Emperor Xiaochang studied Ji Zizhao, his expression unreadable. "Do you know what it would mean for the Ji family if there were no hereditary succession, no ennoblement as a county princess?"
Ji Zizhao knelt on the floor, her back straight, her voice clear. "The Ji family was posthumously honored as a marquisate, a testament to Your Majesty's favor towards our family, an honor earned by the sacrifices of our elders. This subject dare not refuse it. However, beyond that, the Ji family has not, to its knowledge, brought prosperity to the people of Yulin, nor have they assisted Your Majesty. By what merit does the Ji family deserve hereditary succession? This subject is even more ashamed to bear the title of county princess bestowed by Your Majesty."
Emperor Xiaochang had heard much about Ji Zizhao's conduct in Luoyi.
It was precisely because of this that Emperor Xiaochang found the matter of the Ji family's hereditary succession so vexing.
If he refused, and Ji Zizhao's accomplishments in Luoyi were to spread, would he not then be branded a heartless emperor?
Now, Ji Zizhao was voluntarily relinquishing all credit for Luoyi. Such an action...
"Ji Zizhao, I ask you again, have you truly thought this through?"
From his personal standpoint, Emperor Xiaochang did not wish for the Ji family to have hereditary succession.
The Ji family was a century-old military lineage, and even among the currently powerful generals, there were still those who held ties to the Ji family.
If the Ji family's illegitimate son were truly to inherit hereditarily, who knew if someone in the court might not secretly support him.
Then, the Ji family might engage in secret power struggles, leading to immense court instability...
This was the situation Emperor Xiaochang least wished to see.
Facing Emperor Xiaochang's suspicion, Ji Zizhao kowtowed again. "Every word this subject speaks is from the heart. May Your Majesty discern the truth!"
Emperor Xiaochang looked at Ji Zizhao's respectful bow, his gaze suddenly distant and filled with nostalgia.
It reminded him of the men of the Ji family in the past, and even more so, of the woman he could never forget.
Indeed, she was a daughter of the Ji family, and this spirit was so familiar to him.
The thought of the person who had once shared his life brought a tender longing to Emperor Xiaochang's features.
Empress Zhong, observing the Emperor's demeanor, knew he must be thinking of Noble Consort Xin.
That woman was a legend in the harem, the white moonlight in the Emperor's heart.
What is lost is always the most precious. The more one possesses everything, the more insistent they become on what they lack.
Empress Zhong truly hadn't expected Ji Zizhao to be so clever, deliberately causing the Emperor to see the shadow of Noble Consort Xin in her.
As long as the Emperor was prompted to recall the past and feel tender emotions, what couldn't be settled?
However, towards the Emperor who was currently lost in reminiscence, Empress Zhong felt nothing but cold disdain.
To put it bluntly, it was only because Noble Consort Xin had died young that if she had truly lived on, this great philanderer of an emperor would likely have long ago cast Noble Consort Xin aside like worn-out shoes.
Consort Xi frowned slightly, her gaze inadvertently drifting to the Fifth Prince beside her.
Xie Jingzhou's heart was also in a turmoil.
The Ji family's hereditary succession would naturally become an aid to his ascension.
How could a normal person abandon such readily available honor?
Given Ji Zizhao's intelligence, she couldn't possibly not know what the absence of hereditary succession meant for the Ji family, yet she deliberately refused it. She also refused the title of county princess...
Xie Jingzhou knew, of course, that Ji Zizhao, bearing the Ji family's banner, would never lead the family to ruin.
But this uncertainty, this inability to fathom her motives, drove Xie Jingzhou to distraction.
What exactly did Ji Zizhao want to achieve?!
Ji Renran noticed the Fifth Prince's gloomy expression and felt a growing unease.
If her elder sister could not secure hereditary succession, what right would she have to remain by the Fifth Prince's side?
She sidled up to Ji Zizhao's side, leaning against her knees, and blurted out, "I heard the servants in the manor say that Eldest Sister's efforts this time were to ensure the Ji family's stability. But now Eldest Sister... I truly cannot comprehend it."
Ji Zizhao turned her head, her eyebrows raised, her expression entirely nonchalant. "What I am doing now is the choice that will bring the Ji family the greatest stability."
Ji Renran: "..."
Without hereditary succession and the title of county princess, the Ji family was indeed stable.
So stable it was practically dust!
"Sister Renran, you speak of hearing things from servants. Why not directly identify the servant who spoke those words? I can have someone sent back to find them and confront them in person, how about that?"
Ji Renran looked at Ji Zizhao, who was as unyielding as steel, impervious to persuasion. Angered and anxious, tears began to stream down her face. "It is merely rumor. Why must Eldest Sister take it so seriously? Eldest Sister went to such great lengths, spending so much effort to curry favor with His Majesty. I doubt anyone could have guessed that Eldest Sister actually sought to abolish hereditary succession and her own title of county princess."
These words were clearly intended to reignite the Emperor's suspicion.
Ji Zizhao would not give Ji Renran the opportunity to sow discord. "Words spoken must have basis and evidence. Sister Renran, however, prefers to believe rumors over the facts before her, which I find quite astonishing."
As Ji Zizhao spoke, her dark eyes fixed on Ji Renran's pitiful face. "Or perhaps... Sister Renran, you yourself know of some inside information that I am unaware of?"
Ji Renran's heart fluttered, and her face turned pale. "What could I possibly know? Eldest Sister, please do not misunderstand."
She would never admit that everything that had happened today was a scheme meticulously planned by her and their mother.
"Since Sister Renran is unaware, then just watch with wide eyes. Stirring up such a fuss in the palace, if you incur His Majesty's wrath, even I, your elder sister, may not be able to protect you."
Ji Renran felt a suffocating tightness in her chest, nearly spitting out a mouthful of blood on the spot.
What fuss have I made?
It is clearly you who have been making a scene from beginning to end!
Ji Zizhao turned her head back towards the Emperor, her sincerity and openness evident. "This subject humbly requests Your Majesty to issue a decree."
Emperor Xiaochang: "..."
Having been emperor for so long, this was the first time he had encountered someone forcing him to dismiss them.
Truly a sight to behold...
Emperor Xiaochang could obviously see the discord between Ji Zizhao and Ji Renran, but he did not and could not interfere in the Ji family's domestic affairs.
Looking again at Ji Zizhao's earnestness, which was clearly not a jest, he summoned Feng Gu to his side. "Issue my decree: abolish the Ji family's hereditary succession, strip away the title of Ronghe County Princess, recognize the eldest daughter of the Ji family by name, and exempt her from the ritual of officials paying respects to concubines!"
Emperor Xiaochang had gained an advantage from the Ji family, so he naturally had to offer some reciprocal gesture.
However, such a gesture was rather shocking to those present.
Although the Ji family only held the honorary title of marquisate and could no longer cause trouble, in the future, whether it was the ministers present or the consorts who held sway in the harem, they would have to respectfully address Ji Zizhao as the eldest daughter of the Ji family.
Bowing their heads to a former acknowledged good-for-nothing of the capital...
The mere thought of this was exhilarating!
Ji Renran completely collapsed onto the floor, lacking the strength to even support herself.
Her mother had spent so much money on this, even draining her own private funds...
And she herself had racked her brains and plotted endlessly...
In the end, it was all for naught, and instead, Ji Zizhao had stolen the limelight.
If she could, Ji Renran would have liked to strangle Ji Zizhao to death right now!
But she couldn't, and she didn't dare...
She could only watch as Ji Zizhao offered her thanks and rose, hearing others' insincere and helpless pronouncements of "Eldest Daughter of the Ji family."
This feeling of powerlessness was driving Ji Renran to madness!