Speaking of this, Liu Junsheng was full of grievances.
Looking at his elder brother alone beside him, his courage grew a little.
He poured out all the words he dared not, or did not want to, say when he was at the Grand Princess's mansion.
"Brother, is it easy to be the consort of the Grand Princess?" Liu Junsheng cried out his grievances.
Liu Song Sheng ignored him, glared at him, and said, "You enjoyed the glory that being the consort brought you, so you have to endure this grievance?
Besides, I have met the Grand Princess before. Although she is a bit overbearing, she is very gentle with you. What else do you have to complain about?"
Liu Song Sheng felt he didn't quite understand his younger brother.
He married the daughter of the most noble person in the world, and she even gave him a pair of lovely children.
But here he was, talking behind her back.
As his elder brother, he felt his brother was going too far.
Liu Junsheng snorted, "Humph, I've endured it for over ten years. Of course, you think everything is fine and dandy when you look at it from the outside.
But do you know how terrible her temper is?
She gets angry at the drop of a hat. If it weren't for her temper, why would Hui'an have become so tongue-tied, not even daring to speak more...
Never mind that, I've lived through these ten years. It's just that a while ago she insisted that Yan'er wanted to harm her children, to harm her."
Liu Junsheng was very displeased, and behind the Grand Princess's back, he felt an overwhelming urge to vent.
"I heard your sister-in-law mention this. She said the Grand Princess invited a doctor back, and your Hui'an was fine, but Bao Ge'er was indeed very weak.
And the Grand Princess herself was also poisoned."
Liu Song Sheng felt that the matter had reason and evidence, and was not a baseless rumor.
"Humph, that's just because she's too arrogant in her daily life and offended someone somewhere. But she blamed Yan'er. I won't indulge her bad habit."
Liu Junsheng became more agitated as he spoke, and what he said became more and more inappropriate. Liu Song Sheng, frightened, quickly covered his mouth and said,
"Don't talk nonsense. We're almost back to the mansion. Go and sincerely apologize to the Grand Princess, don't cause any disgrace in your old age."
Liu Song Sheng originally didn't intend to meddle in Liu Junsheng's affairs.
But now he heard that the two had fallen out over this matter.
They had already separated and were living in different courtyards. As an elder brother, he felt it was necessary to remind him.
Do not let personal emotions affect the entire Liu family.
Liu Junsheng also gradually sobered up, saying he had discretion. As long as the Grand Princess didn't go too far and insist on controlling his concubine Yan'er, he wouldn't fall out with her.
Liu Song Sheng sighed and said no more.
Meanwhile, the Huangjue Temple was sealed by the Five City Patrols. However, it was soon confirmed to be problem-free, and the people were released, which once again caused rumors and chaos in the capital's market.
Everyone's attention was indeed successfully diverted to the sealing of Huangjue Temple.
Few people remembered the grand event of seeking children at Kongshan before.
Emperor Xingzhao in the palace no longer had to be tormented by the storytellers' tales that were constantly being reported.
Following his verbal praise of Shen Yun, who had offered him advice, and Wang Enze, the main person in charge, he again gave them material rewards as thanks.
Even Liu Shusheng of the Southern City Patrols, who had dispatched personnel, received a hundred taels of gold, which made him very happy.
He took the reward money, bought wine, let everyone take turns on duty, and took those off duty out for a good drink.
Shen Yun, who had made the greatest contribution, remained extremely calm and composed. After receiving the reward, he simply asked Zhang Lei to take it back to Su Xiaoqi in advance.
He then went to find Wang Enze.
He had now been pulled into the investigation of the Kongshan case by Wang Enze.
"Brother Shen!" Wang Enze received Shen Yun in the duty room at the Censorate.
"Lord Wang." Shen Yun cupped his hands towards him and took out a stack of white Xuan paper from his sleeve.
"This is the case file that was handed over before the Kongshan case. Since the original was lost, only these copies are available now.
I don't know if it's correct. Lord Wang can find someone to cross-reference it."
Wang Enze took it and glanced at it. His eyebrows remained unmoved, but his mind began to murmur.
Why was Shen Yun so eagerly delivering this case file? What was the purpose of his visit?
As he flipped to the back, he finally found something amiss.
As Shen Yun had said, since he had taken over the case, he naturally had to understand it better.
Before this, he had heard that the case file was lost, so it was inconvenient to investigate the past.
He had already sent people to collect information from outside.
He wouldn't claim to have seen the original, but he had read the copied case file from beginning to end.
He remembered that Kongshan had confessed to having relationships with many noble ladies.
However, he was very restrained when mentioning the several prayer events in the palace, and did not implicate anyone at all.
But the part Shen Yun handed him at the front had no differences.
Only in this last part, concerning the palace prayer events, were there many discrepancies.
As he read the entire text, it seemed as if Kongshan had a relationship with some noble lady in the palace.
This was unbearable. If it were presented, the Emperor's wrath would likely be incurred again.
But if it were not presented, why would it not be presented?
Wang Enze fell into a dilemma.
This was a golden opportunity, as if Shen Yun had already prepared the pillow, and he only needed to lie down and rest comfortably.
But at this point, he suddenly felt hesitant.
He rubbed the case file and remained silent.
Shen Yun was not in a hurry. He put down the case file, cupped his hands, and said he was leaving.
Shen Yun left without any lingering.
He left Wang Enze stunned again.
He thought Shen Yun would say something suggestive, but there was nothing.
He hurried back and reported the matter truthfully to his father.
"What is there to hesitate about?" Wang Chengyi stroked his long beard and chuckled lightly.
At his age, he looked remarkably young.
"Son understands. If this matter is done and succeeds, there will surely be a reward from Prince Duan.
But what son worries about is whether this matter can succeed?"
After all, Wang Enze still lacked confidence in Prince Duan.
"Just do it. Whether it succeeds or not, we will always bear the brand of Prince Duan's faction."
Unlike others, they could be neutral, or they could claim to be pure ministers and remonstrance officials.
But they could not. They had been considered supporters of Prince Duan by the current Crown Prince's faction long ago.
They had been suppressed for many years, and their situation only improved after Prince Duan returned.
Now that Emperor Xingzhao was still on the throne, and with Prince Duan's support, they had some backing in court.
But what if one day Emperor Xingzhao passed away, how would they return?
It had always been the case that a new emperor meant a new court, a timeless principle.
From the moment they embarked on this path, the end was already there.
The key was to see what methods they would use to reach the other shore.
"You are no longer young. Learn from Scholar Shen. He is still young, yet he has such courage. Look at you..." Wang Chengyi deliberately provoked his son.
He was old, and his eldest son was such a dissolute dandy, utterly lacking in responsibility.
The Wang family would have to rely on him, his younger son, in the future, so he had to discipline and teach him well at this time.
"Son understands." Wang Enze bowed his head.
Shen Yun, while appearing unhurried, felt restless upon his return, frowning as he quietly considered the Wang family's final choice.
Su Xiaoqi, seeing that he had something on his mind, did not try to persuade him but silently prepared hot water and clean clothes.
An autumn rain brought more cold.
Deep autumn in the capital was very cold.
Shen Yun washed his face and changed his clothes. He suddenly turned and hugged Su Xiaoqi, burying his head in her neck, and said gently, "Wife, it's time to make a choice."
Su Xiaoqi raised an eyebrow and quickly reacted, "Who did you choose?"