Chapter 99

Chapter 99

Shen Zheng rubbed his slightly warm earlobe, the temperature of his fingertips making Wen Zuo tremble once more.

He chuckled softly, "Teacher, remember when I said I have a good temperament, a stable temper, generally positive and healthy, except for having some particular preferences in matters of love?"

Wen Zuo was taken aback, a scene from when they first established their teacher-student agreement flashing through his mind.

Shen Zheng had indeed said that, but Wen Zuo hadn't taken it to heart at all. The only reason he could recall it now was thanks to his good memory.

"So—" Shen Zheng's fingertip slid to his chin, gently lifting it, his gaze so deep it seemed capable of pulling one in, "Your Highness wants it very much, but you have the regular court assembly tomorrow. I can't bear to see you tired. Wait until I return, and I will properly discuss this matter with my teacher."

As he spoke, he cupped Wen Zuo's cheek again, kissing his soft lips over and over, as if he could never get enough.

Wen Zuo's heart was pounding fast. He actually very much wanted to ask what exactly those preferences were. Perhaps he could today.

But a surge of shame crushed his reckless urge to just ask. He opened his mouth but ultimately couldn't bring himself to ask.

Shen Zheng had deliberately moved all their pleasures to the twilight hours today precisely so Wen Zuo could get a good night's sleep. Being so considerate, he certainly wouldn't indulge further now.

But... would it really be that tiring?

Sitting astride Shen Zheng's lap, Wen Zuo's mind couldn't help but wander into wild thoughts.

It's just longer and thicker than a finger, that's all. He truly couldn't imagine what the sensation would be like.

Before dinner, Shen Zheng called Jiang Mannv to bring hot water. He and Wen Zuo quickly wiped themselves clean, and then he personally helped Wen Zuo put on each layer of clothing.

This process naturally involved some restless touches, causing Wen Zuo to retreat step by step until he was backed into a corner, having no choice but to let it happen.

Finally emerging from the bedroom fully dressed, Wen Zuo still bore many unspeakable marks in his private areas.

These marks, known only to each other, were enough to make him recall today's intimacy in the deep quiet of the night.

Before leaving, Shen Zheng's gaze swept over the low stool. He picked up the book "Secret Essentials of Tomb Excavation and Treasure Acquisition at Nanping" and took it with him.

Such a nonsensical book shouldn't occupy the cat's brain capacity. Otherwise, if Wen Zuo later discussed tomb excavation insights with him, he really wouldn't be able to answer.

After dinner, Shen Zheng followed the secret passage to the Marquis of Yongning's residence to bid farewell to his grandfather and uncle.

The Marquis of Yongning held his hand, his tone grave, "Your trip to Jinhai carries heavy responsibilities. I fear you will offend many people. The water transport factions are deeply entrenched and their strength is not to be underestimated. You must be extremely careful."

Shen Zheng smiled gracefully, his youthful spirit carrying a composed boldness, "Throughout history, anyone who wants to accomplish things will inevitably offend others. If one fears offending people and thus does nothing, then nothing can ever change."

The Marquis of Yongning nodded approvingly, "Good! You have the bearing of this old man in his youth! There is a batch of carrier pigeons in the residence. Take them with you. Report the progress of maritime transport promptly to us and Master Wen, so that the court can coordinate with you."

Jun Dingyuan stood nearby. He pressed the jade belt at his waist and untied the long whip that had accompanied him for ten years.

Under the candlelight, the whip's body was pitch black, gleaming with a cold, sharp light. One look told him it was a divine weapon.

He handed the long whip to Shen Zheng, saying solemnly, "This was gifted to me by my master when I was dispatched to the southern frontier. The followers of the Mo family and the soldiers of the southern frontier all recognize this whip. Keep it with you—for self-defense and as a token. We will mediate in the court, your senior brother will suppress matters along the water transport routes. You just focus all your efforts and return to the capital soon!"

Shen Zheng solemnly accepted the long whip, holding it in his palm, "Thank you, Uncle!"

After staying at the Marquis of Yongning's residence for an hour, Shen Zheng stood up to take his leave.

Jun Dingyuan saw that instead of returning to the palace through the main gate, he turned toward the secret passage to the Wen residence. He suddenly recalled Mo Shu's confusion from that day, and his brows couldn't help but furrow tightly.

Seeing his strange expression, the Marquis of Yongning asked, "Huaishen, what's wrong?"

Jun Dingyuan was silent for a moment. Like Mo Shu that day, he shook his head, suppressing the doubts in his heart, "It's nothing."

That night, Shen Zheng and Wen Zuo slept embracing each other. But before dawn broke, he quietly got up.

He gathered his personnel outside the Anding Gate, departing promptly at 3:45 AM. The entire process was silent, disturbing no one.

When Wen Zuo slowly woke up and habitually reached out to the side, what he touched was a completely cold and empty bed.

By now, Shen Zheng was already at the Tongzhou post station, growing farther and farther from the capital.

The sky was just beginning to lighten. The faint glow of dawn filtered through the window lattice, spilling onto the empty pillow. Wen Zuo propped himself up on the bed, gazing at the pillow mat that still held a shallow indentation, lost in forlorn thought.

Three whole months without seeing him.

Suddenly, he noticed a small celadon jar placed where he usually hid the waist-level viewfinder by his pillow. On the jar's body was a line of characters written with a fine brush—the result of much painstaking practice, just barely passable to look at: "Marshmallow. Eat two daily. Your husband loves you."

What is this?

The sadness and melancholy that surged at 7 AM were instantly replaced by curiosity.

Wen Zuo carefully picked up the jar, his fingertips tracing the characters on its surface. The corners of his lips unconsciously lifted slightly.

He used some force to pry off the lid. A light, sweet osmanthus fragrance instantly wafted out. Inside the jar were milky white cubes, square and neat, looking utterly adorable.

He gently pressed one with his finger and discovered it was extremely soft and springy. A press left a small round dent, but it quickly sprang back to its original shape.

Looking at his fingertip, it was already coated with a thin layer of osmanthus sugar powder, the sweet fragrance lingering.

Wen Zuo couldn't resist taking out a piece, tentatively placing it in his mouth. The soft, springy cube slowly melted on his tongue, transforming into dense, stretchy strands of sugar that tangled with his teeth and tongue.

The texture was wonderful, exceptionally delicious. Leaning against the headboard, the emptiness in Wen Zuo's heart was more than half filled by this sweetness.

Holding the jar, he couldn't help but smile, his eyes curving. How on earth did Shen Zheng come up with these novel creations?

Wen Zuo had never been one to follow instructions. Ten large marshmallows, a five-day supply, were completely eaten by him in two days.

He shook the empty celadon jar, tapping out the last bit of osmanthus sugar powder, licking it all into his mouth, his face full of regret.

He then turned and asked Liu Qiying if Shen Zheng had left behind the method for making marshmallows. Liu Qiying shook her head, then comforted him kindly, "His Highness must have known you would stick to the prescribed amount, which is why he didn't tell us how to make them. After all, that was ten large pieces. Even Jiang Mannv would need three days to finish them."

Hearing this, Jiang Mannv popped her head out, patting her chest, "Who says? I could swallow the whole jar in one go!"

Wen Zuo: "..."

These past two days, Emperor Shunyuan only held court once. In court, it was the same old story—

Gong Zhiyuan pleaded for Shen Chen's release. Gu Weizhi strongly opposed it.

Luo Mingpu pleaded for Shen Chen's release. Gu Weizhi strongly opposed it.

Xie Langyang pleaded for Shen Chen's release. Gu Weizhi strongly opposed it.

Seeing they had no other important matters to report besides this, Emperor Shunyuan decided to suspend court for the next seven days. Unless it concerned important matters from Songzhou or maritime transport matters, there was no need to report.

Setting aside how Gong Zhiyuan and the others exhausted themselves to no avail during these seven days, on the Jun family's side, there was also a minor incident.

Jun Mulan, for some reason, had angered Emperor Shunyuan. Although she temporarily retained her consort title, her monthly stipend was reduced, her right to participate in palace affairs was revoked, and she was ordered to confine herself to her palace for reflection.

Clearly, keeping her consort title was because Shen Zheng was still serving in Jinhai. But in essence, Jun Mulan no longer had the right to sit as an equal with Consort Zhen. She had completely returned to her original station.

Emperor Shunyuan had never liked a military commander's daughter like her—one who wielded swords and spears and could dislocate someone's arm with just a casual twist of her wrist. Even he couldn't help feeling uneasy around her.

Both the Marquis of Yongning and Jun Dingyuan were relatives through the maternal line, so they couldn't enter the palace at will. When Jun Dingyuan learned the news, he was so furious that he immediately wanted to confront Emperor Shunyuan for an explanation, but Wen Zuo, who had rushed over, stopped him.

“I understand your concern for your sister, General,” Wen Zuo said calmly, his tone measured yet firm. “But you are now in charge of the Three Great Battalions, responsible for the safety of the capital. If you repeatedly provoke His Majesty over your sister’s affairs, it may only make him wary. Since His Majesty has retained her title as Consort, it shows his intentions remain unchanged and he still holds high hopes for Her Highness. We must not act rashly and lose our composure.”

Jun Dingyuan took a deep breath, suppressing the anger in his heart, and said in a low voice, “I understand the Director’s words, but this matter came about strangely, and I can't make head or tail of it. I fear this is just the beginning, and there may be more to come!”

Wen Zuo nodded, his fingers lightly stroking his folding fan. “I think so too. Since the other side cannot yet shake the Fifth Prince’s position, they’ve turned their attention to Consort Liang. Let me make some inquiries, find out the reason, and then decide what to do.”

For this investigation, Wen Zuo had his eye on Liu Quan.

Since Liu Quan had once extended an olive branch, and Shen Zheng was now gaining momentum, he would certainly not stand idly by.

That night, following Wen Zuo’s instructions, Ge Wei waited until Emperor Shunyuan was sound asleep before finally managing to intercept Liu Quan when he came for his meal.

Ge Wei beamed with a smile, hurriedly pouring tea and water for Liu Quan, even personally holding the teacup to his lips, saying respectfully, “Elder, please have a sip to quench your thirst.”

Liu Quan slowly raised his eyes, giving him a fleeting glance, and finally took the cup.

Accepting it was a silent permission for him to continue.

Ge Wei cautiously leaned closer, his voice lowered to a whisper. “This servant went to the Grand Secretariat to deliver documents today and happened to meet Master Wen. He was very curious about Consort Liang being reprimanded by His Majesty and went out of his way to ask me about it. But I truly know nothing and have no idea what taboo Consort Liang might have violated. I thought, this matter could only be clarified by seeking your guidance, Elder.”

Wen Zuo had specifically instructed Ge Wei that Liu Quan was a clever man, and there was no need to beat around the bush when speaking to him. Instead, he should show full sincerity and trust. Thus, Ge Wei made it clear that it was Wen Zuo who wanted to ask, not on his own behalf or on behalf of Jun Mulan.

Liu Quan suddenly turned his gaze, fixing it on Ge Wei, but as expected, he didn’t question anything. This honesty actually put him somewhat at ease.

He thought to himself, Master Wen truly was a man of exceptional intelligence, handling everything with grace and thoroughness. No wonder the fate of the empire now lay in Shen Zheng’s hands.

Liu Quan glanced around to ensure no one was nearby, then picked up a chopstickful of pickled vegetables and mixed it into the plain congee before him. Stirring it slowly and deliberately, he said calmly, “A few days ago, Consort Liang punished a maid who had a speech impediment. This matter was reported to Consort Zhen.”

Ge Wei tentatively asked, “Could it be that the maid was favored by her master, and the master intended to…”

“How dare you! Who allowed you to comment on your master’s affairs?” Liu Quan coldly interrupted him, slapping his bamboo chopsticks onto the table with a sharp “crack.”

Ge Wei hastily knelt, his shoulders trembling. “Elder, please calm your anger! This servant spoke out of turn!”

Liu Quan lowered his gaze, staring at him. “You only need to know that His Majesty is benevolent and has always shown compassion for the disabled, especially those who are mute. That is why he was displeased with the Consort’s actions and offered this admonishment. It is all out of His Majesty’s deep concern. We servants can only be grateful for such immense favor.”

“Yes!” Ge Wei responded.

Having received Liu Quan’s guidance, Ge Wei dared not delay. He immediately bowed and took his leave, rushing straight to Jun Mulan’s side.

Jun Mulan was sitting by the window, holding a volume of military strategy. After listening to Ge Wei’s verbatim recount of Liu Quan’s words, she finally began to piece things together.

“A few days ago, Lady Song died of illness. She had a maid who accompanied her into the palace, born with a slight speech impediment. According to palace rules, those with such hidden ailments are mostly sent out of the palace. But the maid tearfully begged me, writing on paper that she had no relatives outside the palace and no means of survival, pleading to stay and work in my palace. I softened for a moment and agreed.”

Jun Mulan paused, her tone suddenly turning cold. “But after she arrived, she took advantage of my protection to act arrogantly in the palace, often bullying the eunuchs and maids in my quarters. What’s even more infuriating is that she was adept at playing the victim—every time she caused trouble, she would come to me pretending to seek pity. After getting to the bottom of things, I could no longer tolerate it and severely punished her, ordering her to leave the palace immediately. I had no idea His Majesty was displeased with me over this matter.”

Ge Wei wasn’t clear about the intricacies either, so he simply bowed respectfully and said, “Now that Your Highness has explained the details, this servant will inform Master Wen immediately. With his wisdom, he will surely have a plan soon.”

Jun Mulan added, “You must make it clear to the Director on my behalf that the maid repeatedly violated the rules and was utterly intolerable. It was not a case of me abusing my position to bully a disabled person. I, Jun Mulan, am not that kind of shameless person.”

“This servant understands. Your Highness need not worry,” Ge Wei quickly replied, remembering Wen Zuo’s instructions. “The Director also asked me to convey to Your Highness that this matter is likely not over, and the other side may have further moves. Your Highness must be extra cautious from now on.”

Jun Mulan nodded. “I understand. This incident has served as a warning. I will certainly not fall for it a second time!”

The next day, the proofreading chamber of the Hanlin Academy was quiet, with only the occasional chirping of cicadas drifting in through the window.

Wen Zuo sat at his desk, lightly twirling his fingers as he pondered the news brought by Ge Wei.

He had initially thought this matter was secretly orchestrated by Concubine Yi, but now it seemed that wasn’t the case.

The most crucial part of this trap was the person who reported it to Emperor Shunyuan.

Due to the Shen Chen incident, Concubine Yi didn’t even have the right to see Emperor Shunyuan, let alone the opportunity to spread rumors before him.

Thus, the informant became obvious.

Consort Zhen.

Whether it was for rivalry in the harem or to gradually pave the way for Shen He, Consort Zhen had reasons to take action.

If this was Consort Zhen’s doing, Wen Zuo wasn’t too worried. In his previous life, Consort Zhen had also schemed extensively for Shen He, but unfortunately, Shen He had no interest in such matters and didn’t follow her arrangements at all. In the end, he ironically benefited from the misfortune and was sent to a fiefdom, sparing his life.

But for a mere maid to bring down an imperial consort was truly beyond comprehension.

Wen Zuo knew Emperor Shunyuan all too well—he was not such a benevolent person. So, the key must lie in the hints Liu Quan had given.

“Especially those who are mute… the mute?”

Wen Zuo softly repeated these words and suddenly recalled an old incident.

When he first arrived at the Hanlin Academy, it happened to coincide with a visit from the Bhutanese envoy. During the palace banquet, the interpreter responsible for translation suddenly had a stomachache and temporarily left the table.

The envoy and Emperor Shunyuan couldn’t understand each other’s language, and the envoy grew so anxious that he began gesturing wildly with his hands. Emperor Shunyuan, watching him, became intrigued and started gesturing along. The envoy’s movements were chaotic and disorderly, but Emperor Shunyuan’s gestures followed a logical pattern.

Could it be that Emperor Shunyuan had once been close to a mute person and had shown such deep compassion for them that he extended his empathy to the entire group?

Wen Zuo began to form a vague guess. He stopped his movements and stood up. “You may return now. I will go see Duke Liu.”

Ge Wei quickly nodded and turned to leave, only to notice that Wen Zuo had, at some point, begun playing with chess pieces again.

This time, in his palm was a gleaming white stone.