Su Qingshan: My dear grandson, please stop talking!
Yan Yunxuan: No, Grandfather, I want to save you. Don't be afraid or anxious. I'm here to protect you.
Guagua, Emperor Jingyuan gave Princess Changle three choices, is she really not considering any of them? Wouldn't the second option, a divorce from Tian Dachui, where they could each go their own way and have no further involvement in each other's lives, be better?
Host, what's so good about this? Look around. Are there any royal princesses who got divorced?
Guagua, what's wrong with the princess? Isn't a princess a person?
Host, this is the feudal Great Yan Dynasty, where imperial power is supreme. Princess Chang Le's divorce will make them a laughing stock, won't it?
Guagua, I think Princess Chang Le is perfect for the third option: demote her to a commoner. Stop mocking the promising young people of Great Yan! Look at her! Her husband, Consort Chai, and his entire family have been confiscated and exiled to mine; Zhao Feiyu, the deputy commander of the Imperial Guard who was her lover, has lost his position; Xu Kaiming, the son of the Salt Commissioner, has been kicked out of his home; and an outstanding guard in the Imperial Guard who had already been promoted is about to be poisoned...
This truly proves the saying: "A spear dipped in excrement kills whoever it strikes, but among all the turtles in the pond, she's the longest-lived!"
Pfft~~~
Hahaha～～～～
Prince An laughed at an inopportune moment.
In the silent hall, Prince An's laughter was especially loud.
Emperor Jingyuan glared at him.
Prince An: That's absolutely hilarious!
A spear dipped in excrement will kill anyone it pierces, but among a pond full of turtles, she has the longest life!
Those promising young people connected to Chang Le all met with unfortunate ends…
Oh my god, he only just realized that his niece Chang Le has the potential to be a jinx; he'll have to stay away from her from now on.
He is a clean person.
No, he's a germaphobe and afraid of getting "poop" on him!
He couldn't let his elder brother know about this idea; after all, she was his daughter.
A slight commotion arose in the hall, and many ministers couldn't help but whisper among themselves.
Host, your words are so classic! It's so insightful!
Minister of Rites Su Qingshan's back was soaked with sweat, and beads of sweat kept sliding down his forehead.
It's over. It's over!
Chang Le is in grave danger!
He was terrified that if His Majesty heard Shen Mingzhu's true feelings, he would demote Chang Le to a commoner.
What will happen to Chang Le then?!
Princess vs. commoner, it's like heaven and earth!!!
How could Chang Le possibly accept this?
Guagua, you flatter me!
Host, you've actually stumbled upon a little secret~~~
What? Guagua, you're not telling me Princess Chang Le is a jinx reincarnated, are you?
Ding ding ding~~~ Congratulations, host, you answered correctly! Unfortunately, there's no reward!
Host, Princess Chang Le's destiny is marked by the Iron Broom, one of the inauspicious stars. It is often said that those with this star in their destiny tend to experience more failures than successes in their careers, unstable wealth, tense marital relationships, and in severe cases, it may even affect the family's fortune.
When Su Qingshan, the Minister of Rites, heard that it might affect the family's fortunes, he knew that Chang Le was doomed.
Emperor Jingyuan and the entire royal family will not allow her to exist!
Poor Chang Le, my granddaughter, what will become of you?
As if remembering something, wasn't Chang Le pregnant?
At least if you give birth, she'll have someone to rely on in her old age; if all else fails, the Minister's Mansion can help her out.
Emperor Jingyuan, sitting at the head of the table, listened to Shen Mingzhu's heartfelt words and finally made up his mind, believing that his daughter would choose the third way to handle the situation.
Crown Prince Yan Beichen glanced at Yan Yunxuan beside him with some sympathy.
Why...
Why does he get the feeling that his second brother is also destined to be cursed?!
He knew perfectly well what bad luck he had that month.
Second Prince Yan Yunxuan: You're the one destined to be cursed with iron brooms! I am the Xuan King, the chosen one of destiny, and I'm incredibly powerful!
Shen Mingzhu: Pshaw!
A chosen one of destiny who reeks of foul odour!
Second Prince Yan Yunxuan: Shen Mingzhu, don't be so arrogant.
Shen Mingzhu: The smelly Xuanwang is annoying!!!
Then he looked at Crown Prince Yan Beichen.
Shen Mingzhu: Crown Prince, are you satisfied with the role i played in the unlucky mansion?
Crown Prince Yan Beichen: Satisfied, satisfied, very satisfied.
Emperor Jingyuan then discussed several important matters, after which Grand Scholar Su Huaiyuan appeared beside him at some point.
He will be leaving for a while after court today and will not be able to come out until the imperial examination is over. He is really anxious.
He wanted to know the story of "Drunkenly Beating the Golden Branch."
Su Huaiyuan looked at Shen Mingzhu with a smile and asked softly,
"Young Miss Shen, I was reading history books yesterday and found a record of a drunken beating of the princess, but it was incomplete. The prince consort's surname was Guo, and the princess's name was something like Princess Shengping. I don't seem to remember such a country."
Upon hearing this, Shen Mingzhu's eyes immediately widened.
Her inner voice immediately roared.
Guagua, listen, there are historical records of the Tang Dynasty here! Don't you think the Great Yan Dynasty is also a part of history?
Host, keep it low-key! Why are you so excited about the Tang Dynasty?
Guagua, that's the Tang Dynasty! Do you know how powerful the Tang Dynasty was? The poet Li Bai was born in Changming County , Wang Bo, one of the Four Great Poets of the Early Tang, had a father who was a county magistrate in Jiaozhi County, and there was the An Lushan Rebellion. In other dynasties, the dynasty would have perished long ago, but the Tang Dynasty stubbornly survived for over a hundred years. The capital Chang'an fell six times and was recaptured five times, the emperor was moved nine times and was recaptured eight times, the Xuanwu Gate Incident was a battle where the winner became the crown prince, the Xiangji Temple battle was a battle where the loser was a rebel, they conquered more than 30 territories, fought in the south and north to destroy the Turks, and their territory reached 12.37 million square kilometers. Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin, was even called the Heavenly Khan of the Tang Dynasty, and all nations came to pay tribute!
What's even more amazing is the Three Hundred Tang Poems, two hundred of which reminisce about the glorious Tang Dynasty. It features figures like Yuchi Gong, Li Jing, Guo Ziyi, and Xue Rengui, all with outstanding military achievements. So when the Tang Dynasty is mentioned, I only get excited when I think of its grandeur or its prosperity!
The entire court of civil and military officials gasped in shock.
My God, they can't imagine what a prosperous era this is.
Their Tang emperor was actually the Heavenly Khan?
Who won the Xuanwu Gate Incident, and who became the crown prince?
Just imagining that scene, they couldn't believe it.
The century-long history of Xiangji Temple: whoever lost is the traitor, my goodness!
What kind of battle is this?
The capital Chang'an fell six times and was recaptured five times; the emperor moved nine times and fought back eight times!
How incredibly brave!
I really want to learn about this part of history!
Su Huaiyuan, standing next to Shen Mingzhu, was also stunned. He had originally wanted to ask about the story of "Drunkenly Beating the Golden Branch," but he didn't expect it to be involved so much.
Shen Changyuan: You little dummy, what am I supposed to say?
You are very knowledgeable, so you should just keep a low profile and be discreet.
Now that you've said that, they are more interested in learning about the Tang Dynasty!
Emperor Jingyuan: I long to become the Heavenly Khan, with all nations coming to pay homage!
Crown Prince Yan Beichen: What exactly happened in the Xuanwu Gate Incident and the Battle of Xiangji Temple, as mentioned by the Crown Princess?
What kind of dynasty was the Tang Dynasty?
The capital fell in six separate incidents?
They even managed to snatch it back five times?
Sharp!
The emperor moved nine times?
He fought back eight times!
Such a dynasty was indeed exciting, and he was very eager to learn about it.
Learn from the wisdom of our predecessors to avoid similar disasters.
Su Qingshan was still kneeling in the centre of the hall, and no one noticed him at this moment. Everyone was secretly pondering Shen Mingzhu's words.
At this moment, aren't they standing at a crossroads in their lives?
The ministers who had previously sided with King Xuan were trembling with fear.
Will they start stealing from each other in the future?
General Xie VS General Zhan Su.
My God, they can't even imagine it.
Host, the scholar Su asked about the story of "Drunkenly Beating the Golden Branch"!
Guagua, isn't this about the Tang Dynasty?! I'm getting a little excited.
Host, Scholar Su is eagerly waiting for you to speak!
Okay, I understand.
Shen Mingzhu looked at Su Huaiyuan beside her and began to tell the whole story from beginning to end with a smile.
"In the early years of Emperor Daizong's reign, before he had even warmed his seat on the throne, the Tibetan Empire captured Chang'an. Guo Ziyi was stationed in Jingyang at the time, with only a little over ten thousand men under his command. However, his prestige was high, and he managed to persuade the Uyghurs to return home. He even pursued the Tibetans to Lingtai Xiyuan, killing over fifty thousand Tibetan soldiers! When Emperor Daizong returned to Chang'an, he rewarded Guo Ziyi handsomely and even betrothed Princess Shengping to Guo Ziyi's sixth son, Guo Ai… (and so on and so forth…)"
Finally, Guo Ziyi punished Guo Ai by beating him with a stick, and Emperor Daizong of Tang also went to teach Princess Shengping a lesson. The conflict between the two was resolved, and Princess Shengping and Guo Ai stayed together until old age.
Su Huaiyuan listened attentively, thanked her, and returned to the front row.
Guagua, how did I do?
Host, you're great!
After the court session, the Crown Prince wanted to discuss political affairs with Emperor Jingyuan, while Prince An followed Shen Mingzhu back to the Hanlin Academy.
The Hanlin Academy was empty at this moment, with only two people remaining.
Prince shamelessly followed Shen Mingzhu and asked about the Xuanwu Gate Incident, the Xiangji Temple Incident, and just how strong the Tang Dynasty really was.
Prince An was stunned.
"That's amazing?"
Shen Mingzhu smiled.
"Yes, Your Highness Prince An."
"The Tang Dynasty was truly remarkable, especially in its later period. Those Tang emperors really did resemble rulers of a nation."
"Yes."
Shen Mingzhu responded with emotion.
Shen Mingzhu checked the time and then took Shaoyao and Shen Weiming back to the manor...
Every day, there's no place like home.
Two flowers bloom, each representing a different branch.
After hearing Shen Mingzhu's account, Prince An quickly returned to the palace and told everyone about the glorious Tang Dynasty.
"How powerful must the Tang Dynasty have been!"
Prince An: "It is said to be a magnificent and glorious event that people throughout the thousands of years have never forgotten."
Emperor Jingyuan listened to Prince An's words and looked at Shen Changyuan.
Looking at Emperor Jingyuan's expression, Shen Changyuan told him about Shen Mingzhu's encounter with the Taoist priest when she was born.
Emperor Jingyuan lowered his head and pondered for a few seconds.
"It can be considered a blessing for this child. Minister Shen, you must treat her well."
"Your Majesty, Mingzhu is my youngest daughter, and we will certainly treat her well."
Moreover, Shen Mingzhu will become the glory of the family in the future!
Minister Shen felt a throbbing in his head.
His drafty little cotton-padded jacket always caused him problems.
He followed behind, resolving the issues...
Shen Mingzhu was in a good mood today. After waking up from her afternoon nap, she went out shopping with her maid and guards.
On Zhuque Street, Shen Mingzhu was happily eating a string of candied hawthorns when she saw a bully harassing someone from afar.
Guagua, it's time for me to uphold justice!
Host, be careful! Don't be impulsive!
Shen Mingzhu: It is my inescapable responsibility to punish evil and promote good.
This official has arrived.
"You audacious scoundrel, daring to abduct a woman in broad daylight? You've run into me. You're just unlucky!"
The young man in brocade robes chuckled twice when he saw Shen Mingzhu, then took two steps back when he looked at Shen Weiming behind him.
Although he was a playboy, he was also perceptive; he was definitely a trained fighter with considerable martial arts skills.
Judging from Shen Mingzhu's arrogant demeanour, she was probably a pampered young lady from her family, so he magnanimously decided not to hold it against her.
Shen Mingzhu: What?!
Are you trying to run away?
"Miss, I am the brother-in-law of the Second Prince Yan Yunxuan. I originally intended to help this young lady who is selling herself to bury her father, but I didn't expect you to be so pretentious…"
Thinking that mentioning the name of the Second Prince Xuanwang would make this young lady wary, Shen Mingzhu was even more excited than expected!
Guagua, did you hear what he said?
Host, Guagua heard him clearly. He said he was the brother-in-law of the Second Prince, Yan Yunxuan!
Shen Mingzhu looked down at the young man and chuckled.
"Young master, as far as I know, His Highness Prince Xuan hasn't married a principal wife yet, right? What kind of brother-in-law are you?"
Hahaha~~~
"Hahaha~~~"
The surrounding crowd burst into laughter.
Just now, this young master was looking at the girl and saw that she was pretty and charming, so he started flirting with her and even asked her to be his eighteenth concubine. But then he ran into Shen Mingzhu, this living ancestor.
Many people just disliked this man, but they didn't dare to speak up because of other reasons.
The man, seeing everyone laughing, became enraged and shouted at them.
"What are you laughing at? My sister is indeed the King Xuan's woman. You're just sour grapes. The King Xuan is handsome and dashing. What's so funny about you people who can't even afford four dishes in one meal!"
As soon as he finished speaking, everyone stopped laughing.
He looked at everyone smugly, as if to say, "Feeling good now that your lungs have been punctured?"
Looking at him, Shen Mingzhu asked directly,
"Young master, who is your sister?"
The man remained silent.
The local people nearby started to jeer.
"Who is it? Tell us quickly! Let us be envious."
"Yeah! Are you kidding me?"
"Yes, surely it's not just talk? Accusing the prince is a serious crime that can land you in jail."
Upon hearing that he was going to jail, the man's face flushed red, and he said directly,
"Everything I said is true. It's all true!"
"My older sister's name is Qingyu, and I am her younger brother. My surname is Sun!"
"Hmph! Are you scared now?"
Looking at this young master Sun, who is Qingyu's younger brother, Shen Mingzhu, couldn't help but frown.
Guagua, when did the younger brother of the maid who was supposed to be married become the Xuan King's brother-in-law? The Xuan King is truly blessed!!!
Host, I get the feeling you're gloating!
At that moment, Shen Mingzhu was unaware that she was being watched.
Shen Weiming glanced at the teahouse to the upper right twice and only continued to follow behind Shen Mingzhu after confirming that no one was there.
"Heh, we almost got caught!"
"That's really interesting!"
Guagua, be more confident and let go of your feelings.
Haha, host, you're so naughty, I love you so much!!!
Keep it low-key, keep it low-key! You know I'm a master of words, capable of making anyone go crazy!
Host, Guagua thinks you're like the King of Hell. Whoever you call is doomed! Hahaha~~~