Facing Xing Jiqiu's flustered expression, Ji Zizhao only smiled more calmly.
Calculating the time, Taohua should have already arrived at Tonglin. Assassins never report safety, only death. Since there had been no movement from Taohua, she assumed the Seventh Prince was safe.
Moreover, Ji Zizhao had personally prepared all the medicine, so she had confidence in it.
In a few more days, once Xie Jinglan arrived at Tonglin, the battle situation there would undoubtedly undergo a drastic change.
By then, she wondered if these people would still be able to smile.
Xing Jiqiu knew some words were inconvenient to say, but seeing the smile on Ji Zizhao's face, her anxious heart finally settled a little. "I was being small-minded. I was just worried about the Seventh Prince... Does Fourth Sister-in-law not worry about Fourth Brother at all?"
Xu Meiqing also looked at Ji Zizhao with concern.
Ever since the Fourth Prince left, rumors in the imperial city had not ceased. Who could endure such a situation?
Ji Zizhao looked at Xing Jiqiu and said, "What difference does worrying make? What difference does not worrying make? Whether you worry or not, it will not change what has already been decided. Self-pity now is just finding a reason to be pitied when you are down. But if you yourself are defeated, who will pity you? It's just a tiger fallen in the plains being bullied by dogs..."
And the kind of thing where a tiger fallen in the plains is bullied by dogs would never happen to her, Ji Zizhao.
If she could endure everything before, she could still do so now.
Xing Jiqiu was so shocked she couldn't speak.
Was the Fourth Sister-in-law always this formidable?
Xu Meiqing patted Xing Jiqiu's shoulder sympathetically. When she first met Ji Zizhao, she had also experienced a series of shocks like this. Now, her understanding of Ji Zizhao's strength had taken a leap. Even if Ji Zizhao were to appear omnipotent before her eyes, she probably wouldn't be surprised.
The name Ji Zizhao was enough to encompass all power.
As more and more people gathered in the courtyard, the Eighth Prince's Consort also arrived. Being the hostess today, she busied herself greeting guests, quickly creating a lively atmosphere in the courtyard.
Just then, a slender woman entered the courtyard.
Compared to the young imperial consorts in the courtyard, this woman was slightly older. Her attire was simple and understated, with few ornaments. The only items she wore were a pair of silver bracelets on her wrist, which, judging by the worn patterns, were clearly quite old.
As everyone looked at the woman, their expressions became somber.
Ji Zizhao did not recognize the woman, and seeing the expressions of others, her curiosity was piqued.
Xu Meiqing looked at Ji Zizhao's expression and felt utterly speechless.
You're about to step into the imperial family, yet you're so uninformed about imperial news. Is that acceptable?
"That's the First Prince's Consort," Xu Meiqing whispered.
Ji Zizhao suddenly understood.
She had heard that the First Prince, being older than the other princes, had been betrothed and sent to his fiefdom long ago. During festivals, unless summoned by the Emperor, the First Prince would not return to the palace on his own accord.
Xing Jiqiu lowered her voice, "I heard that in the early years, the First Prince's mother used disreputable means to gain the Emperor's favor for one night and successfully conceive the First Prince. She thought she had ascended to greatness, but who would have imagined that on the very night she gave birth to the First Prince, the Emperor bestowed upon her a silken noose? Afterwards, the First Prince was sent to a temporary palace to be raised."
Xu Meiqing sighed, "It's said that the First Prince's marriage was arranged by the late Empress Dowager to persuade the Emperor. On the wedding day, he was banished to his fiefdom. Years have passed, and the First Prince's Consort often returns to the imperial city to visit relatives, but the First Prince dare not return privately."
Ji Zizhao felt a sense of enlightenment.
She remembered the last time she saw the First Prince was when General Xue was poisoned. At that time, the First Prince's aversion to Xie Jinglan was far stronger than that of any other prince. She had been puzzled then, but now it seemed the First Prince was simply trying to find a sense of balance through Xie Jinglan.
Both were unfavored, but Xie Jinglan could remain in the imperial city, while he was banished to his fiefdom.
Xing Jiqiu paused and added, "The First Prince's Consort is the Eighth Prince's Consort's cousin. It is only natural that the Wei family invited the First Prince's Consort."
Ji Zizhao exclaimed, "You know the details so thoroughly."
Xu Meiqing: "..."
Xing Jiqiu: "..."
There's no one else besides you who is so uninterested in royal gossip!
Ji Zizhao was not uninterested, she just didn't have the energy to waste on such matters. Looking at the First Prince's Consort again, her heart was filled with a sigh.
The First Prince's mother had intended to benefit from her son's status, but not only did she end her own life, she also implicated the First Prince. She wondered what the First Prince's mother would feel if she knew this in the afterlife.
Now, the First Prince's Consort stood alone in the courtyard, appearing somewhat awkward under the gazes of the crowd.
Normally, the seniority of the imperial consorts was determined by the order of the princes. The First Prince, being the eldest, naturally made his consort the elder sister-in-law to all other imperial consorts. Especially in Yulin, where the eldest brother is like a father and the eldest sister-in-law is like a mother, the elder sister-in-law held considerable weight among the sisters-in-law.
The other imperial consorts in the courtyard naturally understood this. They hesitated whether to offer greetings and well wishes to the First Prince's Consort. The Eighth Prince's Consort, though estranged from the First Prince's Consort, feared her mother's reprimand afterward, so she bravely stepped forward.
At the same moment, Zuo Xiuhua's voice rang out, neither too loud nor too soft, "We've been standing here for a while. I imagine everyone is thirsty and hungry. May I ask when Eighth Sister-in-law will be serving the meal?"
The Eighth Prince's Consort stopped abruptly. She glanced at the First Prince's Consort not far away, then without hesitation, walked towards Zuo Xiuhua. "Preparations have been made in the main hall. Fifth Sister-in-law, it's perfect for you to go now."
Zuo Xiuhua snorted, "Since that's the case, let's not linger. Let's all go together."
Everyone watching this scene understood what was happening.
The Fifth Prince's Consort clearly did not want to pay respects to the First Prince's Consort!
However, it was understandable. The First Prince, who had been disdained and abandoned by the Emperor since childhood, could hardly be compared to the Fifth Prince, the only son of Noble Consort Xi. It was only natural that the Fifth Prince's Consort was unwilling to bow.
Although the others felt it was improper, they could only follow Zuo Xiuhua out of the courtyard.
Xu Meiqing watched the Eighth Prince's Consort closely following Zuo Xiuhua and almost laughed out loud, "So-called kinship is ultimately no match for climbing the ladder of power."
Xing Jiqiu said helplessly, "The world is like this. What is the value of a person's heart?"
As Xu Meiqing and Xing Jiqiu were sighing, they saw a familiar figure suddenly appear in their sight. Upon closer inspection, they saw Ji Zizhao standing directly in front of the First Prince's Consort.
Xing Jiqiu: "..."
What's going on?
Xu Meiqing: "..."
What else could be going on? When Ji Zizhao makes a move, it's always a big one. We should be prepared to fight alongside her...
Ji Zizhao's action also attracted the attention of others. They looked at each other, none of them understanding why the Fourth Prince's Consort was doing this out of the blue.