RWNEFE -Chapter 678 Can I Be Buried Together with Your Majesty?

If Shen Yuanjing and Shen Yuanxu dared to say yes to that question, it would mean that their entire Shen family was dissatisfied with the Emperor.

“No, Third Aunt absolutely doesn’t mean that. She probably just feels irritable from being with Third Uncle every day.”

“Yes, Third Uncle’s hearing has grown worse and worse. Every day when we return home, we almost feel like avoiding him.”

The two spoke with such sincerity that Shen Lanxi tentatively believed them.

“As for Third Uncle’s ears, I’ve also asked the imperial physicians. They have already tried every possible method, but they say the illness is complicated and involves the brain, so they dare not use strong medicine.”

Shen Yuanxu said, “Then it’s better not to use strong medicine. Life is good as it is now. He just can’t hear well; as long as it doesn’t affect daily life, that’s fine.”

Shen Lanxi nodded. “That’s what I think as well. You are all my relatives. I hope every one of you can live well.”

When Shen Yuanxu and Shen Yuanjing heard this, they inexplicably felt a sense of pressure and could only force smiles onto their faces.

“Let’s do this,” Shen Lanxi continued. “I’ll have the Ministry of Rites select some promising young men of suitable family background and clean households, as well as refined and intelligent young women of marriageable age, and compile a list.”

“When the time comes, you can see who you like and make your own inquiries. Once you’ve investigated, report back to me, and I will issue the marriage decrees.”

Shen Yuanjing and Shen Yuanxu replied together, “Your Majesty is wise!”

The matter of the Shen family’s imperial marriages quickly spread throughout the capital. Many who had been watching from the sidelines began letting their sons and daughters make contact with the young men and women of the Shen family.

As the children’s marriages were gradually put on the agenda, matchmakers also began visiting Shen Yuanxu to propose matches.

Previously, the Emperor had abolished the rule forbidding men of the Shen family from taking concubines, and shortly afterward also abolished the requirement that a widower of the Shen family must observe two years of mourning for his wife.

So when matchmakers came calling, it was no longer a matter of defying an imperial decree.

Although most of the women proposed were concubines’ daughters, they were young and beautiful. Given their status, being able to marry Shen Yuanxu as a second wife was already considered marrying above themselves.

Liu Yanui recounted this as a joke to Shen Lanxi.

No one had expected Shen Conglian to suddenly appear at this time and take a new wife.

As a father, he had, for once, surpassed his son—unexpectedly in the matter of marriage.

Even more astonishing was that the same matchmaker had been proposing matches for both father and son.

When Shen Lanxi heard about it in the palace, she burst out laughing.

“In fact, Shen Conglian snatched the woman his son had intended to meet. Fortunately, the matchmaker hadn’t yet arranged the formal meeting, or the Shen family would have made another spectacle of themselves.”

After finishing this story, Liu Yanui saw that the Emperor made no move to stop him, so he continued recounting gossip from other households.

As for whether Shen Yuanxu felt stifled by the matter, that was the Shen family’s business.

Because of Shen Conglian taking a new wife, the younger generation of the Shen family felt ashamed and stayed home, rarely going out.

From the engagement gifts to the wedding, only a month passed.

The day before the Shen family’s wedding festivities, Shen Yuanxu went to the ancestral hall and stared at his mother’s memorial tablet for more than an hour.

Beside Madam Liu’s tablet was that of Madam Hu.

Soon, the list of marriage arrangements for the younger generation was submitted to the palace.

Shen Lanxi handed the matter of issuing marriage decrees to the Ministry of Rites.

Before long, the imperial edicts of marriage were issued one after another.

The powerful families of the capital, seeing this, began placing their bets on the young men of the Shen family.

…

After returning to the capital, Shen Yuanxu and Shen Yuanjing were only given nominal posts in the Ministry of War. Though they had positions and salaries, they held no real power.

Privately, both felt that they were worse off than Shen Yuanhao, who was supervising river works—at least that position carried real authority.

“The court is full of talent. Every year, the major academies supply large numbers of capable people to the government. His Majesty does not lack people to employ.”

The older they grew, the more they could feel how far-reaching the Emperor’s earlier plans had been.

No wonder the first thing the Emperor had targeted was the academies.

After realizing this, Shen Yuanxu began to feel regret.

If he had not chosen the military back then and had instead devoted himself to the academies, he might by now have become a teacher revered by scholars throughout the realm.

But there was no medicine for regret. Since he had chosen the military path, he still had to place obtaining command of troops above all else.

“We were both border generals. After returning to the capital, it’s only natural for us to enter the Ministry of War,” Shen Yuanxu said. He felt that if he wanted to accomplish anything, he had to bring Shen Yuanjing along.

Shen Yuanjing replied, “What if His Majesty doesn’t agree? If she intended to, she should have arranged it long ago, shouldn’t she?”

Shen Yuanxu glanced at him. “Don’t worry. In the end, His Majesty still has to rely on us brothers to guard the realm for her.”

Though doubtful, Shen Yuanjing nodded.

After all, one person could not support the empire alone. Moreover, she was a woman, no longer young, and still had no children. The future emperor would surely be chosen from among their Shen family.

“Alright. Tomorrow, after court, let’s speak to His Majesty privately.”

However, accidents always came without warning.

Cheng Zheng suddenly collapsed without any prior sign, and Shen Lanxi immediately suspended court for a day.

In less than half a year, Cheng Zheng’s hair had already turned completely white.

Shen Lanxi did not know how long she had been sitting by the bedside until a hand lightly tugged at her sleeve.

Cheng Zheng had awakened. His whole person seemed full of spirit. He looked as if he had never been ill, sitting up in bed and reaching toward the attendant.

The attendant turned away to wipe his tears and left. When he returned, he was carrying a box.

“This is for me?” Shen Lanxi asked with a smile.

Cheng Zheng nodded gently, a faint smile at the corners of his mouth.

After opening it, Shen Lanxi saw a booklet inside.

She glanced at it, then ordered the attendant to leave.

“In Tianjin, being able to meet you was a blessing I must have prayed for over several lifetimes. I often gave up on myself; at times I wished I had died in the dungeon there.”

At this point, Shen Lanxi reached out and took his hand, continuing to read.

“It was Your Majesty who taught me to make the best use of what I had. Even though I am already a ruined man, I can still serve Your Majesty and make a living by my own abilities!”

“I am very happy!”

Reading this, Shen Lanxi smiled at Cheng Zheng and continued.

“Before the strategist came to find me, I only dared to admire Your Majesty in secret and never dared to reveal my feelings. The day the strategist came to me, I was so happy I nearly went mad with joy!”

“Why did Your Majesty, with so many outstanding young men to choose from, select someone like me, who is physically incomplete?”

“I thought about it for a long time.”

“Later I finally understood, and suddenly felt that being unable to speak was actually a good thing.”

“The dungeon in Tianjin took my tongue. But if not for that dungeon, I’m afraid I would never have met Your Majesty.”

“From that time on, I came to terms with it. Having no tongue is good. I no longer gave up on myself.”

Cheng Zheng looked at the Emperor like this, for the first time daring to look directly at her face.

It was as if he were making up for all those years of keeping his head lowered, staring without blinking.

“Finally, I wish to ask Your Majesty for one thing.”

“After Your Majesty has lived out your years, may I be buried together with you?”

When Shen Lanxi finished reading the last page and looked up, Cheng Zheng had already withdrawn his smile, his eyes vacant.

Even so, he was still looking at her.

Shen Lanxi knew—he was waiting for her answer.