Chapter 203: Now that I've resigned from my military post, I'll stay home and study for the imperial examinations!
Emperor Renxiao thought about it more and more and felt that this was feasible!
After Zhou Ruyuan left, Emperor Renxiao asked Shen Lanxi about her experiences during her exile and casually mentioned her joining the army.
The emperor's questions, though seemingly casual, were actually quite foolish to be taken as such. Shen Lanxi went along with it and recounted her experiences of joining the army, though of course, she had deliberately embellished them.
Emperor Renxiao was deeply moved when he heard her say that in Dongchuan, several cartloads of dead people could be collected every day during the winter.
"Lanxi, you've really gone through a lot. After what happened to the Shen family, your uncle had no choice but to act quickly and send you away to save your lives!"
Shen Lanxi nodded as if she understood: "Uncle, I know. If it weren't for your help, our Shen family might not exist anymore!"
Emperor Renxiao saw that she seemed genuinely understanding and, feeling grateful for the hardships she had endured, bestowed many gifts upon her. He then told her to go back and rest, and that she could come to the palace to speak again after the Ministry of Rites had prepared a welcoming banquet.
After expressing her gratitude, Shen Lanxi left the palace.
Emperor Renxiao watched Shen Lanxi's departing figure, lost in thought.
Emperor Renxiao made further arrangements for the soldiers outside the city. She would soon be heading to the Northwest, so the soldiers were not to enter the city and disturb the people. Instead, they were to set up camp ten miles away, with special personnel delivering food and drink to them daily.
Shen Lanxi returned to the Shen family with a pile of gifts, and the originally lively scene in the Shen family suddenly froze.
"Big sister, you're back!" Shen Yuantang and the others quickly called out.
Shen Lanxi nodded gently and headed straight for her courtyard with Chunxue Qiushuang.
Wei Rulan suddenly exclaimed, "Has the young lady's courtyard been cleaned up yet?"
Everyone's expression changed.
Shen Yuanjing looked at his father: "Father, you've been back for so long, surely you haven't even tidied up a few rooms?"
When Shen Congwen was questioned like this by his son, his expression immediately turned displeased.
"After I came back, I naturally had to busy myself with making arrangements. First, I cleaned up the house where your mother and I lived, and then the others. After that, it was your grandparents' turn. Recently, it was the Empress's birthday celebration, and your mother and I were invited to the palace for the banquet. We didn't have time to keep an eye on things!"
Shen Yuanjing's eyes sharpened: "So, you haven't cleaned up eldest sister's courtyard?"
After his son exposed him, Shen Congwen became furious and embarrassed.
"Who knew she'd be back so soon? She's so capable, who knows if she'd even want to stay in our little place?"
Shen Yuanjing stared at his father in disbelief, unable to believe that these words could come from his mouth.
"Father, has our room been cleaned?"
Shen Congwen couldn't believe that his son had forced him to this point.
He deliberately prevented anyone from cleaning up Shen Lanxi's courtyard; he was deliberately trying to intimidate her. What? Couldn't he, as her father, discipline his junior like this?
After spending a long time with that rebellious woman, Yuan Jing changed as well.
Shen Congwen looked at his son with a pained expression. His son should have been a scholar, who should have taken the imperial examinations and become the top scholar. Instead, he was like a brute, only knowing how to charge recklessly.
“Yuanjing, where have you learned your lessons? Have you forgotten the meaning of filial piety? Who gave you permission to speak to your father like that?” Shen Congwen glared at his son with a stern face.
Shen Yuanjing moved his lips, wanting to refute, but was restrained by filial piety and couldn't say anything.
"I went back to the Ministry of Revenue to take up my post a couple of days ago. You will resign from your military post tomorrow and then stay at home to study and take the imperial examinations in peace!"
Shen Yuanjing was struck as if by a bolt from the blue.
What joke is Father talking about?
“Father, once a military man, always a military man. I can read, but I won’t take the imperial examinations. Yuanqing is still young. If he’s willing, please let him study!”
Shen Yuanqing objected immediately, as he disliked reading the most.
"Brother, I want to be a military general when I grow up. I don't like studying!"
Shen Congwen's vision blurred in waves.
"Well, you've all grown up and started causing trouble!"
Shen Yuanxu: "Uncle, I don't think now is the time for us to discuss who should go to school. The yard isn't ready yet, I'll go help tidy it up."
Shen Yuankun: "I'm going too!"
The two left in such a hurry that Liu couldn't stop them.
Shen Yuanpeng, Shen Yuanhao, and the others couldn't stay any longer. Their eldest sister had finally returned home, only to encounter such a thing.
They are the men of the Shen family, and they must stand up and support their eldest sister.
Even when Old Madam Shen called them, they couldn't be stopped.
Inside the room, Madam Shen and her son Shen Congwen wore dark expressions, and no one else dared to speak. The originally lively atmosphere had become even more somber than a mourning hall.
It was Old Master Shen who spoke up, telling them to go back to their rooms and rest, and only then did the people in the room disperse.
...
When Shen Lanxi returned to her courtyard, it felt completely unfamiliar. She seemed to have never even given a second glance to a single brick or piece of wood in the yard before.
"A quick clean-up will suffice; we're not staying here long!"
Although Chunxue and Qiushuang were unhappy, they didn't dare to show it in front of Shen Lanxi and quickly went to find things to do.
When Shen Yuanjing arrived, she was already sorting through His Majesty's rewards.
They're all flashy but impractical things, and they even bear the mark of imperial use. You can't even exchange them for money!
"General!"
Shen Lanxi: "This is home, just call me big sister!" She opened the boxes one by one.
"This is His Majesty's reward; please choose one!"
Shen Yuanjing didn't even glance at it and refused outright.
"Big sister, this is a gift from His Majesty, I can't accept it!"
Shen Lanxi: "Let's pick first, otherwise Yuan Jun and Yuan Xu will take all the good stuff!"
Shen Yuanjing hesitated for a moment. His older sister never said anything polite; once she gave it to him, she gave it to him.
He glanced at them one by one and chose a set of ruby headdresses.
"This is for Mother; she'll definitely love it!"
Shen Lanxi raised the corners of her mouth: "Have you seen your mother since you came back?"
Shen Yuanjing: "I have seen her. When I arrived, my mother had taken her medicine and looked very tired. I said a few words to her and then came out."
Shen Lanxi's eyes flickered, and she said, "I'll go and find some more precious medicinal herbs to make tonics for my mother later!"
Shen Yuanjing knew that her eldest sister wouldn't abandon their mother, and she breathed a sigh of relief, her tone becoming much lighter.
"Big sister, aren't Xiao Fang and the others going into the city?"
Shen Lanxi: "Don't go in, and don't go looking for them either. The imperial court will send special people to deliver provisions to them!"
Shen Yuanjing nodded thoughtfully.
Shen Yuanxu and the others arrived.
"Big sister, let us help you tidy up!"
Shen Lanxi didn't stand on ceremony with them and let them choose a reward, then sent them off to get busy.
As the moon rose high in the sky, a dark figure entered Shen Lanxi's room.
Have you found the people chasing you?
Bansicao: "No, but I bet that person is in the palace!"
Shen Lanxi: "The day after tomorrow, the palace will hold a welcome banquet. You can disguise yourself as my maid and come with me to the palace!"
Ban Sicao froze: "Why not a guard?"
"Guards are not allowed to enter the palace, unless they are eunuchs!"
(End of this chapter)
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