Chapter 304 Shen Yuanxu proposes to marry Zhi'er!

When Emperor Renxiao ordered Shen Yuanxu to be summoned, it was obvious to anyone with discerning eyes what was going on.

Officials who secretly supported Zhou Ruyuan began to get anxious.

Shen Yuanxu carried the imperial edict to the court, and no one dared to criticize him. Even Emperor Renxiao immediately exempted him from bowing.

“Yuanxu, tell your uncle, who made you suffer?”

Shen Yuanxu knelt on the ground, holding the imperial edict. This grown man, who was approaching thirty, suddenly became like a wronged wife, pleading his case.

"Uncle, I want to file a complaint against the Left Chancellor Wu Yanzhi."

Poor Wu Yanzhi went to the palace early today because Zhou Ruyuan returned to the capital, and he knew nothing about what happened at home, yet he was still falsely accused.

Emperor Renxiao's eyes flashed, and his expression became much more amiable than before.

"Tell me what happened."

Shen Yuanxu: "Uncle, I'm so wronged!"

Shen Lanxi watched with a smile, never expecting that Shen Yuanxu, who was usually so serious, could be so playful.

"Today I went to the Wu family to propose marriage, but they completely disregarded the imperial decree and actually brought a bunch of illegitimate daughters, hoping they would impersonate the legitimate daughters and marry me. I'd like to ask Prime Minister Wu what his true intentions are? Do they think our Emperor is too easily fooled?"

Another huge accusation was slapped on Wu Yanzhi's head, leaving him completely stunned.

Shen Yuanxu went to propose marriage? Who told him to do that? He hasn't even started arranging for the concubine's daughter to be recorded as the legitimate daughter yet.

Shen Yuanxu looked utterly dejected. If he weren't completely unable to cry, he probably would have been sobbing uncontrollably by now.

"Uncle, you must stand up for me! I'm not saying that illegitimate daughters are bad, I'm just angry at Prime Minister Wu's attitude. It's clearly the Wu family's fault, and the arranged marriage was compensation for me. I never expected Prime Minister Wu to be so shameless, pretending to comply while secretly deceiving his superiors."

Wu Yanzhi was so angry he was about to vomit blood.

Shen Yuanxu usually seems quiet and well-behaved, but I never expected him to be such a silent dog. But when he barks, he bites!

"Your Majesty, I am innocent! Old Chen came to the palace as soon as the palace gates opened and has not returned home since. I know nothing about what happened at home!"

Emperor Renxiao understood. Ultimately, it was because Shen Yuanxu was dissatisfied with Wu Yanzhi for using a concubine's daughter to impersonate a legitimate daughter, and felt that he had been wronged.

With that kind of brain, all he could do was participate in the imperial examinations.

"Wang Bao, go to the Prime Minister's residence yourself and find out what exactly happened."

"Yes." Wang Bao quickly led the guards away.

Emperor Renxiao was naturally unwilling to see the Shen family and the Wu family unite through marriage. Without his intervention, Shen Yuanxu could do what he wanted. Today, something finally made him happy.

"Yuanxu, I've heard that Prime Minister Wu's household no longer has a legitimate daughter. Would you like to reconsider this marriage?"

He still admired Shen Yuanxu's remarks about the responsibility of every citizen in times of national crisis.

Shen Yuanxu: "Of course there are!"

Wu Yanzhi was furious and embarrassed: "My youngest daughter is already engaged and we are discussing the wedding date. She will get married by the end of the year at the latest. I will never let my youngest daughter break off the engagement and marry you."

Shen Yuanxu chuckled, "Prime Minister Wu, have you forgotten that your youngest daughter is only a few months old? How could she be betrothed to someone, and how could she be married off before the end of the year? You just don't want to compensate me, and you're deliberately disobeying my imperial decree!"

After a brief silence, the entire court erupted in uproar.

"Did I hear that right?"

"That's right, that's right, Shen Yuanxu's move is brilliant, it's like cutting off the enemy's supply line from the ground."

"Prime Minister Wu has met his match this time."

"Shen Yuanxu must have really messed up his head with a horse kicking him; he actually wants to marry a child?"

"Even an old ox eating tender grass isn't done like this. If he had married a few years earlier, his granddaughter would be as old as that child."

There was a constant murmur of discussion in the imperial court.

Wu Yanzhi's face was flushed, and his eyes were bloodshot.

"Absurd, utterly absurd! Shen Yuanxu, you've gone too far!"

"Your Majesty, you must do justice for this old minister..."

Emperor Renxiao remained silent, letting the clamor in the court drown out the vegetable market, without saying a word to stop it, until Wang Bao ran back breathlessly, recounting the whole story of the Wu family, at which point he sternly ordered the court officials to be quiet.

"Minister Wu~" Emperor Renxiao looked at Wu Yanzhi with an ambiguous expression.

Wu Yanzhi shuddered, a bad premonition rising in his heart.

"This is a family matter, and I shouldn't interfere too much. Go with Wang Bao to the side hall and listen in!"

Wu Yanzhi knew His Majesty all too well, and upon hearing him say this, his heart sank to the bottom.

He didn't need to listen; he already knew His Majesty's decision.

But the formalities still had to be followed. Both thunder and rain were expressions of imperial favor. The main reason he had gotten to where he was today was that he knew how to be pragmatic.

"This old minister thanks Your Majesty for your consideration."

Wu Yanzhi returned shortly afterward.

When he returned, he immediately knelt on the ground.

"Your Majesty, I am guilty. It is my fault for failing to properly control my family and allowing them to act recklessly. It was my oversight."

Emperor Renxiao sighed, "Every family has its own troubles. You are busy with court affairs every day and cannot take care of the inner quarters. It is inevitable that there will be oversights. I am not heartless."

Wu Yanzhi's heart is dead.

"Thank you for your forgiveness, Your Majesty!"

Emperor Renxiao addressed Shen Yuanxu: "Yuanxu, this is all a misunderstanding. I will allow you to reconsider your marriage proposal to the eldest daughter of the Shen family."

Shen Yuanxu said angrily, as if he were speaking in anger, "Uncle, I can't swallow this insult from the Wu family. I demand to marry the legitimate daughter of the Wu family, no matter if she is eighty years old, eighteen years old, or even just a few months old, as long as she is a legitimate daughter, I will marry her."

Emperor Renxiao: "..." Although the result was good, it doesn't make sense from a moral standpoint!

Shen Yuanxu was tall and burly, but petty and narrow-minded. Wu Yanzhi's daughter cheated on him, and he immediately made Wu Yanzhi pay with his daughter.

On one side are veteran officials, and on the other side, he has already spoken. It's a difficult situation!

"Your Majesty, I support Shen Yuanxu's proposal to marry the eldest daughter of the Wu family!" Shen Lanxi stepped forward with a smile to offer her opinion.

Wei Dongzhu: "Your Majesty, Prime Minister Wu already owes Shen Yuanxu a debt, and the marriage agreement is a form of compensation. Besides, the Prime Minister had already agreed to it before."

Zhou Ruyuan frowned and glanced at Shen Lanxi and Wei Dongzhu.

Emperor Renxiao remained silent, and none of the court officials dared to utter a sound.

Wu Yanzhi closed his eyes resignedly, and when he opened them again, he had already made his decision.

"Your Majesty, this old minister is willing to carry out the imperial decree, but this old minister has a request."

Emperor Renxiao raised his eyelids: "Speak freely."

A ruthless and calculating glint flashed in Wu Yanzhi's eyes: "Since Shen Yuanxu is sincerely asking for my hand in marriage, this old minister's request is that the marriage be completed as soon as possible."

The court officials: "..."

Shen Yuanxu is crazy, but Wu Yanzhi is even crazier!

These two deserve to be father-in-law and son-in-law.

After Wu Yanzhi finished speaking, he quickly continued, "I implore Your Majesty to grant my request, considering my many years of dedication to the Great Zhou."

Despite the promising turn of events, Emperor Renxiao found himself in a dilemma, unable to accept the situation.