Inside the carriage.
Eunuch Li sat at the entrance of the carriage, while Shen Yan sat opposite him, resting with his eyes closed.
"Lord Shen, do you know why the Emperor summoned you to the palace this time?" Eunuch Li suddenly asked.
"I don't know," Shen Yan opened his eyes, his gaze calm. "Does Your Excellency know why the Emperor summoned me here this time?"
“Lord Shen, you think too highly of me,” Eunuch Li hurriedly waved his hand. “How dare a lowly servant like me presume to know the Emperor’s thoughts?”
With a polite smile on his face, Shen Yan flattered, "All the officials know that you are a close servant who grew up with the Emperor. How can you be like an ordinary person?"
Eunuch Li did not answer Shen Yan's promise, as if he had casually uttered a nonsensical sentence.
"Although I do not know why His Majesty summoned you to the palace, I have heard that the case of the embezzlement of military funds in the northern border has troubled His Majesty."
Chen Yan's eyes flickered slightly.
"..."
Eunuch Li smiled but said nothing.
As twilight slanted in, the steps in front of the Golden Palace gleamed with a cold light.
Shen Yan was still wearing the light blue robe he had worn when he returned. He walked steadily up the steps, neither hurried nor slow.
Eunuch Li led the way beside him, and the two remained silent the whole way. When they reached the entrance of the Golden Palace, Eunuch Li spoke in a voice that only the two of them could hear.
"Lord Shen, I have provided you with the direction. As for the road ahead, you will have to walk it yourself."
"Thank you, sir."
"Lord Shen, please come in!"
With that simple sentence, Eunuch Li returned to his usual self, bowing and pushing open the door for Chen Yan in his shrill voice.
"Shen Shaoqing?"
On the throne in the Golden Palace, the emperor leaned against the dragon bed, and only sat up slowly after hearing the noise.
"Your subject, Chen Yan, kowtows to Your Majesty."
Chen Yan bowed deeply, his forehead pressed against the cold floor tiles, his tone as calm as a still lake.
"Rise, my dear subject."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Shen Yan stood up, his gaze landing precisely and tactfully on the jade belt at the emperor's waist, so as not to offend the emperor's appearance.
"Does Minister Shen know why I summoned you to the palace today?" the emperor suddenly asked, his tapping motion continuing.
"Your subject is dull-witted," Shen Yan replied quickly.
"What a fine 'I don't know'," the emperor chuckled. "Minister Shen, I admire your intelligence most, yet you don't know why I summoned you here today? If my most valued and trusted minister is dull-witted, wouldn't the entire court be full of fools?"
Shen Yan bowed respectfully and said, "I have behaved improperly in public during the prayer ceremony, and deserve to die."
"Disrespectful?" The emperor suddenly stood up, the tassels and beaded curtains of his crown making a crisp sound as they clattered together.
The emperor slowly descended the jade steps. His bright yellow dragon robe appeared somewhat oversized on his thin frame, and the hem of the robe brushed against the steps, making a rustling sound.
"I don't think so. I think you're deliberately trying to embarrass the royal family, or perhaps you just want me to die sooner!"
The emperor raised his voice, but his throat, irritated by years of herbal medicine, sounded somewhat shrill and out of place.
Shen Yan immediately knelt down, "Your subject dares not."
"I wouldn't dare, hmph!" The emperor flicked his sleeve, looking down at the person kneeling on the ground. "Minister Shen, have I ever treated you badly?"
Shen Yan replied, “Your Majesty’s kindness to me is as heavy as a mountain, far exceeding what I can do. Your Majesty’s benevolence is as vast as the heavens, and I will remember your care and support day and night.”
"It's good that Minister Shen knows." The Emperor softened his tone. "I am not an unreasonable person, but I have some doubts. What did the Seventh Prince do to make you so angry?"
"Speak freely! I will not show him any favoritism just because he is my flesh and blood. If he has made a mistake, I will punish him severely!"
Chen Yan lowered his head, his voice soft.
"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. It was just a small matter; a disagreement in words led to this trouble."
"Is that so?" the emperor drawled. "What did the Imperial Concubine tell me? That you two fought because the Seventh Prince spoke rudely to your wife?"
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