0p0 Chapter 516 Taking refuge
Chapter 516 Taking refuge
Hua Feixue looked at Shen Shiran helplessly, but couldn't bear to blame her.
Originally, she didn't want to involve the General's Mansion, but her little Crown Princess didn't seem to think so.
Hua Feixue took a deep breath. Now that things had come to this, she could only choose to accept it.
She slowly said to Ji Yuntang: "Princess Ye, General Shen is open and honest, loves the people like his own children, and is not afraid of power. He is a great contributor to our Western Shu Kingdom."
"He was once one of my father's most capable subordinates. He led the army to victory in many battles in Western Shu. It was precisely because of his many great achievements that the people loved him very much. Empress Dowager Yuan felt that he was still useful, so she didn't touch him."
"I will be assured when I send him to do the work."
He had to give this face in front of his future father-in-law.
As soon as Shen Xiangming saw this, he knew that among the three people, Ji Yuntang had the final say.
Although he was shocked that Hua Feixue would listen to Ji Yuntang's advice, he also knew that the woman in front of him was extremely talented and extraordinary.
She entered the palace today and was able to walk out of Empress Dowager Yuan unharmed, and was also rewarded with a batch of jewels.
From this point of view, it shows that she is very smart, resourceful, and calm enough.
Shen Xiangming knew better than anyone how difficult Empress Dowager Yuan was. Not many people could gain her approval the first time they entered the palace.
Ji Yuntang is one in a hundred!
Thinking of this, Shen Xiangming cupped his hands and said respectfully to Ji Yuntang: "Doctor Yun... No, I should call you Princess Ye now."
"This general already knows that you and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince have reached some kind of cooperation. I also know that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince risked his life to come back this time in order to seek revenge on Queen Mother Yuan and regain his throne."
"Back then, the late emperor chose me from among many soldiers and promoted me from an ordinary soldier to a first-rank general. He was very kind to me and I swore to serve him for the rest of my life and never betray him."
"Western Shu was established by the Chu royal family through hard work for generations. The family name has never been changed in the 201 years since its founding. I don't need to say much about how much blood and tears were shed and how many soldiers died."
"But now, the noble family headed by Empress Dowager Yuan actually wants to exterminate the Chu family and seize the imperial power. As a citizen of Western Shu, this general cannot tolerate this in any way."
"The late emperor died because of Empress Dowager Yuan's conspiracy. If you say that there was no conspiracy from the noble families, I will never believe it."
When Shen Xiangming said this, he lowered his head in shame.
"Back then, it was my incompetence that prevented me from avenging the late emperor, nor did I seek justice for Emperor Chu and the queen."
"Before I saw His Royal Highness the Crown Prince with my own eyes, I really thought he was dead and the Chu royal family was completely destroyed. But now that I have seen His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, I think the Chu royal family may still be saved."
"As long as there is still a prince of the Chu royal family, this general will never tolerate anyone with ulterior motives taking away the kingdom of Western Shu."
"If the country of Western Shu really changes hands and changes its surname to Yuan, what difference is there between this general and a traitor who collaborates with the enemy and betrays the country?"
Shen Xiangming was filled with grief and anger. He remembered that Queen Dowager Yuan had summoned them to the palace and told them that she would appoint a new crown prince.
He did not stand up to oppose it at the beginning, partly because he had no hope for the Chu royal family.
On the other hand, Chu Yi has been crazy since he was a child. Now he is dead. There are no descendants of the Chu family, so there must be a new person to take over.
What difference does it make who sits in that position?
As a minister, he could not change the decision of Empress Dowager Yuan, nor could he fight against the power of the five noble families.
In many things, Shen Xiangming admitted that he did have some selfish motives.
He was afraid that Empress Dowager Yuan would implicate the Shen family, and he was even more afraid that the Shen family would be wiped out because of him.
He has a family, children, and too many things to worry about. He has no way and cannot stand up against Queen Dowager Yuan.
He did not stand up when the previous emperor passed away, and he still did not stand up when Emperor Chu and the Queen got into trouble.
Whenever he thought of these things, they would linger deep in his heart, causing him great pain and regret.
Shen Xiangming has always felt that as a general, he should prioritize national and family affairs.
But he may be a qualified husband and father, but not an excellent general.
Now that he has met Chu Yi, he realizes that the Crown Prince, who was once weak and vulnerable in the palace, has grown up!
When the Chu royal family faced a crisis of survival, even Chu Yi could bravely stand up alone. What else did he have to be afraid of?
Furthermore, Shen Shiran committed suicide by jumping into the lake for Chu Yi.
She has already decided on him in her heart and will not marry anyone else in this life.
Shen Xiangming didn't want to experience the pain of losing his daughter again.
He turned to look at Ji Yuntang and said in a deep voice: "Princess Ye, I also want to contribute to your plan. It's for the sake of our West Shu Kingdom. I can't watch it fall into the hands of others."
In particular, the candidate for crown prince now nominated by Empress Dowager Yuan is an unknown junior from a branch of the Yuan family.
From childhood to adulthood, he was like a flower grown in a greenhouse, never even showing his face, and very few people had seen him.
How could such a person sit on the throne and rule the Kingdom of Western Shu?
The national teacher said that he was the true dragon emperor, with dragon energy in his body, and was the destined candidate for the emperor.
Shen Xiangming didn't believe a single word of this nonsense.
He inexplicably felt that the Yuan Dynasty, which had caught the eyes of both the Empress Dowager Yuan and the Imperial Master, might have a complicated origin.
Ji Yuntang glanced at Hua Feixue, and she nodded, the meaning was self-evident.
She got Hua Feixue's consent, and then said to Shen Xiangming: "I understand General Shen's feelings. This is about the change of dynasty in our country, and no one can stay out of it."
Moreover, this was not just an ordinary change of dynasty, but also a contest between the aristocratic families and the imperial court.
It is rare in history that the imperial court was defeated by the aristocratic families.
If the aristocratic families come to power and control the economic lifeline and all military power of Western Shu, it will be difficult for the imperial court to take back the imperial power in the future!
Retracting his thoughts, Ji Yuntang said to Shen Xiangming: "General Shen, we really have something to do now, and we would like you to send someone to do it."
"Today, this princess went to the palace to check Queen Mother Yuan's pulse and found that she may have given birth to a premature baby before. If this child is still alive, he will definitely be raised with good medicinal herbs."
As he spoke, Ji Yuntang went in and picked up the rice paper on which the names of the herbs had just been written.
"His Royal Highness wants to find this child, but it is not convenient for the three of us to come forward, so I would like to ask General Shen to send someone to the major medical clinics in the capital to see if there is any family that purchases this medicinal material on a long-term basis?"