Chapter 100 The Abandoned Eldest Daughter Makes a Comeback (24 chapters)

Palace servants carried in two magnificent palanquins. One palanquin was extremely luxurious, with intricately carved, winding dragon patterns on its body. The other palanquin, while equally luxurious, was slightly smaller and instead of dragon patterns, was decorated with elaborate and exquisite floral designs.

This time, Xiao Yuheng did not reach out to help him up, but only made a gesture of invitation.

"Yunzhen, please."

When a palace servant saw that he was leading Shen Yunzhen to the imperial carriage engraved with dragon patterns, he was startled and immediately lowered his head even further.

Shen Yunzhen didn't stand on ceremony and sat down directly.

Xiao Yuheng did not go up with them, but turned around and sat in the smaller carriage at the back.

Li Degui was also shocked to see this. He thought he had overestimated Shen Yunzhen's status, but he did not expect that he had underestimated it.

His Majesty actually gave her his imperial carriage, while he himself was relegated to the palanquin used by concubines. Even though it was the standard for a first-rank concubine, it was still just a concubine's rank.

It seems that things are about to change in the palace.

Li Degui mentally re-evaluated Shen Yunzhen's position, placing her almost on par with Xiao Yuheng.

Xiao Yuheng: "Let's go to the Moon Palace."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

As the sedan chair moved, Shen Yunzhen looked around at the magnificent palace.

With its carved beams and painted rafters, and upturned eaves, the building exudes imperial majesty and luxury.

Soon, the sedan chair stopped at a magnificent palace, and Shen Yunzhen looked up at the palace gate.

The three large characters "Lan Yue Gong" on the plaque are written with vigorous strokes, exuding a sense of majesty and power.

Shen Yunzhen was very familiar with the handwriting; she had seen it quite a few times during this period.

Upon seeing this, Xiao Yuheng quickly said, "If you don't like this name, then just change it."

Shen Yunzhen shook her head: "Let's leave it at that."

It's just a temporary place to stay, why bother with all this trouble?

A faint smile appeared on Xiao Yuheng's lips, his eyes becoming increasingly gentle and warm, unbelievably soft.

As Shen Yunzhen approached Lanyue Palace, the palace servants who had been waiting for a long time immediately knelt down.

"Greetings, Master."

"These people will be responsible for taking care of you from now on. If you have any complaints about any of them, just tell me."

"From now on, these people will be responsible for taking care of your daily life. If any of them are not doing their job well, please tell me."

Xiao Yuheng's voice was neither too loud nor too soft, and he was speaking not only to Shen Yunzhen, but also to the kneeling crowd.

The palace servants who came here were all personally selected by Xiao Yuheng. They had been warned more than once before and already knew what kind of status the master of Lanyue Palace held in His Majesty's heart. Upon hearing this, they did not move at all and remained extremely respectful.

Shen Yunzhen casually replied, "Mm."

"Get up, everyone."

"Thank you, Master."

Because Xiao Yuheng did not mention rank, and because he had explained it in advance, the palace servants all referred to him as their master.

"Yunzhen, shall I show you around? It'll help us get familiar with the place, and if there's anything you're not happy with, just let me know."

Xiao Yuheng accompanied Shen Yunzhen as they strolled slowly through the Lanyue Palace, with the palace servants following at a distance, not daring to disturb them.

The scenery inside Lanyue Palace is superb, with pavilions and towers arranged in a well-organized manner, and artificial mountains and flowing water complementing each other, exuding exquisiteness and elegance everywhere.

The two walked and stopped frequently, with Xiao Yuheng carefully introducing her to every scenic spot and purpose of Lanyue Palace.

Although it was only a temporary residence, every detail in the Lanyue Palace was meticulously arranged, reflecting the owner's thoughtfulness and attention to detail.

Shen Yunzhen was quite satisfied with this and would occasionally respond to Xiao Yuheng's introduction.

Although her attitude wasn't enthusiastic, it was enough to make Xiao Yuheng feel at ease and happy, and the emotions that had been suppressed in his heart for a long time quietly surged at this moment.

After visiting Lanyue Palace, Xiao Yuheng had dinner with her, constantly serving her food throughout the meal, showing his thoughtfulness and attentiveness.

Shen Yunzhen was used to it, but the palace servants who saw this scene for the first time were quite frightened. However, they calmed down when they saw Shen Yunzhen's face.

Ignoring everything else, given the master's unparalleled beauty, it is only natural that he receives such preferential treatment from His Majesty.

After the meal, Xiao Yuheng got up to take his leave. Before leaving, he instructed the palace servants to take good care of him and not to be negligent in the slightest.

As soon as Xiao Yuheng left, Bihe hurriedly called out, "Miss..."

He had just opened his mouth when he saw the palace servants standing to the side, and he immediately shut his mouth again. He just winked at Shen Yunzhen.

Over the past few days, Bihe has become much more familiar with Shen Yunzhen and knows that she is not a strict and rule-abiding person.

Shen Yunzhen waved her hand, "You may all leave."

"Yes, Master."

The palace servants withdrew in an orderly fashion.

"Miss, what do we do now? His Highness the Crown Prince..."

Shen Yunzhen interrupted her: "Don't rush, we're just staying here for a while, and we'll be leaving in a few days."

Seeing Shen Yunzhen's indifferent expression, Bihe became even more anxious.

My dear girl, you're thinking too simply. His Majesty brought you into the palace; why would he let you leave?

Bihe understood the majesty and ruthlessness of imperial power better than Shen Yunzhen.

Once you step into this deep palace, it's like stepping into an invisible net; how easy is it to break free?

Seeing Shen Yunzhen's leisurely expression, Bihe ultimately didn't say these words aloud, and could only sigh silently in her heart.

She lowered her head, her hands tightly clasped together, silently praying: she only hoped that His Highness the Crown Prince could find a way to rescue the girl as soon as possible.

Little did she know that Shen Yunzhen's composure was based on something else.

On her own, Shen Yunzhen was naturally unable to resist the imperial power wielded by Xiao Yuheng, but if she wanted to leave, Xiao Yuheng could not stop her.

Leaving aside her control over Xiao Yuheng's mind, she only needs a trace of lust to easily manipulate the emotions of the people in the palace, arouse their desires, and spread them quietly from one point to another.

Within just a few days, the entire palace will inevitably descend into chaos, and even the palace guards will not escape, becoming her allies.

This is her true source of confidence. Without the need for swords and spears or major battles, she can turn the order of this deep palace upside down with just a thought.

She only needs to wait for the right moment to leave gracefully.

Xiao Yuheng walked out of Lanyue Palace, glanced back one last time, a hint of tenderness flashing in his eyes, and then said to Li Degui:

"By imperial decree, bestow upon Miss Shen a hundred bolts of brocade, ten boxes of jewels, and a number of precious objects, along with some books and paintings that she may enjoy. Also, send over the South China Sea pearl, the Western Regions glass cup, the jade ruyi scepter, and that thousand-year-old sandalwood carved screen, and the gold-embroidered phoenix cloak..."

Li Degui listened intently, bowing his head, on the verge of tears.

His Majesty's single thought directly drained half of the Imperial Treasury.

I can't remember, I simply can't remember.

Your Majesty, you may simply give the key to your private treasury to Miss Shen.

Of course, Li Degui only dared to complain in his heart, but when it came to doing things, he dared not cut corners at all.

Soon, the rewards were sent to Lan Yue Palace like a flowing stream.

This commotion was too great. Those who had already noticed Xiao Yuheng's unusual behavior and turned their attention to Lanyue Palace immediately understood that Lanyue Palace had finally welcomed its master.

Xiao Yuheng knew that Yun Zhen was playful and mischievous, and that she would not stay in his palace forever, so he did not hide the news of his arrangements for Lan Yue Palace.

He couldn't bear to restrict her, and was confident that he could absolutely protect Yunzhen, so everyone in the harem knew that he cared especially about Lanyue Palace.

His Majesty is not enthusiastic about the harem. After the birth of his three sons, he visited the harem even less often, sometimes not even once a month. Even when he did visit, he would only sit in the palace of the Empress, or perhaps Consort Xian or Consort Liu.

Furthermore, when His Majesty arranges his concubines, he prefers to place them in places far from his own palace. There are no concubines in the palaces several times away from his own, making it difficult for anyone in the harem to see His Majesty.

Now, it seems that a woman who holds a special place in His Majesty's heart has appeared, and she has actually given away the palace closest to him.

The location of Lanyue Palace is very special. It was specially built by the late emperor for his favorite concubine. It is only a step away from the emperor's bedroom, and much closer than the empress's Fengyi Palace.

The Moon-Embracing Palace wasn't always called the Moon-Embracing Palace. It was a name His Majesty specially chose, and as the name suggests, everyone knows how important the master of the Moon-Embracing Palace is to His Majesty.

The thought of the favored concubine who held unparalleled power and influence in the harem during the late emperor's reign filled everyone with a strong sense of threat and unease.

Even the Empress felt a sense of unease.

She knew better than anyone else just how much His Majesty cared for this woman.

He personally led the team to set up the Lan Yue Palace, and he personally oversaw every single detail.

Which man would go to such lengths?

Even when her son moved into the Eastern Palace, she hadn't been able to do it this meticulously.

As a result, His Majesty, as the Son of Heaven, willingly decorated a palace for a woman.

She also knew that His Majesty had been frequently leaving the palace recently. Even though His Majesty had deliberately concealed it, she had been in charge of the harem for more than ten years, so it was still very easy for her to find out some information.

"Have you found out who's living in Lan Yue Palace?"

The Empress looked at a young eunuch kneeling below and asked him a question.

After so many years of marriage, she believed she understood her husband. His heart was only for the country and its people; nothing else could stir his emotions. Even she, his wife, had never truly entered his heart, not even occupying a small corner of it.

His gaze towards her was always calm and still, without the slightest ripple.

He looked at every woman in the harem the same way, not just her, so she knew just how cold, hard, and unshakable his heart truly was.

She knew that whether it was her or anyone else, it was all his responsibility and obligation. Therefore, the Empress understood more deeply than anyone else what kind of position this woman held in His Majesty's heart.

For the sake of the Crown Prince, for her maternal family, and for her own sake, the Empress had to be careful and vigilant, so she always arranged for people to keep an eye on the movements of Lanyue Palace.

"Your Majesty, I have found out that the woman is..."

Just as the young eunuch was about to reply, Qiaozhi entered from outside the door, curtsied, and said, "Your Highness, His Highness the Crown Prince has arrived."

Qiaozhi was the Empress's maid when she was still a young lady, and she entered the palace with her. The two had a special relationship and knew how much their mistress valued the Crown Prince, which is why she dared to interrupt.

Upon hearing Qiaozhi's words, the Empress quickly said, "My son has arrived? Let him in quickly."

Xiao Chengxu strode in, bowed, and greeted the Empress Dowager: "Greetings, Your Majesty."

"Come and sit down, have you had lunch yet?"

“It’s already been used.” Xiao Chengxu looked at the kneeling eunuch below. “Mother, what is this?”

"Your father brought a woman back and she has just moved into Lanyue Palace. Your mother had someone investigate the woman's background. Since you're here, you can listen in."

"Yes, Mother."

Xiao Chengxu had heard about this from his subordinates and came specifically to see his mother.

Although his position remained secure, he was not an arrogant person. He also knew his father's attitude towards the harem, and now that an unexpected incident had occurred, he naturally had to keep a close eye on things.

He wouldn't have cared this much before, but now he has Yunzhen.

In order to protect her, to make her his own, and to grant her supreme power, he had to ascend to that position.

The young eunuch knelt on the ground and reported in detail: "Your Majesty the Empress, Your Highness the Crown Prince, the woman who has moved into Lanyue Palace is named Shen Yunzhen. She is the eldest daughter of the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, who is currently suspended from his post."

Clang—

The teacup in Xiao Chengxu's hand fell to the ground with a loud thud.

Porcelain shards scattered, tea splashed, but he had no time to care about any of that.

He abruptly stood up, grabbed the young eunuch by the collar, and demanded sharply, "What did you say? What's her name?!"

The Empress also opened her mouth in surprise.

The young eunuch was so frightened that his legs trembled and his tongue quivered.

"Chengxu, calm down."

The Empress realized what was happening and quickly went up to grab Xiao Chengxu's hand.

Xiao Chengxu did not let go; instead, he gripped even tighter, his expression growing colder and his eyes sharper.

"Tell me quickly, what's her name?!"

The young eunuch stammered, "Shen... Shen Yunzhen..."

"Bang!"

Xiao Chengxu threw the person to the ground violently.

"How dare you talk nonsense!"

The overwhelming rage almost burned away Xiao Chengxu's reason. He stared intently at the trembling eunuch, his eyes surging with murderous intent.

That damned lackey, how dare he slander Yunzhen!

"Chengxu, stop right now!"

The Empress gripped Xiao Chengxu's hand tightly and gave Qiaozhi a wink.

Qiaozhi understood immediately and quickly led her people out, taking the little eunuch with her.

After everyone had left, the Empress said, "As the Crown Prince, if news spreads that you have beaten palace servants in the harem, how will you face the consequences?"

Consort Xian and Consort Shu were still watching closely, and the eyes of the court were also on the Crown Prince. The Empress would never allow her son to have such a stigma.

Xiao Chengxu calmed down a bit and said angrily, "Mother, didn't you hear what she said? How dare she speak of Yun Zhen like that? She deserves to be torn to pieces!"

The story of the Crown Prince and the woman named Shen Yunzhen spread like wildfire throughout the capital. The Empress had heard about it long ago, and the Crown Prince had also told her that he was in love with that woman and would marry no one else.

Although the Empress was not entirely satisfied with her status, it was rare for her son to ask her for a favor, and considering her cold relationship with the Emperor, the Empress did not object and approved of the matter.

But now, this little eunuch actually said that this woman was also named Shen Yunzhen. The Empress was in a state of utter confusion and had to appease her son first.

"This...maybe it's a misunderstanding. It could be just a coincidence of names, or maybe he made a mistake. Please be patient, I'll have someone else inquire again."