Chapter 536 I am considerate of my father-in-law's advanced age!

"My lord, the princess has already retired for the night."

Shen Congwen was stopped as soon as he reached the archway.

"It's only noon, why is the princess resting? Is something wrong?" Shen Congwen glanced out the window.

The old woman said, "The princess hasn't been sleeping well these days. She's been having nightmares all the time and can only manage a short nap during the day."

"Is it that serious? Should we call the imperial physicians?" Putting aside everything else, the Shen family can now call as many imperial physicians as they want.

The old woman said sternly, "No need. The princess said it's a small matter and shouldn't bother His Majesty."

Shen Congwen was somewhat annoyed: "The mother is sick, but she didn't get sick on purpose. If she finds out, will she despise her?"

After hearing this, the old woman's expression softened.

"As you know, my lord, the princess's health has been declining since giving birth. She also suffered greatly in Dongchuan, and her health has not improved. We have kept quiet about it because we did not want you and our children to worry."

Shen Congwen was filled with self-reproach. He took a deep look at the door, a resolute glint in his eyes.

"Princess, he's gone!" The old woman immediately reported to the palace after Shen Congwen left.

Zhou Xinrou lit a strong incense stick, and the room was filled with smoke.

"She is capable of keeping the court officials in check."

The old woman said, "There was a bloodbath before the coronation ceremony. It was probably a violent suppression. They were outwardly obedient but inwardly resentful!"

A hint of disdain flashed in Zhou Xinrou's eyes: "What man could tolerate a woman sitting firmly in the court? She's simply delusional."

The old woman said, "This old servant has already done as you instructed, replacing the two imperial grandsons before wiping out the entire family."

A cold glint appeared in Zhou Xinrou's eyes: "That descendant of the tyrannical king is useless, get rid of her!"

Old woman: "Yes!"

...

Wei Dongzhu: "Your Majesty, the bloodlines of the four princes have been thoroughly checked, and nothing has been missed. The grandson of Prince Ping, whom the deposed empress wanted to adopt, has been matched with the portrait on the royal jade register, and it has been confirmed that he is the person in question."

Shen Lanxi was looking at the glass cup that had been fired below.

"Are you tired?" Shen Lanxi poured a cup of tea into the glass and pushed it in front of Wei Dongzhu.

"Not tired at all, much easier than going to the battlefield!" Wei Dongzhu picked up his teacup and took a sip.

Shen Lanxi's eyes flashed: "I did not bestow any title upon you at the coronation ceremony. I wanted to ask for your opinion."

Wei Dongzhu had no complaints. He was a general with a noble title, but he had only temporarily relinquished his military power and was unable to lead troops.

He will be based in the capital from now on, so he will have very few opportunities to lead troops.

There are gains and losses, and he has long since come to terms with it.

Shen Lanxi: "Just don't overthink it."

Wei Dongzhu laughed and said, "How could that be? What I long for is peace throughout the world. Who likes to fight every day?"

Shen Lanxi took out the memorials from Shu and Ganzhou.

"Both places have surrendered, and I have sent military commanders there, but I am not satisfied with the original local officials."

Wei Dongzhu was very happy that Shen Lanxi discussed things with him.

"Many officials who had previously passed the imperial examinations had not yet been assigned official positions."

Shen Lanxi shook her head: "I want to send more experienced people over there. These newcomers should first go to Taiping to be on guard and gain experience for two years."

Wei Dongzhu immediately thought of the manpower in Dongchuan.

"We can select talent from Dongchuan, or from the Northwest; these two regions are our foundation!"

Shen Lanxi nodded: "Just transfer some of the higher-ups to Shu and Ganzhou for two years of training, and then we'll have a reason to transfer them to the capital."

Wei Dongzhu hadn't even considered transferring them to the capital, but after hearing Shen Lanxi's arrangement, he suddenly felt enlightened.

...

Wang Bao's heart raced as he looked at the glass cup left on the table.

Of the four glass cups, three were given to General Wei. He wasn't concerned about whether he favored or not; he was concerned about the glass itself!

I still remember when the late emperor was still alive, he would often play with a glass ball. Sometimes, because he believed so much in things from beyond the heavens, he would even refuse to take his medicine.

His Majesty just said that he wanted to produce them in large quantities, oh my god...

"Your Majesty, the late Emperor has only been gone for a short time... If a lot of glass appears on the market... it will be difficult to explain the previous offering of treasures!"

Who would have thought that the celestial object radiating golden light inside was actually man-made?

Once you see one, you'll see another. The thousand-year-old ginseng that His Majesty presented to the late Emperor—as thick as a child's arm, as large as an umbrella, as long as a hundred-year-old Ganoderma lucidum, and as long as a meter—were all fake, weren't they?

Wang Bao looked troubled and conflicted. Did he know too many secrets?

"Your Excellency has forgotten, I am now the Emperor, the previous one was merely the late Emperor!"

Wang Bao slapped his hand: "Look at this old servant's foul mouth! This old servant will slap himself twice right now!"

Two days later, the front page of the newsletter still read that Shen Lanxi personally went to the fields to work and experience the hardships of ordinary people. Below that, it said that the Ministry of Works had developed a method for firing glass and that mass production had begun. Merchants who wanted to buy should hurry!

The people scratched their heads.

Is the glass they're talking about the priceless glass?

A glass cup costs only one tael of silver; are you selling cabbage?

After Shen Lanxi ascended the throne, the attention of officials and common people alike was focused on the production and price of glass.

A month after ascending the throne, Shen Lanxi was finally able to take a breather and rest.

"Your Majesty, a memorial from the Shen family has arrived." Wang Bao held the memorial in his hands.

Shen Lanxi closed her eyes to rest: "Read it!"

Wang Bao opened it: "It was sent by Lord Shen Congwen, who said that the princess is ill."

That's it?

After looking through it repeatedly, Wang Bao said, "It's gone."

Shen Lanxi: "Then send a few imperial physicians over. Mother's ailment is chronic; she tends to overthink things. Sending a few imperial physicians over to talk to her will help!"

In the past month, fifty or sixty people have been replaced in the palace, and it's likely that some of them were among my mother's people.

"Your Majesty, won't you go and take a look?"

Shen Lanxi smiled helplessly, "How does Your Majesty expect me to see this? In the past three days, I've slept for less than three hours in total!"

Wang Bao was so frightened that he knelt down.

"This old servant had no intention of overstepping his bounds. This old servant is truly senile and foolish. This old servant deserves to die. This old servant was too talkative!"

Shen Lanxi opened her eyes and looked at Wang Bao, who was slapping himself repeatedly, her gaze deep and unfathomable.

“If Eunuch Wang hadn’t mentioned it, I would have forgotten. You are already in your fifties. It was my fault for being so careless. I only thought about your loyalty and didn’t consider your advanced age.”

Wang Bao broke out in a cold sweat.

"Shu is a good place to retire, and I happen to have some business there that I need you to handle for me!" After Shen Lanxi finished speaking, Wang Bao let out a soft sigh.

"This old servant is willing to go through fire and water for Your Majesty without hesitation!"

Shen Lanxi: "You flatter me, Father-in-law. I regard you as family. I do not wish for you to die."

"Your Excellency has been confined within the palace walls for most of your life. I cannot bear it. I also want you to see the famous mountains and rivers outside and the vastness of the world while you are still able to move around, instead of only seeing the sky within the palace when you look up."

Wang Bao understood, his tense body relaxed, his head pressed against the ground, and he respectfully accepted the order!