Chapter 397
He slammed the memorial to the ground in front of everyone, so angry that he swayed. The court officials below immediately fell silent and dared not utter another word.
Song Xuan had just returned to Yong'an Palace when he summoned the imperial physician. Soon after, rumors spread that the current emperor was so angry that he suffered a heart attack.
Everyone was saying that Shen Zheng had angered the Emperor to the point of illness, while others felt that the Emperor's health was not yet fully recovered and that his illness at the palace had not been cured. In addition, Shen Zheng had not gone to the border for a long time, so rumors were flying towards the Shen family father and son, and many people kept their distance from them.
Shen Zheng, on the other hand, didn't change much; in fact, he was visibly in a good mood.
He knew in his heart that the emperor's rage was due to the bracelet's effect, and that many of Chongmeng's people had infiltrated the border guards. His plan was about to be realized!
Not long after, Song Xuan summoned Shen Zheng to the imperial study for a meeting. Before he even entered the study, he heard the sound of a zither coming from inside. Fu Hai, who was guarding the door, explained with a smile, "Please wait a moment, Prime Minister Shen. It is Consort Shen playing the zither for His Majesty."
Shen Zheng's eyes lit up, and he immediately asked, "Does Consort Shen often come to play the zither for His Majesty?"
This is a matter concerning the inner palace, but he is Shen Man's father, so it's normal for him to ask a question.
"Reporting to Prime Minister Shen, His Majesty has recently been very fond of Consort Shen's zither playing, and he listens to her music every day while reviewing memorials," Fu Hai replied truthfully.
Upon hearing this, a smile appeared in Shen Zheng's eyes, a smile that was filled with desire and ambition.
A short while later, Shen Man, who looked pale and whose ten fingers were wrapped in gauze, was helped out. She met Shen Zheng and nodded slightly before being helped away by the palace servants.
"Please invite Prime Minister Shen inside," Fu Hai said repeatedly.
Seeing Shen Man's appearance, Shen Zheng did not ask any questions. He did not even glance at Shen Man. Instead, he excitedly straightened himself and walked into the Imperial Study.
He was content as long as Shen Man could have more contact with His Majesty; he didn't care about the other's health.
Inside the Imperial Study, Song Xuan was extremely irritable, even hitting Shen Zheng on the forehead with an inkstone, drawing blood. However, Shen Zheng was not angry; in fact, a smile appeared on his face after leaving the Imperial Study.
In the days that followed, the current emperor became increasingly irritable, and would even physically assault people. On one occasion, he even smashed the guqin that Shen Man was playing, which greatly frightened Shen Man.
During the previous dynasty, the emperor became extremely arbitrary, even making wrong judgments on cases that were obvious to everyone. He also confiscated the property of several key ministers, and even Ye Lingzhou was dragged out and flogged. The entire previous dynasty was in a state of panic, with everyone feeling insecure.
Rumors began to circulate inside and outside the palace that the emperor was easily angered and irritable. The ministers who attended court every day sighed and worried that the emperor would take his anger out on them.
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That day.
Song Xuanzheng was with Shen Qingnian and her two children inside the Golden Hall.
Shen Qingnian's belly was already slightly protruding, and she was now four months pregnant. She was sitting on a soft couch, watching her two little ones draw. The man beside her would occasionally glance at her or her belly.
It is winter now, and last night it snowed heavily, covering the whole world in a silvery white. The charcoal fire inside the hall was burning brightly, making the whole room warm and cozy.
"Your Majesty, Your Highness, it's snowing again outside. I saw that the red plum blossoms were in full bloom, so I picked some," Xiaoju said as she walked in carrying a bunch of snow-covered red plum blossoms.
Snowflakes fell on her body and head, and the red plum blossoms were also covered in snow, making them look delicate and beautiful.
Shen Qingnian waved her hand, and Xiaoju bowed her head and carried the red plum blossoms behind the screen. She and Zhu Lan then arranged the red plum blossoms in a vase.
The next moment, Shen Qingnian felt a chill. It was because Xiao Xi had opened the window a crack and was peeking at the heavy snow outside.
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