Chapter 42 Crematorium (VI) “I will leave with dignity. …

After Shen Changfeng had an audience with the emperor, he was kept by the Prince of Changping for another half an hour.

The Prince of Changping's face was as dark as the bottom of a pot, and he just drank silently. Shen Changfeng didn't know what the Su sisters had said to him, and just as he was about to break the deadlock, the Prince of Changping suddenly spoke up, "I know everything about today. If the Crown Prince is in trouble, I will not pursue it."

Chen Changfeng thought that this was quite sensible. He raised his glass to toast him from afar, but then he heard him say, "The premise is that you must marry my daughter as soon as possible. Also, my daughter can't be a mistress..."

Shen Changfeng put away his wine glass and gradually frowned. Wasn't it just a simple drowning in the lake? Was it serious enough to make him sell his body to apologize? Why did he marry that girl who didn't even have all her teeth?

The Prince of Changping said to himself, "The trouble is, the mourning period hasn't ended yet, but we can do it quietly..."

Shen Changfeng realized the person was referring to Su Qinxue and thought to himself that these father and daughter were truly insane! Anger shot up his forehead, and Shen Changfeng dropped the wine glass in his hand. With his left hand, he grasped the corner of the table and violently lifted it upward. A shred of sanity remained, telling him that the late Princess Changping had saved Li Jieyi on the battlefield. So, with a powerful push of his right hand, he brought the flying table down. He didn't control his strength well, and a large hole was smashed into the sandalwood table.

Wine glasses, teacups, chopsticks and plates were scattered all over the floor with a clang of their hands. Everyone was stunned as they watched the tall man stand up with a gloomy expression, and they all shrank back in fear.

Shen Changfeng looked around, finally fixing his gaze on Prince Changping's face, and said in a strong voice: "I'm sorry, I can't obey your command!"

Although he spoke politely, his tone was clearly arrogant to the extreme, with an unquestionable and arrogance that made the Prince of Changping so angry that he fainted.

When Shen Changfeng left the Zhai Palace, it had already started to rain heavily outside.

Shen Changfeng asked, "Have you found the Crown Prince's Consort's hairpin?"

The left and right people said timidly: "Replying to the prince, the princess said there is no need to look for it."

Shen Changfeng: "No need to look for it?"

The attendants replied, "Noble Consort Xue's pleasure boat was always on the other side of the lake. We were so many people that we didn't dare to act rashly, fearing we might offend the noble lady. It was only after nightfall that Noble Consort Xue left the pleasure boat and moved to the Zhai Palace. Then it started to rain, and the Crown Prince's Consort sent someone to say there was no need to look for her anymore."

Shen Changfeng felt a headache. It must be that the Su sisters heard that he was going to send someone to find the hairpin and deliberately made trouble for him. They didn't leave until it was about to rain.

Originally, the lake water was not flowing much and not very deep, so it was not difficult to find it even if it took some effort. But now it has rained for a while, the silt at the bottom of the lake has rolled up, the water is turbid, and it is late at night. How can we find it?

Why didn't he realize that Su Qinxue was so difficult before?

Shen Changfeng was walking quickly towards the living room when he suddenly stopped. No! Seeing Lin Meizhu's almost dazed look today, this hairpin must be very important. Why did she say there was no need to look for it?

He hissed softly. He wasn't afraid of women getting angry; he was most afraid of women calmly saying they weren't angry. Wasn't that what Li Jieyi had said before when she said she didn't mind him calling Concubine Liu "mother"?

If he doesn't even understand this truth, then he has really lived in vain for the past twenty years.

Shen Changfeng made a quick decision, immediately turned around and rushed to the lakeshore. This hairpin must be found for her no matter what!

Huguo Temple hasn't been so lively for a long time.

Over a dozen sturdy men appeared in Prajna Pond overnight, shirtless and braving the rain, searching for something. When people heard about this, they suddenly remembered that they had something to say to the Buddha, and men, women, young and old all rushed into the Huguo Temple.

The abbot shouted until his voice was hoarse, "In broad daylight! How shameful! How shameful!"

As the sky gradually brightened, Shen Changfeng took the Zen robe and put it on.

He and a dozen guards worked all night, diving and searching, trawling and searching, and even hired "treasure hunters" who were familiar with the water to divert the river and pan for sand. They tried everything and searched every fish, shrimp and crab in the lake at least three times, but there was no trace of the hairpin.

Shen Changfeng put on his clothes, but the noise on the shore became louder, because the thin clothes stuck tightly to his body after being wet, the white became whiter, the pink became pinker, and the full muscle lines were faintly visible, which was obviously more impactful.

The raindrops hit his sharp brows, slid down his neat and straight jawline, and finally disappeared into the slightly open collar of his clothes.

Shen Changfeng wiped the rain from his face and fell into deep thought. It was almost noon, and he still hadn't found it.

The treasure hunter suggested burning incense and praying to the Buddha for guidance. Everyone was tired of searching and looked at Shen Changfeng, who did not object.

So everyone rushed into the Buddhist temple again. Qingsong was the first to draw a lot. He picked one up and saw that it was a very bad lot - it could not be found.

Shen Changfeng slapped him on the back of the head and said, "You must have told too many lies, kid! Change it!"

Then Chen Yue shook the sticks, but it was still a bad one. Shen Changfeng broke the stick and said, "Your cultivation is not enough. Let's get someone with more advanced cultivation."

The abbot was then carried to the cushion and said, "It is not appropriate to ask about the same thing multiple times. The Buddha has already given the answer. Donor, let go of your obsession..."

Shen Changfeng handed over the sign tube and said, "Please!"

The abbot sighed helplessly and was about to recite the fortune sticks silently when Shen Changfeng suddenly pressed the stick holder and said, "Tell the Buddha a message. If you ask me to find that hairpin, I will rebuild the golden body for the temple and melt another thousand taels of gold to cast the small Buddha in the Longmen Grottoes."

Amidst the crowd's admiration, Shen Changfeng slowly smiled, "If that's not possible, I will have no choice but to fill the lake, demolish the temple, and dig three feet into the ground. The noise might be a bit loud, so I beg the Buddha to forgive me."

I don't know which sentence worked, but this time it was no longer a bad fortune. After searching for a long time according to the instructions on the fortune, Shen Changfeng really found the hairpin.

The good news is that the hairpin was found, but the bad news is that it really became a broken hairpin.

The wooden hairpin was already old and had broken into pieces after being soaked in water. The small white flower was gone, leaving only two coils of weak copper wire twisted crookedly at one end, looking so desolate.

Shen Changfeng looked at the hairpin in his hand and felt helpless for the first time.

He wanted to be honest with Lin Meiju, but was afraid that she would be sad after seeing the hairpin, so he put it away and asked several filigree craftsmen who were familiar with southern jewelry to make hundreds of hairpins that were identical in material and style. He also asked Lu Fei'er and others who had seen the hairpins to choose the most similar one and then presented it to Lin Meiju.

Shen Changfeng was very nervous. He had thought of thousands of questions that she might have and had come up with countermeasures in advance, but Lin Meiju just took it politely and said thank you to him.

Shen Changfeng knew that she had guessed it long ago, and he felt even more guilty. After all, this incident was indirectly caused by him.

But Lin Meiju seemed to have let it go and acted as usual every day. Apart from spending more and more time in the flower cave, there was no other abnormal behavior.

The weight of his heart gradually lifted. He'd been very busy lately investigating the riverbank breach. One day, while returning home, he saw Lin Meizhu sleeping soundly among the flowers. His heart was moved, and he leaned over to kiss her forehead. Lin Meizhu didn't push him away.

Shen Changfeng held her on his lap, lowered his head to smell the floral scent on her neck, and bit her lightly, but the latter still did not dodge.

He chuckled and put his forehead against hers, "What have you been doing? Why are you sleeping so soundly?"

Lin Meizhu still didn't respond, not even an eyelash moved. Shen Changfeng's expression suddenly changed, and he patted her face lightly, "What's wrong with you? Lin Meizhu! Answer me!"

Lin Meizhu's weight leaned completely on him, her hand curled slightly and drooped. Shen Changfeng felt his heart sinking into the abyss. For a moment, he wasn't sure if the warmth in his hand was from her body or the kang. He felt an unprecedented panic, his eyes suddenly filled with heat, and he shouted her name. Servants arrived upon hearing the news and hurriedly ran to call for a doctor.

Shen Changfeng interrogated everyone but couldn't find out which daring doctor prescribed Datura and hemp seed to Lin Meizhu. These two medicines can damage the mind if the dosage is not properly controlled or if taken for a long time!

Just as he was considering whether to torture him, the bold Doctor Lin said softly, "I just want to take a nap."

So everyone in the mansion was pardoned.

But Shen Changfeng kept a close eye on her, not allowing her to use these two medicines or drink alcohol - both of which are addictive. He only arranged for many famous doctors to prescribe sleeping tea or calming soup for her.

Lin Meizhu agreed, and then began to sleep poorly all night. Her silky black hair gradually lost its luster, and she lost weight at a noticeable rate. One night, Shen Changfeng discovered that the gold and jade ring she was wearing had fallen on the bed. Lin Meizhu also found it, and she was at a loss, as if she had done something wrong. He pretended to be indifferent and said, "This ring is not good. I'll go get a new one another day."

That night, Lin Meizhu took a rare nap. Shen Changfeng, however, remained awake all night. He caressed the faded marks from her knuckles, his heart aching with uncertainty. He longed to ask her how to be happy, but every time he saw the sadness and depression simmering beneath her calm eyes, he immediately backed off. He knew the answer; he simply didn't want to face it. He couldn't bear to leave, so very, so reluctant. He wanted to wait for a change.

Shen Changfeng tried every way to make her laugh, but Lin Meizhu did not get better because of his efforts. She began to become forgetful and often forgot what she had said.

That day, Shen Changfeng deliberately returned home early. When he entered the house, he heard her ask Qing'er, "What time is it today?"

Qing'er replied, "Miss, today is the tenth day of the tenth month."

Shen Changfeng waved his hand to signal the servant to withdraw. He watched her needlework for a while, then heard her ask, "What time is it today?"

There was no answer, and the embroidery needle pierced her flesh, and blood splattered on the snow-white silk.

She seemed to feel no pain. She suddenly stood up, desperate for an answer, and was spinning around anxiously, "What time is it today? What time is it!"

Shen Changfeng felt a sudden dull pain in his heart and was stunned to the point where he couldn't speak for a long time.

He stepped forward and snatched the embroidery needle from her hand, enduring the strong soreness in his nose and hugging her tightly. His shoulders and back trembled, and he hugged her tightly, tighter, as if that would keep her by his side forever.

Finally one day, Lin Meiju had a different reaction when she asked this question.

"What time is it today?"

"Princess, today is the fifteenth day of the tenth month! It's so lively outside!"

The servants had long received Shen Changfeng's instructions, and whenever Lin Meizhu asked about something, they would add some humorous words, "Today is the day of the palace examination. The top scorer is Lu Qingyan, the son of the Lu family, and the runner-up is..."

When the servant finished saying the name of the third place winner, Lin Meizhu's lips dimpled and she said, "He's a scholar from the south."

The servant interjected, "Isn't it? There are so many talented people in the South. I heard that most of the second and third grades are from the South! Oh, yes! There is an anecdote about this."

Lin Meizhu rarely asked, "What is it?"

The servant was ecstatic and said, "It is said that the original ranking was not like this! When the cabinet minister presented the list, Princess Jiafu was also nearby and asked, 'Who here is cursing my father?'"

"Upon hearing this, the Emperor actually looked up the list and discovered that Chu Da Ren was only ranked second. Seeing the troubled expressions on the faces of the Grand Secretaries, the Emperor, as if having a clear mind, personally reviewed the papers before making his decision, resulting in the current ranking! It's no wonder the Emperor is so fair and wise..."

The servant was still talking, but Lin Meizhu's mouth was full of bitterness.

The economy of the south was booming, and with countless academies and a large student population, southern scholars naturally enjoyed an advantage in the imperial examinations. This, over time, resented by northern scholars. To maintain peace and balance regional dissension, the imperial court carefully handled this sensitive issue.

Those cabinet ministers probably made their original decision out of fear of being accused of bias. Lu Qingyan came from a prominent family, so no one dared to touch him. But Chuqi had no background, no famous teachers, and was young. Even if his rank wasn't high, it could be said that they hoped he could gain more experience, so he was casually "moved."

The servant noticed that Lin Meiju's eyes suddenly dimmed again, and hurriedly changed the subject.

The third day after the palace examination is the Qionglin Banquet.

Shen Changfeng was among the invited guests, but he didn't plan to stay long. Lin Meizhu hadn't been out for a long time, and he planned to take her out for a walk. So when he saw her at the banquet, he was very surprised.

There were several flower baskets beside Lin Meiju. He recognized that they were the flowers she had planted in the flower hole. Each flower was bright and juicy, with tiny dewdrops on the delicate petals.

Lin Meizhu said, "Is it not a good idea for me to come?"

If a woman went out in mourning, she might be impeached by the censors, not to mention that Shen Changfeng's power was at its peak.

Shen Changfeng said, "You can stay as long as you want."

She ordered her servants to distribute the carefully cultivated flowers, not intending to keep any for herself. Shen Changfeng selected a full, bowl-sized Luoyang red double-petaled peony and wanted to pin it in her hair. Lin Meizhu reached out to block it, but Shen Changfeng squeezed her palm and took it, saying, "No one dares to gossip about you."

"Whatever others have, my wife must have too." And she must have the best.

Shen Changfeng watched her walk into the group of female relatives. The sadness and anxiety he had been feeling for many days finally eased a little. He thought to himself: It seems that the method of having people tell her more anecdotes from the court and the public has worked.

Their intimacy attracted many people's attention. A young man with a flushed face from drinking came up to him, looking envious and sad. He said, "Second brother, don't be like this. My eldest sister-in-law is here today too."

Shen Changfeng looked up and saw that the person coming was Qin Yan's younger brother Qin Ting.

Qin Ting was drunk and didn't notice that Shen Changfeng's face had turned dark. He murmured, "She has lost a lot of weight recently. Can you comfort her?"

Shen Changfeng felt that the surviving members of the Qin and Su families were all out of their minds. "You are her uncle, aren't you?"

Qin Ting nodded: "But she likes you..."

There was music and ceremony everywhere, and there was a commotion at the palace gate. The top scholar who had been paraded through the streets and praised his achievements had returned to the palace, and there were loud congratulations all around. Qin Ting kept nagging Shen Changfeng like a resentful husband, talking about the grief of losing his brother, the fickleness of the world before and after inheriting the title, and seemed to want to confide the loneliness of his failed love.

Shen Changfeng felt annoyed and subconsciously looked for that person.

Looking forward, Lu Fei'er was chatting with Li Minzhi, and the person he was looking for was not there.

Glancing back, he saw a bustling crowd, toasting and drinking, but the figure in white was nowhere to be seen. He saw Shao Er yawning and stretching by the window, his eyes narrowed with emotion as he said, "What a perfect day to escape!"

Shen Changfeng's heart tightened for some reason and he stopped: "What?"

Shao Er said, "Huh? You don't know?" He pointed to the river in the Imperial Garden that had swollen due to the heavy rain, and said, "Water Escape." He then pointed to the flaming golden dragon festival on the cloud platform that had won everyone's cheers, and said, "Fire Escape." Finally, he turned his eyes to look at Shen Changfeng, "It's a death escape!"

Suddenly, a huge thunder exploded in the sky, and Shen Changfeng's mind went blank.

Thinking back to Lin Meiju's abnormal behavior during this period, his heart felt like it was sinking into an ice cellar. All his limbs and bones were in severe pain at the same time. The expression he tried to maintain calmly on his face collapsed in an instant, and he began to search for her figure at the banquet like a madman.

Lin Meiju was walking in the bamboo forest when she was suddenly hugged from behind.

She could hear the pounding sound of his heartbeat, beating against his chest like a drum. He kissed the side of her face recklessly, lightly and quickly, his breath hot and moist.

With a plop, she felt raindrops falling on her eyelids. She looked up at the sky, but it seemed to be an illusion again.

He belatedly realized that his chest was aching intensely; he'd been holding his breath unconsciously. He gave a silent, resigned smile: Only she, even without doing anything, could make him so flustered and embarrassed.

He told her what Shao Er said as a joke, his tone was casual, but his eyes were fixed on her face.

Lin Meiju chuckled: "How could that be?" She valued her life very much and didn't want any mistakes to happen.

Shen Changfeng just breathed a sigh of relief, but the corners of his mouth froze in the next moment.

“I’ll leave with honor,” she said.