Chapter 140

Chapter 140

Jiayou had looked into Han Zhang and knew he was a stubborn man.

If he directly pressured Shen Qinglan, Han Zhang would surely bear a grudge against him.

But if his mother stepped in, that would be a different story.

First, his mother's rank was higher, and if she raised the matter of a co-husband, Shen Qinglan would have a harder time refusing.

Second, if things failed, he could still step in to mediate, show goodwill to Shen Qinglan, and blame everything on his mother's overstepping, keeping his options open for the future.

He was determined to marry Master Han!

Even if he couldn't win Han Zhang's heart, he would still have the man himself.

That man was truly remarkable—he was a Chang Gongjun, and such an excellent man should be paired with someone like him.

Jiayou pretended to be ill at his residence, hoping to have his mother act on his behalf.

And Empress Zhang indeed obliged him. Upon learning that her son had been ill for a long time and wasn't recovering, she personally led imperial physicians to the Gongjun residence to check on him.

After checking his pulse, the physician reported: "His Highness is physically well, but he's suffering from pent-up sorrow. He's barely eating or drinking—this is a sickness of the heart. For a heart ailment, you need a heart remedy. If his worries can be lifted, he'll naturally eat and rest normally again."

"Heart ailment?" Empress Zhang, upon hearing this, pulled her son into her arms and asked tearfully: "Jiayou, what worry is tormenting you like this? Tell your mother—I'll take care of it for you..."

"Is it some disrespectful person bad-mouthing you again? Tell me, and I won't go easy on them! Don't take such words to heart—you're breaking your mother's heart..."

Jiayou looked down, silent and despondent.

Empress Zhang had no choice but to summon the serving maids and attendants for a detailed interrogation, and only then learned the cause of her son's distress.

She felt both heartbroken and helpless, and gently advised:

"Silly child, whether that Master Han is truly as wonderful as you say, now that his heart already belongs to Master Shen, even if he reluctantly marries you, would he treat you sincerely?"

"There are countless fine men in the world. You are a noble Chang Gongjun—why obsess over a man whose heart belongs elsewhere? My son, listen to your mother's advice, and don't be a fool when it comes to love..."

Jiayou could not give up, and burst into tears: "But Mother, I simply love him. Even if I cannot have his heart, just being by his side would be enough for me."

"Besides, that Shen Qinglan had a poor reputation before, empty-headed and only handsome. If he could fall for Shen Qinglan, why can't he fall for me?"

"I can sense that Brother Han does not look down on my past... As long as I can marry him as a co-husband, staying by his side day and night, true sincerity can move mountains. One day, he'll come around and see how I feel..."

Empress Zhang looked at her son, once again caught up in love, and sighed: "My son, life rarely works out the way you hope. Right now, Master Han and his husband are head over heels for each other. If you intervene at this moment, he will only resent you—how could he appreciate what you have to offer?"

"If you truly cannot move on, why not wait a few years? Men are mostly fickle; once their marital passion fades, we can make our move then."

Jiayou shook his head repeatedly: "I cannot wait. I'm already older than Shen Qinglan. In a few years, he will still be in his prime, and once he has children with Han Lang, Han Lang would be even less likely to notice me."

Though he said he could accept having the man without the heart, winning his heart would naturally be even better.

He refused to believe he was inferior to that airhead Shen Qinglan.

"Mother, please help your son. I have tried to move on, but I cannot..."

"If I cannot marry Han Lang, then life isn't worth living... Or is Mother worried about jeopardizing Brother's grand plans, and so unwilling to go out of her way for me?"

He sobbed so hard his face went pale and he could barely breathe.

How could Empress Zhang stand to see her son so miserable?

"My son, how can you say such things to break your mother's heart? Even if your brother lost Han Qinzhang, there would be another strategist—Li Qinzhang, Wang Qinzhang, whoever. Nothing is more important than your safety."

"Stop torturing yourself. Your mother... your mother will go discuss this with your brother."

After comforting her son with a heavy heart, Empress Zhang returned and found the Crown Prince to discuss the matter.

And the Crown Prince's stance had already been clear when he allowed Jiayou to get close to Shen Qinglan in the first place.

A replaceable strategist versus a blood brother—for someone who valued family, the choice was obvious.

...

And so, on this day.

When Shen Qinglan went out as usual to check on his shops, he was stopped by someone.

"Husband of Master Han, my mistress requests your presence. Please come with me to a private room for a talk."

A middle-aged matron holding an imperial token spoke with a respectful but firm tone.

As a son from an official family, Shen Qinglan naturally recognized the imperial token, and his heart immediately filled with trepidation.

But when the imperial family summoned him, how could he refuse?

In the end, he could only follow the middle-aged matron into the teahouse with a heavy heart.

He was led into a private room, where he saw a woman around forty years old, well-preserved, with an elegant and dignified bearing, seated in the main position.

Several palace attendants stood by her side.

The woman wore a splendid robe with faint phoenix patterns, her brows carrying the authority of one long accustomed to power. She was currently lowering her gaze to sip tea, not looking at him immediately.

Shen Qinglan had never met Empress Zhang, but he knew who alone could wear phoenix-patterned clothing, and immediately guessed the identity of the woman before him.

It was actually the Empress herself!

What matter could possibly require the Empress to personally leave the palace to seek out a son of a Fifth-Rank Minor Official like him?

Shen Qinglan immediately thought of Chang Gongjun Jiayou, and a very bad premonition rose in his heart. But he still remembered propriety, stepped forward, and hurriedly bowed according to form:

"Your humble son-in-law Shen, pays respects to the Empress, long may she live."

Empress Zhang finally set down her teacup, raised her eyes to look at him, her gaze calm yet appraising, and nodded: "Quite a clever one. Rise. Be seated."

"Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty."

Shen Qinglan sat in the lower seat, his posture respectful, but his heart was raised.

Seeing this, Empress Zhang did not exchange pleasantries and said directly: "It was presumptuous of me to invite Master Han's husband here today. But it concerns my son, so I had to inquire personally. Master Han's husband, you have been on good terms with Jiayou recently—do you know that Jiayou is now too ill to rise from bed?"

"The Chang Gongjun is of noble status, and I would not dare presume to intrude upon him, so I was unaware of this... May I ask what afflicts His Highness? Qinglan wishes His Highness a speedy recovery."

Shen Qinglan clutched the hem of his clothes tightly with both hands, already guessing what Empress Zhang was about to say.

And sure enough.

The next moment, Empress Zhang said: "The imperial physician says my son suffers from melancholy lodged in his heart, and the source of that melancholy is your husband, Han Qinzhang..."

Shen Qinglan's eyes instantly reddened upon hearing these words.

He knew that Chang Gongjun Jiayou's approach toward him had never been well-intentioned—the man truly wanted to steal his husband!

Shen Qinglan struggled to suppress the churning guilt within him, disregarding propriety as he forced a smile and interrupted: "Empress! This humble wife is deeply alarmed. My husband is but a lowly, insignificant court official—what virtue or ability does he possess to have caused harm to His Highness's imperial health? There must be some misunderstanding in this."

"A misunderstanding? I too wish it were so..."

Empress Zhang did not take offense at his interruption, but sighed mournfully: "I know that coming to speak with you about this today is rather improper, but that child Jiayou is obstinate by nature—once he sets his mind on something, even ten oxen couldn't drag him back."

"Ever since that trip to Hanshan, when Master Han saved Jiayou, he fell for him at first sight."

"Unfortunately, Master Han was already married, so he could only give up and instead cultivate a friendship with you, hoping to learn of Master Han's well-being through your words, to ease the pangs of lovesickness."

"But matters of the heart cannot be suppressed so easily. Jiayou has now been made ill by his pining. As his mother, my heart aches to see him so, which is why I had no choice but to come and make this request of you today..."

At this point, Empress Zhang paused, then continued in a gentle tone:

"This matter is Jiayou's fault, and Master Han is a trusted aide to the Crown Prince. I would not wish to be the one to tear apart a loving couple, but for Jiayou's health, I must be thick-skinned enough to raise this matter... Would you, Master Han's wife, be willing to share your husband with my son, and together compose a tale of 'two wives sharing one husband'?"

Her words seemed like a gentle request, but in truth, they left no room for refusal.

When an empress condescends to plead with a subject, any subject who fails to nod appreciatively would be challenging the majesty of the imperial family.

Shen Qinglan felt cold all over. He knew he could not resist—offending the imperial family would bring disaster upon his entire household—but neither could he bring himself to share his husband with another!

"Empress, His Highness is of imperial lineage, precious as gold and jade. All the finest men in the realm are yours to choose from—why fixate on a man who already has a husband? My husband once swore publicly to be mine alone for life. If His Highness were to marry into our home, how would the world view my husband? And how would they view the majesty of the imperial house?"

"My husband is but a humble official, unworthy of such fortune as 'two wives sharing one husband.' I humbly beg Your Majesty to reconsider..."

Shen Qinglan struggled to suppress the fear and anger within him, his eyes red as he pleaded his case with all his might.

Seeing him like this, Empress Zhang knew she was in the wrong, but for her son's sake, she had to steel her heart. Her tone remained calm, yet carried an unyielding pressure:

"The gossip of the outside world need not concern you. Once His Majesty issues an imperial edict of marriage, it will be a match praised by all."

"Master Han's wife, you are a clever person. Jiayou is the only prince born of the Empress, the younger brother of the Crown Prince. His wishes are not something I, His Majesty, or the Crown Prince can easily ignore."

"Han Zhang is exceptionally talented. His Majesty and the Crown Prince both hold him in high regard—his future knows no bounds. If he could marry into the imperial household as a consort, he would become a member of the imperial family by marriage, which would be icing on the cake for his career."

"I know your bond with Master Han is deep, and Jiayou is not the sort to be intolerant. Once he enters your household, you will remain the principal wife. He will never use his status to oppress you—the two of you will share equal standing."

"In this way, Jiayou's wish is fulfilled, his ailment cured, Master Han's career benefits, and you... suffer no loss either. In the future, when Master Han rises to high office, the children you bear will also benefit from their father's influence. Is that not good?"

Empress Zhang's voice remained gentle, but her gaze carried an unyielding pressure.

When the imperial family bestows such favor, what subject dares refuse?