The ministers of the Fifth Prince's faction, upon hearing the news, immediately rushed to the Fifth Prince's manor for a secret discussion.
Initially, they had intended to mobilize all court officials to pressure the Emperor. That way, even if the Emperor favored the Seventh Prince, he would still have to consider the whispers in the court.
But now, the Seventh Prince had actually achieved merit?
At this point, not only could they no longer subtly pressure the Emperor, but they were also desperately hoping the Emperor wouldn't send the Fifth Prince.
The initial volley fired at Tonglin had been so resounding that it had shaken the entire Yulin. The Seventh Prince's undeniable military achievements were a foregone conclusion. If the Fifth Prince were to go now and Tonglin were to lose again, wouldn't all the credit go to the Seventh Prince, while the Fifth Prince would bear all the blame?
The entire afternoon, the Fifth Prince's faction was in a state of despair, unable to come up with any countermeasures.
After all, no one had expected the Seventh Prince to win in Tonglin while lying down!
Xie Jingzhou looked at the dejected ministers before him, his chest aching with anger.
But what use was anger? The entire Yulin had already been filled with news of the Seventh Prince's heroic deeds!
Even Emperor Xiaochang was so delighted that he couldn't stop smiling all day.
Finally able to hold his head high in front of his ministers, Emperor Xiaochang decided that very evening to go to the imperial retreat for a winter hunt.
However, it was different from previous years. In past years, besides the princes, only ministers of the third rank and above could accompany the hunt. But this time, the Emperor made an exception and allowed the young ladies who had participated in the imperial concubine selection to join as well.
When Ji Zizhao heard the news, she couldn't quite describe her feelings.
If it hadn't been for the Emperor's personal bias back then, the Ji family wouldn't have ended up in such a state.
Yet, this very person, whom Ji Zizhao hated to the bone, was paradoxically a wise ruler.
Although the flames of war in Tonglin had not directly reached their doorstep, the conflict had caused widespread anxiety among many of Yulin's citizens.
Now, the Emperor's grand winter hunt not only reassured the populace but also demonstrated the Yulin monarch's stance to the Western Rong, who occupied Yulin's territory.
This casual and confident display showed a complete disregard for the Western Rong.
With the initial victory already achieved by General Zhong, the Western Rong were in a state of extreme agitation. If they were to fall into disarray because of this and act impulsively, they might launch a preemptive strike. This, in turn, could accelerate the pace of the Tonglin campaign and possibly provide General Zhong's side with a breakthrough point, allowing them to capture the enemy in one fell swoop.
Only by quickening the tempo of the war could the suffering of the people be alleviated sooner.
Now, by allowing the young ladies who had participated in the imperial concubine selection to attend, the Emperor was, in essence, stabilizing the emotions of his ministers.
Once the ministers were reassured, they would undoubtedly unite their efforts and strive for victory in Tonglin, rather than fixating on finding fault with the Seventh Prince in Tonglin for the sake of various princes.
After all, only if the Seventh Prince returned with news of a great victory in Tonglin could their daughters be married off, couldn't they?
Ji Zizhao suddenly remembered a saying her grandfather had once spoken: "The affections of children, personal desires and ambitions are the nature of man. To be able to balance the greater picture makes one a gentleman. To prioritize national righteousness, to have the people in one's heart, to cherish the country, and to save all living beings from fire and water, that is a true ruler. Thus, public and private are not spoken words, but reside in the heart."
Thinking of her grandfather, her father, and her uncles from the past, Ji Zizhao couldn't help but clench her fingers.
Tears welled up, and her heart ached dully.
Perhaps, at this moment, Ji Zizhao finally understood why her grandfather, father, and uncles, despite knowing the danger was approaching, had still chosen to bravely sacrifice themselves.
However, she knew that forgiveness was still impossible.
"Miss, someone from the palace has delivered a message. They said that Physician Zhang will be on duty at the imperial palace during this winter hunt, and has specifically asked you to accompany Physician Zou to the imperial retreat for the hunt." When Jianqiu entered, she saw the lingering hatred in her young lady's tear-filled eyes, but being as astute as she was, she didn't ask further.
Upon hearing this, Ji Zizhao quickly regained her composure.
She understood her master's protective nature towards her. However, the objective of this arrangement was clearly to facilitate her reinstatement and allow her to participate alongside the other designated imperial consorts. Such a significant decision could not have been made by her master alone.
It was likely that the Empress had also played a part.
"Do you know who else is attending? And when we are scheduled to depart?"
"I heard that the Empress, Consort Xi, and several other consorts will also be attending. The departure date is set for the day after tomorrow."
"Then prepare accordingly."
Ji Zizhao stretched languidly. After so many days of rest, it was time to get invigorated.
After all, any occasion where Consort Xi was present could always be described as a battlefield.
Ji Renran, who was also notified to attend, was beside herself with excitement and quickly asked Nanny Song to pack her luggage.
She had heard that all the famous young ladies in the capital had received invitations when the Zhong family recognized their adopted grandson. Those who had entered the palace selection with her had also attended, yet the Zhong family had not sent her an invitation.
Now, the mere thought of being able to stand before others with pride, while Ji Zizhao was merely a junior official accompanying the Imperial Academy of Medicine, made Ji Renran yearn to stand out immediately and completely overshadow Ji Zizhao.
Therefore, on the day of departure, Ji Renran specifically instructed Nanny Song not to prepare a carriage. Instead, she waited by the mansion's entrance early in the morning, intending to share a carriage with Ji Zizhao to the palace gates.
When Jianqiu accompanied Ji Zizhao out, she saw Ji Renran, dressed in a light pink long dress and a pink-dyed fox fur short coat draped over her shoulders. From a distance, she looked as fresh and pure as a water-bloomed lotus.
Facing such an intentional and ostentatious Ji Renran, even Jianqiu, who had seen many battles, was rendered speechless by the disgust.
"I had long heard that my eldest sister would also be attending the winter hunt, so I took the liberty of wanting to accompany you. I hope eldest sister will not blame me." Ji Renran walked over proactively, still maintaining that innocent demeanor that suggested no matter what she did, you couldn't blame her.
Ji Zizhao remained calm, casting a cursory glance at Ji Renran. "Since Sister Renran knows I am attending, you must also know my identity for this trip requires me to arrive in advance. Instead of wasting time here, Sister Renran would be better off getting into a carriage quickly. If we truly delay the time, the Ji family cannot afford the consequences."
To put it more plainly, if the Ji family cannot afford it, what makes you think you can?
Do you intend to use your status as the Fifth Prince's concubine, who lost her virginity before marriage, to shoulder the responsibility? Sudong Novel Network
Ji Renran: "..."
Why was it so difficult to get the upper hand over Ji Zizhao!