A Foodie Transmigrated into the Palace

Chapter 720: Chapter 720 Absurd!

Zhao Junyao, a thousand miles away, naturally had no idea about any of this.

But Li Shengan knew!

When the Emperor left, Li Shengan had remained in the palace, and not merely as a decoration. He knew full well when the Empress Dowager and the Noble Consort rushed to Qingya Residence, clamoring to search the palace.

But... no matter how dignified he was, he was just a eunuch. He could manage the various Palace Attendants, but he couldn’t control the Empress Dowager and the Noble Consort. If he had intervened, it would only have drawn their resentment toward Consort Xian and added fuel to the fire.

So, Li Shengan didn’t show his face throughout the ordeal. He only dispatched a few Little Eunuchs to keep a close watch on every movement at Qingya Residence. They were to note every detail, down to every single word uttered by any of the masters; nothing could be missed.

Once it was over, the Little Eunuchs returned and reported everything. Even Li Shengan found some of the words hard to hear; he was so angry his teeth practically ached!

Has the Empress Dowager lost her mind?!

Does she no longer care about her reputation in the palace after all these years?!

Conspiring with the Noble Consort to openly frame Consort Xian... Does she not care about the Royal Family’s dignity at all?!

Li Shengan simply couldn’t understand. Why would a biological mother harm her own son like that? No mother in the world behaved so.

Even Empress Dowager Zhen, as unreasonable as she was, had been unquestionably good to the Fifth Prince and Sixth Prince. When Sixth Master humiliated a Palace Maid at Ningshou Palace, Empress Dowager Zhen had knelt before Ningshou Palace for an entire day and night to save her son! Even when her knees bled, she had not wavered in the slightest.

But now, looking at the Empress Dowager... Alas!

For a moment, Li Shengan truly pitied the Emperor and Consort Xian. What a mess!

”Master... the Emperor has decreed that a letter be sent every half a month!”

”Should this matter be included in the letter?”

Li Shengan clenched his teeth. ”Write it. Write every single word!”

”As a servant, if I don’t have the capability to confront the Empress Dowager directly, so be it. But I cannot keep this from the Emperor!”

He could not let the Emperor and Consort Xian suffer this kind of humiliation in vain! Of course, the Emperor wouldn’t want to suffer in vain either!

The next day, a secret letter from Zhaochen Palace left the Capital City with a courier rushing to the frontlines.

Half a month later, the letter safely arrived in Zhao Junyao’s camp.

The camp was particularly lively that day. General Xiao’s Divine Engine Camp was holding an archery competition.

Zhao Junyao watched with a yearning heart and decided to try his hand. Clad in silver armor and holding a longbow with feathered arrows, he squinted with a stern, cold expression, carefully aiming at the bullseye a hundred paces away.

As he took aim, the entire field fell silent. Everyone held their breath, focused, eager to witness the Emperor’s heroic display of loosing three arrows at once.

The Emperor had been personally nurtured by the Late Emperor since youth. Accomplished in both civil and military arts, skilled in archery and horsemanship, he was highly valued by the Late Emperor and designated Crown Prince at the age of ten. And this archery technique of loosing three arrows in one shot—rumor had it the Emperor mastered it as a mere teenager. It was a skill many could not learn in a lifetime!

As everyone held their breath in anticipation, they saw Zhao Junyao take aim at the target.

TWANG! Three arrows were released simultaneously.

Almost instantly, those three arrows were firmly lodged in the bullseye—side by side, a perfect hit!

”Excellent!”

”Long live the Emperor!”

The soldiers, who were experts themselves, were thrilled. They knew that achieving such superb skill required not only effort but also talent!

”Long live the Emperor!”

Hearing the cheers around him, Zhao Junyao was deeply moved. ”Soldiers, you have worked hard!”

At that moment, his heart was filled with ignited ambition. A true man aspires to achieve greatness far and wide, and he was no exception. Being cooped up in the Capital City for so many years, there had never been a moment as exhilarating as this! He was like a fierce tiger, caged for a long time, finally unleashed in its hunting ground—excited, exhilarated, and radiating imperial authority.

Outside the practice grounds, Xia Tingfeng watched the high-spirited Zhao Junyao, feeling somewhat conflicted.

A letter from the Capital City has arrived. Should I go and call the Emperor? To call or not to call?

While he was caught in his dilemma, Zhao Junyao had already descended from the platform, returning the grounds to the soldiers. It was only one shot, after all. The applause should be measured.

”What’s the matter?” Zhao Junyao approached him with a frown. Seeing Xia Tingfeng’s expression, he could tell something was amiss.

”Emperor, a letter has arrived from the Capital City!”

Upon hearing this, Zhao Junyao’s expression remained unchanged. Without another word, he strode toward his tent. He hadn’t heard from Qingqing in half a month. He was already anxious.

Xia Tingfeng followed him and stood guard at the entrance.

Upon entering the tent, Zhao Junyao casually removed his armor, picked up the letter, and tore it open. The letter had been written by someone on Li Shengan’s behalf.

The letter, densely written over two large pages, made Zhao Junyao frown as he read. But soon, his expression began to turn grim. His face grew darker and darker. First, there was suppressed anger, then disappointment, and finally, an overwhelming rage.

After reading the letter, Zhao Junyao’s face was frighteningly dark! Furious, he slammed the letter onto the desk.

CRACK! The mahogany desk wobbled a few times before collapsing.

Hearing the commotion, Xia Tingfeng hurried in. ”Emperor, what has happened?”

Zhao Junyao glared at him for a moment then tossed the letter to him. ”See for yourself!” He couldn’t bring himself to say it!

One was his own mother, another was the Noble Consort he had favored for many years, and then there was his cousin, with whom he had grown up. All people close to him. How shameless could they be, to conspire and commit such a disgraceful act! It was truly... truly outrageous!

Zhao Junyao genuinely experienced what it felt like to plummet from heaven to hell. One moment he was full of soaring spirits, and the next...

Xia Tingfeng quickly finished reading the two-page letter, his face also turning ashen.

”Emperor,” Xia Tingfeng began, ”although my younger sister lost her mother at a young age, she would never do such a thing...”

Before he could finish, Zhao Junyao glared sharply at him. ”What kind of person do you take me for? Qingqing is pregnant!”

Zhao Junyao felt an urge to thrash Xia Tingfeng.

And Xia Tingfeng thought: Even if I get beaten, I can’t let my sister suffer such a baseless accusation!

The two engaged in a silent battle of wills. Then they looked at each other.

The question was, what should be done about this?!

Although the letter stated that the Noble Consort had been beaten, confined for a hundred days, and had her monthly allowance revoked, Zhao Junyao had no intention of letting the matter rest there. After reading the letter twice more, he mused thoughtfully.

”I’ve heard... the eldest son of the Shih family is quite fond of practicing martial arts!”

”Now that there’s a war in Guangnan, how could I have forgotten him? Someone, send an order back to the Capital City immediately! Have the Shih family’s eldest son brought here. I want to personally cultivate him!”

Xia Tingfeng’s eyes lit up; he instantly grasped the Emperor’s intention. ”Yes!” Without further delay, he arranged for someone to deliver the decree.

As he went, Xia Tingfeng wore a sly smile. He thought: The Emperor’s move is truly ruthless.

The Emperor couldn’t take issue with women, but dealing with men was perfectly acceptable, right? Grand Tutor Shih was elderly, and moreover, the Emperor’s maternal uncle and an elder; naturally, he couldn’t be dealt with arbitrarily. But that sole heir of the Shih family... he was fair game!