The palace wall reflects the moon

Chapter 7 Maps as a gift

Brother Ying was frightened and flopped around in the cage, causing the cage to shake violently.

Shen Shuning glared at it fiercely, and the bird folded its wings, curled up its neck, and carefully moved its paws.

Shen Xiao allowed her to scold him, carefully put the map away, and said slowly: "Sister Huang, this matter is unreasonable."

"where?"

"Trying all possible means to inquire, taking desperate risks and stealing, just to use this picture to provoke the emperor's sister? What's the benefit to her?"

Shen Shuning choked and hummed: "Meng Zhen has always liked to do stupid things, how can we go into details about what she did? I only know that stealing the map is a serious crime, and it is not an exaggeration to destroy her entire clan."

She was determined to commit murder and wanted to imprison Meng Zhen for this death penalty.

Shen Xiao picked up the pot and poured tea into her empty cup, calming her down: "To kill a chicken, you have to do it step by step. Bloodletting and hair plucking are all indispensable. Now is not the time."

"Wait, keep waiting, until that man dies?"

Shen Shuning refused to accept the tea he handed over, and said harshly: "You really can wait, Shen Xiao, you only care about the stability of the country, as long as the world is stable."

She turned her face, not wanting to look at Shen Xiao's always calm face. She had some understanding, but more complaints.

"You are the emperor, but you are also a human being. Everyone should have seven emotions and six desires, and can feel pain and hatred. It has been three years since Qingyue died. You have forgotten it, but I cannot forget it."

After saying that, she picked up the folded map and turned around to leave.
-
In the sedan chair, Shen Shuning carefully placed the map in a finely carved agarwood box, as if it were a treasure.

She remembered a conversation she had with Jiang Qingyue.

"The terrain of Beiji Mountain is complicated, and the situation is even more complicated. Nine out of ten people sent out will not return, and the one who comes back will be a useless person. I'm afraid I won't be able to get the map of this place."

"Beiji Mountain? The place where Mengda Sima led his army deep into the hinterland in the early years?"

At that time, Meng Da Sima was just a cavalry captain. It was also in that battle that Meng Da Sima became famous in one fell swoop. Later, he was appreciated by the late emperor and was promoted repeatedly.

"Yes, this old man is the only one who knows the terrain there. I have asked him to go there a long time ago, but he refused to cooperate with me. He is very old-fashioned."

Jiang Qingyue said: "Then you start with Meng Zhen."

Meng Da Sima was an old-fashioned man, and he only obeyed the advice of Meng Zhen, his precious daughter. Even if Meng Zhen wanted the moon in the sky, she wished that the sky would pluck it from her.

Shen Shuning felt that her idea was not good at all.

"Forget it, I can't afford Meng Zhen's favors. I have been thinking about marrying Shen Xiao all day long. If I say a word to her, she will think that I have given her permission. I don't want to be annoyed by her."

Jiang Qingyue said cheerfully: "I'll go find her. If she refuses to hand it over, I'll beat her. Does she dare to give out what Shu Ning wants?"

Shen Shuning only thought Jiang Qingyue was joking at first and did not take it seriously.

Now this detailed map of Beiji Mountain was actually in her hands.

She let out a long sigh, mist formed in her eyes, opened the sedan curtain and ordered: "Go to Yong'an Palace."
-
Concubine Meng Hui went back and thought about it, but she couldn't figure out the attitude of the emperor and the eldest princess.

Do you like this gift or not?
To say that she was not happy, the eldest princess looked straight, as if she had seen something rare.

When she wanted to say she was happy, the emperor told her to leave and refused to let her say more.

"Your Majesty, please don't bother yourself. Perhaps the Emperor happened to have something serious to discuss with the eldest princess, so he sent you away?"

Aunt Qin's guess is reasonable.

Concubine Meng Hui nodded and said: "It would be great to give it to me in a lively manner at the banquet. You have to let me give it in private. After a while, others will treat me as a gift without even thinking."

Aunt Qin said: "The tree is big and attracts the wind. If the map is unusual, it is better not to show it to others. It is enough for the emperor and the eldest princess to understand the queen's wishes."

Concubine Meng Hui often disagreed with Aunt Qin, but before entering the palace, her mother repeatedly told her that she had been spoiled since she was a child and did not know how to behave, so she must listen to Aunt Qin in everything.She also remembered that Aunt Qin made the final decision on all major matters.Although she listened to Aunt Qin's opinion, she was still a little dissatisfied and muttered: "It's okay now. I interrupted them while they were talking about business. Your Majesty will think that I am ignorant. I told you before, It’s not appropriate for me, a concubine, to go to the Yangxin Palace.”

While they were waiting, a maid came in and reported: "Your Majesty, the eldest princess Luanjia is coming here."

Could it be that this person, who was celebrating his birthday, came all the way to Yong'an Palace for the sake of the map?
Concubine Meng Hui quickly asked her maids to prepare: "The eldest princess likes to drink Gu Zhu Zi Bamboo Shoots, go and get it out quickly."

"No need."

Shen Shuning strode towards the threshold of the main hall of Yong'an Palace and frowned: "What does it smell like?"

Concubine Meng Hui poured a lot of spices early in the morning, and finally prepared the pleasant fragrance on her body.

The smell of various spices that filled the hall had no time to dissipate, and the strong and pungent smell poured into his internal organs from his nose. Shen Shuning couldn't bear the smell and felt a little nauseous, so he had to retreat outside the hall to feel better.

Concubine Meng Hui turned her anger on her maid: "What happened? Don't you know how to taste it? You are so stupid!"

After that, he walked out of the palace and said to Shen Shuning with a smile: "The princess is celebrating her birthday today, and she even took the time to come to my Yong'an Palace as a guest. Yong'an Palace is really full of glory."

Shen Shuning said with a smile: "Yong'an Palace still needs me to add light to the tiles? You may be patient."

She was clearly smiling and her tone was kind, but there was something wrong with what she said.

Concubine Meng Hui's face was slightly condensed, and her fingers tightened on the silk handkerchief: "Princess, what do you mean?"

Shen Shuning smiled even brighter, patted Concubine Meng Hui's delicate shoulder, and said cheerfully: "It's okay, I just appreciate you. I like the things you gave me!"

She knew very well in her heart that some of Shen Xiao's words were right. The time to uproot the Meng family had not yet come. She was certainly not looking for trouble at the moment. She would not do such a meaningless thing.

Being aggressive in the Yangxin Hall was just to make Shen Xiao angry and take the opportunity to scold him for fun.

Concubine Meng Hui felt relieved, her lips raised slightly, and she smiled in a reserved and dignified manner.

"If the princess likes it, then it will be worth the effort of our Meng family."

Shen Shuning held her shoulders and said sincerely: "I didn't realize that you are such a smart person earlier. You are in my heart, and I regard you as a confidant. I have to tell you some news."

"What does the princess want to say?"

Shen Shuning leaned close to her ear and said, "Sima Meng has been silent in the court recently, but it has allowed Prime Minister Cao to steal the limelight. You also know that the emperor doesn't like the queen, and he can't see Prime Minister Cao looking sideways at the court and the public."

Concubine Meng Hui lowered her eyes and said thoughtfully: "Get rid of Prime Minister Cao? This is not easy to do. Assassination or..."

A leading military officer and a head of civil servants are the backbone of the imperial court. Without anyone, the temple will be shaken.

Seeing that her imagination was so over the top, Shen Shuning said more clearly: "The emperor doesn't want to get rid of Prime Minister Cao, but someone has to rub off his energy and overshadow Prime Minister Cao. This is called checks and balances, do you understand?"

Concubine Meng Hui asked: "Is this the emperor's intention?"

"Of course," Shen Shuning said with a smile, "What do you think the emperor wants to say to me this early in the morning?"

Concubine Meng Hui suddenly understood and smiled like a flower: "Princess, don't worry, my father will solve the emperor's problems."

Shen Shuning nodded happily, full of appreciation.Before leaving, he lowered his eyes and looked at her belly: "You have to keep this child well. The emperor has great expectations for this child. He just told me that if he is a prince, he will have a successor."

In an inconspicuous corner of Yong'an Palace, Xin Wei knelt there, watching the eldest princess leave with all the maids.

Before Shen Shuning left, he glanced back. His eyes seemed to pause on a certain figure for a moment, and then he quickly looked away.No one will take this extra look seriously.

Concubine Meng Hui returned to the palace, held Aunt Qin's hand, suppressed her voice, and said excitedly: "The emperor intends to make my son the heir apparent!"

"This baby must be a boy! It must be!"

(End of this chapter)