Chapter 381: Chapter 379: Bestowing Princess Zhaoning upon Your Humble Servant as a Wife
Here is the translation:
After dressing and grooming herself, Shen Yinning gracefully entered the palace.
Although Lu Ying had not formally ascended the throne or held the coronation ceremony, he was already residing in Pinglan Hall—the Emperor’s quarters—and had moved the study from the Eastern Palace to the Imperial Study.
Inside the Imperial Study, besides Lu Ying and Shen Xinghan, there were several officials from the Ministry of Justice.
Shen Yinning easily caught the anger and hatred in Shen Xinghan’s eyes.
She curved her lips into a smile.
Not only did she not feel afraid, but she also experienced a secretive sense of pleasure and anticipation.
Shen Yan and Shen Xinghan had framed and caused the death of her father.
She had merely done the same thing to them. Why was Shen Xinghan so enraged?
Perhaps because she was impatiently waiting to see Shen Xinghan’s expression when he realized she was the one who killed Shen Yan, she had not chosen to destroy the head and seal. Instead, she deliberately placed them in the ancestral hall, in a spot where Shen Xinghan could easily find them.
Retracting her shimmering gaze, she gracefully bowed toward Lu Ying and said, "This subject’s daughter greets Your Highness. May I ask why Your Highness has summoned me into the palace?"
The young lady’s voice was tender and sweet, full of charm.
For a moment, it made the officials present lose focus.
Recalling the ambiguous relationship between Shen Yinning and the soon-to-be Emperor, the officials averted their gazes and dared not linger on Shen Yinning any longer.
Lu Ying said, "Shen Xinghan accuses you of being the murderer of his father, Shen Yan, claiming he found his father’s head and seal inside Shen Garden."
"Oh..." Shen Yinning turned toward Shen Xinghan, her crimson lips curving into an even brighter smile. "It was indeed me who killed him."
The Imperial Study fell silent in an instant.
Lu Ying’s brows furrowed lightly; he had not expected her to admit to the crime so straightforwardly.
For someone as sly and deceitful as Shen Zhaozhao, wasn’t she supposed to have prepared numerous escape routes? Wasn’t she supposed to eloquently argue for her innocence?
Shen Xinghan had also not anticipated Shen Yinning to confess so quickly.
He knew Shen Yinning was sharp-tongued and adept at defending herself. He had spent an entire night guessing how she might attempt to argue and had even prepared many counterarguments to rebut her.
But...
Shen Xinghan clenched his fists tightly. Though he couldn’t understand what Shen Yinning’s plan was, he still spoke in a grave tone, "My father was your uncle! Using such cruel means to kill him is a heinous betrayal of moral principles and filial piety! I implore Your Highness to punish Shen Yinning severely and give my father justice!"
Lu Ying glanced at Shen Yinning. "You—don’t have anything else to say?"
Shen Yinning had countless things she wanted to say.
She wanted to say that Shen Yan had wrongfully framed loyal subjects and deserved death. She wanted to say that her father and brother’s unjust fate was an affront to the heavens.
She also wanted to ask Lu Ying if he could reinvestigate her father and brother’s case after ascending the throne.
But looking at Lu Ying, at him seated in that lofty position, Shen Yinning found herself unable to utter a single word.
During the early period of Lu Ying’s reign, he would probably be too occupied with promoting close allies, selecting a consort, and holding imperial pageants.
How would he have the time to address a case so old?
He would not reopen her father and brother’s case.
Moreover, so much time had passed; even if the case were reopened, Shen Yinning wasn’t certain she could find the evidence and witnesses from back then. She was already having Wen Liluo use money to search, like finding a needle in a haystack, for everyone involved in the case from all those years ago. If they could be found...
She thought that by then, perhaps it would be the right moment to ask Lu Ying to overturn the verdict and clear her family’s name.
But until then, she would take revenge herself.
Shen Yinning took a deep breath and smiled. "No. I leave it entirely to Your Highness to decide my fate."
Lu Ying’s lips were drawn tight, his eyes shadowed with gloom.
Punish her?
What kind of punishment did she expect from him?
She knew full well he could not kill her, yet she had still tossed this dilemma into his hands.
Over there, Shen Xinghan had already knelt to the ground, shouting, "As per Great Zhou law, the crime of murdering a court official warrants execution! Since Shen Yinning has confessed, I beseech Your Highness to impart fair judgment and grant justice to my father!"
"This wretched woman’s crimes are far from limited to this!"
A sharp voice suddenly rang out from outside the hall.
Shen Yunxi stormed in, surrounded by palace maids, with an aggressive demeanor.
Clutching her right hand, she glared at Shen Yinning with utter hatred, her eyes nearly bursting with fury. "This vile woman trespassed into the Cold Palace, defied royal protocol, and severed three of my fingers. Her nature is cruel and wicked, and her crimes deserve death!"
Back when Shen Yunxi was living in the Cold Palace with Lu Ying, Shen Yinning had cut off her fingers.
Though timely treatment could have reattached them seamlessly, Shen Yinning had used her influence to deliberately delay medical care, leaving Shen Yunxi with only seven fingers.
She hated Shen Yinning with every fiber of her being!
The officials from the Ministry of Justice immediately followed suit, kneeling as they revisited an old matter. "Back then, Princess Zhaoning falsely accused Your Highness of having an illicit relationship with her, resulting in Your Highness being disgraced and rejected by the Emperor. Later, she forced Your Highness to visit Shen Garden to engage in inappropriate relations with her, even humiliated Your Highness in countless ways. Her many offenses show that she is promiscuous by nature and undoubtedly a femme fatale! We beseech Your Highness to have her executed immediately to eliminate future harm!"
The Shen Family faction officials began streaming into the palace.
Kneeling outside the Imperial Study, their loud pleas echoed throughout the Imperial Palace: "Shen Yinning is a femme fatale; we beseech Your Highness to execute her immediately to eliminate future harm!"
Shen Yinning stood in silence.
Her gaze swept over the crowd, carrying both scrutiny and a faint smile.
It seemed Shen Xinghan, after obtaining the evidence, had meticulously planned for a long time, entering the palace with the intention of delivering a fatal blow.
So, what would Lu Ying do?
Would he throw her back into the death prison again?
Lu Ying tapped his knuckles silently on the Dragon Desk.
As he looked at the girl before him, stubborn and cool, images of her tear-filled eyes beneath the moonlight last night surged into his mind.
When he was young, his teacher had taught him that the love of an Emperor was a universal love, meant to be given to all the people of the world.
The teacher had said that an Emperor overly favoring one individual would become a mortal flaw of the dynasty.
After all, throughout history, any Emperor who excessively pampered one person never met a good end.
But, against all odds...
Against all odds, he had encountered the woman he wanted to favor.
In just a few short moments, he had already thought of countless escape routes for Shen Yinning in his mind.
Just as he was about to speak, De Sun hurriedly entered: "Your Highness, Assistant Minister Cui requests a meeting!"
Lu Ying didn’t need to guess to know Cui Ji was here to play the hero.
Does he think Lu Jingwei is just a figurehead?
Must Cui Ji step in to be the hero saving the damsel in distress?
He said coldly, "Tell him to leave."
"But Assistant Minister Cui said..." De Sun glanced cautiously at Shen Yinning, "Assistant Minister Cui said he carries an imperial decree from the Supreme Emperor, regarding... regarding Princess Zhaoning."
Cui Ji was quickly led inside.
After paying respects, his gaze swept over everyone present before finally landing on Shen Yinning.
He raised the imperial decree high: "The Supreme Emperor has issued an edict, bestowing Princess Zhaoning to me as my wife."
The room erupted in chaos.
Lu Ying’s hands clenched abruptly, his heart momentarily stalled.
He stared fixedly at the imperial decree in Cui Ji’s hands.
It was indeed the Supreme Emperor’s handwriting, bearing the National Seal.
Yet he had no idea when the decree had been written...
Not a single hint had reached him!
Shen Xinghan, shocked into silence, snapped angrily, "Even if the Supreme Emperor previously betrothed Shen Yinning to Assistant Minister Cui, the evidence proving she murdered a court official is irrefutable. Does becoming Assistant Minister Cui’s wife absolve her of her crimes?"