Chapter 345 Lotus Appreciation Banquet
The invitation for the lotus viewing banquet to be held in the palace was sent to all the mansions, and no one knew what Xiao Ning was up to.
You can't really let them accompany her royal husband to appreciate the lotus...
When he was still Princess Duanhui, they often went to the garden with him to appreciate the flowers.
But now that our identities have changed, it’s not appropriate for us to appreciate the flowers together, right?
No matter what everyone thought, on the day of the lotus viewing banquet, everyone went to the appointment.
Shen Ran also received the post.
After recuperation, her health has improved a lot.
As for Zhao Zhiyuan, he was dragged to the vegetable market and beheaded in public long before Xiao Ning ascended the throne.
At that time, the Zhao family even ran to Shen Ran and begged her.
They said Zhiyuan was confused for a moment and asked her to let Zhiyuan go because they had always treated her like their own daughter.
Shen Ran just sneered when he heard this.
She is not a fool. Zhao Zhiyuan could do something to her. How could she say that no one in the Zhao Mansion knew about it?
Isn't it just because she saw her father and brother were in trouble, so he wanted to use her as a token of his loyalty and seek credit from the new emperor?
If Shang Xi wasn't her biological brother.
If it wasn’t Xiao Ning who proclaimed himself emperor.
Sooner or later, she would be found and killed by the Zhao family, and then disguised as suicide.
Many people don't know the relationship between Shen Ran and Shang Xi, but after the Shen family's defeat, she was still fine. Even the new emperor made the decision, granted them a divorce, and brought Zhao Zhiyuan to Jingzhao Prefecture to be sentenced to beheading according to the law.
Only those who commit murder will be sentenced to beheading.
In Dayong's original understanding, a wife was considered the husband's private property, so pawning a wife or selling children was not considered a crime.
But the emperor now is a woman.
Naturally, it is no longer the same as before.
They didn't know whether the new emperor made the decision for Shen Ran out of pity for her as a fellow woman, or because Shen Ran had some extraordinary qualities.
But since the new emperor values Shen Ran, it would be best for them to get closer to her.
Therefore, at the palace gate, as soon as Shen Ran got out of the car, people immediately surrounded her and tried to get close to her.
As the daughter of the Left Prime Minister, Chen Ran was often surrounded by people like a star.
She greeted him with a smile, but there was no emotion in her heart.
After the Shen family lost power, her former good friends and confidants were nowhere to be seen. It was not until Zhao Zhiyuan was executed and the news of the new emperor supporting her spread like wildfire that people began to come to her house to show their concern and regards for her.
Everyone entered the palace together.
The palace scenery remains the same, but the people are different.
The eunuch led them to the place. Yuzhu greeted everyone with a smile, saying, "Your Majesty and His Highness will be here soon. Ladies and young ladies, please enjoy the scenery first. If you need anything, just ask the palace servants."
After Shang Xi took over the harem, he set up palace ladies-in-waiting according to Xiao Ning's ideas.
As Xiao Ning's maid, Yuzhu was naturally promoted to a first-class female official beside her, responsible for her food, clothing, housing and transportation.
After all, Xiao Ning is a woman, and it would be inconvenient for eunuchs to serve her.
Shang Xi didn't like Xiao Ning being too close to others, but he was even more reluctant to see Xiao Ning suffer too much.
Being an emperor is a very hard job. She has to work day and night, and if she has to worry about other things, she must be very tired.
He had to help her manage the harem and look after the former dynasty, and sometimes he felt powerless.
Besides, Xiao Ning is nostalgic, and these people have been with her since childhood... No, she is not the Xiao Ning of the past, and these people do not have a childhood relationship with her.
But these people are the ones Xiao Ning cares about, so his Aning also cares about them.
He is willing to treat them well.
After all, without Xiao Ning's help, there would be no fate between him and Aning.
The noble ladies in the capital often entered the palace to accompany the emperor.
So I feel comfortable.
The women gathered together to talk, and the young girls played by the pool.
Until Xiao Ning and Shang Xi arrived.
Everyone knelt down and greeted Xiao Ning and Shang Xi.
Xiao Ning said, "No need to be polite."
Chen Ran was sitting near the front, so Shang Xi asked, "How's your recovery? Are you feeling better?"
Chen Ran knelt and bowed, and replied: "Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. I... am doing well."
Shang Xi frowned when he heard her distant answer, but didn't say anything else.
Xiao Ning knew what Chen Ran was avoiding.
It was simply because they were afraid that Shang Xi's identity would be exposed and the ministers would impeach him, saying that he was a remnant of the Shen family and that they would depose this emperor.
But Xiao Ning was not afraid of those ministers.
I am not even afraid of their impeachment.
Her lover should stand upright in the sun.
He can care about whoever he wants to care about and hate whoever he wants to hate. His marriage with her should not become a shackle that traps him.
So Xiao Ning smiled and said, "You two were fine a few days ago, weren't you two siblings? Why are you so estranged today?"
As soon as these words came out, all the ladies present looked up at her, the shock in their eyes was obvious.
What?
This Royal Highness and Shen Ran are brother and sister!
Doesn't that mean...
Chen Xiang is such a piece of shit!
She actually disguised her own son as a woman and sent him into the palace as a princess.
Even a tiger won't eat its own cubs.
Shang Xi's eyelashes trembled and he looked at Xiao Ning.
Chen Ran looked at the two of them and thought, in the past, everyone thought that the Marquis of Jingyuan was a playboy, useless, and fond of men, but now...
Not only did she achieve such a great feat, but her heart and eyes were also filled with Shang Xi.
When Xiao Ning ascended the throne, she did not go, but A Shu did.
She heard him say that after Xiao Ning ascended the throne, he took Shang Xi to the altar and swore to the gods of heaven and earth that they would share honor and disgrace and never abandon each other, no matter life or death.
At that moment, she knew that her brother had found his own happiness.
Shen Ran was sincerely happy for him.
Because of Xiao Ning's words, Chen Ran no longer tried to avoid suspicion and chatted with Shang Xi with a smile.
Shang Xi also smiled.
Halfway through the banquet, Xiao Ning said, "Next spring, I plan to hold a special examination to select talented individuals to serve as officials in the imperial court."
The women looked at each other.
Shouldn't matters like the Imperial Examination be discussed with their men in the court? Why are you talking about this with them?
Xue Qingrong's heart beat faster.
She knew that if Xiao Ning became emperor, he would definitely select women to serve as officials.
This is the only way to expand her power extremely quickly.
Her chance has come...
Then, Xiao Ning asked, "Are you interested?"
Women: “…”
For thousands of years, men have been working outside while women have been taking care of their husbands and raising children. They have long been accustomed to this kind of life...
As everyone looked at each other in confusion, hesitating to move forward, Xue Qingrong knelt down and said, "Your Majesty, I am willing to be loyal to you!"
Seeing Xue Qingrong like this, several young girls who were on good terms with her also knelt down and echoed, "Your servants also have this intention."
They were all very young and had unconventional ideas, so they were more receptive to Xiao Ning's statement than women who were already married and had children.
After all, the throne is now occupied by women, so why can't they serve as officials?
Chen Ran also has this idea.
Now that her relationship with Shang Xi has been exposed, if she can become an official in the court, she will be Shang Xi's backing.
With her, a remnant of the Shen family, attracting fire from the previous dynasty, her brother will have an easier time.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com