The palace wall reflects the moon

Chapter 6 Maps as a Gift [-]

Shen Xiao didn't seem to hear what she was asking. He walked to Duobao Pavilion and took out a scroll, untied the rope and unfolded it on the agarwood table.

"This is a painting I got recently. Sister Huang, please help me see if it is the original work of Mr. Wu."

Shen Shuning crossed his arms, cast a cool gaze on his face, and said calmly: "Your beloved concubine is inquiring about me."

No one shared the treasure that he finally got, and Shen Xiao felt a little bored. He put the painting aside and said with a smile: "The emperor's sister has her birthday once a year. It is inevitable that the sister-in-law will ask about the emperor's likes and dislikes, just to get her. That’s all.”

Seeing how protective he was, Shen Shuning's tone became colder.

"Attempting to steal my Daxia secrets, what kind of favor is this?"

"So serious?" Shen Xiao frowned.

Shen Shuning hated the Northern Territory countries for disturbing the borders of Daxia. For several years, he had been offering rewards to talented people from all walks of life to jointly draw and complete a map of the Northern invaders in preparation for future wars.

It is not that nothing has been accomplished in the end, and it has never been abandoned halfway. This map has long been established and is still being improved.

There are many people who know about mapping, but how well it is drawn, how far it is drawn, and what the map looks like now are all top secrets.

People from the Meng family dared to sneak into her camp and peek at this map. Fortunately, she had prepared a fake map, and the fake map was read.

Shen Xiao listened to her explanation of the whole story of discovering someone stealing the pictures, and said slowly, "The thief escaped and was not caught. How can the emperor conclude that it was the Meng family who did it?"

Shen Shuning thought his question was ridiculous.

"I can't compare to the emperor who has so many things to do every day. I have a lot of free time. I won't be blinded by what I need to figure out." Shen Shuning lay down on the emperor's yellow wood rocking chair and closed his eyes to rest. "Concubine Meng Hui and Meng Da Sima have great ambitions. It’s fine if the emperor doesn’t believe it, the fox will show his true feet one day.”

Shen Xiao let her talk without any further arguments. He personally made her a pot of Guzhu Purple Bamboo Shoots and brought it to her.

"Sister Huang, today is your birthday, let's not talk about business."

The emperor's face had to be given. Shen Shuning took the tea and said, "What did you say just now, Mr. Wu's painting?"

Shen Xiao became interested and showed it to her: "If Sister Huang likes it, I will give it to Sister Huang."

"No, no," Shen Shuning quickly refused, "I know it's a good thing, but I can't reward it."

After a while, Eunuch Xi came in and reported: "Concubine Hui, please see me."

Shen Shuning was looking through several memorials approved by the emperor when he asked, "Is the Yangxin Hall a place where she can come?"

The happy father-in-law said: "Concubine Hui said that the birthday gift she prepared should not be seen by others, so she specially asked to see it and wanted to personally present it to Her Royal Highness the Princess."

"Then don't give it away," Shen Shuning frowned, "Why do you have to give me something shameful?"

But Shen Xiao said: "Let her come in."

Before Concubine Meng Hui came in, Shen Xiao advised Shen Shuning: "Just ignore her if you don't like it. There is no need to make things like this on a good day."

Shen Shuning gouged him out.

Concubine Meng Hui walked in with her round belly and bowed respectfully to the emperor and the eldest princess.

She wore a honey-colored gold dress, her lips were dotted with balm, and a red lotus flower was placed between her eyebrows, like clouds and fire.

Along with her came a light fragrance.

"Your Majesty Wan'an, Princess Jin'an."

She should have followed the emperor and called her "Emperor Sister", but Shen Shuning didn't like these concubines calling her "Emperor Sister", so he sternly ordered them to call her "Princess, Your Highness", and no one dared not to remember it.

Shen Shuning closed his eyes to rest and said "hmm" indifferently.Shen Xiao said warmly: "You are pregnant, so you should rest more. What are you doing here?"

Concubine Meng Hui blushed because of Shen Xiao's words, and said obediently: "I spent a lot of effort to get this map, and I came here to present it to the princess to congratulate her on her birthday."

Shen Xiao stared at the pile of parchment held by the maid behind her.

Concubine Meng Hui ordered the two maids behind her to unfold a huge map that was as long as a sheet.

"I dare to say that the height of every mountain range in Beiji Mountain is clearly shown on this map!"

Beiji Mountain?
Shen Shuning suddenly jumped up from his chair and stood in front of the map. His eyes widened and he read every inch of the mountains and rivers on the map.

It was rare for Concubine Meng Hui to see that the eldest princess was so interested in something, so she couldn't help flatteringly and said: "Beiji Mountain is the key to defeating Changlu Pass. With the princess's planning and this map, it will be just around the corner to defeat the Northern Territory!"

Maps are indispensable for marching and fighting, but it does not mean that you can win a beautiful battle with a good map.

With a strong army, ample supplies of food and fodder, brave and wise generals, and unique tactics, even if everything is ready, we can't say that we will definitely return victorious.

Shen Xiao stood tall and tall, looking at her with faint eyes, "Where did this picture come from?"

Concubine Meng Hui prepared a series of words to claim credit for herself and her father. By the way, she recalled her father's past events when he went deep into the hinterland of Beiji Mountain to fight and became famous in Daxia.

"The concubine's father..."

But just as she started, Shen Xiao interrupted her: "Back off."

Concubine Meng Hui stayed on the spot for a while, it was fine that she couldn't say anything, but she couldn't even get a word of praise. What does this mean?
No matter what happened, the emperor always had this face that was difficult to distinguish between joy and anger, making it difficult for people to understand.

She didn't dare to disobey and reluctantly withdrew.

Inside the hall.

"It's ridiculous," Shen Shuning pointed to a dangerous spot on the map and said coldly: "I sent people to measure this place inch by inch with both feet. It took the longest time, and it took a whole year to complete the Changlu Pass. It’s a mess here.”

Shen Xiao did not fully believe Shen Shuning's words.

Mengda Sima has been stationed at the border of the Northern Territory for decades, how can he not tell whether a map is true or false?
Shen Shuning slapped his palm on the purple wood desk, and there was a dull sound. The brightly colored bird in the cage was frightened and flapped its wings and screamed sharply.

"Meng Zhen stole my map and dared to come to me to offer a treasure. What is this, provoking this princess?"

"Emperor, what do you think should be done?"

Shen Xiao stood in front of the map and looked at it. The majestic rivers and mountains, the undulating waves, were all the scenery outside the border of the Northern Territory.

It’s hard not to be fascinated by this vast scenery.

Shen Xiao was in a good mood and said objectively: "Meng Zhen has always only wanted to please the emperor's sister. When did he dare to provoke the emperor's sister?"

Shen Shuning was furious: "After something like this happened, why are you still favoring her?!"

Shen Xiao had no choice but to ask: "The queen has openly opposed the emperor's sister again and again. The emperor's sister has always let her go. Why does she prefer Meng Zhen and refuse to let her go?"

He spoke in a casual tone, but Shen Shuning became more and more angry, pointing at his nose and scolding: "The queen and I just have different political opinions, how can Meng Zhen be on the same level? You are so lustful that you have lost your wits!"

The so-called difference in political opinions is that the queen advocates that women should not be involved in politics, and has repeatedly ridiculed the eldest princess Si Chen.

The eldest princess just treated the queen as an ignorant woman and didn't care at all.

(End of this chapter)