Chapter 243: Using the Force to Fight Against the Force
After sending the person away, Shen Anan returned to the mansion.
Mo Xiang was trying to hold back her laughter all the way, and when she returned to Wutong Garden, she finally couldn't help but say, "Princess, the son-in-law and the eldest son are so interesting."
Shen Anan curled her lips, then immediately pressed them down.
"Where is he, is he still in the study?"
"I guess so. The princess will have to bring some food to coax him."
Shen Anan glanced at Mo Xiang, but still ordered, "Go to the kitchen and prepare it."
"Yes." Mo Xiang left with a smile on his face. Quarter of an hour later, the master and servant came to the door of the study carrying food boxes.
Qing An was standing outside, "Princess."
"Open the door yet. The princess has brought food for your son-in-law." Mo Xiang said.
"Please forgive me, Princess." Qing An bowed his hands. "There are several officials in the study who are discussing important matters. Otherwise, Princess, please wait behind the screen for a while."
With the outside man present, it was indeed not easy for Shen Anan, as the mistress, to show up in public, but behind the screen in the wing room, she could hear what they were saying without showing up.
It should be Xiao Yuan's order.
Shen Anan looked up and glanced at the dim window frame, handed the food box to Mo Xiang, and went behind the screen in the wing room.
This place is connected to the study, and this is where Xiao Yuan sleeps in the study.
There was a cold thin couch behind the screen, with a thin quilt on it, and the furnishings were very simple. Shen Anan sat down on the couch, which was cold and hard.
A thin blanket doesn't provide much warmth.
So is this how he slept in the study a few days ago? It’s such a cold day.
In the study, there was constant sound of talking, as if they were arguing about something. Shen Anan put down the thin blanket, stood up and walked towards the screen, and could vaguely see the tall figure sitting in the upper seat.
"Your Majesty is becoming more and more reckless. How can you give the position of Minister of War to someone so carelessly? Even if that person has made contributions, just give him some money and an idle position. If everyone follows suit, what is the point of the imperial examination?"
"No need for scientific examinations." Li Huaiyan said lazily, "Just select the more obedient lackeys."
“…”
It may not sound nice, but it's true.
Some people have different opinions. "That can't be said. Although Minister Shen got his position illegally, he is still a good official. He speaks for the people and punishes evil and promotes good..."
"That's clearly just a way to gain fame and reputation."
"Fourth Prince, I know that you and the Emperor have been at odds recently, but this is a matter of great importance to the court. I beg you to give me some advice and not to mess with the government."
Xiao Yuan raised his eyelids and finally spoke, "What does this have to do with me?"
"Fourth Prince, this... is the Xiao family's world after all. You are the emperor's only son. If you watch helplessly as the government is being abused and corrupted, then when you... you ascend the throne, you will have to clean up the mess."
"I will do my job well. When the day comes, I will do my duty without your asking. You won't have to worry about me."
Xiao Yuan put down the arm that was supporting his head, picked up the teacup and took a sip, his impatience was obvious.
Several officials looked at each other and frowned.
Li Huaiyan burst out laughing, crossed his legs and said, "I didn't see any of you adults speaking up for the Fourth Prince in the court."
"Now that the Emperor has promoted Minister Shen, your path to high office has been damaged, and you can't sit still anymore. You want the Fourth Prince to be the first to take action. You have made a good plan, and you all think that others are fools."
The head official's face changed, "Duke Li, you can't say that. We are all writing for the Xiao family's country. It's understandable that the Fourth Prince, as the heir to the throne, contributes to the court."
"laugh."
Li Huaiyan looked at the minister coldly, "Just now you all said that it was for Daliang and for the people, but now when the Fourth Prince is needed to charge into battle, it has become for the Xiao family's kingdom."
"Whether it is for the Xiao family's kingdom or for your own selfish interests, you all know it well. Sir Zhang, as the Chief Censor, isn't your duty to advise and remonstrate?"
"Since you feel that what the emperor did is inappropriate, you should have tried your best to persuade him in the palace that day. If persuasion fails, you should have smashed your head against the wall and died in the palace, to show that the censors are strong-willed."
Lord Zhang blushed and pointed at Li Huaiyan, and for a long time he couldn't say the next word.
"Fourth Prince, you just watch helplessly as the court of Daliang becomes so corrupt. How can those students who come here for the imperial examination be convinced?"
Xiao Yuan smiled with his legs crossed on the small table, "You guys don't accept it either. You are still the most trusted officials in the court. Can you think of a way to deal with it?"
"us……"
"If there is none, what kind of waves can a few new talents create?"
Xiao Yuan caught sight of the screen out of the corner of his eye, and a smile immediately appeared in his eyes. He stared intently at the vague figure.
"If you have nothing else to do, please go back."
Lord Zhang was so embarrassed that his face turned red. He was the first to bow and leave, and the rest of the people followed suit and left.
When the study door closed, Li Huaiyan sneered and said, "They really have a good plan. They are indeed the elders, so slippery."
Ling Chenyi, who had been silent the whole time, said, "Some of them used to work for the Second Prince Xiao Ze. They didn't come here just for this. I'm afraid they also wanted to make their stance clear and stand with the Fourth Prince's Mansion."
"Humph, he wants to take sides, but he also wants us to extend an olive branch to him first. He doesn't even think about who is in the difficult situation now."
"Xiao Yuan, why don't you speak?"
Ling Chenyi tilted his head and saw that he was staring at the screen, so he followed his gaze and said, "There's nothing here, what are you looking at?"
"Nothing." He said this without looking away, "The purpose of their coming here today is to make me and Shen Yunbai confront each other, but they don't know that he and I are irreconcilable."
Hearing this, Li Huaiyan laughed softly, "Shen Yunbai blocked the road to success for those people. They will never give up and will cause more trouble. We just have to wait and see."
Those people are all old foxes in the court, and it is difficult to control them even if they are under his command. It is better to let them jump around and go against Shen Yunbai while they sit back and watch the show.
"With the Emperor's help, those people are probably no match for Shen Yunbai, otherwise they wouldn't come for help." Ling Chenyi narrowed his eyes slightly, "In my opinion, we can give them a helping hand."
Rather than being the first to take action, isn't it more profitable to hide behind and act as a pusher?
"Well, you two can handle it." Xiao Yuan stood up and walked slowly towards the screen. After a few breaths, he suddenly turned back and frowned.
"What are you standing there for? Why don't you leave?"
"Aren't they in a meeting?"
"What are you discussing? Those old Confucian scholars have all left. Get lost now."
Ling Chenyi raised his eyebrows. Li Huaiyan was an old hand in the love field and was very sensitive in this aspect. He joked, "I see that you have a smile on your lips, your eyebrows and eyes are flirtatious, and your eyes are full of desire, but... there is a beauty behind the screen."
“…”
Sitting on the couch, Shen An was silent for a few breaths, and when he looked up at Li Huaiyan's blurry figure, he gritted his teeth.
Ling Chenyi chuckled, and before Xiao Yuan's face completely darkened, he hooked his arm around Li Huaiyan's neck and left the study.
——
Those officials left the Fourth Prince's Mansion, but instead of going back home, they went to a restaurant to have a meal.
In the private room, several people sat dejectedly, their brows furrowed so tightly that they could kill a mosquito.
"The Fourth Prince refuses to intervene. What do you think we should do?"
Lord Zhang sighed, "As censors, we have watched the court become so corrupt without being able to do anything to change it. It's really..."
He shook his head, looking helpless. Although he was afraid of death, he had the purest mind among these people.
"Shen Yunbai is a favorite of the Emperor. The Fourth Prince is already at odds with the Emperor, so he naturally doesn't want to offend the Emperor and further rift the relationship between father and son. After all..."
Even if he is the only son, he still needs the emperor's support if he wants to rule the whole country.
"What should we do? Can we deal with Shen Yunbai with just the strength of a few of us?"
"It's not easy to deal with a young boy who has just arrived, but he has the emperor's support. We must not act rashly. We must kill him with one strike!!"
A deep coldness appeared on the faces of several people.
From the Assistant Minister of War to the Minister of the Court, I don't know how many people's paths to success were blocked. Moreover, Shen Yunbai did not know how to keep a low profile and seemed to be taking advantage of the power of others.
After they finished their meal and left, they heard a table of guests talking in the restaurant lobby.
Lord Zhang frowned, turned his head to look at those people, and after a moment he gave a look to the servant beside him.
A few people left and waited in the carriage for a while, and then the servant came back hurriedly, "Master."
Mr. Zhang, "Have you found out what they were discussing just now?"
"It is said that a major case of two deaths occurred in Zuichunlou, and the young master of the Chen family of the Ministry of Personnel was implicated. He has now been imprisoned, and the person who received the complaint is the Minister of War, Lord Shen."
"Now the Chen family is refusing to admit it, and Mrs. Chen is beating the drum of injustice every day, saying that Minister Shen is seeking fame and reputation, and in order to establish his authority, he does not argue the truth, and uses her son as an excuse to promote his own reputation of being honest and upright."
The adults looked at each other and all had strange expressions on their faces.
"There is such a thing."
The servant said, "What those people said is so certain, it must be true."
Lord Zhang nodded. "If you want fame and a firm foothold, it is indeed very possible. The Chen family in the Ministry of Personnel does not hold a high position and has no backers, so they are easy to manipulate. Using the Chen family as a ladder is the best choice."
"You mean... the Chen family is likely to be wrongly accused?"
Lord Zhang said, "If you want a good reputation, it's not enough to punish evil and promote good. The Chen family is a family of officials, but they are involved in the murder of a lowly brothel girl. Which government office would take care of this matter? But he took it on. He was not afraid of power, and he tried the case fairly, not favoring the officials. Isn't he a rare honest official?"
Therefore, regardless of whether the Chen family is guilty or not, he will pin the blame on the young master of the Chen family and use Chen Tian as a ladder to the sky.
Demonstrate your good character.
"Hmph. Just a petty trick." Lord Zhang sneered, "Tomorrow I will report to the Emperor in the court and expose his vicious plot."
The other adults nodded.
——
The fourth prince’s study.
The tingling sound finally died down, leaving only the sound of gentle breathing.
Shen Anan lay on the uncomfortable bed with half-closed eyes, too lazy to even lift her arms.
The thin quilt covered most of her body, leaving only her fair and slender neck exposed, with red and purple finger marks.
She seemed to be asleep, not moving at all.
"Are you tired?" Xiao Yuan sat on the bed, took a blood-activating and blood-stasis-removing plaster and gently applied it on her body.
Shen Anan seemed not to hear him and ignored him.
"It's my fault. Don't be angry. I will be more careful next time and won't hurt you again."
Shen Anan still ignored him.
Xiao Yuan felt very wronged. He had clearly been very gentle and didn't use any force.
But later we found purple marks on her body, as if she had suffered inhuman abuse.
He leaned over, his warm and cool lips reflected on the red fingerprints on her shoulder. Shen Anan shuddered and immediately pushed him away.
She came to deliver a meal and then couldn't go back...! ! ! !
"An An, what did you ask Qing Feng to do just now?"
Shen Anan tilted her head and buried it in the pillow.
Xiao Yuan stroked her hair, entwined it around his fingertips, and gently swept it under his nose. "If you don't tell me, I'll call someone in to ask."
Shen Anan was silent for a few breaths, and said, "Use the opponent's force to fight the opponent. I happen to have something that those adults can help with, so let Qingfeng go and clear it up."
"You are good at adapting to circumstances. You managed to trick someone in such a short time."
He held her body and lay down on the couch, with his shirt half open, revealing his strong and muscular chest.
Shen Anan didn't look at him at first.
"You have so many documents piled up on your desk, and you haven't reviewed them yet."
"No." He held her waist and closed his eyes slightly, but Shen Anan's heart was lifted up. She quickly pushed him away, sat up and put on her clothes.
"Official duties are important, how can we slack off?"
The study is where government affairs are handled. If this kind of thing gets out, people will definitely criticize and laugh at you, which is absurd.
Indulging in beauty, seeking pleasure and flirting are the jobs of concubines. As a prince's consort, her job is to advise and persuade him to put his greater cause first.
"It's in my own house, no one else will know."
Shen Anan glanced at him and was already dressed. "The food box is on the table outside. If you are hungry, eat something. I'll leave first."
"Where are you going?"
"Go out of the house and take a look. I heard that Madam Chen has been beating the drum every day. Now that she has the help of those ministers, she can't stop."
Xiao Yuan half-supported himself and sat on the soft pillow, staring at Shen Anan, "Madam is very busy every day, it seems like she has found time to come and visit her husband."
After sleeping and leaving, why did he feel like he was a bit like a small inn of a theater?
Shen Anan paused while tying her belt and glared at him fiercely.
He was very good at putting the blame on someone else, and I don't know who took advantage of the opportunity to favor whom.
"When will Madam be back?" Xiao Yuan lifted the thin quilt, got off the bed, and clung to her again.
Shen Anan looked at his charming and seductive dark eyes warily.
Then he continued, "If Madam is satisfied with your husband's service, remember to come back early. If you are late, you will be punished twice as much."
The corners of Shen Anan's lips twitched, and he quickly freed his waist from his big hand, turned around and ran out.
Xiao Yuan's low laughter echoed behind him.
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