Xie Jingzhou certainly didn't believe that his fourth brother would abandon their seventh brother.
But with all the other princes gone, if he lingered, it would be obvious he had ulterior motives.
He returned to his residence, his face as dark as the night.
Luohong had just seen off Madam Song, who had come to deliver a letter, and noticing the fifth prince's foul mood, she remarked, "Madam Song came again to deliver a letter for Miss Ji Renran. It's the third time this month, you know."
Hearing Ji Renran's name now made Xie Jingzhou's heart ache. He instinctively wanted Luohong to throw the letter away, but after a moment's thought, he extended his hand.
Luohong, secretly surprised, reluctantly handed him the letter.
Xie Jingzhou opened it. The cloying platitudes inside made him feel sick.
A woman who dared to frame him so brazenly in front of their father, and now she had the audacity to claim she missed him?
Yet, Xie Jingzhou knew that now was not the time to discard Ji Renran.
Just like now, Ji Renran stated with certainty in her letter that back in the palace, it was Ji Zizhao who had noticed something and tampered with things...
Ji Renran even adamantly claimed that Ji Zizhao had admitted it herself.
If it were any other woman, Xie Jingzhou would have scoffed.
But Ji Zizhao...
"Luohong, go and summon Lord Li and the others."
The events in the palace had been executed flawlessly.
If, as Ji Renran claimed, it was all Ji Zizhao's doing...
Then if his fourth brother could sit so peacefully in his residence now, it was likely that Ji Zizhao had interfered in Tonglin.
After all, Ji Zizhao and his fourth brother had long been involved in clandestine dealings.
Soon, the fifth prince's strategists quietly arrived at the residence.
However, when Xie Jingzhou shared his thoughts with them, he was met with a chorus of shocked expressions.
Some even genuinely believed that the fifth prince had lost his mind...
If he hadn't, why would he bring up Ji Zizhao out of the blue?
They were engaged in matters of imperial succession; such things were not for women to comment on.
Those women who only knew how to vie for favor in their inner courtyards, likely didn't even know what national affairs were.
Even though Ji Zizhao was currently serving in the palace, essentially just a physician, the fifth prince's suspicion towards a woman of her standing was astonishing to them.
The strategists certainly wouldn't waste their energy on a woman. If word of this got out, they would lose all face.
Besides, the high-ranking officials in court were all strongly advising the Emperor to reinstate the seventh prince for their daughters' marriages. When the Emperor truly wavered, they could then spare no effort in recommending the fifth prince.
Scorned by his strategists, Xie Jingzhou began to doubt himself.
Perhaps he had overestimated Ji Zizhao.
The strategists stayed in the fifth prince's residence until late into the night before secretly departing through the back gate.
Within the time it took to drink a cup of tea, Huo Nian gong stood before Xie Jinglan.
"So, the fifth prince intends to retreat to advance?" Xie Jinglan was not surprised by this news. After all, to those self-righteous officials, Ji Zizhao's presence was an anomaly.
"The fifth prince's strategists believe he has overestimated the eldest daughter of the Ji family."
"Not overestimated, they have underestimated Ji Zizhao."
Facing Xie Jingzhou, who was subtly fanning the flames from the shadows while gathering his strength, Xie Jinglan remained still.
Thus, the fifth prince's strategists also remained hidden in the court, allowing officials who desperately wanted to arrange their daughters' marriages and the strategists of other princes to continue their persistent entreaties to the Emperor.
The imperial court remained a turbulent sea of conflict.
Meanwhile, far away in Tonglin, the old General Zhong received a letter from Ji Zizhao.
Upon opening it, the characters flowed like clouds and water, the writing like mist and smoke.
The old General Zhong was not surprised; a righteous heart produces righteous writing, and Ji Zizhao possessed excellent calligraphy.
What did surprise him, however, was that Ji Zizhao had sent a letter all the way from afar with a single request.
Ji Zizhao knew that with the old General Zhong's integrity, once Tonglin was secured, he would undoubtedly personally petition the Emperor regarding the Tonglin military funds and the significant contributions of the Four Great Medical Halls.
If the Emperor were to learn of this, he would surely bestow generous rewards, and the Four Great Medical Halls would then stand even more firmly in the capital.
However, excessive merit could invite scrutiny. Once the Four Great Medical Halls became too conspicuous, the Emperor would inevitably conduct a secret investigation.
At that point, Ji Zizhao's connection to the Four Great Medical Halls would be difficult to conceal.
Furthermore, with her impending marriage to the fourth prince, Ji Zizhao did not wish for too much fanfare.
Rather than being the center of attention, it was better to hide her brilliance.
The old General Zhong read the elegant and unrestrained handwriting on the letter. Even as he read it line by line, he couldn't help but pace in circles, holding the letter.
He was stunned.
He had suspected Ji Zizhao had ties to the Four Great Medical Halls, but he had never imagined...
That she was the head of the Four Great Medical Halls!
Now, the old General Zhong was not only shocked but also deeply impressed.
Who wouldn't want to be in the spotlight, to be looked up to?
Otherwise, why would so many people vie for that seat?
Yet, the current Ji Zizhao, for the sake of the greater good, was willing to temper her own brilliance...
In this regard alone, she was likely superior to countless men in this world.
However, as he read further, the old General Zhong's expression began to darken.
This was because, at the end of the letter, Ji Zizhao was clearly pleading for the seventh prince.
Yet, Ji Zizhao's plea was unlike others; she did not use flowery words.
Instead, she suggested that General Zhong use his own strong principles to give the seventh prince another chance.
For anyone else, the old General Zhong would have dismissed it.
But for Ji Zizhao...
He felt compelled to owe her this favor.
At this very moment, Xie Jingqi, who was leading Ji Zimo and Han Jingyu in slaughtering Xirong soldiers outside Tonglin city, learned that he had been impeached by the old General Zhong with a military order. However, he paid it no mind.
He only knew that what one saw with their own eyes was entirely different from what they heard.
He saw the people of Tonglin, in the midst of war, ravaged by Xirong, their bodies lying strewn across the land, their families shattered.
Therefore, from the day he arrived in Tonglin, he had tightened his grip on his long sword.
You Xirong are harming the common people?
Then I shall harm you!
Do not let me see your soldiers, or I shall kill one for every one I see!
In this period, Xie Jingqi had killed no less than a hundred Xirong soldiers.
This had left the Xirong garrison commander utterly bewildered.
Xirong had occupied Tonglin persistently, waiting for Yu to provide an explanation.
Since ancient times, occupying a city meant either fighting to reclaim it or ransoming it back.
But look at that seventh prince of Yu Lin. He speaks of no terms, fights no battles, but secretly kills their soldiers every day...
Like a thief stealing chickens.
This had driven the Xirong general to despair.
He had never seen such tactics!