"Afraid someone will raid your hideout? If you ask again, what I say will be things no one can hear. Are you trying to harm me?" Yan Nangui glared.
Shu Chengfeng was also really tired, so he smiled and didn't ask any more questions.
The two of them basked in the sun and actually fell asleep.
They gently covered Jiangxiang with a blanket.
I looked up at the sky and thought to myself, "This is so sunny!"
Fortunately, it's not far from lunchtime, so I'll wake them up for lunch.
While Shu Chengfeng was killing time at Yan Nangui's place, in the main courtyard, the Crown Princess was meeting with the Ning family.
It was her sister-in-law, Xu, who came.
"What the Duke means is that, given the current chaos, the eldest daughter must take extra care of the child. Absolutely no further incidents must be tolerated."
"Does this even need to be said at home?" The Crown Princess was not happy.
Since Xu was chosen to deliver the message, she must not be the dumbest person.
She hurriedly said, "The Duke has high hopes for you, so naturally he's worried about things not going smoothly here. The family has investigated what happened before, and the eldest daughter knows about it... These things are hard to explain, and it might have happened outside. Although you don't have a legitimate son right now, you will in the future. But right now, nothing can happen to the eldest grandson of the emperor."
“If something happens to him, you’ll be in trouble too. Think about it, what will happen to the next generation if he’s not taken care of properly?” Madam Xu spoke softly and patiently.
The Crown Princess sighed, "I understand. The only ones who haven't been properly investigated are the people who came into the manor with me. They were all carefully selected by Grandmother and Mother. It can't be that they betrayed their masters, can it?"
"Of course I will investigate, but I can't let down the people I need."
“That’s natural.” Madam Xu nodded.
"Your Majesty has had a tough time too," Madam Xu hesitated, the main event was yet to come.
"The Duke has something else he asked me to tell you. Ning Chenghui is a sensible person. When he enters the palace, he will also have the Empress's help. The harem is not like the inner courtyard; there will be a time when manpower will be needed."
"How can I tolerate what my sister-in-law said?" The Crown Princess frowned.
"What you mean is that the Crown Princess should just ask Ning Chenghui to have another child. Having more children always provides security. She's only born out of wedlock, so she can't possibly outlive you. Whether you raise the child or she does, it will still be of the Ning family bloodline. Your Highness now has many children, so we need some security."
“Of course, I didn’t stop her from serving the emperor. It’s just that the family knows she’s never been favored. I can’t keep forcing her to serve the emperor,” the Crown Princess said.
"The family knows that the Duke is always worried that you don't have any help. I heard that Lady Yan is sensible? You might as well try to win her over."
"I understand. Tell Grandfather not to worry too much. But what about the matter in Nan'an Prefecture? Has the Prince of Nan'an gone mad?" The Crown Princess frowned.
"Now it's really like adding fuel to the fire. Originally, the Prince of Nan'an wouldn't be a problem. But now the rumors outside are really nasty." Madam Xu frowned and shook her head.
"All those things from back then have been dug up: Princess Rongyu, the Third Prince, the former Crown Prince, and the Crown Prince's offspring. Now, even that Imperial Concubine can't escape it, and she's dragged Prince Qin into it too..." In any case, this time, the royal family hasn't left a single fig leaf.
The Crown Princess frowned; this was truly...
"Your Majesty, please don't worry. After all, His Highness the Crown Prince is the legitimate son of the Empress and the rightful Crown Prince. No matter what, the Prince of Nan'an is the late Emperor's brother, not his son, so he is not a reliable candidate," said Madam Xu.
The Crown Princess nodded, unsure of what to say.
Meanwhile, in the palace, Shu Zhongjing once again set off a huge fire.
Rumors from outside will always seep in, especially when someone wants him to know.
Therefore, he was harsh and ungrateful, mistreating veteran officials. He harmed his elder brother, abused his younger sister, and murdered his nephew.
News of his father taking his son's wife and other similar matters was presented to him.
Shu Zhongjing was a man who cared a lot about his reputation and only wanted to be a wise ruler praised by everyone throughout his life.
How can I not be angry that they have such a shameless attitude?
But given his current physical condition, he cannot afford to get angry.
He was furious and fainted again.
Shu Chengfeng was busy for half a day, and finally watched as the imperial physician woke His Majesty up.
Upon returning to the palace, he said, "His Majesty's condition is not right."
"I also consulted Physician Huang, who said that if the black thorn snake venom is not completely cleared, it could indeed leave a significant hidden danger. However, His Majesty's recent irritability is clearly abnormal," Ding Min said.
"Investigate thoroughly and show me what's going on," Shu Chengfeng said.
He never intended for His Majesty to die.
He couldn't bring himself to commit patricide.
Therefore, even if His Majesty were bitten by a snake, he could receive timely treatment.
But now, it's clear that His Majesty has even more problems.
In the inner palace, apart from Empress Dowager Jiang, no one else could think of anything else.
However, His Majesty cannot help but be wary of Empress Dowager Jiang.
Could the people in Beichen Palace easily poison His Majesty?
Before Shu Chengfeng's investigation had even yielded any results, on the third day during the morning court session, Shu Zhongjing flew into a rage once again and fainted in the Taichen Hall.
This is different from the previous times, which were all in the palace.
He fainted in front of all the ministers.
His Majesty suddenly fainting is an extremely serious matter.
Fortunately, there is still the Crown Prince.
The Crown Prince acted decisively, ordering someone to escort His Majesty back, and without changing his expression, he carried out everything he had just said.
"Father has been too worried about the rebels lately, and the rumors outside are unpleasant. He is having trouble breathing. He just needs to rest. As for matters here, there are still me and all the ministers. Right now, nothing is more important than the war at the front. Everyone, please take your positions. I will take care of things behind you."
Even the old minister had to admire him.
People may have their own ulterior motives, but no matter what, most people are still relieved.
Even if His Majesty falls, His Highness the Crown Prince will still stand before him.
That's a good thing.
That's why we need to establish an heir apparent so early! Isn't it because we're afraid that if something happens to the emperor, chaos will ensue?
If there were no crown prince now, but there were many princes, wouldn't that be troublesome?
At this moment, the Second Prince, the Third Prince, and the Seventh Prince dared not say anything. This was because it was not their place to speak in this grand hall.
This time, Shu Zhongjing's fainting spell was much more severe than the previous ones, and he remained unconscious for three days.
During this time, the imperial physicians tried everything they could, but none of them could wake him up.
A sense of unease gradually spread.
Hua Jieyu's son was born at this time.
This one is Shu Zhongjing's sixteenth son.
And now, in the harem, there is a concubine named Bao Meiren who is four months pregnant.
His Majesty needs someone to attend to him when he is ill. It is certain that the Empress will attend to him personally, and female members of the harem should also be arranged to attend to him.
Forget about Consort Zhen; she's under house arrest.
Besides, even though the rumors outside were about His Majesty, she had no face to say anything.
Now she herself doesn't want to come out.
At this moment, Yan Nangui, in the Crown Prince's residence, was pondering something else.
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