Ji Zizhao nodded, signaling Qing Zhu to continue.
Qing Zhu paused and then said, "It's the Tong family."
The Tong family of the Grand Academicians?
Although the head of the Tong family held a rank of Second Grade Official, his duties mostly involved drafting imperial edicts and processing memorials, which were trivial matters. Essentially, he held no real power.
Yet, even without real power, being a Second Grade Official was still considered a prominent position in the imperial city.
Qing Zhu thought for a moment before continuing, "Do you need me to investigate further?"
Ji Zizhao waved her hand, "Let's leave it at that. We know enough."
Gu Peilan, along with Ji Renran and Ji Zongyou, had lived without status for years, despite their grandmother's support providing for their basic needs.
If they truly had the backing of a Second Grade Official's family, their grandmother would not have dared to block their entry into the household at their father's behest.
It was likely that the Second Grade Official status was a facade, and someone else was truly pulling the strings.
Since they could be connected to a Second Grade Official, Gu Peilan's true backing was clearly no ordinary individual. To investigate further would likely bring trouble upon herself.
Glancing at Lian Ju, who had not yet left, Ji Zizhao said softly, "Please take another message for me..."
Ji Zizhao's actions were swift, but the Fourth Prince's were even faster.
Three days later, Xie Jingqi, who was about to return to the capital, received a letter from Huo Nian Gong.
The Fourth Prince naturally did not reveal the truth to the Seventh Prince. He merely said that he had heard from his attendants that his relatives in the counties surrounding Luoyi had successively fallen ill and passed away. As he was unable to leave, he asked the Seventh Prince to check along the way to confirm if this was indeed the case, so that he could permit his subordinates to return home for mourning.
Xie Jingqi had always admired the Fourth Prince the most. Hearing that his Fourth Brother needed help, especially with a matter that allowed him to be of service, he was moved. He immediately whipped his horse and galloped towards the nearby counties without looking back.
Look at him, his Fourth Brother was so kind-hearted.
Seeing the Seventh Prince disappear into the distance, Huo Nian Gong approached Han Jingyu and, as instructed by his master, explained the general situation.
Han Jingyu, recalling the Seventh Prince's overwhelming emotion just now, felt a mix of emotions.
He saw how easily the Fourth Prince had managed to get the stubborn Seventh Prince to comply.
However, regardless of his mixed feelings, Han Jingyu quickly mobilized his troops to follow the Seventh Prince's direction. He was now aligned with the Seventh Prince and was eager to earn honor for his new master.
In truth, Han Jingyu was still somewhat troubled. Persuading the Seventh Prince to gradually build medical halls and pharmacies from the heart would require someone to subtly guide him.
But upon arrival, Han Jingyu discovered that the counties surrounding Luoyi were already in dire straits.
Under the shadow of the cold and flu, the common people suffered from high fevers and persistent coughs.
On the streets, it was common to see the desperately ill, with nowhere to seek medical help.
Faced with this scene, Xie Jingqi didn't need any prompting. He was incandescent with rage and immediately dispatched someone to the main city to deliver a message: he wanted to establish medical halls and pharmacies.
As for anyone else's opinion?
It was utterly unnecessary!
Han Jingyu was astonished.
It was only at this moment that he realized belatedly that the Fourth Prince had not merely *not* instructed him on how to persuade the Seventh Prince, but had likely already understood the Seventh Prince's temperament and anticipated this outcome.
Looking at the Seventh Prince dismounting and leading his soldiers to help the people on the streets, Han Jingyu felt his worldview was being turned upside down.
Everyone in the imperial court knew the Fourth Prince as the least favored and most aimless of the princes.
But the result...
The Fourth Prince was the mastermind behind the Seventh Prince's rise to power!
Upon learning of the Fourth Prince's message, Chen Gang knew the matter was not simple and immediately penned a letter.
By the time Ji Zizhao received Chen Gang's letter, the preparations for the Four Great Medical Halls were complete.
Concurrently, Sun Zhiting of the Jishe Hall knocked on the door of the Fourth Prince's mansion.
Ji Zizhao had clearly stated in her letter, and Sun Zhiting knew he was there to be a pawn. From the moment he knocked on the Fourth Prince's door, he was to make as much commotion as possible.
However, when facing the Fourth Prince, Sun Zhiting remained very low-key.
After all, he had learned that when it came to backstabbing and insidious schemes, he was no match for the Fourth Prince.
Before leaving, he remembered his master's instructions, "Please ask the Fourth Prince to help investigate the Tong family."
Xie Jinglan paused, but then quickly smiled warmly, "I will certainly keep this matter in mind."
Sun Zhiting nodded and then proudly turned and left.
The entire commotion had startled the birds nesting near Lion Street into scattering in all directions.
To outsiders, Sun Zhiting had stormed out of the Fourth Prince's mansion.
Watching Sun Zhiting leave, moving sideways like a crab, Tang Di's mouth twitched repeatedly.
The various princes had all heard the commotion caused by Sun Zhiting's arrival.
With the Crown Prince not yet established and the Emperor's intentions inscrutable, all the princes were eager to gain the Emperor's attention and favor. The Fourth Prince had provided an opportunity, but who would ultimately seize it depended on the princes' abilities.
However, the most cunning was the Fifth Prince, who found an excuse to visit the Fourth Prince's mansion for dinner that very evening.
Xie Jinglan naturally knew that eating was a pretense; the real purpose was to probe.
Watching the Fifth Prince across from him, constantly plying him with wine, Xie Jinglan went with the flow.
Unintentionally, he subtly leaked the news that the Seventh Prince intended to open a pharmacy and medical hall in Luoyi County.
Although competition was fair when opportunities arose, considering the Fifth Prince's sincere efforts, Xie Jinglan naturally decided to lend a hand and add fuel to the fire.
"You are aware of Little Seven's temperament, Fifth Brother. His impulsiveness can be quite troublesome. I expect that in a few more days, Father will receive news from Little Seven. I plan to discuss this with the Four Great Medical Halls in advance, so that if Father truly approves Little Seven's proposal, we will be prepared."
The implication was clear: if you want to get involved, do it quickly, or you might get nothing.
In short...
Run, brothers.
Hearing this, Xie Jingzhou could no longer sit still and quickly found an excuse to leave in a hurry.
Watching Xie Jingzhou's hurried and overjoyed back, Xie Jinglan's formerly clouded eyes regained their usual unfathomable depth.
It was good that he was anxious.
Only by being anxious would he not be distracted by other things.