Chapter 112 The Abandoned Eldest Daughter Makes a Comeback (36 chapters)
Therefore, in the end, all the resentment and dissatisfaction were directed at Xiao Yuheng.
It was him, it was him who interfered and created the current situation, that made the prince unable to have the one he loved.
The Empress had long since lost any romantic feelings for Xiao Yuheng, and both of them were well aware of this. Their relationship was purely professional, and they had previously worked together very well.
However, at this time, because of Xiao Chengxu, the Empress harbored a newfound resentment towards Xiao Yuheng.
This was the first time Xiao Chengjin had met Shen Yunzhen.
He had also been lost in thought just now, and even now, he still couldn't take his eyes off Shen Yunzhen.
He had always known that his father and his second and third brothers were infatuated with the same woman, and he scoffed at it, even finding their behavior absurd and ridiculous.
She's just a woman, no matter how beautiful she is.
In Xiao Chengjin's view, women are nothing more than appendages of power and interests. No matter how beautiful a face is, it will eventually fade with time. Why fight to the death for it?
However, upon seeing him today, he realized that those words could not even begin to describe him. At this moment, all of Xiao Chengjin's contempt and disdain crumbled instantly.
This woman's beauty is not merely physical; it is an exquisite elegance that emanates from her very being. She is like a celestial being who has strayed into the mortal realm, someone one dares not defile, yet cannot help but want to get closer.
At this moment, he even began to regret all the things he had done to her in order to get Xiao Chengxu to agree to his request.
Although he was stopped by his father at the beginning and was even scolded, he still couldn't help but feel a strong sense of guilt.
Xiao Chengjin's gaze followed Shen Yunzhen intently, his heart surging with unprecedented emotions. His fingers unconsciously caressed the rim of his wine glass, a determined glint flashing in his eyes.
He took one last deep look at the woman who was walking gracefully towards him, picked up his wine glass, took a small sip, and suppressed the excitement and impatience in his heart.
Just wait a little longer, she'll soon be his...
The Virtuous Consort and the Gentle Consort exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with complex and unfathomable emotions.
Consort Xian had long wanted to meet this legendary woman, but His Majesty protected her so well that she couldn't even get close to Lan Yue Palace.
Seeing her today, I finally understand why her foolish son has fallen into a trance.
At this moment, the ambition that had always stood in Consort Xian's heart collapsed with a bang.
So what if the prince is attracted to a woman like this? With the Crown Prince and His Majesty around, he will never get what he wants. In fact, his admiration might even bring him suppression from His Majesty and the Crown Prince.
If the prince behaves himself, then given His Majesty and the Crown Prince's character, they won't suppress him too much. But if he makes any move, what awaits them, mother and son, is an abyss.
If only this woman were slightly less attractive, then my son could still win her over with a little effort, and use that as motivation.
pity……
Consort Shu pursed her lips slightly, thinking to herself: No wonder His Majesty and the two princes were so captivated by her beauty; even the fairies in heaven would pale in comparison.
Unexpectedly, Consort Shu's gaze fell on her son, and at that moment, Xiao Chengjin lowered his eyes to hide the turbulent emotions surging within them.
Consort Shu was naturally unaware of her son's thoughts at that moment, and only felt extremely gratified.
My son is indeed a man of strong will; he was not bewitched by that woman.
From this perspective, this empire should rightfully belong to Cheng Jin.
The other concubines also stared intently at Shen Yunzhen, their eyes filled with amazement.
Many people entered the palace full of ambition, but after being treated coldly by His Majesty day after day, they had long since lost heart and become complacent with the status quo.
Even when they later heard that His Majesty was very fond of a certain woman, they didn't care. They were just a little dissatisfied that His Majesty didn't allow them to move around freely.
Although some women were rekindled in their fighting spirit by Shen Yunzhen's appearance, feeling that they could do what others could, their already dwindling fighting spirit was instantly extinguished when they saw her in person.
Instead of thinking about those irrelevant things, let's just appreciate the beauty.
Since they don't have children anyway, there's no need for them to do anything extra.
Today's banquet is supposed to be a family gathering, but several important officials from the court have also been granted special permission to attend.
They had long heard of Shen Yunzhen, but only today did they finally meet her, and they finally understood why their emperor was showing signs of becoming a tyrant.
Such beauty surpasses even the sun and moon in brilliance.
These veteran officials, having weathered many storms and aged physically, were able to remain calm in the face of such a woman. After the initial shock, their concern for the Great Zhou ultimately prevailed.
They exchanged a glance, their eyes revealing unconcealed worry.
His Majesty's high regard for this Lady Shen, even allowing her to walk alongside him, leaves the Empress in a precarious position. If the Empress's position is unstable, the Crown Prince's position is also unstable, not to mention the infighting between father and son, and brothers... Is the Great Zhou Dynasty truly destined to be destabilized because of a woman?
The veteran officials were filled with worry, but they didn't realize that they had long since lost any resentment towards Shen Yunzhen.
Xiao Yuheng led Shen Yunzhen to the head of the table.
Shen Yunzhen then noticed that there was an empty table and chairs to the right of the throne, level with the throne.
On the other side of the throne sat the Empress.
Her position was even slightly behind the throne, not on the same level.
In the Great Zhou Dynasty, the right side was considered superior, and Xiao Yuheng's behavior was indeed a blow to the Empress's dignity.
Xiao Yuheng led Shen Yunzhen directly to the empty table and chairs.
"Yunzhen, sit here."
Shen Yunzhen was both surprised and unsurprised. She hadn't expected that Xiao Yuheng, as a mature emperor, would act so willfully and recklessly in this situation.
However, since the other party had already made this arrangement, she couldn't be bothered to refuse.
Xiao Yuheng ignored the scrutinizing gazes of the crowd.
This arrangement was perfectly natural to him.
He couldn't accept Yun Zhen being on top of someone else, not even him. He didn't want that, but because of his status, he couldn't give up his position. So, they would remain equal.
He didn't want to see anyone above Yun Zhen, not even himself, but because of his imperial status, he couldn't relinquish his position. But how could he bear to let Yun Zhen be relegated to a secondary position and suffer even the slightest injustice?
He made this arrangement almost without hesitation.
Stand shoulder to shoulder with him and share his respect.
As for other things, he no longer wants to think about them.
Seeing Shen Yunzhen sit down, everyone had a feeling that they had expected this.
They glanced at the stunning beauty, then shifted their gaze to the Empress. Seeing that she hadn't even flinched, they couldn't help but admire her composure.
After Shen Yunzhen was seated, Xiao Yuheng took his seat in the main seat.
He raised his hand and announced loudly, "Let the banquet begin."
As Xiao Yuheng gave the order, music began to play, and dancers dressed in colorful clothes gracefully entered the hall, dancing to the melodious tune.
However, despite the graceful dance and melodious music, everyone's attention remained fixed on Shen Yunzhen.
Xiao Yuheng frowned, picked up his wine glass, and stood up.
"On this Mid-Autumn Festival, I am gathered here with you all to admire the moon, enjoy wine, and share the joy of reunion."
"The prosperity and peace of the Great Zhou Dynasty are all thanks to the concerted efforts of you all. I hereby raise a toast to you all, wishing that our Great Zhou Dynasty may enjoy peace for thousands of years to come!"
Everyone stood up, raised their wine cups, and echoed in unison: "May the Great Zhou Dynasty last for thousands of years and enjoy eternal peace!"
Xiao Yuheng nodded slightly and drank the wine in his cup in one gulp. Everyone else followed suit and drank their wine before sitting down again.
The music started again, and the dancers resumed their dance. The atmosphere in the hall seemed to lighten up a bit, but many people's thoughts were still on Shen Yunzhen.
Shen Yunzhen sat down and inadvertently met the Empress's gaze. The two of them smiled slightly, nodded in acknowledgment, and then raised their wine glasses to toast each other.
She had little grudge against the Empress, and she truly admired her composure.
Honestly, if she were in that situation, she definitely wouldn't be able to be so good-tempered.
But since she is the one enjoying all the preferential treatment now, it would be too easy for her to say such things, so she simply won't say them.
The crowd below exchanged bewildered glances, their hearts filled with doubt.
Shen Yunzhen ignored the stares of the crowd and focused her attention on the song and dance performance below.
The palace was brightly lit with lanterns and candlelight, illuminating the entire Heqing Palace as if it were daytime. Dancers in colorful costumes danced gracefully to the music, their sleeves fluttering like colorful butterflies, a sight to behold.
Shen Yunzhen gently picked up the wine glass, took a small sip, and the mellow aroma of the wine filled her mouth, with a hint of sweetness.
Her gaze fell on the dancers, her eyes filled with admiration.
As expected of someone specially trained by the royal family, she is even more outstanding than the performers of Lan Yue Palace.
Of all those present, only Shen Yunzhen seemed completely immersed in the joy; the others were distracted, their gazes frequently drifting upwards before quickly shifting away.
Xiao Yuheng looked at her with a gentle smile: "Was today's song and dance to your liking?"
Shen Yunzhen turned her head and smiled at him, "Did you arrange this yourself?"
"Not bad." Xiao Yuheng nodded slightly, a hint of anticipation in his expression. "That's why I asked, are you satisfied?"
Shen Yunzhen was quite frank: "Of course I'm satisfied, they danced very well."
Xiao Yuheng was overjoyed and said in a low voice, "If you like them, I will send them all to Lanyue Palace later."
"No need for that. Let them go back to the brothel. I'll summon them again when I want to see them."
Although Shen Yunzhen enjoys lively gatherings, she dislikes overly complicated residences, and now Lanyue Palace already has quite a few people.
Xiao Yuheng naturally agreed: "Alright."
The two were talking quietly at the head of the table. The audience below could not hear them, but could see their movements. They felt that the atmosphere between the two was like a world of its own, inaccessible to others.
Seeing this, the group of people with ulterior motives couldn't help but feel anxious, and even Xiao Chengjin's eyes flashed with impatience.
He gripped the wine glass tightly, desperately suppressing his eagerness.
Xiao Chengxu found this scene extremely irritating and abruptly stood up.
"Father, on this Mid-Autumn Festival, your son offers you a toast, wishing the Great Zhou Dynasty eternal prosperity and your good health."
Xiao Chengze also quickly stood up, "Your subject also toasts Your Majesty, wishing the Great Zhou Dynasty continued prosperity and Your Majesty good health."
Xiao Yuheng turned around, nodded slightly, picked up his wine glass, lingered on the two faces for a moment, and said calmly, "You've been very thoughtful."
Xiao Chengxu downed his drink in one gulp, put down his glass, and turned his gaze to Shen Yunzhen.
The dim candlelight could not reflect the emotions in his eyes, and no one could see the persistence and deep affection in them.
"Miss Shen and I are old friends with a deep bond. Today we are celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival together. I would like to offer you a toast, wishing you happiness every day and smooth sailing every step of the way."
Upon hearing this, everyone was startled and immediately turned to look at Xiao Yuheng at the head of the table. Sure enough, they saw that the smile on his face had faded considerably.
They thought he would get angry, but to their surprise, he simply put down his glass without saying a word.
Many people were completely baffled and subconsciously looked up at Xiao Yuheng's head.
Shen Yunzhen wouldn't be disappointed by such a scene.
She raised her glass and said, "I also wish you good health and all the best."
Xiao Chengxu smiled slowly, his expression relaxed.
He raised his hand and downed the wine in his glass in one gulp, his tone confident and tinged with a hint of pleasure.
"With your blessing, I am sure everything will go smoothly for me."
Xiao Yuheng frowned slightly and looked at Xiao Chengxu warningly, signaling him not to push his luck.
Xiao Chengxu smiled and sat down again, seemingly unconcerned.
This behavior made Xiao Chengze's eyes redden, and he retorted without backing down:
"Miss Chen, on this Mid-Autumn Festival, I also raise a toast to you. May you be safe and sound year after year, and may your smile always remain."
Shen Yunzhen picked up her wine glass and took a sip as usual. "Thank you, and I wish you a bright future and all your wishes come true."
Upon seeing her response, a hint of joy flashed in Xiao Chengze's eyes. He quickly downed the wine in his glass, his voice tinged with excitement: "With your blessing, Miss, I will certainly live up to your expectations!"
The smile on Xiao Yuheng's face finally vanished.
His gaze swept between Xiao Chengxu and Xiao Chengze, a hint of coldness flashing in his eyes.
"You need not be bound by those formalities, but ultimately etiquette cannot be abandoned, and basic manners must still be observed."
This scene made everyone shrink back, each one like a quail, nodding in agreement.
Alas, even heroes can't resist the charms of a beautiful woman. What will they do if the Crown Prince and His Majesty start arguing later?
Everyone was worried, but the two who started it all acted as if nothing had happened.
During this time, the two had already figured out Emperor Xiao's bottom line. Although they didn't know why he was behaving so contradictorily, it didn't stop them from trying to get closer and closer to Shen Yunzhen.
Moreover, Xiao Chengxu was more confident than Xiao Chengze.
He now controls most of the court's power, and even if his father wants to depose him, he has no way to do so for the time being.
He knew that his ability to master these powers so quickly was undoubtedly due to his father's secret instruction. Xiao Chengxu had also secretly suspected that there might be some conspiracy involved, but his desire for power ultimately overwhelmed everything, and he still chose to take a gamble and accept whatever came his way.
Sitting to the side, Xiao Chengjin watched all this with cold eyes, his wine glass almost crushed in his hand. The jealousy and resentment in his heart were raging and almost devouring him.
Originally, he was just watching the rumors about the relationship between the three of them with a "let's have a good time" attitude, but now he has developed delusions. Things that he could laugh off in the past are now like a fishbone stuck in his throat.
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