"Bang!"
Zou Li, who had been silent all along, suddenly slammed the table and stood up.
The abruptness and loudness of his movement startled his wife, who was sitting beside him.
Zou Hansheng also froze, "Father, this is..."
Zou Li's body trembled with anger. He pointed at his son and roared, "Do you still have the face to ask me? Haven't I repeatedly warned you to handle the imperial examinations properly? If you didn't want the internal selection and decided to participate in the examinations, you should have taken it seriously! And what did you do?"
Zou Hansheng truthfully replied, "Your son has naturally abided by Father's instructions and has been diligently preparing for the imperial examinations."
Zou Li clung to the last sliver of hope, "Did you truly give your all?"
Zou Hansheng solemnly put down his chopsticks, "Naturally."
Zou Li, "..."
That's it.
Even the last glimmer of hope was extinguished.
"You are the only one who knows if you gave your all, but that Ji Zizhao didn't even try her best!"
"Father, what do you mean by that?"
"What I mean is, she deliberately let you win and made you a target!" After saying this, Zou Li felt a sense of relief.
One's son had to be disciplined by his own father, otherwise, he would be disciplined by others in the future.
However, Zou Hansheng didn't understand his father's words at all. "Why does Father doubt your son so much? I admit that Ji Zizhao is indeed capable, but she is nowhere near my equal. Even if Father wants to push your son to improve, there's no need to slander your son like this!"
With that, he turned and left.
Zou Li was so angry he almost flipped the table.
Seeing this, Mrs. Zou quickly poured Zou Li some tea to calm him down, "My Lord, please calm your anger. What exactly happened?"
Zou Li looked at his wife's worried expression. Amidst his burning anger, he sighed helplessly, "What else could have happened? Your good son was used as a shield and is still smugly unaware of it."
Mrs. Zou was stunned for a moment, "My Lord means Ji Zizhao deliberately lagged behind! But, but why would she do that?"
Zou Li sighed heavily again, "Why else? Of course, to conceal her sharpness and hide her strength."
Seeking employment in the palace was indeed a desirable position.
However, the palace was not as beautiful as it appeared on the surface.
Imperial physicians entering the palace were like imperial consorts entering the palace; every influential concubine wanted to bring them under their wing.
And the more outstanding someone was, the more eyes would be watching them.
Therefore, those who could pass the examinations to enter the Imperial Hospital each year were not the truly skilled ones; those who could truly establish themselves in the Imperial Hospital were the ones with real ability.
"That Ji Zizhao, at such a young age, deeply understands these principles, showing her intelligence. Dealing with someone like her requires more than just medical skills." It was precisely because Zou Li was worried about his son that he had such a temper. He only wished his son could understand that some people's apparent timidity was not their true nature.
Zou Hansheng naturally did not understand his father's good intentions.
He simply believed that his father was trying to dampen his spirits and praise others.
He was determined to prove to his father that he was the best.
Tossing and turning all night.
As soon as dawn broke, Zou Hansheng, who had not slept, busied himself inquiring about the results of the third round of examinations.
Zou Hansheng had already planned that once the results were announced, he would personally present the results to his father to prove that he was the strongest.
The result...
When the results of the imperial examinations were released, Zou Hansheng was the most dumbfounded.
Ji Zizhao...
Ranked first in the third round of the imperial examinations!
Zou Hansheng, "..."
It would not be an exaggeration to say he was struck by lightning.
Thinking that his father had been the invigilator yesterday, Zou Hansheng, who was filled with indignation, felt that his father had deliberately let Ji Zizhao off easy, intending to use such a method to force him forward.
Zou Li was stunned by his son's questioning.
He wished he could have let her off easy, but the problem was there was no water to let off!
As expected, father and son had a huge argument.
When Mrs. Zou heard the news, she became restless in the mansion. After much thought, she called over her personal maid and said, "Go to the Tong family and deliver a calling card to the Ji family's remarried eldest madam, telling her I wish to meet as soon as possible."
The maid did not dare to delay and quickly took the calling card to the Tong family.
As the gates of the Tong family were opened, the news of Ji Zizhao ranking first in the third round of the imperial examinations spread throughout the imperial city.
When Zhang Shuzhong saw the results, his eyes crinkled with laughter, "Two second places, one first place. Not only did I not ruin my reputation, but I also avoided the spotlight. That little girl is quite cunning..."
The Ji family also rejoiced upon hearing the news.
The ladies from all the branches rolled up their sleeves and plunged into the kitchen. Sister Zhao had achieved a great victory, and they had to cook something delicious to nourish her.
When Madam Xu delivered the news to the Old Madam, the Old Madam was staring blankly at the bed curtains above her head.
There was anger, and even more so, worry. Sudan Fiction Network.
The Old Madam finally understood that Ji Zizhao's plea to the Emperor to revoke the Ji family's hereditary privilege was just the beginning of her revenge.
And in the future, Ji Zizhao would rely on herself to prove to her, bit by bit, that the Ji family could only prosper with Ji Zizhao's help, and her beloved grandson was nothing more than a useless parasite.
At this moment, the Old Madam finally had to admit that her granddaughter was more ruthless than she had imagined.
But the Old Madam would never admit that her grandson was useless.
He was the grandson she had doted on and raised. She had placed all her hopes on that grandson. Even if her grandson could not become the heir, he would absolutely not disappoint her.
In Fengyi Palace, Empress Zhong was also overjoyed upon receiving the news. She immediately ordered a dinner to be prepared and summoned her two sons, who had finished their duties, to dine in the palace.
At the round table, Empress Zhong looked at her two sons, her eyes full of tenderness.
She remembered when they were first brought to her side, they were just two little sprouts. In the blink of an eye, they had grown into adults who were about to marry and start their own families.
Xie Jingqi felt a shiver under the Empress's gaze, "Mother, just say what you want. Looking at me like this puts a lot of pressure on me."
Empress Zhong rolled her eyes at him, "I did ask you two to come to the palace for a reason."
Xie Jinglan knew that his mother wouldn't have them come for a free meal. Hearing that there was a matter, he put down his chopsticks and became serious.
Seeing his fourth brother also put down his chopsticks, Xie Jingqi quickly picked up a piece of pork rib and popped it into his mouth. Only then did he reluctantly put down his chopsticks.
Empress Zhong was very pleased with her sons' upbringing. She paused and then said, "The portraits of the noble ladies have been submitted to me from each sleeping chamber. Once I have reviewed them, I will present them to the Emperor. If there are no issues, the marriages of the princes of appropriate age this year will be settled."
Xie Jingqi felt a bit flustered, "Mother, you must find me someone reliable."
Empress Zhong ignored him and looked at Xie Jinglan, "You two are indeed of age, especially the fourth one. You were supposed to get married the year before last, but it kept getting delayed. I indulged you because I didn't have anyone in mind either, but this year is different. I think that eldest young lady from the Ji family is quite good. What do you think, fourth one?"