ji Shisu's.