nucmednet Chapter 380 Imperial Study
Chapter 380 Imperial Study
Her words were neither humble nor arrogant; she expressed her gratitude to the emperor while also mentioning the contributions of others. This made many ministers in the hall, who had previously had reservations about her receiving such praise as a woman, nod in approval.
Shen Yuxi looked at Shi Wanxia kneeling below and admired her even more.
He had only heard the Crown Prince mention that Miss Shi was skilled in traditional Chinese medicine and was quite adept at treating the wounded in East Street. She was indeed a talent he had taken a liking to, and her demeanor was truly extraordinary.
"You don't need to be overly modest; merit is merit."
Shen Yuxi declared loudly, "This incident has exposed many oversights in our dynasty's defense and security, and those responsible must be severely punished."
"But you and the Crown Prince remained calm in the face of danger and made contributions to the country, so I will reward you."
He paused, then continued, "Crown Prince Shen Yanzhou is hereby awarded one hundred taels of gold, one thousand bolts of brocade, and a commendation for his meritorious service."
"In late summer, you will be rewarded with five hundred taels of silver and a certain amount of medicinal herbs. You are granted special permission to enter the palace at any time to provide advice to the Imperial Medical Academy. Furthermore, if needed in the future, some medical households in the capital can be mobilized for your command."
"Your Majesty, I thank you for your great kindness!"
Shen Yanzhou and Cun Wanxia kowtowed together to express their gratitude.
Cui Zhihao stood aside, watching Shi Wanxia accept the reward, a genuine smile on his face.
This reward was well-deserved, earned by Shi Wanxia through a night of hard work and extraordinary courage.
Shen Yuxi looked at the crowd below, his tone becoming serious again: "This time, the spies from Yan Yue Kingdom dared to be so rampant, poisoning our Cang Ling capital. This is intolerable!"
"From today onwards, the entire nation will be on high alert and will be rigorously investigated for spies."
"The Ministry of War and the Ministry of Justice must work together. You are both directly under the Crown Prince's jurisdiction. You must wipe out all the spies from Yan Yue Kingdom hiding within our territory, give the people an explanation, and teach Yan Yue Kingdom a lesson!"
"Your Majesty, we obey!" the entire court responded in unison, their voices loud and clear, echoing throughout the hall.
Sunlight streamed through the windows of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, falling on the golden bricks and reflecting a dazzling light.
The morning light completely dispelled the darkness, illuminating the entire palace and every corner of the Cangling Kingdom.
Although the shadow of last night has not completely dissipated, with the issuance of decrees at the morning court, the entire court was infused with a new energy.
Shi Wanxia knelt on the ground, feeling the warmth of the morning light on her back, and understood in her heart that this was not only an honor, but also a heavy responsibility.
The road ahead may be even more difficult, but there is no fear in her eyes, only unwavering determination.
After the morning court session ended, the officials withdrew in turn.
As Shi Wanxia walked out of the Hall of Supreme Harmony with the crowd, she looked up at the sky. The sun had fully risen, its rays shining brightly and dispelling the last trace of gloom.
She took a deep breath, and the fresh air filled her lungs, seemingly easing some of her fatigue from the night before.
Shen Yanzhou walked over, looked at her and said, "Miss Shi, we owe you a lot this time."
"There are still many follow-up matters to be handled. You've had a long night, so go back and rest first."
Shi Wanxia nodded: "Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. I will take my leave now."
She and Cui Zhihao bid farewell to Shen Yanzhou and turned to leave the palace.
As the carriage traveled along the sunlit streets, Shi Wanxia leaned against the carriage wall and finally couldn't help but close her eyes.
The morning light streamed through the car window and fell on her face, warm and gentle.
She knew that although the turmoil of last night had temporarily subsided, even greater challenges might lie ahead.
But no matter what, she will stay true to herself and do her best to protect the people of this land.
As dawn broke, pale golden light filtered through the carved window lattices, casting dappled shadows on the blue brick floor of the Imperial Study.
A faint scent of sandalwood filled the air, mixed with the crisp aroma of Xuan paper and ink sticks, yet it did nothing to dispel the invisible heaviness in the room.
Shen Yanzhou sat upright in a grand chair behind a large sandalwood desk, his posture as straight as a pine tree.
He held a cup of Biluochun tea that was still warm in his hands. The teacup was made of fine Ru ware with a sky-blue glaze, the glaze was warm and lustrous, and it felt slightly cool to the touch.
However, the delicate aroma of the tea did not ease the tension between his brows in the slightest. He merely sipped the tea lightly, his gaze calmly fixed on the rising steam in front of him, as if he were pondering something, or perhaps simply savoring this moment of tranquility.
However, his tightly pursed thin lips and the occasional glint of cold light in his eyes revealed that his inner world was far from as calm as it appeared.
"Your Highness."
A soft female voice sounded from behind, carrying a hint of weariness and concern that was hard to conceal.
Shen Yuxi slowly turned around and saw Crown Princess Lin Chuying walking gracefully towards him.
Her makeup was light today, and the faint dark circles under her eyes couldn't be completely covered even with face powder, clearly indicating that she hadn't slept well all night.
Those eyes, which were usually full of smiles, relaxed slightly upon seeing him safe and sound, but deep worry still lingered.
"Why don't you sleep more?"
Shen Yuxi softened his voice slightly, put down his teacup, and his tone carried a subtle warmth.
When Lin Chuying heard her father ask her a question, she bowed gracefully, not daring to be negligent.
"Your Majesty, I was only worried about His Highness the Crown Prince, which is why I entered the palace so rashly. Please forgive me!"
Shen Yuxi smiled gently, a rare occurrence, and gestured for her to stand up.
"My child, it is rare to find someone as virtuous and kind as you. I am very pleased that Your Highness has such a capable wife as you!"
Lin Chuying felt a little embarrassed by her father's praise, but she still nodded slightly in thanks!
"Your Majesty flatters me. It is my honor to be able to accompany Your Highness."
Shen Yuxi raised his hand to signal her to step back, as he had important matters to discuss.
Lin Chuying walked up to Shen Yanzhou and carefully examined him. Seeing that he was dressed neatly and had no injuries, her heart, which had been hanging in suspense all night, finally settled down. Her voice trembled slightly: "Hearing about what happened last night, I... I was really worried and couldn't sleep a wink all night."
"I heard this morning that the rebels have been suppressed by His Highness, which is why I dared to come here."
"Your Highness, are you alright? Are you injured anywhere?" she said, and then tried to check his body.
Shen Yanzhou gently grasped her outstretched hand; it was slightly cool to the touch, indicating that she was indeed worried.
He shook his head and reassured her, "It's alright, they were just some clowns, and they've been dealt with properly. I'm sorry to have worried you."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over the ministers standing respectfully with their heads bowed, and said to Lin Chuying, "There are many things to attend to here. You go to the Empress Dowager's palace and stay there for a while. I will go there later."
Lin Chuying was exceptionally intelligent. She noticed the unusual atmosphere in the Imperial Study, the solemn expressions of the ministers, and especially her father, Lin Zhengyuan, who, though standing to the side, also had a dignified expression. She knew that His Highness was dealing with something far from trivial.
She nodded obediently and asked no more questions, only gently reminding him, "Your Highness, please don't overwork yourself and remember to have breakfast."
“Okay, go ahead.” Shen Yanzhou nodded.
As soon as Lin Chuying's figure disappeared outside the door, the temperature inside the Imperial Study seemed to drop several degrees instantly.
The gentleness on Shen Yuxi's face vanished completely, replaced by an icy chill.
He slowly turned around, his gaze like a sharp sword shooting towards the people standing below. Finally, his gaze, like a poisoned nail, was fixed on Wang Huan.