The night was cool and deep.
Gloomy clouds had completely enshrouded the imperial city.
In Ji Zizhao's dark eyes, no starlight could be seen, only a biting chill surging within.
As soon as the Second Prince arrived at the imperial city, he would undoubtedly head straight for the palace without delay. By then, the military dispatch detailing the Ji family's crimes would certainly be delivered to the Emperor's hands.
When that time came, right and wrong would be inverted, and truth and falsehood would be muddled.
Even if the people were on their side, it was unlikely to prevent the Emperor's furious wrath.
Two days...
Only two days left!
Ji Zizhao breathed in the cool, watery air, forcing herself to calm down.
Qing Zhu stood by worriedly, already prepared to face death. "Why don't I secretly escort all the Ji family women and children out of the city and head for Bianjing immediately?"
Bianjing was located south of the imperial city, and its prefect, Yang Fu, was Lin Wanyun's maternal uncle.
"Don't say my maternal grandfather wouldn't dare to shelter us. Even if he could help us, we couldn't go and endanger him."
In the face of the Emperor's wrath, no one could stand in the way.
Her maternal grandfather might be able to control things in Bianjing, but before the Emperor, he was nothing!
Ji Zizhao grasped Qing Zhu's hand. "Qing Zhu, go now and send a message to Chen Gang and the others. Tell them to quickly spread the word that the shipment is early, and the medicinal herbs will arrive outside the main city at Phoenix Mountain tomorrow night, during the Hai hour."
Qing Zhu was startled. "Miss, you intend to...?"
Ji Zizhao took a deep breath. "Go quickly."
Qing Zhu nodded, leaped up, and flew out of the Ji family's courtyard.
Since the Second Prince's return to the imperial city was the crucial point, the most important thing now was to completely freeze that critical juncture.
If, according to what the messenger just said, the Second Prince's convoy would arrive at Phoenix Mountain at the earliest by the Hai hour tomorrow...
"Uncle Ji, before tomorrow night, bring a few discreet guards to Phoenix Mountain beforehand. Lie in wait there without making a move for the time being. Once you see Chen Gang leading his men, lure the people following Chen Gang towards the Second Prince's convoy, and then find a way to instigate a dispute between the Second Prince's convoy and those following Chen Gang."
The Ji family alone could not resist a thousand jin of force, but by borrowing strength, one could overcome a thousand jin with four ounces.
Ji Zizhao paused and added, "At all costs, you must ensure the Second Prince is trapped at Phoenix Mountain!"
Zhang Ji nodded, then looked towards the woodshed behind him. "What do you plan to do with the messenger inside, young lady?"
Ji Zizhao's eyes were as dark as water. "Kill him."
Under an avalanche, not a single snowflake is innocent.
Although the messenger was acting under the Second Prince's orders, if she hadn't stopped him today, he would have naturally become the first blade to be plunged into the Ji family by the Second Prince.
Moments later, a heart-wrenching scream came from the woodshed behind them, but soon, the sound vanished into the night.
Ji Zizhao turned around calmly and walked towards Zhaoyuan.
She had indeed wasted more than ten years, drifting along with the current in this unjust and chaotic world.
But having lived two lives, she had never claimed to be a good person.
Upon returning to her room, Ji Zizhao took up her brush, ground the ink, and after writing two letters, she had Xin Lan summon Grandma He.
In a moment, Grandma He hurried in. "Miss."
Ji Zizhao walked to Grandma He with the two letters. "At midnight tomorrow, be sure to deliver these two letters to the Fourth Prince's mansion, and return immediately after delivery."
"Return immediately after delivery" meant no waiting for a reply.
Grandma He was taken aback, but seeing the solemn expression on her young lady's face, she knew this was no trivial matter. She cautiously tucked the two letters into her embrace and hurried away.
Grandma He was an old servant of the Ji family, and many matters concerning maintaining relationships with various mansions were handled by her. Sheng Imperial City was small, and officials were interconnected. Although the Ji family had no dealings with the Fourth Prince's mansion, it was not difficult for Grandma He to discreetly deliver two letters.
Ji Zizhao walked to the window, gazing at the gloomy night sky.
Everything that needed to be done had been done. Now, all that was left was to wait.
Meanwhile, Chen Gang had already received the message from Qing Zhu and had summoned the managers of other medical halls to Xuanyige for discussions overnight.
The managers were surprised that the Jin family's pharmacy, backed by the Xuanping Marquis's mansion, would target the medicinal herbs transported by the Four Great Medical Halls. If it weren't for the instructions from their respective heads, Xin Bi of Huichun Tang and Xin Wangcan of Miaoshou Zhai would have rushed directly to the Xuanping Marquis's mansion to ask if they had any shame left!
Regarding Ji Zizhao, the heads of the Four Great Medical Halls trusted her unconditionally.
Despite their anger, the managers still followed Ji Zizhao's instructions that night, bribing beggars near Temple Street to spread the news that the Four Great Medical Halls would pick up the goods at Phoenix Mountain tomorrow.
To make the charade convincing, the Four Great Medical Halls specially closed their doors for a day on the second day.
Xuanping Marquis's Mansion.
Jin Qianyu, the son of the Xuanping Marquis, was eating with his wife and child when he heard that the manager of the Jin family pharmacy had arrived.
Jin Qianyu put down his chopsticks. "Let him in."
Shortly after, the manager of the Jin family pharmacy entered, bowing. "Young Master, news has spread in the city that the medicinal herbs transported by the Four Great Medical Halls today will be delivered to Phoenix Mountain around the Hai hour."
Jin Qianyu frowned. "Is the news reliable?"
The manager was momentarily speechless. He had come too hastily and had not personally verified it.
Ji Ruyun served Jin Qianyu a bowl of soup. "Isn't it simple to gather information? Since the Four Great Medical Halls are going out to pick up goods, they must make preparations in advance. Xueyan, personally take some people out and stroll around the streets."
Jin Xueyan quickly put down her bowl and chopsticks, lifted her skirt, and left the room.
Although Jin Qianyu said no words of praise, he proactively took the bowl of soup offered by Ji Ruyun.
Ji Ruyun smiled charmingly, her lips curling in self-satisfaction.
Since the Ji family's decline, her status in this mansion had become increasingly precarious. Just a few days ago, she had heard that the Xuanping Marquis intended to find a secondary wife for Jin Qianyu.
Now that the Ji family could no longer be relied upon, Ji Ruyun had to find her own way to secure her position.
Therefore, when she learned that Jin Qianyu intended to send people to intercept the medicinal herbs of the Four Great Medical Halls, she had been helping him all along.
Moreover, the Jin family's pharmacy was now under Jin Qianyu's name. If the pharmacy business flourished, she would naturally have more financial resources.
Jin Qianyu understood Ji Ruyun's calculations, but he didn't care. What he wanted now was to make money through the Jin family pharmacy, so that he could pave his way in officialdom.
Therefore, this time, no matter what method he used, he had to seize the goods of the Four Great Medical Halls, so that he could sell his astragalus at a high price to the Four Great Medical Halls.
In the hall, as the two were lost in their own thoughts, Jin Xueyan returned with a smile.
"All the Four Great Medical Halls are closed, and their gates are locked tight! I specifically asked the small vendors next to the medical halls, and they said that because the amount of goods delivered this time is large, the managers of the Four Great Medical Halls will personally go to receive them."
Upon hearing this, Jin Qianyu could no longer restrain himself and revealed a deeply cunning smile. He took out a silver ingot from his embrace and threw it to the manager beside him. "Go and buy some good wine and food for those vagrants. Only when they are full and have had their fill can they have the strength to work!"
The manager took the silver, nodded with a sly expression, "Young Master, rest assured, I understand."