Chapter 133 This Interesting Compensation

Chapter 133 This Interesting Compensation

Upon receiving the imperial decree, Shen Nanzi hurriedly took a carriage to the palace.

Xie Yan, who had just returned from the Pear Courtyard, was reminded by Wu Ying, who was sitting outside, "Your Highness, it seems that the Princess Consort is heading towards the Imperial Palace."

Xie Yan, who was sitting upright in the carriage, lifted the curtain and glanced at Shen Nanzi's carriage as it passed by him.

He lowered the curtain and said in a deep voice, "Follow her."

The car stopped immediately, turned on the spot, and headed towards Shen Nanzi's direction.

Shen Nanzi went to Shengming Palace with doubts.

Inside the Shengming Hall, only the Emperor was present, and there was a faint, bitter smell of medicine.

The emperor was bent over his desk reviewing memorials; at fifty years old, he didn't actually look old.

In Shen Nanzi's memory, he was always energetic, with a loud voice, black hair, and an upright posture.

Perhaps knowing that he was suffering from illness, they actually thought he looked somewhat sickly.

Countless white hairs have appeared among the black hair on his head.

Her former moderate build now appears somewhat loose around the shoulders.

Shen Nanzi lowered her eyes, waiting for the Emperor to finish his work.

After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the Emperor finally finished reviewing the memorials in his hand and put them aside.

The brush in her hand was taken away by a palace maid who bent down and hung it on the brush rack.

Before the emperor could catch his breath, another palace servant brought over a steaming porcelain bowl.

Shen Nanzi didn't need to look to know that it contained medicinal juice.

The hall was already filled with a strong medicinal smell; it was impossible to ignore it.

Is the Emperor no longer planning to conceal his illness?

Shen Nanzi continued to wait. Ice had been placed inside the hall, but it was still somewhat stuffy.

"Your Majesty, would you like to try some?" A palace servant offered some candied fruit to relieve the bitterness.

The Emperor shook his head, as if he had no appetite, and said, "Take it away!"

The palace officials had no choice but to give up.

The Emperor wiped his mouth before he had a chance to look at Shen Nanzi, who had been waiting in the hall for a long time.

"Please take a seat."

The emperor's voice was not loud, but it carried the intimidating aura of a superior.

Shen Nanzi was given a chair, which seemed somewhat out of place and made her sit alone in the hall.

"Father, what brings you here?" Her tone was deliberately light, as if she wanted to drive away the deathly atmosphere in the hall.

A slight smile appeared on the Emperor's expressionless face. "You've waited so long without a single complaint?"

"Father is busy with countless affairs of state, and I am just sitting idly by his side. Why should I complain?"

The Emperor nodded. "The third son is slow-witted."

Then he added, "Not too slow."

Shen Nanzi did not understand the meaning behind the Emperor's words, so she did not respond rashly.

The Emperor said in a deep voice, "You have also been wronged in this matter. Recently, there have been rumors circulating outside, which have damaged your reputation."

Shen Nanzi has been deliberately avoiding crowded places these days.

However, good news doesn't travel far, but bad news travels fast.

Even now that the matter has been clarified, there are probably still many people who don't know.

Palace scandals spread far more easily than fratricidal strife.

“Father, these rumors are deliberately spread, otherwise they could not have spread so rapidly.”

"Has the Imperial Concubine mentioned the Second Imperial Sister-in-Law to you?" she asked, seizing the opportunity.

The emperor's expression darkened slightly, his meaning unclear.

Shen Nanzi had no choice but to continue, "Yesterday, because it was too late, we only judged the Fourth Prince, but missed one person."

"This person is the Second Princess Consort, and she is suspected of instigating this matter."

Shen Nanzi recounted the whole story in detail, then got up and knelt on the ground.

"Your subject intends to sue your second sister-in-law for instigation."

The Emperor's gaze fell on the table. After a moment of contemplation, he said, "Princess Jing, the reason I summoned you alone today is for this matter."

"Consort Wei has already reported this matter to me, and I have also summoned the Second Princess Consort to confirm that this is true."

“I have already punished her, and she has accepted the punishment.”

Hearing the Emperor's nonchalant tone, Shen Nanzi sensed something amiss:

"Your Majesty, I dare to ask how you punished my second sister-in-law?"

The Emperor said, "He shall be confined to the Second Prince's residence for one year and shall not leave the residence without an imperial edict."

Shen Nanzi was utterly shocked. What kind of punishment was this? "Father, the crime of instigation is equivalent to killing someone with a borrowed knife. You should be punished the same as the mastermind."

"Your subject has reviewed the laws of Yunhan. The crime committed by the Second Imperial Sister-in-law is punishable by death if serious, and by stripping her of her title and exiling her to the frontier if minor."

Shen Nanzi gritted her teeth. She had finally caught her, but the Emperor treated her like a child's game, punishing her so lightly. How could she accept this?

He then boldly spoke up: "Your subject feels that the punishment you have given is too lenient!"

"You question me?" The emperor's face showed some displeasure.

Shen Nanzi quickly replied, "Your subject dares not. Your subject is merely judging according to the laws of Yunhan."

The Emperor sneered, "Since this has been done, I naturally have the reason to punish you accordingly."

"If you and Lao Liu didn't have much interaction, how could anyone have the opportunity to frame you?"

"The Second Princess Consort admitted that she had mentioned you and Xie Yu, but it was the Fourth Prince and his group who plotted to frame you."

"She's at most a gossip, not guilty of instigation as you say."

"I cannot only listen to what you and Consort Wei say, but also to what the Second Imperial Consort has to say."

Shen Nanzi finally understood: her own association with Xie Yu was her original sin.

The Emperor felt that Xue Qingning had not instigated the incident, so he punished her for a minor offense of gossiping.

The fact that she was summoned alone is also because the matter is not to be made public.

It's likely that Consort Wei was just as furious as she was.

I wonder how Xue Qingning used her sweet words to make the Emperor favor her?

"I know you are not satisfied, but the matter has been decided and there is no room for further discussion."

"Whatever you ask for, I will grant you one as compensation, and you shall never mention it again."

Oh, I see! It was hush money.

The Emperor continued, "Don't be surprised. The royal family's reputation is almost gone, all because of the trouble caused by you few."

"I no longer have an eldest and a second son, and the fourth son is the same. You are all troublesome."

"I am desperately trying to maintain the dignity of the royal family, so that I can face my ancestors in the future."

"You have to swallow your anger whether you like it or not!"

Shen Nanzi knew that there was no turning back on this matter; the Emperor had already made his final decision.

It seems that the Emperor has also compensated Consort Wei, and she should not be bothered with or mentioned again in the future.

The Emperor rubbed his forehead, and a palace servant immediately asked in a shrill voice, "Your Majesty, you are tired and need to rest!"

The Emperor waved his hand.

This was a veiled urging for her; Shen Nanzi had already considered it on her way here.

Since she's asking for compensation, she should ask for what she urgently needs right now.

Outside the Shengming Hall, a gust of wind swept in, lifting the surrounding curtains and carrying away the restlessness.

The Xuan paper on the Emperor's desk was blown up, making a "rustling" sound.

It looks like it's going to rain again!

"Father, I have no other request but to divorce Prince Jing. Please grant my request."