bookcurios Chapter 1184 Return to Zhongcui Palace
Chapter 1184 Return to Zhongcui Palace
The wheels rolled over the smooth bluestone pavement of Zhuque Street in the capital, making a dull and regular sound.
The chill of winter, accompanied by the hustle and bustle of the capital, hits me in the face.
The autumn hunt that lasted for more than a month finally ended, and the imperial carriage slowly drove into the imperial city in the bleak winter scenery.
Returning with the emperor's procession were figures chained and trapped in prison carts.
The case of treason in the Duke Dingguo's Mansion has caused a huge uproar in the capital!
The once extremely powerful Duke Dingguo's Mansion was surrounded by heavy troops.
The bustling scene of the past is gone, leaving only the cold iron armor and the solemn silence.
Duke Dingguo himself, along with his core followers, the generals who participated in the Weichang Incident, the leaders of his private army, and even the officials who secretly transported food, fodder, and weapons...
They were all uprooted and thrown into the deepest part of the sky prison, a dark cell where no sunlight could be seen.
What awaits them will be the emperor’s most severe reckoning!
In addition to these prominent rebels, another name was also mentioned repeatedly by everyone——
Lu Shenshi, Shen Nanqiao.
She was the main culprit who intended to poison Concubine Chen.
She is also... the biological sister of Concubine Chen Shen Zhinian!
This indelible blood relationship instantly triggered a frenzy of discussion throughout the capital.
Teahouses, taverns, inner courtyards, streets and alleys...
Countless pairs of eyes flashed with complex lights.
Countless mouths lowered their voices, excitedly chewing on this palace secret.
"Have you heard? Imperial Concubine Chen's own sister is colluding with the traitor to poison her!"
"This is truly appalling! Sisters, how could this happen?"
"Tsk tsk... Where can Minister Shen put his face now? His eldest daughter has become the criminal who murdered his second daughter..."
"I'm afraid it's going to be difficult for Concubine Chen this time. On one side is the national law, and on the other is your own sister."
"What's so difficult about that? In my opinion, Your Majesty, if you sacrifice your own family for the sake of justice, you will be more righteous!"
"..."
In the Minister of Personnel's residence, in Shen Maoxue's study, the air pressure was frighteningly low.
On the fine rosewood desk, a copied list of rebels was thrown heavily onto the table.
Shen Maoxue's face turned ashen, his chest heaved violently, and the veins on his forehead throbbed faintly.
He stared at the glaring words "Lu Shenshi Nanqiao" on the list, as if he wanted to burn through the paper.
An indescribable anger, mixed with a huge sense of humiliation, filled Shen Maoxue's heart.
"Rebellious girl! Evil creature!"
Although he had known the news for a long time, he was still furious when the news spread. "The reputation of my Shen family was ruined by her alone! How dare she?!"
"That rebellious girl actually colluded with the traitor to murder Concubine Chen?! She's trying to drag my entire Shen family into hell!"
Shen Maoxue was so angry that he paced back and forth in the study, and the hem of his official robe raised a gust of wind.
Thinking of another thing, he angrily said: "The wings are hard! Concubine Chen's wings are really hard!"
"I told her to take care of everything and quietly dispose of that evildoer. But she insisted on taking that rebellious girl back to the capital and having her tried by the three judges. The whole city is in an uproar, knowing everything!"
"Does she still have respect for me as her father? Does she still have respect for the Shen family?!"
The trusted aide standing by hung his head, not daring to breathe.
Only when Shen Maoxue's breathing subsided a little did he carefully raise his head and tentatively say, "Master, calm down!"
"The done deal is done."
"Mrs. Lu has been imprisoned in the Heavenly Prison, and the case is irreversible. Now, Master, what do you think...how should we respond?"
"Should we try to..."
The aide didn't finish his words, but his meaning was clear.
Should I use my connections to get rid of Shen Nanqiao quietly?
"No!"
Shen Maoxue suddenly stopped and looked at his staff with bloodshot eyes.
The rage in his eyes was like being poured over by a basin of ice water, instantly cooling and solidifying, leaving only a heart-pounding clarity.
Shen Maoxue slowly stood up and took a deep breath. His face, which had just turned red due to rage, quickly faded away, and he returned to his usual deep and restrained self.
He walked to the window and pushed it open a crack.
A biting cold wind blew in, causing his official robe to flutter slightly and blowing away the remaining anger in his heart.
"You said it yourself, it's a done deal."
"Now, everything I do is in vain. All I can do is to fulfill my duty as a subject and wait patiently for the judgment of the state law."
"Shen Nanqiao..."
Shen Maoxue's voice was calm, as if he was talking about a complete stranger: "She committed treason and murder, the unforgivable crime. She has nothing to do with the Shen family anymore!"
"Whether she lives or dies is a matter for the law of the land and the emperor to decide! Why should I dirty my hands?"
The staff member understood and said, "Yes..."
It is indeed too late to take action now, and it will only give people an advantage and get them into trouble.
Shen Maoxue turned around and said, "Pass on my words. No one in the mansion is allowed to mention that rebellious girl again, and no one is allowed to take any rash actions!"
"Anyone who dares to discuss this privately, or even attempt to get involved in the slightest with the Heavenly Prison, will be punished according to the family rules, with no leniency!"
The staff was intimidated by the cold power in Shen Maoxue's eyes and quickly bowed and said, "Yes, sir! I understand!"
Shen Maoxue walked to the desk, looked at the eye-catching list, and was silent for a moment.
When he spoke again, his tone had become incomparably reverent: "Also, order everyone in the palace to be even more respectful and devoted to Her Majesty the Imperial Concubine Chen than before!"
"Your Majesty is fighting for the country and eliminating traitors. You are so righteous and awe-inspiring. It is truly a blessing for our Shen family!"
"All the grace and honor the Shen family has received now is due to Her Majesty the Imperial Concubine Chen. Whoever dares to be disrespectful to Her Majesty, or harbors resentment towards Her Majesty because of Shen Nanqiao's incident..."
He paused, his voice as cold as ice: "That's just destroying one's own life! I, the first one, will not tolerate that person!"
The staff member's heart trembled, and he lowered his head deeply: "Yes! I will remember this and do it immediately!"
He no longer dared to have any doubts and quickly retreated, feeling a layer of cold sweat on his back.
Look at the master's attitude... In the master's heart, Concubine Chen has become the unshakable pillar of the Shen family!
Shen Maoxue was the only one left in the study.
He slowly sat back in the armchair and closed his eyes tiredly.
The mighty power he had just forced himself to maintain dissipated, leaving only a deep sense of fatigue and cold calculation.
Shen Maoxue knew clearly that in the face of imperial power and overwhelming favor, father-daughter love and family dignity were all false.
The only way for the Shen family to move up in this storm is to hold on to the towering tree of Concubine Chen.
Moreover, she must not be allowed to harbor any resentment towards the Shen family!
……
The chill of early winter was kept out by the numerous palace gates.
The familiar warm fragrance of Zhongcui Palace hit my face, instantly washing away all the fatigue from the journey and the hustle and bustle of the capital.
Shen Zhinian stepped into the main hall and took off his heavy silver fox cloak.