Chapter 70 The Crown Prince is dead, didn't you know?
He slightly furrowed his brow, then calmly rose from the wide rosewood table and asked the eunuch who had come to deliver the decree, "Are you sure this is His Majesty's oral order, or rather, his true intention?"
Although his tone was questioning, his gaze still retained the demeanor befitting a crown prince.
He temporarily left Funing Palace. The Empress had stayed up all night. Perhaps Consort Li or Prince Wei were serving the Emperor at this moment. The steward's health was not good. He was sometimes lucid and sometimes confused. He had to make sure that sending him back to the East Palace was not a scheme deliberately set up by Prince Wei and Consort Li.
If these two were indeed forging an imperial edict, his return to the Eastern Palace would likely be seen as a serious act of treason by the Emperor. The Emperor already harbors resentment towards him due to recent events, and the consequences of such an incident would be unimaginable.
The eunuch bowed to him without raising his head, and said, "Indeed, it is the Emperor's word. The Emperor is still conscious at the moment. If Your Highness has any doubts, you may go and ask him."
Gu Zhan observed that the man's expression did not seem to be lying, and since this man had served the Emperor for many years, he should not be very likely to betray him unless the Emperor was on his deathbed. Therefore, he temporarily put aside his suspicions.
He straightened his clothes and asked, "Where is the Empress Dowager? Has she returned to Kunning Palace?"
The eunuch smiled and replied, "No, His Majesty took pity on the Empress who had been attending to her illness all night and allowed her to rest in the palace."
Gu Zhan nodded, indicating that he understood, and followed the eunuch out of the palace gate.
If he is sent back to the Eastern Palace, and it is only because Prince Wei and Consort Li are pretending to be acting on the Emperor's orders, then he may still have a chance to return. But if it is truly the Emperor's will, then his situation may be worse than he expects.
Historically, when the emperor was seriously ill, his favored concubines and imperial heirs would take turns attending to him inside the palace, while the crown prince would oversee the country outside. However, now the emperor has not only not issued an edict to let the crown prince oversee the country, but also not instructed him to take on more political affairs or leave the palace to return to the Eastern Palace. This is tantamount to sidelining him. It is only for the sake of the stability of the country that his position as crown prince has not been abolished for the time being. However, historically, crown princes who have reached the point of being imprisoned are basically only a matter of time before they are abolished.
So he turned his head and asked the eunuch, "Do you know the reason?"
The eunuch replied, "Your Highness is too kind to this humble servant. This humble servant would never dare to make wild guesses about His Majesty's thoughts."
As soon as he finished speaking, the voice of the King of Wei came from the side.
Gu Zhan looked in the direction of the sound and saw that the King of Wei looked refreshed and in high spirits.
He glanced around at the King of Wei and said, "His Majesty is seriously ill, but my elder brother looks radiant."
The Prince of Wei understood that Gu Zhan implied he was being disrespectful, but given Gu Zhan's series of schemes, it was uncertain who would ultimately sit on the throne. Therefore, he no longer concealed his sharpness in front of Gu Zhan, and simply said, "Your Highness is mistaken. To serve the emperor and father in disheveled attire is a grave offense." He did not avoid Gu Zhan's gaze, but merely curled his lips and said, "However, according to Your Highness's arrangements yesterday, it should be me, as the elder brother, serving the emperor at this moment. Why does Your Highness seem to be going out as well?"
Gu Zhan did not reply to him, but said, "Since you are in such a hurry to see the Emperor, I will not stop you. I just want to remind you that the Empress Dowager is still with the Emperor. Please be careful in your words and actions."
The Prince of Wei raised an eyebrow, quickly suppressing the strange look in his eyes, and resumed his usual distant and polite manner towards Gu Zhan, saying, "Thank you for the reminder, Your Highness. I understand."
After saying this, he headed towards the main hall where the officials resided.
Gu Zhan stared at his back for a while before turning around and leaving Funing Palace.
On the way back to the East Palace from Funing Palace, Gu Zhan passed by Zhongshumenxia and saw someone he hadn't seen in a long time—Su Xingjian.
Su Xingjian used to be his study companion. Later, Su Xingjian passed the imperial examination and became a Jinshi. In just a few years, he rose to the position of Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince. Five years ago, he was sent to Yangzhou as the prefect of Yangzhou in his original position as Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince. At the end of last year, he was transferred back to Bianjing from Yangzhou. Now he is serving in the Secretariat-Chancellery.
If he successfully ascends the throne, Su Xingjian will undoubtedly be his most valued prime minister. However, if the Prince of Wei inherits the throne, given the long-standing discord between Prime Minister Su and Prime Minister Li in court, the Su family will likely be implicated as well. As the former Crown Prince's study companion, Su Xingjian's future path is destined to be difficult.
Even though he and Su Xingjian had some past disagreements because of Shen Mi, he felt somewhat complicated as he sat in the sedan chair, looking at Su Xingjian standing to the side of the palace road bowing to him.
Gu Zhan sighed slightly and gestured for the palace servants carrying the sedan chair to lower it.
Su Xingjian seemed not to have heard the sound of the sedan chair alighting and remained standing still.
Gu Zhan waved his hand, signaling the surrounding palace servants to step aside. Then, as he alighted from the sedan chair, he called out in Su Xingjian's direction, "Ziyou."
Su Xingjian looked up and saw Gu Zhan walking towards him, so he bowed to him again.
Gu Zhanlu helped Su Xingjian a short while, exchanged a few pleasantries with him, and asked him how he was doing in the Secretariat-Chancellery.
Su Xingjian asked a few questions carefully, though he had wanted to ask about Shen Mi's recent situation, he held back several times before speaking, worried that he might cause Shen Mi any further trouble.
Aside from the matter concerning Shen Mi, Gu Zhan had always regarded Su Xingjian as his confidant, so he didn't hide much about the matter concerning the Funing Palace from Su Xingjian.
Upon hearing this, Su Xingjian was greatly shocked. Without needing to say more, he guessed Gu Zhan's current predicament and asked, "Does Your Highness wish to entrust me with the care of Consort Yang in the imperial mausoleum?"
Gu Zhan stroked the jade thumb ring on his thumb and nodded, "This is one thing. There is another matter, which is about Shen Mi."
After many days, hearing the name "Chen Mi" from Gu Zhan's mouth again still sent a shiver down Su Xingjian's spine.
The last time Gu Zhan mentioned Shen Mi in front of him was when she celebrated her birthday last year. Gu Zhan said he wanted Shen Mi to meet her old friends, so he held a banquet at the East Palace and invited him, his younger sister, and Song Zhaohuai. Since then, he has not been able to get any news about Shen Mi.
After a long pause, Su Xingjian realized his lapse in composure and quickly lowered his eyes. "Chen, isn't the Crown Princess in the Eastern Palace? She should be with Your Highness. Why is Your Highness..."
Why bring up Shen Mi at this time?
Gu Zhan slowly shook his head, "No, she is not in the Eastern Palace now. This morning, I ordered someone to send her back to her residence in Bianjing."
Su Xingjian was even more surprised to hear this, and he also became uneasy.
Does Gu Zhan mean by saying this that he intends to break off his relationship with Shen Mi?
Gu Zhan's expression was serious. "What I mean is, if something really happens to me..."
“Your Highness is the eldest son of the Emperor. According to the ancestral law, Your Highness is destined to be blessed with good fortune and there will be no accidents. I dare not overstep my bounds.” Su Xingjian immediately interrupted Gu Zhan.
After Shen Mi's birthday banquet, he gradually saw things more clearly. He realized that Gu Zhan definitely held a place in Shen Mi's heart. Therefore, during their four years in Yangzhou, despite his best efforts to befriend and care for her, Shen Mi only maintained the distance she considered a friendship with him. He also knew that Shen Mi and the Crown Prince were childhood sweethearts. When she first married into the Eastern Palace as a concubine, she had been abandoned by Chen Jun and was almost desperate. Therefore, it was inevitable that she would have feelings for Gu Zhan.
He dared not imagine what would happen to Shen Mi if Gu Zhan were to have an accident.
Gu Zhan watched as Su Xingjian tried so hard to distance himself from Shen Mi in front of him. All the words he wanted to say were stuck in his throat. After a long while, he only said, "I hope so."
Su Xingjian didn't say much, only bowed and saw Gu Zhan off as he turned away.
Sinking into the house.
Ever since Gu Zhan's men sent her back to the Shen residence from the Eastern Palace, Shen Mi has felt uneasy.
She couldn't explain why, but it seemed like she had some hidden worries about Gu Zhan. She thought about it for a long time but couldn't figure out why Gu Zhan was acting so strangely, why he hadn't shown up for a whole day, yet he had arranged everything at the Shen residence so perfectly.
What exactly is he trying to do?
Cuiwei noticed that her young mistress had been depressed ever since she returned home. She sat quietly on the soft couch by the window, gazing out the window from dawn till dusk, looking as if she were waiting for someone.
She felt a pang of sadness as well, so she stepped forward and stood beside Shen Mi, saying softly, "My lady, you haven't had a drop of water since you casually ate breakfast at the East Palace this morning. If this continues, I'm afraid your body won't be able to hold on. Shall I ask the kitchen to prepare some dinner?"
Shen Mi's gaze did not leave the window.
She also had a magnolia tree outside the Shen residence. At this moment, the sun was setting, and the pale yellow light and shadows enveloped the magnolia. The magnolia trembled gently in the wind on its branches, occasionally shaking off some of the snowflakes that had accumulated on the branches in the previous days.
Just yesterday, Gu Zhan had let her have a snowball fight and put a magnolia in her hair. Last night, before going to bed, Gu Zhan held her tightly as usual. But when she opened her eyes today, he was nowhere to be seen.
She murmured softly, "Cuiwei, where is His Highness? When will he return?"
Cuiwei paused, lowered her eyes, and replied to Shen Mi, "My lady, we are no longer in the East Palace; we have returned to the Shen residence."
That one sentence alone brought Shen Mi back to her senses.
As she turned around, her peripheral vision caught a glimpse of the magnolia tree in her yard.
She then realized why, even though she had never mentioned to Gu Zhan that she liked magnolias, he had not only transplanted a magnolia tree outside the Qingluan Hall of the East Palace, but also given her a magnolia hairpin. It turned out that after she left, Gu Zhan had visited the Shen residence and seen a magnolia tree in her courtyard.
How similar is the scene at dusk yesterday to the scene before me?
However, yesterday it was at the Qingluan Hall of the Eastern Palace, and today it is at the Shen Residence.
Seeing that she was lost in thought, Cuiwei couldn't figure out why, so she asked her, "Madam, didn't you always want to escape from His Highness's side? Now that you're home, why don't you seem happy?"
"Home?" Shen Mi repeated Cuiwei's words in a low voice.
More than ten years ago, when she moved from Bianjing, where she had grown up, to Yanzhou with her parents and brothers, she asked her mother when she could leave this dry and desolate place and when she could go home. At that time, her mother told her that home is not actually the place where you have always lived and grown up. As long as the family can still be together, as long as there are people you care about and people you love in this new place, it is still home.
At that time, she was still confused and ignorant, but fortunately, she had her parents and brothers by her side and quickly adapted to life in Yanzhou. Now, she thinks that the reason she can regard Yanzhou as her second hometown is simply because she once lived there with her parents and brothers whom she cared about the most, so she has a connection with them.
But now, in the Chen residence, apart from Cuiwei, there are no other old friends left.
Even though every step she took was incredibly similar to the old house in her memory, she still felt a sense of emptiness around her.
It was as if she had lost something in the Eastern Palace where she had lived.
Is it Gu Zhan?
Shen Mi didn't know why she was so absent-minded today, so much so that Cuiwei had to call her several times before she came back to her senses.
Forget it, why bother thinking about Gu Zhan? Just as Cuiwei said, wasn't she the one who wanted to escape the most before? It must be because she's just returned to the Shen residence and isn't quite used to it yet.
So Shen Mi shook her head, banishing those chaotic thoughts, and said to Cuiwei, "Tell the kitchen to make some food and send it over."
Cuiwei nodded in agreement and went to the kitchen in the Shen residence.
Shen Mi looked around her boudoir and noticed that the furnishings were exactly the same as those in the Qingluan Palace. Many of the things were familiar to her, and the curtains were her favorite light blue color.
Shen Mi chuckled lightly, "Gu Zhan said he would let me return to the Shen residence, but everything is exactly the same as when I was in the Eastern Palace."
What exactly does he want?
You want to let her go, but you also want every inch of her life to retain his traces?
Before long, Cuiwei led the maid who was serving the dishes to the door and placed the porridge and dishes on the square table.
Shen Mi stared at the porridge and dishes in front of her, all of which were her favorite dishes. Whenever she ate them at the East Palace, she couldn't help but take a few more bites. But the chef at the Shen residence must be newly hired. How could he know her tastes so well?
Even if it's just by chance, it's impossible to hit all the targets.
She harbored doubts and asked Cuiwei, "Did you order these dishes to the kitchen?"
Cuiwei paused as she was serving her food, saying, "No, I just noticed that you didn't have much of an appetite, so I asked the cook to make something light. I didn't give any other instructions."
Shen Mi then looked at the unfamiliar maid who had come with Cuiwei.
Knowing that the Crown Princess was asking her, the maid answered truthfully: "The person who hired us gave us a list and told us to practice according to the instructions. We know nothing else."
The people who hired them?
Without much thought, Shen Mi knew it was Gu Zhan's idea. Cui Wei hadn't observed her tastes so carefully. In the Eastern Palace, the only person who was almost always with her was Gu Zhan.
A wave of bitterness washed over her, and her heart sank.
Cuiwei ladled a bowl of fish soup for her, intending to serve it to her, but after glancing at the color of the soup, she said, "I forgot to tell them that you don't eat scallions, so I'll pick them out for you now."
As Shen Mi watched Cuiwei's actions, she suddenly realized that she hadn't seen scallions in her meals for a long time.
Back when she was in the Eastern Palace, Gu Zhan never entrusted anyone else with the food she ate. Only when she first returned did the Eastern Palace chefs unknowingly add scallions. Gu Zhan picked them out for her and then instructed that no scallions should be added to the meals sent to the Qingluan Palace from now on.
The pent-up frustration that had been building up in her heart tightened, making it hard for her to breathe. She was no longer in the Eastern Palace under Gu Zhan's control, but every inch of the air in her life seemed to still be filled with his presence.
Therefore, she didn't have much of an appetite for the meal. After taking a couple of bites, she asked the maid to take it away.
But as long as she is in this familiar environment, she will always think of Gu Zhan.
Shen Mi lay on the couch, the curtains still in the familiar style, pattern, and color. There was even a luminous pearl on the bedside table, which, although not as large as the one in the Eastern Palace's Qingluan Hall, was enough to provide light.
Everything was so similar to what it was like in the Eastern Palace, except that the person was no longer by the bedside.
Shen Mi's mind was full of things. She tried to close her eyes and fall asleep, but as soon as she closed her eyes, Gu Zhan's image appeared in front of her again.
She recalled those eyes, deep and still, as if filled with snow that never melts. So when she first looked into those eyes, she couldn't help but wonder who in the world could melt that snow. She once thought it was Su Yuzhao, but now she realized that the person was probably herself.
Shen Mi subconsciously turned to the side and softly called out, "Your Highness."
Although she knew this was the Shen residence and that Gu Zhan was probably in the Eastern Palace, she still couldn't suppress the emotions that were about to burst forth.
But she did hear Gu Zhan respond to her, and she immediately threw off the covers and sat up.
She saw Gu Zhan walk around the screen in the room as usual, but judging from his appearance, he seemed to be younger than he is now, more like when they had just gotten married.
She heard herself ask, "Was Your Highness very busy today? Why are you so late?"
These words sounded familiar; they were what she often said to Gu Zhan when he returned home late, before she went to Runzhou. It seemed to be the time after she lost her child at the Thousand Autumn Banquet, and also the time when she remembered her relationship with Gu Zhan was at its best.
Gu Zhan didn't reply to her, but silently took off his cloak.
As if possessed, Shen Mi slipped on her shoes and jogged toward the screen.
But just as she was about to wrap her arms around Gu Zhan's waist, she missed.
In the blink of an eye, Gu Zhan was nowhere to be seen in the room; only the clear moonlight shone on the floor.
Her tears also began to flow.
Shen Mi walked back to the bedside in a daze and barely managed to sit down.
She gazed at the luminous pearl and sighed softly, "So, habit really is a terrible thing."
She lay flat on the couch all night, and by dawn, she didn't know if she had slept at all, only that she felt unusually tired.
Shen Mi wanted to know the situation in the Eastern Palace. She was still the Crown Princess, and she could go back whenever she wanted. But just as she was about to instruct Cuiwei to have the servants prepare the carriage, she hesitated.
She was terrified of the chains that Gu Zhan had put on her ankles.
In the end, she dismissed the idea, only cursing inwardly that Gu Zhan was a persistent ghost, even though he said he would let her go, he would still appear in her dreams.
After that day, Shen Mi would always see Gu Zhan in her dreams. She thought that she would be happy, relieved and relaxed after leaving Gu Zhan, but none of these things happened. On the contrary, she was always worried that something would happen in the palace. But Gu Zhan was the crown prince, and everyone would revolve around him. There were probably more people who were worried about him than he was. Since she had come out, why should she make things difficult for herself?
But when she left the palace earlier, she vaguely sensed that Gu Zhan was fighting fiercely with the Prince of Wei. Could something have really happened to Gu Zhan?
In the palace.
Since the day the Emperor ordered the eunuchs to imprison Gu Zhan in the Eastern Palace, the court's sentiments gradually shifted towards Prince Wei's side, and memorials impeaching Gu Zhan arrived at the Funing Palace like snowflakes every day.
The Emperor's health improved for several days, and he rarely needed anyone to take care of him. It was as if his previous illness was just a minor one that he recovered after taking medicine. During this period, he even attended court twice.
However, the Emperor ignored the overwhelming memorials impeaching the Crown Prince. He understood all too well the principle of "three men make a tiger"—the more the court officials believed he was going to depose the Crown Prince and install the Prince of Wei in his place, the less he would pay attention to these memorials.
His health improved for a few days, but the Empress, who had been taking care of him when he was seriously ill, fell ill from the stress and is now bedridden.
After court each day, the Emperor would go to the Kunning Palace to accompany the Empress. Looking at the Empress's increasingly withered face, he would recall the day in the Funing Palace when the Crown Prince called him "Father." Surprisingly, the image of the Crown Prince calling him "Father" was now intertwined with the image of the child who had diligently studied the classics in his memory.
For many, many years, the Crown Prince had not called him "Father," nor had he referred to himself as "Zhan'er" in front of him.
When he named the Crown Prince "Zhan," he was inspired by the explanation of the character "Zhan" in the Shuowen Jiezi (a dictionary of Chinese characters)—"Zhan means 'to disappear,' composed of the radical for water and the phonetic component 'Shen.'" He hoped that the Crown Prince would have the composure of something submerged in water. The Crown Prince did not disappoint him. Apart from the recent series of mistakes made by the Crown Princess Shen, he had not done anything wrong in the previous twenty-nine years. Moreover, the Crown Prince had been groomed by him as his successor since childhood. Therefore, he did not want to depose the Crown Prince so easily.
However, the fact that the crown prince colluded with the generals of the Imperial Guards is something that no monarch could tolerate. As a monarch, there is no reason to change his orders frequently. Since he can still handle state affairs for now, this matter will be put on hold for the time being.
With this thought in mind, the official delayed the matter for more than half a month. However, his health could only last for half a month. After falling ill again, his condition was more serious than before, and he was almost bedridden.
At this time, the Empress was still ill, and Gu Zhan, as the Crown Prince, was imprisoned in the Eastern Palace. For the time being, everyone inside and outside the Funing Palace could only obey the orders of the Prince of Wei.
As soon as the King of Wei came out of the Funing Palace, he put away the sorrowful look on his face.
He frowned slightly at the strong smell of medicine emanating from the hall. "What use is it if you continue to favor your third brother? In the end, the one serving in the Funing Palace will be me, and the only prince who can surpass the position of crown prince to ascend the throne will be me."
It was almost March, and the weather had warmed up, a stark contrast to the lifeless and desolate atmosphere inside the Funing Palace.
King Wei stood before the Fu Ning Palace, imagining himself soon being welcomed into the palace wearing a crown and dragon robe, and felt an immense sense of joy.
He suddenly realized that after five years of being banished to his fiefdom, his suffering had finally come to an end.
Just then, the eunuch most trusted by the Emperor came out of the Funing Palace, looking as if he was about to leave.
The King of Wei glanced at the eunuch and casually asked, "Where are you going?"
The eunuch bowed and replied, "His Majesty has sent an oral decree to the Eastern Palace."
The King of Wei's eyes darkened for a moment, but he quickly regained his composure. He said "Oh," and told the eunuch to go and return as soon as possible.
The eunuch acknowledged and hurriedly descended the steps.
Wei Wangchao's own confidant beckoned him closer and whispered in his ear: "Go and deliver a message to stop him. Not a single word of news from the palace is to be leaked to the East Palace or the Kunning Palace. Keep a close watch on them and do not allow the Empress's people to leave. Increase the number of guards on both sides."
The confidant nodded in agreement, then asked, "I heard that the Crown Prince and Crown Princess had a falling out, and in a fit of anger, the Crown Princess moved out of the Eastern Palace and back to the Shen family's old residence in Bianjing. Should we also arrange for people to be sent to the Shen residence?"
After a moment's thought, the King of Wei said, "No need. She's just a woman, what could she possibly know? My third brother has been good at everything since he was little, but he's too arrogant. So he would never mention a word about outside matters to his Crown Princess."
If she had mentioned it, or if Madam Shen knew that the Crown Prince had fallen into this predicament because he refused to sever ties with her, how could she possibly "move back to the Shen residence in a fit of anger"?
It's pitiful that his third brother did so much for the Shen family, but he'll probably die alone on his way to the underworld.
His subordinates acknowledged the order and withdrew.
King Wei stood on the steps in front of the Funing Palace, the wind blowing his clothes. How could he not be complacent and elated in such a situation?
Now the entire Funing Palace is under his actual control. The Emperor can no longer attend court. His previous lucidity was merely a final burst of energy before his death. The Crown Prince, who should be overseeing the country, is now imprisoned in the Eastern Palace. All matters, big and small, in the court are decided by him. He only lacks the title of Crown Prince, but he doesn't care about that. As long as he is the one serving the Emperor before he closes his bed, it is up to him to decide when to depose Gu Zhan as Crown Prince and when to appoint the eldest son, Prince Wei, as Crown Prince.
After much thought, Shen Mi couldn't help but inquire about Gu Zhan's situation. So she considered everyone she could ask and finally wrote a letter to Su Yuzhao.
She knew that Gu Zhan used to have a good relationship with the Su family, and Su Yuzhao might have some information about it.
But before the Su family could reply, Su Xingjian arrived at the Shen residence first.
Shen Mi was quite surprised by Su Xingjian's visit, but she still asked Cuiwei to refill Su Xingjian's tea.
She thought for a moment and realized that Su Xingjian's current official position should be Vice Minister of the Chancellery, so she nodded slightly to him and said, "Vice Minister Su, what brings you to the Shen residence?"
Su Xingjian sighed and said, "Yu Zhao felt that the Han Langjun that Father chose for her was no good at anything, and she refused to marry him even if it meant death. Some time ago, when the Han family came to propose marriage, Yu Zhao ignored the obstruction of her servants and rushed out, releasing the pair of geese that the Han family had brought with them. Although the Han family wanted to be on good terms with Father, they couldn't bear to lose face, so they left immediately. Father was so angry that he locked Yu Zhao in the ancestral hall to reflect on her actions."
Shen Mi parted her lips slightly, completely surprised that Su Yuzhao would use such a method to resist the marriage arranged for her by Prime Minister Su.
"How is that jade portrait now?"
Su Xingjian rubbed his temples, looking helpless. "She's fine. Father couldn't bear to punish her. He just locked her in the ancestral hall for three days and made me check on her repeatedly. Anyway, the marriage with the Han family is off now, and Father has released her. But he still won't let her go out. So she probably won't see the invitation you gave her. If there's anything you need, you can talk to me if it's convenient."
Shen Mi pursed her lips. Actually, she was reluctant to mention Gu Zhan in front of Su Xingjian, but right now, Su Xingjian was indeed the most likely person to know about Gu Zhan's current situation.
So she composed herself and asked Su Xingjian, "How has Your Highness been doing during my absence from the Eastern Palace?"
Su Xingjian's hand holding the teacup stiffened.
He recalled Gu Zhan's instructions when they met on the palace road that day. The implication was not to be too obvious. Gu Zhan did not want Shen Mi to know his current situation. Otherwise, he probably would not have sent Shen Mi away before realizing that his situation was not good, and would not have spread the news that the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess had a falling out, which was why the Crown Princess returned to the Shen family.
Moreover, Gu Zhan is currently under house arrest in the Eastern Palace. Even if Shen Mi were to be told, she would likely only feel helpless and worried. It's better not to tell her.
Out of personal reasons, Su Xingjian didn't want to see Shen Mi sad and in tears, no matter who it was because of.
After all, Shen Mi's life has been too difficult. The longer we can keep it from her, the better. As long as the Crown Prince's position as heir apparent is not deposed, anything is possible.
After much deliberation, Su Xingjian took a sip of tea and said to Shen Mi, "Your Majesty need not worry. His Highness is doing well. I believe that Your Majesty will be able to reunite with His Highness soon."
After hesitating for a long time, Shen Mi finally asked Su Xingjian, "Do you know why he suddenly sent me away and why he hasn't shown up for so long?"
Su Xingjian pondered for a moment and said, "This is Your Highness's private matter. I am no longer an official under the Crown Prince, and I only know about many things from my colleagues' discussions."
Shen Mi was still worried. She had been having recurring dreams about bad news concerning Gu Zhan lately. Otherwise, she wouldn't have sent a visiting card to Su Yuzhao. She clenched her sleeves and asked Su Xingjian, "I left the East Palace in a hurry and didn't bring any tokens or anything. None of the Shen family's subordinates have palace registration either. I've been to the East Palace several times but haven't been able to get in. Do you have any way to let me go back to the East Palace?"
Su Xingjian's throat tightened. His guess was indeed correct. Shen Mi could never let go of the Crown Prince, after all, they had been husband and wife for so many years.
But Gu Zhan is probably not even able to protect himself in the Eastern Palace now. It would be even more dangerous for Shen Mi to return to the Eastern Palace than to stay outside. Since Gu Zhan is willing to send Shen Mi away, he must have already thought of a final way out for her.
He quickly concealed the dejection in his eyes and continued to lie to Shen Mi: "His Majesty has been unwell recently, and Your Highness, as the Crown Prince overseeing the country, is currently in the palace and not in the Eastern Palace. I am, after all, an outsider, and if Your Highness does not allow it, I cannot bring the Empress into the palace."
Shen Mi knew Su Xingjian's concerns, so she stopped making things difficult for him and exchanged a few more pleasantries with him.
As Su Xingjian was about to leave, she took out a small box and handed it to him.
Su Xingjian asked in confusion, "What is this?"
Shen Mi only looked at the box. "If there is an opportunity, please trouble Minister Su to pass this item on to His Highness."
Seeing that Shen Mi didn't want to say more, Su Xingjian didn't ask. He simply took the box and agreed to Shen Mi's request, even though he knew that he had no chance of handing the box over to Gu Zhan, who was imprisoned in the Eastern Palace by the Emperor.
The emperor's health was deteriorating day by day, to the point where he was terminally ill and often uttered incoherent words.
He clearly remembered that he had sent out a message that day, ordering the Crown Prince to be released from confinement and to enter the palace to oversee state affairs, but he did not know why the Crown Prince had not entered the palace for a long time, and the eunuch he had sent to deliver the message had never returned.
He had never felt so pathetic as emperor, and even when he sensed the wolfish ambitions of the King of Wei, he lacked the strength to denounce him.
The King of Wei still acted like a filial son at his bedside, but his ambition was already obvious.
Not long after the King of Wei fed the emperor the medicine, the emperor fell into a deep sleep again.
He looked at the imperial physician who had come to examine the emperor's pulse and asked, "How is the emperor's health?"
The imperial physician understood the unspoken meaning in the King of Wei's words and said in a low voice, "To be frank, it's probably in the next few days."
The King of Wei was not surprised at all. He waved for him to leave, then calmly walked to the desk in front of the Funing Palace. He picked up his brush and wrote a decree deposing the Crown Prince for his moral failings, using his own offspring as a bargaining chip to frame others, obstructing the Ministry of Justice's investigation, and colluding with the Imperial Guards. The decree also exiled the Crown Prince to a remote area in the southwest. He then took the imperial seal from the side, stamped it on, and waited for the ink to dry before reading it over again. Finally, he leisurely rolled up the decree and handed it to his confidant, instructing him to read it aloud at the Eastern Palace.
The Emperor is about to pass away, and he has taken control of the Kunning Palace and the Eastern Palace. When he ascends the throne, who will know that this imperial edict deposing the Crown Prince was forged by him?
All of this will soon be over.
March 7th.
Even after arriving at the Shen residence, Shen Mi still liked to look out the window. As she watched the magnolias in the courtyard gradually wither and the peach blossoms by the rockery gradually sprout buds, she suddenly remembered that Gu Zhan had once said, "Next spring, on the ninth day of the third month, when the peach blossoms are in full bloom, 'The peach tree is young and tender, its blossoms are bright and beautiful. This maiden is going to her husband's home, may she bring harmony to her family.'" In just two days, it will be their wedding day?
But she still had no news of Gu Zhan, and had not seen him for nearly two months.
The more this happened, the more uneasy she felt. She even tried to comfort herself, thinking that Gu Zhan had said he would give her a proper wedding ceremony. Could it be that he wanted her to wait to be married in the Shen residence?
She couldn't think of any other reason.
If it weren't for the fact that on this day, an uninvited guest arrived who she hadn't seen for many years.
Shen Mi looked at the newcomer with a mixture of surprise and inexplicable fear. She forced herself to remain calm and asked, "Chen Jun, what is your purpose in coming here uninvited?"
Chen Jun looked at his childhood sweetheart, raised an eyebrow slightly, and slowly walked towards Shen Mi: "I didn't expect that after so long, Zhi Niang would still remember me."
Shen Mi wanted to call the servants of the Shen family to throw the people out, only to find that Chen Jun had come prepared. When she came out, the entire Shen family had already been taken into control by him!
Chen Jun stopped in front of Shen Mi and carefully examined her.
Nearly seven years have passed, and Shen Mi's appearance has not changed at all. It's just a pity that her eyes look at him with much more unfamiliarity and wariness.
Back then, he was instructed by Gu Zhan to be demoted from the Hanlin Academy to Huazhou as a sub-prefect. Later, he could not be transferred back to the capital. Even Prime Minister Li was disappointed in him. His career was not going well and he could not find a way out. So he resigned from his post. He heard that the Prince of Wei had a conflict with the Crown Prince and was forced to leave Bianjing and go to his fiefdom of Jizhou. So he took the initiative to go to Jizhou and join the Prince of Wei's camp.
He was already exceptionally talented, and he also learned to be discreet and humble. He quickly gained the favor of the King of Wei. During the five years he followed the King of Wei in Jizhou, he became one of the King's most trusted subordinates. Now that he has returned to Bianjing, he has finally made a name for himself with the King of Wei. How could he not be proud?
Now that he was riding high, he was determined to reclaim everything he had lost in the past.
Chen Jun looked at Shen Mi and suddenly smiled: "Zhi Niang, you see, I said I would marry you, and I will never break my promise. I am not like Gu Zhan."
Shen Mi recalled his treacherous act from years ago: "Don't talk nonsense. I am now the Crown Princess. How dare you be disrespectful to me?"
"Crown Princess?" Chen Jun laughed even more arrogantly. "Don't you know? Gu Zhan's position as Crown Prince has long been abolished. He's probably already dead and has nowhere to be buried."
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Author's note: I'm not dead.
Actually, the extra 3000 words were a bonus chapter for every 500 nutrient solutions, but I've been too busy lately and haven't had time to write it. I'm making up for it today. Bonus chapters are given for every round number of nutrient solutions.
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