Chapter 109 of Volume One: Summoned

  The little eunuch's eyes flashed, and he immediately responded with a yes. Taking advantage of the pause to bid farewell, he lowered his voice and whispered in Anqing Hou's ear, "Her Majesty the Empress has instructed me to inform you that she has replaced all the eunuchs and palace maids in Linhua Hall as per your orders, and the eldest prince has also been summoned back to Qiankun Hall to await further instructions." After finishing speaking, the little eunuch turned around and left without looking back.

  Looking at the back of the little eunuch, a hint of ruthlessness flashed in Anqing Hou's eyes.

  After meticulous planning and exhausting wisdom for so long, a life-and-death battle is about to begin. Tonight, who will die in whose hands?

  Gu's concerns were not unfounded. The sixth princess's wedding was imminent, and if he didn't make his move soon, the sixth princess would be married off!

  Tonight, if you don't make an oath to force the palace, with a million years of ferocity, on the day Sixth Princess gets married, it will be Xue Yi's death date!

  "What is General Shen going to do?" Just as he was lost in thought, Gu's voice came over.

  Anqing Hou raised his eyes to look, Shen Zhongge was hastily welcoming a small maid wearing an emerald green brocade cheongsam with golden peony patterns, leaving behind several generals staring at him in astonishment.

  "Send someone over to take a look......" Duke Anqing didn't even turn his head back.

  Someone behind him responded and walked over.

  That Shen Zhong's face was already pale as he faced Qiu Ju, "......what's wrong?" he asked abruptly.

  "Hubby... Madam has been summoned by Wanxi." Qiuju's voice trembled slightly.

  Long live the summons?

  Why would the Emperor suddenly summon her?

  This was something that Shen Zhong could never have imagined would happen, and for a moment he didn't react, only asking after a while, "Where did she go?"

  "Taihe Hall!" Chuyu pointed in the direction where Zhen Shiniang had left.

  Shen Zhong's head turned around and he saw Zhen Shining's figure disappear at the side door, he lifted his foot and chased out.

  A group of eunuchs and palace maids were bustling about, hurrying back and forth through the carved flower corridors. Seeing Fuheng's little eunuch approaching, they hastily stepped aside, bowed their heads and saluted, "Greetings, Master Fu."

  Zhen Shining slowed down her pace on purpose.

  She heard a heavy footsteps coming from behind her, and her heart skipped a beat as she was about to turn around. Shen Zhongke's low and thick voice came, "Fu Gonggong..."

  Just as he was urging Zhen Shining to hurry up, he saw Shen Zhongjie coming over. Fu Gonggong hastily saluted him respectfully, "General Shen."

  Fu Gonggong bought tea to drink. Shen Zhongge took out a silver note and handed it over, "Does Fu Gonggong know what the Emperor suddenly summoned his wife for?"

  Look, it's a silver note worth 100 taels. Master Fu's face lit up with joy, "I didn't know either, General, rest assured that when I passed on the message to Madam, she was in high spirits." The implication being that Zhen Shiniang's trip would not be fraught with danger.

  Shen Zhong's expression relaxed slightly as he let out a breath. Only then did he turn his head to look at Zhen Shi Nang.

  "General..." Seeing him look over, Zhen Shining subconsciously grabbed onto him.

  On the surface, she looked calm, but in her two lifetimes, Xun Shi had never met such a high-ranking leader. Especially in the TV shows and movies of her previous life, those emperors who ruled with an iron fist were all a group of unpredictable monsters, it was said that they changed their faces faster than flipping through books, no wonder they were called "accompanying the emperor like accompanying a tiger".

  At this moment, the kind of unease that came from her heart made her subconsciously hold Shen Zhongjie's hand. It was he who brought her here, in this solemn and terrifyingly unfamiliar deep palace, he was her only reliance.

  Under the watchful eyes of everyone, what a mess you've made!

  As Shen Zhongge caught sight of the palace maids and eunuchs glancing over, his face flushed with embarrassment, and he immediately turned gloomy. Just as he was about to reach out, his fingertips touched Zhen Shiniang's icy fingers, and his heart softened again. "It's okay, I'll go with you." With a stern expression, Shen Zhongge restrained himself from grasping back the cold hands and suddenly strode ahead of Fu Gonggong towards the Taihe Hall.

  Looking at Shen Zhong's broad and majestic back, Zhen Shiniang smiled bitterly in her heart.

  This shoulder is not one she can rely on after all.

  Although Lang Jun is good, he is not a good person after all. In this life, the only ones she and Wen Ge Wu Ge can rely on are themselves!

  In just an instant, Zhen Shiniang had straightened her waist and back.

  "...... General Shen has also arrived." Eunuch Fu cautiously glanced at the Emperor, who was reviewing the dinner program.

  "What is he doing here?" Wanxiu raised an eyebrow and threw the banquet program on the table, "Let him wait outside!"

  Fu Gonggong responded with a grunt and turned around to leave.

  Before long, he brought Zhen Shiyin in alone to pay her respects.

  "Wansui said in a loud voice, '... Lift your head.' He glanced down carelessly, but his expression changed suddenly and he sat up straight subconsciously."

  She is indeed the daughter of the most beautiful woman in the capital city.

  No wonder Shen Zhong was disgusted to death, but when he heard that she had declared her love for him, he actually followed her with a nervous and eager heart!

  Looking at the woman kneeling on the steps, who was as beautiful as a demon, Wan Si's heart surged with emotion. "Heroes can't resist beautiful women... With her looks, she'll stay by Shen Ai's side for a while... Her whole family was killed by the Emperor... And Shen Ai holds great power..."

  A woman's heart is the most poisonous!

  The more he thought about it, the heavier Emperor Wansui's heart became. He somewhat regretted listening to Xiao Yu's words and issuing such a ridiculous imperial decree, forcibly tying Shen Zhongjie and this woman together. Faintly, a murderous intent rose in Emperor Wansui's mind.

  This woman can't be kept!

  Shen Zhongge is a rare military genius in a hundred years, a sharp knife with its blade exposed, the tool for him to complete the great cause of unification. He absolutely cannot be controlled by a woman!

  Kneeling quietly on the ground, her face still calm, Zhen Shining's heart was tightly strung like a bowstring. She didn't know why, but despite Emperor Wansui's peaceful expression and gentle demeanor, she felt a thick, menacing intent to kill surrounding her. Her clothes gradually stuck to her back, and she no longer dared to look Emperor Wansui in the eye. Zhen Shining's gaze darted to one side, and she slightly lowered her head.

  Wan Si withdrew his gaze and suddenly asked, "...... What do you think about Shen Ai's petition for leave?"

  Shen Zhong's memorial requesting leave?

  Zhen Shining was confused for a moment, how would she know when Shen Zhongge submitted his leave of absence?

  Shen Zhongge is so arrogant, who would still consider her opinion when doing something?

  What's the point of her looking again?

  Her mind was racing, Zhen Shining suddenly remembered the question asked by Commander Zhao when she and Shen Zhongjie entered Linhua Hall, "I heard that Marquis Anqing and Qi Shi both named you to escort Sixth Princess and her entourage, but you submitted a leave of absence, is it true?"

  Wan Sui asked, "Is it definitely this matter?"

  Wan Sui asked, "Is what Zhao Tongling said true?" However, Zhen Shi Nang furrowed her brow again, "Why did he want to submit a leave of absence?" With his career at its peak and his fame on the rise, why would he want to retire suddenly?

  Is it because he is afraid of being a great talent and overshadowing his lord?

  Will Wan Sui still use him to attack Yan Qi? Has Wan Sui given up on his ambition for unification? Is it just because he's afraid that in the future, he'll be overthrown by him and lose the Li family's throne?

  However, after being in contact with Shen Zhongjie for so long, from Zhen Shiniang's feeling, Shen Zhongjie is a very emotional person, with a heroic and iron-blooded aura on his body. He is indeed a military genius, but he is absolutely not a smooth and cunning plotter.

  As for political sensitivity, Zhen Shiniang considered Shen Zhongjie as a kind of political idiot.

  It is said that the emperor sitting on top is a wise and just ruler, shouldn't he be able to see this point? If it's said that in the future who will covet his throne, the emperor might consider Xiao Yu, but he absolutely won't consider Shen Zhongjie.

  Her body was not in the imperial court, and she had always thought that the temple was ten million eight thousand miles away from her. Zhen Shiniang had never paid attention to these things, nor had anyone provided her with any information. Even though she was extremely intelligent, at this moment, she was asked by Wan Si's words, like falling into a cloud and fog. At this moment, Zhen Shiniang felt that she was standing in front of an abyss, and as long as she took one step forward, she would never be able to turn back. However, there was a thick fog in front of her, and she couldn't see the direction ahead, nor did she know which side was the pure land and which side was the abyss. Which way should she take this step?

  Yu Guang quietly glanced at Wan Sui, who was staring at her without blinking. Zhen Shi Niang's heart skipped a beat as she suddenly came to a realization:

  What's important is not why Shen Zhongxi took leave, but that this person in front of her is afraid she will influence Shen Zhongxi's will!

  She was asked this because she wanted to know if her thoughts were consistent with Shen Zhong's. If they were, then Shen Zhong's leave would have her backing!

  She remembered that Shen Zhongge was outside the Taihe Temple, and Zhen Shiniang's heart trembled. She had made a fatal mistake, she shouldn't have let Qiuju bring Shen Zhongge over just now.

  Long live is taboo!

  It's too late for regrets now. Zhen Shi Nang hastily bowed her head and said, "Your Majesty, my daughter has been in poor health and has been recuperating in the countryside, so she was unaware of the general's request for leave." Seeing that the emperor's expression had eased, she felt a sense of relief and her words became more composed. "From a young age, my mother taught me that as a woman, I should obey my father at home and my husband after marriage. If the general truly decided to take leave, my daughter would certainly follow his decision."

  Suddenly throwing out this question, Wan Cai stared at Zhen Shiniang's eyes, and in these eyes there was shock, confusion, but no resentment or ambition.

  Shen Zhong's gongs and drums were flat, the Japanese pirates were defeated, the southern barbarians were conquered, and the southern Yue was subdued. He made great contributions to the Zhou Dynasty, but suddenly he retreated like a swift current, leaving behind his achievements. Any wife would feel resentful for him, and would cry out in injustice, but she didn't.

  But chose obedience instead.

  Wan Sui also heard Ji Huai Feng's report and suddenly wanted to see this legendary person. Originally, he just wanted to see her off, but suddenly discovered that Zhen Shi Niang was no longer the naive and inexperienced girl of five years ago. In a few years, she had become a stunning beauty that could overthrow a country. He suddenly became wary and asked her on impulse, first to test whether Shen Zhong Ke had told her about this matter, and secondly to see if she had any ambition to let Shen Zhong Ke gain more power.

  A father's death cannot be shared under the same sky. In a certain sense, Li's family is the archenemy of this woman who can overthrow a country!

  Cut the grass but don't pull out the roots, even if she only has a thread of wild ambition, it's absolutely impossible to let her stay!

  Although she still felt that Zhen Shining's gaze was warm and gentle, like a layer of gauze, the deep-seated hatred and greed for absolute power were not something that could be hidden behind a layer of gauze.

  All these years, he had grown accustomed to the greedy gaze of his courtiers and slaves by his side, but in this woman's eyes, it was absolutely non-existent.

  "Wansui suddenly let out a breath of relief, '...what illness has the noble lord contracted?' His tone was much warmer now, as if he were inquiring about a family member."

  She guessed it!

  The thick killing intent that had been lingering around her seemed to have dissipated a lot, and Zhen Shiniang secretly let out a sigh of relief...