The cruel little princess

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty! You must make the decision for me, Your Majesty!"

The sharp and mournful cry cut through the quiet air outside the imperial study like a sharp blade and came straight in.

Shen Duanfang's head was still lowered, not yet raised, but a barely perceptible smile quietly appeared at the corner of his mouth. There seemed to be a deep meaning in that smile, as if it was hiding some kind of calculation.

"Bring him in!" The emperor frowned slightly, with a hint of helplessness and annoyance.

The emperor waved his hand gently, signaling eunuch Xiao Xizi to lead Concubine Shu into the hall.

Grandpa Xiao Xizi quickly responded and walked quickly to the door.

With light lotus steps, Consort Shu hurried into the imperial study. Once inside, she knelt on the ground with a graceful and charming figure, covering her face with her hands and sobbing uncontrollably: "Your Majesty! Please have mercy on me! Make a decision for me!"

The crying sounded melodious, like the chirping of a nightingale, which made people feel pity for her, but there was a subtle sharpness in her eyes.

The emperor pretended not to know, but he already understood something in his heart. He frowned impatiently, and his voice was filled with fatigue and impatience: "What is it?"

"Your Majesty, Rui'er was beaten in the street! The imperial physician said his arm was broken..."

While crying, Concubine Shu pretended to glance at Shen Duanfang casually.

Hatred flashed across her almond-shaped eyes.

Then she said with tears in her eyes: "The emperor is him!

It is this son of the general who is defending the country. He bullies the weak and takes advantage of his military achievements to not take our Rui'er seriously!

Rui'er is a prince of noble status, how can he allow a group of lowly people like them to bully him!

Your Majesty, you must make the decision for me!

Get justice for Rui'er!"

Although Concubine Shu looked delicate and weak, her words were as sharp and vicious as poisoned arrows.

"Your Majesty, Madam Consort Shu, I know that I have failed in my parenting!

Your Majesty, if you want to beat me or punish me, I, this old minister... will not hesitate!

I only ask the Emperor to spare the life of that rebellious son, for the sake of my lifelong dedication to our Golden Dragon Nation!"

Shen Duanfang spoke sincerely, retreated to advance, and never mentioned the border affairs. He only hoped that the emperor would be lenient with Shen Zijin.

He knew in his heart that the situation was delicate at the moment and if he was not careful, he might lose everything. The only way was to lower his posture, perhaps there would be a chance of turning things around.

"How did the two of them get together?"

The emperor felt a splitting headache. On one side was his own son, and on the other side was an old minister who had been loyal to him for many years.

I sighed inwardly: Oh! Just say it, being the emperor is really not an easy job! I wonder when that old ninth brother will be able to...!

But the most urgent task at the moment is to resolve the issue of Lao Wu being beaten.

The emperor's thoughts drifted back to his past meetings with Shen Zijin. Actually, he had met Shen Zijin several times, and he looked calm and reserved, not like the reckless person who acted recklessly and caused trouble everywhere!

On the other hand, the fifth son in the family is a playboy by nature. He plays with cats and dogs all day long and does nothing. He seems more like someone who can stir up trouble!

Therefore, in order not to disappoint the old minister, even if it involves the fifth brother, he must enforce the law impartially and make sure to understand the ins and outs of the matter so that he can make a fair judgment.

"Your Majesty, that rebellious son said he was going to the racecourse today, but who could have imagined that not long after, a servant came back in a panic to report that the rebellious son had clashed with Prince Rui in the street!

What’s worse, he even injured His Royal Highness Prince Rui’s arm…”

Shen Duanfang's words were full of urgency, and his face showed an expression of extreme anxiety yet helplessness.

The wrinkles on his forehead were deepened by his furrowed brows, as if engraved with worry and sorrow about his son's misfortune.

"What a conflict!

It was obviously that little beast of yours who provoked me for no reason!

Not only was my son humiliated, he was also beaten in the street!

This is contempt for imperial power!

Ignore my son's identity!"

The Empress Shufei raised her eyebrows, opened her eyes wide, and shouted angrily.

The voice became sharp due to anger, echoing in the imperial study and making people's eardrums hurt.

"shut up!"

The emperor's face darkened and he slammed the table with a loud "bang". The pens and inkstones on the table trembled slightly.

"Be careful!"

The emperor's voice was majestic and cold, and his eyes contained a hint of displeasure and warning.

No matter what the reason for the dispute, it was really inappropriate for Concubine Shu to speak so recklessly and scold the son as a little beast in front of his old father.

Isn't this a disguised insult to Shen Duanfang?

If this is true, then where should this old father be placed?

Should we call him an old beast?

This idea is absolutely absurd and inappropriate!

"Shen Aiqing, please continue. What was the reason for the fight?"

The emperor frowned, his face full of fatigue and helplessness, and continued to sigh. The long sigh seemed to be a silent complaint about this difficult matter.

"It seems...it seems..."

A blush appeared on Shen Duanfang's face, which was caused by the unspeakable shame.

He stammered, "It seems to be for a... Hua Niang..."

When he said this, he wished he could find a hole to crawl into. As an important official in the court, his son had to fight with others because of a prostitute. It was really a misfortune for the family.

"what?"

When the emperor heard this, he was shocked, his face full of surprise and astonishment, "For a flower girl?"

In the emperor's opinion, the prince and the minister's son actually fought in the street for a prostitute, which was really a disgrace to the royal family and the ministers.

If this matter were to be spread, it would surely become a laughing stock among the people of the capital, and it might even trigger a public opinion storm inside and outside the court.

"evil creature!"

The emperor was furious and slammed the table with his fist. The sound was like thunder in the imperial study.

The Empress Shufei, who was kneeling on the ground, was frightened by the sudden roar and the sound of slamming the table. She trembled all over, her face turned pale, and her heart was pounding as if it was about to jump out of her throat.

"It's fine if he flirts with cats and dogs on a normal day, but now that he has a princess, he's still so promiscuous!

Absurd!"

The emperor's voice trembled slightly with anger, and it was obvious that his anger was directed at His Royal Highness Prince Rui.

In the emperor's view, the prince is a descendant of the royal family and should set an example, cultivate his character, and be a role model for his subjects.

But Prince Rui was different. After getting married, he not only did not restrain himself, but became even worse. He fought with the son of a minister in the street for a girl named Hua Niang, which brought shame to the royal family.

"Your Majesty! Rui'er..."

Concubine Shu was extremely anxious and wanted to plead for her son again, trying to move the emperor with her tenderness and tears.

But the emperor was furious at the moment and didn't allow her to say more. He interrupted her ruthlessly: "Go back to the palace! There's no need to plead for that rebellious son anymore!"

"But..." Concubine Shu still refused to give up and wanted to make a final struggle.

"Get lost! Loving mothers often spoil their children! I'm talking about you!"

The emperor was furious and his words became increasingly sharp, without any mercy at all. He even blamed the Concubine Shu.

In the emperor's mind, Concubine Shu's usual pampering and indulgence of Prince Rui is probably one of the roots of this rebellious son's current absurd behavior. If she could have disciplined him strictly earlier, he would not have ended up like this.

"Concubine, please retire!"

Seeing that the emperor had made up his mind, Concubine Shu knew that staying any longer would bring her no good, so she had to return to the palace unwillingly.

As she walked, she thought to herself: No matter how angry the emperor is, he is still Rui'er's biological father. He will definitely discipline Rui'er well and vent his anger for him!

She just had to wait and watch the fun! In her cognition, the royal majesty could not be violated. Shen Zijin would never be let off easily for injuring Prince Rui.

However, this time she was destined to be disappointed.

As soon as Shen Duanfang said it was for a Hua Niang, the emperor knew what was going on.

He knew very well that the glamorous world in the capital was extremely tempting to young men. The conflict between Prince Rui and Shen Zijin was probably caused by the playboy's habits.

Therefore, the emperor did not say anything to punish Shen Zijin, but simply said: "Since the imperial physician has examined it and there is nothing serious, then let it be!

Just treat it as a lesson for that rebellious son..."

In the emperor's opinion, this matter should not be pursued further. If the minister's son is severely punished because of a Hua Niang, it may damage the reputation of the court if it gets out. It is better to let the matter go peacefully.

But when Shen Duanfang heard this, his heart skipped a beat. This couldn't be right. The result was far from what he had expected. Should his son still go to the border?

If we can't go to the border, then all the previous plans and deployments will become empty talk, right?

In addition, if the eldest prince really colluded with Princess Fukang, with internal and external support, the Kingdom of Jinlong would be in danger!

He was extremely anxious. After much deliberation, he finally gritted his teeth, knelt down, crawled forward a few steps, and touched his forehead to the ground. "Your Majesty! Please understand my deep love for your son!"