Inside the Imperial Palace.
Princess Min, Consort Chen, sat in the Phoenix Palace, weeping into a silk handkerchief and lamenting her troubles.
Opposite her sat Empress Shen Nong, her expression also grim.
"Empress, my husband has always stood by your side, even acting as a half-teacher to the Crown Prince. Now that this has happened, you must help us, at least a little," Consort Chen, accustomed to luxury, spoke to everyone with an air of command.
Empress Shen Nong frowned, wanting to say something, but held back. "Don't worry too much. Have you hidden the money well?"
"Yes, I think no one can find that place," Consort Chen replied, her voice nasal.
Shen Nong shook her head. "You mustn't underestimate Lu Wuxie and Zhong Li."
Upon hearing these names, Consort Chen gnashed her teeth. "Lu Wuxie is merely the heir of the Prince Xian's estate. Even if what happened with the former Emperor is true, it's a done deal. No matter how much Prince Xian's estate tries, they can't overturn anything.
The Emperor has already established the Crown Prince. I don't understand why he would support a good, proper person, and instead find some good-for-nothing to oppose you.
And Zhong Li, she looks like a pretty young girl. Instead of being a proper lady and marrying, she insists on being a coroner. And she stands with Lu Wuxie. Does she ever think that a farm girl from a village, the heir to the estate is just playing with her? She really thinks she's the Princess Xian?
Shen Ying can't even become that, let alone..."
At this point, Consort Chen felt a nudge on her shoulder.
She came back to herself, looking at Mo Lan beside her, and realized with a jolt that she had spoken out of turn.
Consort Chen looked at Shen Nong, whose face had grown even more displeased, and quickly covered her mouth, smiling apologetically. "Empress, we have been friends for so many years, you wouldn't hold a grudge, would you?"
Shen Nong snorted coldly. "It's just that our Shen Ying wasn't fated for it."
"Uh..." Consort Chen wished she could sink into the ground out of embarrassment.
Shen Nong watched her, now understanding why Fu Chong didn't let Consort Chen interfere in court affairs. This woman was simply brainless.
However, even a brainless person could be useful.
"Empress," Consort Chen's tone softened, her smile ingratiating. "Fu Chong and I have been married for so many years, and we are very affectionate. Now that the Fu family is in trouble, and Fu Chong has always been your confidant, you cannot abandon us like this."
"Of course not!" Shen Nong's voice also softened.
Consort Chen, thinking she was no longer angry, dared to say, "Then you can go to the Emperor..."
"The sealing of the Fu family's assets was an imperial decree from the Emperor. If I were to ask the Emperor to revoke it, wouldn't that be deceiving the heavens and disobeying the imperial order?" Shen Nong retorted.
"Then what do we do now?" Consort Chen grew anxious.
Shen Nong smiled and asked, "Twenty years ago, when General Chen lost his life protecting the former Emperor, didn't a portion of the Chen family's army defect to the Hua family?"
Consort Chen didn't understand why Shen Nong would ask this, but she answered truthfully, "Yes."
"That's good..." Shen Nong beckoned to Consort Chen.
Consort Chen leaned closer to Shen Nong and listened intently.
After they finished speaking, Consort Chen hesitated. "Will this work? I'm a little..."
"Princess Min," Shen Nong said with a cold laugh. "If you don't have the resolve to burn your bridges, don't come here to cry. It's Fu Chong you want to save, and I am merely assisting. Seeing you like this, are you afraid?"
"If it's fear, then I have none. After all, my husband is gone, and my life is meaningless. It's just... I fear that if this plan fails... or if it succeeds, Empress..."
"You fear being discarded after you're no longer useful?" Shen Nong directly stated Consort Chen's worry, surprised that Consort Chen had this much foresight.
Consort Chen nodded without hiding it.
Seeing this, Shen Nong glanced at Zi Pei beside her.
Zi Pei quickly entered the inner chamber and emerged with something in her hand.
"This is my imperial token," Shen Nong took it from Zi Pei and handed it to Consort Chen.
"Hong'er is not the Emperor yet, so I naturally cannot promise you any guarantees of immunity from death. However, with this token of mine, and a written promise from me, once this is accomplished and Hong'er ascends the throne, your Fu family, and your maternal Chen family, will once again be greatly honored and their names will be etched in history."
Consort Chen took it, her smile never fading.
She glanced at Mo Lan behind her, bowed to Shen Nong, and quickly left the Phoenix Palace.
Shen Nong stood by the window, watching the two figures gradually disappear from view, her eyes filled with disdain.
"Your Highness, do you truly intend to grant Princess Min wealth and prosperity after this is all over?" Zi Pei asked.
Shen Nong sneered. "How could that be? Twenty years ago, during the internal strife in Nan Yue, the Shen family rose to prominence. Now that I can manipulate the court, why would I leave behind these two troublemakers, Fu Chong and Consort Chen?"
"Then..."
"A promise is a promise. Since ancient times, gentlemen have not made good emperors. If all promises were kept, the Emperor would be completely controlled.
At that time, the Shen family army will inherit all of Consort Chen's merits, and she will disappear from Nan Yue!" Shen Nong said, a hint of malice appearing in her eyes.
Zi Pei, hearing this, was about to offer flattery when a young eunuch rushed in from outside. Upon seeing Shen Nong, he immediately knelt down.
Shen Nong recognized this young eunuch as a page boy of Eunuch Yun.
"Something has happened to him?" Her expression turned somewhat grim.
The young eunuch shook his head. "Empress, Eunuch Yun sent me to bring you a message: Miss Shen Ying has been arrested and taken to the Dali Temple by Official Zhong!"
"What?" Shen Nong's eyes widened in shock. "Wasn't Shen Ying at the Shen family? How did she end up at the Dali Temple?"
The young eunuch said, "Your Highness, as you know, during that civil unrest twenty years ago, besides Master Shen, there was no one in the Shen family who could manage affairs. Now Master Shen is at the border of Jinzhou, and the Shen family naturally has no one who can speak up. Official Zhong is a fourth-rank official of the court.
If she wants to arrest someone, who in the entire Shen family would dare to stop her?"
"Did no one mention my name?" Shen Nong demanded.
The young eunuch said, "Your Highness knows what kind of person Official Zhong is. Is she afraid of mentioning your name?"
Shen Nong was so enraged that she took several steps back. If Zi Pei hadn't supported her, she would have fainted.
"Fine, fine, Zhong Li! Prepare the carriage, I will personally go to the Dali Temple to demand her release!"
Inside the Dali Temple, in the Disciplinary Chamber.
Zhong Li looked at Shen Ying, who sat opposite her with an arrogant demeanor. This was not the first time she had been this close to her. If not for her and Tian Lianxue having different habits, it would have been difficult for most people to distinguish them.
At the Fu family, Lan Heng had summoned her, informing her that the Dali Temple had begun interrogating Tian Lianxue in this case.
"Official Zhong, you arrested me. Have you considered what you will face?" Shen Ying asked, tilting her head and looking at Zhong Li imperiously.
Zhong Li remained silent and placed a cup of clear tea in front of her.
Shen Ying did not stand on ceremony and took a sip.
The next moment, she spat out all the tea. "What is this? You're giving me this to drink?"
"It's good that you have something to drink. Miss Shen should cherish what she has, otherwise, she will soon have nothing," Zhong Li said calmly, her tone betraying no emotion.
"What do you mean?" Shen Ying felt a flicker of panic.
Zhong Li said, "Miss Shen, are you asking me? You killed someone. Don't you know yourself?"