When Shen Wanru was still unmarried, Madam Shen knew that her daughter was in good health, yet she tragically passed away in the palace due to an incurable illness. In the days leading up to Shen Wanru's death, Madam Shen frequently visited the palace and saw that her daughter's condition fluctuated, leaving her emaciated and worn out. How could she not feel heartbroken?
Despite the regret and sorrow, life had to go on for so long, and she had to move on eventually. Later, His Majesty the Emperor made a former lady-in-waiting of the Empress Dowager his empress, which strained his relationship with the Empress Dowager. Madam Shen felt uncomfortable, but she dared not utter a single word.
Now, hearing the former Consort De say that there were suspicious circumstances surrounding her daughter's death, she was shocked. She knew she shouldn't investigate further, but she couldn't suppress her curiosity. She comforted herself, telling herself that it was just a matter of meeting her and hearing her side of the story, and that it wasn't a big deal. Madam Shen ordered her maid to go and fetch her.
Sitting upright with a cup of tea beside her, Madam Shen watched Nie Shaoguang walk slowly towards her, and sighed inwardly. Judging from her complexion and figure, she knew that Nie Shaoguang had not been doing well since returning to the General's Mansion; she was probably still resentful and unable to let go of her obsession.
Nie Shaoguang and Madam Shen greeted each other respectfully. Although Nie Shaoguang was no longer the Consort De and was considered a junior compared to Madam Shen, Madam Shen was very polite to her. When Nie Shaoguang greeted her, Madam Shen stood up and returned a half-bow before inviting her to sit down.
After instructing a maid to serve tea, Madam Shen looked at Nie Shaoguang with a gentle expression, concealing her thoughts, and smiled, "I was quite surprised that Miss Nie had the time to visit the Shen residence today. I wonder what Miss Nie wishes to say?"
Madam Shen didn't beat around the bush with Nie Shaoguang; she was extremely concerned about the meaning behind his words. Since this person had come knowing she cared, there was no need for concealment. Having taken the initiative to approach her, the one seeking her help must be Nie Shaoguang.
Nie Shaoguang glanced at the maids and servants around her, then smiled at Madam Shen, "Does Madam really think it's easy to talk with so many people around? If outsiders heard this, it would probably sound very serious." Her leisurely tone carried a hint of arrogance, which made Madam Shen feel uncomfortable.
At this moment, the maidservant brought Nie Shaoguang hot tea. Madam Shen then dismissed everyone in the room, instructing her personal maidservant to stand guard outside and not allow anyone to enter. Once everyone else was gone, Madam Shen nodded slightly to Nie Shaoguang and asked, "So, may we speak now?"
Nie Shaoguang nodded to her, then smiled and lowered his voice, "Madam Shen, this is a very important matter. I still want to ask you something first: if there were any suspicious circumstances surrounding the Empress's death... what would you do? For example, what if she didn't actually die of illness, but was murdered?"
Madam Shen's expression changed drastically upon hearing this. She stared at Nie Shaoguang in horror, noticing a flash of madness in her eyes. She instantly lost her previous composure, her face showing signs of exhaustion.
Nie Shaoguang's words were so shocking and terrifying that Madam Shen's hand, hidden in her sleeve, trembled, and her body shook uncontrollably. She forced a smile, but her lips trembled as she asked, "What...do you mean by that?"
She didn't even dare to think about what huge secret was hidden behind those few words!
Compared to Madam Shen's shock, Nie Shaoguang's smile deepened. If Madam Shen acted completely indifferent, that would be a big problem for her; if she cared, that would be good, because caring was the only way to make a difference.
Nie Shaoguang felt satisfied. After being sent out of the palace for so long, she had finally felt a sense of joy again.
...
After a pleasant conversation with Madam Shen, Nie Shaoguang returned to the General's Mansion, only to be met by an enraged Nie Zhiyuan. She didn't want to deal with him and felt tired, wanting to go back to her room to rest, but was forcibly taken to Nie Zhiyuan's study.
Her wrist ached from being gripped so tightly, and Nie Shaoguang was extremely displeased. She was no match for her brother in terms of physical strength and couldn't break free. This feeling of being restrained made her very uncomfortable. Taken into the study, she seized the moment when Nie Zhiyuan loosened his grip slightly and shook off his arm.
"What do you mean?" Nie Shaoguang stared at Nie Zhiyuan with hostility, responding coldly and questioning him first. Nie Zhiyuan suppressed his anger, took a step forward, his tall figure seemingly shielding Nie Shaoguang, and sneered, asking, "What were you doing at the Shen family today?"
Nie Shaoguang narrowed her eyes, meeting Nie Zhiyuan's gaze without fear, her smile laced with mockery. "What can I do? Now you're trying to control me? If you want me to die, why bother criticizing me? I'll do what I want, it's none of your business!"
“If you keep causing trouble, I’ll have to have someone keep an eye on you and not let you step out of the yard.” Seeing her agitated state, Nie Zhiyuan knew the seriousness of her actions and hardened his heart to threaten her, “It’s better for everyone if you stay calm and peaceful. No one will abandon you, it’s just that you can’t get over it.”
"When you wanted to enter the palace back then, how did your family try to dissuade you? How many tears did your mother shed because you insisted on going to the palace? She's getting old now and can't take any more of this. Can't you think about her a little more? How much more worry do you want your mother to have for you before you're happy?"
Nie Zhiyuan's words were quite impolite, which only provoked Nie Shaoguang to lose control of her emotions further. She took a step forward, looked up at her brother, and two lines of tears slid down her cheeks as she sobbed, "But so what? He doesn't want me anymore. My life is ruined because of him. What right does he have? Tell me, what right does he have?!"
Nie Shaoguang's inner weakness was revealed, leaving Nie Zhiyuan at a loss for words. He too felt heartache for his sister, but what could he do now? Should he recklessly oppose that person? Besides, the family had already accepted the compensation; this matter would not be changed.
He often thought that if he had insisted on stopping his sister back then and hadn't compromised, at least she wouldn't have entered the palace, wouldn't be so unhappy all the time, and wouldn't have ended up in this situation. But it's too late to change anything; time can never be reversed, and everything is already set in stone.
Nie Shaoguang only shed a few tears before stopping her crying.
The siblings remained silent and parted on bad terms.
Author's Note: Speed is back, updating early o(*≧▽≦)ツ┏━┓
Chapter 103 Farewell
The Nie and Shen families had little interaction in the past, but Nie Shaoguang's contact with the Shen family was something Nie Zhiyuan couldn't ignore, and it also caught the attention of Zhang Yu and Prince Ning. Especially after that, Nie Shaoguang visited the Chen family. The Chen family had Chen Yifei, who, like her, had been sent out of the palace, making the matter even more intriguing.
However, Nie Shaoguang's purpose was still unclear, and the rest of the Nie family had not made any moves, so they were unlikely to take the initiative. Therefore, Prince Ning simply ordered his men to keep a close eye on things and did nothing else. Only when he became involved with the Shen family did he think of Empress Shen and fear that things might become complicated.
Nie Shaoguang's intentions may be to deal with Ling Xiao, but they are not solely aimed at her. Beyond this, there are too many people and events that could be drawn in, including Zhang Yu, Song Shuhao, and many things that have just begun with Ling Xiao—all of whom could potentially suffer as a result.
Initially, Prince Ning had some objections to Zhang Yu's plan to relocate the concubines in the harem, but his sixth brother was determined and unwilling to change his mind. However, this move ultimately involved too many issues, especially concerning certain families, and was extremely detrimental to his sixth brother, so now he felt that hidden dangers were emerging.
The worst-case scenario is that all the past efforts will be in vain.
However, the Nie, Shen, and Chen families showed no unusual behavior afterward, and Nie Shaoguang himself returned to his reclusive life. Having prepared themselves mentally, it was best to observe and wait. They had been concerned about Nie Zhiyuan's actions, but hadn't expected this discovery.
Prince Ning explained the situation to Zhang Yu in detail. Zhang Yu remained silent, seemingly unsure whether he had anticipated this turn of events or was simply accepting of it. He only reminded Prince Ning to pay close attention to Ling Xiao's safety.
With no further developments, the matter has temporarily cooled down.
·
Song Shuhao's early pregnancy symptoms were quite severe, with nausea, drowsiness, and loss of appetite. She had to eat very bland food, avoiding all meat and greasy food, and spent 60% of her time sleeping, having no energy left to care about anything else.
Zhang Yu took care of her meals, instructing the imperial kitchen to prepare a variety of dishes. He noted down any dishes that Song Shu ate a little more than usual and instructed his subordinates to work on those aspects.
However, many times, when Zhang Yu returned from court, he found Song Shuhao sleeping; when he returned from discussing matters with ministers, he found her sleeping; when he returned after reviewing memorials, he found her still sleeping…
There's no other way.
However, Song Shuhao was usually in good spirits between waking up from her afternoon nap and going to bed at night, so Zhang Yu would always make time to spend with her. After dinner, Zhang Yu would accompany Song Shuhao for a walk before it got dark.
A pond of green leaves and red flowers was shrouded in the lingering glow of the setting sun. The fragrance of lotus was faint, and the breeze blowing across the water carried a trace of the daytime warmth, making it not particularly refreshing. Leaning against the white jade railing and gazing at the beautiful scenery, Song Shuhao remembered that Princess Zhang Jin had visited her earlier that day. She turned to look at Zhang Yu, lost in thought.
Zhang Yu's gaze fell on Song Shuhao and never left her. She looked over, and the two stared at each other. After a moment, Zhang Yu raised his hand and touched her hair, smiling as he asked, "What is it?" He paused for a second, then asked, "Did your elder sister come to say goodbye today?"
Song Shuhao hummed in agreement; she was thinking about this matter. Zhang Jin, knowing that Song Shuhao was not feeling well due to her pregnancy, came to the palace to visit her. During their conversation, she mentioned leaving Lin'an. The news came suddenly and without warning, which surprised Song Shuhao. In contrast, Zhang Jin was very calm, indicating that it was a decision made after careful consideration.
"Just how far away are we going..."
King Ji Heng of Dayuan, along with his mother Lady Jiang, came to Lin'an seeking medical treatment, and they were indeed cured. At that time, the condition Zhang Yu agreed upon with them was nothing more than to learn some excellent techniques from Dayuan, such as silkworm breeding. Although he had previously been willing to learn, he was limited by circumstances. Now, however, it was a legitimate opportunity. For some time, he had been selecting people to learn, but unexpectedly, the eldest princess volunteered.
Song Shuhao thought to herself that she was going to the border with Zhang Yu, and besides Zhang Yu, Ling Xiao was also there to accompany her. But Zhang Jin was going to Dayuan, and none of her relatives and friends would be by her side, which would be quite a hardship. This trip would take quite a while. It wasn't just about that one thing, and Zhang Jin would definitely be the leader, so she wouldn't be able to leave easily.
“She’s not a fragile person. Since she requested it herself, she must be prepared to face all kinds of situations.” Zhang Yu comforted Song Shuhao, feeling that she, like him, was thinking about the days at the border.