Steal my marriage? Turn around and marry the tyrant to take the throne

Chapter 1337 Shen Zhinian’s Speculation

Her gaze returned to the Fourth Prince, who was trying to catch the bell, and she spoke softly, "One's destiny must ultimately be fought for by oneself."

The sun was setting slightly in the west, and light and shadows were flowing in the hall.

Shen Zhinian estimated that the time was almost up, so he said to Handan, "...Send Doctor Tang here. Tell him to come and take my pulse and tell him that I'm feeling a little tired."

Handan replied and left: "As you command."

In just two cups of tea, Tang Luochuan arrived with a medicine box.

He was still dressed in the robes of an imperial physician, which made him look thin and handsome. His face was handsome but with a hint of sickly gloom. Only his eyes were dark, revealing a coldness that was inconsistent with his age.

Entering the inner hall, Tang Luochuan knelt down according to etiquette: "Your humble servant pays homage to Her Majesty the Imperial Noble Consort. May Your Majesty be blessed with good health!"

"Doctor Tang, please stand up."

Shen Zhinian motioned him to come closer: "I'd like to ask Imperial Doctor Tang to check my pulse."

Tang Luochuan responded "yes", took a few steps forward, sat down on the embroidered cushion placed by the palace maid, and took out the pulse pillow.

Fuqiu gently placed a silk handkerchief on Shen Zhinian's wrist.

As Tang Luochuan's fingertips touched Shen Zhinian's wrist, the hall fell silent for a moment.

He lowered his eyes and carefully felt the pulse, his expression focused.

After a moment, Tang Luochuan withdrew his hand and replied respectfully, "The Imperial Concubine's pulse is calm and gentle, with an even rhythm, and her Qi and blood are abundant. She is in good health and there is nothing wrong."

Shen Zhinian nodded slightly and withdrew his hand.

Taking the pulse is just an excuse.

She picked up the teacup and gently stirred the floating leaves with the cup lid. She asked casually, "Doctor Tang, regarding the matter you mentioned last time... have there been any recent progress?"

Tang Luochuan naturally knew what Shen Zhinian was asking.

His expression remained unchanged, but his voice was lowered, ensuring only Shen Zhinian and his trusted palace maid were able to hear. "To the Imperial Concubine, I, your humble servant, have already, as instructed by your Majesty, 'accidentally' revealed the record of the remedy for sterility in the fragments of the Western Regions to He Yuanpan during a discussion of medical principles. It has been some time since then."

Having said that, Tang Luochuan paused and continued, "It's just... there wasn't any unusual reaction from the Heyuan judge."

"He went to the Imperial Hospital as usual every day to study medical books. When he took Your Majesty's pulse, he found nothing unusual."

"Wei Chen..."

Tang Luochuan hesitated for a moment, then said, "I have worked with He Yuanpan for several years and know him well. He is devoted to medicine, his mind is pure, and one could even say... a little naive about worldly matters."

"Your Majesty, I do not think that the Court Judge has connected this matter with the situation in the palace."

Shen Zhinian gently put down the teacup and shook his head: "No."

"Heyuan Pan may be indifferent to other matters, but when it comes to the health of the dragon, he will never be negligent or slack in the slightest."

"Since he already knew about the existence of such a sinister creature in the Western Regions, and no concubines in the harem were pregnant, given his medical skills and sense of responsibility, it is impossible for him not to have doubts, let alone no associations."

"In that case, there is only one possibility left..."

Tang Luochuan was such a clear-sighted person that his pupils suddenly shrank when he heard that, and the usual gloomy look on his face seemed to be more obvious.

He raised his eyes to look at Shen Zhinian. Even though he tried his best to restrain himself, there was a hint of disbelief in his voice: "Your Majesty means... Your Majesty may know?"

"Even... the harem hasn't had any concubines happy for a long time, maybe it's because..."

The following words were so shocking that Tang Luochuan didn't dare to say them out loud.

The emperor killed himself? This is unbelievable!

Shen Zhinian was also shocked by his own inference.

But she still maintained her composure, only her eyes were a little darker.

"I don't want to think that either."

Shen Zhinian said slowly: "But considering everything at the moment, this seems to be the most reasonable explanation."

Handan, who had been listening intently, couldn't help but gasp and said in a lost voice, "But...but why does Your Majesty do this?"

Yes, why?

Shen Zhinian couldn't understand it at first.

But having lived two lives, she understands Nangong Xuanyu far better than ordinary people.

The man's mind is as deep as the sea, and his actions are often unexpected, but every step he takes must have a deep meaning.

Nangong Xuanyu's life experience suddenly emerged in her mind——

Born to a palace maid, he lost his mother at a young age and grew up in the turbulent and treacherous palace. He even experienced the most brutal battle in history between ten dragons to succeed the throne, stepping on the blood, tears and bones of his brothers to ascend to the supreme throne.

Is it...

A vague but surprising idea gradually became clear.

Could it be that, having personally experienced the brutal fratricide of brothers and the killing of their own flesh and blood, Nangong Xuanyu couldn't bear to see his offspring repeat the same mistakes, so he simply eliminated this possibility at the source?

This guess made Shen Zhinian feel a chill in his heart, but he also felt strangely that it fit Nangong Xuanyu's complex and unpredictable temperament.

But this is just speculation after all.

The will of heaven is unpredictable. How could she fully understand the emperor's thoughts?

Shen Zhinian took a deep breath, suppressed the turmoil in his heart, and said to Tang Luochuan: "This matter ends here."

"Doctor Tang, there's no need to deliberately probe or monitor the movements of the Court Judge or even His Majesty from now on. Lest you add unnecessary pressure and draw His Majesty's attention, causing unnecessary trouble."

Tang Luochuan had calmed down at this moment, knowing that the water inside was unfathomable and it was impossible for a minister to peek into it.

He immediately bowed and replied solemnly, "I understand."

"Today's words, spoken by the Empress, will not be leaked to the ears of this humble minister."

"I believe in you."

Shen Zhinian nodded: "You go."

"Wei Chen retire."

Tang Luochuan bowed again, picked up the medicine box, and walked out of Yongshou Palace steadily.

Silence returned to the hall. Shen Zhinian looked at the setting sun outside the window. The golden light outlined her bright and beautiful profile, but her eyes were so deep that they were unfathomable.

The heart of an emperor is like a needle on the seabed.

If her guess was true... Nangong Xuanyu, this man, was even more unpredictable than she had imagined.

……

Time flies, and it is late March in a blink of an eye.

The late spring breeze blew across the palace walls, bringing a touch of warmth.

The fourth prince is already one year and seven months old.

When Shen Zhinian was holding him and teasing him, he carefully counted the row of white teeth in his mouth and found that there were as many as sixteen of them.

Nanny Lin watched from the side, her smile deepening the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes as she praised, "The Fourth Prince is really strong, and his teeth are well-shaped, just like the Empress's when she was a child!"

The little guy has been able to walk steadily for a long time, and recently he has begun to learn to run by stumbling. He is full of enthusiasm for activities such as climbing on the couch and climbing on the stool.

The thick velvet carpet in the main hall of Yongshou Palace became a small world for him to explore freely.

Although the Fourth Prince was somewhat mischievous and restless, Yongshou Palace had ample staff to attend to him. Nanny Lin, the wet nurse, and a host of palace maids and eunuchs were all quick-witted and took meticulous care of him.