At the hour of Chou (1-3 AM) the following day, a carriage hurriedly drove from the palace toward the Prince Rui's residence.
For the first time ever, Shen Hanshan was still sleeping on the small couch in the bedroom of the dean, Princess Fengyi.
Li An waited in the front yard, while Du Heng hurriedly went to the back yard to invite his prince.
Shen Hanshan's back went numb from sleeping on the small couch.
When Du Heng saw him come out again, supporting his back, he couldn't help but stomp his foot.
"Eunuch Li has brought the Emperor's decree and is waiting in the front courtyard!"
Du Heng, supporting Shen Hanshan, couldn't help but ask, "Your Highness, were you kept up all night by His Highness again last night?"
Shen Hanshan glared at him, and Du Heng immediately realized he had spoken out of turn, so he quickly lowered his head.
Shen Hanshan knew the princess's temperament well. Although she seemed domineering and unruly on the surface, she was actually a meticulous and decisive woman.
Last night's commotion was nothing more than a smokescreen for the spies the Emperor had placed around them.
Through these few days of getting along, Shen Hanshan could sense that this princess, who grew up among the common people, was no pushover. She and Zhao Yi were testing each other.
He was nothing more than an innocent supporting character.
"Alright, help me to the front yard." Shen Hanshan rubbed his sore and numb back and slowly got up.
He knew perfectly well that he had to accept the imperial edict, whether it was good or bad.
When they arrived at the front yard, Li An was standing there. Upon seeing Shen Hanshan arrive, he quickly stepped forward and bowed.
"Your Highness, this is an imperial edict, spoken only to you." Li An's voice carried a hint of seriousness.
Shen Hanshan nodded, but his heart was in turmoil.
He glanced at Su Mu, gesturing for Su Mu to invite Li An to the study.
Outside the study, Du Heng and Su Mu stood guard, their minds heavy with worry.
Inside the study, Shen Hanshan sat upright in a pearwood armchair, his expression calm and composed.
Li An stepped forward, leaned close to his ear, and relayed the emperor's words verbatim.
A barely perceptible ripple flashed in Shen Hanshan's eyes.
He listened quietly, without revealing his thoughts.
After Li An finished speaking, he carefully took out an item from his sleeve and presented it to Shen Hanshan with both hands.
Shen Hanshan's gaze instantly focused; it was the tiger tally he used to carry on the battlefield, witnessing countless life-or-death moments.
A strange emotion welled up inside him; whether it was nostalgia for the past or anxiety about the future, he couldn't quite put his finger on it.
Ang Lee stood with his head down, secretly glancing at Shen Hanshan's expression out of the corner of his eye.
He saw a flash of sharpness in Shen Hanshan's eyes, a murderous aura.
That look in his eyes made him feel uneasy.
Shen Hanshan took a deep breath and slowly accepted the tiger tally.
When he looked up at Ang Lee, his eyes had returned to calm.
Where is the general's fierce and ruthless aura? On the surface, there is only the smug satisfaction that should be present when a newlywed prince marries a princess.
"This is a hot potato," Shen Hanshan said casually, toying with the tiger tally. "But since I've accepted it, I'll trouble you to go back and inform the Emperor that I will handle things perfectly."
Li An nodded. As he left, he subconsciously glanced back at Shen Hanshan, who was still sitting in the pearwood armchair. Shen Hanshan still had that indifferent expression.
Li An was somewhat puzzled. Could it be that he had misjudged the murderous aura he had just witnessed?
"The message has been delivered? Did he accept the tiger tally?"
In the imperial study, Zhao Yi asked coldly, "What expression?"
"He's been brought over," the prince consort said calmly, his expression unchanged.
Ang Lee answered truthfully.
Zhao Yi fell silent, slowly unfolded the Xuan paper, gently grasped the wolf-hair brush, dipped it in ink, and lightly swung it.
Ang Lee stood by with his hands at his sides, watching Zhao Yi's world gradually unfold, revealing a vivid and lively picture of a snipe and a clam fighting.
In the painting, a long-necked sandpiper with full plumage and sharp eyes is tightly biting the claw of a clam, trying to pull it out of the water.
The clam, not to be outdone, tightly closed its shell, clamping the snipe's beak. The two were locked in a fierce stalemate in the water, creating ripples. The surrounding aquatic plants and plankton seemed to be watching the situation unfold in silence.
The painting is simple yet full of tension. With just a few strokes, Zhao Yi has depicted the tension and fierce battle between the snipe and the clam, as if you can hear the sounds of the underwater fight and feel the tense atmosphere.
"Your Majesty's painting skills are becoming more and more refined," Li An praised.
Zhao Yi put down his pen and asked casually, "In your opinion, who is the snipe, who is the clam, and who is the fisherman?"
Li An was slightly taken aback, not expecting Zhao Yi to ask such a question. After a moment of deep thought, he cautiously replied, "Your Majesty's painting skills are profound, and the meaning of this painting is far-reaching. In my humble opinion, the snipe and the clam are both sides in a struggle. They are entangled with each other for survival and profit, unable to extricate themselves. However, the real fisherman may not be in the painting."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Yi's eyes flashed with approval. He nodded slightly and said, "Li An, you are indeed clever. The snipe and the clam represent the many forces in the world. They fight each other for power, wealth, or fame, but they don't know that the real fisherman is often hiding behind them, quietly observing and waiting for the right opportunity."
Li An's heart stirred. He understood that Zhao Yi was using the painting as a metaphor, and couldn't help but ask, "Then, Your Majesty, who do you think this fisherman is?"
Zhao Yi smiled slightly, but did not answer directly. Instead, he asked, "Li An, do you know that there is another key treasure in the struggle between Yun Shu and Yun Li?"
Li An shook his head, and Zhao Yi continued, "When Yun Shu poisoned his own elder brother, he didn't know that the Imperial Seal in his possession was a fake. The real seal was hidden by Yun Ling. Yun Ling probably sensed that Yun Shu intended to harm him, so he made preparations in advance. Recently, I received information that Yun Ling kept the key to the Imperial Seal in a pear wood box, and that box, by some twist of fate, ended up in the hands of Shen Hanshan..."
Li An suddenly realized Zhao Yi's intention. The Emperor's goal was not only to have Shen Hanshan stir up the current situation in Yun Dynasty, but also to conduct a thorough search of the Prince Rui's residence while he was away from Lingyang.
He asked, puzzled, "Your Majesty, we're not sure if Prince Rui definitely left that box in his residence!"
Zhao Yi laughed, "Who said I was going to go look for them myself?" He stared intently at the snipe and clam in the painting and continued, "Someone will go look for them for us. What I need to do is keep a close eye on Prince Rui's residence and Shen Hanshan."
Li An nodded repeatedly, a look of joy on his face, and said, "Your Majesty, this old servant understands. You are the true fisherman. You do not directly participate in the struggle, but you can seize the opportunity and achieve victory at the crucial moment."
Zhao Yi nodded in satisfaction. "Li An, you must remember that in this world, struggle is everywhere, but the real victors are often those who can foresee opportunities and seize the moment."
Li An bowed deeply, "This old servant will humbly obey Your Majesty's teachings."
Zhao Yi waved his hand, signaling Li An to step down. He stood alone in front of the painting, his gaze deep.
He hoped that one day he could truly become the fisherman, grasp the general trend of the world, and bring the Yun Dynasty under his control, thus fulfilling the long-cherished wish that his grandfather could not complete.
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