RWNEFE -Chapter 646 Che Mingyuan, Cheng Zheng and Others Request Transfer to the Southwest

Under the shadow of the executioner’s blade, none of those implicated in Shen Congyi’s treason dared to speak up.

That included the Liu family, who had early on pledged allegiance to Shen Congyi while serving in the Astronomical Bureau.

The Liu family’s only real role had been to divine an auspicious date for Shen Congyi’s planned enthronement. The only thing that made them somewhat special was that the Liu family’s son had married Shen Yuanxin, the current emperor’s half-sister.

The case against the Liu family was handled by the Court of Judicial Review. Chief Clerk Liu Mao certainly could not escape execution, but the fate of the remaining family members—because it involved Shen Yuanxin—was reported to Shen Lanxi for a final decision.

“Your Majesty, all members of the Liu family have been imprisoned, including Shen Yuanxin.”

Shen Lanxi immediately understood: they were asking how Shen Yuanxin should be dealt with.

“What does Great Zhou law prescribe?” she asked.

Wei Jie thought for a moment. “Family members are to be exiled or sent to serve in the army.”

Shen Lanxi had already decided where to send them.

“To Dongchuan.”

Wei Jie paused, then realized the irony. If not for the woman now sitting on the dragon throne, the Shen family themselves might still be exiled in Dongchuan. And now Shen Yuanxin was being sent back there.

It was hard to tell whether this was a punishment that struck at the heart—or simply fate circling back.

The next day, the Liu family and all related persons were sentenced to exile in Dongchuan.

In prison, Shen Yuanxin nearly went mad. No matter how she screamed, shouted, or wept, no one paid her any attention.

From the moment the sentence was announced until the day they set out, not a single member of the Shen family came to see her.

She had become the Shen family’s discarded daughter.

They had not yet even left the capital’s borders. Though the Liu family harbored resentment toward both the Shens and Shen Yuanxin, they did not dare show it openly—but their eyes betrayed their hostility.

Shen Yuanxin saw the malice in their gazes.

She wanted a divorce. She wanted to leave the Liu family.

“My elder sister is the current emperor, Shen Lanxi! I want to see my elder sister! Go tell her—I want to divorce Liu Yun…”

The escorting guards had long since received orders and ignored her completely.

At that moment, a somewhat familiar face appeared before her.

“Miss Shen, we meet again.”

It was Liu Laohu, the same man who had once escorted the Shen family to Dongchuan years ago.

“Back then, I escorted your Shen family to Dongchuan. I never thought I’d escort you there a second time in this lifetime.”

“Stop shouting and save your voice. Come on. For old acquaintance’s sake, I’ll look after you a bit on the road.”

Recognizing Liu Laohu, Shen Yuanxin could no longer hold back. Seeing a familiar face, grief surged up from her heart, and she burst into loud sobs.

“Why has it turned out like this?”

They had already returned from Dongchuan—so why were they going back again?

…

Having just purged the remaining threats and stabilized the situation, Che Mingyuan, Cheng Zheng, Qian Feng, and others came to see Shen Lanxi.

“Your Majesty, we all come from the Southwest. Now that the realm has been pacified, we wish to return to the Southwest to serve as garrison commanders.”

That was the place they came from. For people like Zhao Zheng, the Zhao family in particular had deep ties to the Southwest.

Shen Lanxi looked at Zhao Zheng and smiled.

“Even if you hadn’t come to see me, I would have assigned you to the Southwest.”

Che Mingyuan was startled, then immediately understood. No wonder the emperor had not yet sent a capable official to guard the Southwest.

She had been reserving the position all along.

Zhao Zheng was overjoyed and immediately thanked her for imperial grace.

The difficult matter was Che Mingyuan. Over the years, he had become almost like her right arm. Letting him go to the Southwest was not easy for her.

“Strategist, the post of Southwest Governor is yours,” she said.

Even if reluctant or inconvenienced, when the time came to let go, she had to let go.

If she lacked capable people at her side, she could cultivate more. But the Southwest needed a minister as capable as Che Mingyuan.

“Thank you for Your Majesty’s grace!”

Che Mingyuan had not expected to benefit so much from following the emperor from the beginning, and he also understood more clearly how she was planning the administration of the realm.

In every region, she appointed both civil and military leaders—capable officials who would supervise and assist one another.

Just like Xiao Fang and Yuan Lang in Dongchuan.

Ten days later, Shen Lanxi personally saw them off.

“The Southwest is entrusted to you.”

The banner of the Zhao family army would once again fly in the Southwest.

Zhao Zheng, Che Mingyuan, and the others each accepted their assignments, carrying with them great ambitions to rebuild the Southwest as they set off.

…

Several members of the Shen family had died in succession, and a heavy gloom seemed to hang over the Shen residence like dark clouds pressing down on everyone’s hearts.

After waiting three days without any acknowledgment from the palace regarding Old Madam Shen’s death, the family hastily buried her, without even holding a proper funeral.

The capital’s situation had been too complicated at the time. Even though the Shen residence hung white mourning cloth, not a single person dared to visit.

Old Madam Shen’s death had caused a great uproar, yet her funeral stirred not even a ripple.

Soon afterward, a rumor quietly spread through the capital:

“Old Madam Shen used her life to threaten the emperor to spare Shen Congyi’s family. Who would have thought she would actually die?”

“The emperor upheld the law impartially, preferring to bear the name of being unfilial rather than spare traitors.”

“The emperor even allowed the old madam to live in the Palace of Benevolent Tranquility and had intended to honor her as Empress Dowager. But why did she take such a desperate step?”

“The realm has only been pacified a few years, and Shen Congyi stirred trouble already. Have they forgotten that without the emperor, they would still be exiled in Dongchuan?”

Under the weight of these rumors, the Shen family shut their doors and avoided all visitors. Only half a month later did Zhou Xinrou reopen the gates of the residence.

---

Huang Yu had destroyed a bandit stronghold, seizing vast quantities of gold, jewels, grain, cloth, and fine horses. The spoils had been escorted back to the capital days earlier and arrived today.

Shen Lanxi used her red brush to select several people to fill vacancies in the Astronomical Bureau—two women and three men.

The women were graduates of a women’s academy; of the men, two were from Dongchuan and one from the Northwest.

“Your Majesty, Huang Yu is waiting outside the hall,” a eunuch announced.

Shen Lanxi looked up from her memorials.

“Let her in.”

Huang Yu entered, knelt respectfully, and reported:

“Your Majesty, I have fulfilled my duty. Over the past year I have eliminated 3,681 bandits, rescued 684 civilians, and seized twenty chests of gold and jewels, twelve thousand jin of grain, ten large carts of various weapons, and 630 fine horses. I now present them to Your Majesty.”

A eunuch handed over the record book to Shen Lanxi.

The thick register not only listed the quantities of treasure in detail but also recorded every place Huang Yu had gone, the bandit and marauder groups he had uprooted, and even several cases of collusion between officials and bandits.

“Have those officials involved in collusion been dealt with?” she asked, pointing at the entries.

Huang Yu replied, “Your Majesty, I was only ordered to suppress bandits and had no authority to deal with court officials. I could only imprison them and await Your Majesty’s decision.”

Shen Lanxi nodded in satisfaction.

“You have done very well.”

Huang Yu brightened. “Thank you for Your Majesty’s praise. I have only done my duty.”

Shen Lanxi set aside the register and began to make arrangements for her.

“You have rendered great merit in suppressing bandits. This time, after returning, you need not go out again.”

“I believe that after seeing this register, those ministers who once objected to you will have nothing more to say.”

“The Capital Guard Camp is too small. With your current merits, you are fit to command the City Defense Army. Go back and rest for two days. I will discuss with the ministers what position to assign you there.”

The City Defense Army—its troop strength exceeded that of both the Imperial Guards and the Capital Guard combined.

Shen Lanxi’s tone softened.

“I am a woman. I know how difficult it is for a woman to reach this step.”

“After ascending the throne, I have vigorously promoted women. Do you know why?”