The Sickly Beauty Substitute Called It Quits

Shang JunLin: …

"The noble monarch always says the most astonishing things."

That was what he said, but Shang JunLin's thoughts couldn't help following down the path Shen Yu described. If Shen Yu really did have his child in his stomach…

Shen Yu only said it casually and had no idea how many waves this random remark set off in Shang JunLin's mind. Shen Yu rubbed his slightly swollen stomach and continued to walk.

The weather was gradually warming. People who'd been huddled at home all winter began to go out and visit their friends. That wasn't true just for commoners but for aristocratic families as well.

The King of Li finally finished transferring his royal authority. On a beautiful, breezy afternoon he visited the imperial palace.

After handing over the tokens of his princely rank, the King of Li's entire body relaxed. As he stood opposite Shang JunLin, he finally felt like talking a little about family matters from the past.

"Lately this servant has been reflecting on the things I've done. This servant caused Your Majesty a lot of trouble over the years. Now that this servant has given up the shackles of being the King of Li, I feel like I've returned to myself. It's truly a blessing for myself and my wife."

Power is, and always has been, a double-edged sword. For everything you gain, you also lose something. Maybe some people have the ability to maintain their original selves despite the distortions of power, but it's far more common to lose yourself.

When the King of Li took stock of his possessions, he realized just how many mistakes he'd made over the years. The things he said he did for Shang JunLin's good were, in fact, only to satisfy his own selfish desires.

"This servant used to think Your Majesty needed a sweetheart to accompany you. Because of my wife, this servant thought the daughter of the Qian family would be a good choice for Your Majesty. This servant thought that if I sent the Qian family's daughter to Your Majesty, Your Majesty would be like this servant is…."

At first, the reason the King of Li wanted to give his niece to Shang JunLin wasn't to raise the Qian family's status. It was simply because he wanted Shang JunLin to have someone who could support him. Later, his pure intentions became more and more corrupted by selfish thoughts.

"No matter how good the daughter of the Qian family is, this emperor doesn't like her." Shang JunLin stated the facts calmly.

"This servant knows. This servant is glad that Noble Monarch Shen, who was randomly chosen to enter the palace, is able to stand at Your Majesty's side. Feelings aren't something people can control. This servant has been confused for too long. It's only now that I understand. Everyone has their own fate, and neither this servant nor the Qian family can force it."

The King of Li sighed deeply. "This servant sent people to investigate the Qian family's affairs and will hand over the results. How to deal with them is entirely up to Your Majesty. Your Majesty doesn't have to be merciful to them outside the law for this servant's sake. In the end, they should receive what their situation merits. None of it can be separated from this servant's blind indulgence."

If it wasn't for his support, the Qian family never would have grown so bold. Fortunately, he came to his senses in time, before the Qian family made an irreparable mistake. In the process they might break an arm, but they had a chance to keep their lives.

"The King of Li isn't afraid that Princess Consort Li will blame you?" Shang JunLin knew the two had a close relationship. It was why the King of Li looked after the Qian family and begged for mercy for them. They were the family of Princess Consort Li on her mother's side.

"The wife of this servant agrees with me. Since the Qian family has done wrong, they should be punished. What's more, not everyone in the Qian family is rotten. They can only prosper if the decayed branches and leaves are removed."

This was a truth he'd learned from Shang JunLin. What was Da Huan's situation in the past? If Shang JunLin hadn't taken decisive action and killed a number of corrupt officials, the country would not have recovered so quickly.

"This emperor knows. This emperor won't pursue the members of the Qian family who work diligently for the empire."

"Many thanks, Your Majesty."

That night, the King of Li was stripped of his royal title. The next day, the Qian family was dealt with too.

No one thought the King of Li, who'd been a force in the dynasty for years, would withdraw from politics in such a way.

Few people knew the King of Li had spoken privately with Shang JunLin, but Shen Yu was one of them.

He knew because Shang JunLin told him.

Shang JunLin did just as he said. The criminals of the Qian family were disposed of according to the law, and the clean people kept their official positions. They continued to perform their duties loyally.

It wasn't clear if the King of Li said something privately to the Qian family, but they quietly accepted the result.

After listening to Shang JunLin, Shen Yu was curious. "What happened to the girl from the Qian family?"

"She's close to Princess Consort Li, but her father and brother both committed crimes. She couldn't stay with the Qian family any longer, so she's now being looked after by Princess Consort Li." Because of the King of Li, Shang JunLin was continuing to pay attention to the Qian family.

Shen Yu: "Has Your Majesty seen this Qian girl? The King of Li wanted to pair up the two of you. He must have arranged for you to meet."

"Yes, it was a few years ago." Shang JunLin glanced at Shen Yu's face. Seeing that Shen Yu's expression was unchanged, some feelings that were difficult to describe ran through him.

Shen Yu: "Your Majesty never saw her again? What kind of woman was she?"

Shang JunLin: "This emperor didn't see her again after learning what the King of Li had in mind. Why is the noble monarch so interested in this Qian girl all of a sudden?"

Shen Yu: "I'm just curious who the King of Li considers to be the person most qualified to be his nephew's wife."

Shang JunLin wasn't sure which word specifically poked at him, but the unclear emotions in his heart dissipated. He took a sip from his tea cup. "The noble monarch doesn't have to worry. In this emperor's heart, no one is better than you."

Shen Yu: "? ? ?"

How did that suddenly come up?

Shen Yu ignored Shang JunLin's sudden inexplicable remark and asked, "Is Your Majesty going to send the vassal kings back soon?"

Shang JunLin frowned slightly. "Why did the noble monarch suddenly mention this topic? Did someone ask you to?"

Shen Yu nodded. "I was approached by the families of several princes. Don't worry, Your Majesty. I didn't promise them anything.

"Oh, right, and I refused the piles of gifts they prepared for me also," Shen Yu eventually added.

Shang JunLin pondered. "If the noble monarch likes something they offer, just take it. They've probably been beaten down and deterred enough. It's time to let them go."

It wasn't good to keep the vassal kings in the capital all the time. A few days ago a minister submitted a memorial about it. The spring exams were coming, and if the vassal kings were still in the capital, it might lead to trouble.

With Shang JunLin's permission, Shen Yu told Mu Xi to send a message to the families of the vassal kings, who were waiting for news.

What Shen Yu didn't tell Shang JunLin was that while he never promised them anything, he also didn't flat out refuse. He left a little leeway for exactly this reason.

Mu Xi didn't understand. "Last time the young master firmly refused to accept anything sent by the princes' families. So why did you hint this time that they should prepare some generous gifts?"

Her young master's small storeroom was so full it was almost bursting. Not to mention, if Shen Yu wanted anything, all he had to do was tell His Majesty and someone would deliver it as soon as he turned his head. Why accept bribes and give people a reason to talk?

"I cleared it with His Majesty, don't worry. It's not like I can shear those sheep alone without His Majesty's help, is it? Don't be fooled by the way the vassal kings keep their heads down in the capital. It's only because they're afraid His Majesty's axe will fall on their necks. Once they return to their fiefs, they'll be more domineering than ever, with their coffers overflowing."

Mu Xi seemed to understand, and she passed on Shen Yu's message.

When the family members got the reply, they returned to their temporary residence in the city and waited for the vassal king to meet them.

"What happened this time? Did the noble monarch agree?"

There was no other way but to go to Shen Yu. They'd used every other method at their disposal and even asked an official to submit a memorial. But Shang JunLin ignored all their implicit and explicit hints.

Normally they wouldn't have gone so far, but first there was the case of the King of Huaiyu, and not long after that was the matter involving the King of Li, a man who was instrumental in helping Shang JunLin ascend the throne. If even he could be abolished so easily, who could say who'd be next?

There were a few people who might have been inclined to try something, but after observing this series of events, they pressed those careful thoughts to the back of their minds and didn't dare to let them bubble up again so quickly.

Shang JunLin hadn't made any big moves in recent years, which gave a few of them thoughts they shouldn't have. But after seeing what happened recently, they knew Shang JunLin was still Shang JunLin, the killing god who'd dared to lead troops directly into the capital!

Under the anxious eyes of the prince, the family members relayed Shen Yu's message.

"How fortunate. If he really refused to take anything, we'd have to worry. But since he's going to receive things, he'll play along. Hurry and prepare the things the noble monarch likes and send them to Yuzhang Palace."

After listening to the report, the vassal kings breathed a sigh of relief. The most difficult people in the world to deal with are those with no desires and no wants. It's only when a person wants something that they can be grasped.

Without thinking about it, they classified Shen Yu as greedy and easy to handle.

Which was exactly what Shen Yu wanted.

Since Shang JunLin hadn't finished dealing with the vassal kings yet, Shen Yu decided he might as well make some extra money from them.

After Mu Xi told the family members of the vassal kings that Shen Yu liked all kinds of treasures, she was surprised at how enthusiastic they became towards her.

Shen Yu didn't have to wait long. The vassal kings quickly prepared sumptuous gifts and sent them to Yuzhang Palace. The things were so conspicuous that Shen Yu had to find an abandoned estate from his younger days and told them to send everything there.

While doing so, he also told them the exact time the vassal kings would be allowed to leave the capital.

"Make sure to tell them they would have had to stay even longer, but I wore down His Majesty over several days. Thanks to my effort, His Majesty relented and chose a closer date."

Mu Xi did as she was told.

After everything was done, Shen Yu waited happily for the money to arrive.

"Why is the noble monarch so happy?" Shang JunLin came over. In the sunlight, Shen Yu's smiling face was so extraordinary it shocked the senses.

"Your Majesty, come quickly." Shen Yu handed the booklet to Shang JunLin. "Your Majesty, look! These are all my earnings!"

Shang JunLin opened the booklet and looked at it for a moment. Recorded inside were things that were given by a certain prince on a certain date. Everything on the list was extremely expensive.

Shang JunLin raised the booklet in his hand. "Is this the business the noble monarch told this emperor about before?"

"Half the credit goes to Your Majesty. Don't worry, I won't take it all myself. Half of it belongs to Your Majesty!"

Shen Yu excitedly told Shang JunLin about the things sent by the vassal kings. "Look at this, a cloud-patterned pendant carved from the finest Hetian jade, and here, a chunk of red coral half a man high…"

He concluded: "They're so rich. I hope there are more opportunities like this in the future."

Shang JunLin laughed. "Is the noble monarch planning to empty their vaults?"

Shen Yu corrected him: "It's not me by myself, it's me and Your Majesty together. If not for Your Majesty, why would they send me money so obediently?"

Shang JunLin liked to hear Shen Yu tying them together. He said dotingly, "As long as they can please you, it's their good fortune."

TL Notes:

beautiful, breezy (afternoon) – 风和日丽 – The wind is mild and the sun is bright; a peaceful, sunny day; The breeze was gentle and the sun warm; The wind is gentle and the sun radiant

Hetian jade – 和田玉 – nephrite / Hotan jade – A rare type of jade with a unique luster, semi-transparency, and wear-resistance which stands up to fine carving. It's classified into various grades and categories according to color and other properties (Wikipedia)

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