Chapter 84

Chapter 84

In Chong'an Palace, after Kang Yuande finished reading the edict of succession, all the ministers were clearly stunned.

If they hadn't seen it with their own eyes and heard it with their own ears, they might have thought it was a forged edict.

No one knew the exact reason, but the recent changes in the Emperor were truly significant.

However, regardless of how abrupt this matter seemed, the Crown Prince had been the heir apparent for over a decade, and his eventual succession to the throne was both legitimate and inevitable, so no one had any objections.

Emperor Chengwu instructed the ministers to go back and disseminate the news, thus making the matter public.

The ministers complied, bowed to the Emperor and Crown Prince, and withdrew in turn. Kang Yuande carefully stored the edict and also left.

After everyone had left, the Crown Prince, who had remained silent, knelt before Emperor Chengwu and said with emotion, "Father, there is no need for this. If you rest and recuperate, you will surely recover your health."

Emperor Chengwu patted the Crown Prince's shoulder and said, "I am tired. Help me lie down."

The Crown Prince stood up as instructed, supported Emperor Chengwu to the bed, helped him lie down, and covered him with a blanket.

Emperor Chengwu pointed to the chair by the bed and said, "Crown Prince, sit down."

The Crown Prince sat down and looked at Emperor Chengwu.

Emperor Chengwu said, "Don't overthink it. I issued the edict of succession merely to set my mind at ease."

"These days, whenever I think about how, without Nuo Er and A Tong, our family would have fallen apart, I feel a wave of fear and often wake up in the middle of the night."

The Crown Prince's eyes welled up as he comforted, "Father, those things will not happen again."

Emperor Chengwu smiled and said, "Yes, they won't happen again now. Although we have resolved our differences, I know you still have reservations."

The Crown Prince remained silent, listening intently.

Seeing that the Crown Prince did not resort to empty formalities, Emperor Chengwu felt somewhat relieved and continued, "You might be thinking that without dealing with your second brother and the others, the edict of succession is of little use. Since ancient times, whoever holds the military power holds the real authority."

This truly struck a chord with the Crown Prince. The Shen family's empire was built through conquest, and the elder princes had all accompanied the Emperor in battles, well aware that power determines position.

The edict of succession only legitimized his future ascension to the throne, but without military power, he could not hold onto the throne.

Currently, part of Daxuan's military power was in the hands of the Feudal Princes, guarding the borders and regions, while the rest was under the Emperor's control.

As long as the Emperor did not hand over the military power to him, the Crown Prince would remain a figurehead. Even if the Emperor issued one or a hundred edicts of succession, they would be of little use.

Only when the Emperor transferred all military power to him would it truly be a succession.

Although Emperor Chengwu saw no change in the Crown Prince's expression, he knew what was in his heart. However, he had already said what needed to be said and wouldn't repeat himself.

In truth, he was also tired. He wished he could transfer everything to the Crown Prince immediately and retreat to a quiet place to farm, fish, and spend his remaining days in tranquility.

But he couldn't do that yet; he still had to deal with those rebellious sons.

If he handed over the military power to the Crown Prince and let him handle those messy affairs, people would say the Crown Prince was narrow-minded and could not tolerate his brothers.

Although reputation is intangible, people care about it. He couldn't let his own mistakes ruin the Crown Prince's reputation, or else the gossiping officials would be enough to trouble the Crown Prince.

He had already wronged the Crown Prince enough and couldn't leave him with a host of problems.

Therefore, he had to keep the military power and deal with it himself. It was only right for a father to clean up his own house, and no one could say otherwise.

Emperor Chengwu didn't voice these thoughts, but the Crown Prince could see them in his eyes, feeling touched yet conflicted.

This father could be so harsh and unfeeling, yet when he truly cared for you, he would think of everything for you.

The father and son sat quietly for a while. Emperor Chengwu was indeed tired and waved his hand: "You may go and attend to your duties. I will rest for a while."

The Crown Prince acknowledged, stood up, and tucked the emperor's blanket in before turning to leave. Outside the hall, he instructed Kang Yuande: "Go in and serve him well."

Kang Yuande bowed in acknowledgment, watched the Crown Prince leave, and then turned to enter the hall.

---

Fengyi Palace.

Yin Die went to the small kitchen to refill a bowl of soup and brought it into the main hall, placing it on the table in front of the Empress.

Noticing that someone else had brought the soup, the Empress couldn't help but ask, puzzled: "Where is Cai E?"

Yin Die then recounted what had happened in the courtyard earlier. The Empress shook her head, her tone somewhat helpless: "Such a grown person, yet so careless in their steps."

Yin Die assumed the Empress was referring to Cai E and quickly knelt down to plead on her behalf: "Your Majesty, Cai E was momentarily careless. Please forgive her."

The Empress found it amusing and took a sip of the black rice, red bean, and lotus seed soup before saying: "I wasn't referring to Cai E. Get up. I've told you before, don't kneel so easily."

Yin Die was momentarily taken aback, then realized the Empress was talking about the Eleventh Prince's carelessness. She was puzzled but didn't ask further, standing up and waiting by the side.

Before the Empress had finished her bowl of lotus seed soup, the Eleventh Prince walked in as usual with a stern expression, the front of his robe slightly damp.

The Empress scrutinized his expression but found nothing amiss. She motioned for him to sit, finished the last two spoonfuls of soup, and handed the bowl to Yin Die: "Take it away."

Yin Die acknowledged and took the bowl, retreating from the hall.

It was only then that the Empress asked the Eleventh Prince: "What happened earlier? Did Cai E upset you?"

The Eleventh Prince replied: "It's just a soiled piece of clothing. It's nothing."

The Empress originally didn't want to interfere in her youngest son's romantic affairs but couldn't help probing: "What do you think of Cai E?"

The Eleventh Prince sat upright in his chair: "What do you mean?"

Facing this clueless son, the Empress sighed, feeling it was better to be direct to avoid unnecessary trouble: "I think Cai E is quite suitable. Why don't you marry her?"

The Eleventh Prince shook his head without hesitation: "No."

The Empress asked: "Why not?"

The Eleventh Prince countered: "Why does Mother want me to marry her?"

The Empress was momentarily speechless and gave her son a reproachful look: "I thought you were interested in her since you kept looking at her last time."

The Eleventh Prince shook his head: "She has done me a favor, so I looked at her a bit longer to remember her face, so I wouldn't mistake her in the future."

The Empress didn't believe him: "To remember someone's face, a couple of glances should suffice. Why would you need to look for so long?"

The Eleventh Prince remained expressionless and didn't respond.

Seeing her son being so stubborn again, the Empress really wanted to give him a smack. She couldn't understand why, at over twenty years old, he still didn't think about finding a wife.

After so many years, it was rare to find a girl who could catch his eye for more than a few glances. The Empress still held onto hope and gently persuaded: "In the original story, Cai E also took good care of you and showed genuine affection. I think her appearance and temperament are quite good. If you marry her, you'll have someone who truly cares for you, and I can rest easier."

The Eleventh Prince shook his head again, his attitude firm: "Mother, please don't bring this up again. It might harm the girl's reputation."

This outcome was exactly what the Empress had expected.

Ever since the 11th Prince turned fifteen, she had introduced him to at least dozens of girls, and each time it ended the same way. If he had actually agreed to marry Cai E, it would have been like their Shen family ancestors smiling down from heaven.

Even though she expected it, the Empress was still annoyed and shot him a sharp glare: "If this continues, you might end up single for life."

The 11th Prince stayed silent, sitting there like a wooden post, not saying a word.

The Empress laughed in frustration, too worn out to argue with him: "Yin Die mentioned you were walking very quickly earlier. Was there something urgent?"

The 11th Prince nodded: "Mother, do you know if Father has any illegitimate children outside the palace?"

The Empress frowned: "What's the matter?"

A few days ago, she had told the children about the Emperor's past affair with a widow in the mountains, and the 11th Prince was aware of it.

So, for him to bring it up again now, he must have found something new?

"Has my eldest brother mentioned the little monk from Yunju Temple to you?" asked the 11th Prince.

The Empress truly didn't know and shook her head: "Your eldest brother has been swamped these past two days and likely hasn’t had the chance to bring it up."

The 11th Prince nodded and explained that Jing Yun bore a striking resemblance to the Shen family.

The Empress frowned: "Are you suggesting that little monk might be your father's illegitimate child?"

"I’m not sure," replied the 11th Prince, "but my eldest brother and sister-in-law think so. I wanted to hear your thoughts."

The Empress had always believed she knew Emperor Chengwu’s romantic history inside out, but her son’s question planted a seed of doubt.

After all, she wasn’t always by the Emperor’s side, and he would slip out of the palace incognito several times a year. Supposedly, it was to observe the people’s conditions, but who knows what he did during those times.

It’s possible he had a fleeting affair with some woman, leading to a child. As for why the child ended up outside the palace, it must have been because he was unaware.

Perhaps there was some misunderstanding, and the mother and child held a grudge, plotting revenge.

The Empress sneered: "If that’s the case, it’s truly a disgrace."

Seeing that the Empress didn’t know either, the 11th Prince asked another question on his mind: "Mother, how did my second uncle die? Did Father have him killed?"

The Empress was surprised: "Did someone tell you something?"

"No, I just figured it out on my own," replied the 11th Prince.

The Empress lowered her voice: "The Emperor has never brought it up with me, so I don’t know. But given what your second uncle did and said back then, if I were the Emperor, I would have had him killed too."

"However, your second uncle did have military accomplishments and still had many loyal followers in the army, so he couldn’t be killed openly, or it would have caused discontent."

The 11th Prince confirmed his suspicion: "So Father was the one who had him killed."

The Empress was curious: "Why are you bringing up your second uncle all of a sudden?"

"I was pondering the little monk’s situation and it hit me—since he looks like a Shen man, my second uncle’s line should also be considered," said the 11th Prince.

The Empress's face darkened: "Are you suggesting that Shen Bai and Shen Cang are behind all this?"

Without waiting for her son's reply, she continued: "No, Shen Bai is honest and timid; he probably wasn’t involved. If it’s related to them, it should be Shen Cang."

The 11th Prince nodded: "That's what I think too."

The Empress: "Then you should discuss this matter with your eldest brother and see what can be done."

The Eleventh Prince: "Yes, Your Majesty. I will go over there in a moment."

As soon as he finished speaking, Cai E's voice was heard at the door: "Your Majesty, I have brought the clothes for the Eleventh Prince."

The Empress: "Bring them in."

Cai E entered, carrying the clothes and handing them over to the Eleventh Prince.

The Eleventh Prince stood up and bowed to the Empress: "Then I will take my leave now."

The Empress nodded: "You may go."

The Eleventh Prince reached out and took the clothes from Cai E, then turned and left the room. He went to the side hall to change his clothes and then left.

Hearing from outside that the Eleventh Prince had left, Cai E visibly relaxed.

Seeing this, the Empress casually inquired: "I mentioned to you before that I would arrange your marriage. It's been a while now, do you have anyone in mind?"

Cai E: "Your Majesty, I do not yet."

The Empress continued: "There are still so many unmarried princes. If you fancy any of them, I can arrange it for you."

Cai E was shocked, her face changed, and she thought to herself, "Oh no, could it be that Her Majesty knows about my previous thoughts about the Crown Prince?"

This thought made her heart race, and she quickly knelt down in fear: "The princes are of noble status, I swear on my life, I dare not covet them."

This little girl really knows how to lie so blatantly, the Empress thought, both annoyed and amused, but she didn't expose her. Instead, she said gently: "I won't blame you, rise and speak."

Seeing the Empress's demeanor, it didn't seem like she had discovered her previous intentions towards the Crown Prince, Cai E felt slightly reassured and expressed her gratitude before standing up.

The Empress decided to ask: "If I were to have you serve by the side of the Eleventh Prince, would you be willing?"

Cai E thought of the Eleventh Prince's icy, expressionless face and couldn't help but shiver. She said with a hint of resentment: "Have I done something wrong, Your Majesty, that you want to send me away?"

The Empress carefully observed Cai E's expression and noticed that when she mentioned the Eleventh Prince, there was no shyness that a girl would have when talking about someone she liked. Instead, there was a hint of barely noticeable disdain. The Empress couldn't help but chuckle.

Indeed, with the Eleventh Prince's always grumpy demeanor, which made it seem like everyone owed him a fortune, what decent girl would fancy him?

She recalled, in the original plot, Cai E initially had no feelings for the Eleventh Prince either. She was only interested in his status as a prince, which could give her support and prestige.

It was only later, when a consort slapped her and the Eleventh Prince defended her, that Cai E developed feelings for him.

Now, because of the interventions from Nuo Er and A Tong, many people and many things have already changed.

She, the Empress, did not inexplicably fall ill and is now thriving in the Phoenix Palace. It seems that no one would dare to lay a hand on her capable maid.

In this way, perhaps the fate of the two individuals has also changed.

The Eleventh Prince's marriage is still unresolved, and the Empress is deeply regretful. But when it comes to marriage, if both parties are unwilling, she must accept it and let it go.

Having made up her mind, the Empress advised Cai E: "If you meet someone you like, be sure to tell me, and I will arrange it for you."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Cai E thanked her profusely and happily took her leave.

---

The Eleventh Prince left the Phoenix Palace and headed to the Eastern Palace to see the Crown Prince. Before he had gone far, he saw someone approaching from a distance.

The person came close and bowed in greeting: "Your subordinate greets the Eleventh Prince."

The 11th Prince said, sounding a bit helpless, "Cheng Yuan, you're here again."

Cheng Yuan smiled, "Eleventh Imperial Brother, you recognized me?"

The 11th Prince continued walking, "What's the matter?"

Cheng Yuan followed, "I remembered that little monk, Jing Yun, and how he resembles Shen Cang, my second uncle's cousin, so I came to tell you."

The 11th Prince frowned slightly, "When did you see Shen Cang?" By the time Cheng Yuan met A Dai, Shen Cang had already left the capital.

Cheng Yuan replied, "Last year, A Dai and I were in Yuezhou, and we bumped into Shen Cang at an inn. We had a meal together and chatted for a while."

Hearing this, the 11th Prince quickened his pace towards the Eastern Palace, "Come with me to inform the Crown Prince about this."

Cheng Yuan thought of his wife heading to the Eastern Palace, and his previously stern expression instantly softened; a smile appeared on his lips, "Alright."

The 11th Prince noticed his sudden, inexplicable smile and glanced at him, "What are you laughing at?"

Cheng Yuan didn't expect anyone to ask such a question. He didn't want to answer, but seeing the 11th Prince staring at him, he felt a bit embarrassed and awkward, "A Dai just went to the Eastern Palace to visit the Crown Prince."

The 11th Prince didn't understand and continued, "A Dai went to the Eastern Palace, but what does that have to do with your sudden laughter?"

Cheng Yuan burst into laughter. He never knew that the 11th Prince, who was so decisive in killing, efficient in handling affairs, and logical in discussing cases, could be so naive about certain matters.

Seeing Cheng Yuan laughing like a blooming flower, the 11th Prince frowned, took a few steps to the side to create some distance, and then analyzed, "A Dai is at the Eastern Palace, and we're also going there. Are you laughing because you'll soon see A Dai?"

Cheng Yuan continued to laugh, "Eleventh Imperial Brother, you are indeed perceptive."

The 11th Prince asked, "You and A Dai are together all the time. What's so funny about seeing her?"

Cheng Yuan, too lazy to explain to someone so clueless, said, "You'll understand when you meet someone you like, Imperial Brother."

The 11th Prince remained indifferent, "All women are the same in my eyes. There's no such thing as someone I like."

Cheng Yuan's smile faded, and he looked into the 11th Prince's eyes, asking softly, "Imperial Brother, is your eye condition still not cured?"

The 11th Prince replied, "It's incurable."

Cheng Yuan sighed, "Imperial Brother, it's not easy for you."

Then he pointed to his own face, "So how did you recognize me?"

---

Shen Zhinuo, holding Little General's hand, wandered around the palace with a group of followers, eventually arriving at the Imperial Noble Consort's Jingkun Palace.

From a distance, she saw several stern, sword-wielding guards at the entrance of Jingkun Palace. Shen Zhinuo tilted her little head and looked at Shen Weiqing, asking curiously, "Second Brother, hasn't the Imperial Noble Consort's illness been confirmed yet?"

Shen Weiqing shook his head, "Imperial Physician Zheng said it will take ten to fifteen days to know. Let's go play somewhere else."

Shen Zhinuo could only agree.

The group continued to stroll around, eventually arriving at Consort Chen's palace.

The courtyard gate was open, and Consort Chen was sitting on a rocking chair in the yard, basking in the sun. A young maid stood beside her, speaking to her.

Consort Chen noticed the children passing by and quickly stood up, waving to them with a smile, "You must be tired from playing. Come in and rest for a while."

The system had already scanned Consort Chen, and Shen Zhinuo knew about her situation. She wasn't particularly eager to go in, but she was indeed tired, so she nodded her little head and stepped over the threshold into the courtyard.

Consort Chen turned to the young maid beside her, "Go and bring some snacks and tea." The maid nodded and left.

Shen Zhinuo thought that since she was already here, she might as well help Consort Chen investigate the maids in her palace. She quickened her pace to get closer to the maid and silently commanded, "Puppy, go check that maid."

The little black dog sprang up, caught up with the maid, quickly circled around her, and then returned to Shen Zhinuo's shoulder. "Young Master, it's done."

Shen Zhinuo was picked up by Consort Chen and placed on the rocking chair. She smiled and thanked Consort Chen, then asked silently, "How is it?"

System: "Young Master, do you remember when Imperial Noble Consort Rong was allegedly sent to the cold palace by the Old Emperor for 'poisoning' a favored consort's beloved cat, and later died in a palace fire?"

Shen Zhinuo: "I remember, it was allegedly Consort Chen who set the fire."

System: "Exactly, Consort Chen received a secret letter revealing the truth about her miscarriage, which led her to set the fire in the cold palace."

Shen Zhinuo considered the secret letter and guessed, "Could this maid be related to that secret letter?"

System: "Young Master, you're so smart. That secret letter was placed in Consort Chen's room by this maid named Cui Zhu."

Consort Chen was shocked and pretended to casually look at Cui Zhu's back. At the time of the incident, Cui Zhu hadn't even entered the palace yet. How could she know?

Shen Zhinuo voiced Consort Chen's thoughts: "Cui Zhu is quite young. How does she know?"

System: "The letter wasn't written by Cui Zhu either. Someone else gave it to her and told her to place it in Consort Chen's room."

Consort Chen understood, she thought, "So that's how it is."

Shen Zhinuo asked, "Who is that someone else?"

System: "The maid Chun Xing from Imperial Noble Consort Rong's palace."

Shen Zhinuo thought about it but had no impression. "What's the relationship between Chun Xing and Cui Zhu?"

System: "Chun Xing and Cui Zhu are from the same hometown. They knew each other before entering the palace and had a good relationship."

"But since Imperial Noble Consort Rong and Consort Chen have always been at odds, the two of them didn't dare to let their respective mistresses know they were acquainted. On the surface, they had almost no interaction, but privately, they maintained a secret connection."

Consort Chen thought about the maid named Chun Xing, who seemed to often follow Imperial Noble Consort Rong, and couldn't help but frown.

Shen Zhinuo asked again, "Has Cui Zhu ever done anything to harm Consort Chen?"

System: "No, she hasn't done anything."

Consort Chen's expression softened. Good; she hated betrayal the most.

Shen Zhinuo asked again, "I still don't understand. Chun Xing is a maid from Imperial Noble Consort Rong's palace. Why would she give such a letter to Cui Zhu?"

Consort Chen was also full of doubts. Cui Zhu is only fifteen or sixteen, and Chun Xing looks a few years older than Cui Zhu, but still young. She absolutely shouldn't know about what happened back then. How did she find out?

Even if Chun Xing knew, why would she betray Imperial Noble Consort Rong and reveal this to her?

In her memory, she had never even spoken to Chun Xing.

The system searched: "Sorry, Young Master, I couldn't find anything. I need to examine Chun Xing's face to know."

Shen Zhinuo immediately got up from the rocking chair: "Then what are we waiting for? Let's go find Chun Xing now."