TPATTHU Chapter 77

Chapter 77: He Deserved to Die Ten Thousand Times for Shamelessly Coveting Everything Xiao Zhinian Gave Him

The leading guard was taken aback, “Subordinate has met Lord Lu.”

Lord Lu?

Shen Zhejiang quickly searched his memory and soon remembered that the commander of the Imperial Guards seemed to be surnamed Lu.

So, this person is—

Lu Mochen.

Famous for being incorruptible.

“What happened?”

The guard told him exactly what had just happened.

Lu Mochen looked at Shen Zhejiang thoughtfully through the snow, his eyes like blades, as if he found this person a little familiar. After thinking for a while, he rejected his own thought.

He asked, “Are you from Yanqing Palace? Then tell me, what did His Majesty ask you to do out of the palace?”

Fortunately, Shen Zhejiang had already prepared his words in a few short moments. He tightened his grip on the dragon scale ring, deliberately lowered his voice, but with a hint of arrogance: “That lady in the palace is clamoring for the Qingfeng Restaurant’s Sheep’s Milk Crisp. If I’m late and can’t buy it, His Majesty is afraid he will blame me. I hope you, sir, will let me pass.”

There are no other ladies in the palace, only the one who is about to be named Consort Shen. It is said that this woman is very much favored by His Majesty, and is arrogant because of the favor. It shouldn’t be false that she wants this and that in the middle of the night.

Besides, the servant in front of him has His Majesty’s token.

Lu Mochen weighed it repeatedly and nodded to the guards, “Let him pass.”

–

In less than half an hour, Shen Zhejiang arrived at Qingfeng Restaurant.

This restaurant was a place he and Han Zitang often visited when they were classmates. Although he didn’t like alcohol, when discussing matters of state, the grand ambition in his chest would rise, and he would drink a few cups.

But those days are long gone, never to return. All that remains is a heart full of sadness and ridicule.

He…

Imperial concubines are not allowed to participate in politics. He is afraid that he will never have the opportunity to attend court meetings again in this life.

The night was cold, and the wind and snow were fluttering. There were not many people in Qingfeng Restaurant.

The shopkeeper standing in front of the counter was bored fiddling with the abacus beads. When she looked up and saw Shen Zhejiang’s arrival, she was so shocked when she saw his face that she dropped the abacus.

In the eyes of the world, Shen Zhejiang had already died. After Xiao Zhinian ascended the throne, he grandly posthumously honored Grand Tutor Shen, which was known to everyone in the world.

Therefore, it is no wonder that the shopkeeper was stunned, as if she had seen a ghost: “You, you, you… Lord Shen?!”

Shen Zhejiang sighed and said, “I am no longer employed in the court, and I am not Lord Shen. Please lead the way for me.”

The shopkeeper secretly pinched herself hard twice, which hurt terribly. Unexpectedly, the person in front of her was real. She quickly waved her hand and asked the waiter to lead Shen Zhejiang to the private room arranged by Han Zitang.

The wooden door “creaked” open, and the person inside raised his head to look. In a trance, he saw the tall and jade-like youth outside the door, and then rarely showed a long-lost smile.

“You’re here?”

“You’re going to Wu Xizhou tomorrow, I’m here to see you off.”

Shen Zhejiang stepped in, and the waiter closed the door behind them. The private room was very spacious, filled with a strong and intoxicating aroma of wine.

There was wine on the table, two wine cups, one empty, the other in Han Zitang’s hand.

At this time, he had already drunk half a pot of strong liquor. His alcohol tolerance was good. Except for a slight blush on his face, he was still relatively sober.

“Sit.”

Shen Zhejiang then walked over and sat down on the wooden stool opposite Han Zitang. After a moment of silence, he opened his mouth and found it a little dry: “…I’m sorry, I broke my promise.”

Han Zitang turned a deaf ear, got up and poured him a glass of wine: “It’s been a long time since I drank with you. No need to say anything else. Let’s get drunk tonight?”

“Okay.”

Shen Zhejiang raised his glass and clinked glasses with Han Zitang in the air, drinking it all in one gulp. The spicy and stimulating taste immediately poured into his throat, as if a fire was burning.

Old friendship is all in the wine.

Han Zitang drank even harder than Shen Zhejiang, refilling cup after cup, as if he was denouncing himself, as if he was punishing himself.

If he could have expressed his feelings to Shen Zhejiang earlier, this person in front of him might have grown old with him. It was too late, so late that he had already passed the age where he could be reckless.

They are no longer young people, and they always have to consider the consequences when doing things.

They drank silently for a long time again.

Shen Zhejiang was not feeling well. Because of the rising alcohol, he coughed twice, and a faint red color spread across his pale face.

Han Zitang was awakened by his cough. He moved the wine pot away without a trace and placed it beside him. He slowly spoke, “About the matter I mentioned to you last time…”

But the words came to his lips, but he hesitated, not knowing how to continue.

Shen Zhejiang said, “If you find it difficult, then don’t say it.”

Han Zitang shook his head: “About you and the Emperor, I must say it, but after you hear it, remember not to get excited.”

“…”

Shen Zhejiang’s heart skipped a beat, and a faint unease emerged.

Him and Xiao Zhinian?

Could it be that there is something he doesn’t know, about the Shen family, or the Xiao family?

“In the years you were away from the capital, I accidentally discovered some palace secrets when sorting out the files,” Han Zitang’s gaze gradually shifted from the wine glass he was holding to Shen Zhejiang, paused, and opened his lips, “You may have blood ties with the Emperor.”

…What?!

Shen Zhejiang’s hand loosened, and the cup slipped through his fingers and rolled to the ground. It did not break, but it broke in half.

How is that possible? He is clearly a descendant of the Shen family, and Xiao Zhinian is of the royal bloodline. They are completely unrelated, so how could they be blood relatives?

Impossible.

He tried his best to steady himself: “How so?”

In fact, when he first learned about this, Han Zitang wanted to tell Shen Zhejiang.

But on second thought, Shen Zhejiang was far away on the border and would never return to the capital in this lifetime, and would no longer have any involvement with Xiao Zhinian. There was no need to add to his troubles.

But now it is different.

“Back then, Grand Empress Dowager Jing was suffering from an incurable disease and was cultivating in Guanhai Temple. Her pregnancy was unstable. In the seventh month, after going through hardships, she gave birth to a son, and unfortunately passed away. That child who was born was you.”

“Was me?”

Shen Zhejiang widened his eyes in disbelief. The alcohol suddenly dissipated in shock. It took him a long time to realize that he had not heard wrong.

He is Grand Empress Dowager Jing’s child, how could that be?

Back then, Grand Empress Dowager Jing gave birth to a stillborn child. Because the Qintian Supervisor observed the celestial phenomena at night and knew that the corpse of this infant would affect the Yan Country’s fortune, it was buried in the backyard of Guanhai Temple.

He remembers clearly that this is how it is recorded in the history books.

It has long become a pile of yellow earth… He is surnamed Shen, he cannot be from the Xiao family.

Han Zitang continued to speak.

“Back then, Grand Empress Dowager Liang was still the Empress. When she learned that Grand Empress Dowager Jing had given birth to a prince, she was afraid that it would threaten her. Taking advantage of the fact that the late Emperor Taishang went south for a private tour, she sent someone to strangle him.”

“Then, the palace servant beside Grand Empress Dowager Jing brought the prince to the Shen Mansion to be raised by the Shen family?” Shen Zhejiang obviously did not believe him, “Zitang, these are all tragic stories acted out in operas, you wouldn’t tell me these, would you?”

Han Zitang looked at Shen Zhejiang, calmly and steadily, “Zhejiang, you should accept it.”

It was as if the judgment bamboo stick on the divination tube fell to the ground with a snap. The guilty person could not escape his punishment.

Shen Zhejiang only felt that his breathing stopped for a long time.

He is a prince of the Xiao family, and Xiao Zhinian is also a prince of the Xiao family, so what are they?

What did those things he and Xiao Zhinian did mean…? He actually with Xiao Zhinian…

The last two words had not yet emerged from Shen Zhejiang’s mind when his eyes suddenly went dark, followed by a disgusting feeling churning out of his stomach, rushing upwards.

“Ugh…”

Shen Zhejiang suddenly arched his back and vomited violently, spewing out all the wine he had just drunk.

“Zhejiang!” Han Zitang immediately stepped forward to support him, his eyebrows furrowed with a look of tension, “I was too reckless, I should have known better, I shouldn’t have told you.”

However, these palace secrets will surely be heard in many idle gossips as long as one stays in the palace for a long time.

Even if Han Zitang doesn’t say it, Shen Zhejiang will always know it from other people’s mouths one day.

He is truly disregarding ethics.

He deserved to die ten thousand times for shamelessly coveting everything Xiao Zhinian gave him. These should not have happened.

It can’t continue.

“Bang!”

Following that, a distorted voice of rage and madness suddenly rang out by the door.

“What are you doing?!”