Volume 1 Chapter 108: The Wind Rises

  Third update, seeking pink votes

  "It seems that Lord Cao's heart disease is quite serious. I'll have to find a way to send him some Suhe Xin Wan, and also the rapid-acting heart-saving pills made from Chuanxiong and Bingpian... People with heart disease look fine on ordinary days, but once they have an attack, it can be fatal. Especially for someone like Lord Cao who is busy with state affairs all day, it's hard to say when he might suddenly pass away."

  With a fanciful mind, Zhen Shining's eyes once again conjured up the benevolent gaze and bright smile of Cao Xiangye, and her eyes revealed a rare hint of tenderness.

  Although it was only a brief encounter with few words, she could truly feel the care and concern of Cao Xiangye, like that of a kind father. He really cared about her.

  Not just going through the motions!

  How long has it been since she felt the warmth of family and the care of a loving father?

  A small eunuch hastily walked up and stopped in front of the crowd of women, "I heard that Madame Shen has arrived, may I ask which one is Madame Shen?"

  The air suddenly sank, and everyone looked back at each other.

  Zhen Shining was sitting quietly, sipping a cup of milk and lotus seed paste, the golden sunset shining through the window onto her pale face like porcelain, with an ancient quiet beauty. She was so quiet that she seemed to blend in with the surrounding scenery, as if she didn't exist at all.

  Everyone suddenly realized that just this moment ago, everyone seemed to have forgotten her existence. The King of Ning's wife slightly opened her mouth but couldn't speak, "...... Is this really the legendary arrogant and overbearing Zhen Shiying?"

  Just as she was lost in thought, feeling an eerie stillness in the air, Zhen Shiniang raised her head and saw that everyone was staring at her with wide eyes.

  "What's wrong?"

  She sat quietly, not doing anything earth-shattering, and it's unlikely that a flower had bloomed on her face in just this short while. Zhen Shi'niang took a deep breath and restrained herself from reaching out to touch her face.

  The little eunuch had arrived in front of her. "Are you Mrs. Shen?"

  "Yes." Zhen Shi Niang sat quietly, not moving a muscle. "Sir, do you have something to say?" Her face was calm and collected, but her mind was racing, "...judging from his attire and demeanor, he should be someone of high social standing... which palace is he from? What does he want with me?"

  "...Long live Empress Shen, going to Taihe Hall." The little eunuch looked up and down at Zhen Shiniang.

  Long live her!

  Zhen Shiniang's action of putting down the cup was frozen in mid-air, she a nameless abandoned wife, suddenly proclaimed by Wan Si what?

  Could it be true that Wan Si wants to investigate her father's crimes, just like Shen Zhongjie said?

  Her heart was racing fast, but time didn't allow her to think much. She paused for a moment, then slowly put down the cup and stood up elegantly.

  "Please, Your Excellency..." Chou Qiujie gave a hint. Zhen Shiniang slowed down her pace and followed the eunuch towards the side door of the grand hall.

  Dazedly watching Zhen Shiniang leave with the little eunuch, Qiuju lifted her foot and rushed towards the male guest's direction.

  Suddenly summoned by Wan Si, Zhen Shi Niang was shocked. The women present were even more shocked than her. Although this group of people were well-trained and their emotions did not show on their faces, they were all now staring at Zhen Shi Niang's elegant back in astonishment. They forgot to breathe.

  They were all relatives of the emperor and often walked in the inner palace. However, no one had ever been summoned alone by the emperor!

  Even when Madame Anqing went to pay respects to the Empress Dowager, she would occasionally run into Wan Si and have to avoid her. What kind of virtue or ability did this woman possess?

  A discarded wife and a daughter of a guilty minister unexpectedly received an imperial summons from the Emperor himself!

  It wasn't until Zhen Shining's slender figure disappeared from view at the side door that everyone came back to their senses.

  Mrs. Qian suddenly broke out in a cold sweat, fortunately she had just not gone to provoke him, others were regretful, they should not have been considerate of Mrs. Anqing's face and ignored that woman, looking at Mrs. Anqing's eyes now had a hint of estrangement, in their hearts they secretly vowed, when the general's wife returns, they will definitely be the first to make friends with her.

  “……the Emperor has already decreed that the eldest prince will personally escort the Sixth Princess, and Zheng Gong lao will be in charge of the literary mission. However, the military officer who will escort them has not been decided yet.” Among the high-ranking officials, the hottest topic was the marriage between the Sixth Princess and the prince. Several generals gathered around Shen Zhongjie with eager eyes, "General, you are unwell and cannot go on a mission, who did you recommend to the Emperor?" Although Anqing Hou Ma was the most prominent figure in the imperial court, the military officers revered Shen Zhongjie instead. He was known for being straightforward, decisive, loyal, and dedicated, which earned him the Emperor's trust. Even Anqing Hou looked up to him and often avoided offending him on the imperial court, but made an exception for him alone.

  The military envoy sent to Qi State had a sentence he recommended in front of Wan Sui that was more effective than anything else.

  "Since I've been cultivating myself, the Emperor has never summoned me...” Shen Zhongge was a bit distracted, his eyes occasionally glancing in the direction of the inner palace, worrying about Zhen Shiniang in his heart, "She's too quiet and gentle, these people don't know her at all, will she be bullied?"

  Those who can attend the palace banquet are not ordinary people, they are all sharp-tongued and sharp-mouthed, even he, a big man, has to yield, it's been more than five years since she last walked in such circles, can she handle it?

  It's strange, I clearly saw her pass by just now, but why can't I see her anywhere in the crowd?

  Shen Zhongge's eyes scanned the crowd, but he couldn't find Zhen Shiniang anywhere. However, Anqing Hou, who was hiding in the northwest corner of Linhua Hall, had a clear view of Zhen Shiniang, who was concealed beside a pillar. "She truly lives up to her reputation as the daughter of the most beautiful woman in the capital," he thought to himself. "Indeed, she is a beauty that can eclipse the moon and make fish sink." His gaze then fell upon Shen Zhongge, and he couldn't help but chuckle to himself.

  "What did the Duke see?" The tense Nine Gate Commander Gu Yu also followed the Duke's gaze, looked for half a day and didn't see anything unusual. He turned his head back to look at the Duke and thought, "Tonight we're going to storm the palace, my head is so tense, how can the Duke still have the leisure to watch the excitement!"

  "...... Indeed, heroes are hard to pass through the beautiful woman's barrier." Just as Gu Ding was about to speak, he saw An Qing Hou sigh and turn his head around.

  Seeing Anqing Hou finally look at himself, Gu Ding called out in a low voice, "Hou Ye." His face turned pale and red alternately, it was clear that his heart was extremely unpeaceful.

  "...It's a grand festival, why are you wearing a face as gloomy as if your mother had died?" Anqing Marquis scolded, seeing his tense expression.

  Once the coup fails, their lifelong honor and shame will be ruined in an instant. Who wouldn't feel tense about that?

  He would rather die than have one of his daughters become an empress!

  As the Qi State and Qin are about to be united, in order for Princess Li Yan to marry smoothly as a legitimate princess, even if the coup fails tonight, the Emperor will not immediately depose the Empress, nor will he dare to move against An Qing Hou. However, these small fries are hard to predict.

  Although he was uncertain in his heart, Gu Quan did not dare disobey Anqing Marquis.

  He forced a relaxed smile, "...the young master is right, it's just that I'm not determined enough." He looked up at Shen Zhongge and changed the subject, "General Shen has brought his sword..." Looking around, he lowered his voice, "I have locked down all nine gates according to the young master's arrangement, ensuring that not even a sparrow can fly in from outside tonight. However..." His low voice was full of doubt, "General Shen is known as the number one general of the Great Zhou, with him by the emperor's side and bringing his sword..." His voice trailed off, and Gu Jin didn't continue.

  Even if the troops stationed in Fenggu's large camp outside the city cannot come, he himself is a world-class master. Although there are several world-class masters on this side, they can deal with the imperial guards, but it's not necessarily possible to deal with Shen Zhongxiang who has brought his sword.

  After careful consideration, Gu Yun still felt that the chances of success were not great, and the timing was not yet ripe. Tonight's actions were a bit too risky. After all, on the third day of the new year, Bao Cheng'an was suddenly removed from his position as commander of the Imperial Guard, and Zhao Teng, an old subordinate of Shen Zhongjie, took over.

  This is equivalent to saying that the entire inner palace is under Shen Zhongjie's control.

  Although most of the guards at Linhua Hall were old subordinates of Bao Cheng'an, they had changed masters after all, and who knew whether they would listen to him when the time came?

  "Don't worry..." Gu Jin was turning over and over in his mind, thinking of how to persuade Anqing Hou to give up, and then look for another opportunity. Just as he heard Anqing Hou's low voice ringing in his ear, "Tonight's action is offensive and defensive, with no loss." His eyes were always looking at the direction where the ministers gathered, smiling on his face, and it was impossible to see that he was talking to Gu Jin again.

  "But..." Gu Yu followed his gaze and looked at Shen Zhongjie again.

  Before he could finish speaking, Anqing Hou said, "I've been unable to find his weakness..."

  Whose weakness?

  These words were spoken without rhyme or reason, Gu Quan was like a cloud in the fog, he looked at Anqing Hou with suspicion.

  "Until now, I have also been worried about how to get him away from the Emperor's side tonight..." Anqing Hou narrowed his eyes, "In this short period of time, he actually looked at Lady Shen more than a dozen times, Lady Shen... is his weakness!" He suddenly turned his head and said seriously, "Tonight, after I lead people into the side hall, if Shen Zhongjue refuses to leave the Emperor, you will find a way to control Lady Shen outside, and we will use her to get Shen Zhongjue away from the side hall!" A hint of ruthlessness flashed in his eyes, "When the officials start making trouble, he will realize too late and try to rush into the side hall to save the Emperor, and we will say that he is holding the Emperor hostage..." He made a chopping motion with his hand.

  Using Madame Shen to control Shen Zhongjie?

  Is she the original wife who was said to have been abandoned by Shen Zhongjie in the countryside?

  Gu Yan blinked, suspecting that Anqing Hou was fantasizing about the supreme power and had become obsessed, producing hallucinations. He looked down on it in his heart, but Gu Yan's gaze still searched among the women approaching him.

  Just then, a small eunuch walked up to him.

  Gu Yu hastily composed himself, "I heard that a circus troupe has arrived in the capital, their acrobatic performances are particularly good, I wonder if they've been invited to tonight's palace banquet..." He chuckled and changed the subject with Anqing Hou.

  "The empress ordered me to pay respects to the marquis... " The little eunuch came to stand beside Marquis Anqing, made a bow and said, "The sixth princess is crying and making a scene, refusing to get married. She has been confined by His Majesty in Weiyang Palace. Her Majesty requests that you and your wife go over to persuade her."

  The empress is summoning Marquis Anqing to enter the palace and discuss matters!

  Gu Yun's smile condensed, and he looked at Anqing Hou with a serious expression.

  "It's just the young lady throwing a small tantrum." Duke Anqing didn't even raise an eyebrow, "Your Majesty can go and report to the Empress Dowager, Sixth Princess will be fine after tonight..."

  PS: Finally didn't disappoint everyone's expectations and coded it out, my neck is all stiff now, (*^__^*) hehe......