Upon hearing the news of the Crown Prince’s suicide, the Empress hung herself in the Weiyang Palace.
At the time, Emperor Chu was dealing with government affairs at Guangju Palace, but he was already distracted. When Eunuch Shen came to inform him of the news, he fell silent for a moment before saying, “I see.” He waved his hand to signal the people to leave.
No longer having the mind to handle government affairs, he covered the memorials and leaned back on the soft pillow, looking at the scenery outside the window, lost in thought. Shen Fengyue saw him like this and did not dare to disturb him, only copying calligraphy by the side.
Empress Wei Jing was Emperor Chu’s first wife, chosen by the late Emperor himself as the Crown Prince’s consort. She married into the Eastern Palace at the age of fourteen, and as a young couple, they had been together for decades. Now, upon hearing the sad news of her passing, he couldn’t help but feel extremely sad.
He recalled the wedding night when he lifted the red veil, revealing her beautiful face in a phoenix crown and a red wedding dress; and when he ascended the throne, he saw the soft eyebrows and eyes of a woman beside him.
Images of the Empress’s appearance and memories of their time together flooded his mind.
Gradually, those faces and memories disappeared and transformed into the appearance of another woman. Emperor Chu looked towards that woman, Concubine Yan who was practicing calligraphy, as she got off the bed and came forward to hold his hand.
Shen Fengyue, “Sanlang?”
Emperor Chu withdrew the brush in his hand and placed it aside. He gazed deeply into her eyes and said affectionately, “Yan Yan, the Crown Prince betrayed me, Prince Qi has disappointed me, and now Jing’er has left me too. From now on, only you remain by my side. Don’t disappoint me.”
Shen Fengyue felt a chill in his heart upon hearing this and felt that something was not right. What was this old man thinking about again?
Emperor Chu continued to talk to him for a while, and Shen Fengyue responded obediently with a gentle demeanor. After Emperor Chu left with a smile on his face, Shen Fengyue was left alone in the room feeling bored, so he decided to go out and clear his mind.
He didn’t allow anyone to follow him and walked alone on the road, noticing someone following him. Was it Eunuch Shen again?
He deliberately walked to a secluded area and sneered, “Come out.”
There was a woman’s cry, followed by a sound, and when Shen Fengyue turned around, he saw Concubine Zhang kneeling in front of him.
“What do you mean by this?” He helped Concubine Zhang up.
Concubine Zhang wiped her tears, her nose red from crying, and looked pitifully at him. “Save me, Your Majesty!”
However, Concubine Shen was no longer the same as before. Unlike in the past, no matter how pretty the girl cried, his heart remained unmoved. He only asked in a businesslike manner, “Wipe away your tears first, and then tell me what happened. Only then can I help you.”
Concubine Zhang pleaded, “Since the Crown Prince’s death, His Majesty has been vigorously purging, and my father, who stood with the Crown Prince, has been implicated. Now that Your Ladyship has the Emperor’s favor and His Majesty listens to your words, only you can help me.” As she spoke, she was about to kneel down.
Shen Fengyue quickly grabbed her arm to prevent her from kneeling and felt anxious inside.
The Crown Prince’s rebellion was a sensitive topic. As the son of Emperor Chu, the Emperor would not want to punish him, but those who followed him would surely face severe punishment.
He remained silent for a long time, and Concubine Zhang became increasingly anxious, calling out in distress, “Noble Concubine…”
“Please save… save my family. I will always remember your kindness.”
Her gentle plea brought Shen Fengyue back to reality. There was already a noticeable height difference between them, and now they were even closer.
Concubine Zhang looked up at the woman towering above her and waited as she stared at her for a long time before finally hearing a voice that sounded like redemption and hope;
“Alright.”
Concubine Zhang was extremely grateful and, with Shen Fengyue’s comfort, wiped away her tears with a handkerchief and returned to her own palace with red eyes.
After this little incident with Concubine Zhang, Shen Fengyue investigated further and learned how crazy the old man had become lately.
First, he purged many officials in the court, and then he began to indulge in feasts and revelry in the palace, becoming lost in luxury and excess.
Such a life, someone of his age, his body definitely couldn’t take it. At the banquet, Shen Fengyue saw him coughing while drinking secretly.
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