The Emperor Xiaochang, furious over the defeat at Luoyang, had initially paid no attention to Hua Zheng Yong's notes on the military dispatch. However, upon comparison with the campaign journal, it became undeniably clear which was the truth and which was the fabrication.
Hua Zheng Yong was so diligent that he’d submit a whole basket of memorials to the court every day; Emperor Xiaochang could never forget him!
Since the writing on the military dispatch was fake, anything written on it was naturally not worth mentioning.
Looking at the campaign journal in his other hand, Emperor Xiaochang was consumed by a rage so intense that he trembled uncontrollably. If not for the thousands of his subjects before him, and if not for the Ji family women kneeling there, he would have gladly descended from his imperial carriage and kicked the Second Prince out of Yulin himself.
Suppressing the fury in his heart, Emperor Xiaochang, with a grim expression, turned his gaze back to the calm girl kneeling before him. "For a hundred years, Yulin has not dared to speak of imperial court matters, even within the harem. Now, the Eldest Daughter of the Ji family leads the Ji family members in such an uproar at the palace gates. This is exceedingly bold."
Ultimately, he was still his son. While he was angry, he could not possibly turn his back on his own family when facing outsiders.
Ji Zizhao had no intention of achieving her goal in just a few words. Facing the Emperor's questioning, her expression remained unchanged as she replied, "My Ji family women have never, and would never, presume to meddle in court affairs. But it is precisely because of this that the men of my Ji family were harmed by treacherous individuals and met their demise! I ask, my Ji family men dedicated their lives to the nation and its people, working tirelessly. How did they incur such unwarranted death? I, your humble subject, am foolish and ignorant, and thus I dare to implore Your Majesty to enlighten me."
Emperor Xiaochang certainly did not expect his son to commit such a grave error using the military talisman…
Grave error?
Emperor Xiaochang mulled it over, and then mulled it over again.
Suddenly, his entire body trembled uncontrollably.
As the princes grew older, they secretly courted court officials and formed factions, which was commonplace.
Emperor Xiaochang himself had ascended to his current position step by step, and thus was fully aware of everything.
He did not have a designated successor in mind at the moment, so he had turned a blind eye to such matters. It would be no later than when someone truly shone brightly among his sons that he would consider establishing a crown prince.
The Ji family had always maintained neutrality; this was no secret in court.
It was precisely for this reason that Emperor Xiaochang was certain the Ji family harbored no thoughts of rebellion.
Yet, he never imagined that his son, after failing to win over the Ji family through alliance, would harbor murderous intent towards them, even to the point of sacrificing hundreds of thousands of his soldiers.
What should have been a victory had resulted in Yulin now facing the encroaching pressure of the Turks, with subsequent ceding of territory and reparations that were undeniably stripping flesh from Yulin's bones!
His son, hah…
Truly his good son!
"You accursed creature!" Emperor Xiaochang could no longer suppress his enraged roar.
Xie Jingxi never imagined that with just one sentence from Ji Zizhao, his father would piece together the entire sequence of events. He trembled all over, prostrating himself on the ground, daring not to lift his head, and cried out, "Your Majesty, calm your anger! Your son is wronged! Your son was merely acting according to Your Majesty's instructions!"
Hearing these words, the temples of Emperor Xiaochang throbbed heavily.
Emperor Xiaochang naturally knew the character of the Ji family.
Ji Zhengyong, though possessing a foul temper, never harbored malicious intentions.
It was precisely for this reason that Emperor Xiaochang grew even more troubled.
A minister whom even he could not control, a minister whose popularity and public acclaim were about to surpass that of the Emperor himself – how could he not be troubled!
However, Emperor Xiaochang believed Ji Zhengyong would never rebel or attempt a usurpation. Thus, seizing the opportunity of the Luoyang campaign, he intended to curb the Ji family's influence and deliberately handed the military talisman, which could make all soldiers bow in submission, to his second son.
Emperor Xiaochang's intention was to use a temporary sidelining to make Ji Zhengyong, and indeed the entire Ji family, understand that everything they possessed was bestowed by the royal family. If they did not receive the Emperor's favor, they would be nothing.
But what had his son done?
What had he done!!
"This humble subject asks for nothing else, but that Your Majesty may clear the Ji family's name! For a hundred years, the Ji family has protected Yulin with their lives! The men of the Ji family have defended Yulin with their blood! Upholding the peace and well-being of the populace! Yet, in the end, the Ji family has fallen to the point where all their men perished in a foreign land! Not only were they framed by treacherous individuals! Even now, their bodies lie exposed in the wilderness! Such egregious crimes! It is evident how cruel and ruthless the treacherous individuals are! With hearts like vipers, treating respected ministers as mere blades of grass, what do they consider the people of Yulin to be? Such a person is not only unqualified to be a prince, but is not even worthy of the title 'person'!"
Ji Zizhao's voice was clear and resonant, striking the ground with its force.
The incensed populace listened, and it was hard not to feel fear.
The Eldest Daughter of the Ji family spoke the truth. A person who dared to annihilate the Ji family, how could he possibly regard them, the common people, with any importance?
If this person were to become the Crown Prince of Yulin in the future, where would they, the common people, find their refuge!
Xie Jingxi, still prostrate on the ground, raised his head at the sound and glared ferociously at Ji Zizhao. "You speak utter nonsense! You are merely a discarded woman rejected by my Fifth Brother. What right do you have to be speaking of right and wrong here? What is my status, and what are you?" Su Dan Novel Network
He's finally willing to speak.
Ji Zizhao sneered inwardly.
She wasn't afraid of the Second Prince's curses; she was afraid of him remaining silent.
Because once he spoke, even the Emperor would be unable to protect him.
"The Second Prince truly puts on a grand display. This humble subject dares not compare her status to the Second Prince's. However, with His Majesty still seated here, and the people of Yulin standing here, the Second Prince speaks so openly of his status. This humble subject is confused; where does the Second Prince place the common people? And where does he place His Majesty's authority!"
She had intentionally made the Second Prince read the military dispatch in front of the palace gates, and now, by relentlessly pressuring him, she aimed to make everyone clearly see the Second Prince's selfish true face.
Playing the weak was not shameful.
Had she not repeatedly backed down, how could the Second Prince have exposed his most arrogant side?
To make him perish, one must first make him arrogant.
"This kind of person is not fit to be a prince!"
"The wise rulers of Yulin throughout the ages, how could they have allowed such a person to become Crown Prince?"
"Your Majesty, please be discerning. Your Majesty, please show mercy. If such a narrow-minded and venomous person were to truly become the Crown Prince of Yulin, what future would Yulin have?"
Before the palace gates, the citizens of the capital, along with the refugees from Luoyang, all prostrated themselves on the ground.
They kowtowed heavily, not ceasing even when their heads were bloody.
Seated on his imperial carriage, Emperor Xiaochang looked at the surging tide of people and finally closed his eyes in resignation.
Xie Jingxi was enshrouded in rage by the citizens' wails. It was all Ji Zizhao's fault, all that damned woman's fault. If not for her coercion, how could he have ended up in such a predicament!
He suddenly stood up, picked up the broadsword from the ground, and charged directly towards Ji Zizhao, slashing. "Ji Zizhao, you damned slut! I'll send you to join those stubborn Ji family members below right now!"
"Sister Zhao!"
"Eldest Sister!"
"Zizhao!"
Everything happened too suddenly!
By the time everyone cried out in alarm, they saw the Second Prince had already reached Ji Zizhao.