In silence
The Xishan Villa, with its heavy wooden doors tightly shut, shuts out all the noise and disturbances.
Time seemed to slow down leisurely in the courtyard, yet it was also imbued with another kind of vibrant vitality, along with... waves of alluring fragrance.
Ling Zhan changed out of his fine clothes and into a set of neat coarse cloth clothes. He personally led Shen Xingchen and the younger children to work in the vegetable plots he had cleared on the back hill. Hoes turned over the damp soil, sowed the vegetable seeds, and watered and fertilized them.
She doesn't talk much, but every movement she makes is steady and powerful.
In stark contrast to this tranquil scene of farming, wisps of smoke rise from a corner of the yard.
Enjoying "sick leave," Shen Zhangwu, the little bull, completely unleashed his true nature.
His face, though still bearing bruises, was radiant with health. He was busily working around a makeshift earthen stove, thoroughly enjoying himself. The "Purple Gold Blood-Activating Ointment" bestowed by the Empress Dowager was indeed miraculously effective, giving him the energy to indulge in his favorite pastime—cooking.
His loyal companion, the majestic and powerful snow wolf "Frostblade," was wagging its tail like a windmill, its huge head pressed tightly against Shen Zhangwu's hand, drool almost dripping to the ground, its icy blue eyes fixed on the sizzling, fragrant roasted wild rabbit on the fire.
"Don't rush, don't rush, this one's ready, here you go!"
Shen Zhangwu grinned as he tore off a piece of roasted rabbit leg meat, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, blew on it, and then tossed it to the impatient Frostblade.
Frostblade caught it precisely, swallowed it whole, and burned its tongue, yet it let out a satisfied "woo-woo" sound. Its big head rubbed against Shen Zhangwu, the meaning of which couldn't be clearer: More! This life is a thousand times happier than your duty in the palace! It wished its little master would quit that wretched job and come back to the mountain every day to roast meat for it!
Shen Zhangwu tasted the seasoning himself, nodded in satisfaction, and then immediately shifted his attention.
He carefully removed the best pieces of roasted meat and placed them on a clean, large leaf.
"Dad! Dad! Try my freshly roasted rabbit! It's from the mountains, marinated with the spices Mom taught me!" He presented it to Shen Yan, who was reading under the shade of a tree, with bright eyes and a face that seemed to say, "Praise me!"
Shen Yan looked up from his book.
With ash on his nose and his eyes sparkling, his son looked at the beautifully presented roast meat, and a genuine warmth crept into his usual languid smile.
He obligingly picked up a piece, put it in his mouth, and chewed it carefully.
"Hmm, the cooking time is just right, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and the spices are well absorbed. It's just that it's a tiny bit too salty. If you're making it for Frostblade, you should use less salt." He gave an objective evaluation, but the admiration in his eyes was undisguised.
That one compliment made Shen Zhangwu beam with joy, sweeter than honey, as if his injuries had forgotten their pain. "Hey! I'll use less salt next time! Dad, what else would you like to eat? Shall I go catch some fish in the stream behind the mountain? Or should I make you some wild mushroom soup?"
He's the epitome of a doting father, as if cooking a delicious meal for his father is the greatest value and joy in his life right now.
Shen Yan chuckled and ruffled his hair: "It's all good. Dad loves everything you make. Go on, don't tire yourself out."
"Why!"
Encouraged, Shen Zhangwu ran back to his "open-air kitchen" with renewed vigor to start thinking about the next dish. Shuangren immediately followed closely behind, continuing its "supervision" and "tasting" mission.
Ling Zhan looked over from the vegetable garden and saw the interaction between the father and son and the son's happy expression. A faint smile flashed across his usually cold eyes.
This kitchen is Zhang Wu's best place to heal and his safe haven.
Outside the villa, the world had already changed color.
A series of startling messages quietly entered this seemingly quiet villa through various channels.
The first to return was Chief Steward Yang.
With a solemn expression, he approached Shen Yan, who was reading a book, and reported in a low voice.
"My lord, the capital... is in complete chaos."
"The retired Grand Minister of the Huo family suddenly appeared in the court yesterday, holding... holding a thick memorial."
"The memorial listed 1,127 absurd and immoral acts committed by the new Emperor Wei Jie in the short span of thirty days since he entered the capital and ascended the throne! The time, place, witnesses, and physical evidence were all detailed!"
Shen Yan paused slightly as he turned the pages, a cold smile curving his lips.
"Oh? One thousand one hundred and twenty-seven items? Old fox Huo remembers it clearly."
"At the court assembly, Huo Mingyuan burst into tears, heartbroken and indignant, saying that such an immoral ruler was unfit to inherit the ancestral temple and the state, had failed the late emperor, and had brought chaos to the world! He begged the Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager, for the sake of the country, to depose and install a new emperor!"
Soon after, Zhou Wenqing brought even more bloody news. His face was pale, indicating that the matter was serious.
"My lord...my lady...outside...there's been a murder!"
"Right outside Xuanwu Gate... the Huo family... the Huo family, under the pretext of 'bewitching the emperor and disrupting the court,' dragged all... all of the more than two hundred officials and guards who had followed Marquis Haihun from Changyi to the execution ground and beheaded them! Blood flowed like a river!"
He sighed, "I heard... I heard that before their execution, those people still screamed... saying something like... 'Hesitation leads to disaster!' 'The Huo family girl...' and then there was silence..."
Shen Yan's gaze suddenly sharpened, and he exchanged a glance with Ling Zhan beside him. Both of them understood the deeper meaning behind those words—it was the loser's regret that the new emperor hadn't taken action against the Huo family and other powerful officials sooner, and it also alluded to the young empress dowager in the palace, suggesting that the Huo family's granddaughter might have known about or been involved in the matter.
The Huo family's methods, as ruthless and decisive as ever, are to eradicate the root of the problem.
As evening fell, the gate to the villa opened a crack, a rare occurrence, and the newly appointed top scholar, Shen Yu, and Xiao Shitou's slender figure darted in.
He took off his official hat, his face showing exhaustion and shock.
He had barely returned when Ling Feng, the commander of the Shura Guard, appeared silently outside the study window like a ghost, whispering, "Master, Madam. Martial law has been declared in the capital. Our men stationed at the Anping Marquis's residence in the city center have noticed many unfamiliar faces around the mansion and in the nearby streets. They're disguised as peddlers, coachmen, and beggars, but their eyes and gait are unmistakable. They're skilled soldiers, keeping a close watch."
“Furthermore,” Ling Feng’s voice deepened, “similar traces have also appeared at the foot of West Mountain, at the various intersections leading to the villa, and even in the surrounding forests. They may appear to be woodcutters and hunters, but in reality, they have a tight defense, subtly surrounding our villa.”
"Not just us."
He quickly added the most crucial point: "According to the brothers' investigations, such people have appeared to varying degrees around the residences of all the imperial clan members in the capital who have some prestige, and even around the residences of those so-called 'new emperor candidates' on the Huo family's list. The Huo family... is imprisoning the entire imperial clan to prevent anyone from taking the opportunity to cause trouble, or... is selecting the next more obedient puppet."
After listening, Shen Yan showed no surprise on her face, only giving a faint "hmm" to indicate that she understood.
Ling Feng's figure silently retreated into the shadows once again.
The dinner table was filled with local delicacies from Shen Zhangwu's mountains and fields.
The family sat around the table, the atmosphere different because of Shen Yu and the news that had just come.
"Father, Mother," Shen Yu shoveled down a few mouthfuls of rice before finally speaking, his voice trembling slightly, "Today, the Hanlin Academy, and even the Six Ministries, are in complete chaos..."
"Those 1,127 charges are simply all-encompassing!"
Shen Yu was agitated. "Drinking and making merry during the national mourning period, having private affairs with palace maids, using imperial objects without permission, insulting the late emperor, criticizing the government, arbitrarily granting official positions... even eating an extra dish of meat that violated regulations on a certain day, and taking too long to use the toilet on a certain occasion! It's almost nitpicking, yet... it's impossible to refute!"
He paused, his expression complex: "Minister Huo read out dozens of crucial points in court, asking 'Is this the kind of ruler I am?' after each point, tears streaming down his face. The old ministers beat their chests, stamped their feet, and wept. The scene... was extremely inflammatory."
"And then?" Ling Zhan asked calmly.
"And then came a thunderous chorus of seconding!"
Shen Yu took a deep breath, "Not only Huo Jiang's faction, but many neutral and upright officials, and even those who originally followed the emperor, seeing that the situation was hopeless, turned against him one after another, kneeling and begging the two empress dowagers to depose the tyrannical ruler! Marquis Haihun collapsed on the spot, incoherent..."
His account is full of details about the internal workings of the civil service system.
Shen Yan placed a piece of roasted rabbit meat on his plate: "What about Wei Jie? Didn't he object?"
"All they do is repeat 'I am the emperor.'"
Old Yang, who also attended the family banquet, said with a hint of disdain, "I heard that the Imperial Guards were immediately taken control of by the Huo and Jiang families. The Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager issued an edict from behind the curtain... deposing Wei Jie from the throne, demoting him to the Marquis of Haihun, and placing him under house arrest immediately!"
Little Stone nodded to confirm the message.
This also confirms the authenticity of the dying words of the slain former official: "Hesitation leads to chaos."
At this moment, Shen Xingchen, who had been listening quietly, suddenly raised his head.
They are now training with their mother in strength and assisting her in managing some affairs related to the export of goods from the east. They are more sensitive to the navy. Shen Xing asked, "Little Stone... among those former officials of Changyi who were killed, were there... were there any generals from the Southeast Navy?" They remembered that when Little Stone participated in the Spring Examination, he saw Wei Jie with many former Southeast troops by his side, including many from the navy.
Shen Yu nodded heavily: "Yes. According to information leaked from the Ministry of War, among the more than two hundred people executed were three former Southeast Naval Lieutenant Generals, five Captains, and more than ten Colonels... all of whom were trusted confidants promoted by the Marquis of Haihun when he was in Changyi. They accompanied the army to the capital this time, hoping to seek a better future, but..."
He sighed, "The Southeast Navy has suffered a purge of its mid-level officers this time."
Before he could finish speaking, Shen Chen, who had always wanted to join the navy, clenched his fists tightly and asked urgently, "So many of our own people have been killed? Then... what about the Southeast Navy? Won't the defense line be compromised? What if the Japanese pirates and sea bandits find out..."
This question instantly made the atmosphere at the dinner table even more tense.
Destroying one's own Great Wall will always be the greatest pain and fear for soldiers.
Shen Yan put down his chopsticks, his gaze swept over his family, and landed on the candlelight, a cold, mocking smile curving his lips.
"The charges... were read aloud in court, and the courtiers wept and pleaded... Ha! A swift and decisive cleansing."
He paused, his eyes deep and unfathomable.
"Do you think Huo Guang made such a big fuss just to get rid of that idiot Wei Jie?"
He shook his head slightly, his tone indifferent: "No. Wei Jie is nothing but an insignificant, self-righteous pawn, not even worthy of being Huo Situ's opponent."
"Who is he putting on this show for?" he asked himself, his gaze piercing through the wall. "He is putting it on for all the civil and military officials, and even more so for all the members of the Wei clan who are about to be placed on the dragon throne."
His voice was low, yet carried even more weight: "With Wei Jie's blood, with those two hundred-odd heads, he issued a silent edict, establishing an ironclad rule—"
"Look carefully!" His voice suddenly turned icy, like a silent declaration, "Who calls the shots in this world! The throne, I can give it to you, and I can take it whenever I want! Once you sit on it, you have to know the rules! Whose rules? The rules of the Huo family!"
"Those who obey me prosper, those who defy me perish. If anyone dares to show the slightest sign of disobedience or try to act on their own..." He sneered as he swept his gaze over the children, "Wei Jie's fate serves as an example. This is the real... killing the chicken to scare the monkey."
These words, stripped of all pretense, reveal the most naked and cruel core of the power struggle. Deposing the emperor was not the goal; establishing authority was. The Huo family not only wanted absolute power, but also to rein in imperial authority, ensuring that future emperors would live under the shadow of bloodshed from the moment they ascended the throne.
Shen Yu felt a chill run down his spine, and even Shen Zhangwu felt a cold sensation and put down the bone.
Ling Zhan's eyes were sharp; he completely agreed.
After finishing speaking, Shen Yan took a sip of wine, regained his languid demeanor, and tapped the edge of his plate. "Eat. The food's getting cold." He then said to Shen Yu, "So remember, in the Hanlin Academy, just watch, listen, and remember. The rules the Huo family has established now are quite sharp; don't go against them."
"I will remember this, son," Shen Yu replied solemnly, his understanding of his father deepening.
Shen Xing and Shen Chen also seemed to be deep in thought, their resentment replaced by a deeper worry—not only for the imperial court, but also for the coastal regions.
Ling Zhan silently added hot soup to everyone's bowl.
In particular, extra meat was placed in the bowls of Shen Zhangwu, Shen Xing, Shen Chen, and Shen Yu, silently comforting the children.
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