Noble Son-in-Law - Chapter 53.2

Chapter 53.2

Meanwhile, in the palace, Eunuch Shi led a group of strong guards to the third prince’s room.

The third prince’s mother had passed away long ago, and after injuring his leg in childhood, he had become withdrawn and quiet.

When Eunuch Shi asked him to convince Li Zhi to accept the throne, the third prince glanced at the guards and asked while lowering his gaze. “What if I refuse to go?” 

Eunuch Shi narrowed his eyes slightly and replied honestly, “I believe the Marquis is generous and compassionate. Once he becomes emperor, he will surely treat all the princes and princesses well.”

Understanding the meaning behind Eunuch Shi’s words, the third prince laughed. Although he felt he had been wronged, he knew he would lose his life if he disobeyed Li Zhi. And his death wouldn’t be a black mark on Li Zhi’s ascending the throne but a path to succession.

He was well aware of the circumstances, and not wanting to suffer the same fate as the previous crown prince, the third prince nodded to Eunuch Shi.

Eunuch Shi smiled back, bowed, and headed off to see the Fourth Prince.

At just ten years old, the Fourth Prince was still quite young. Concerned that he might hesitate, Eunuch Shi decided to bring in the Fourth Prince’s mother, Concubine Shu, for support.

Concubine Shu had already heard the palace maids gossiping about the tragic fates of Empress Shen and the former Crown Prince. The young maids painted a vivid picture, leading her to suspect that Eunuch Shi and Li Zhi had orchestrated the gossip to intimidate her. 

Fearful for her life and even more so for her son’s safety, Concubine Shu quickly embraced the Fourth Prince and eagerly agreed when Eunuch Shi spoke. “Absolutely, absolutely! The Marquis is both wise and skilled, just like the late emperor.”

Eunuch Shi observed the Fourth Prince nestled in his mother’s arms.

The Fourth Prince was a chubby little kid. Thanks to Concubine Shu’s constant pampering, he spent his days eating, drinking, and having fun, completely ignoring court matters. Even though he found it odd that his father would hand over the throne to someone else from outside his family, he didn’t bother to think about it. Moreover, his mother also accepted that.

“How do I convince the marquis?” the young prince asked in a confused manner.

Eunuch Shi chuckled and leaned down to share some advice with the Fourth Prince.

Meanwhile, outside the palace, Gu Jichang showed up at the Shen family’s mansion.

There were plenty of civil officials ready to back Li Zhi, but not a single cabinet minister was on board. Even though Li Zhi had previously instructed them not to approach the Shen family, Gu Jichang still wanted to give it a shot for the sake of his own future.

However, Shen Qushenge wouldn’t even let Gu Jichang inside. No matter how hard he knocked on the gate, the gatekeeper remained unresponsive.

Gu Jichang couldn’t help but smile wryly, realising that the marquis knew his father-in-law’s family better than he did.

But it didn’t really matter. The situation was already set in stone. Whether Shen Qushenge decided to support Li Zhi or not wouldn’t change a thing.

On the fourth day after Emperor Qingde passed away, both the third and fourth princes visited the Marquis of Pingxi’s residence to persuade Li Zhi to take the throne. 

Li Zhi still turned them down.

On the fifth day following Emperor Qingde’s passing, the third and fourth princes, along with numerous civil and military officials, knelt outside the mansion, pleading desperately. They vowed not to rise until Li Zhi agreed to take the throne. When Li Zhi finally appeared, he knelt three times and bowed nine times in respect to Emperor Qingde’s “final wishes”, promising to be a wise ruler who would serve the people well, before formally accepting the throne.

Inside the Marquis’ Mansion, Old Lady Zhu was filled with excitement as she heard the crowd outside chanting “Long live the Emperor.” She thought to herself, ‘This is wonderful! Once he becomes Emperor, I’ll be the powerful Empress Dowager!’

Shen Qingqing looked at the beaming old lady, feeling a mix of happiness and concern. Her bond with Empress Shen had completely broken, but Empress Shen and the Crown Prince were related to her grandfather and eldest uncle. Shen Qingqing worried that her grandfather would be devastated by the loss of his daughter and feared that this might create a rift between him and her grandmother.

***

At the Shen household, Mrs Song sat by the window, gazing at the sycamore tree outside. Suddenly, the door curtain parted, and she turned to see her husband entering the room. After a few days after Empress Shen’s death, the sixty-year-old Shen Qushenge had noticeably more grey hair, and the lines on his face appeared more visible. But his eyes remained bright.

Mrs Song observed him in silence.

Shen Qushenge approached the window and took a seat across from her with a calm expression.

“Do you blame Qingqing?” Mrs Song asked softly.

Shen Qushenge shook his head, and Mrs Song understood the look in the old man’s eyes.

The nature of imperial power had always been tumultuous, leading to rifts between fathers and sons and turning brothers into foes—so it was no surprise that conflicts would arise among those who weren’t even related. 

His daughter lost her life in the power struggle, and it was his grandson-in-law who was responsible for that.

“I’m getting old and can’t concern myself with state matters anymore. Would you consider returning to my hometown with me to spend my remaining years there?” He sighed, looking at the woman across from him. Although she was merely his concubine in the title, in Shen Qushenge’s heart, Mrs Song had always been his true wife.

Without saying a word, Mrs Song held his hands.

They had both aged, and the capital had transformed into a battleground for the younger generation.

End of chapter 53

Have a nice day!