Palace of Benevolent Peace.
Empress Dowager Su learned about Consort Lin’s demotion early the next morning. As soon as the emperor finished court, she immediately summoned him.
“This is absurd!” Empress Dowager Su rarely scolded Shen Heng, but now she was both furious and anxious. “No matter how flawed Consort Lin may be, you shouldn’t have demoted her on her second day in the palace! What will Minister Lin think? What will those who supported your ascension, like Minister Lin, think? Will they suspect you of discarding your allies once their purpose is served—that you couldn’t wait to assert your authority over your supporters as soon as you took the throne?”
After all, they had shared over a decade of mother-son affection. Even though they weren’t related by blood, she genuinely cared for this son of hers.
Unexpectedly, Shen Heng remained expressionless and replied indifferently, “Your concerns are unnecessary, Mother. Minister Lin dared to send his daughter into the palace after raising her like this. I should be questioning whether he’s relying on his past merits to intimidate me.”
Empress Dowager Su nearly choked on her anger at these words.
She slammed the table in fury. “Was it his decision to send her? Huh? It was you who insisted on the Imperial Selection, and it was I who chose her!”
Shen Heng pondered for a moment, then frowned. “Indeed, that’s what puzzles me. Why did you choose her in the first place, Mother?”
Empress Dowager Su was so enraged that she grabbed the teacup beside her and hurled it at him.
Her aim was off, but Shen Heng didn’t bother dodging, so half of his dragon robe was splashed with tea.
Nanny Liu quickly exclaimed, “Oh dear!” and fetched a cloth to wipe it, her tone reproachful. “Your Majesty, even if you’re worried about His Majesty, you shouldn’t lose your temper like this. Since His Majesty acted this way, he must have had plans in place beforehand.”
Shen Heng waved his hand, stopping Nanny Liu from wiping his robe. He took the cloth himself and haphazardly dabbed at it, his tone calm yet infuriating. “You overthink it, Nanny Liu. I had no plans beforehand. It was entirely a spur-of-the-moment decision last night.”
Nanny Liu was left speechless. She glanced at Empress Dowager Su, who leaned back on the couch with a scoff, her eyes clearly saying, “Why aren’t you defending him now? Don’t you want to?”
“Well…” Nanny Liu racked her brains before finally putting on a pleased smile again. “Your Majesty, look how honest His Majesty is. As the ruler sets the example, so the people follow. With such a sovereign, the customs among the people will surely grow more sincere. The day when doors are left unlocked at night and lost items are returned untouched is within reach for our dynasty.”
“Pfft.”
Empress Dowager Su had just been about to take a sip of tea to calm her anger when she heard this. She sprayed the tea before it even reached her mouth.
“Oh dear, Your Majesty, that’s not proper, not proper at all.” Nanny Liu hastily grabbed another cloth and flusteredly wiped Empress Dowager Su’s face.
Empress Dowager Su couldn’t stay angry any longer. Pointing at Nanny Liu, she laughed and scolded, “You’ve been corrupted by A Wu, haven’t you? How did you learn to be so smooth-tongued and spout such nonsense!”
Shen Heng, who had been adjusting his robe, suddenly paused.
Nanny Liu noticed it keenly and gave Empress Dowager Su a meaningful look.
Empress Dowager Su snorted, her expression one of understanding. “So that’s it. No wonder you acted without a plan—you were just standing up for someone.”
Shen Heng remained silent, staring at the half-dried tea stain on his dragon robe. He patted it with the back of his hand, as if somewhat disgusted.
“Since you care so much, why restrain yourself? The day before yesterday, it was the empress; last night, it was Consort Lin. In any case, she’s already your consort. What’s stopping you from doing as you please?”
Shen Heng looked up, suddenly serious. “Mother.”
Empress Dowager Su didn’t quite understand but was impressed, instinctively straightening her posture, already mentally prepared to mediate between these two troublemakers.
Shen Heng: “Actually, regarding Minister Lin’s matter, Nanny Liu wasn’t wrong. I had planned ahead. Although I punished his daughter, I will send him a comforting imperial decree. And those officials who assisted me in the matter of my eldest brother—I will reward them openly and discreetly in the coming days. They’re not foolish; they’ll naturally understand that I distinguish between public and private matters. I simply dislike Consort Lin—it has nothing to do with court politics.”
Empress Dowager Su: …
“Go, go, go! Do whatever you want! It has nothing to do with me!”
She grumbled irritably.
Shen Heng took his leave from the Palace of Benevolent Peace, with Zhang Guide following behind. As his master, hands clasped behind his back, strolled to the intersection of the palace paths, his steps suddenly slowed. His cold, handsome face tilted slightly, as if inadvertently glancing toward the direction of the Eastern Six Palaces, his eyes deep and unfathomable.
Those who served before the emperor were all shrewd. Zhang Guide’s eyes shifted, recalling the snippets of conversation he had faintly overheard while waiting outside the Palace of Benevolent Peace. He immediately stepped forward with a smile: “Your Majesty, it’s June now, and the lotus flowers and jasmine in the imperial garden are in full bloom. Oh, and the balsam flowers—many imperial consorts enjoy using them to dye their nails. I imagine the flowerbeds are quite lively. Your Majesty must be weary from court affairs. Perhaps a stroll to relax?”
Shen Heng rubbed his jade thumb ring twice, lowered his gaze in thought for a moment, and finally said calmly, “Return to the Hall of Mental Cultivation.”
“As you command.”
These past few days, floods in the south and border disturbances in the north had made things quite unsettled. The imperial desk in the Hall of Mental Cultivation was piled high with memorials, many offering advice and strategies.
Among these suggestions, which were truly useful and which were mere armchair theories required the emperor to sift through one by one.
Shen Heng had been busy from morning court until dusk, only drinking a few cups of strong tea to stay alert, not even pausing for a meal. Zhang Guide watched with worry but could do nothing—who could persuade His Majesty when he was so resolute?
Suddenly, faint murmurs of conversation drifted from outside the hall, then fell silent.
Shortly after, a young eunuch carrying a food box entered.
Zhang Guide, recognizing the patterns and design of the food box, knew it was sent by an imperial consort. He couldn’t help but glare at the young eunuch: Didn’t he know His Majesty never allowed imperial consorts to disturb him while he was busy with state affairs? Was he asking for a scolding?
The young eunuch glanced timidly at his mentor but still bowed and reported, “Your Majesty, this is chicken noodle soup and side dishes sent by Consort Su.”
He had no choice! Consort Su had said Empress Dowager Su was concerned about His Majesty’s health and had even slipped him a large pouch of silver—both pressure and bribery. It was impossible to refuse.
At worst, he’d get a beating from His Majesty. For the silver, it was worth it!
As the young eunuch thought this, he saw the emperor behind the imperial desk suddenly look up, his terrifyingly cold and stern gaze fixed on him as if to flay him alive.
The young eunuch’s legs instantly went weak.
Actually… maybe the silver wasn’t worth it after all…
“Where is she?” the emperor asked coldly.
“Your Majesty, spare—huh?” The young eunuch didn’t react at first, stunned for a moment before realizing that His Majesty’s anger wasn’t directed at him but at Consort Su.
He sighed, mourning Consort Su silently for two seconds in his heart, then quickly replied truthfully: “Consort Su learned that Your Majesty was busy with palace affairs, so she delivered the items and left. Before departing, she instructed me to advise Your Majesty to pay attention to your health, as those who overwork inevitably age quickly. She suggested using mulberries and black wolfberries to brew tea, which can both improve eyesight and nourish the complexion.”
Shen Heng clenched the imperial brush tightly, his expression alternating between anger and resentment, finally laughing in extreme fury: “Is she concerned about my health? What nonsense about black wolfberry tea improving eyesight and nourishing the complexion—she’s just afraid that if my face ages, it will look ugly to her!”
No one dared to respond. The young eunuch trembled and knelt down, while Zhang Guide stood there, eyes fixed on his nose and heart, pretending to be dead.
Shen Heng sneered, spinning the imperial brush rapidly in his hand several times: “She’s really overthinking it. Even if I become a seventy-year-old man, I won’t look ugly to her, because I simply won’t go to see her!”
“In this palace, without my favor, she can just wait to grow old coldly, lonely, and miserable!”