Chapter 464
Chapter 464
Today, the King did not suspend the morning court session, but it was short, lasting less than two hours. In truth, there were many matters of state to attend to. The State of Yue had navigated through perilous crises on all fronts and even achieved a great victory. The diplomatic envoy from the State of Chu would soon arrive in Yue, and preparations had to be made for the negotiations. There were also discussions to be had about maintaining the political situation in the Southern Gull Kingdom, how to deal with the traitor Qiu Hu on Thunder Continent Archipelago, and which officials to send to Tianshu Province to resume all the neglected and delayed administrative work. There was much to discuss.
Nevertheless, the King concluded the court session faster than ever before and returned to the inner palace to stay by Consort Bian’s side. He had to see her awaken with his own eyes. It was a kind of repayment—a way to settle his debt to his deceased former wife and express his gratitude to the heavens. For heaven had finally shown mercy and not taken his Consort Bian from him.
* * *
At dusk, Consort Bian quietly awoke. King Ning Yuanxian’s eyes reddened, but he smiled. Tears streamed from Consort Bian’s eyes before she offered a gentle smile in return, though it looked pained. Having finally conceived a child only to lose it, her heart was naturally wracked with anguish. She also felt a sense of shame.
The previous night, believing she was going to die, she had left her last words and requests. Most of what she had said were things she would never have uttered normally. Having narrowly survived, she now recalled those words and felt they sounded terribly petulant, which made her feel embarrassed. The two remained silent for a long time, Ning Yuanxian holding Consort Bian’s hand tightly.
After a long while, Consort Bian spoke gently.
“I am sorry to Shen Lang.”
The King shook his head vehemently.
“You owed him nothing in the past. It is forbidden for the inner palace to interfere in state affairs, so it was only natural for you to refuse Ying Zheng’s request.”
Consort Bian said no more.
“Shen Lang is an incredibly arrogant man. When you see him later, do not say a word of thanks. He will not appreciate it even if you do.”
Consort Bian simply smiled faintly in response. A short while later, Shen Lang and the old royal physician, Yun He, entered her chambers. Shen Lang checked her pulse, then examined her body carefully and took her temperature. He then spoke.
“For the most part, you are out of danger. From now on, you must focus on rest and recuperation. Master Yun is far more skilled than I in matters of recovery, so my presence will no longer be necessary.”
“Very well. You may leave.”
Shen Lang bowed.
“Your Majesty, Your Highness Consort Bian, this servant takes his leave.”
Consort Bian looked at Shen Lang and smiled gently.
“Thank you, Shen Lang.”
* * *
As soon as Shen Lang returned home, he heard the chattering of two little girls. They were talking and crying, and also laughing. Ye Huihui and Ye Jiajia had been sent home from the Great Grace Hall. The older sister was vividly describing how terrifying the place was, even holding out her hands to show Bing’er. Indeed, the palms and bodies of both girls bore the marks of being struck.
The Great Grace Hall was that kind of place. It used high-pressure tactics to make all the children as obedient as slaves in a very short time. The slightest disobedience was met with harsh beatings. They trained the children as one would train animals until they reacted instantly, like a conditioned reflex. After all, even if they beat a child to death, no one would hold them accountable. Although Ye Huihui and Ye Jiajia had only been there for a few days, they had already been beaten several times, leaving a shadow of fear in their hearts. The moment Shen Lang walked in, the two girls immediately ran over and hugged his legs.
“Mister, I’ll be good from now on, I promise I’ll be obedient. Please don’t send us back again.”
The little one begged, her eyes welling with tears. Shen Lang picked them up and affectionately rubbed his nose against theirs. The psychological scars the children had acquired from their few days at the Great Grace Hall could only be healed with time. Madam Xu and Bing’er watched Shen Lang with desperate anticipation. They had heard that Prince Ying Zheng had saved Consort Bian’s life by giving her his blood. But why had Shen Lang returned while the prince had not? Their eyes were filled with this question.
Shen Lang smiled to reassure them.
“Don’t be anxious.”
Indeed, certain storms had yet to arrive, so there was no need to be anxious. The Great Eunuch Li Sun’s words were correct.
‘Fortune hides within misfortune, and misfortune hides within fortune.’
* * *
As expected, a rumor spread rapidly through the capital. It was said that Shen Lang had tampered with the blood transfusion to create a backer for Prince Ying Zheng. The story went that although another person’s blood could have been used, Shen Lang had schemed to make it seem incompatible with Consort Bian’s, leaving Prince Ying Zheng as the only possible donor—all as a way to absolve the prince of his crime. Many cried out that it was unfair. Could Prince Ying Zheng, who had killed an official of the Dali Temple, truly be cleared of his crime so easily? One thing was one thing, and another was another. Saving Consort Bian’s life was one matter, but a crime was a crime, and royalty should be punished the same as commoners. Could it be that donating blood to Consort Bian would allow him to escape the guilt of murder? That was too absurd.
Then, an even more frightening rumor emerged. It claimed that Consort Bian was not supposed to have hemorrhaged from her miscarriage and that Shen Lang had secretly orchestrated the whole thing. In other words, Shen Lang had first tried to kill her in order to save her. Otherwise, why would Consort Bian miscarry at this specific time? Why would she miscarry just as Shen Lang returned to the capital and just as Prince Ying Zheng was imprisoned?
Surprisingly, the source of this rumor was one of the last people one would expect: Consort Bian’s nephew, Bian Nian. He made no effort to be discreet as he complained indignantly.
“It was definitely Shen Lang who caused my aunt to hemorrhage. That man is utterly vicious. Did you all know? Do you know how capable Shen Lang is? King Arogan of Qiang died at his hands. My aunt was healthy before, and the baby in her womb was fine, but as soon as Shen Lang returned to the capital, she miscarried. How could there be such a coincidence in the world? And do you know what the most ridiculous part is? I am my aunt’s biological nephew. We are blood relatives, yet my blood was incompatible with hers, and only Prince Ying Zheng’s could be used? It’s preposterous!”
No one refuted these rumors, but no one stopped them either. Soon, the rumors spread further and wider, and after being repeated and embellished ten million times, they solidified into what seemed like fact. Before long, many in the capital firmly believed them. They were convinced that Consort Bian’s miscarriage and hemorrhage were entirely Shen Lang’s doing.
Inside the royal palace, Consort Bian’s health improved daily, but Prince Ying Zheng remained imprisoned in the Imperial Clan Court. Shen Lang, too, stayed within Prince Ying Zheng’s residence and did not show his face in public after that day. It was as if he had never saved Consort Bian, as if none of it had ever happened.
Then one day, Consort Bian’s nephew, Bian Nian, stormed into the Prince’s residence, fuming with rage.
“Where is Shen Lang? Tell him I want to see him.”
A moment later, Shen Lang appeared before him.
“Young Master Bian, what can I do for you?”
Bian Nian pointed at Shen Lang and said coldly.
“Shen Lang, what exactly is your scheme? Out with it, now!”
Shen Lang frowned. Bian Nian raged.
“Shen Lang, don’t play dumb. What tricks did you pull during the blood transfusion? I am my aunt’s biological nephew, so why was my blood incompatible with hers? You must have tampered with it. Speak the truth!”
“Not only that, but what methods did you use to make my aunt miscarry? Tell me the truth about why she hemorrhaged. Shen Lang, you played a truly masterful hand. Harming someone first, then saving them. Did you want to put our Bian Clan in your debt? Give up such foolish fantasies. Did you think no one would see through your plot?”
“It’s not just me; everyone has seen through your scheme. I have already written a letter to my uncle. I will also report your plot to my aunt and His Majesty. I will not let you get away with this. Shen Lang, you will soon face misfortune. Did you not consider these consequences when you were plotting? On the surface, it looks like you saved my aunt, but why haven’t His Majesty or my aunt rewarded you? Why is Prince Ying Zheng still in prison, and why is Princess Ying Yan, your lover, still detained in the Imperial Clan Court? It means my aunt and His Majesty have already seen through your plot. Shen Lang, you are finished. The Blackwater Terrace will soon come to investigate you for harming my aunt.”
Shen Lang stared quietly at Bian Nian. Bian Wu held sole authority over Yanzhou and commanded an army of one hundred thousand. However, the Bian Clan had no hostages in the capital; all their outstanding sons were in the army. Bian Nian was Bian Wu’s nephew. His parents had died at the hands of the former King of Wu, so Bian Wu felt indebted to his nephew and doted on him. But this nephew was more worthless than imagined; he couldn’t endure the hardships of the army and was eventually sent to the capital to enjoy a life of wealth and luxury. Though he was merely Bian Wu’s nephew, the King had enfeoffed him as a viscount and given him a high-ranking but powerless fifth-rank position. However, Bian Nian was not satisfied with this and constantly sought to climb higher.
When he heard that his aunt, Consort Bian, needed a blood transfusion due to hemorrhaging from her miscarriage, Bian Nian was overjoyed. He saw it as a chance to earn merit. If he could save his aunt with his own blood, he thought, he could secure a promotion and rise in status. Even though he was afraid of having his blood drawn, his desire for a meteoric rise outweighed his fear.
In truth, he was displeased with his current position. His aunt was the King’s most favored consort, and his uncle was the most powerful minister in the State of Yue, so why was he merely a viscount stuck in a powerless fifth-rank post? His aunt’s situation was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but Shen Lang had ruined it all. Instigated by certain individuals, Bian Nian became even more convinced that this was all Shen Lang’s plot. That was why he had been shouting it from the rooftops in the capital. As the biological nephew of the Martial Duke Bian Wu, he naturally had nothing to fear. Who would dare to arrest or stop him for spreading rumors everywhere?
After shouting all over the city for several days and seeing that no one stopped him, and noting that Prince Ying Zheng and Princess Ying Yan were still imprisoned, Bian Nian grew even more ecstatic. He thought everything he said had hit the mark. He then decided to take it a step further and storm into Shen Lang’s residence to expose his plot.
Shen Lang let Bian Nian bite and snap as he pleased, maintaining a smile the entire time and offering no rebuttal. Bian Nian was thrilled by this, pointing a finger at Shen Lang.
“Your silence means I’ve hit the mark, doesn’t it? Hahaha! Just you wait. I will go to the palace at once and report this to His Majesty and my aunt. I am going to expose your plot right now.”
Seeing Shen Lang remain silent as a mute, Bian Nian was overjoyed, convinced he had uncovered the truth, and left for the palace in high spirits.