Chapter 74 The Shen Family is in Decline Even if she marries someone else, I will still remember her...
Inside the Duke of Dingguo's mansion, funeral banners were hung everywhere. One after another, court officials came to pay their respects. As darkness gradually fell, the mourning hall finally had a moment to breathe.
"Brother, have some water." Wearing a mourning hat and with red and swollen eyes, Han Xiwan handed her brother a bowl of water.
Han, dressed in plain clothes, followed behind her daughter. "The Wei family's wife is still waiting in the backyard."
"I will go and talk to her." Dressed in mourning attire, Shen Minghuai, leaning on his cane, rose shakily, took the ceramic bowl, and walked towards the backyard.
Wei Xiaoshu, who was staring absently at the doorway, saw Shen Minghuai appear in the backyard and immediately got up to greet him. "Brother Ziqian, have they all left? Are you hungry?"
Shen Minghuai stopped under the eaves. “Madam Wei, you don’t need to go to such lengths for me.”
Wei Xiaoshu instinctively retorted, "No, it's just that I remember how Uncle Shen treated me—"
Shen Minghuai said calmly, "Our marriage is my father's idea. I have always only regarded you as a younger sister. The betrothal gifts have not been given, the marriage contract has not been set, we have no relationship yet, and there is no reason for us to stay here."
Wei Xiaoshu looked lost and said, pursing her lips, "She's gone, and you still think about her, don't you? The Wang family can help you, and so can our Wei family—"
“It will always be true.” Shen Minghuai said in a low voice, his dark eyes empty and lifeless. “Even if she marries someone else, I will still think of her.”
Wei Xiaoshu stared at him in disbelief. Was this still the Shen-gege she used to know...? Shen Minghuai's figure receded into the distance, and a servant dressed in hemp clothing came to ask her to leave the mansion. The spring chill lingered, and the wind raged on that night.
On the fifteenth day of the second month of the fifth year of Jianping, the Duke of Dingguo passed away at the age of fifty-one. Emperor Yue suspended court for three days and bestowed upon him the posthumous title "Wenzheng". In July, he was buried in Luoyang. Lady Han took Han Xiwan back to Xiangzhou. In the vast Shen Mansion, there was no one left to care for.
The summer heat was intense, and it was time to eat locust tea again, but there was no locust tea in the capital. Shen Minghuai was sitting in the Tax Gift Tea House drinking cold tea when Wang Zhen led someone in.
"I never imagined that it was my master who saved you ten years ago."
Duan Chunfeng bowed deeply and said, "Young master, you are too kind to me. If it weren't for Master Fu saving my life back then, I wouldn't be standing here today. But I haven't been in this line of work for several years, so I really can't help you in any way."
Wang Zhen glanced at him, went straight inside and sat down, pouring a cup of tea for the Taoist priest who had become a monk halfway through his life.
"The reason why I almost lost my life back then goes without saying. This enormous mistake can only be made up for by you, sir." Shen Minghuai did not invite him to sit down, his piercing gaze never falling on the newcomer, but his attitude was very firm.
"Back then, I was blinded by money and did not act in my true heart. I regret it to the core. I really dare not do this dangerous job again. Young master, you should find another expert."
"ten times."
Ying Ming blocked the doorway, and Duan Chunfeng wasn't really going to leave. Upon hearing this, he turned around and came back, his buttocks pressed against the chair.
"Is this really true?" Duan Chunfeng looked around and then held up a number. "This is gold, not silver ingots."
Shen Minghuai lowered his eyes slightly, tapping the table with his fingertips. "Does the gentleman feel that I, Shen, cannot afford to give so much?"
Duan Chunfeng vehemently denied it, "How could that be! Lord Wenzheng is a high-ranking official of our dynasty, and the Shen family has so many businesses. Young Master is now the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, with a promising future. He can certainly afford to give, but I don't know how much I can get."
“If you don’t believe me, sir,” Shen Minghuai knocked three more times, “you can take these first, and I will return them in full after the matter is settled.”
Duan Chunfeng knocked twice more, "If you can give it to me, Duan—"
"Deal." Shen Minghuai agreed without hesitation.
"readily!"
Wang Zhen frowned and looked over. "Aren't you going to ask what kind of help you need?"
"What good thing could come from giving so much? I know perfectly well." Duan Chunfeng's mouth almost stretched to his eyes as he bowed deeply. "Then I will await your good news, young master."
Wang Zhen watched as Duan Chunfeng followed Ying Ming out of the teahouse, his steps light and carefree, looking as if he were floating on air.
"I didn't expect the Shen family to be so wealthy and able to squander their wealth like this."
Shen Minghuai curled his lips into a cold smile, "I'm afraid he'll earn it, but not live to spend it."
"I believe you." Wang Zhen was about to leave when Shen Minghuai called him back.
"I've heard that some people have been making trouble for you lately. Are you alright?"
Wang Zhen snorted coldly, "Even ants can be dealt with. Father has worked diligently for half his life, and now that he has some free time, what's wrong with that?" He then patted Shen Minghuai's shoulder, "Shen, you should take care of yourself first."
The position of Temple Assistant Minister sounds nice, but it's nothing more than a nominal official post. Besides, it's the mourning period, so he's exempt from going to the yamen. Today, Shen Minghuai was going to the Wei residence, and the servants brought him newly scented clothes, but the smell had changed.
What incense are you burning today?
A chilling aura quickly spread to every corner of the room, making the already lifeless place even more gloomy and sending a chill down one's spine.
A-Ping knelt down with a thud, bowing her head and replying in a trembling voice, "Young Master, the incense you usually burn is gone. I took the liberty of using the incense that the Duke usually uses. Please punish me, Young Master!"
All the servants, both inside and out, withdrew, and Shen Minghuai rubbed his temples. The two jade pendants lay quietly in the exquisite wooden box, which he dusted and examined daily. He recalled those words over and over again. Her tears flowed into his heart like scalding hot liquid, burning painfully. In the cabinet beneath the wooden box were unsent letters, their handwriting varied, yet all filled with longing. Slowly, he placed the jade pendants back in their place; it was time for him to depart.
After the funeral, Wei Xiaoshu returned to her original position and was now addressed as "Young Master Shen." Wei Ziqing knew her wish had been dashed and dared not laugh at her, after all, he still didn't know the name of the woman he had met at the Daxiangguo Temple that day. Whenever Shen Minghuai came to the mansion, he would only sit in Wei Ruxian's study for a short while; the three siblings never participated.
Although Shen Minghuai was a guest, he would always serve Wei Ruxian a bowl of tea whenever he entered the Wei residence. Wei Ruxian picked up a painting of snow-covered landscape and examined it again and again, quite satisfied.
"I'm so sorry to keep bothering you, but I really can't bear to give up this bite."
Shen Minghuai smiled slightly, "No trouble at all. I'm glad Uncle Wei likes it."
Wei Ruxian wiped the white foam from her lips with a handkerchief and said earnestly, "Your father is gone, and you are all alone in the Shen family. Every time he invites you to eat, you refuse. You child."
Shen Minghuai replied gently, "I wouldn't dare trouble Uncle Wei. To be honest, I really love Uncle Lü's cooking; I'm quite used to it."
Wei Ruxian looked out the window. "Very well. It's time to go to the palace, isn't it?"
Shen Minghuai calmly picked up the tea beside him and said, "It's time to go to Huarong Palace."
Consort Shu held a smooth-furred white cat, not even lifting her eyes. "How are you still alive?"
Duan Chunfeng knelt and bowed, saying, "This humble subject greets Your Highness, Consort Shu."
Consort Shu took the cat out to be fed by Yuan Chun and dismissed all the palace servants.
"I can make you die here silently right now."
Duan Chunfeng remained kneeling. "Your Majesty has many ways to kill me, but if I don't leave this palace today, the incident from ten years ago will be announced to the world tomorrow. Does Your Majesty dare to gamble?"
"Good, very good." Consort Shu approached step by step, bent down and asked him, "Who exactly saved you back then? Who let you live for ten more years for nothing?"
Duan Chunfeng knelt on his own lap, rubbing his knees. "It doesn't matter who saved me. What matters is how I can help Your Majesty this time."
"Help me?" Consort Shu scoffed and turned away. "My child is already the Crown Prince of Great Yue. What more could I ask for?"
Duan Chunfeng could no longer kneel and slowly rose to his feet. "Although Your Highness is now the Crown Prince, is Your Majesty so certain that he can rightfully assume that position?"
Consort Shu stopped in her tracks, glancing at him sideways. "What do you mean?"
"And then there's Prince Su," Duan Chunfeng said, bowing. "The people's praise for this prince is growing ever stronger. In just two years, he's gone from an unfavored prince to a prince in charge of the Imperial City Guard. Doesn't Your Majesty want to consider things for the Crown Prince?"
His elder brother had died for Xu'er; if this position wasn't given to Xu'er, would he still have any heart? But the imperial family has always been ruthless. Consort Shu had someone bring him a pot of tea and invited him to sit down. "Sir, you've come here with a plan, haven't you? But the method used back then has only been used once; it's not appropriate to use it a second time."
Duan Chunfeng quickly waved his hand, "Alas, the method from back then was truly foolish and clumsy; it was merely my own opinion. This time, if we want to pry open the mouths of the masses, we still need Your Majesty's help. But as for the reward—"
Consort Shu's face already showed displeasure. "How much more—a thousand taels?!"
Duan Chunfeng lowered his crossed leg. "Your Majesty, please calm down. We can give you three figures first, and the rest can be paid after the matter is settled. This money will clear obstacles for His Highness the Crown Prince's future path, so it is well spent. Your Majesty need not feel bad about it."
That night, the Yue Emperor stayed overnight at Yiyao Palace again. The next day, three hundred taels of gold were carried into Duan Chunfeng's courtyard. Several days later, Empress Wei's belongings inexplicably appeared in various parts of the capital. The places where they appeared one after another formed a road leading to the palace. Rumors spread among the people that Empress Wei had not died of illness, but had been wronged and was now seeking revenge.
Soon after, Empress Wei's belongings began appearing in the palace, in the Imperial Garden and Kunning Palace, as if she had truly returned. Emperor Yue ordered a thorough investigation into those who were faking supernatural phenomena, but the rumors spread like wildfire among the people. Before the mastermind could be caught, new prophecies arose. Emperor Yue had no choice but to order the swing in the Imperial Garden to be dismantled.
As the long night stretched on and the entire imperial city slept soundly, a few daring and curious palace maids sneaked into the Imperial Garden the night before the swings were to be dismantled, wanting to see if the prophecy circulating among the people was true. Carrying lanterns, they approached slowly, and sure enough, there were two people sitting on the swings!
He hurried closer and saw that only Consort Chen remained! Could it be that the rumors were true... that Empress Wei was murdered by Consort Chen? Suddenly, two more coughs rang out, but Consort Chen had clearly not opened her mouth just now.
"Ahem—which palace are you from?"
The three palace maids quickly came to their senses, knelt down, announced their palace gates, and were scolded by Consort Chen before leaving in a hurry.
Emperor Yue, who was hiding in the shadows, was helped up by Consort Chen. "It's all thanks to you."
Consort Chen and he walked slowly back to Funing Palace. "Your Majesty misses Sister Wei. I should have accompanied Your Majesty, but I fell asleep and left Your Majesty here alone for half an hour."
"It's not your fault, I just wanted to go for a walk myself." The Yue Emperor coughed twice more. "Do you think she'll blame me?"
Consort Chen patted his back to soothe him, saying, "Your Majesty is currently unwell, and Sister Wei is worried sick about you. How could she blame Your Majesty? It's late and the night is chilly. I'll make Your Majesty a bowl of hot soup to warm you up. Drink it before you go to sleep."
Consort Chen returned to Yiyao Palace and went to sleep, it was nearly dawn. When Youyou woke up, apart from Yunxiang and Qinzhu, all the other palace maids were waiting anxiously outside the palace.
Yunxiang was almost in tears, "Your Majesty, you're finally awake! Rumors are spreading that Your Majesty is the murderer who killed Empress Wei back then! What are we going to do!"
Consort Chen, her hair disheveled, sat down in front of the dressing table. "Has His Majesty been here?"
Yunxiang shook her head repeatedly, "No."
"Then it's alright, don't worry. Help me with my hair and makeup."
After the court session, Emperor Yue returned to the Wende Hall and heard these absurd rumors. Enraged, he ordered the execution of all three palace maids from the previous night. A thorough investigation revealed that the prophecy had been told to them by someone from the Huarong Palace. One of the palace maids from Huarong Palace, weeping and kowtowing outside the Peilan Hall, was spared death for revealing the origin of the rumor.
Duan Chunfeng, who was waiting in the courtyard for a thousand taels of gold, was suddenly taken to the imperial prison by the Palace Guards and his gold was confiscated. After waiting for several days, he did not receive any news from Shen Minghuai and Consort Shu, but instead was imprisoned without any chance to defend himself. He was to be beheaded at the Meridian Gate in seven days.
In desperation, Duan Chunfeng wrote down the evil deeds of the two Shen family members in blood and pleaded with the jailer to report it to the emperor. The blood letter did not reach the Yue emperor, but instead circulated among the people by word of mouth, eventually reaching the emperor's ears.
An urgent order summoned Shen Minghuai, dressed in plain clothes, to the palace. He knelt beside Consort Shu and the aunt and niece tried their best to explain their grievances. In the end, they were each fined half a year's salary, and Duan Chunfeng carried out the execution that very day.
"My good nephew, you're probably helping me, aren't you?" Consort Shu called out to Shen Minghuai as he walked away outside the Chuigong Hall.
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Author's note: The next chapter will still be from the male protagonist's perspective.
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