The Imperial Study was suffocatingly tense.
Shattered tea remnants still littered the floor, a testament to the Emperor's current fury.
The moment Ji Zizhao entered, she saw the Eighth Prince's consort kneeling on the ground, weeping uncontrollably. Zuo Xiuhua stood silently by, head bowed. Moving further in, she caught sight of the Eighth Prince and Xie Jingzhou, who had arrived in haste.
At this moment, the two men stood wordlessly by Zuo Xiuhua and the Eighth Prince's consort, their affectionate display evident.
Ji Zizhao was not surprised by the arrival of the Eighth Prince and Xie Jingzhou. They had orchestrated this grand drama behind the scenes, and now that it was nearing its climax, they naturally came together to witness the results.
"Is the Fourth Prince's Consort so slow because she's scared silly?" a sarcastic voice suddenly rang out from above Ji Zizhao.
Ji Zizhao looked up, and her heart skipped a beat as she saw Consort Xi standing beside the Emperor.
The Empress had been dismissed, but Consort Xi had appeared here without reason. If this were a coincidence, it was too much of one.
Ji Zizhao certainly did not believe in such coincidences. She knew that with Consort Xi's involvement, these people had no intention of leaving her alive!
Zuo Xiuhua observed Ji Zizhao's expression and inwardly sneered.
Did she truly think that causing a scene in the palace would afford her protection?
"This subject pays her respects to His Majesty and Consort Xi," Ji Zizhao said, her mind racing as she respectfully knelt on the ground.
Emperor Xiaochang observed Ji Zizhao in silence, showing no intention of speaking.
It was Consort Xi, however, who spoke with a half-smile, "The Fourth Prince's Consort truly has a grand air, to be so slow in responding to His Majesty's summons!"
Ji Zizhao, still kneeling, calmly replied, "After entering the palace, this subject went to Fengyi Palace to take the Empress's pulse for her well-being. Upon receiving the summons, I hurried here. However, even traveling by imperial carriage from Fengyi Palace to the Imperial Study takes a quarter of an hour. Walking would surely be even slower."
Consort Xi let out a cold laugh, "Are you blaming the palace for being too large?"
"The Yu Lin Imperial Palace is magnificent, and the Emperor's residence is luxurious, befitting royal grandeur. My grandfather always said that a nation's palace represents the nation's face. Only by constructing a magnificent palace can one demonstrate the country's abundant wealth and the people's prosperity. I may not understand much, but I know that being able to stand in such a magnificent palace today is because Yu Lin has a diligent and benevolent Emperor who governs with shrewdness!"
Ji Zizhao knelt properly on the ground, but her words were clear and resonant.
Consort Xi's face darkened immediately upon hearing this. In the entire harem, no one dared to act so presumptuously in front of her. Yet, Ji Zizhao openly flattered the Emperor, and with her innocent and composed demeanor, Consort Xi wished she could tear that face apart herself!
The Eighth Prince's consort and Zuo Xiuhua were also stunned.
At a time like this, how could the Fourth Prince's Consort still be flattering the Emperor?
Xie Jingzhou looked at Ji Zizhao kneeling before him and frowned subtly.
Few people dared to speak such words in front of their father, the Emperor. Moreover, Ji Zizhao had elevated her praise from the palace itself to the Emperor. Such a natural and seamless flattery was pleasing even to him as an observer, let alone the recipient.
Indeed, Emperor Xiaochang, who had been silent, finally spoke, "Do you know why I summoned you to kneel here?"
Although his expression remained grim, in this situation, Emperor Xiaochang's willingness to speak first was already a tremendous grace.
Ji Zizhao was not in a hurry. As long as the Emperor opened his mouth, she could seize the opportunity. "If I may be so bold to guess, Your Majesty summoned me because of the thief apprehended at the Wei family today?"
Xie Jingzhou felt a pang of unease seeing Ji Zizhao engage in conversation with the Emperor.
Such a person, who remained composed in the face of crisis, was not by his side. If Zuo Xiuhua had half of Ji Zizhao's ability, he and his mother would not need to be here accompanying her.
Emperor Xiaochang looked impassively at the Eighth Prince's consort beside him and said, "Repeat what you just told me."
The Eighth Prince's consort trembled, her head lowered as if deeply wronged. "That maidservant came alone, claiming to know the Fourth Prince's Consort. However, the Ji family's security was strict, and the maidservant couldn't see the Fourth Prince's Consort, so she asked me to introduce her. Thinking that the banquet was approaching, I took it upon myself to keep her. Who would have thought that the maidservant intended to kill me..."
Ji Zizhao listened to the old and familiar tale and sneered coldly, "Strict security? Eighth sister-in-law, are you joking? While the Ji family in the past might have slept with their doors open at midnight, the current Ji family is merely a group of orphaned women and children. Wouldn't you agree, Fifth Prince?"
Completely taken aback by being named, Xie Jingzhou was stunned for a long moment before realizing Ji Zizhao was referring to the time when he had lived at the Ji residence with Luo Hong. Seeing the Emperor's gaze shift towards him, he had no choice but to speak, albeit reluctantly, "It is indeed so."
Hearing this, the Emperor recalled the tumultuous period of the Ji family and his expression changed. In truth, he felt a sense of debt towards the Ji family.
Xie Jingzhou could sense his father's emotional shift. He did not want to agree, but the Ji family's circumstances at the time were not something he could deny with a shake of his head. It was all Ji Zizhao's shrewdness that allowed her to turn every situation to her advantage.
"The Fourth Prince's Consort is indeed a disciple of Academician Zhang. Look at her composure and eloquent speech in this crisis, she truly possesses some of Academician Zhang's demeanor." Consort Xi picked up her tea cup and offered it to the Emperor. Her words of praise sounded as if she genuinely admired Ji Zizhao.
Ji Zizhao, of course, did not believe Consort Xi could be so kind-hearted.
"Eloquent speech, composure in crisis..."
This was clearly implying she was glib-tongued, calling black white, and twisting facts!
As Consort Xi finished speaking, Emperor Xiaochang's expression grew colder. He gestured to Feng Gu, who stood beside him, and ordered, "Bring her up!"
Feng Gu nodded and quickly went behind the screen.
A moment later, several guards brought the attacking maidservant before everyone.
The maidservant was dripping wet, clearly awakened by being doused with cold water. The moment she saw Ji Zizhao, she kowtowed three times, then spoke steadily, "This servant is useless. I failed to complete the task assigned by the Eighth Prince. I implore the Fourth Prince's Consort to show mercy and not harm my family."
This brief statement directly shifted all blame onto Xie Jinglan and further portrayed Ji Zizhao as a despicable villain who used the lives of innocent people to coerce and deceive...
What was this meant to achieve?
This was clearly an attempt to condemn Xie Jinglan and Ji Zizhao to utter ruin!