Chapter 347
Shen Zheng had never taken Liu Yurou seriously, and her appearance had long been blurred in his mind. If it weren't for Shen Qingnian, he probably would have forgotten about Liu Yurou long ago.
With Liu Yurou's face covered by a thin veil, he felt she looked familiar, but he wouldn't think of her at all.
After sitting down, Liu Yurou greeted Wang Jiarong softly. Little Shenxi also tugged at Wang Jiarong's sleeve and sweetly called her "Madam of the Heir Apparent," making Wang Jiarong unable to suppress her smile.
Xiao Yanqing sat upright beside Xiao Shenxi. In the light of the campfire, his little face was taut and serious. Only when facing Xiao Shenxi and Liu Yurou would his expression soften slightly. He had the air of a prince.
Looking at the two little ones, Wang Jiarong's heart softened, and she couldn't help but wonder what her own child would look like when born.
Shen Qingnian, who was seated at the head of the table, shifted her gaze from Liu Yurou and the other two. The next moment, her hand, which was under the table, was grasped by the man beside her.
“These autumn oranges are delicious with roasted meat, you should try them,” Song Xuan said, looking at Shen Qingnian with tenderness in his dark eyes.
On the small table in front of the two were fruits and pastries, and roasted meat was still grilling over the campfire. Even before it was served, the aroma of the meat filled the entire table.
Shen Qingnian squeezed the man's palm: "Your Majesty is truly thoughtful."
These autumn oranges aren't on the other tables; they must be newly presented tribute items, and there aren't many of them.
At this moment, Ye Lingzhou stood up.
He bowed to Song Xuan, who was seated above him, and said loudly, "Your Majesty, in today's hunting competition, General Shen was originally the one who hunted the most animals, but he offended the heavens and was disqualified from the competition. Therefore, the winner of this hunting competition is Young Master Chen, Chen Nu!"
As soon as Ye Lingzhou finished speaking, Shen Zheng's face turned as black as the bottom of a pot, and the people around him couldn't help but whisper about Shen Zheng being beaten with a cane that day.
Chen Nu also stood up at this time. He was Chen Min's older brother. Although he did not come from a high social class, his martial arts skills were among the best in the capital. The Chen family was not qualified to participate in this autumn hunt. It was only thanks to Wang Jiarong's promotion that he had the opportunity to show his face.
Chen Nu was burly and had regular features, clearly a skilled martial artist. He first kowtowed to Song Xuan before loudly proclaiming, "If it weren't for General Chen's help, I wouldn't have had the chance to win first place. I am truly ashamed!"
“Hey, Young Master Chen, don’t be modest. General Shen is reaping what he sowed. Fortunately, His Majesty is merciful and spared his life,” Ye Lingzhou said, glancing at Shen Zheng. When he saw the other’s dark expression, a satisfied smile appeared on his face.
Chen Zheng snorted coldly and remained silent, causing the atmosphere at the banquet to become somewhat subtle. For a moment, no one spoke, and everyone quietly observed the expression of the emperor on the throne.
Song Xuan glanced at Chen Nu kneeling on the ground and said calmly, "General Chen is a pillar of the state. Although today's hunting was out of line, it was because he had not been back to the capital for a long time and was not familiar with the place."
With just one sentence, Song Xuan managed to salvage some of Shen Zheng's reputation. However, Song Xuan's expression was not cold or stern, and he did not seem to be protecting Shen Zheng much. It was more like he was just putting on a show.
The ministers present were all very shrewd and could see through the emperor's attitude at a glance, yet they all unanimously agreed: "Your Majesty is wise."
Shen Zheng naturally noticed Song Xuan's attitude, and his face darkened even more.
Song Xuan instructed, "Since first place has been decided, then bring up the golden bow."
As soon as he finished speaking, a servant carried the golden bow, which was larger than a person, and placed it in the center of the campfire. The gems on it shone brightly.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
