RWNEFE -Chapter 668 Sixty Blade Strikes Every Day!

Shen Conglian skillfully slipped a few banknotes into the hands of the pale-faced eunuch.

The eunuch curled his lips in a smile. “His Majesty is truly busy. After the New Year, there will be a southern inspection tour. Every day I stay by His Majesty’s side, working with him until past midnight. If I didn’t put powder on my face, I’d be too embarrassed to go out and meet people.”

When Shen Yuanhao heard this reason, his expression improved a great deal.

“Eunuch, you must remind His Majesty to take good care of the imperial health.”

“That goes without saying,” the eunuch replied. “I must hurry back to report.”

“His Majesty is used to using the ink I grind for him. Ink ground by others just doesn’t suit him!”

Shen Conglian and Shen Congli quickly escorted the eunuch out with flattering smiles.

Shen Yuanhao’s face darkened again.

“He’s just a eunuch, yet he dares to put on airs in front of us.”

Shen Conglian hurried to persuade him: “Even a seventh-rank official at the prime minister’s gate wields influence. Better to offend a gentleman than a petty man. He’s a favorite at the imperial side—don’t mention us, even the chief ministers treat him with respect.”

Shen Yuanhao had spent years on the frontier and found it hard to adjust.

They were His Majesty’s closest relatives. Did His Majesty know that the eunuch at her side treated them like this? She probably didn’t. The next time he entered the palace, he would certainly tell her.

…

“Your Majesty, this servant has returned to report.” The pale-faced eunuch glanced around cautiously. Seeing no one else in the room, he stepped closer to the dragon throne.

Shen Lanxi’s gaze was deep. “Do you think I am cold and heartless?”

The eunuch stepped forward again, only stopping once he had taken the inkstick into his hands, then replied respectfully: “Your Majesty is the ruler of a nation. Decisiveness in killing and judgment is only proper.”

To call it “womanly softness” would be an insult to His Majesty.

“Your Majesty handles countless affairs each day and already works very hard. You protected the Shen family for so long before—yet they cannot rely on Your Majesty’s protection forever. What Your Majesty is doing now is wise.”

Shen Lanxi smiled. “Sending you to Ghost Valley for a few years really taught you a lot.”

The eunuch gave a rare, simple grin. “It is all thanks to Your Majesty’s wisdom.”

Shen Lanxi suddenly asked, “Am I old?”

The eunuch’s brows twitched as if startled. His face turned pale, and with a thud he dropped to his knees.

“Your Majesty is in the prime of life. Please do not let idle gossip from the court disturb your mind.”

She gave a faint laugh.

“A man without foresight will soon have troubles close at hand. I merely wish to cut certain thoughts off while they are still in the cradle.”

As for how to cut them off—the methods had long been left behind by those who came before.

At the first hint of dawn, Shen Lanxi was already rising.

A hand reached out from within the bed curtains, intending to get up.

“Continue sleeping,” she said. “From now on, I will rise at this hour every day.”

Cheng Zheng did not listen and insisted on getting up.

The eunuch’s voice sounded: “Your Majesty only slept at the third watch last night. It is not yet time for court. Why not rest a little longer?”

“No need,” Shen Lanxi replied.

After dressing, Shen Lanxi led the two of them to the training ground.

The Banyue saber hummed in the cold wind. Though still incomparably sharp, it had gained a craftsman’s polish and lost some of its killing aura from long disuse.

“How long has it been since I last came to this training ground?” Shen Lanxi told the two to wait and walked forward alone with a smile.

Cheng Zheng knew better than the eunuch how much this blade meant to her. It had accompanied her through campaigns, and after the wars ended, it stood here guarding the realm.

Busy with state affairs, His Majesty had not practiced martial arts for a long time, nor touched the Banxing saber.

Though the eunuch had never personally witnessed His Majesty’s heroic figure in battle, he longed to see it.

At that moment, both of them watched the person who drew the Banxing saber with one hand, their eyes reddening with emotion.

A person does not only cry in sorrow—at times of excitement, tears also well up uncontrollably.

One strike, two strikes, three strikes… sixty strikes.

The long saber weighed over a thousand jin, yet His Majesty swung it a full sixty times. Every stroke split the air; her stance was steady, her movements swift as lightning.

“From now on, I will come to the training ground every day and strike the blade sixty times.”

On the first day, there was no reaction in court.

On the second day, when court convened again, all officials already knew about His Majesty’s sixty blade strikes.

By the third day, the entire capital had heard of it.

Those who had been whispering that His Majesty was growing older and should soon appoint an heir to secure the realm all fell silent.

That saber—even strong men in their prime required six people to lift it.

Though His Majesty was busy with state affairs, her martial skills had not declined.

The voices calling for the establishment of a crown prince were snuffed out like candle flames.

Judging from His Majesty’s current physical condition, she could remain on the throne for at least another twenty years.

As the two young men of the Shen family returned one after another, the New Year arrived.

On the last day of the festival, Shen Lanxi summoned the Shen family.

Shen Conglian and Shen Congli brought Shen Yuanxu, Shen Yuanjing, and Shen Yuanhao into the palace.

“Kowtowing to Your Majesty—may Your Majesty live ten thousand years…”

Shen Lanxi smiled. “Rise. We are all family here; there is no need for such formalities.”

Though the words sounded warm, the Shen family had already sensed the difference.

Shen Conglian and Shen Congli forced smiles, unsure how to respond.

The three younger men of the Shen family had been away for years. They had not personally experienced the deaths of Shen Congyi, the Old Madam Shen, and Zhou Xinrou, nor the suffocating sense of a blade hanging over their heads. Their demeanor was much more relaxed than that of Shen Conglian and Shen Congli.

Shen Yuanxu said, “Your Majesty is the sovereign, and we are subjects. The state comes before the family; the rites of bowing cannot be omitted.”

Shen Yuanjing added, “Your Majesty, now that all under heaven has submitted and the people’s hearts have returned, it is all thanks to Your Majesty’s governance. You must be very tired, surely?”

Shen Yuanhao said, “Your Majesty must take good care of your health.”

Shen Lanxi smiled. “Though the realm is now largely pacified, we cannot grow lax. I have only firmly sat upon the throne for a few years—I cannot imitate the foolish rulers of past dynasties who indulged in pleasure. At all times, I remember the words ‘be vigilant in times of peace.’”

Shen Yuanjing had been full of anticipation for a joyful reunion of siblings and family, but hearing only such formal talk made the person before him feel strangely unfamiliar.

“Your Majesty, I heard you will conduct a southern inspection tour after the New Year?” Shen Yuanxu asked.

“Yes,” Shen Lanxi replied. “I have already made arrangements for you. After the New Year, one of you will accompany me on the southern tour, while two will remain in the capital. As for who, it will be decided after the New Year.”

The three Shen brothers instantly forgot their sense of distance and began to think of other matters.

“Now that the frontiers are peaceful, you three brothers should remain in the capital from now on—serve the elders at home and teach the children.”

Shen Yuanhao and Shen Yuanjing had both returned under pretexts; only Shen Yuanxu had officially stayed in the capital by imperial decree.

Hearing this, Yuanhao and Yuanjing felt relieved.

Now they would not need to find excuses to remain in the capital.

Did His Majesty still cherish family ties, wishing to keep her relatives nearby?

No matter how strong a woman might appear, she would always soften toward her family.

Shen Yuanxu, however, thought further than the other two. When he had previously relinquished command of the frontier troops, he had worried that he would no longer hold real power. Now it seemed that the realm would still rely on their brothers to help guard it.