"Listening to this, Ji Yong became furious: 'Why should I leave her a thread of life? She fell into my trap, it's her own stupidity; she wanted to scheme against me, but she doesn't even have the ability! What's with setting fires and putting bean paste in horse feed, these are things I stopped playing with when I was five years old! And then she spied on our movements, invited elders... If I were her, I would just imitate your handwriting to write a letter to me, and then let Liu Yiyi discover it. Why bother gathering so many people? She's incompetent, but you're blaming me! What did I do wrong? You're even speaking up for her! In the end, it's all because she's your sister...'"

  He doesn't think he's done anything wrong at all.

  Dongming ended up like this today because of his incompetence.

  He was angry because he spoke for Dòu Míng.

  Dong Zhao suddenly understood why Old Man Ji wanted Ji Yong to go out and gain experience.

  In Ji Yong's heart, there is no right or wrong, only you and me.

  He will definitely take revenge.

  Although he knew what would happen if Du Ming was kidnapped, he didn't care at all.

  He is too clever and too arrogant, with all things in the world, etiquette and morality are not in his eyes.

  When others do wrong, they at least fear gods or retribution, but Ji Yong fears nothing.

  He is truly unscrupulous!

  The more books such a person reads, the more he knows; the more he knows, the more destructive he becomes.

  Old Master Ji just wanted Ji Yong to experience the joys and sorrows of the mortal world, so that his heart would have a little more compassion.

  It's quite obvious that Old Master Ji failed in his previous life!

  Ji Yong, as an outsider, challenged the secular norms and wore a monk's robe to become a third-rank official; he persuaded the emperor to renounce the throne, but only to convert those who could not be converted, to accomplish what no one had ever accomplished before, just to prove his own abilities.

  "No." Dou Zhao interrupted Ji Yong's excited words, "Not because she is my sister, but because I don't want to see you become someone like Dou Ming!"

  Her voice was calm and rational, with a hint of sadness that left Ji Yong stunned.

  "You're so intelligent, so capable," Dou Zhao said seriously, looking at her. "You learn everything faster than others, and do everything better than others. Things that others need to think about for a long time, you can do without hesitation. You should be the best among all people! But look at you now, competing with outsiders, arguing with Dou Ming... Take a look at Bo Yan, he spent a year traveling throughout Zhēndìng, hoping to make the lives of the common people better. He may not be as intelligent as you, but what he's doing is more meaningful than what you're doing! Ji Biao Ge," her expression was sincere, "you should stand taller, see further, instead of being limited to this inner courtyard. With your intelligence and talent, you must become a person who brings benefits to the common people, and makes future generations admire!"

  Ji Yong's face gradually became solemn.

  The atmosphere is depressing and heavy.

  Ji Yong is a person who yields to softness but resists hardness. Doesn't her words of advice have too strong a flavor?

  Dong Zhao thought for a moment, revealing a playful smile, and said: "At that time, I can tell my juniors that Ji Xianming Ji Yong is my cousin! When he took the imperial examination, he even stayed in our house to study!"

  Ji Yong's face was stern, without a hint of a smile. Ya Wen's words were cut off as she turned and left with a flick of her sleeve.

  "Alas!" Du Zhao shook his head.

  Su Lan hastily ran over: "Miss, Fifth Miss is making a fuss about coming to find Master Ji."

  Dong Zhao's face suddenly turned red with rage, and he snarled: "What is she up to now?" As he spoke, he hastily made his way towards Qixia Courtyard.

  Su Lan and several others hastily followed up.

  Qingxia Courtyard was brightly lit, and Zhou Mama tightly wrapped her arms around Dou Ming, who was jumping up and down, and persuaded her with a bitter tone: "Fifth Miss, don't make trouble, if you make a scene, the matter that day will be exposed, how can you live in the future?! Fourth Miss has been busy running around for your sake these past few days, she's gotten thinner from exhaustion, just take pity on Fourth Miss's face..."

  "What's the point of sparing her face?" Dou Ming listened, becoming more and more violent, bellowing, "She clearly knows it was Ji Yong who wronged me, yet she's covering for Ji Yong. Is she taking me for a younger sister? If not, then so be it, I'll just die!"

  "Zhou Niangniang, let her go!" Unbeknownst to him, Dou Zhao had already entered the inner chamber.

  She stood at the door, coldly staring at Dou Ming: "She's just relying on her current return home. If she makes a big deal out of it, the Dou family won't sit idly by. Ji Xianming doesn't dare to do anything to her, that's all. Since she wants to go find Ji Xianming, let her go! However, my words are said in advance: if you don't give me face, I don't need to give you face either. This time, even if Ji Xianming wants to drown her in the lake, I'll just stand by and watch." As she spoke, her gaze swept across the faces of the servants in the inner chamber, "As for you all, whoever helps her do evil will end up like those who served at Qixia Temple before."

  The maids and daughters-in-law immediately turned pale as earth, shrinking and squeezing into the corner of the wall.

  Dong Ming glared at Dong Zhao, as if he wanted to swallow him whole: "Dong Zhao, don't think I dare not!"

  "You dare!" Dou Zhao's expression was calm, as if Dou Ming was shouting about not eating vegetables. "I know you dare, so I let Zhou Mama release you. Anyway, you don't care about anyone, your personal maid Ji Hong helps you, and even if she gets sold, you can just get another maid; Zhou Mama protects you, that's her own willing choice, and if she dies, it serves her right..."

  "You're talking nonsense! You're talking nonsense!" For the first time, Du Ming, who had always been overbearing in front of Du Zhao, revealed a flustered and discomposed expression.

  "Am I talking nonsense?" Dou Zhao retorted, "Where did Ji Hong go? Ask Zhou Mama again, if it weren't for me, she would still be standing here? A useless person who can't even protect the people around her is only fit to be at home. If you really have skills, then don't drag others down with you, go find Ji Xianming and settle the score yourself!" As he spoke, he ordered Su Lan, "Pass on my words, close the main gate, let Fifth Miss do whatever she wants, but if anyone tries to help Fifth Miss, even if it's just handing her a needle, drag them out and beat them to death with sticks immediately!"

  Aunt Zhou held Dou Ming tighter: "Fifth Miss, Fifth Miss, I beg of you, please...please..."

  Dong Ming fiercely pried open Zhou's hand and rushed out.

  Zhou Ayi immediately chased after her.

  Dong Zhaoyi stopped Zhou Ayi: "Do you still want to harm her once?"

  Zhou Nainai burst into tears.

  Dong Ming stormed into He Shou Tang with a burning anger in his heart.

  But when she stood at the gate of He Shou Tang, she hesitated.

  All along the way, people who met her indeed didn't notice her.

  Mo Er's icy gaze floated in her mind once again.

  She shivered involuntarily and hugged her chest with both arms.

  A young servant came out of the Crane Longevity Hall: "Young master, what's wrong with you? You're lying on the Drunken Old Man chair without eating or drinking. If something happens to you, how can we explain it to the old master?"

  "It's nothing. I heard that in the past, the young master wanted to make an elixir of immortality. For a whole year, he didn't take a single step out of his room, and yet he's still fine!"

  Dong Ming hastily hid behind a large tree nearby.

  Two young men walked by her side, chatting and laughing.

  She squatted under the tree.

  Watching the sunset in the west, the surroundings are gradually shrouded in darkness.

  The night wind seems to be able to blow into people's bones.

  Dong Ming's face turned cold and he shivered.

  No one came looking for her.

  The moonlight is like a piece of jade, and there are a few stars sparsely scattered in the sky.

  "Dou Zhao, Ji Yong, I'll make you look good, I'll make you look good..." Dou Ming clenched his fists and gritted his teeth as he muttered to himself.

  A dark shadow suddenly darted out from the flower bed next to her and fell at her feet.

  She let out a shrill cry and ran towards Qixia Courtyard as if she was fleeing.

  Heiying was startled and arched his back, letting out a "meow".

  He Shou Tang and Qi Xia Yuan both fell silent.

  "Sulan let out a long sigh of relief: 'Finally able to quietly do something else!'"

  The winter solstice is approaching, and it's time to start preparing for the Winter Solstice Festival rituals.

  The women had to pound glutinous rice and make flat food, while Zhaoyi had to personally make shoes and socks for the elders.

  Everyone suddenly became busy.

  Duan Gongyi and Su Xin rushed back in a flurry of dust.

  The Emperor Showa's true heart is in the inner chamber.

  "The Seventh Master was furious, and before I could retreat, he smashed the teacup in his hand. The more severe was Liu's wife, who spoke with a mixture of sarcasm and irony, saying that the Wang family had no upbringing and couldn't even teach their daughter or maidservant properly. Old Lady Wang almost fainted from anger. The second lady of the Wang family jumped out to argue with Liu's wife, while Liu's wife brought along Ma Jun's wife, who was not weak at all. They exchanged insults with the second lady of the Wang family.

  Su Xin said, "I usually thought that Ma Jun's family treated people quite politely, but I didn't expect them to be so sharp-tongued. No wonder Liu's wife brought her along! If it weren't for her, we wouldn't have anyone who could match up to the second lady of the Wang family.

  Later, it was still the first lady of the Wang family who intervened, on one hand advising Old Lady Wang not to stoop to Liu's wife's level, and on the other hand scolding Liu's wife for being impudent and lacking respect for her superiors. Her words were quite elegant, but unfortunately, Liu's wife had been instructed by the second lady to pick a fight, so she spoke without courtesy, and in just a few sentences, she shut down the first lady of the Wang family.

  Old Lady Wang even blamed the first lady of the Wang family for speaking too softly and not letting her intervene. The first lady of the Wang family was anxious on the sidelines. This grand residence of the provincial governor was no better than the streets of our True Definition County, with the shouting match being so loud and lively that I don't know if the neighbors could hear it or not."

  This was also within Dòu Zhāo's expectations.

  Dong Ming, after all, is the young lady of the Dong family. Making a big deal out of this wouldn't be beneficial to the Dong family either. But just letting it go like that wouldn't sit well with Wang Xushi's second wife. She sent over a few fierce women to humiliate and intimidate Wang Xushi, adding fuel to the fire and also venting her own frustrations.

  However, Wang Xuzhi chose to scold back at Liu Mama and the others, which was somewhat unexpected by Duan Zhao.

  In his previous life, Du Zhao had a lot of dealings with Wang Xuzhi.

  In her impression, Wang Xushi was a person who paid more attention to his own image, it can be seen that this time he really lost his mind.

  But none of these were what she was concerned about, all she cared about was her father Dou Shiying's reaction.

  Dong Zhao asked Su Xin: "Can you bring my words to my father? What did he say?"

  " Qi Ye looks very embarrassed," Su Xin said, "He said that he can't let go of the fifth young lady and give her to someone else. I told him what Er Tai Fu Ren said to you that day, but at that time, Qi Ye didn't say anything. It wasn't until I was about to leave that he called me back in and said that after we pass the Winter Solstice Festival, we will send the fifth young lady to Kyoto. However, I heard from Gao Zong Guan that Qi Ye seems to have invited a teacher from the palace to teach the fifth young lady etiquette."

  That's okay too!

  Dong Zhao nodded.

  Su Lan smiled and ran in: "Duan Huwei is here."

  Before Duan Gongyi left, she had secretly instructed him to find an opportunity to meet with Chen Quanshui.

  Dong Zhao immediately got up and went to the main hall.

  Duan Gongyi's hair was still wet and dripping, apparently having just washed up before coming to see her.

  The hall was empty, and Du Zhao directly asked him: "How is Mr. Chen now?"

  "Mr. Chen is doing well." Duan Gongyi said solemnly, "At first, he was blocked wherever he went, but since the Jiang family's matter has been settled, as long as it's not Miss Mei's study, inner chamber, resting room, or accounting room, Mr. Chen can come and go freely." He paused here, saying, "However, Lady Britain passed away on October 26th."

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  To all book readers, here is yesterday's update.

  By the way, I'd like to ask for a favor. On the top right corner of the book's cover, there is an "I want to review" button. Sisters and brothers, if you think 《Ninefold Purple》is okay, please help vote for it. If you don't think so, just scold me in the comments section, but please don't go evaluate it... that one counts towards probability...

  o(n_n)o~

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