dognovel Chapter 206 Entering the Palace to See You
Chapter 206 Entering the Palace to See You
Mu Yin accepted the order and left, while Shen Yanchu went into the study. He sat at his desk, recalling the events on the battlefield. Although the great victory over the Tatars seemed to have gone smoothly, there were quite a few strange things going on.
Some of the enemy's actions seem to be orchestrated in secret; that hidden force is like a venomous snake, ready to strike again at any moment. Moreover, the court itself is far from peaceful; various factions are intricately intertwined, like a vast web.
On the northern frontier, he received several mysterious letters. Some of them contained information about enemy deployments, while others were warnings to him to stay out of trouble.
He knew full well that behind this was a conspiracy between certain factions in the court and foreign enemies, attempting to disrupt the order of the dynasty. And the imperial concubine who poisoned him was probably a key link in this conspiracy.
Miss Shi was his benefactor. She appeared frail, yet possessed extraordinary wisdom and courage. She had inadvertently revealed some clues about court secrets, which made Shen Yanchu realize that she might be a key figure in unraveling the mystery.
However, she suddenly disappeared, as if she had vanished into thin air, which left Shen Yanchu constantly worried about her.
Several days later, Mu Yin came to report back.
"My lord, we have made some progress in finding Miss Shi. I have discovered that she is currently residing in Xinyang, Youzhou, and is serving as the magistrate of Xinyang County."
Mu Yin received orders from Prince Shen Yanchu to investigate the astonishing Miss Shi. Mu Yin was filled with disdain. In his eyes, Miss Shi, as a woman, was not content with her lot; not only did she appear in public, but she also became a county magistrate—this was utterly immoral. How could such a woman be worthy of the incomparably noble Prince?
When Shen Yanchu heard this news, he was genuinely stunned. He hadn't expected that Miss Shi would have such courage to defy public opinion and enter officialdom as a woman.
In this world, it's not easy for a woman to become an official, let alone a man, especially for a woman with no background.
In this world, being an official is never a simple matter. The complexities and dangers behind it are far beyond what a woman like her can handle. Therefore, he once again instructed Mu Yin to thoroughly investigate all of Miss Shi's circumstances during this period.
"Mu Yin, go and find out who is supporting Miss Shi. I know her background very well. If no one helps her, how can a woman with neither official rank nor family background enter officialdom?"
Mu Yin accepted the order and left, closing the door and leaving Shen Yanchu alone in the study to handle official business.
Soon, in just two days, the people in Youzhou had found out everything about Shi Wanxia.
Mu Yin hurriedly reported to the prince, and Shen Yanchu, upon hearing this, looked at the young lady with even greater admiration. It turned out that after parting ways with him, Miss Shi had settled in Xinyang, Youzhou.
She met Cui Zhihao by chance, and at that time, the position of registrar of Xinyang was vacant. Cui Zhihao actually hired Miss Shi as the registrar.
Miss Shi did not disappoint Cui Zhihao's kindness in recognizing her talent. During her tenure in Xinyang, she solved many strange cases and suppressed the voices that questioned whether women could serve as officials.
He knew Cui Zhihao; he was from the Wushui branch of Qinghe and a generation older than him. But why would he be so indulgent towards Miss Shi? Could it be that he...?
The thought that someone was eyeing Miss Shi made him flustered and he couldn't sit still. The steward came to report, and the palace reported that His Majesty was holding a celebration banquet for her, and the chief eunuch, Eunuch Qi, was waiting outside.
Seeing this, Mu Yin quickly instructed the servant to help the prince change his clothes. He then left the room to wait. Although that young lady was different from other women in the world, her status was too lowly. How could she be worthy of the prince?
Less than a quarter of an hour later, Shen Yanchu had changed his clothes. He was wearing a dark blue robe and casual clothes, with a black sash around his waist, from which hung a green jade sunflower pendant. He stood in the cold snow, his appearance dignified.
He stood tall and straight, and his magnificent robes accentuated his extraordinary bearing. The guards hurriedly followed the prince, escorting him out of the palace.
Outside the Prince's residence, Eunuch Qi had been waiting for a long time. Upon seeing Prince Xiang emerge, he hurriedly stepped forward to pay his respects, his face plastered with a fawning smile.
"This old servant greets Your Highness. May Your Highness be well," said Eunuch Qi respectfully.
Shen Yanchu nodded slightly in response. He glanced sharply at Eunuch Qi, pondering his intentions.
"Eunuch Qi, have you been waiting long?" Shen Yanchu asked calmly.
Eunuch Qi quickly replied, "Your Highness is too kind to this old servant."
Shen Yanchu pondered for a moment, and had already made up his mind. He turned to the guards and said, "You wait here, I will be right back."
After saying that, he followed Eunuch Qi into the carriage, which sped towards the palace.
The imperial city was solemn and imposing as court officials and their families attended Prince Xiang's victory banquet, ordered by imperial decree. Young ladies from noble families alighted from their carriages and, guided by palace attendants, proceeded to the banquet.
Dressed in magnificent attire, adorned with jewels and carrying fragrant handkerchiefs, they moved with graceful steps and captivating elegance. The palace maids and eunuchs along the way couldn't help but turn their heads, casting admiring and awe-inspiring glances at these beautiful women.
At the banquet, His Highness Prince Xiang, dressed in a python robe and wearing a crown, sat regally in the main seat. His face was beaming with the joy of victory, and his eyes revealed confidence and majesty.
The ministers raised their glasses to congratulate His Highness Prince Xiang. The young ladies from noble families sat quietly to the side, enjoying the spectacle.
Suddenly, a palace maid approached Prince Xiang and whispered, "Your Highness, Her Majesty the Empress requests your presence." Prince Xiang nodded, rose, and left the banquet. The young ladies from noble families all speculated about what the Empress wanted to discuss with Prince Xiang.
After a while, His Highness Prince Xiang returned. His face was still beaming with joy, but a hint of worry was in his eyes.
Amidst the kneeling obeisance of the crowd, the Emperor and Empress slowly entered the hall, their faces radiating majesty and solemnity. The Emperor, dressed in a dragon robe and wearing a crown, stood tall and imposing.
The Empress was dressed in a magnificent phoenix robe and wore a phoenix crown. She had a beautiful face and an elegant demeanor.
"Rise!" the Emperor's voice rang out, and everyone stood up.
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" everyone said in unison.
The Emperor and Empress sat on the Dragon Throne and Phoenix Throne, respectively, while Eunuch Qi stood to the side.
"Today, I have summoned all my beloved ministers here to celebrate the great victory of Cangling over the Tatar army. Among them, Prince Xiang, Shen Yanchu, has made the greatest contribution. Therefore, this banquet is specially prepared to welcome and celebrate Prince Xiang," the Emperor said.
The ministers immediately rose and responded: "Congratulations, Your Majesty! Congratulations, Prince Xiang! Heaven blesses the land, and you have utterly defeated the Tatars."
The respectful words of the courtiers pleased Emperor Shen Yulin of Cangling greatly, and he quickly gestured for them to rise.
The crowd listened quietly to the emperor's speech, nodding occasionally in agreement.
The Empress sat quietly to one side, a dignified and kind smile on her face, nodding occasionally.
A solemn and dignified atmosphere permeated the entire hall.