Of course, one still has to maintain appearances.
"Shi Su, tell Grandma the truth. Was leaving really your own will? If..."
How could Ji Shisu not understand what the matriarch meant? She was probably worried that someone had forced him.
If he really didn't want to leave, no one could force him.
Ji Shisu had never been keen on being the head of the family in the first place. He had taken over the position back then only because of his elder brother.
But now everything had returned to normal.
Especially after he learned the truth about his own background and Ning'er went missing, he felt an unprecedented sense of alienation from this mansion.
He yearned to escape, and this desire grew uncontrollable.
He was like an eagle that finally realized it should soar in the sky instead of being caged.
Even if freedom meant getting hurt, he didn't care.
"Grandma, don't worry. Everything is my own choice. No one forced me."
In fact, he had already made up his mind. Whether the matriarch agreed today or not, leaving was a certainty.
He had already asked Yu Chi to pack their things. If necessary, he would follow Ji Shijian's example and leave without saying goodbye.
He was running out of patience.
"I can't make the decision on such a major matter. Ask your parents. If they agree, I'll go along with it."
Everyone's eyes turned to Mrs. Ji and Mr. Ji. Mrs. Ji had already made her stance clear.
Now they were waiting for Mr. Ji to speak.
Mr. Ji remained silent, his face ashen.
Everyone knew who he was thinking of at that moment—the third wife, whom he had tried so hard to keep but who had chosen the most extreme way to leave.
Time seemed to stand still as everyone held their breath, waiting for him to speak.
After a long while, a soft sigh escaped his lips. Then he slowly said,
"The emperor's rewards are for you and Shijian. You can take half of them. Leave the rest for Shijian."
Everyone knew that Ji Shijian would never return once he left.
Mr. Ji's words were just an excuse.
Mr. Ji had originally wanted to keep all the rewards, but out of respect for the third wife, he didn't say so.
Ji Shisu smiled and said, "The emperor said that Shijian's reward will be delivered later."
Since Ji Shijian was considered to have "died in the line of duty," the emperor intended to posthumously confer a reward on him, but the process was rather complicated, so the reward hadn't been issued yet.
Ji Shisu bowed and added, "As for my reward, you won't be able to use it anyway."
"Why?" the matriarch asked anxiously.
"My reward is an imperial edict. The emperor has conferred on Lady Bai Shaoqing the title of a third - rank imperial consort."
Hearing this, the faces of the Ji family members showed disappointment.
The matriarch still wasn't willing to give up.
"An imperial consort? Why did the emperor only confer the title on your wife, and in the name of Bai Shaoqing?"
It was impossible for the matriarch not to feel jealous.
Why did Zhao Luoning deserve the title of imperial consort?
According to seniority, it should have been her.
She wasn't the only one who thought so.
Mrs. Ji also had the same thought.
Although Ji Shisu wasn't her biological son, she had raised him.
She was Ji Shisu's mother.
Why should Zhao Luoning get the credit?
Mrs. Ji echoed the matriarch, "Yes, and since the emperor didn't confer the title of general on you but only gave Zhao Luoning the title of imperial consort, he should have given you more rewards!"
Mrs. Ji suspected that Ji Shisu had embezzled the rewards and wasn't willing to share them, planning to keep them all for himself after the family split.
She knew that with Ji Shisu's temper, if he didn't want to give something, no one could force him.
She kept bringing up the rewards in order to make the matriarch more resentful towards Ji Shisu.
Ji Shisu answered without hesitation, "Because I used all my rewards to exchange for the title of imperial consort for Luoning."
Ji Shisu's answer made the matriarch and Mrs. Ji feel very uncomfortable.
The matriarch even pointed at Ji Shisu's nose and scolded,
"You unfilial son! The Ji family has raised you for so many years, and now you've forgotten your roots just because you have a wife!"
Hearing the title of imperial consort, Mrs. Ji and the matriarch were extremely envious.
Looking at the disdainful and unwilling expressions on the faces of the two elders, Ji Shisu forced a smile and explained,
"The emperor will posthumously confer the title of general on Shijian. With two generals and an imperial consort in one family, even the royal and noble families don't have such treatment. Prosperity that reaches its peak is bound to decline. Only by maintaining a steady pace can one achieve long - term success."
Ji Shisu's reminder made Mr. Ji, who had been in the officialdom for a long time, nod and say, "Mother, Shisu is right. Being too ostentatious is not a good thing."
The new emperor was a suspicious man who had always been practicing the art of balance in the court.
The Ji family had already attracted a lot of attention this time, and there were many jealous officials in the court.
A few days ago, the emperor had found a minor mistake in Mr. Ji's memorial and severely criticized him in front of all the officials.
It was to appease the jealous officials and also a reminder to Mr. Ji.
Although Mr. Ji had spoken up for Ji Shisu, he didn't forget to scold him.
"Shisu, you should have discussed these things with me first. How could you make such a decision on your own? No matter what, Zhao Luoning is an outsider. No matter how well you treat her, you're just benefiting the Zhao family."
An outsider?
Mr. Ji's words made Ji Shisu and Zhao Luoyu very angry.
Just then, Mrs. Ji added fuel to the fire.
"Yes, you're a descendant of the Ji family. You should put the interests of the Ji family first. How could you side with outsiders?"
Their repeated references to her as an outsider and accusations of siding with others made Ji Shisu laugh out of anger.
The Ji family members were full of questions when they saw Ji Shisu still smiling at this moment.
"What are you laughing at?"
"I'm laughing at Ning'er's stupidity. She has dedicated herself to this family, but in the end, she's just an outsider. I finally understand today what it means to be kind to ungrateful people."
Ji Shisu's blatant sarcasm made Mr. Ji and the matriarch look very embarrassed.
Mr. Ji slapped the table and stood up.
"Ji Shisu, what do you mean?!"
Ji Shisu was too lazy to kneel anymore.
No matter how the Ji family had treated him, they had given him life and raised him, and Ji Shisu had no complaints.
But they couldn't treat Zhao Luoning so lightly.
"What I mean is, I don't care how you view Ning'er, but to me, she is my wife."
"So, you're choosing that woman over your family?"
"Yes. If you only see her as an outsider, then you are outsiders to me too."
Mr. Ji was so angry that his face turned blue and white.
The matriarch's face was also extremely ugly.
Mrs. Ji had a complicated expression. She didn't know whether she should be happy that Ji Shisu was ruining his own future or jealous that a woman like Zhao Luoning had a husband who would protect her regardless of the consequences.
And behind Mrs. Ji, Zhao Luoyu stood with her mouth wide open, staring at Ji Shisu, unable to say a word.
Using military merits to exchange for the title of imperial consort for his wife.
Drawing a line between his family and himself for the sake of his wife.
This Ji Shisu.
Was either a lovesick fool or a complete idiot!