Chapter 224 - Aftermath of the Wedding
Baili Anning’s wedding was finished, but the disturbance continued.
After Yang Lin was beaten to death, Father Yang hung himself not long after returning home. Mother Yang was so heartbroken that she died as well. The Yang Mansion, which had been envied by everyone, became a desolate place overnight.
Shen Ninghua was holding a book as she heard the news from Hong Ling. She frowned slightly. “Yang Lin’s father and mother have all passed away?”
“Yes, I heard that the Yang Clan has also broken up. A few clansmen from the concubine-born branches divided the family property. Now, people of the capital are talking about this matter.”
Shen Ninghua sneered and her eyes turned cold. “What a timely death. Where’s Rui Xue?”
Although Yang Lin was disgusting, judging from his actions, there must be something strange about his sudden confession to her. However, the Yang family all died only a couple of days later, leaving no evidence to her. From whichever perspective, it was not normal.
“I have sent people to keep an eye on her. When Princess Anning’s wedding was in chaos, she left the Yang Mansion. Our people lost her, and now we can’t find her.”
Shen Ninghua nodded. “I’m not surprised. That Rui Xue should be working for the Empress. Since she was assigned to do such a task, she can’t be an ordinary person. If she is really caught by our people, then we really need to think about it carefully and see if the Empress has other plans.”
Hong Ling was extremely surprised. “Does the Empress have so much power even outside the Palace?”
“Do you know what made the Zhao Clan powerful?”
“Zhao Clan?”
“Five generations before, the Zhao Clan’s ancestor was a martial gangster. Later, he helped the Emperor of the previous dynasty and was given the privilege to enter the court. Later, the Zhao Clan boomed and contributed to Da’an’s establishment. Only then did it rise to prominence. Today, with their daughter being the Empress, it is like a tiger with wings and becomes more powerful.”
“Does the Zhao Clan still have connections with gangsters?” Hong Ling was extremely surprised. Five generations were a span of at least a hundred or two hundred years. If the gang forces that had been developed at that time were preserved until now, it could be said to be a miracle.
To call it a miracle was because the relations between gangsters were relatively less restrictive, and there was no such thing as loyalty among them. Although there were many people who cherished loyalty, after more than a hundred years, all kinds of loyalty should have dispersed.
“Originally, the Zhao Clan did not reveal their claws and I thought that the gang forces in their hands should have disappeared. But now, it seems that I was wrong. Not only did those gang forces not disappear, but they have been preserved and developed to this day.” Shen Ninghua’s eyes darkened as she slowly raised her guard against Zhao Huiying to the highest level.
Hong Ling was worried. “Miss, wouldn’t you be in danger if that’s the case?” Shen Ninghua often went in and out of the Palace, and now her relationship with the Empress was not good. If the Empress were to attack her, it would be too late to take precautions.
“Indeed, there are dangers, but don’t worry, I can deal with them.” Shen Ninghua picked up a cup of tea and took a sip. “Chu Junyi has some influence in the Palace. Besides, the other princes and imperial consorts also have their forces. Therefore, although the Empress is powerful, she isn’t unassailable. Moreover, every move she makes is related to the Crown Prince. If she wants to protect the Crown Prince, she cannot go too far. Besides, since the Empress and the Zhao Clan have concealed the power in their hands for such a long time, perhaps they have more sophisticated plans. They probably won’t expose the hidden gang forces because of me.”
At this time, Chu Junyi walked in and handed Hong Ling his cape. He sat beside Shen Ninghua and said, “Are you talking about the Empress?”
“Yes, you should know that Rui Xue is missing.”
Chu Junyi nodded and waved his hand to let Hong Ling retreat. He reached out and hugged Shen Ninghua in his arms. “Yes, my people also discovered that the Zhao Clan is actually having a gang force. However, your guess is correct. The reason why this force hasn’t been exposed for so long is that the Zhao Clan and the Empress have misgivings. Since they have misgivings, they couldn’t act recklessly. In this way, we will have a way to deal with them.”
Feeling waves of warmth coming from behind, Shen Ninghua could not help but relax and lean in his embrace. Although the fetal toxin in her body had been neutralized, her body was seriously damaged. In summer, her body was always cold. In winter, it was even colder. After Chu Junyi knew this, as long as he was by her side, he would definitely hold her in his arms to warm her up. At night, he even put her hands and feet on his body to make sure she can have a good sleep all night.
“The Emperor is in good health now. For fear of him, the Crown Prince can’t afford to make a mistake. That’s why the Empress couldn’t act as she pleased. But without him pressing down on the Crown Prince, the Empress doesn’t have to worry about anything else. When that time comes, it’s hard to tell who will be in charge of the court.”
Chu Junyi nodded and tightened his hug. “You’re right, so we must not let anything happen to the Emperor until our forces are strong enough to contend against the Empress.”
“Alright, tomorrow Baili Anning will enter the Palace. I will also go see Father Emperor and send him the medicine to recuperate his body.”
“Alright,” said Chu Junyi, lowering his head and sniffing at Shen Ninghua’s hair. His eyes flashed with a teasing light. “Ninghua, do you remember what you said at the Spring Hiking Festival?”
He switched the topic a little too abruptly. Shen Ninghua did not react immediately. Just as she was stunned, she felt that his hug was tightening. She blushed all of a sudden.
A smile flashed in Chu Junyi’s eyes.
The next day, when Shen Ninghua woke up, the sky was already bright. Thinking of what happened last night, she blushed slightly.
This made Bai Ruo, who was carrying a basin of water in her hands, feel worried and think that Shen Ninghua had a fever. After Shen Ninghua finished cleaning and dressing, she changed her clothes and let Qing Que go with her to the Palace.
Just as she entered the Palace, she met Baili Anning, who had finished paying her respects to Baili Qingcang.
“Princess Anning?”
“Ninghua?” Baili Anning’s face was rosy with joy and embarrassment that were typical for a newly married woman. “You came to pay your respects to Father Emperor?”
“Yes, is he free now?”
“You’d better wait a bit.” Hearing Shen Ninghua’s question, Baili Anning’s expression changed slightly and she pulled her hand and walked to the side.
Shen Ninghua was slightly stunned. “What’s wrong?”
“Imperial Counselor Yang is inside.”
“Imperial Counselor Yang? Yang Lin’s grandfather?” Shen Ninghua’s heart skipped a beat. Yang Lin was already dead, and Yang Lin’s parents had passed away. What was the point of Imperial Counselor Yang entering the Palace now?
Just as she was wondering, she suddenly felt Baili Anning’s grip on her hand intensified.
“Anqing, you are here?”
Shen Ninghua turned around. Baili Anqing was completely different from what she looked like two days ago. Her face was pale, her eyes were red and swollen, and she looked extremely thin. It was as if a gust of wind could blow her away. Even when she saw them, her expression did not change, and despair filled her eyes.
“Younger Sister Anqing?”
Hearing Baili Anning’s voice, Baili Anqing raised her eyes and slightly bowed. “Greetings, Elder Sisters Anning and Zhaohua.”
Shen Ninghua nodded back. “Anqing, you…”
After greeting them, Baili Anqing lowered her eyes and said, “Elder Sisters, Father Emperor summoned me. I can’t keep him waiting. I’m going in first.” After saying that, she headed straight for the South Imperial Study.
Shen Ninghua frowned. “What’s going on?” Yang Lin was already dead, so Baili Anqing’s engagement was naturally annulled. Although it would have a certain impact on her reputation, the Emperor’s daughters never need to fret about finding a husband. The impact should be very limited and she should not be dejected to such an extent.
Baili Anning’s gaze was grey as she looked at Baili Anqing’s back and said angrily, “Rumors have been spread in the Palace that Father Emperor intends not to cancel the engagement between Anqing and Yang Lin.”
Shen Ninghua suddenly smiled. “How is this possible? No matter how humble Baili Anqing’s background is, she is still a princess of the royal family. How could His Majesty let a princess marry a dead person?”
“I was also extremely surprised. Although Anqing repeatedly asked Father Emperor to cancel the engagement, Father Emperor did not agree. Instead, he scolded her, which made the rumors more rampant. Now, even Anqing seems to believe them.”
Shen Ninghua’s heart tightened. “How about the Her Majesty? What did she say?”
The Empress was in charge of the harem and responsible for educating and taking care of the royal princesses. If she did not control the rumors at this time, she would probably be accused of being unkind as a mother. How could she allow such rumors to spread?
Baili Anning’s expression became even more confused. “Logically speaking, Mother Empress should immediately club these palace maids to death at the beginning to stop the rumors from continuing to spread. However, for some reason, she did not take any action, and as a result, the matter became more serious.”
Hearing this, Shen Ninghua frowned. “This matter is not something that you and I can control. Let’s put it aside for now.”
“Yes.”
After about an hour, Baili Anqing came out of the Southern Imperial Study. Her face became paler, and her entire body was on the verge of collapse. When she saw Shen Ninghua and Baili Anning, she did not even greet them and directly walked away with the support of a palace maid.
The chief eunuch walked out and said, “Greetings, Princess Zhaohua and Princess Anning.”
“Greetings.”
The chief eunuch smiled and said, “Princess Zhaohua, His Majesty heard that you are here and asked me to invite you in.”
Shen Ninghua bowed slightly. “Thank you.”
“You are very welcome.”
When entering the Southern Imperial Study, Shen Ninghua expected to see an infuriated Baili Qingcang. To her surprise, he looked extremely happy.
“Greetings, Father Emperor!”
“Ninghua, you’re here. Quickly have a seat.”
Shen Ninghua smiled and asked, “Father Emperor, you seem to be very happy. Is there any good news?”
Baili Qingcang laughed loudly. “Haha, I just received another victory report. Jinchuan is truly outstanding. He achieved a great victory in the northwest. I have just issued a decree to award him with the title of Royal Prince.”
Royal Prince? Shen Ninghua’s eyes moved. Baili Jinchuan had been conferred the title of Commandery Prince De. Later, his rank was removed, but he still held the title. The title of De was already extremely precious. Now that he was elevated to a Royal Prince, she wondered how many disturbances it would cause in the court.
Although Baili Jinchuan was disfigured, his injuries weren’t obvious. If he planned properly, who could say for sure who would be the winner of the throne?
After Yang Lin was beaten to death, Father Yang hung himself not long after returning home. Mother Yang was so heartbroken that she died as well. The Yang Mansion, which had been envied by everyone, became a desolate place overnight.
Shen Ninghua was holding a book as she heard the news from Hong Ling. She frowned slightly. “Yang Lin’s father and mother have all passed away?”
“Yes, I heard that the Yang Clan has also broken up. A few clansmen from the concubine-born branches divided the family property. Now, people of the capital are talking about this matter.”
Shen Ninghua sneered and her eyes turned cold. “What a timely death. Where’s Rui Xue?”
Although Yang Lin was disgusting, judging from his actions, there must be something strange about his sudden confession to her. However, the Yang family all died only a couple of days later, leaving no evidence to her. From whichever perspective, it was not normal.
“I have sent people to keep an eye on her. When Princess Anning’s wedding was in chaos, she left the Yang Mansion. Our people lost her, and now we can’t find her.”
Shen Ninghua nodded. “I’m not surprised. That Rui Xue should be working for the Empress. Since she was assigned to do such a task, she can’t be an ordinary person. If she is really caught by our people, then we really need to think about it carefully and see if the Empress has other plans.”
Hong Ling was extremely surprised. “Does the Empress have so much power even outside the Palace?”
“Do you know what made the Zhao Clan powerful?”
“Zhao Clan?”
“Five generations before, the Zhao Clan’s ancestor was a martial gangster. Later, he helped the Emperor of the previous dynasty and was given the privilege to enter the court. Later, the Zhao Clan boomed and contributed to Da’an’s establishment. Only then did it rise to prominence. Today, with their daughter being the Empress, it is like a tiger with wings and becomes more powerful.”
“Does the Zhao Clan still have connections with gangsters?” Hong Ling was extremely surprised. Five generations were a span of at least a hundred or two hundred years. If the gang forces that had been developed at that time were preserved until now, it could be said to be a miracle.
To call it a miracle was because the relations between gangsters were relatively less restrictive, and there was no such thing as loyalty among them. Although there were many people who cherished loyalty, after more than a hundred years, all kinds of loyalty should have dispersed.
“Originally, the Zhao Clan did not reveal their claws and I thought that the gang forces in their hands should have disappeared. But now, it seems that I was wrong. Not only did those gang forces not disappear, but they have been preserved and developed to this day.” Shen Ninghua’s eyes darkened as she slowly raised her guard against Zhao Huiying to the highest level.
Hong Ling was worried. “Miss, wouldn’t you be in danger if that’s the case?” Shen Ninghua often went in and out of the Palace, and now her relationship with the Empress was not good. If the Empress were to attack her, it would be too late to take precautions.
“Indeed, there are dangers, but don’t worry, I can deal with them.” Shen Ninghua picked up a cup of tea and took a sip. “Chu Junyi has some influence in the Palace. Besides, the other princes and imperial consorts also have their forces. Therefore, although the Empress is powerful, she isn’t unassailable. Moreover, every move she makes is related to the Crown Prince. If she wants to protect the Crown Prince, she cannot go too far. Besides, since the Empress and the Zhao Clan have concealed the power in their hands for such a long time, perhaps they have more sophisticated plans. They probably won’t expose the hidden gang forces because of me.”
At this time, Chu Junyi walked in and handed Hong Ling his cape. He sat beside Shen Ninghua and said, “Are you talking about the Empress?”
“Yes, you should know that Rui Xue is missing.”
Chu Junyi nodded and waved his hand to let Hong Ling retreat. He reached out and hugged Shen Ninghua in his arms. “Yes, my people also discovered that the Zhao Clan is actually having a gang force. However, your guess is correct. The reason why this force hasn’t been exposed for so long is that the Zhao Clan and the Empress have misgivings. Since they have misgivings, they couldn’t act recklessly. In this way, we will have a way to deal with them.”
Feeling waves of warmth coming from behind, Shen Ninghua could not help but relax and lean in his embrace. Although the fetal toxin in her body had been neutralized, her body was seriously damaged. In summer, her body was always cold. In winter, it was even colder. After Chu Junyi knew this, as long as he was by her side, he would definitely hold her in his arms to warm her up. At night, he even put her hands and feet on his body to make sure she can have a good sleep all night.
“The Emperor is in good health now. For fear of him, the Crown Prince can’t afford to make a mistake. That’s why the Empress couldn’t act as she pleased. But without him pressing down on the Crown Prince, the Empress doesn’t have to worry about anything else. When that time comes, it’s hard to tell who will be in charge of the court.”
Chu Junyi nodded and tightened his hug. “You’re right, so we must not let anything happen to the Emperor until our forces are strong enough to contend against the Empress.”
“Alright, tomorrow Baili Anning will enter the Palace. I will also go see Father Emperor and send him the medicine to recuperate his body.”
“Alright,” said Chu Junyi, lowering his head and sniffing at Shen Ninghua’s hair. His eyes flashed with a teasing light. “Ninghua, do you remember what you said at the Spring Hiking Festival?”
He switched the topic a little too abruptly. Shen Ninghua did not react immediately. Just as she was stunned, she felt that his hug was tightening. She blushed all of a sudden.
A smile flashed in Chu Junyi’s eyes.
The next day, when Shen Ninghua woke up, the sky was already bright. Thinking of what happened last night, she blushed slightly.
This made Bai Ruo, who was carrying a basin of water in her hands, feel worried and think that Shen Ninghua had a fever. After Shen Ninghua finished cleaning and dressing, she changed her clothes and let Qing Que go with her to the Palace.
Just as she entered the Palace, she met Baili Anning, who had finished paying her respects to Baili Qingcang.
“Princess Anning?”
“Ninghua?” Baili Anning’s face was rosy with joy and embarrassment that were typical for a newly married woman. “You came to pay your respects to Father Emperor?”
“Yes, is he free now?”
“You’d better wait a bit.” Hearing Shen Ninghua’s question, Baili Anning’s expression changed slightly and she pulled her hand and walked to the side.
Shen Ninghua was slightly stunned. “What’s wrong?”
“Imperial Counselor Yang is inside.”
“Imperial Counselor Yang? Yang Lin’s grandfather?” Shen Ninghua’s heart skipped a beat. Yang Lin was already dead, and Yang Lin’s parents had passed away. What was the point of Imperial Counselor Yang entering the Palace now?
Just as she was wondering, she suddenly felt Baili Anning’s grip on her hand intensified.
“Anqing, you are here?”
Shen Ninghua turned around. Baili Anqing was completely different from what she looked like two days ago. Her face was pale, her eyes were red and swollen, and she looked extremely thin. It was as if a gust of wind could blow her away. Even when she saw them, her expression did not change, and despair filled her eyes.
“Younger Sister Anqing?”
Hearing Baili Anning’s voice, Baili Anqing raised her eyes and slightly bowed. “Greetings, Elder Sisters Anning and Zhaohua.”
Shen Ninghua nodded back. “Anqing, you…”
After greeting them, Baili Anqing lowered her eyes and said, “Elder Sisters, Father Emperor summoned me. I can’t keep him waiting. I’m going in first.” After saying that, she headed straight for the South Imperial Study.
Shen Ninghua frowned. “What’s going on?” Yang Lin was already dead, so Baili Anqing’s engagement was naturally annulled. Although it would have a certain impact on her reputation, the Emperor’s daughters never need to fret about finding a husband. The impact should be very limited and she should not be dejected to such an extent.
Baili Anning’s gaze was grey as she looked at Baili Anqing’s back and said angrily, “Rumors have been spread in the Palace that Father Emperor intends not to cancel the engagement between Anqing and Yang Lin.”
Shen Ninghua suddenly smiled. “How is this possible? No matter how humble Baili Anqing’s background is, she is still a princess of the royal family. How could His Majesty let a princess marry a dead person?”
“I was also extremely surprised. Although Anqing repeatedly asked Father Emperor to cancel the engagement, Father Emperor did not agree. Instead, he scolded her, which made the rumors more rampant. Now, even Anqing seems to believe them.”
Shen Ninghua’s heart tightened. “How about the Her Majesty? What did she say?”
The Empress was in charge of the harem and responsible for educating and taking care of the royal princesses. If she did not control the rumors at this time, she would probably be accused of being unkind as a mother. How could she allow such rumors to spread?
Baili Anning’s expression became even more confused. “Logically speaking, Mother Empress should immediately club these palace maids to death at the beginning to stop the rumors from continuing to spread. However, for some reason, she did not take any action, and as a result, the matter became more serious.”
Hearing this, Shen Ninghua frowned. “This matter is not something that you and I can control. Let’s put it aside for now.”
“Yes.”
After about an hour, Baili Anqing came out of the Southern Imperial Study. Her face became paler, and her entire body was on the verge of collapse. When she saw Shen Ninghua and Baili Anning, she did not even greet them and directly walked away with the support of a palace maid.
The chief eunuch walked out and said, “Greetings, Princess Zhaohua and Princess Anning.”
“Greetings.”
The chief eunuch smiled and said, “Princess Zhaohua, His Majesty heard that you are here and asked me to invite you in.”
Shen Ninghua bowed slightly. “Thank you.”
“You are very welcome.”
When entering the Southern Imperial Study, Shen Ninghua expected to see an infuriated Baili Qingcang. To her surprise, he looked extremely happy.
“Greetings, Father Emperor!”
“Ninghua, you’re here. Quickly have a seat.”
Shen Ninghua smiled and asked, “Father Emperor, you seem to be very happy. Is there any good news?”
Baili Qingcang laughed loudly. “Haha, I just received another victory report. Jinchuan is truly outstanding. He achieved a great victory in the northwest. I have just issued a decree to award him with the title of Royal Prince.”
Royal Prince? Shen Ninghua’s eyes moved. Baili Jinchuan had been conferred the title of Commandery Prince De. Later, his rank was removed, but he still held the title. The title of De was already extremely precious. Now that he was elevated to a Royal Prince, she wondered how many disturbances it would cause in the court.
Although Baili Jinchuan was disfigured, his injuries weren’t obvious. If he planned properly, who could say for sure who would be the winner of the throne?
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