RWNEFE -Chapter 300 Wu Yanzhi Brings His Daughter to File a Complaint!

Although that was said, the capital was huge, and finding the people behind the scenes was like searching for a needle in the ocean.

Soon, the Hundred Flowers Banquet arrived. In the imperial villa on the outskirts of the capital, flowers bloomed in profusion, a riot of colors.

The Shen family’s unmarried daughters were all dressed exquisitely, led by Shen Lanxi to pay respects to the Empress.

Today, Old Madam Shen had brought out every eligible unmarried member of the family, both legitimate and not, making her intentions very clear.

Shen Lanxi had returned to the capital a few days ago. She had won the favor of His Majesty and the appreciation of the Empress; there was no thought of punishment yet. It was evident to all that the Shen family was visibly rising again.

Families who had been observing quietly now came forward to greet them.

After a brief walk in the garden to admire the flowers, Shen Lanxi was summoned by the Empress.

“Lanxi looks even more beautiful than the flowers themselves today!” Qi Yingqun thought to herself, nodding approvingly at Shen Lanxi’s elegant attire.

Shen Lanxi performed a proper greeting and said with a smile, “Your Majesty is truly the crown among all flowers. Lanxi’s light is but a flickering candle; how dare I compete with the sun and moon?”

Qi Yingqun laughed and spoke to the lady beside her, “This child speaks so sweetly, and she is both intelligent and modest. Everyone knows that Lanxi is the most beautiful lady in the Great Zhou!”

Shen Lanxi glanced at the woman—it was someone from the Empress’s family.

“Aunt,” Xue Songyun hurried in, bowing before noticing another woman in the hall.

Seeing the young man enter, the woman from the Empress’s family smiled and called her son over.

“Yun’er, why aren’t you outside with the Zhang sisters? How can someone your age be so careless?”

Though she spoke in reproach, there was no anger in her expression.

“Mother, I saw some excitement outside and thought I’d bring you and Aunt to see it, so I left those two annoying sisters behind.”

Shen Lanxi recognized the woman—Qi Yingqun’s elder sister, the Lady of Jining Marquisate.

Qi Yingqun’s expression turned cold upon hearing her sister mention the Zhang sisters.

Previously, her sister had agreed to a compromise, but now that “agreement” was clearly a refusal.

“What kind of excitement was it, that you rushed over so carelessly?” asked the Lady of Jining.

Xue Songyun glanced cautiously at Qi Yingqun, unsure if it was appropriate to speak.

Seeing her nephew lively and obedient, Qi Yingqun immediately softened.

“No outsiders are here, you may speak freely.”

Xue Songyun inadvertently looked at Shen Lanxi and realized—could it be true? Was Shen Lanxi really the one his aunt had spoken of?

“Reporting to Aunt, this matter involves the Shen family!”

In the court, there was only one Shen family—Shen Lanxi’s.

Shen Lanxi raised the corner of her mouth. “Speak freely.”

Xue Songyun’s eyes shifted, and he said, “The Left Prime Minister is taking his daughter to His Majesty to accuse the Shen family of abandoning their responsibilities.”

Shen Lanxi’s smile faded. “You mean Wu Yanzhi brought Wu Tingxue?”

Xue Songyun nodded. “Yes, them. And Wu Tingxue has a child with her.” When the Shen family fell into hardship, Wu Tingxue immediately divorced Shen Yuanxu—such an act of striking someone when they are down had already spread among the gentry.

Qi Yingqun stood up. “You shall accompany me to see for yourselves!”

Although the matter concerned ministers, in essence it was a household dispute, appropriate for the Empress to handle personally.

As Qi Yingqun entered the courtyard, Emperor Renxiao sent a eunuch to summon her.

She lifted her chin, passed the concubines of the rear palace and the gentry ladies, slowing her steps as she approached the Emperor.

By the time Shen Lanxi arrived, the Shen family was already present.

In the large garden, only the Left Prime Minister Wu Yanzhi’s accusation and the cries of Wu Tingxue and her child could be heard.

“Your Majesty, you must vindicate this old minister! My daughter raised the Shen family’s bloodline alone while Shen Yuanxu was gone for six years. She waited in the capital with the child. Now the Shen family prospers, yet they are driving out my daughter and grandchild. Their hearts are cruel and ungrateful!”

Upon seeing Shen Lanxi, Shen Yuanxu no longer restrained himself.

“Reporting to Your Majesty, I divorced Wu Tingxue long ago. There was no child at the time of divorce. I earnestly request Your Majesty’s judgment.”

Wu Yanzhi immediately became enraged: “My daughter divorced you to preserve the Shen bloodline! Now you have achieved merit and become a general, yet you neither recognize my daughter and the child nor do you stop slandering her. Shen Yuanxu, when I first arranged this marriage, I must have been blind to let my daughter marry you!”

Shen Yuanxu was unmoved by Wu Yanzhi’s accusations and responded directly: “Before the Shen family fell into hardship, Wu Tingxue had just sent her monthly letters. The first day I was imprisoned, your family sent a divorce decree. Where did this child come from?”

Wu Yanzhi and his daughter froze.

Wu Yanzhi cursed his daughter silently—why hadn’t she informed him of such an important matter sooner?

Wu Tingxue’s eyes showed panic—no, Shen Yuanxu must not be allowed to speak like that.

“Yuanxu, Xiaozhou is your child. My monthly periods were irregular, but later the doctor confirmed I was pregnant. Some women still have monthly bleeding in the first month or two of pregnancy. You can ask the Imperial Physician—Xiaozhou truly is your child, the child of the Shen family.” Wu Tingxue’s makeup was smudged from crying.

Seeing her mother cry, Xiaozhou cried along with her, mother and child entwined, evoking sympathy from anyone witnessing them.

“Yuanxu, I told you, Xiaozhou is a child of the Shen family,” Madam Liu said impulsively.

Old Madam Shen could barely restrain herself from slapping Madam Liu—how dare she hinder matters now. Recognizing the grandson at this moment meant acknowledging the family’s ungratefulness.

Shen Yuanxu was irritated with his mother, but this was not the time to argue.

Emperor Renxiao summoned the Imperial Physicians.

The physician bowed: “Your Majesty, some women can still have monthly bleeding while pregnant, but this is extremely rare.”

The Emperor looked at Shen Yuanxu: “Yuanxu, do you have anything to say?”

Wu Yanzhi’s brief smirk appeared—when his daughter was pregnant and gave birth, the Shen family was already thousands of miles away. What could Shen Yuanxu say?

“Your Majesty, I have words to speak,” Shen Yuanxu ignored his mother’s glance, standing tall and upright.

Wu Yanzhi assumed Shen Yuanxu was merely trying to be mysterious. Since the Shen family had brought his daughter back, the child was destined to belong to the Shens.

Shen Yuanxu glared coldly at Wu Yanzhi and his daughter, then let out a sudden, ambiguous laugh.

“Wu Tingxue, what about that Song boy? Is he still to your liking?”

Wu Tingxue’s face visibly paled. Impossible—the boy’s father had already said the matter was properly handled!

“Good! Shen Yuanxu, I never imagined you would invent a completely false person just to abandon my daughter and child. Don’t think that what your Shen family does in secret will go unnoticed!” Wu Yanzhi exploded with rage.