Chapter 469

·

·

·

Protagonist:

Shen Yao

The matter of the miscarriage left a very deep shadow in both of their hearts.

Yu Yu dared not mention it, and Shen Yao could not mention it.

Just because it couldn't be mentioned didn't mean Shen Yao could let the matter pass quietly; at this moment, she said nothing, trusted the man before her without reservation, constantly laid bare her sincere heart, all to make the man feel guilty.

"Guilt is the only motivation for a person to actively atone; the panic after being moved spreads through the whole heart. The more I rely on Yu Yu, the more Yu Yu feels he is a bastard full of suspicion," and now all Yu Yu could offer to make up for Shen Yao was the Empress's throne.

System:...

The system disagreed with this statement, saying some men would only feel they deserved it; the host was considerate and caring, her love unreserved, and Yu Yu might decide the host was just like that, becoming even more unscrupulous.

Shen Yao:...

Shen Yao rolled her eyes at the system in her heart, "The Shen Family needs to be used right now, and as the Imperial Physician said, he's just a male chauvinist, not cold-blooded and ruthless. Without feelings or entanglements it would be easier to say, but there are two children between them. If Yu Yu really did what the system said, would Shen Yao still be playing a fake romance with him here? She would have flipped the table and seized power long ago, alright."

Chatting idly with the system in her heart, she could still focus on outputting toward Yu Yu on the surface.

Shen Yao could be said to be attacking on two fronts without neglecting either; whether the system was moved was unclear, but Yu Yu himself was moved enough. He stepped forward, embraced her, pulled her into his arms to comfort her, and promised he would never fail Shen Yao.

"Your Majesty, your subject has you and the children; she is already the happiest person in the entire harem."

"I only wish Your Majesty could have a little place for your subject in your heart, and your subject would have no regrets for this life."

The beauty shed tears, pear blossoms with rain. Always able to cry in a heartbreakingly beautiful way.

Yu Yu raised his head and wiped the tear from the corner of Shen Yao's eye, "In my heart, Yao'er and the Imperial Sons are indispensable."

Not to mention far away, just before coming over, the Emperor had just received a battle report from the front line: the Shen father and son fought bravely on the battlefield, not only harshly taught the invaders a lesson, demonstrating the might of Yu Guo, but also deterred other enemies who were eager to move, guarding the peace of the border.

The battle report sent greatly eased Yu Yu's anxiety these days, and also made Yu Yu feel somewhat ashamed of the anger he had once vented on Shen Yao.

Patting Shen Yao's back, Yu Yu mentioned the recent situation of the Shen father and son on the front line. Shen Yao complained in her heart that this man changed faces too quickly, while saying with her mouth that these were what they should do, "Eating the emperor's salary, doing the emperor's business. Father and Eldest Young Master having this opportunity is entirely thanks to Your Majesty's promotion; Your Majesty is wise."

All words, after passing through Shen Yao's mouth and turning a circle, would eventually become good words returning to Yu Yu.

With such high emotional value, Yu Yu naturally said whatever he had to say, including the subsequent family members of the Wei King and Dun King, and some deeply rooted forces and in-laws in the court, "I cannot pull them out by the roots; I can only divide and transform them, slowly replacing them with people I value."

To keep the entire court running, it was impossible to rely on the Emperor alone.

There were many people; it wasn't good that they had taken sides in advance, but the masters they sided with were already dead, and the interest connections between both sides ended here. The Emperor definitely would not investigate to the end or exterminate them all.

Unless certain people were bound too deeply; if not thoroughly cleared, leaving them would be a calamity.

Otherwise, the Emperor, considering the big picture, basically let them pass by turning a blind eye.

The most obvious was the clique of the Cheng King's line; the Emperor only killed a few particularly famous ones, and the rest were all living well.

"The matters of the court have Your Majesty presiding; your subject is not worried at all in her heart."

"Your Majesty has always had great strategies and military tactics, thinking things through completely. With other court officials loyal to the emperor and loving the country, I believe those people with improper thoughts cannot stir up any waves."

Shen Yao's words were a bit brainless, but the core idea was still flattering the Emperor.

"You, you, you are also a clever little spirit," Yu Yu smiled so broadly he couldn't close his mouth, then mentioned the ins and outs of letting the Three Judicial Offices officials fully investigate the memorial matter, "There is already a rough outline, I..."

"Your Majesty, please do not make things difficult. If the Shen clan has committed a crime, please ask Your Majesty to punish them severely without mercy, to serve as a warning to others."

Shen Yao suddenly withdrew from Yu Yu's embrace, knelt on the ground with a bang, and righteously spoke out the words of sacrificing kin for justice.

"Host, are you really not afraid that the Shen clan will be dragged down?" There were several of the original body's uncles and aunts inside; twisted together, they were not a small force.

"Afraid? I'm more afraid that their muddled heads will drag me down," Having the Shen Family was enough. As for the Shen clan to the Shen Family, they were more of a burden than a help. Finding an opportunity to sever ties openly on the surface would not be a bad thing for them.

Just like before in the Qianqing Palace Study, when Yu Yu faced Shen Yao's questioning, although other forces looked unfavorably on the Shen Family and wanted to take action, it was also true that the Shen clan themselves were unworthy. Such a big family—whose family doesn't have a few useless descendants? The second-generation heirs who acted tyrannically on a daily basis were just small-scale mischief; there were many more who disregarded other people's lives, specifically digging pits for others to fall into.

Shen Yao had not failed to remind the Shen Family to keep a low profile, to restrain themselves, and to know their limits, but was it useful?

Stupid people can only cause trouble and fall into pits, and precisely because of blood ties, they cannot avoid being bound together.

Now that the Emperor had finally spoken, if Shen Yao didn't seize this good opportunity to sacrifice kin for justice, she would be sorry. It would be best if the Emperor struck hard; Shen Yao could also use the Emperor as a shield to shift the conflict, maintaining the plastic relationship while making people honest.

Yu Yu reached out and pulled Shen Yao up, gently rubbing her reddened knee, "Why go to such lengths? Although the Shen clan's descendants are unruly, they have not gone too far."

This had to mention the absurdity of the Yu Guo Imperial Family. Don't look at Yu Yu being unable to have children, but Yu Yu's biological father, his biological father's father were all very fertile, including some princesses who married out early in the Imperial Family. These naturally superior Imperial Clan Relatives brought the Imperial Family a burden that was hard to shake off.

Yu Yu was unfriendly toward his few cheap brothers, often killing people on a whim, reducing close relatives to commoners. But compared to the Imperial Clan Relatives left behind previously, these people were just a drop in the bucket.

Before entering the palace, Shen Yao had discussed with the system why Yu Guo was in the final stage of decline, and the entire dynasty showed signs of instability.

It was precisely because these Imperial Clan Relatives were lawless and acted without scruples. Compared to them, the younger generation of the Shen clan were more like little Kamillas.

Yu Yu boasted that he had seen the world, but after receiving the exact evidence of the Shen clan's crimes presented by the Three Judicial Offices officials, he couldn't help but laugh.

Well, it was to the extent that it could be brushed aside without investigation.

Yu Yu thought that speaking up now could sell Shen Yao a favor and make her more grateful to him, but he didn't expect the other party to open her mouth and ask him to enforce the law impartially.

Yu Yu:...?

"Your Majesty cannot indulge them," Shen Yao held Yu Yu's hand and said seriously, "The Shen clan is committing small faults now, but if your subject and Your Majesty keep indulging them, they will commit greater faults."

"To be honest with Your Majesty, they are all relatives of the clan. Your subject is reluctant in her heart, but she is even more unwilling to let Your Majesty bear the infamy. Especially when Sheng'er grows up and faces such a maternal clan, your subject would be ashamed to bear it."

Nothing else moved Yu Yu, but the last sentence hit right at the center of Yu Yu's brow.

With a clang, Yu Yu suddenly realized that he indeed could not take this lightly; he also had to consider his son.

"I know Yao'er's thoughts. Yao'er, do not worry about this matter."

Yu Yu finally gave a definite answer, and Shen Yao smiled, leaning into his embrace.

The two sat sweetly in the bedchamber for a while, until Xiao Ji reported that the late dinner was ready, and they washed their hands and sat down to eat and rest.

…………

When the ins and outs of the entire memorial matter were presented before Yu Yu, the most shocking thing was not the Shen clan being besieged in the memorial.

Quite the contrary, those civil officials who righteously and loudly proclaimed the Shen clan's transgressions in court were all glorious in appearance but dirty in private.

Yu Yu was infuriated by these pieces of evidence; it was clearly a case of the thief shouting "catch the thief."

He bent his finger and tapped the tabletop, then summoned Li Guiquan and tossed this stack of evidence in front of him. "Take the Yulin Guard and arrest them directly."

Li Guiquan:...

The Emperor was becoming increasingly capricious; even the Yulin Guard, which should have served a protective function, had changed its nature.

Li Guiquan gave a "snatch" of acknowledgment, gathered the evidence scattered on the ground, turned around, and called the Yulin Guard to follow him out of the palace to handle business.

As for why Yu Yu didn't use the Jingzhao Prefecture Office, it was naturally because this place wasn't clean either.

"Tsk tsk tsk, for the Emperor to reach this position, he truly is a talent."

Yu Yu stayed in Qianqing Palace waiting for the results, while Shen Yao stayed in Furong Palace being sarcastic.

The system asked the Host how much longer until the Empress's position, only to be shot back with a white eye roll from Shen Yao.

"Soon. Once this matter settles, my Empress position will also be acquired."

Then they could begin arranging for the Emperor to go offline early, after all, the court ministers had been repeatedly pressed down by Yu Yu like this, and presumably felt very insecure in their hearts.

As if thinking of something amusing, Shen Yao covered the corner of her lips with one hand and let out a small laugh.

There was no one else in the room besides her; Shen Yao laughed for a good while before slowly regaining her calm.

The system trembled nervously, "Host, what's wrong?" as if it had suddenly been stimulated.

"No, nothing, I just feel that our mission is almost complete," she was happy in her heart.

System:... Ah?

The system felt the Host was a bit strange, but this sort of thing had happened before, so whatever; it would just keep watching the gossip.

He Meiren of Qimei Palace, who recently miscarried, was still making a scene and had even fought with He Chongyi; it needed to go check the situation.

The Virtuous Consort of Lanxin Palace, who managed palace affairs, always ran into trouble; it needed to go listen at the wall corner.

And also...

The system was like a melon-eating expert; whenever it wanted to go somewhere, a melon field would instantly pop up in its mind for it to choose from.

When only Shen Yao remained in the main hall of Furong Palace, she gathered her emotions; the warmth in her eyes was replaced by a large expanse of indifference, the slightly pursed corners of her lips became calm, Shen Yao lowered her eyes, took out a handkerchief, and lightly covered her mouth and nose.

With the back of her hand laid flat, palm slowly turning upward, Shen Yao softly recited several names: "Shen Family, Zheng Family, Cheng Family, Virtuous Consort, the He sisters, Jiangnan Clans, Court Ministers, Imperial Clan of Yu Guo..."

Your Majesty, Your Majesty, the grudges we have formed are too many; this subject cannot save you.