radicalducati Chapter 136 Outside the Palace Walls
Chapter 136 Outside the Palace Walls
When do you have free time?
If an emperor says this, it means he doesn't care about you.
Because whenever he puts something into his heart, he will specify a time, which means he is making an agreement.
Upon seeing Shen Shixi arrive, Li Fude hurriedly greeted her, "This servant greets Consort Yuan. Please wait a moment while I go and report!"
Shen Shixi said, "No need, Eunuch Li. I've prepared some food; you can just pass it to the Emperor for me. I'll head back now."
It's not like we can't see each other, there's no need to meet now.
She knew that Yang Tingyue had been complaining to the Empress Dowager a lot lately. She didn't care, but she didn't want to keep causing trouble for Li Yuanke. If she caused too much trouble, even the emperor would get tired of it.
She had no intention of becoming a favored concubine, but she also didn't want to displease her superiors.
She just needs to deflate Yang Tingyue's arrogance. If Li Yuanke wants to sleep, she can't stop him!
Unexpectedly, Li Yuanke was meeting with people from the Ministry of Works, and they were still talking about the sniper crossbow that Shen Shixi wanted to make.
Shen Shixi was still standing there, exchanging words with Yang Tingyue, when Li Fude came out and invited Shen Shixi inside.
Yang Tingyue was unconvinced and wanted to go in with him, but Li Fude wouldn't allow it.
What a joke! This concerns the military secrets of the Great Zhou Dynasty. If it were leaked, could a mere eunuch bear the responsibility?
"Why was she allowed in? Why can't I?"
Therefore, Yang Tingyue is truly stupid.
[Damn it, cousin marriages are prone to producing children with problems. Yang Tingyue's intelligence is worrying; the future prince is truly a cause for concern!]
Shen Shixi went in and met Li Yuanke's gaze.
"Your Majesty, I greet you. May Your Majesty enjoy boundless blessings and peace!" Shen Shixi bowed obediently, mainly because there were other people inside.
"No need for formalities!"
"Your humble servants pay their respects to Consort Yuan!"
"No need for formalities!" Shen Shixi also stood up.
"You've come at the right time. There's a crucial point here that they don't understand, and I was just about to summon you."
Shen Shixi went over and took a look. Clearly, they seemed to want to figure out how the most crucial part was connected. "It uses this kind of latch-like mechanism..."
Shen Shixi demonstrated with his own hand, "The dimensions here are crucial. Once the claws are engaged, they will grip the steps here directly. If you want to remove them, you'll have to break them."
This avoids the situation where, if the sniper crossbow had fallen into enemy hands, they would have had to go through a lot of trouble to replicate it.
This design incorporates quite a few of these structures.
Liu Jingzhong was full of admiration. "It's really ingenious. I really want to get these parts made as soon as possible so I can see this powerful crossbow as soon as possible."
This sniper crossbow was custom-made for Shen Shixi because she didn't have that much arm strength. The arrows were launched using gunpowder and had many precision parts.
While Shen Shixi was discussing this with the Ministry of Works and the Director of the Imperial Household Department, Li Yuanke was eating the chiffon cake in detail. He seemed to really enjoy it, and after finishing, he almost licked the plate clean, still wanting more.
"Go to Zhaoyang Palace and bring me some more later," he instructed Li Fude.
After the matter was settled, Aunt Qingruo arrived and invited Li Yuanke to Cining Palace.
Shen Shixi knew perfectly well what it was about, but he didn't bother to pay attention and returned to Zhaoyang Palace.
That night, Li Yuanke stayed at Qianyuan Palace without going anywhere else, and did not summon anyone to his bedchamber.
The next morning, while Shen Shixi was still asleep, someone from Qianyuan Palace came and invited her over.
Shen Shixi didn't get up. She hadn't slept well and was fast asleep. "I'm not going. I'm sleepy. I want to sleep."
Li Fude said from outside, "Your Majesty, the Emperor said that if you don't go, he will take someone else with him when he leaves the palace. It's almost the end of the year, and the streets are very lively. Would Your Majesty like to go out and take a look?"
Shen Shixi jumped up immediately. "Coming, coming! Father-in-law, don't go! Wait for me! Lanying, quick, serve Father-in-law some fruit and tea. Treat him well."
Li Fude was also craving the food in Shen Shixi's palace, so he didn't hold back.
"Your Majesty, please don't panic. Please dress properly. Before I came, the two officials from the Ministry of Personnel were still talking to the Emperor. Without Minister Song, things have gotten worse and worse in the Ministry of Personnel. The Emperor hasn't had a moment of peace these days."
This was a suggestion for Shen Shixi.
Shen Shixi himself hadn't forgotten about this matter either. Through the door, he said, "The New Year is almost here. Things will go smoothly after the New Year. Don't worry, Father-in-law. The things His Majesty needs to accomplish will only become smoother."
Shen Shixi would naturally support institutional reform. Why? Her son was going to be the emperor in the future. Why should she let her son do such a difficult thing?
Naturally, Li Yuange should handle it.
They helped her son pave the road.
As for the matter of the two Song families poisoning her, as a modern soul, she truly had no intention of implicating anyone. Moreover, Song Piyang genuinely didn't know that his two daughters were so foolish.
Shen Shixi then summoned Chaoyu and selected some fabrics, headdresses, jewelry, tea, imperial wine, writing implements, and two hundred taels of silver. He instructed Bai Ping to prepare these items and have Chaoyu deliver them, along with a message to her father, asking him to plead with the Emperor on behalf of Song Piyang during the New Year's Day court audience.
"Although the Song sisters poisoned me, it had nothing to do with Song Piyang, nor did Song Piyang order his daughters to do it. Lord Song has rendered meritorious service in the court and is currently someone the Emperor needs. Asking my father to do his part is also a way of showing our attitude."
If Lord Song repays this kindness, he will surely be even more dedicated to his duties in the future, which will benefit the court and the nation. We don't need to dwell on this matter.
Chao Yu went with the gifts.
Shen Shixi, accompanied by Bai Kui, followed Li Fude to Qianyuan Palace, where Li Yuanke was already waiting. Seeing that she was dressed simply, he took her hand and asked, "Why aren't you dressed up?"
"Tell everyone in the capital that the Emperor has gone out shopping with his concubines? Why is the Emperor dressed so plainly today?"
She looked him up and down, then smiled and said, "But you are still very handsome, young master Xunxun, with unparalleled good looks. You are both handsome and of noble birth! Your Majesty is truly a peerless beauty!"
Li Yuanke was amused, his eyes wide with laughter. "Nonsense! Who says men are all stunningly beautiful?"
"Your Majesty is the only one worthy of that title!"
The two boarded a carriage and left the palace gates, where they heard the hustle and bustle outside. Shen Shixi couldn't help but lift the curtain to look out, and couldn't help but exclaim, "The everyday life here is truly beautiful!"
Li Yuanke put his arm around her and said, "If you like going out, I'll take you out again during the first month of the lunar calendar to see the lanterns for the Lantern Festival."
"Don't try to fool me. During the Lantern Festival, won't you be celebrating with your officials?"
"On the fifteenth of the first month, we will hold a grand banquet for all the officials. However, on the night of the fourteenth, the city lanterns will already be hung up. I will take you out for a stroll."
"Really?" Shen Shixi turned around and hugged Li Yuanke, kissing him. "Your Majesty is the best. I love Your Majesty the most. Mua~ Li Yuanke, you must be this good to me for the rest of your life. You are not allowed to get tired of me or hate me. You are even more not allowed to send me to the Cold Palace. Otherwise, I will sweep your entire harem clean."
"What nonsense are you talking about!" Li Yuanke pulled her down. "We have to meet someone later, and you've got my face covered in your saliva."
When the two arrived at Zaoyuan, Shen Xianzhang led the people inside to greet them. When he saw his daughter getting off the carriage with the emperor, his eyes widened in disbelief. Why did this wretched thing come along too?