Ball Ball Cultivation

Chapter 476 Light and Dark26

If Concubine Xi finds out that Zhang Jizhi is abnormal one day, she can use Cui Yanran to protect her sister.

Qiuqiu sent someone to communicate with Cui Yanran, helping her fake her death to escape from her natal family and her husband's family, and helping her heal the scars on her face. The price was to enter the palace and compete for favor with Concubine Xi.

Cui Yanran was naturally willing. How could someone who could seduce a husband to favor a concubine over his wife not be ambitious? She was naturally willing to do so given the opportunity to restore her appearance and climb to a high position.

It was Mi Han who treated the scars on Cui Yanran's face. The holy insect in her body had awakened. This kind of insect that had been fostered since childhood allowed Qiuqiu to help sign a simple partnership contract, making it easier to control it.

With Qiuqiu's secret help, Zhang Jizhi and Xie Ying'an gradually opened up the capital's upper-class social circles after returning to the capital.

Zhang Jizhi was a commoner's daughter who rose to power through giving birth to a son. Adding to her stunning beauty and lack of any family connections, she was initially ostracized by the entire upper-class circle of noble ladies.

It was thanks to the patient teaching of Lady Xie Hanmei of the Duke of Anguo, the advice of Zhu Wanwan, and the guidance of several ladies of the Huo family that he was able to enter the social circle of ladies. But within half a year, Zhang Jizhi could handle the nitpicking, jokes, and ridicule at banquets with ease.

When the news of Xie Ying'an returning with his wife and children reached the palace, the emperor would naturally investigate it carefully!

As a feudal emperor, the resources at his disposal are immeasurable! The emperor is surrounded by talented individuals and quickly uncovers Zhang Jizhi's identity!

Xie Ying'an was originally diagnosed by the imperial physician to have a life expectancy of less than three years, but now he is alive and well!

The marriage between the Zhang family and the former commander of the Northwest Army had already made the Emperor uneasy! Furthermore, the whispers from Concubine Xi only deepened his fears.

The day finally arrived, and the emperor summoned Xie Ying'an and his wife to the palace for an audience.

The emperor's purpose was clear. He first had the imperial physician assess Xie Ying'an's condition. After confirming his frail health and incapacity for returning to the battlefield, the emperor's resentment eased somewhat. Demonstrating his concern for his meritorious officials, he then gifted them with a generous amount of precious medicinal herbs, demonstrating a harmonious relationship between the emperor and his subjects.

There was no queen in the harem, so Zhang Jizhi was brought into the harem and was received by Concubine Xi, who held the phoenix seal.

Imperial Concubine Xi has always had a reputation for virtue. On the surface, she receives ladies from outside the imperial court, comforts the wives of ministers, and rewards them with treasures to show the grace of the royal family.

However, Concubine Xi was chatting with Zhang Jizhi on the surface, but secretly talking to Xiao Qingting, asking Xiao Qingting to check on Zhang Jizhi.

Concubine Xi: "Little Dragonfly, can you find out what's wrong with her soul?"

Little Dragonfly: "Master, I will investigate right away."

After a cup of tea, the little dragonfly said: "Master, Zhang Jizhi's soul has a protective magic weapon, which prevents in-depth exploration. Can we remove the barrier to deep exploration?"

Concubine Xi has been feeling increasingly uneasy lately, always feeling that something has happened. After a negotiation with Zhang Jizhi, it can be seen that Zhang Jizhi is a knowledgeable person, a native of this era, so the soul inside his body is actually her.

After all, Zhang Jizhi was a lost fool before, but the Zhang family hid it deep, and for fifteen years

She thought it was too strange that he never showed it to anyone, but suddenly recovered and got married and had children.

This exploration opportunity is rare. If we don’t explore it clearly, we don’t know if there will be another chance.

Concubine Xi said firmly: "Little Dragonfly, break through the defense and deeply explore the soul. You will deduct the points yourself."

Little Dragonfly: "Yes, Master."

Zhang Jizhi also said that his marriage was arranged by his parents before they died, and they got married in front of their graves on the seventh day after the death of their parents.

I felt a headache, which started out as a light and dense one, and then became a strong surge, as if a big hand was stirring in my brain.

Zhang Jizhi's face was pale and covered in sweat. Just as he was about to collapse, the pendant with the sun and moon shining together on his chest flashed a soft light, repelling the invading force and soothing and nourishing Zhang Jizhi's soul. Zhang Jizhi also completely fainted.

Xie Ying'an, who was sitting in front of the emperor, suddenly felt a palpitation in his heart. He began to feel sick silently. He covered his chest and forced himself to spit out two mouthfuls of blood, shouting: "Ji Zhi, medicine, medicine..."

He spat out a mouthful of blood in front of the emperor.

The Emperor was startled by this sudden attack, but then he felt relieved. He anxiously said to the chief eunuch, "Quickly call Madam Xie and ask her to bring medicine and call back the imperial physician. I didn't expect Lord Xie to be so seriously injured. Didn't the imperial physician say his condition is stable?"

He just couldn't go to the battlefield anymore and just lived a few more years, but he was happy to act like a kind and benevolent monarch.

Soon, a nimble eunuch ran in and whispered something in the emperor's ear. The emperor paced back and forth in frustration and shouted outside, "Where's the imperial physician? Hurry!"

If something happened to Xie Yingan and his wife at the same time in the palace, who knows how the news would spread outside!

He knew that behind Xie Yingan's wife was the mysterious Zhang family. The entire Li family was supporting the Zhang family in a comforting way, neither reusing them nor letting them go!

He did not dare to kill them rashly. Apart from thinking of finding the Song family's bloodline to repay his gratitude, the Zhang family was also sensible and did not have much contact with court officials and the harem.

Even if they were to marry, the women they chose were not presentable. Although he had raised the orphans of the previous dynasty at home, this was something that had been tacitly approved by three generations of the Li family. After all, the Li family had taken over the Song dynasty, and there were still old Song officials in the court, so they needed to stabilize the country. As long as the Zhang family didn't go too far, he could continue to tolerate it.

He didn't take the Zhang family's marriage with Xie Ying'an seriously at first.

Xie Ying'an came from a grassroots background, his foundation was unstable, and his health was damaged. Not only could he not lead troops, but even living a few more years was a luxury.

Zhang Jizhi was a fool since childhood. He had never learned the etiquette and social interactions of the upper class. The Zhang family had no relatives or old friends in the court, so he was considered an isolated minister and posed no threat to his son.

Just as Xie Ying'an himself said, he had killed three fiancées in a row. Zhang Jizhi was compatible with him in horoscope. The Zhang family married their daughter to him so that she would have a family line after her death. He himself also wanted to have a companion after his death and no longer be alone.

Listen to how tragic and sad it is. He is a benevolent emperor, so how could he not help his meritorious ministers?

After the imperial physician was at his wit's end, Zhang Jizhi was quickly carried over on a sedan chair. The maidservant beside Zhang Jizhi didn't know that Xie Ying'an's life-saving medicine was with Zhang Jizhi.

The emperor disliked the foul smell of the couple dying in the palace, so he ordered two imperial physicians to escort the unconscious couple back to the marquis's residence.

Zhang Jizhi was in dire straits because of this incident. She saw from afar that after her parents died, her elder brother was in a coma. Wen Yuanzhi's sister brought a pharmacist from Yaowang Valley to treat him, but after she saw her brother, she was also unable to cure him and Zhang Xiaozhi died soon.

There was nothing wrong with Zhang Langzhi inheriting the throne of Duke, but it was full of controversy in the court. After all, Duke Anguo Zhang Xiaozhi did not leave any will about the succession before his death.