After being reborn as a man, the woman improved her family's fortunes through education.

The news of Jiang Xiaoqi's promotion was issued by the Ministry of Personnel, not by a high-profile imperial edict.

His work unit remained the same, still under the jurisdiction of the Hanlin Academy, but he was promoted from a sixth-rank compiler to a fifth-rank lecturer.

This is considered a promotion of three ranks in a row. The promotion is not slow, but it is not as eye-catching as others. After all, the list of personnel issued by the Ministry of Personnel also includes people like Liu Peng, who got promoted through connections by their families.

Liu Peng was promoted two ranks this time, directly from a seventh-rank editor to a sixth-rank scholar.

Of the three who were once ranked first in the imperial examination, only Xiao Ming, the third-ranked scholar, has remained stagnant, still holding the rank of seventh-grade editor.

Fortunately, Xiao Ming had a good attitude. He was even happier than his two friends about their promotions and asked them to each treat him to a celebratory meal.

The advantage of the Ministry of Personnel issuing notices in a centralized manner is that others may not know that it is the emperor's will, and may even mistakenly believe that it is because the Jiang family has pulled some strings.

The emperor felt that since the goal was to keep a low profile, he should avoid any actions that would attract attention.

The emperor's actions were not for Jiang Xiaoqi's sake, but for the sake of the second prince.

Having already been poisoned when he was mentally challenged, the emperor had experienced life and death, and did not want to put his son in danger again.

In particular, we must not let his decisions push our son into danger.

He felt that his identity as a mentally challenged child was actually a form of protection, preventing those around him who were eyeing him with predatory intent from harming him again and again.

If the imperial court and the inner palace were to find out that Chang'er had regained his senses at this time, who knows what kind of harm it would bring.

Chang'er has suffered too much injustice over the years, and she must arrange everything for her son before she passes away.

The first step was to hand over the people he trusted to his son, and of course, everything had to be done in secret.

The emperor sat on the large dragon throne, which now appeared even more empty due to his emaciated body.

The chief eunuch removed the cold tea and replaced it with a cup that was just the right temperature to drink.

After changing, he stood silently to the side, like air, as if he had become one with the main hall.

The emperor picked up his teacup, took a small sip, and looked out of the palace through the rising aroma of the tea.

At that moment, a junior eunuch rushed over and whispered a few words in the ear of the chief eunuch. The chief eunuch frowned slightly and stepped forward.

He said softly, "Your Majesty, the Fifth Prince requests an audience."

"Hmm? What's he doing here at this time?"

The emperor does not want to see this fifth son now, after all, the illness of his birth mother is indeed suspicious.

This made him think of his second son's poisoning, after all, he felt that he understood his fifth son less and less.

Was all that previous caution and carefulness just an act?

That was such a good act that it almost fooled him.

If the second son really falls for the trick this time, and the fifth prince's birth mother also passes away, will the empress really not feel pity for the two suffering the same fate and thus take them under her name?

The emperor believed that with the empress being so kind, she would definitely be plotted against by the fifth prince. Even if she was unwilling at first, the fifth prince would use any means necessary to achieve his goal.

The emperor was wary of the fifth prince, not for his own sake, but for the sake of his second son.

After all, Chang'er is kind-hearted and has just regained consciousness; he certainly can't outwit the cunning Fifth Prince.

After much deliberation, the emperor finally ordered the fifth prince to be brought in.

He feared that if he disappeared, the Fifth Prince would find another way to contact the Empress Dowager or the Empress.

Whatever the plan, let the emperor bear the brunt of it. After all, his mother and empress have already suffered too much while he was poisoned.

"Let him in!"

The emperor also wanted to see what his son, who had always been somewhat invisible, would do.

"Your subject pays respects to Your Majesty and greets Your Majesty!"

"Get up!"

The fifth prince had delicate features and did not resemble Emperor Zhao Yong very much.

This is one of the reasons why he has been overlooked, unlike the Second Prince, who bears a striking resemblance to the Emperor in his youth.

Therefore, when the emperor saw the second prince, it was as if he saw his own youthful and spirited self.

The fifth prince stood up, lowered his eyes, and said respectfully, "Father, I heard that my second brother fell ill some time ago, and I was worried. However, his palace is heavily guarded, and I cannot visit him."

Therefore, I have come to request an imperial edict from my father, that the Imperial Guards may open an entrance so that I may go and visit him.

After the emperor saw the second prince that day and confirmed that he had recovered his mental and physical state, he ordered the imperial guards to protect the second prince's residence.

Firstly, to prevent being disturbed, and secondly, to prevent encountering danger again.

Unexpectedly, his fifth son went to visit. Was he going to check if Chang'er's poison had been cured? Or was he checking something else?

"Your second brother is still very weak. The Empress has asked me to grant permission for the time being not to allow anyone to visit him."

It's good that you have this intention; you value brotherhood and family ties. However, we must also respect the Empress's wishes.

Now that your mother is also seriously ill, and despite so much treatment, her condition hasn't improved, you should be visiting her more often.

His own mother was on the verge of death, yet he still eagerly came to ask for permission to visit his not-so-close brother, the Emperor. The Fifth Prince practically had the words "impure motives" printed on his forehead.

Before the Fifth Prince could speak, the Emperor interrupted him.

"I will convey your concerns to you. It will not be too late for you to meet again after your second brother has fully recovered."

They're all young kids; there's plenty of time ahead of them, and they'll have plenty of opportunities to get to know each other better.

The emperor had already said so much, so the fifth prince could no longer press the matter.

"Yes, Father. Now that my second brother is recovering, I am relieved."

I always thought that my second brother was a lucky person, and that any minor illness or mishap wouldn't be a big deal.

The Fifth Prince spoke sincerely, making it seem to anyone who didn't know better that he and the Second Prince were very close.

Although the two lived in the same palace, they had very little contact. After all, the second prince had his own tutor, while the other princes were taught together by great Confucian scholars and court officials.

The two of them could count the number of times they met in a year on one hand; apart from various festival celebrations and palace banquets, they almost never saw each other.

It wasn't because the palace was so big, but because the Fifth Prince had never taken the mentally challenged Second Prince seriously.

Such a legitimate son poses no threat and there's no need to befriend him, since he's not good at coaxing children.

However, as his younger brothers grew up, each family began to exert their influence openly and covertly, and he realized that no matter how outstanding a prince was, he was still very weak and powerless.

Having strong family support or a sufficiently prestigious background are essential conditions for setting oneself apart from others.

But he had nothing at all.