Chapter 435: Chapter 433: Assistant Minister Cui Has Been Cut in Half at the Waist
Returning to Chengxi Palace, the hall was still bustling with activity.
Lu Ying glanced at Shen Jin’an in Haitang’s arms, then looked at Shen Yinning. "What’s wrong with him again?"
Shen Yinning: "Changing his diaper."
"You have to do it yourself?"
"Why not?"
Lu Ying remained silent, her disdain for the infant growing deeper.
As the banquet neared its conclusion, Gui Quan suddenly rushed in and respectfully said, "Your Majesty, Commandery Princess, Prince Qinghe and Duke Shen are seeking an audience, claiming to celebrate the young master’s full-month ceremony!"
Lu Qing and Shen Xinghan...
Shen Yinning’s eyes faintly shifted.
When did Prince Qinghe return to the Capital, and why had she not heard a single whisper of it?
While she was still contemplating, Lu Ying had already permitted them to enter the hall.
After exchanging greetings, Shen Xinghan presented a solid gold necklace adorned with a mythical pixiu charm for protection. "My dear cousin, you’ve indeed grown distant. You didn’t even invite your elder cousin to the child’s full-month banquet."
As he spoke, he reached out, intending to play with Shen Jin’an.
Haitang subtly stepped back, avoiding his hand.
Shen Xinghan didn’t show any displeasure and instead let out a low chuckle.
Prince Qinghe, Lu Qing, stroked his beard and spoke with a resounding voice, "It’s been too long since this humble servant returned to the Capital. To think His Majesty would indulge in such absurdities!"
He had always been a rigid old man, and with his outburst, the hall instantly fell silent.
Lu Jiazhe whispered to Wen Liluo, "You have no idea how peculiar and strict this imperial uncle of mine is. He absolutely cannot tolerate junior members breaching decorum! Luckily, he’s been guarding Qinghe County for years and hasn’t returned to the Capital to meddle with us youngsters. But who knows why Shen Xinghan dragged him back today!"
Wen Liluo whispered cautiously, "He does seem formidable."
"Of course! Even Sister Shen dreads him. I remember when we went to Prince Qinghe Mansion to play with Cousin Minmin, he criticized Sister Shen for wearing too many flowers on her head, saying she looked flamboyant and lacked the demeanor of a noblewoman! Sister Shen was furious and retorted right on the spot. Who’d have thought he’d immediately inform Shen Uncle? That very evening, Shen Uncle brought Sister Shen to apologize personally!"
Wen Liluo lowered her voice even more, "But from the looks of it, Shen Xinghan doesn’t seem like a righteous person. How could someone as rigid and severe as Prince Qinghe approve of him as a son-in-law?"
"Ah, originally Prince Qinghe chose Brother Xingye as the son-in-law. But after Brother Xingye died, Shen Xinghan came forth with the marriage contract, claiming that the contract specified a Shen Family son and that he was willing to marry Cousin Minmin in his stead to honor the agreement between the two families. It sounded respectable enough, and Prince Qinghe made the decision with a slap to his forehead to marry Cousin Minmin to him!"
Wen Liluo smoothed her horsetail whisk. "To marry off one’s daughter just for reputation—Prince Qinghe isn’t as wise as he appears!"
At the head of the hall.
Lu Ying lowered her gaze to look at Lu Qing. "Imperial Uncle."
"Now that you are the Emperor, even your father has been relocated to Qixiang Palace by your command. It’s clear that under heaven, the sky comes first, and you come second! This ’Imperial Uncle’—how could this humble servant possibly bear such a title!" Lu Qing replied with biting sarcasm.
The disdain for Lu Ying usurping the throne was obvious.
Lu Ying knew that these older imperial uncles harbored varying degrees of resentment against him.
They simply had not openly expressed it before.
He acted as if he hadn’t heard, his voice calm and detached. "Why does Imperial Uncle grace us with your presence today?"
"Why, indeed?!" Lu Qing pointed to the child in Haitang’s arms. "You hold a grand banquet in the palace for the son of a mere official. What are your intentions?! Look at this nonsense! I think you’ve been seduced by that temptress to the point of forgetting your own surname! Or is it that this child is not even Cui Ji’s but your own son, Lu Jingwei?!"
His words landed, causing an uproar in the hall.
The attendees never considered that the child might be Lu Ying’s.
If he were, given the new Emperor’s temperament, he’d have claimed the child long ago.
Shen Yinning chuckled faintly.
So, Shen Xinghan had gone to such lengths to bring Prince Qinghe to the Capital to incite a public scandal regarding her child’s parentage.
Shen Xinghan never acted without profit in sight; he always ensured his actions bore fruit.
Could his targeting of Zhuoyu mean that he had already deduced Zhuoyu’s biological father was not Cui Ji?
And the Jiangshan Map that appeared at the one-month celebration—it must have been his doing...
Across the distance, Shen Yinning met Shen Xinghan’s gaze.
Shen Xinghan nodded at her with a refined air, though his eyes betrayed mockery.
Shen Yinning smiled as well, but she had no intention of intervening.
Lu Ying, this despicable man, had always claimed to protect her and her son. She was curious to see how he would respond to Prince Qinghe and Shen Xinghan today.
Lu Ying traced the Moyu Ring on his finger, his exquisitely formed features remaining calm.
His voice was unhurried. "Imperial Uncle, without evidence, do not spread rumors."
"Rumors, you say? If it’s not your child, why are you hosting his full-month banquet in the palace? Why bring this temptress into the palace to give birth?! I say, you are clearly entangled with her! Lu Jingwei, it’s one thing to be frivolous in your youth, but you are now the ruler of all under heaven—your imperial uncles are watching you. Do not commit the outrageous act of taking a minister’s wife! I shall make the decision for you: have this temptress flogged to death today and send the child to the border to Cui Ji, lest a protracted situation invites further controversy!"
Lu Qing pressed relentlessly.
Lu Ying remained composed, even leisurely sipping his tea.
After setting the teacup down, he said, "This Emperor, in a moment of oversight, forgot to inform Imperial Uncle that Cui Ji is a private son of the late Supreme Emperor. Therefore, his offspring are this Emperor’s imperial nephews. Hosting a full-month banquet for my imperial nephew in the palace—what fault is there in that?"
His words fell, and the hall plunged into silence.
Lu Qing, incredulous, shouted hoarsely, "Lu Jingwei, I am your own uncle. Don’t think you can deceive me with such words!"
Lu Ying glanced at Gui Quan.
Gui Quan promptly presented a handwritten decree, handing it to Lu Qing: "Prince, this is a personal decree penned by the late Supreme Emperor."
Shen Yinning’s demeanor grew colder as she asked Lu Ying in a low voice, "You anticipated this?"
"Always prepared," Lu Ying replied, using the cover of his wide sleeve to hook her fingers with his. "For this very moment."
Lu Yu’s relocation to Qixiang Palace was, in essence, no different from house arrest.
Persuading him to pen this decree was no difficult matter for Lu Ying.
After reading the decree, Lu Qing’s brows knotted tightly.
Gui Quan chuckled, "If Prince doubts the decree after reading it, you are welcome to personally visit Qixiang Palace and question the Supreme Emperor directly."
Lu Qing said nothing, craning his neck to examine the child in the swaddling clothes.
The baby stared back at him with eyes as bright as black pearls, brimming with curiosity, seemingly fearless of him.
Lu Qing hesitated, stroking his beard.
After a moment of eye contact, he deliberately made an ominous face, but instead of being scared, the baby burst into giggles.
Lu Qing finally relaxed his frown and remarked, "The child’s features do bear resemblance to the Lu Family."
He then looked at Shen Yinning, his gaze softening slightly. "Since this is the first grandchild born to the Lu Family, hosting a full-month banquet in the palace is reasonable. Even though you’ve contributed to the imperial lineage, you, as a young woman, should not parade around the harem dressed so flamboyantly. And you must not, in your husband’s absence, flirt recklessly with men!"
Shen Yinning was utterly dismissive.
This old man had disliked her since she was a child.
She couldn’t be bothered to argue with him.
Lu Qing added, "I am fond of this child and will personally prepare a gift for him. Let us leave."
Shen Xinghan’s face darkened.
He had meticulously orchestrated the Jiangshan Map’s appearance, fabricated rumors about the child’s parentage, and even invited his father-in-law to assist.
Yet, it had all been resolved so trivially?!
Resentment flickered in Shen Xinghan’s eyes as he prepared to say more, but a eunuch suddenly rushed in. "Your Majesty, something has happened! Assistant Minister Cui was negotiating with the Monarch of Jiang Country and accidentally offended him. He’s been executed by waist cutting!"