RWNEFE -Chapter 330 Giving Zhou Ruan a “Great Gift”!

This time it was Shen Lanxi who patiently tried to persuade him.

“Father, you’ve been rooted in the court for so many years yet never truly gained His Majesty’s trust. You really don’t understand how to read the Emperor’s intentions at all!”

Shen Congwen: “…”

“Do you think His Majesty is someone who acts without a plan? The fact that he wants me to preside over the civil examinations—do you truly not understand what he means?”

Why did she sound so disappointed, as if scolding him for failing to live up to expectations?

Shen Congwen was stunned.

Shen Lanxi continued, guiding him step by step: “His Majesty has long been fed up with those pedantic scholars in court. He doesn’t want the Grand Preceptor to serve as chief examiner, nor does he want the people of the Wen Yuan Pavilion to interfere. He chose me precisely because I understand nothing. Father, do you understand now?”

Shen Congwen was puzzled. “But this is the imperial examination. How can it be treated so casually?”

Shen Lanxi didn’t bother letting him keep guessing—he would only guess useless things.

“I am a military general and know nothing about the examinations. Yet His Majesty uses me and no one else. That shows he truly thirsts for talent and wants capable people.”

Shen Congwen was taken aback, then immediately felt regret.

How had he failed to see the Emperor’s deeper meaning? No wonder Lanxi seemed so calm—so the Emperor must have already explained it to her.

“Since this is a task entrusted by His Majesty, you must handle it well. And don’t show favoritism or break the law just because the young men of our family will be taking the examination,” Shen Congwen warned lightly.

“Of course,” Shen Lanxi replied. “Father should instead spend more time supervising the studies of the younger men in the family.”

She was almost afraid that even if she wanted to show favoritism, the young men of the family wouldn’t give her the opportunity.

After the Shen family’s crisis was resolved, Old Madam Shen returned to the Shen residence the day after Shen Lanxi woke up.

When she later learned that the Emperor had granted Shen Lanxi an official post and bestowed many gifts upon her, she even had people buy firecrackers and hang them at both residences to drive away bad luck.

Because Shen Lanxi had missed the military examinations while recovering, all attention now focused on the civil examinations.

In other words, the entire Great Zhou was watching Shen Lanxi alone.

If people in remote villages didn’t know who Shen Lanxi was, mentioning two things would immediately make her famous.

First: the rumor that on her wedding night someone had called for water three times.
Second: her achievements in recovering Dongchuan and the northwest.

No matter how great Shen Lanxi’s merits were, her former husband Zhou Ruyuan would always be dragged out and mentioned alongside her.

Wei Dongzhu left on the second day after Shen Lanxi awoke; the construction of the execution platform for the Fierce Prince was nearly complete.

Before leaving, Wei Dongzhu once again placed something in Shen Lanxi’s hands.

“Wait for me to return.”

After he departed, Shen Lanxi stared at the tiger tally in her hand, lost in thought.

Although unrest in the northwest had ceased, Emperor Renxiao’s concerns remained.

On the tenth day after Shen Lanxi was cured of the poison, Liang Shao and Shen Yuanjing led the Zhenbei Army toward the northwest.

Shen Lanxi stood atop the city wall watching them leave, with Ban Sicao and Che Mingyuan at her side.

“We’ve found out,” Che Mingyuan said. “The person who ordered those officials to impeach you with fifty charges in the great hall was the eldest princess, Zhou Yunshang.”

Shen Lanxi raised an eyebrow. “Zhou Yunshang? That’s rather unexpected.”

Che Mingyuan continued, “Those ministers are close to her husband. They often drink together.”

Shen Lanxi frowned. “Have I ever offended her?”

Che Mingyuan replied meaningfully, “You’d have to ask yourself that.”

“What do you mean by that?”

Shen Lanxi thought for a moment. “When I was young in the palace, I was greatly favored by the Empress Dowager. She treated me even better than her own grandchildren. I vaguely remember snatching the princesses’ clothes and jewelry, playing tricks on the princes so they were punished, taking their swords, and competing with them for rewards… There’s too much to list.”

Che Mingyuan and Ban Sicao were stunned.

From her words alone, they could already sense how domineering Shen Lanxi had been in those days.

In short—she had made many enemies.

“My lord, perhaps we should talk about Zhou Qiwou instead? There aren’t many days left before the deadline His Majesty gave her to leave the capital,” Che Mingyuan quickly changed the subject.

Shen Lanxi immediately replied, “We can’t just let her leave like that.”

“I was thinking the same thing,” Che Mingyuan said.

After thinking carefully, Shen Lanxi added, “I heard Zhou Ruan is about to return. I think I should prepare a great gift for him.”

The very next day, scandalous stories about Zhou Ruan and Wang Xiangyi—the daughter of the Third Princess—spread throughout the capital. Before noon, more than a dozen different versions of the tale were already circulating.

The most sensational version claimed that Zhou Ruan and Zhou Qiwou had borne a son and a daughter who maintained extremely improper relations with him, and that all three of them even shared a bed. The rumor spread like wildfire.

Zhou Qiwou was already in a foul mood after learning that Shen Lanxi had not died. She was scolding her servants while ordering them to pack to leave the capital. When she heard these rumors, she nearly fainted from anger.

Fortunately, Yuan Lang remained at her side, gently comforting her.

“Yuan Lang, it must be that little wretch Shen Lanxi spreading these rumors. Back in Jinmen, we should have killed her whole family!” Zhou Qiwou tore her handkerchief to shreds, her eyes full of hatred.

Yuan Lang felt the matter was not so simple.

“Princess, since Shen Lanxi returned to the capital, our people haven’t taken any action against her. It doesn’t seem she would target us without reason.”

Zhou Qiwou’s eyes flickered as she answered vaguely, “If it wasn’t her, then who else could have spread it?”

Yuan Lang pondered. Could it be the family of the husband Wang Xiangyi had killed?

Before he could voice his thoughts, a maid outside reported that Wang Xiangyi and her brother had arrived.

Zhou Qiwou quickly stood up from Yuan Lang’s lap. He was reluctant to let her go and pulled her back for a brief embrace before slipping away to hide.

The siblings rushed in, immediately bursting into tears and complaints.

“Mother, it must be Shen Lanxi. There’s no one else!” Wang Xiangyi cried, accusing her.

Wang Xiangrong glared viciously, as if he wanted to devour someone. “Shen Lanxi—I will never coexist with her!”

Zhou Qiwou had already been convinced it was Shen Lanxi. Hearing her children say so only strengthened her belief.

“Mother, quickly think of a way to deal with Shen Lanxi!” Wang Xiangyi pleaded, shaking her arm.

“Mother, I want Shen Lanxi to die a miserable death!” Wang Xiangrong’s thoughts were dark and twisted as he remembered the humiliation he had suffered while recovering from his injuries. “I won’t let her die easily—I want her to suffer torment and disgrace before she dies!”

Seeing her son’s pain, Zhou Qiwou’s anger surged.

She could not simply leave the capital. She would stay—and personally watch Shen Lanxi lose her reputation and die in agony.

That very day, Zhou Qiwou entered the palace to weep before Emperor Renxiao.

“Your Majesty, this concerns the reputation of a prince and the reputations of my sister’s two children. I beg Your Majesty to find the culprit spreading these rumors and restore the children’s innocence!”

Emperor Renxiao was also furious. No matter how useless Zhou Ruan might be, he was still the Emperor’s son—how could others slander and fabricate stories about him like this?

The dignity of the imperial family could not be damaged.

Zhou Qiwou thus successfully remained in the capital.

…

Emperor Renxiao, considering that Shen Lanxi had only recently recovered from a serious illness, allowed her to stay home to recuperate while preparing for the imperial examinations instead of attending court.

Shen Lanxi personally went to the palace to express her gratitude. As she was leaving, she saw the aged Grand Preceptor Mei Nanhua still kneeling outside the palace gates. She glanced at the blazing sun overhead but did not stop, stepping into her carriage and departing.

Less than a hundred meters from the palace, one of her subordinates came to report:

“My lord, someone calling herself Princess Yunxue is waiting outside the Marquis’s residence.”