Chapter 22 Even God is Helping A-Chu

Seeing his beloved sad, Wang Yao couldn't help but speak out sarcastically in a loud voice:

"People should recognize their own status and position. If you are not a member of this circle, don't always try to squeeze into it."

Even if it gets in, it'll just be a monkey in clothes and a hat.

Shen Chu turned her head and looked over, raising an eyebrow slightly. "This circle? Which circle is the Prince referring to?"

Wang Yao's face was full of disdain; he was naturally referring to the circles of high-ranking nobles.

"Ignorance is ignorance; they can't even understand their own circle."

Our circle consists of people who can wear fine clothes, eat exquisite dishes, have servants wherever they go, and...

"Well, it's definitely not something someone like you who's never even seen a dessert before could understand."

Shen Yan chimed in sarcastically, "It's normal that my older brother, who hasn't lived in this circle since childhood, can't understand."

When I have the chance, I'll bring my older brother out more often to broaden his horizons, and then he'll understand what "circles" really mean.

Shen Chu nodded, "I understand. So, if I've never seen such desserts, I'm not worthy to share your burdens, and I'm not worthy to be in this circle."

Why don't you two go and see His Majesty, and ask him to strip me of my title of top scholar and not grant me an official position?

Shen Yan: "You...you're making baseless accusations. When did we say you weren't worthy to share the burdens of the ruler?"

Shen Chu looked completely innocent. "Didn't you say I wasn't good enough for this industry?"

Wang Yao was also furious, "I'm not talking about this circle, I'm talking about... the world..."

Shen Chu interrupted him with a smile, "Isn't the Crown Prince referring to the circle of court officials? Is there any circle more honorable than the circle of being His Majesty's subjects?"

Since you two believe I'm not in this circle, then it means you think His Majesty shouldn't have chosen me as the top scholar.

Wang Yao... He couldn't respond to that.

Shen Yan frowned. "Brother, why did you have to switch the beams and pillars?"

No one would dare to respond to Shen Chu's words unless they were a fool.

Whoever accepts this is essentially criticizing His Majesty for his poor judgment in choosing people.

Shen Chu said with a serious expression, "How can this be considered a substitution? Those who eat the emperor's food should be loyal to the emperor's worries. Shouldn't the subjects of our Great Wei only have one circle?"

Isn't your monthly salary a gift from His Majesty? It's just snacks and light meals; you should eat them when they're made. If you receive a salary, you should share the Emperor's burdens.

Shouldn't everyone be united in protecting the Great Wei dynasty and remaining loyal to His Majesty?

"Hahaha, what a fine saying! Snacks are made and should be eaten, and salaries are received and worries are shared!"

A burst of hearty laughter suddenly came from the entrance of the garden.

Shen Chu turned her head and saw Emperor Longqing walking over with his hands behind his back, accompanied by the Grand Princess of Chengyang.

Li Chengxuan, who was supporting the Grand Princess of Chengyang, was winking and making faces at Chen Chu with excitement.

I thought His Majesty wasn't coming, but the Sixth Prince suddenly came with him, which was a wonderful surprise.

It seems that even God is on Achu's side.

Shen Chu didn't notice Li Chengxuan's winking and eyebrow-raising gestures; her gaze was drawn to the man in fish-scale armor behind the Grand Princess of Chengyang.

The man was tall and handsome, his fish-scale armor gleaming silver in the sunlight, making him appear even more imposing, like a pine tree on a high mountain. In addition to his handsome appearance, he also exuded a cold and austere air, causing many young girls to blush.

It was the first time Shen Chu had seen Pei Yuan wearing the armor of the Five Cities Garrison, so she couldn't help but take another look.

When everyone saw the emperor arrive, they hurriedly stood up, knelt down, and paid their respects.

Shen Chu knelt on the ground, and after hearing the sound of fish scales rubbing together, a cold snort sounded above her head: "Pretty good at pretending."

Shen Chu... You're the one pretending, your whole family is pretending.

"Rise, all of you," the Longqing Emperor said with a smile as he sat down at the head of the table. "What were you all discussing just now? Why did you bring up sharing the emperor's burdens?"

Shen Chu stepped forward and quickly and directly complained: "Your Majesty, the Crown Prince and my second brother mocked me for being ignorant, saying that I had never even seen the snacks in the Imperial Kitchen."

"Oh, they even mocked me for my poverty and pedantry, saying that becoming the top scholar was just pure luck, and that I was utterly unworthy to share Your Majesty's burdens."

Shen Yan and Wang Yao were so frightened by these words that their legs went weak.

Is he even a man? How can he tattle on others?

Emperor Longqing stroked his beard, raised an eyebrow at Shen Yan and Wang Yao, and said, "Oh? Why don't you two help me decide what kind of ministers I should choose to share my burdens?"

Shen Yan and Wang Yao's faces immediately turned pale.

"Your Majesty...Your Majesty, spare my life!"

The two men's legs trembled, and they knelt on the ground with a thud, begging for mercy.

"Your Majesty, I...I didn't mean that just now." Shen Yan, quick-witted, immediately explained:

"Wang Yao saw that my elder brother had never eaten this dish of abalone cups and wanted to share it with him."

"Brother, you've misunderstood our good intentions. Even if we had a hundred lives, we wouldn't dare to contradict His Majesty's arrangements."

Emperor Longqing stroked the jade thumb ring on his hand and looked at Wang Yao indifferently: "Is that so?"

Wang Yao nodded vigorously, "Yes...that's exactly it."

Shen Chu's expression was somber. "Perhaps I have misunderstood the two princes' meaning."

She was already very beautiful, and now, standing in the sunlight, her figure was as slender as jade, but her expression carried a sense of sadness, which made many of the young girls present feel a little sorry for her.

Li Anning stepped forward and said, "Young Scholar Shen has no misunderstanding. The two princes were just mocking him for being a country bumpkin."

Your Majesty, they even went so far as to say that even if Scholar Shen got his official position by sheer luck, wearing official robes couldn't hide his impoverished and shabby nature.

"Oh?" Emperor Longqing squinted at the person who spoke. "Alright, tell me what just happened."

Li Anning spoke fluently and accurately, recounting what had just happened.

Shen Chu sighed, "I was raised in a Taoist temple since childhood, so I am not fortunate enough to be able to eat the imperial kitchen's snacks every day like the two princes."

"If I had known this would happen, I should have gone to the street to buy a plate of abalone soup to try before I came."

The Longqing Emperor scoffed, "Zhaoji abalone cups are imperial desserts; where can you buy them on the street?"

"Really?" Shen Chu looked shocked. "I was truly ignorant. The Crown Prince and my brother said that we can eat this snack every day at home. I thought this kind of snack could be bought everywhere."

Emperor Longqing's eyes flickered slightly, and his voice turned somewhat cold, "I had no idea that the Changping Marquis's residence and the Changning Marquis's residence could enjoy these imperial pastries every day."

Shen Yan and Wang Yao were so frightened that their bodies went limp and they collapsed to the ground, only able to mutter pleas for mercy.

The Longqing Emperor remained silent with a sullen face.

Princess Chengyang smiled and said, "It's just a quarrel between young people. Shen Yan and Wang Yao said inappropriate things. Just have them beaten up. Don't upset the Emperor."

Emperor Longqing stroked his jade thumb ring, his cold gaze sweeping over the Earl of Changping and the Marquis of Changning who had followed him at a brisk pace.

"I had no idea that you two ministers lived more comfortably than I did? It seems you are indeed richer than me?"

The Earl of Changping and the Marquis of Changning were immediately drenched in sweat, their legs went weak, and they knelt on the ground at the same time.

Who dares to live a more comfortable life than the emperor? Who dares to be richer?

That's suicidal.

Marquis Changning hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, your unfilial son is talking nonsense. Please spare my life. There are fixed rules for food in my residence. Apart from the snacks bestowed by Your Majesty, I have never made any imperial snacks in my residence on a regular basis."

The Earl of Changping followed closely behind, saying, "Your Majesty, I... Your Majesty, it was just the other day when my relative returned from the sea with some abalone. The cook made this dessert, and it's the first time I've ever had it. I beg Your Majesty to investigate."

As soon as he finished speaking, a low chuckle rippled through the crowd.

"So the Crown Prince was just bragging. He talked like he ate it every day. Tch."

Wang Yao hung his head, wishing the ground would open up so he could crawl into it.

Shen Yan secretly resented Shen Chu's selfishness; what good did it do him to destroy the Changning Marquis's mansion?

When Shen Chu received Shen Yan's resentful gaze, she couldn't help but curl her lips and kneel on the ground again.

"We can't entirely blame the two princes. After all, it's a fact that Shen Chu was raised in a Taoist temple since childhood. It's understandable that they worry that I can't share Your Majesty's burdens."

Changping Bo's face turned even paler.

Marquis Changning glared fiercely at Shen Chu, his eyes filled with malice.

The Longqing Emperor gave a light hum.

"It is not their place to worry about who I choose as the top scholar or who I select as my ministers. Shen Chu, you don't need to belittle yourself. Since I have chosen you as the top scholar, you are the top scholar."

If I say you can be my subject, then you are qualified to be my subject.

"By the way, you haven't chosen an official position yet, have you? Tell me where you'd like to go, and I'll bestow an official title upon you right now."