Ji Zixiu glared at Xie Jingqi, furious.
That good-for-nothing fifth prince, he hadn't bothered to help the Ji family when they were in trouble, but now that the Ji family was fine, he was trying to play the hero. If it were before, perhaps it would have been acceptable, but after everything they had been through, she would naturally stand up for her elder sister.
"It's one thing for that fifth prince to be shameless and insist on staying with our Ji family, but are the rest of your royal family also shameless?" She didn't know how they expected to stay here, did they plan to reside here by the year?
When Xie Jingqi heard Ji Zixiu curse Xie Jingzhou, his anger instantly dissipated. He looked Ji Zixiu up and down, "This little girl has good taste."
He was happy as long as someone cursed Xie Jingzhou.
However, in Ji Zixiu's mind, the person in front of her was no different from the one lying in the backyard.
With this thought, Ji Zixiu raised her whip again with full force.
"Second Miss, you must not be so rude!" Granny He hurried over.
Upon seeing that the newcomer was someone from her elder sister's courtyard, Ji Zixiu did indeed stop.
Granny He quickly approached the Seventh Prince, "Your Highness, please forgive us. Our Second Miss does not know you and did not intend to offend you."
Ji Zixiu hadn't expected that this burly young man was actually the current Seventh Prince. Although she looked down on the royal family, she knew she couldn't cause trouble for the Ji family. She silently coiled the whip back around her slender waist and turned to leave.
Xie Jingqi, happy that someone shared his taste, was certainly not one to haggle over trivial matters. He instructed Granny He to pack the items, and before leaving, he deliberately stomped on them a few times.
After watching the Seventh Prince depart, Granny He ordered her people to clean up the items stained with footprints. She then returned to Zhaoyuan to report the events truthfully.
"You said the Seventh Prince came?"
"Indeed, it was the Seventh Prince."
Ji Zizhao looked up from the ledger before her, a flicker of surprise in her dark eyes.
Spreading the news of the Fifth Prince's stay at the Ji family was indeed a tactic to gain leverage.
However, the imperial city was too vast, and it was unrealistic to spread the news throughout the alleys and streets in just one night.
When Ji Zizhao had sent Qingzhu to spread the message, she had calculated that it would take at least until tomorrow for the ministers who were waiting for a change in fortune to receive the news. Just as her plans were falling into place, she heard that someone had come to deliver items from the Fifth Prince.
Ji Zizhao had met the Seventh Prince before, which was precisely why she was even more certain that, given his personality, he would never do such a thing.
But thinking about the Seventh Prince and the Fourth Prince's close relationship...
Everything made sense.
It was clear that the Fourth Prince intended to do a favor.
But...
If this person's plan was as she suspected, he should have come to the door himself.
Ji Zizhao furrowed her brows, suddenly realizing she truly couldn't stand that man any longer.
Ji Zizhao got up, took three small porcelain bottles from the shelf, and handed them to Granny He. "Please give these to Second Sister."
Granny He watched her young lady return to her ledger, and with a concerned tone, she urged, "Miss, you should rest early."
Ji Zizhao nodded without speaking, but she knew in her heart that tonight would likely be a sleepless one.
Ji Zizhao's premonition was correct. Half an hour later, several ministers knocked on the Ji family's door. Before the Ji family's servants could even react, more ministers began to arrive...
These ministers didn't have a good relationship with the male members of the Ji family in court, but now that the Emperor had cleared the Ji family's name, if they didn't come to mourn, it would be an insult to the Emperor.
Initially, they had dismissed the rumors of the Fifth Prince staying at the Ji family as gossip. Even if a prince lacked spirit, he should still have pride, how could he shamelessly stay at the Ji family? Was he truly so desperate to pursue a wife?
But the ministers found themselves slap in the face.
Not only had the Fifth Prince stayed, but the Seventh Prince had also personally delivered gifts.
The truth was, the Fifth Prince was indeed shameless.
These ministers communicated with each other. Although they greatly looked down upon the Fifth Prince's desperate advances, since a prince had come to the Ji family to pay respects, it was evident that the Ji family's grievances would be redressed soon.
After all, no one understood the Emperor's intentions better than his princes.
Thus, those ministers who were waiting for a change in fortune could no longer sit still and flocked to the Ji family to mourn that very night.
In the blink of an eye, the Ji family was flooded with guests.
Madam Lin Wanyun looked at the incense burner for the male members of the Ji family and let out a heavy sigh of relief.
The female members of the Ji family were overwhelmed with emotion. Watching the ministers pay their respects to the cenotaph of the male members of the Ji family, their throats felt choked.
Finally, the male members of the Ji family could depart with dignity.
From evening until morning, the incense for the male members of the Ji family never ceased.
The servants in the front courtyard had just seen off one group of ministers when another arrived.
Ji Zizhao finally fell asleep at dawn, only to wake up after two hours.
Everyone else might have thought the Ji family was calm and peaceful, but only she knew that the Second Prince was merely a scapegoat. The person truly manipulating everything behind the scenes was currently enjoying impunity within the Ji family.
Xinlan had guarded here all night. Early in the morning, Yongmei replaced her to serve.
Yongmei knew that her young lady was growing increasingly cold towards her. If it were any other time, she wouldn't bother serving this ungrateful young lady. But now, the Fifth Prince was at the Ji family, and she certainly didn't want to miss the opportunity to meet him.
"Miss, I've already instructed someone to stew a nourishing soup with goji berries, red dates, and black chicken."
For whom this soup was intended was self-evident.
Ji Zizhao looked at Yongmei behind her through the bronze mirror. "It's thoughtful of you."
An uncontrollable smile spread across Yongmei's face. "It's my duty to help Miss. I believe the soup will be ready soon. Shall I accompany Miss?"
Having only arrived for a day, she was already so eager to meet him.
Heh...
Disgusting.
Ji Zizhao suppressed the wave of nausea and took in the ambition flashing in Yongmei's eyes. "I have other matters to attend to later and might not have the time. You go by yourself."
Yongmei hadn't expected her young lady to not seize such a good opportunity. However, on second thought, this meant she would have a chance to be alone with the Fifth Prince. She smiled and agreed.
After Yongmei left, Ji Zizhao called Granny He into the room. "You go to the main courtyard... and tell Granny Xu that I sent you."
Granny He nodded and turned to leave.
Just then, Zhang Ji walked over. Seeing the white strands at Granny He's temples, he tenderly tidied a few stray hairs before stepping forward and stopping at the doorway.
"Greetings to Eldest Miss."
Ji Zizhao rose and personally welcomed Zhang Ji inside. "Uncle Ji, please sit."
Zhang Ji, preoccupied with his thoughts, didn't sit down. Instead, he took a step forward and lowered his voice. "I've investigated what Eldest Miss asked me to look into. During the Second Prince's time in Luoyi, the Zhao and Sun families had no correspondence with the Second Prince. Instead, they were very close to the Fifth Prince, especially the Sun family, who frequently visited the Fifth Prince's mansion late at night."
It was evident that the Fifth Prince was also involved in framing the Ji family.
Zhang Ji gritted his teeth, unwillingly saying, "It's my incompetence. I couldn't find more concrete evidence. It's all just hearsay."
"Uncle Ji need not blame yourself."
The Fifth Prince had managed to hide his intentions for so many years, which spoke volumes about his unfathomable depth.
"We have no evidence now. Even if we know this is related to the Fifth Prince, we'll be helpless. Should I investigate the Zhao and Sun families more thoroughly?" Zhang Ji's teeth gnashed with hatred at the thought of the perpetrator who harmed the Ji family getting away with it.
Ji Zizhao, however, said, "There's no need for such trouble. To find the answer, we only need to beat the grass and startle the snake."
Zhang Ji blinked. "Eldest Miss means..."
A sharp glint flashed in Ji Zizhao's dark eyes.
It was time to go and meet the Fifth Prince.