Whether it was victory or defeat, the commander of the expedition was the Emperor's son.
Therefore, as soon as the Emperor received the news, he would send someone to welcome them at the city gate.
Since the Second Prince was able to act so decisively, he would never record the true situation of the Luoyi defeat in the military dispatches. It was likely that the item that recorded the army's every move had long since been altered beyond recognition.
What was worse!
That military dispatch was a sharp blade aimed directly at the Ji family's vital point!
Ji Zizhao pinched her hand under her sleeve, calmed her mind, and said, "Xinlan, go and fetch Zhang Ji."
No matter what, the messenger must be prevented from entering the palace.
Otherwise, the Ji family would truly be unable to clear their name, no matter how much they tried.
A short while later, Zhang Ji hurried in with Xinlan.
"Eldest Miss."
"Uncle Ji, I have something that must be done by someone trustworthy. However, once it is handled, it will be difficult to whitewash. If this matter is not discovered, it will be fine, but if it is investigated, even I will not be able to protect you." Ji Zizhao took a deep breath. If what she was about to do came to light, let alone protecting Zhang Ji, she herself would be in danger.
When Zhang Ji was young, he was a bandit in a small nearby town. It was only after being inspired by the old General Ji that he decided to lead his brothers to reform. Over the years, Zhang Ji's brothers had all lived comfortable lives and even married and had children. How could he not be grateful?
Zhang Ji could hear the seriousness of the matter but did not hesitate at all. "Eldest Miss, please command me. As long as it is for the Ji family, I will die without regret!"
Ji Zizhao gritted her teeth, "I need Uncle Ji to quickly lead people to intercept the messenger entering the city and bring him to me secretly."
Having been in the Ji family for over a decade, how could Zhang Ji not understand what a messenger did?
Ji Zizhao paused and added, "This matter concerns the survival of the entire Ji family. Uncle Ji... I have not given you room to fail."
Although Zhang Ji did not know what the Eldest Miss was planning, after these past few incidents, he believed that the Eldest Miss was not as incompetent as the outside world claimed. "Eldest Miss, please rest assured. I will take my men to do it now."
"Don't take the main road, take the moat."
In the past, messengers delivering news would always take the main road, so that all the people in the city would receive the news.
But if the person delivering the message was guilty, it was another matter.
Since the Second Prince had framed the Ji family in this way, he was naturally on edge. This meant that until the military dispatches were handed over to the Emperor, he himself would be restless.
Therefore, this messenger must be racing to the palace by the shortcut to report!
"Eldest Miss, please rest assured. I will take my men to pursue him now."
Zhang Ji left in a hurry, and Ji Zizhao called Shui Ling out from the inner room.
After wrapping the blood-stained military notebook in a handkerchief, she had Shui Ling secretly deliver it to Ji Ziyan.
No matter how much she tried to stop it, the Second Prince's return to the city was inevitable, it was only a matter of time.
Now, although the Ji family seemed to have put aside their animosity and were at peace with her, they were not truly united against the common enemy. Especially their grandmother, who had always been harboring schemes...
She had to be guarded against!
With external threats looming, Ji Zizhao had to resolve the internal worries and find someone to share the burden.
Although Ji Ziyan was not as old as Ji Zixiu, she was mature and steady since childhood, with a meticulous mind.
Under the candlelight, Ji Zizhao's expression was as dark as water, and her constantly calculating heart could not be calmed.
Qing Zhu saw that her young lady had stopped speaking and took the initiative to say, "My lady asked me to investigate the Jin family's pharmacy a few days ago. I have found some clues. The Xuanping Marquis's mansion is currently secretly recruiting troops and horses, and has bought many homeless people from Miaojie at a high price."
Miaojie was the poorest and most decayed place in Shenghuang City.
The homeless people living there survived by stealing, and could be described as extremely wicked.
"These people are now being housed on the second floor of the Jin family's pharmacy. As for what they are going to do, they have not yet been informed." Qing Zhu had been guarding the Jin family's pharmacy for the past few days. It was precisely because of this that she was able to discover the messenger entering the city and rush to report it.
Ji Zizhao suddenly asked, "Do you know when the medicinal herbs from our Ji family's medical hall will arrive in the imperial city?"
Qing Zhu was startled, "It should be in five days."
Ji Zizhao coldly curled her lips, smiling before speaking.
The Xuanping Marquis's mansion was truly resorting to any means to suppress the business of the four major medical halls.
Now she finally understood why the Jin family's pharmacy dared to hoard all the astragalus in the city and not sell it at a low price.
Qing Zhu saw that Ji Zizhao was calm and collected and understood, "My lady, do you have a plan?"
Ji Zizhao shook her head, "There are still five days left. There is no rush with the Xuanping Marquis's mansion."
No matter how much the Jin family stirred up trouble, it was only a minor issue. The Second Prince was the real killer.
It is best to treat illness early and prevent it before it occurs.
If you are in a hurry, treat the symptoms; if you are slow, treat the root cause.
Handling matters is akin to treating illnesses. If the priorities are reversed, it will be a loss.
When Shui Ling brought the military notebook to Yan Courtyard, she happened to see Shui Huan in the courtyard.
Since Ji Ziyan had divorced the Zhao family, she had actively asked for Shui Huan back.
Shui Huan did not want to come back. No one knew what Eldest Miss had said to Shui Huan, but Shui Huan had voluntarily returned to Third Miss's side. To prevent gossip among those around her, Third Miss had given Shui Huan the status of a head maid.
Now, in Yan Courtyard, besides Third Miss, Shui Huan was the most powerful.
"Why are you here at this time?" Shui Huan quickly went to greet Shui Ling as soon as she saw her.
Shui Huan tightened the military notebook in her arms and said, "My lady asked me to deliver something to Third Miss."
As soon as Shui Huan heard about Eldest Miss, she stopped asking questions and quickly turned to go inside to report.
Ji Ziyan had already gone to bed, but upon hearing that her elder sister had sent someone over at this time, she worried that something important had happened and quickly asked Shui Huan to call Shui Ling in.
When Shui Ling handed the military notebook, stained with blood that had seeped through the handkerchief, to Ji Ziyan, Ji Ziyan was almost scared to death. She opened it with trepidation and was instantly stunned.
This...
This is!!
At the ninth watch, Zhang Ji returned.
"Eldest Miss, the person has been apprehended and is locked up in the abandoned woodshed in the west."
Ji Zizhao, who had been waiting for a long time, suddenly stood up and left the courtyard in the company of Qing Zhu.
The weather in August had already cooled slightly. The refreshing night wind blew on her body, but Ji Zizhao suddenly felt a piercing cold. By the time she followed Zhang Ji to the entrance of the woodshed, Ji Zizhao's limbs were already ice-cold and devoid of warmth.
The guards watching outside the woodshed immediately opened it upon seeing Ji Zizhao.
The woodshed was overgrown with weeds. The messenger, wearing brand new armor, was tied up and lying on a straw mat.
As soon as he saw Ji Zizhao, the messenger struggled.
Ji Zizhao looked at Zhang Ji beside her and said, "Make him speak."
Zhang Ji nodded, walked to the messenger's side, and took out a soft cloth soaked in hemp seed juice from his mouth.
"I am a man by the Second Prince's side. How dare you treat me like this? Believe it or not, I will have the Second Prince raze your entire clan!" Under the effect of the hemp seeds, the messenger mumbled incoherently.
Ji Zizhao sat on the chair Qing Zhu had brought, looked at the messenger with deep eyes, and said unhurriedly, "Since I dared to invite you here, do you think I would still be afraid of the Second Prince?"