The Seventh Prince, Xie Jinglin, returned to the Ministry of Revenue with a dejected air, a scowl practically plastered on his face.
In contrast, the Minister of Revenue beamed with unadulterated joy as he surveyed the chests of silver being carried in.
With continuous warfare, military funds were needed everywhere.
One wouldn't know how poor they truly were until they became Minister of Revenue…
The Fourth Prince, Xie Jinglan, sat behind his desk, diligently reviewing and recording the official taxes collected this time.
Bright sunlight streamed through the window lattice, casting a lustrous, jade-like glow upon his elegant and handsome profile.
Xie Jinglin entered with a dark expression. Xie Jinglan merely glanced up briefly before resuming his review and accounting, appearing calm and at ease.
The Minister of Revenue, his face a picture of delight, followed in and immediately inquired, "May I ask who has paid such a large sum in tax silver?"
Hearing this, Xie Jinglin's handsome face darkened further.
After a long pause, Xie Jinglin reluctantly replied, "Who else could it be but the Ji family."
The Minister of Revenue blinked in surprise.
The Ji family was currently awaiting the Emperor's judgment. Why would they be sending out money instead of guarding it at such a time?
Xie Jinglan let out a soft 'En,' showing no surprise, not even raising an eyebrow.
Xie Jinglin's brows furrowed into a knot. "Fourth Brother, aren't you surprised or curious at all?"
Xie Jinglan finally raised his head and offered a faint smile. "It's merely paying to save their lives. Unexpected, yet within reason."
If it were the Ji family, they likely wouldn't have been able to part with so much silver.
But if it were *her*…
It seemed to make sense.
Xie Jinglin stared blankly at his fourth brother, still processing the information.
The Minister of Revenue, standing nearby, his expression shifting slightly, began to sweat profusely upon further consideration.
It was rumored that the current head of the Ji family was that eldest daughter.
If that were the case, then indeed…
She was too intelligent.
Though the Emperor had not yet passed judgment, the Ji family had already become the target of everyone's criticism.
At this moment, the Ji family, under the guise of paying taxes, was presenting all their silver. This was a tactic to gain the Emperor's favor and make him hesitant to act.
As long as the Emperor's heart was appeased, who would dare to continue slandering the Ji family?
My goodness, this was extraordinary.
For someone who had been labeled a good-for-nothing by the capital's gossip circles since childhood to possess such a mind…
This was no mere good-for-nothing, but a veritable fox!
After a long period of contemplation, the Minister of Revenue summarized, "This eldest daughter of the Ji family is no simple person."
Xie Jinglin scowled. "Why are you all praising that good-for-nothing?"
Xie Jinglan chuckled softly. "Little Fourth, one cannot judge matters with their eyes alone."
Xie Jinglin was speechless.
Then how should they judge?
Xie Jinglan, having effectively blacklisted Xie Jinglin, handed the completed ledger to the Minister of Revenue and then continued to review the tax situation of other official households.
In the Fifth Prince's residence.
Xie Jingzhou leaned back on a soft couch, caressing a jade pendant in his hand, his dark eyes filled with a sinister gloom.
He had intended for Luohong to give the jade pendant to Yongmei, hoping to delay Ji Zizhao before the Second Prince's return. He hadn't expected Ji Zizhao to instead order the pendant returned.
Luohong looked at the Fifth Prince, his expression unreadable, and said, seemingly complaining yet also feigning concern, "Yongmei was devoted to arranging a marriage between Your Highness and the Ji family's eldest daughter. Little did she know, that Ji family eldest daughter not only punished Yongmei with kneeling but also forced Yongmei to deliver a divorce letter. Yongmei herself desperately wished to become Your Highness's concubine, but that Ji family eldest daughter was resolute in not setting foot in our mansion."
While professing pity for Yongmei, her words were clearly aimed at targeting Ji Zizhao.
Luohong's words indeed stimulated Xie Jingzhou.
If it hadn't been for the fear of his second brother's plan failing, he would never have stooped to seeking marriage with Ji Zizhao.
She was merely a pawn, yet why was she so arrogant?
"Luohong, change my clothes." Xie Jingzhou clenched the jade pendant and stood up. Since Ji Zizhao was being so unreasonable, he wouldn't be blamed for acting ruthlessly.
Seeing that His Highness had finally made up his mind, Luohong quickly instructed the servants to bring the clothes.
A quarter of an hour later, Xie Jingzhou, now dressed in fresh attire, boarded the carriage heading to the palace. By the time he disembarked, he had once again transformed into the timid and cowardly Fifth Prince.
In the Imperial Study, the atmosphere was bizarre and oppressive.
All the ministers stood in attendance, like statues.
As soon as Xie Jingzhou entered, he fell to his knees, weeping, "Your humble son greets, greets His Imperial Father…"
Emperor Xiaochang looked at his timid son and frowned. "Why have you come?"
Xie Jingzhou knelt on the ground, trembling like a quail. "Your, Your humble son heard, heard of the defeat at Luoyi, and that the Ji family was, was entirely responsible. For these past few days, Your humble son has been restless and anxious in his residence. Your humble son knows he should immediately annul the engagement with the Ji family and sever all ties. But, but Your humble son has always remembered Your Imperial Father's teachings of loyalty, filial piety, benevolence, and righteousness, so I demoted the Ji family's eldest daughter to a secondary consort, hoping to retain her. However, I never imagined that the Ji family's eldest daughter would actually declare her intention to divorce Your humble son…" Suda Novel Network
Xie Jingzhou's plan was clear.
The Ji family was currently in a precarious situation. Even if the military dispatch had not yet been brought back by his second brother, the defeat at Luoyi was a fact. At this moment, by coming before his father and crying, he would only incite the Emperor's wrath towards the Ji family.
As for that Ji Zizhao…
She would undoubtedly also be lightly punished by the Emperor.
However, as Xie Jingzhou's words fell, the atmosphere in the Imperial Study became even more peculiar.
Xie Jingzhou feigned a pitiful expression and looked up, only to meet Emperor Xiaochang's fiery gaze.
"Father, Father, Your humble son knows that to appease the hearts of the people of Yulin, I should have immediately severed ties with the Ji family's eldest daughter. But, but Your humble son truly, truly cannot be heartless and unjust. Alas, the Ji family's eldest daughter has been sending people to demand a divorce letter. Your humble son has nowhere to turn, and, and Your humble son implores Your Imperial Father to render justice for him…" Xie Jingzhou knelt on the ground, his tears flowing, his trembling body shaking even more violently.
In normal circumstances, the more pitiful Xie Jingzhou appeared, the more unreasonable and overbearing Ji Zizhao would seem.
But now…
Emperor Xiaochang looked at Xie Jingzhou kneeling on the ground, his temples throbbing.
After a long moment, he threw the ledger in his hand to Fenggu, who was beside him.
Fenggu quickly took the ledger, walked down the steps, and presented it to the Fifth Prince.
Xie Jingzhou opened the ledger doubtfully and instantly froze.
It contained the details of the official taxes collected this time, and under the Ji family's name, it prominently stated five million taels of silver!
The Ji family was in dire straits. At such a time, they should have been embezzling funds, yet instead, they had given out all their silver to pay official taxes.
Regardless of whether the Ji family intended to silence the officials or the Emperor, facing all the silver that the Ji family had willingly handed over, no one could say a single bad word about them before the Second Prince returned with the military dispatch.
Xie Jingzhou shivered all over, his face as pale as paper.
This time, it wasn't an act; he was genuinely terrified.