Chapter 29 Shangshan Bureau Twenty-Two

"Hey, Consort Shao, stop shouting. If the Emperor blames you, no one can protect you..." The eunuch in charge felt a headache coming on. He had never seen such a reckless concubine before. Disrespecting the Emperor was no small matter, and the eunuch was also afraid of being implicated by her, so he kept urging her to go back.

"Your Majesty! Qing Chuanshan has fainted!!" Consort Shao was still shouting tirelessly.

Just as the attending eunuchs were about to cover Consort Shao's mouth, a figure in bright yellow, exuding an imposing aura, approached them with a powerful stride.

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The situation remains deadlocked in front of Luoyan Palace.

Xiao Dunzi was afraid that further delay would worsen Majutsu's condition, so he insisted on breaking through. The guards used the backs of their swords to drive him back time and time again, without killing him. However, they were enraged by Xiao Dunzi's resistance earlier, so they didn't hold back.

With each blow, Xiaodunzi's clothes weren't torn, but beneath the wrinkled fabric were bruises of varying shades, and more and more were being added.

Xiaodunzi was, after all, a mortal, and he was carrying Shinju on his back. Before long, he had almost no strength left to resist, and his body swayed like a reed in the wind, unable to take another step.

Consort Yan leaned on her maid's support, but still complained of being tired from standing. She hadn't expected that after all this time, she couldn't even handle a simple task like serving food. Seeing that the commotion was getting bigger and bigger, she feared it would be difficult to take the person back under the watchful eyes of everyone.

If you're going to do something, do it all the time.

Consort Yan glared at the face of the person on Xiaodunzi's back while whispering instructions to her maid Qin'er.

Qin'er was initially hesitant, but upon hearing Consort Yan's promise, she was overjoyed and shyly glanced at one of the guards. Seemingly still incredulous, she confirmed with Consort Yan again. After receiving confirmation, Qin'er took two deep breaths, looked earnestly at the guard, gestured with her eyes, and then, using her hand as a knife, drew a line on her face.

Consort Yan caught a glimpse of her movement and couldn't help but curl the corners of her lips into a smile that contained three parts disdain and seven parts malice. She then looked toward the center of the crowd.

The guard received a signal from Qin'er and nodded secretly. Turning around, his face gradually filled with excitement and ferocity, he flipped the knife in his hand, blade down, and then slashed at the face of the person on Xiao Dunzi's back—

Blood splattered everywhere in the air in an instant.

"Ah!!!" The screams were deafening, and everyone present was shocked and turned to look at the person who had screamed.

The screaming guard clutched his gaping wound, a pool of bright red blood flowing on the ground. His eyes were filled with terror, his pupils trembling and unable to move, his mouth agape but unable to utter a sound.

monster……

Just now, the boy on his back had his eyes closed, but at the critical moment, he sensed the gale of the knife, raised his hand and grabbed the guard's knife, then crumpled the blade into a ball like paper.

The boy's hand was unharmed by the grab, but the guard's hand holding the knife was ripped open by the force, and it felt as if his entire arm had been pierced through by the immense force, causing him to almost lose consciousness from the pain.

He couldn't hold the knife, and his legs were trembling violently. He could only stare blankly as the boy slowly lifted his eyelids. His golden eyes were half-open, but had not yet found focus. There was an inhuman coldness about them, which made the guard's knees buckle and he knelt down instantly.

This scene also caught the eye of the arriving Zhenwang, whose gaze swept over the heads of the crowd and landed directly on Zhenju's face.

By this time, Shinju had regained his six senses and roughly understood the current situation. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the crumpled knife on the ground and sense the gaze of the King of Hell outside the crowd. Under the King of Hell's watchful eye, even if he wanted to salvage the situation and flatten the knife, he couldn't do it. He could only pretend to be oblivious and blink back at the King of Hell.

The King of Zhen watched as he lay on another man's back, his eyes twitching violently. Something was brewing in his dark, black pupils. Only after his attendant, panting, caught up to clear a path for him did the King of Zhen slowly walk forward.

Everything happened so fast that before anyone could understand what was going on, the Emperor arrived. Everyone knelt down and shouted "Long live the Emperor!" They were filled with shock, fear, and confusion.

Consort Yan nearly lost her composure, wondering why the Emperor was there. She had just been furious about the guard's mistake, but now she was unsure whether she should be relieved that the guard hadn't really ruined the eunuch's face. Perhaps the Emperor wouldn't unleash his fury and pursue the matter too much.

The maid Qin'er was dumbfounded. Her beloved had failed to fulfill the Consort's order. Was the Consort's promise to marry her still valid? She had waited three or four years, finally getting the Consort's approval. She had even planned which house they would buy in the city and how many boys and girls they would have...

When Xiaodunzi saw the Emperor, he wanted to bow, but Zhensu was still on his back. He could only plead with the Emperor, "Your Majesty, please save Qing Chuanshan... He has fainted, and these people are blocking me from taking him to the Imperial Hospital."

As soon as he finished speaking, Xiaodunzi felt a pat on his shoulder, and a clear and melodious voice rang in his ear, "Put me down, I'm fine."

Xiaodunzi froze for a moment, and only reacted after a few breaths. He quickly squatted down and gently loosened Shinju's legs.

At this moment, Shaopin hesitated for a moment, but finally mustered up her courage and walked closer. Seeing that Shinju was safe and sound, she breathed a sigh of relief.

"Your Majesty!" Consort Yan, feigning composure, lifted her skirt and walked up to Prince Zhen.

In an instant, the area around the Poison King was filled with people, yet it was eerily quiet.

"Your Highness, please explain?"

The Emperor's tone was as cold as ever. Consort Yan was unsure whether the Emperor was angry, so she could only brace herself and say, "I saw someone collapse in front of my palace, so I wanted to send a guard to take him back to the palace and have Physician Jiang take a look. But this eunuch suddenly rushed out and insisted on taking the unconscious eunuch away. He even attacked the guard, which is why the guard had to stop him."

"I didn't! They were the ones who kept blocking the way... They... took a whisk, took a knife..." Xiao Dunzi was clumsy with words and couldn't explain clearly, so he could only repeat himself.

Shinju didn't use his five senses, but seeing Kodun's sweat-covered forehead and slightly trembling body, he could guess the extent of his injuries beneath his clothes, and a pang of sadness welled up in his heart. During the time he lost his six senses, regardless of whether Kodun attacked first, Kodun's intention was to save him, and he had to protect Kodun no matter what.

"Your Majesty, it was all my fault for fainting and causing trouble, making everyone work for nothing and even creating this discord. I am willing to go to the Ministry of Justice to accept punishment and apologize. Please do not blame Eunuch Xie or the truly kind people." Shinju knelt down, kowtowed, and then raised his face to look at King Zhen.

"You!" Consort Yan could easily discern the veiled meaning in Zhen Su's words, and she was enraged.

"...What nonsense are you spouting? I'll settle accounts with you later." The Prince of Zhen didn't even look at Zhen Su, and ordered his attendant to summon the imperial physician. He glanced at Consort Yan with a cold look in his eyes, "All of you, come to Zhengren Hall. None of you will leave."

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East side room of Zhengren Hall.

Shinjuku knelt on the couch where the emperor usually rested, pressed his ear against the wall, and tried to eavesdrop on the interrogation of the head palace maid next door.

He was afraid that he would suddenly lose his five or six senses, so he didn't dare to use them anymore and could only use this primitive method to listen.

Shinju was so engrossed in listening that he didn't notice the King of Poison entering and walking behind him.

"Why get up instead of resting on the bed?" the Poison King suddenly said.

Shinju suddenly turned around, then awkwardly climbed down from the wall, lay back on the couch, covered himself with the small blanket, revealing only a pair of clear, golden eyes that stared intently at the King of Poison.

King Zhen's brow twitched. He thought to himself that this kid was playing innocent again. This time, he would definitely find out who this kid was.

That was a skill that ordinary martial artists could not possess. Although there had been signs of it before, those few times were barely passable. But this time, catching a blade barehanded and turning the steel knife into that state was definitely not something that could be easily excused.

Actually, he could ask anytime he wanted, but he didn't want to bring it up so soon... No, what's there to be unwilling about? Would he have any reservations?

ridiculous.

The King of Zhen also sat down on the couch, looking down at Zhen Su. After what seemed like a moment, or perhaps a short while, the King of Zhen spoke, "Are you still feeling unwell?"

After asking the question, the King of Poison bit his inner lip inwardly, sneering at himself.

Shinju, unaware of the King's inner turmoil, shook his head and said, "I'm fine."

"Can we not pursue Xie Chuanshan's matter? He's covered in injuries, but the guards are all fine."

"It's alright? Didn't you just ruin your left hand?"

Mayuki gasped, never expecting that he had unintentionally hurt someone so badly.

"That was my doing, Your Majesty saw it, didn't you? If you want to punish someone, you should take responsibility for their actions. Punish me for it all. Xie Chuanshan absolutely cannot withstand the punishment from the Ministry of Justice. Please forgive him, Your Majesty." Zhen Su scrambled up from the couch and prepared to kowtow again.

The King of Poison stopped him, then asked in a subtly rising tone, "You'll accept any punishment?"

Shinjuku sensed that the King of Poison must have ulterior motives for asking such a question, so he paused and hesitated before asking, "What kind of punishment is it?"

The smile in the King of Poison's eyes faded. "Didn't you acknowledge it all?"

When you're under someone's roof, you have to bow your head. To avoid implicating Xiaodunzi, Zhensu hesitated for a moment, then nodded, "Your Majesty may do as you wish. I will obey Your Majesty's every command."

Shinju's words were soft and gentle, yet they seemed to conceal needles. King Zhen felt as if his heart had been pricked by them, and he couldn't help but frown. He swallowed back the words he had asked Shinju to come and serve him.

Before long, the King of Poison's gaze fell on Shinju's empty earlobe. He reached out and stopped at Shinju's ear. He observed Shinju's expression and saw that Shinju only glanced to the right without avoiding him, so he gently pinched Shinju's earlobe.

"Put on the earrings I gave you, and I will forgive and forget your past actions."

Shinjuku felt a tickle on his earlobe from being touched, and at the same time, upon hearing the words of the King of Venom, his golden eyes lit up, and his voice involuntarily carried an obvious joy, "...Is this enough?"

The King of Poison abruptly shifted his gaze to the window, slightly raising his chin in confirmation.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

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The matter at Luoyan Palace was quickly settled, and to everyone's surprise, Consort Yan was the one who was punished the most severely.

Consort Yan has always used her connections and the vacancy of the Empress's position to openly and secretly overstep the bounds of propriety. As a consort, she has always enjoyed the power of an imperial consort.

With the Emperor's approval, Consort Yan's annual salary, ceremonial regalia, and guards were all reduced to the lowest level for a Consort. Although the imperial seals of the Six Palaces, which were temporarily held by her, were not touched, this punishment was undoubtedly a public humiliation. People began to doubt the claims that Consort Yan had enjoyed the Emperor's favor in the past.

Conversely, Consort Shao was promoted two ranks to become a Noble Consort, which was truly astonishing. She had neither borne a child for the royal family nor had any connections, yet she was promoted to a Noble Consort, a rank second only to the Empress.

Many people have had to reassess Consort Shao's importance in the Emperor's heart.

However, not long after, Consort Shao's promotion was blocked. It was said that the Imperial Observatory had calculated that the timing was not right and that she would be promoted at a later time.

Some say that Consort Shao disturbed the Emperor's audience and offended the Empress Dowager; others say that the Emperor was afraid the Yan family would cause trouble and therefore couldn't really promote her; still others say that the Emperor still prefers Consort Gui, otherwise why would he ignore Consort Shao again?

There were many different opinions, but none of them really concerned Shinjuku. Things related to Shinjuku seemed to have been wiped away by an invisible hand, and basically no one discussed them. So Shinjuku just heard about them and moved on.

Compared to these, there was another rumor that quite interested him.

A note from the author:

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Happy Lunar New Year's Eve, everyone!!