The death of Xinlan caused a great stir in the Ji family.
More than half of the people in the Cloud Courtyard died, and the nannies there were beaten to within an inch of their lives.
As for the Crane Egret Courtyard, not only did the servants perish, but the entire courtyard was burned to ashes.
Seeing that Xinlan was given a grand burial under the eldest daughter's arrangements, all the servants in the Ji family felt a mix of emotions.
They were relieved that they had not provoked anyone from the Zhaoyuan Courtyard. At the same time, they deeply regretted underestimating the eldest daughter when they first entered the manor, believing her to be useless. No one wanted to be associated with her. Yet, the facts proved that a mistress who protected her servants in such a manner was a rare and invaluable find.
The madams of each household were overjoyed to hear that Gu Peilan's side had been wiped out, and they walked with renewed vigor.
The Old Madam's face was grim all day, as if everyone was deliberately defying her.
However, when Ji Zizhao paid her respects to the Old Madam each day, her demeanor remained as usual. She was neither quarrelsome nor disruptive, her calm and peaceful appearance making it seem as though the matter had already passed for everyone else.
But the Old Madam knew in her heart that back in the Crane Egret Courtyard, Ji Zizhao had wished she could strike her dead. How could she possibly let such a matter go so easily?
Thus, the more composed Ji Zizhao appeared, the more uneasy the Old Madam became.
Meanwhile, the citizens of the imperial city also learned that young master Ji Zongyou of the Ji family had moved to the Tong family for a temporary stay overnight.
The reasons were unimportant; after all, the imperial city was never short of onlookers.
Ji Zizhao had carelessly released the news, and naturally, people began to speculate that something had happened to Ji Zongyou.
Coupled with the vast disparity between the rich and the poor in the imperial city, there were always those who feared your prosperity and envied your good fortune.
As a result, rumors of Ji Zongyou being driven out of the Ji family and the Tong family being forced to take him in spread through every street and alley.
Of course, as is the nature of rumors, no matter how much the common people distorted them, they could not tarnish the Ji family's reputation.
But the Tong family was a different story.
The Old Master of the Tong family was exasperated.
Truly, one could be minding their own business at home, only to be caught in the crossfire. He was the perfect example of being shot while lying down.
The Old Master of the Tong family could not simply stand by and watch as gossip flooded his household. Soon, word spread that Ji Zongyou had left home because he could no longer tolerate the eldest daughter of the Ji family's obstruction and deliberate ostracization, and that Gu Peilan, having no other recourse, had chosen to return to her maiden home with her son to seek refuge.
In an instant, the Tong family and the Ji family were engaged in a war of words.
The Old Master of the Tong family, seizing the opportunity as rumors in the imperial city intensified, directly brought the matter to the imperial court.
"Ji Zizhao is insidious and venomous! Petty and narrow-minded! A person who cannot even tolerate her own younger brother is certainly not worthy of the title of Ronghe County Princess bestowed by His Majesty! She is even less deserving of being a daughter of a marquisate! Your humble servant implores His Majesty to revoke the hereditary succession of the Ji family as a warning to others!"
In the imperial court, the Old Master of the Tong family spoke earnestly and with resounding conviction.
However, this stunned a great number of ministers.
But those ministers who had secretly sided with the Fifth Prince did not wish for the Ji family to truly retain their hereditary succession. Seeing the Old Master of the Tong family making such a righteous sacrifice of his kin, they all chimed in to push the matter forward.
Some even claimed that Ji Zizhao, as a woman, was too exposed and brazen, which was a disgrace to Yulin.
The Minister of Revenue, who had always been rather inconspicuous, took offense at these words.
Collecting taxes each year was a more arduous task than childbirth for the Ministry of Revenue. Regardless of the reason why the eldest daughter of the Ji family had squandered her fortune to pay official taxes, it was precisely under her leadership that this year's official taxes had been exceptionally smooth.
What if His Majesty revoked the Ji family's hereditary succession, causing the eldest daughter of the Ji family to be disheartened and cease to lead in paying official taxes?
So what if the eldest daughter of the Ji family was a woman? Even as a woman, she knew to proactively pay taxes in times of crisis. Looking at all of you, dressed in fine silks and satins, do you not grumble and complain every year when asked for taxes? In his opinion, a person who was not careless about paying official taxes must have impeccable character!
As for why she could not tolerate the Tong family's grandson, the Tong family elder should look for the reason within himself.
Xue Yongnian, who had narrowly escaped death, already owed Ji Zizhao a life. Now, with the Minister of Revenue's plea, he naturally had to step forward to speak in Ji Zizhao's defense.
However, military officials did not speak as elaborately as civil officials. They spoke as directly and crudely as possible, saying whatever was most offensive.
In essence, his sentiment was: "What utter nonsense!"
Emperor Xiaochang, with a stern face, sat for half an hour without seeing either side of the court gain victory or defeat. Finally, he could only flick his sleeve and adjourn the court.
The Old Master of the Tong family, with his face covered in spit, walked out of the imperial court with a dark expression. He was cursing the ancestors of the Minister of Revenue when he ran into the Fourth Prince, who was entering the palace.
Xie Jinglan, dressed in a white robe, exuded an elegant demeanor and a gentle smile. "Master Tong, what a coincidence."
The Old Master of the Tong family was speechless.
It was indeed quite a coincidence.
The Emperor was still in his prime, and although the princes were all assigned positions in the court, they did not have the authority to listen to state affairs. Even when the princes entered the palace to discuss matters with the Emperor or visit consorts in the inner chambers, it was usually in the afternoon. For the Fourth Prince to be here at this hour was not just a coincidence, but a rarity.
For a moment, the ministers leaving the court quietly pricked up their ears.
The Old Master of the Tong family felt a thousand grievances in his heart, but on the surface, he still had to bow. "Why has Your Highness the Fourth Prince come to the palace so early?"
Xie Jinglan gently curved his lips. "I naturally came to find Master Tong."
The Old Master of the Tong family was stunned.
The other officials were also taken aback.
Xie Jinglan continued, "I heard that the eldest daughter of the Ji family set fire and burned down the courtyard of your grandson, Master Tong, and even punished many of the servants in the courtyard. Although it was for a maid who died unjustly, I heard that this maid had grown up by the eldest daughter of the Ji family's side. The eldest daughter of the Ji family is young and impulsive, and her actions were too rash. Master Tong, please do not hold it against her."
Although he claimed to have heard this, every word was spoken with certainty.
On the surface, he seemed to be smoothing things over for Ji Zizhao, but in reality, he was exposing Ji Zongyou's misdeeds for all to see.
Ministers in the court knew that the Ji and Tong families were in a verbal dispute, but they were not entirely clear about the reasons.
Now, hearing the Fourth Prince speak in this manner, their gazes towards the Old Master of the Tong family became very peculiar.
After all, Ji Zongyou was notorious in the pleasure quarters. Now, who could fail to understand the Fourth Prince's words?
Xue Yongnian, who was walking this way, heard this and immediately stood before the Old Master of the Tong family. "It is natural for Master Tong to be concerned for his grandson. However, to the point of losing all sense of right and wrong and to target a young girl in the imperial court, is that not too lacking in grace? Furthermore, even if the Ji family's hereditary succession were to be revoked, if the Ji family prospers, will Master Tong truly be worse off?"
The other ministers looked at the Old Master of the Tong family as if he were an idiot.
To have a disagreement with the eldest daughter of the Ji family and then to jeopardize his grandson's future – Master Tong, is your brain malfunctioning?
In the sunlight, the Old Master of the Tong family's face turned as black as a pot.
Of course, he could not say that Ji Zongyou had no relation to his Tong family.
He also could not say that the desire to revoke the Ji family's hereditary succession was to gain favor with the Fifth Prince.
But no matter how clearly the Old Master of the Tong family understood this in his heart, being looked at like an idiot by everyone, he could no longer bear it!