Ji Ziyan nodded, thinking about how to distribute the red envelopes, and left first.
When Ji Zizhao returned to Zhaoyuan, she saw Lianju waiting quietly at the door.
Ji Zizhao sent everyone out of the room, then looked at Lianju solemnly. "I need you to help me with something."
Lianju cupped her fists. "Your lady's instructions, this subordinate will obey even unto death."
Ji Zizhao walked up to Lianju and looked into her eyes. "I want you to stay near the west side of the city for a while and wait for my instructions."
Lianju looked at Ji Zizhao in shock.
She knew very well who lived on the west side of the city.
It was she who had helped her lady investigate the existence of that place years ago.
Ji Zizhao's face was ashen. "Recently, the rumors in the city are all related to that place. If I'm not mistaken, they are no longer content with their current situation and want to break into the Ji family." Su Dan Novel Network
Lianju was stunned again when she heard this.
If that side were to openly reveal their identity and move in, how would Madam handle it?
Seeing her lady's calm expression, Lianju nodded solemnly. "Lianju will do her best."
Ji Zizhao watched Lianju's retreating back, her plan already clear in her mind.
She did not want to dwell on her father's past mistakes, so for years she had turned a blind eye to her grandmother's favoritism towards that side, even up to this point.
If that side had been content, she would not have stopped her grandmother from compensating them.
However, if that side harbored any improper intentions, she would not turn a blind eye either.
Lianju quickly arrived near a residence in the west of the city as ordered.
At this time, Gu Peilan and Ji Renran were eagerly awaiting news from the Ji family.
The old madam had left in such a huff that she was bound to make Ji Zizhao suffer.
But what Gu Peilan and Ji Renran did not expect was that not only did they not hear news of Ji Zizhao being punished, but the old madam personally sent Xu Momo to inform them not to mention the matter of the hairpin for now.
Gu Peilan and Ji Renran were both bewildered.
What did this mean?
Could it be that the old madam no longer intended for them to return to the Ji family!
Gu Peilan and Ji Renran were right; the old madam did have this thought for the time being.
Since that day, Ji Zizhao had not only visited the old madam diligently every day, but she also responded to her every request, sending good food and useful items to the main courtyard every few days.
Although the old madam had always been a supreme figure in the Ji family, due to the frugality of the late elder master and the subsequent troubles of the Ji family, the old madam had never lived a life of luxury.
Now that a good life was within reach, how could the old madam not be tempted?
She was also well aware that if Gu Peilan and her two children were to return to the Ji family, the first person they would offend would be the old madam of the main branch, so she was unwilling to give up such a comfortable life at this time.
Naturally, when faced with Gu Peilan's request to return, the old madam would delay as much as possible.
However, even the old madam herself did not realize that the more she delayed, the more she clung to her current life.
In the end, she simply stopped seeing Gu Peilan.
There was guilt, and also an unwillingness to part with the extravagant life that Ji Zizhao had created.
Gu Peilan was going mad, but now the old madam wouldn't even see her, so what could she do?
When Ji Renran learned that her return to the Ji family was hopeless, she smashed everything in the room in anger.
But no matter how much they resented it, they could only watch as everything unfolded in a direction that was completely beyond their control.
The dark clouds hanging over the imperial city grew heavier.
As the Imperial Observatory once again issued news of approaching snow, a new imperial decree was posted on the imperial notice board.
Not only was the departure date for Luoyi moved up to five days later, but to prevent the heavy snow from causing delays, the recruitment of soldiers after the New Year was moved to before the New Year.
Perhaps to appease the people, the imperial court offered recruitment benefits far exceeding those of previous years.
Suddenly, all the young men of eligible age in the city flocked to the military camp to sign up for assessment.
Qing Zhu, who had recovered, stood before Ji Zizhao, a rare hint of joy on her face. "If the second young lady knew about this, she would surely be overjoyed."
From a young age, the second young lady had diligently practiced martial arts, all in order to join the army one day.
Ji Zizhao, who was looking at Chen Gang's letter, did not look up.
Chen Gang wrote in his letter that due to the Tuyur's fierce attack on Luoyi, many people who had leased the mountains near Luoyi wanted to transfer them.
From the current situation, Luoyi was indeed fraught with danger, and the surrounding mountains were also affected.
However, with the imperial court about to intervene, Luoyi would soon escape the shadow of war.
If the mountains near Luoyi could be acquired at a low price at this time and used for medicinal planting next year, many new medicines could be developed and put on the market.
In this way, many terminal illnesses would no longer be incurable.
Of course, Ji Zizhao had also heard about the Tuyur's intention to occupy Luoyi.
But Luoyi was a place guarded by the Ji family men with their lives; how could it become a meal for the Tuyur?
To put it bluntly, Ji Zizhao had no intention of giving the Tuyur a chance to occupy Luoyi.
This was also the second reason why Ji Zizhao wanted to go to Luoyi.
Where the Ji family men shed their blood and sweat, if the Tuyur dared to make a move, she would dare to chop off their claws!
Opportunity knocks but once.
Ji Zizhao immediately wrote back to Chen Gang, telling him to prepare a group of people and be ready to depart.
They would then quietly follow the imperial court's contingent to Luoyi and conduct an on-site inspection as quickly as possible.
Putting away her brush, Ji Zizhao handed the letter to Qing Zhu and said, "This time the imperial court is recruiting soldiers, you don't need to tell the second sister."
Qing Zhu did not understand. "But the second young lady has been longing for this for so long, and it's rare for the imperial court to recruit soldiers..."
Ji Zizhao placed the letter in Qing Zhu's hand and interrupted, "Deliver the letter."
The imperial court's recruitment seemed like a good thing, but its purpose was questionable.
The winter snows in the imperial city were always heavy in previous years, but this year, recruitment had been moved up.
It was likely that the excuse of heavy snow delaying matters was just a pretext, and there was another purpose.
The second sister was still young, and even if she missed this year, she could still join next year.
Ji Zizhao's thoughts were clear, but Ji Zixiu, who was standing in the courtyard at this moment, did not understand.
She was shocked by her elder sister's words and could not recover.
She could not understand why her elder sister, who had agreed to let her join the army, was now hindering her without reason.
Qing Zhu's footsteps startled Ji Zixiu, and she turned and walked out of Zhaoyuan without further thought.
However, the moment she stepped out of the courtyard, her gaze was more determined than ever.
No matter who tried to stop her, she was going to join the army this time!
Upon receiving his mistress's reply, Chen Gang gathered all the other shopkeepers.
The other shopkeepers were startled when they heard their mistress's intentions.
Self-sufficiency was good, but the future of Luoyi was uncertain. No one knew whether Luoyi would belong to Yu Lin or the Tuyur after the imperial court's intervention.
It was precisely for this reason that people were selling their mountain lands at such low prices.
Admittedly, the mistress was too daring.
Or perhaps...
Did the mistress now feel certain that Luoyi would not be taken by the Tuyur?
However, regardless of the reason, since the mistress had spoken, the shopkeepers of the Four Great Medical Halls had to give their all.