News of the old madam fainting and then waking up quickly spread throughout the Ji family.
However, the daughters-in-law who once bowed respectfully to the old madam seemed very calm. Even the sisters sitting in Zhaoyuan at this moment were surprisingly unfazed.
It wasn't that they were heartless, but having just gone through a life-or-death ordeal, they couldn't muster much sympathy for their grandmother who had fainted so abruptly, leaving the Ji family behind.
They were filial, but they were not foolish.
The old madam fainting might be understandable due to her age, but rushing to pack her belongings upon waking was bewildering. They weren't blind to the fact that the old madam intended to abandon them and flee alone.
In contrast, their eldest sister, who had faced death with them, was the one they truly cared about and worried for.
Mama He, carrying tea, observed the subtle shifts in the young ladies' expressions and secretly glanced at her young lady.
Could it be that her young lady had known all along that the old madam would abscond with the family fortune, and that's why she had intentionally alerted the Ji family?
Ji Zizhao calmly accepted the teacup handed to her by Mama He.
It was true that she had warned her family, but she hadn't thought much about her grandmother's reaction. However, given her grandmother's extremely selfish nature, she wouldn't be disappointed.
"Eldest Sister, are we truly out of danger this time?" Ji Ziyan took a sip of tea, her heart still pounding. The scene at the palace gate just moments ago felt like a dream.
"The defeat at Luoyi has been revealed as the truth. The Emperor has spoken his golden words and publicly cleared the Ji family's name. He will not retract his statement. However, the road ahead is still long, and no one can guarantee that the Ji family will forever remain peaceful."
For people to grow, they must face the harsh realities before them.
Ji Zizhao didn't feel the need to hide anything from her sisters. On the contrary, only by quickly helping them understand the current situation could she make them more confident in how to move forward.
Ji Ziyan and Ji Zibi felt uneasy.
They knew their eldest sister never lied, which was precisely why they were more worried.
Eldest Sister was right. The men of the Ji family were gone, but the Ji family's future was still long. Unfortunately, they were born into the Ji family but had no ambition for official careers. Even normal men found it difficult to excel in officialdom, let alone daughters who were considered inferior from birth.
But if they did nothing, all the burden would fall upon their eldest sister. They didn't want that.
"Eldest Sister, what do you think I should do?"
"Me too. I'm willing to do anything Eldest Sister asks."
Ji Zizhao looked at her two younger sisters who genuinely wanted to grow. She taught them patiently and guided them earnestly. "When treating illness, one must prescribe the right medicine. When leading one's life, one should not worry about not having a position, but rather how one can establish oneself. It's not about me wanting you to do something, and then you do it, but rather it's about what you *can* do that can truly help the Ji family. Therefore, by excelling in your respective paths, you will help the Ji family regain its footing in this turbulent world."
Ji Zizhao was not a product of this era. She came from a more distant and advanced modern civilization, so her thoughts were full of freedom, tolerance, and even laissez-faire.
Ji Ziyan and Ji Zibi were a bit confused, and their hearts felt a pang of sadness.
So this was what it meant to be independent.
Although Ji Ziyan had returned to the Ji family from her husband's home like her eldest sister, she considered herself incapable of matching her eldest sister's freedom. However, being meticulous and cautious since childhood, she had already decided in her heart to help her eldest sister manage the household affairs, thus lightening her burden. Su Dan Novel Network.
Ji Zibi had been involved in running goods for many years. Although she was still a small player helping the four major medical halls transport medicinal herbs, her extensive experience outside had made her the most comprehensive and well-informed.
Ji Zizhao fully supported the ideas of her two sisters.
While the inner circle of the Ji family seemed simple, in reality, it was full of restless hearts. It would be best for their third sister to manage the domestic affairs.
Currently, the medical halls in the imperial city were saturated. However, there were few formal medical halls in other small towns. Ji Zizhao had already planned to establish medical halls in various towns, and having their fourth sister act as an intermediary to supervise them would be the most appropriate.
To put it bluntly, for the Ji family to stand tall again, mere power struggles were not enough; they also needed to make money.
Only with wealth and power in hand would the Ji family be needed by the court.
And only by being valued by the court would they receive the protection of imperial power.
The young ladies stayed in Zhaoyuan for a while longer before getting up to leave.
However, Ji Zixiu, who had been sitting beside them the entire time, had no intention of leaving. Only after Ji Ziyan and Ji Zibi had left the courtyard did she speak, "Did you all know the truth about the Ji family men being murdered beforehand?"
Ji Zizhao nodded, not hiding or deceiving her at all.
Mama He watched her young lady nod, her heart tightening in her chest.
Oh, my dear young lady, what kind of temper does the second young lady have? She used to draw her sword against the second master at the slightest disagreement. While it's true that honesty towards family is important... shouldn't you consider our Zhaoyuan, Miss?
Mama He looked up at the sky with concern, ready to brace herself for the spectacular scene of windows and door frames being torn down.
Unexpectedly, after hearing her eldest sister's words, Ji Zixiu remained surprisingly calm.
Even she found it incredible, but she just couldn't get angry. Moreover, she clearly understood that it was because she was too impulsive that her eldest sister had chosen to hide things from her.
With an indescribable sense of guilt and unwillingness, Ji Zixiu suddenly stood up.
Mama He: "..."
Was she going to tear down walls or houses?
"I know I was a bit impulsive and had a bad temper, but I can change all of that." As if afraid she would forget, Ji Zixiu paused and gritted her teeth, "I will definitely change!"
With that, she turned and left.
Just as Ji Zixiu was about to walk out, Ji Zizhao suddenly spoke, "Second Sister, do you still remember your childhood aspirations?"
Ji Zixiu froze at the doorway, her heart suddenly feeling a tightness.
Of course, she remembered. The first words she uttered as a child were that she wanted to be a female general.
Although the Emperor had granted Ji family women the right to join the army, no one truly believed that women could serve in the military, let alone become generals. After years of persuasion from everyone, even she had forgotten her youthful ambition.
"Dressed in fine clothes, riding spirited horses, fighting on the battlefield, standing tall and fearless," Ji Zizhao's voice slowly sounded from behind her again.
Ji Zixiu turned back to look at her eldest sister in disbelief, her eyes already red.
These were her childhood words, words she herself had forgotten, yet her eldest sister remembered them...
Not a single word missing.
"The Ji family needs a general to hold its reputation, but I don't want to force you. If your aspirations remain unchanged, I am willing to be your strong support, just like Third Sister and Fourth Sister. Whatever you want to do, do it with confidence. As long as Eldest Sister is here, there is nothing to fear."
This was the greatest indulgence Ji Zizhao could offer as an elder sister.
Ji Zixiu's nose felt blocked, and her throat was extremely sore, but she still mustered all her strength and shouted, "I will never let you down!"
Ji Zizhao smiled faintly, "Of course, my sisters are always the most outstanding."
Such a heartwarming scene moved even Mama He to tears.
Cultivating a general was incredibly difficult, requiring a significant amount of financial and material resources. Such indulgence was something others might wish for but lack the means to provide.
"Mama He, you have a wide network of contacts. Tomorrow, find a few good martial arts instructors to bring in. Also, open the small kitchen in the embroidery room and have someone prepare improved meals for Second Sister daily. Expenses are not an issue. In the future, have people report directly to Third Sister, and then Third Sister will report to me."
The army recruits young soldiers every January. Joining the military or civil service was similar; the younger one was, the brighter the future. She hoped her second sister could catch up.
Mama Xu nodded and went out.
Xinlan lifted the curtain and entered, "Miss, the First Madam says the Fourth Prince is leaving and has asked everyone to go to the front courtyard to see him off."