Chapter 185

Hearing this.

Shen Yuer didn't dare to delay at all.

She walked quickly toward the outside of the mansion.

Lin Fu naturally followed closely behind.

Now that Zhu Ying was not in the mansion, although Shen Yuer had her own opinions, many things had to be discussed with Lin Fu; this time the Imperial Guard had come, it was definitely a big deal.

Before long.

Outside the mansion.

Entering the eyes.

An old eunuch stood in front of the mansion gate waiting, carrying a kind smile, while the Imperial Guard was protecting him.

When he saw this old eunuch.

Shen Yuer was shocked in her heart; she naturally recognized immediately that the old eunuch in front of her was the Grand Eunuch who came to convey the imperial edict that day.

"Grand Eunuch Yun."

"I don't know what is the important matter?"

Shen Yuer walked over quickly and asked very uneasily.

"Madam Zhu, don't worry; this old slave is acting on the Emperor's edict, specifically to invite Madam Zhu and her son into the palace for a chat." Yun Qi said with a smile.

"Into the palace for a chat?" Shen Yuer was even more uneasy.

After all, they had been in Ying Tian for so long, why were they suddenly invited to the palace?

Although she had already met the current Crown Prince, Shen Yuer had a kind of unspeakable awe for the legendary Great Ming Emperor in her heart.

After all, there were rumors among the people about the Emperor and the Crown Prince.

Some said that the current Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang was as majestic as heaven, and very fierce; some said that Zhu Yuanzhang was moody and would kill at any time.

But for ordinary people, many things about Zhu Yuanzhang were positive, because Zhu Yuanzhang came from a poor background, had a strong resonance with the people, hated corrupt officials the most, and also hated merchants who were only interested in profit the most.

In short.

There were countless rumors about Zhu Yuanzhang, but one thing was certain: this Emperor's temper was not very good.

"Madam Zhu, don't be afraid."

"This time the Emperor summoned you, it is a good thing."

"The Marquis of Champions has made contributions in the northern frontier again, breaking the Northern Yuan capital and capturing countless things."

"This time the Marquis of Champions has not returned, so for the sake of rewards, the Emperor specifically summoned Madam Zhu and her son into the palace for an audience, and bestowed a banquet."

"And the Crown Prince is also there." Yun Qi said with a smile; he naturally saw Shen Yuer's worry.

Hearing this.

Shen Yuer felt slightly relieved.

Especially hearing that the Crown Prince was there, she felt even more relieved.

Although she had only met Zhu Biao once, her first impression of him was that he was very gentle and had great affinity; with him there, there should be no bad things.

"May I ask, Grand Eunuch, when will this humble wife and her son enter the palace?" Shen Yuer asked respectfully, not daring to overstep.

"The Emperor specifically gave instructions that this time you will follow this old slave directly into the palace." Yun Qi said with a smile.

"Then does this humble wife need to prepare anything?" Shen Yuer asked immediately.

But coming back to her senses.

Shen Yuer immediately looked at Lin Fu: "Uncle Lin, hurry and bring a box of the best fine brew in the mansion; we cannot go to see the Emperor empty-handed."

"Yes, Young Lady." Lin Fu nodded immediately and then called the guards to move it.

Seeing this.

Yun Qi did not stop them.

"Grand Eunuch."

"This humble wife will go and bring my son." Shen Yuer said respectfully.

Then she turned to go into the mansion to hold Zhu Xi.

Before long.

Shen Yuer came out holding Zhu Xi, and Lin Fu also prepared a box of liquor.

When Yun Qi's gaze fell on Zhu Xi's face.

"This..."

Yun Qi's eyes narrowed, and then his pupils couldn't help but dilate.

Clearly, he was shocked.

As an old man in the palace, he had always served Zhu Yuanzhang and Empress Ma; how could he not know Zhu Xiongying?

Looking at the Zhu Xi in front of him.

His appearance was truly not unlike the former Zhu Xiongying; not to say ten percent, at least seven or eight percent similar, simply carved from the same mold.

"Grand Eunuch."

"Are we leaving now?" Shen Yuer looked at Yun Qi, who was a bit dazed, and asked gently.

This sound.

Also let Yun Qi come back to his senses, then nodded immediately: "Please, Madam Zhu, get on the carriage."

On the side.

An Imperial Guard directly put down a ladder and pulled open the carriage curtain.

Shen Yuer held Zhu Xi and boarded the carriage.

And Yun Qi's expression was a bit hard to recover.

"Too similar."

"Simply carved from the same mold."

"This is really the world's wonders."

"There are actually two people in the world who are so similar."

"If I hadn't seen the Imperial Grandson with my own eyes... sigh, I would have thought it was the Imperial Grandson when he was young." Yun Qi thought secretly in his heart.

Looking at the carriage in front of him.

Yun Qi also couldn't help but worry: "I hope the Emperor won't be sad when he sees this little guy."

At this moment.

Yun Qi also couldn't help but think too much.

But he quickly came back to his senses.

Then he turned and got on the carriage, naturally escorting them personally.

With the Imperial Guard protecting them.

This journey was naturally unimpeded.

But the Shen family, who had been closely watching the Zhu Fu, naturally received the news immediately.

"Master."

"Just now, the eyes outside the Zhu Fu received news."

"Shen Yuer has been summoned into the Imperial Palace."

"And... and I also received news from the court."

"The Yuan capital has been broken by our northern expedition army; from now on, the Northern Yuan dynasty is gone, and it has changed back to the nomadic country of the past."

"It is said... it is said that the general who broke the Yuan capital is Zhu Ying."

Steward Shen came to the inner hall, his face ugly, and reported to Shen Wansan.

As soon as these words fell.

Shen Wansan's old face was as ugly as it could be.

Every time Zhu Ying made a contribution, every time he was bright, it naturally made him uneasy.

"Sigh."

Shen Wansan sighed: "Shen Yuer, did she still refuse our Shen family's goodwill?"

"Master."

"We have tried many times, sent gifts to the door many times, but as soon as the people in the Zhu Fu heard it was our Shen family, they immediately beat us out with sticks."

"Shen Yuer clearly doesn't want to have any connection with our Shen family anymore."

"Now... because of Zhu Ying, the Zhu family is a favorite in the court, and even many people know the connection between the Zhu family and our Shen family; in order to show goodwill to the Zhu family, many people have cut off contact with our Shen family."

"Now... this old slave doesn't know what to do." Steward Shen said with a bitter smile.

Regarding this.

Shen Wansan was also full of regret, and even more resentment for being suppressed many times.

"Zhu Ying, Shen Yuer."

"I should have done it completely back then."

"If I had done it completely, how could there be today's situation." Shen Wansan said coldly.

Realizing that it was impossible to ease the relationship with the Zhu family, Shen Wansan regretted not taking ruthless action directly back then.

"How is the business in Beiping Prefecture?" Shen Wansan asked.

"The situation is very bad; in the past year, our trade routes in Beiping Prefecture have been cut off, and now our Shen family's businesses everywhere in Beiping Prefecture are losing money; cloth, jade, tea, everything is being targeted."

"And... and even if we use other families to transport, those mountain bandits seem to have received the information long ago and can always deal with us precisely."

"The trade route in Beiping Prefecture has been completely cut off."

"And... and the government has no way to deal with this group of mountain bandits and cannot stop them at all." Steward Shen said with a bitter smile.

"If the trade route in Beiping Prefecture is not open, then give it up." Shen Wansan gritted his teeth and said with unwillingness.

"Master."

"Should we make this matter big first, preferably to the imperial court?"

"If the Emperor knew that there were such rampant mountain bandits in the Great Ming territory, he would definitely be furious." Steward Shen suggested.

"But this move might offend the Prince of Yan?"

"After all, Beiping Prefecture is his vassal state." Shen Wansan hesitated.

"Now that Master has the intention to give up the business in Beiping Prefecture, what if you offend the Prince of Yan?"

"And."

"Now the liquor business with the highest profit for our Shen family in Beiping Prefecture has been snatched away by the suddenly appearing restaurant and the Zhu family's restaurant; if there is no shadow of the Prince of Yan behind this, this old slave definitely doesn't believe it."

"Since that's the case."

"It's better to go all the way."

"As long as the imperial court knows about these mountain bandits, using the power of the imperial court to wipe them out can also make that Zhu Ying suffer a big loss." Steward Shen said coldly.

Hearing this.

Shen Wansan had a thoughtful look on his face.

Finally.

He nodded.

"You are right."

"Since the business in Beiping Prefecture cannot be done."

"Then go all the way."

"Just poke it to the imperial court; didn't Zhu Ying raise these mountain bandits to deal with our Shen family?"

"Then I will let this group of mountain bandits all die." Shen Wansan said coldly.

"Master is wise." Steward Shen said immediately.

"And..."

Shen Wansan revealed a cold sneer on his face, then said: "Send people to spread the news in Ying Tian Prefecture, saying that the Marquis of Champions' wife, Shen Yuer, does not respect filial piety, does not respect her father, and does not respect her relatives."

"Master."

"If this move is taken, although it will damage the reputation of the Zhu family, it seems it doesn't represent anything else."

"And it will completely offend the Zhu family to death."

"And... if this Shen Yuer is investigated deeply, she is not from our Shen family at all." Steward Shen hesitated.

In his view.

If they continue to offend the Zhu family and Zhu Ying, the result will definitely not be good.

"Even if she is not from our Shen family, she grew up in our Shen family."

"In Huaxia, filial piety and righteousness come first."

"I just want to make Shen Yuer's reputation stink."

"As for whether it can achieve results, let's see."

"Anyway, it's already a life-and-death struggle, so even if there is no effect, I want to make them uncomfortable." Shen Wansan said coldly, full of hatred.

In his view.

He had already made concessions many times, but Zhu Ying and Shen Yuer didn't accept them, which naturally made him dissatisfied.

In that case.

Then fight to the end!

Although his Shen family has been merchants for many years, they have no handles outside; even if Zhu Ying is an official, within the framework of the Great Ming law, he has no way to deal with him.

"Then after giving up the business in Beiping Prefecture, where should we move?" Steward Shen asked.

"Datong Prefecture, Anding Prefecture, both are fine."

"Gradually shift the focus." Shen Wansan sighed.

Inside the Imperial Palace!

Although the Eastern Palace is in the Imperial Palace, it has not gone deep.

And today.

Riding in a carriage, enjoying the honor that ordinary officials cannot enjoy, the carriage entered the Imperial Palace all the way and came to where the Wenyuan Pavilion was.

This was also where Zhu Yuanzhang handled memorials daily.

Soon!

When the carriage stopped.

"Madam Zhu, we have arrived."

Yun Qi said with a smile.

Then he got off the carriage first and pulled open the curtain.

Shen Yuer walked off the carriage with an uneasy mood, holding Zhu Xi's hand.

And Zhu Xi was not afraid of this battle at all.

His little head looked around curiously.

"Mother."

"This place is so big."

"And there are so many soldiers."

Zhu Xi opened his big eyes wide, his voice childish and curious.

"Xi'er, this is the Imperial Palace, the place where the biggest person in the world is; you cannot talk nonsense, and you are not allowed to speak until mother allows you." Shen Yuer stared at Zhu Xi very seriously.

Looking at his mother's serious look, Zhu Xi also nodded, although a bit unwillingly.

"Emperor."

"This old slave has brought Madam Zhu and her son."

Yun Qi stood outside the hall and said respectfully to the hall.

"Come in."

Zhu Yuanzhang's old and majestic voice came from the hall.

"Madam Zhu, go in."

Yun Qi turned his head and smiled slightly.

"Hoo."

Shen Yuer calmed her mood, but she was still carrying unspeakable tension.

Her hand held Zhu Xi's little hand tightly, and she walked slowly toward the hall in front of her.

Entering the hall.

What came to her face was a kind of unspeakable majesty.

It seemed that it was also because Zhu Yuanzhang was in it, bringing a silent sense of majesty.

Where the Emperor is, where the heavenly might is.

How could Shen Yuer not be nervous!

Truly entering the hall.

Shen Yuer looked with her peripheral vision.

In the hall.

Zhu Yuanzhang sat on the dragon chair, reviewing memorials on the imperial desk, while Zhu Biao was helping to look at them on the side, also putting forward his own objections.

When Shen Yuer walked in.

"This humble wife and her son pay respects to the Emperor."

Shen Yuer's voice was a bit trembling, and she bowed.

Because she had a title, she didn't need to kneel.

And Zhu Xi was looking around curiously, bowing in the same way, but when he raised his head and wanted to look, Shen Yuer pressed his head down directly.

Now Shen Yuer was just afraid that her son would make this Emperor unhappy.

After all.

The rumors were still somewhat preconceived.

In Shen Yuer's heart, Zhu Yuanzhang was also the kind of moody emperor.

She was naturally afraid.

And on the side, Zhu Biao was carrying a gentle smile.

Hearing the sound!

Zhu Yuanzhang raised his head slowly, and a smile appeared on his majestic old face, but it still revealed a kind of unspeakable pressure.

"No need for courtesy, rise." Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand.

"Thank you, Emperor."

Shen Yuer said immediately, stood up slowly, but still lowered her head.

Even Zhu Xi's head was pressed by Shen Yuer, for fear that this little guy would anger the heavenly face; after all, children couldn't manage so much, and looking directly at the heavenly face was disrespectful.

Shen Yuer naturally knew these rules very well.

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Shen Yuer with a bit of curiosity.

Looking at her appearance, it was indeed outstanding, and her temperament was also okay.

"Not bad."

"Zhu Ying found a good wife." Zhu Yuanzhang praised with a smile.

"Thank you, Emperor, for the praise."

Shen Yuer replied immediately, answering uneasily, not daring to be disrespectful.

But at this time!

Zhu Xi had been pressed by his mother, and finally couldn't help it, so he said a bit angrily: "Mother, you are pressing my head so it hurts."

This crisp and childish sound immediately attracted Zhu Yuanzhang's gaze to Zhu Xi.

"Behave yourself."

"This is the Imperial Palace."

Shen Yuer lowered her voice and said.

(End of chapter)