Ji Zizhao looked up at the Empress instantly. She heard Empress Zhong continue, "The battle report from Tonglin this time not only spoke of Yu Lin's great victory, but also mentioned that the Fourth Prince was pierced through the heart by a spear from Xirong. He has been unconscious for a long time, relying on ginseng to sustain his life..."
Empress Zhong's hand, clutching her handkerchief, kept tightening. The battle report had not failed to mention Xie Jinglan. Or rather, without Xie Jinglan's diversion, drawing away most of Xirong's forces, it would have been impossible for the Seventh Prince to capture the Xirong prince.
However, after reading it, the Emperor directly suppressed the part of the battle report concerning Xie Jinglan, clearly not wanting to give him any credit.
"Crack..."
The teacup in Ji Zizhao's hand fell to the ground and shattered.
Looking at the Empress's red eyes, how could she not know that Xie Jinglan was gambling with his life?
And he was paving the way for the Seventh Prince with his life!
As it seemed now, the Seventh Prince's path was paved, but although the Emperor did not stop Xie Jinglan from returning to the imperial city, he directly chose to suppress the matter, clearly still suspicious of Xie Jinglan.
Emperors had always been suspicious. Once the Emperor suspected something, unless the evidence was conclusive, how could he easily let it go?
The Ji family of the past was a living example!
Ji Zizhao looked at the shattered teacup on the ground, feeling somewhat dazed.
He could have chosen to leave.
With his intelligence and composure, even if he stayed away from royalty, he would still be able to live a smooth life.
Yet, in the end, he chose to return, even if it meant facing a nine-in-ten chance of death.
Empress Zhong looked at the silent Ji Zizhao, her heart filled with an indescribable emotion.
She had chosen Ji Zizhao in the first place to keep the Fourth Prince by her side. But now, the Fourth Prince was truly willing to die to stay in the imperial city, and she could not bring herself to smile.
"Did the Emperor send anyone to meet him?" Ji Zizhao asked softly.
Empress Zhong shook her head, but said, "Even if the Emperor suppresses this matter now, by the time the Seventh Prince returns, he will find a way to publicize the Fourth Prince's merits. As long as the common people know the truth, even if the Emperor does not want to accept the Fourth Prince, he will have no choice."
With public support, the Emperor would naturally not act rashly.
Ji Zizhao frowned.
Xie Jinglan's move of burning his bridges was indeed intended to gain the support of the common people, thereby forcing the Emperor to accept his return. However, as long as the Emperor did not let down his guard, Xie Jinglan would have to continue living a life of dependence.
Ji Zizhao understood that since Xie Jinglan had chosen this path, he must have thought of everything. But the thought that Xie Jinglan would continue to be looked down upon by everyone and be gossiped about made her heart sink heavily.
Fortunately, her master was accompanying Xie Jinglan. With her master's medical skills, even if he was sustained by ginseng, she would definitely be able to bring him back to the palace alive.
Therefore, the most important thing now was how to dispel the Emperor's suspicion.
Ji Zizhao narrowed her eyes slightly, her thoughts racing. Now that Xie Jinglan had completely severed ties with Xirong, if he could not be fully accepted by Yulin, there would be endless troubles in the future.
"Reporting to Her Majesty, it seems something has happened to Princess Wenhua." Nanny Dai suddenly entered and said.
Empress Zhong thought it was a matter of the harem and rose, saying, "You accompany me to see."
"Yes." Nanny Dai said, and was about to help the Empress.
Ji Zizhao, however, spoke, "It is too much of a coincidence that Princess Wenhua has had an incident at this time."
Empress Zhong paused, "Do you know something?"
Ji Zizhao certainly knew that Princess Wenhua causing trouble at this time was definitely an attempt to escape. However, she was too pressed for time to explain too much to the Empress. She could only kneel on the ground and say, "This subject has a way to make the Emperor send people to meet the Fourth Prince. Please believe this subject, Your Majesty, and invite the Emperor to Princess Wenhua's sleeping quarters."
Empress Zhong lowered her eyes slightly to look at Ji Zizhao before her. After a long while, she said, "Get up. I will go find the Emperor."
Although Empress Zhong did not want to look at the Emperor more than necessary from the bottom of her heart, she still trusted Ji Zizhao. If the Emperor could indeed send people to meet the Fourth Prince, the speed of the Fourth Prince's return to the city could at least double.
Empress Zhong left Fengyi Palace. Ji Zizhao knew that to capture Princess Wenhua, her own strength would not be enough. However, with Nanny Dai accompanying the Empress, it was not easy to find someone with a tight lip.
After much thought, Ji Zizhao summoned a palace maid and asked her to invite Baihe.
The palace maid, upon hearing that the Fourth Prince's consort wanted to see Baihe for a task, felt that the hope was slim but dared not disobey. She turned and went to Baihe's residence.
Baihe lived in the ear room of Fengyi Palace and came quickly. As soon as she saw Ji Zizhao, she calmly bowed, "This servant greets the Fourth Prince's consort."
Ji Zizhao gestured for Baihe to speak while standing, "I wish to ask Aunt Baihe to help me leave the palace to deliver a message."
Baihe said softly, "Why does the Fourth Prince's consort believe that this servant will definitely do it?"
Baihe was not Zhi Nan. She did not have such deep master-servant affection with Ji Zizhao, let alone with the Empress. After learning of Zhi Nan's death, she had no more hope.
"Does the Fourth Prince's consort not know that news from the palace involves imperial secrets? If one is caught for privately transmitting it, it is a capital offense."
Ji Zizhao of course knew this. It was precisely because she knew that she had to find Baihe. "Does Aunt Baihe not wonder why the Eighth Prince insisted on causing trouble? If the Eighth Prince had not harbored improper thoughts back then, Aunt Zhi Nan would not have died in vain."
Baihe frowned, "What exactly does the Fourth Prince's consort want to say?"
"The instigator of the entire matter is now trying to escape. That is why I wish to ask Aunt Baihe to help me leave the palace to deliver a message. Only then can the villain's vicious and ugly intentions be revealed."
Hearing Ji Zizhao's words, Baihe's heart trembled, "Is what the Fourth Prince's consort says true?"
Ji Zizhao nodded, "This matter concerns the Fourth Prince. This subject does not speak falsely."
Baihe was, after all, the Empress's dowry maid. She had seen ruthless methods in the past when she was in the mansion. She had long felt that her sister's death was not simple. Now that she knew the real culprit was right before her, she immediately became energetic and hurried out of Fengyi Palace.
Watching Baihe walk with lighter steps, not only the palace maid who had gone to deliver the message, but also other palace maids in Fengyi Palace were somewhat stunned.
They could no longer remember how long it had been since Baihe had appeared. Even for the Empress's orders, Baihe had mostly turned a blind eye. Why did she listen to the Fourth Prince's consort's words?