Chapter 115 The Abandoned Eldest Daughter Makes a Comeback (The End)
Shen Yunshu looked back at the tall and majestic city wall behind her. The sunlight shone on the wall, casting a golden glow, like a dividing line.
On one side of the line lies her glamorous past of fine clothes and delicacies; on the other side lies her impoverished future of tattered clothes.
Shen Yunshu felt something inside her rapidly dissipating until it disappeared completely.
She felt a sudden panic and was about to carefully sense it.
"What are you standing there for? Get out of here right now!"
A large hand roughly shoved her shoulder. Shen Yunshu didn't have time to think further and quickly turned around, stumbling forward.
At the same time, Xiao Chengze also felt something being lost from his body, but this feeling was fleeting and he didn't pay much attention to it.
As autumn deepened and the weather grew colder day by day, Shen Yunzhen did not see Xiao Yuheng again until the first snow fell.
Even Xiao Chengxu became busy, spending far less time at Lanyue Palace, and Xiao Chengze also left Lanyue Palace every now and then, presumably busy with something.
Shen Yunzhen stood under the eaves, watching the snowflakes flutter down.
[Master, Xiao Yuheng has left.]
"001" said in Shen Yunzhen's mind. As soon as the words were spoken, a long and deep bell rang throughout the capital.
"when--"
"when--"
"..."
Nine bells rang, and the emperor died.
"Let's go."
Shen Yunzhen, accompanied by Bihe, slowly walked towards the Qianyuan Hall.
At this moment, the Qian Yuan Hall was already filled with many people, including the Empress, several high-ranking concubines, several imperial relatives and important officials, as well as Xiao Chengxu and Xiao Chengze. Everyone had a sorrowful expression and was crying uncontrollably.
Upon seeing Shen Yunzhen, Xiao Chengxu forced a smile.
"Yunzhen, you've arrived?"
"Yes. Did he ask me to see him off on his deathbed?"
Xiao Chengxu pursed his lips. "No."
Shen Yunzhen nodded, said nothing more, and did not insist on seeing Xiao Yuheng one last time.
He had seen it one last time when he came to Lan Yue Palace that day.
From that day on, Xiao Yuheng fell completely ill, unable to get up again, and his whole body rapidly deteriorated.
Such a state is truly wretched and ugly.
Since he couldn't be with Shen Yunzhen, he didn't want to spend the rest of his life in her eyes as a withered, sickly figure.
I just hope that when she thinks of me in the future, she will still remember me as that spirited and elegant person.
Shen Yunzhen knew Xiao Yuheng's thoughts and was willing to grant them his wish, so she did not take the initiative to contact him.
She had originally planned to leave the palace after the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet and travel to other places, but in the end, she did not leave and decided to stay to see Xiao Yuheng off on his final journey, as a way of repaying him for his companionship these days.
"Yunzhen, please accept my condolences," Xiao Chengxu said in a low voice.
He offered words of condolence, yet his eyes were filled with sorrow.
Although the father-son relationship was strained due to his beloved, the feelings they shared in the past were ultimately genuine.
Xiao Yuheng's death was also a great blow to Xiao Chengxu.
It can only be said that Xiao Yuheng kept it a secret too well. His health had been poor for the past two years, but he only let everyone know about it a month ago.
Therefore, Xiao Chengxu had just received news of his father's serious illness when he had to endure the pain of his father's death.
“Yun Zhen…”
Xiao Chengze also arrived beside Shen Yunzhen at some point.
Her eyes were red, showing that she was very sad.
"Miss Chen, you've arrived?"
At this moment, Li Degui came out from the inner room with a sorrowful expression. He was holding a tray with two imperial edicts, a key, and half of a tiger tally on it.
"This is what the late emperor left you."
Li Degui's voice was a little choked up. He wiped his eyes and pointed to the key, saying:
“This key is His Majesty’s private treasury. His Majesty once said that everything in his private treasury would be given to you.”
Many people were envious, but no one stepped forward to object.
Clearly, Xiao Yuheng had already made his dying wish clear.
Li Degui carefully picked up the tiger tally and solemnly handed it to Shen Yunzhen.
"With this tiger tally in hand, you can mobilize 200,000 troops stationed in the suburbs of the capital, and you can also freely deploy the city's defenses and military equipment. I hope you will use it wisely."
"What?"
"No!"
"How can something so important be given to an outsider?"
Before he could finish speaking, court officials and members of the imperial family immediately jumped out to object.
The city's defenses and the troops stationed in the suburbs belonged to the emperor's personal guards. How could such important things be given to anyone other than the emperor?
If the person holding this tiger tally harbors even the slightest ill intentions, the capital will be instantly overthrown.
Everyone instinctively wanted to attack Shen Yunzhen, but when they touched that beautiful face, all their voices got stuck in their throats.
However, their concern for the stability of the country was not enough for them to accept the loss of the imperial tally, and they all turned to curse Li Degui.
"Li Degui, what are your intentions! How could you take such an action so soon after the late emperor's passing? How is this any different from treason?"
"How can you, a mere eunuch, decide the fate of the tiger tally? Quickly return the tiger tally to His Majesty."
Some even directly asked Xiao Chengxu, "Your Majesty, Li Degui is guilty of treason. Please arrest him immediately!"
"Yes, take him down!"
Xiao Chengxu raised his hand and pressed it down, signaling everyone to be quiet.
Once everyone had quieted down, Xiao Chengxu said, "Everyone, the matter of the tiger tally was not decided by Eunuch Li on his own initiative, but was said by my father himself. I was also present at the time, and I agreed. From now on, this tiger tally will be managed by Miss Shen."
"this!"
Everyone was speechless, their hearts filled with mixed emotions, a sense of disappointment and frustration.
When the late emperor was dying, he was not in his right mind and did all sorts of absurd things. Now, His Majesty is also out of his mind, willingly entrusting his life to a woman.
Seeing Xiao Chengxu's resolute expression, the court officials knew they couldn't persuade him, so they finally looked at Shen Yunzhen beside him and said with a forced smile:
“This… Miss Shen, the Tiger Tally is a national treasure, concerning the safety of the country. It has always been held by the Emperor himself. You, a woman, suddenly holding this tally may invite criticism. In my humble opinion, it would be best to return it to His Majesty as soon as possible. What do you think?”
Shen Yunzhen toyed with the tiger tally in her hand and refused without hesitation: "It's nothing."
Having said that, he put the tiger tally away.
There's no reason to return something that's been handed to her, especially something as important as the Tiger Tally.
Especially since these people kept mentioning "woman" over and over, it was really grating to hear, and Shen Yunzhen was even less inclined to return it.
"This, sigh!"
Faced with such a divine concubine, they found it difficult to utter harsh words. They could only return and send their wives to the palace to persuade her.
After everyone quieted down, Li Degui took out another imperial edict and unfolded it.
"The late emperor decreed—"
Everyone knelt down with a clatter, but Shen Yunzhen remained standing.
Li Degui was already used to Shen Yunzhen's special treatment and began reading the imperial edict directly.
"I believe that the manifestation of virtue is a blessing to the family and the nation; the prominence of the wise and virtuous is a true blessing to the state. Now there is a daughter of the Shen family, named Yunzhen, who is exceptionally beautiful and intelligent... I hereby bestow upon her the title of Princess Chenzhao, grant her a residence in the capital region, and a fief of one thousand households, to commemorate her virtue. This is my decree!"
A long, detailed list of praises was written for Shen Yunzhen.
"Princess Chenzhao, this is your imperial decree."
Li Degui was very polite and took the initiative to close the imperial edict and hand it to Shen Yunzhen.
Shen Yunzhen accepted the imperial edict, saying, "Thank you."
"Princess Chenzhao, you are too kind."
The others stood up and looked at the last imperial edict, their emotions a mixture of feelings.
How much glory did the late emperor want to bestow upon Princess Chenzhao before he would be satisfied?
Li Degui picked up the remaining imperial edict, but instead of reading it aloud, he handed it directly to Shen Yunzhen.
"The late Emperor instructed me not to read this imperial edict aloud, but to leave the decision to you. If you agree, take out the edict; if you disagree, destroy it directly."
Everyone immediately became curious, wishing they could stare a hole through the imperial edict.
Shen Yunzhen did not hesitate and unfolded the imperial edict directly.
Xiao Chengxu held his breath, staring intently at Shen Yunzhen, not missing a single change in her face.
Upon seeing the above content, a complex emotion flashed in Shen Yunzhen's eyes.
She handed the imperial edict back to Li Degui, saying, "Read it aloud."
"yes."
"I believe that Heaven and Earth are in perfect order, and Yin and Yang are in harmony... Now there is Crown Prince Xiao Chengxu, who is both virtuous and talented... and Princess Chenzhao, Shen Yunzhen, who is unparalleled in both talent and virtue... They are truly a match made in heaven... Therefore, I hereby bestow marriage upon Crown Prince Xiao Chengxu and Princess Chenzhao, Shen Yunzhen, and the wedding will take place on an auspicious day. This is my decree!"
This was actually an imperial edict bestowing a marriage upon someone!
Thinking of the entanglement between the late emperor and the current emperor and Princess Chenzhao, everyone fell silent.
How could this... lead to an arranged marriage?
Everyone understood that it was impossible for the current emperor to abandon Princess Chenzhao, but they did not expect that the late emperor would take the initiative to bestow the marriage upon her.
But the late emperor's affection for Princess Chenzhao was genuine, so why would he choose to bestow a marriage upon the current emperor?
Some people looked at the beautiful and graceful Princess Chenzhao and gradually understood.
No wonder His Majesty did not bestow a title upon the person after bringing him back to the palace; it turns out he was planning to do just that.
Knowing that his days were numbered, he did not intend to delay the beauty's life.
But are there really such magnanimous and generous men in this world?
Looking at the bright yellow imperial edict in Shen Yunzhen's hand, everyone had to believe that there really was such a man, and he was even the ruler of a country.
Unexpectedly, the late emperor was such a deeply affectionate person.
Fearing that Princess Chenzhao might not have a deep enough foundation, he handed over his entire private treasury to her;
Fearing that her lowly status would be criticized, he bestowed upon her unparalleled honor;
Fearing she might be coerced, he granted her military power;
They feared for her personal freedom, yet they also granted her the right to make her own choices.
Both "宸" and "昭" are characters with auspicious meanings, which ordinary people should not use lightly, yet they are uniquely used to bestow honor upon her.
Everything was arranged for her benefit.
Xiao Chengxu instantly understood all of his father's arrangements. He didn't mind and even felt at ease.
Yunzhen's choice to become his empress without hesitation surprised and delighted Xiao Chengxu, but also left him with a sense of unreality.
Now that Yunzhen holds power and he is under her intimidation, he feels a strange sense of security.
In that case, Yunzhen should stay by his side forever, right?
Xiao Chengxu was overjoyed beyond control.
However, amidst the elation, an overwhelming sadness and guilt spread from the depths of her heart.
His father had just passed away, and his body was still warm. As the crown prince, he should have prioritized national mourning and filial piety. However, at this moment, he was overjoyed by his personal feelings for his children and his heart was pounding with excitement over Yunzhen's choice.
These two emotions clashed violently within him, almost tearing him apart.
Upon hearing the imperial edict, Xiao Chengze felt all his strength drain away instantly, his legs went weak, and he almost lost his balance.
His once bright eyes were now dull and lifeless. His lips trembled slightly, but he couldn't utter a sound. His throat felt like it was choked by something, a mixture of bitterness and pain.
The virtuous concubine patted his shoulder reassuringly, her face full of worry.
"Mother, I'm fine."
Xiao Chengze forced a smile, revealing a smile that looked more like a grimace.
Seeing her son's pained expression, Consort Xian felt a pang of sorrow in her heart.
"Ze'er, let it go. Some things can't be forced."
Xiao Chengze did not answer, but stood silently in place.
When the concubines heard that Shen Yunzhen had received so many honors, they felt a pang of sadness, and thinking about the desolate life ahead, they couldn't help but feel heartbroken.
Unexpectedly, Li Degui then produced another imperial edict, stating that the concubines in the harem could return home voluntarily if they wished, or move to a royal villa where they would be cared for by the royal family if they did not.
Upon hearing this, all the concubines were immediately delighted.
Whether they stay or leave, it's better than being stuck in this deep palace.
The court officials were too lazy to refute this.
They couldn't even refute such an absurd arrangement for Princess Chenzhao; they could only accept it, let alone this decree concerning only the women of the harem.
Moreover, among these concubines were his own daughters.
...
With Xiao Yuheng's last wishes announced, his life officially came to an end.
The late emperor's funeral was held with great solemnity in accordance with national rites. White banners fluttered throughout the capital, and the sound of bells rang out incessantly.
Court officials, imperial relatives, and concubines all wore mourning clothes and knelt before the coffin, their cries shaking the heavens.
After the funeral, court officials submitted memorials one after another, requesting the new emperor to prioritize state affairs and ascend the throne as soon as possible.
Xiao Chengxu understood that a country cannot be without a ruler for a day, so he suppressed all his grief and formally ascended the throne as emperor after the funeral rites.
Because of the mourning period, Shen Yunzhen and Xiao Chengxu's wedding had to be postponed until the mourning period was over, at which time they could choose an auspicious day to get married.
Shen Yunzhen didn't care. She had a long life ahead of her and wasn't in a hurry for the "dragon energy".
Moreover, perhaps because Xiao Chengxu was so devoted to her, he was not wary of her, and she was able to absorb even more "dragon energy".
Of course, it could also be the reason that he officially ascended the throne as emperor.
Since that's the case, Shen Yunzhen is even less in a hurry.
As Xiao Chengxu's reign deepens, the "dragon aura" he carries will inevitably grow stronger. Since the phoenix position is closely linked to imperial power, it will also gradually accumulate "dragon aura." At that time, she will have to reside in the capital for an extended period.
Therefore, Shen Yunzhen decided to continue her original plan—to travel around the Great Zhou Dynasty—without much consideration.
Upon hearing Shen Yunzhen's plan, Xiao Chengxu's first reaction was to object.
He was unable to leave the capital after his ascension to the throne.
However, seeing Shen Yunzhen's calm expression, Xiao Chengxu ultimately swallowed his objections.
If Father Emperor could let go and do everything he could to protect Yunzhen, why couldn't he do the same?
Furthermore, it is true that he admires Yun Zhen, but admiration is not about clinging or forcing, but about respect and fulfillment.
So, despite his reluctance, Xiao Chengxu finally agreed, only on the condition that she bring enough guards.
Shen Yunzhen didn't want to create unnecessary trouble, so she naturally agreed without hesitation.
The day Shen Yunzhen left the capital was a rare sunny day, with clear skies and a gentle breeze.
Xiao Chengxu stood on the city wall, watching the carriage carrying his beloved speed away, gradually becoming a small dot, and finally disappearing from sight.
"Your Majesty, Prince Shen has followed."
Anxi climbed up the city wall and stood respectfully behind Xiao Chengxu.
The title "Prince Shen" was bestowed upon Xiao Chengze by Xiao Chengxu, and its meaning is self-evident.
However, his actions ultimately failed to live up to the word "prudence".
Xiao Chengxu waved his hand: "I understand, you may leave."
He had already anticipated that Xiao Chengze would chase after him, which was a result he had tacitly approved.
Yun Zhen's beauty was too striking, and he was not at ease letting her go out alone. With Xiao Chengze around, he felt more at ease.
As for the rest... in the end, Yunzhen will be his rightful empress.
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