Chapter 237

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Protagonist:

Shen Yao

Boarding the carriage bound for the farmstead, Shen Yao leaned against Ren Chengzhou's embrace and closed her eyes to rest.

Ren Chengzhou loosely circled Shen Yao's shoulder with one hand, while his other hand clutched the dragon-shaped jade pendant he had already removed, his gaze complex.

At the same time, at the Noble Consort's palace quarters

The Third Prince, Jiang Chengjin, was complaining to the Noble Consort with a frantic, indignant expression that Ren Chengzhou was far too ungrateful and failed to appreciate favor.

Even though Ren Chengzhou was clearly his full biological younger brother, in Jiang Chengjin's eyes this man should have died long ago, and ought to make way for his grand designs.

Jiang Guifei: ……

"Chengjin, his physical condition needs no further elaboration; even if he lives he poses no hindrance to you and me, so why complain here? Better to think about how to arrange matters on the Emperor's side."

Jiang Guifei was no longer young, but years of careful maintenance still left her stately and imposing.

At this moment she sat on the Noble Consort's chair, with Jiang Chengjin in a Prince's auspicious robe standing not far from her side.

"Mother Consort, that Ren Chengzhou today upon seeing your son, wouldn't even speak a single extra sentence.

What use is keeping such a person? If not for Mother Consort's kind heart and pity back then, petitioning Father Emperor to send him out of the palace, how could he still be alive to marry and have children?"

Simply a pipe dream!

Jiang Chengjin, who from childhood was not the Crown Prince but better than the Crown Prince, would never consider how others fared; he could think only of himself.

Right now the Emperor is pursuing immortality arts, the several cheap brothers before and after him are not behaving, the Guogong Fu he relies on has retreated at the critical moment, Jiang Chengjin is practically exploding with rage — is it just one Ren Chengzhou he is dissatisfied with? He is dissatisfied that the Emperor has so many sons under his knees vying to seize the throne.

A ruthless, vicious smile curled the corner of his mouth, directly ruining Jiang Chengjin's handsome face, "Mother Consort, Father Emperor's side grows more mistaken the longer it drags; we cannot wait any longer."

Like a demon's whisper, Jiang Chengjin goaded Jiang Guifei to charge into the breach for him.

It has always been thus: Jiang Chengjin is wicked, yet he never lets himself leave any handle.

As if all bad deeds were done by others — including Jiang Guifei and the daughter she bore, even Jiang Chengjin's own Principal Wife and the rest — all were variously induced and bewitched by Jiang Chengjin.

So by now Jiang Chengjin himself is spotless without a single flaw, but if Jiang Guifei's affairs are exposed she would have to shed a layer of skin.

Jiang Guifei's heart rose to her throat; she fixed a sharp gaze on Jiang Chengjin, "Cannot rush; the more you rush the more mistakes, your Father Emperor's body cannot hold out."

No need to jump out at this juncture; Jiang Guifei admitted she valued Jiang Chengjin, but she was also not a selflessly devoted mother who could wholeheartedly serve Jiang Chengjin with utter devotion until death.

Just as the two of them had privately discussed, directly moving against the other princes, the series of schemes to coerce the Emperor into abdicating were merely schemes; if actually put into use, Jiang Guifei would have to worry whether her own head could be kept.

Although she was a Favored Consort, this Favored Consort of hers was worth nothing compared to the Emperor's power.

Pursing her lips, indicating she needed to think carefully before deciding, Jiang Guifei unceremoniously dismissed Jiang Chengjin to leave first.

Jiang Chengjin: ……

Jiang Chengjin cursed Jiang Guifei inwardly as useless trash; she couldn't even handle this small matter, yet dared promise him the future throne — truly absurdly wishful thinking.

The white-eyed wolf trait is entirely inborn; Jiang Chengjin turned and left the palace, and decided to shake off Jiang Guifei and act alone, conveniently pinning this blame on the Noble Consort and the Guogong Fu outside the palace.

Little did he know that Jiang Chengjin's every move at this moment was seen by the good younger brother he had overlooked, Jiang Chengyu.

"Third Brother really is —" shaking his head, Jiang Chengyu felt Jiang Chengjin's arrogance would make him suffer a loss.

As a Prince currently still temporarily residing in the palace and not yet moved out, Jiang Chengyu's daily life appeared far more casual and leisurely compared to Jiang Chengjin's.

Moreover, although Jiang Chengyu was already married, he still had no offspring under his knees, and his Principal Wife was merely an ordinary official's daughter, incomparable to Jiang Chengjin's.

Thinking of the Third Brother Ren Chengzhou he had once seen in the palace, Jiang Chengyu felt Jiang Chengjin's loss had arrived — truly treating the man as a soft persimmon, pinching whenever he pleased.

Of these two Third Brothers of his, the one Jiang Chengyu admired most was still Ren Chengzhou living in the Guogong Fu.

Tapping the tabletop with his hand, Jiang Chengyu came to the door and called out to a servant.

"Proceed per the previous arrangements; if Third Brother's side moves, you do your best to help clean up some loose ends —" cannot truly send the Noble Consort and Guogong Fu inside, but can appropriately frame Jiang Chengjin to death.

The proverb says well: solve the person who causes the problem, and you have solved the problem.

If Jiang Chengjin rises to power, he will show no mercy to us full brothers, let alone other half-brothers.

Father Emperor must also be trembling with fear; he only wants Jiang Guo to continue, not to perish and fall — Jiang Chengjin is not a good choice.

"Yes, this servant understands."

The servant nodded, turned, swapped to a strange face, and left the palace.

The wind and clouds surging in Jingcheng temporarily cannot affect Shen Yao and Ren Chengzhou, the two far away at the farmstead.

They are currently enjoying themselves freely, because their two farmsteads are adjacent, and after the bestowed marriage they smoothly demolished the outer courtyard wall and merged the two into one.

Now they not only have more living space, even their activity range has expanded a few degrees.

Especially the farmstead grows mostly various herbs; occasionally going out for a stroll in leisure is a kind of scenery extremely difficult to experience.

Living at the farmstead for a short three months, Shen Yao was diagnosed with pregnancy.

Ren Chengzhou was overjoyed beyond measure, personally bringing the good news back to the capital to report the happy event.

Result: this man walked for three days then hurriedly returned, simultaneously ordering the farmstead servants to watch the small courtyard tightly, preventing certain irrelevant people from approaching.

Shen Yao knowingly asked, "Could it be the situation in the capital has become severe?"

Ren Chengzhou pursed his lips and nodded, "This trip back to the capital, I did not see Father Emperor —" he didn't even see Jiang Guifei, only received some bestowed objects.

Not only that, when Ren Chengzhou returned to the Guogong Fu, he was also separately summoned by the Duke and Lady Lao for talks; both their words were full of various admonitions to be careful.

Ren Chengzhou dared not ask further; briefly thinking of Shen Yao still waiting at the farmstead, he hurriedly brought people and rushed back.

"Grandmother only told me not to investigate recklessly; the situation here is far more complex than imagined —" Ren Chengzhou, fearing to frighten the pregnant Shen Yao, added reassuring words that nothing would happen, "We hide at the farmstead without contention; trouble will not find its way to us."

Shen Yao buried her head in Ren Chengzhou's embrace, "Believe it won't be long before it's smoothly resolved."

Ren Chengzhou gave an "Mm", "Yes, when we left Father Emperor's body was healthy; presumably his not appearing this time means there are other considerations."

Although currently everyone in the capital wears a panicked expression, Ren Chengzhou believes the Emperor — even if something occurs it would not be this silent and soundless; it must be that he intends to stir up a major event.

For the current plan, the hope is that His Majesty will have some regard for father-son affection and show leniency to this son he abandoned long ago; the struggle for the throne in the capital is extraordinarily treacherous and has not the slightest connection to him.

Shen Yao did not know what Ren Chengzhou was thinking in his heart, but through the system's melon-eating in her mind, Shen Yao understood that the situation in the capital was not optimistic.

His Majesty did not see Ren Chengzhou, not because His Majesty's body had any problem, but because he was scheming against his several sons.

Including Ren Chengzhou's birth mother, Noble Consort Jiang, who quietly fell ill, and gravely so. Perhaps, it was that His Majesty did not wish to keep her?

All around Noble Consort Jiang were His Majesty's people; when they were swapped out Shen Yao did not know, but she knew that the Guogong Fu was already aware of Noble Consort Jiang's true condition and had tacitly accepted it.

Tsk tsk tsk

"Is the Guogong Fu going to abandon Noble Consort Jiang? Lady Lao's health is not looking good either."

With this system, a big mouth that can speak anytime, it would be hard not to know the capital's affairs. Noble Consort Jiang and the Guogong Fu were of the same lineage; even before, the Guogong Fu's passive situation was entirely because of Noble Consort Jiang in the palace.

Even if the Guogong Fu withdrew at the critical moment, and the Duke's resignation memorial had already been submitted, in the eyes of those above they still were not clean.

"Using two women to protect the Guogong Fu and several imperial children's safety is a very cost-effective transaction.

Host, these are all transactions privately reached between the Guogong Fu and His Majesty."

The system popped out, swaying left and right; it felt that Noble Consort Jiang and Lady Lao could not escape a death.

"Sacrificing the few to safeguard the interests of the many has been seen time and again throughout history."

This was still a price the Guogong Fu could negotiate; powerful families that could not negotiate were all buried in the long river of history — just during the period of the Emperor's abdication and the New Emperor's ascension, the powerful families in the capital that met with mishap would far exceed last year's incident.

"You keep watching, and see how many people can remain after the storm passes."

Not to mention court officials and powerful families, just the princes under the Emperor's knees would have to die or be injured until nearly none remained.

The adult ones had long been fighting to the death; no matter who took the throne they would not show mercy, so the Emperor's inclination was toward the later princes.

One cannot truly watch the royal bloodline wither; although some only care for themselves and ignore the rest, more normal people would still consider the overall situation.

Hu

It should not take long; by the end of this year, the outcome should be decided.

Shen Yao calculated a time in her heart, and she herself devoted herself to nurturing the fetus.

Early ninth month, the capital spread news of a mutiny; the Second Prince led troops in rebellion, directly attacking the Imperial City.

Unexpectedly, the Second Prince's actions were seen through by the Crown Prince; the Crown Prince backhandedly captured him, and not only executed the Second Prince on the spot before reporting, but also ordered the Zhen Guo General's Fu and other military powerful families to be besieged.

Afterwards, the Fifth Prince informed, His Majesty investigated, and discovered the Second Prince's matter involved a wide scope, and there was also talk that the Crown Prince had fabricated false testimony; therefore the Crown Prince and the Empress were all confined to the palace under imprisonment, and the besieged Zhen Guo General's Fu and others were released without charge.

Tenth month, the Third Prince was poisoned and critically injured; the perpetrator was found to be the Fifth Prince.

During His Majesty's issuance of a decree to arrest the Fifth Prince, the Fifth Prince committed suicide.

Eleventh month, His Majesty fell gravely ill, and lay unconscious in the Imperial Study.

Mid-month, the Fourth Prince led troops in rebellion, and was captured by guards who had long been lying in ambush.

Twelfth month, the unconscious His Majesty opened his eyes, forcibly dragged his ailing body to summon court ministers into the palace, and publicly announced that the next New Emperor would be the Seventh Prince.

Mid-twelfth month, the Emperor passed away; the Seventh Prince carried the Imperial Edict and smoothly ascended the throne.

Within the same month, no more than three days later, the Seventh Prince's birth mother, Noble Consort Jiang, followed in death under the shock and grief of the Former Emperor's passing.

Creak creak——

On the carriage returning to the capital, Shen Yao, carrying a six-month pregnant belly, tossed and turned back and forth.

She should have stayed at the Estate, but Ren Chengzhou's birth father and birth mother both went, and her full brothers were also half-dead half-alive; as Ren Chengzhou's wife, not going would be improper.

No choice, Shen Yao could only sit in the carriage back to the capital, and by the way show her face in the palace.

"This pregnancy's condition is similar to before; it seems the aptitude is not bad."

The elixirs she had taken earlier took effect; one must know that the problem on Ren Chengzhou's body, Shen Yao had not completely eradicated, still retaining the most fundamental problem.

Even if later Shen Yao planned to take people back to the Cultivation World, she would not do anything out of line; who let the situation of Dragon Qi and Spiritual Qi Incompatibility be a stubborn problem in the Cultivation World as well.

"Host, this return to the capital you can stay in the capital; that New Emperor has the intention to buy people's hearts," the full brother is precisely the best choice.

"The capital is complex; moreover the New Emperor has just ascended, precisely when Dragon Qi is at its most flourishing; staying there has no benefit."

Cultivation people value quiet cultivation more, hiding in unpeopled mountains and clear waters to attain the Dao and longevity.

Although in the Cultivation World no one can truly achieve longevity, this is the Dao that cultivators pursue.

The carriage stopped at the Qin Wang Fu doorway; Shen Yao slowly got down from the carriage.

A steward came forward, explaining the Wangye had entered the palace, and the Wang Fei may rest first.

A pregnant woman has rights; besides, Ren Chengzhou's feelings for his parents are not deep, and there is even less reason to let his wife and children suffer.

"Wait until tomorrow morning, you will accompany me into the palace to offer a stick of incense for them."

When Ren Chengzhou came out of the palace the sky was already dark; he hurried to the room, and the first thing upon meeting was to embrace her in his arms and comfort her.

"You are pregnant, you should have been exempt from this step, but the palace has many rights and wrongs," fearing old accounts would be dug up later.

The proverb says a new official lights three fires upon taking office; Ren Chengzhou dared not guarantee that Jiang Chengyu would be the same face before and after ascending, so he thought back and forth and could only let Shen Yao suffer some grievance.

Saying apologies with his mouth, Ren Chengzhou felt even more sorry for Shen Yao; since marrying him she had not known a day of peace.

Shen Yao smiled, "No need to be so nervous; the New Emperor presumably would not yet do something that forgets kindness and betrays righteousness."

Jiang Chengyu's ability to ascend, inside there is a part that is Ren Chengzhou's merit.

As someone who once secretly read these princes' physiognomies, Shen Yao would not doubt Jiang Chengyu's character.

Of course, this can only speak to the present; time will change everything.

Who can predict future matters? Just like the Former Emperor who just passed away, before he personally schemed against his own children, he was also a wise ruler.

"What is feared is that the New Emperor cannot control himself," the Court's situation is not something the New Emperor can control either; he heard that the Former Emperor and Noble Consort's funeral coffins have not yet been buried, and court officials have already begun discussing the Imperial Selection.

In this Jiang Guo dynasty, when parents or relatives pass away, as blood relatives one observes filial mourning for one year.

"They cannot even wait one year; who knows what it will become in the end."

Ren Chengzhou shook his head; he never had the thought of ascending the throne, therefore he does not understand the greed in some people's hearts.

He told Shen Yao in detail many things he had seen and heard in the capital these past days; the two ate the late dinner together, and then went to bed early to rest.

Early morning the next day

Shen Yao got up, changed into the Imperial Consort's Auspicious Robe, and rode a carriage into the palace to pay respects.

On the whole, she encountered no trouble; the only ripple came from the Duchess of the Country.

Old Madam He's body was already at the end of its strength, and the Duchess asked Shen Yao to remind Ren Chengzhou to make preparations.