Contentment with modest wealth

Chapter 335 Weighing
This courtyard is located on the east side of the entire mansion, surrounded by other courtyards on all four sides. Perhaps knowing that the prisoners could not escape from here, the guards were positioned at the front.

From the corner where Shen Qingzhou landed, she could just see the back window.

He had just moved to the window when he heard a woman cursing through gritted teeth from inside the room. It was easy to tell from her words that the person inside was none other than Jin Shi.

Peeking through the paper window, one sees Jin standing hunched over in the room, her anger and fear making her look like a wild beast with its fur standing on end.

Having served under Madam Yan for eight years, she was well aware of her mother-in-law's methods. How could she not understand that her death was imminent?
But she was powerless; all she could do was rage and curse. Even then, no one paid any attention to her angry curses.

Shen Qingzhou recalled her aggressive demeanor when Lu Jia exposed her sinister nature at Baiyun Temple, and coldly withdrew her hand.

Although the Yan family was despicable, this woman was truly hateful as well.

He stood with his arms crossed against the wall, listening to the filthy things that kept coming out of her mouth.

He glanced at the stars in the sky; it was getting late. He Ping had been back in the city for over an hour, and it was time for him to go to the palace.

As long as he presents the evidence, the emperor will naturally be able to guess the truth. No matter how much the Yan family is in his heart, this crime will absolutely not be ignored.

Once news gets out of the palace, it will be time for him to make his move.

The stars twinkled in the sky, and the expression on Lu Jie's face when he discussed this matter earlier flashed before his eyes. Was he just worrying unnecessarily, or did the Yan family truly have a foolproof plan for contingencies?
He suddenly stood up straight from the wall and glanced at the top of the wall.

……

He Ping led his men back to the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and after properly arranging the remains they had brought back, he changed his clothes, washed up, and went to the palace.

"Lord He."

Just as he stepped out the door and mounted his horse, a carriage standing quietly under a large tree in the distance suddenly called out to him. Yan Shu, dressed in casual clothes, stepped out from behind the carriage curtain.

"Lord Yan."

He Ping dismounted.

Yan Shu walked over with a beaming smile, cupped his hands, and said, "Are you still on duty so late at night, sir?"

He Ping returned the greeting: "Lord Yan, you've come here so late at night. Is there something important you need me for?"

Yan Shudao said, “It is indeed important. I was recently transferred to the Ministry of War and I have a very important case on my hands. I am in a hurry to report back to the Emperor, so I came here to ask for your guidance, sir.”

He Ping said, "I have urgent business at the palace. Lord Yan, why don't you come again tomorrow?"

"It wouldn't hurt for you to listen, sir. What if it benefits your career?"

He Ping stopped and turned around to look.

……

A moment later, in the commander's room, Yan Shu looked around at the instruments of torture and weapons hanging on the four walls: "The famous Embroidered Uniform Guard is indeed extraordinary."

He Ping personally turned on the lamp under the window. "Lord Yan, please speak frankly."

Yan Shu smiled and took out a stack of prescriptions, placing them on the table: "In the past three months, the Imperial Medical Academy has visited the Qianqing Palace a total of eleven times."

He Ping stared at him, his face turning cold: "The Imperial Medical Academy's prescriptions are confidential; how dare you intercept them?!"

"Lord He, please don't be so quick to anger." Yan Shu sat down. "Now that the cabinet is in charge of everything, how could we not get our hands on a few prescriptions? I'm showing this to you only to remind you that the Emperor is not young anymore. He already celebrated his 60th birthday two years ago."

"When the Emperor was young, he overworked himself and damaged his health. In recent years, he has also believed in elixirs, so it is inevitable that he has been hindered by them at times."

"The Crown Prince has come of age and will ascend the throne sooner or later. Perhaps it will be many years from now, perhaps it will be within the next three to five years, or perhaps it will be within the next three to five months... No one can say for sure. Don't you think so?"

He Ping's eyes gleamed with a cold, razor-sharp light under the lamplight. Yan Shu continued, "It is true that you have been the Emperor's confidant for many years, but unfortunately, a new emperor brings a new court. When the new emperor ascends the throne, he will naturally want to have his own faction."

"At that time, what will become of you, sir?" He looked at He Ping with a sinister gaze. "Even if you have toiled your whole life, it is time for you to retire."

"But what about your son?"
"Your Excellency has been in charge of the Embroidered Uniform Guard for many years and has offended countless people. Once you lose power, your past prestige will inevitably backfire. At that time, won't you be afraid? Won't you worry about your descendants?"

He Ping's face twitched, and his thin lips pressed into a line.

Yan Shu smiled again, stood up, walked closer to him and said, "Even an lord should leave himself a way out!"
"If Your Excellency is willing, I, Yan, am ready to fight alongside you. No matter who sits in that position, with our two families joining forces, there is no reason why this wealth and glory will not continue!"

Having said that, he gently patted He Ping's arm and strode out.

He Ping remained standing there for a long time before finally picking up the prescription on the table, frowning as he sat down.

As soon as Yan Shu's carriage left the yamen, Shen Qingzhou emerged from behind a tree.

"Young master! This man surnamed Yan is truly treacherous!"

Tang Yu cursed angrily.

He Ping obeyed the emperor directly, and like Shen Bo, he disregarded all factions in the court and remained untainted in every political struggle.

This time, he was again obeying the emperor's orders, but after meeting Yan Shu, he didn't leave the house for half a day, which shows that his mind was wavering.

Shen Qingzhou took off his mask and stripped him of his night clothes, then said, "Go back and have Song En find a roster of all the soldiers who died in the Northwest."

He Ping sat silently under the lamp when the guards entered: "My lord, Young Master Shen has come to visit!"

Upon hearing the name, He Ping was taken aback for a moment: "Who?"

"Shen Yu, the eldest son of the Grand Commandant's household."

He Ping straightened up and looked out the window. He saw a tall, elegant young man bowing to him from afar across the courtyard.

"Lord He."

Shen Qingzhou approached.

He Ping sized him up: "Young master, why are you here so late at night?"

Shen Qingzhou paused for a moment: "Sir, you must have already found out the cause of death of Jin Huai, who died eight years ago due to dereliction of duty while escorting military funds?"

He Ping frowned: "What does this have to do with you, young master?"

Shen Qingzhou pulled a thick book out of his pocket: "This book contains the names of 28,447 people. It is the list of soldiers who died in battle eight years ago because the military pay could not be delivered in time, which led to the defeat of the army."

He Ping took the heavy booklet, his expression changing: "What is the meaning of this, young master?"

"Your Excellency holds a high position and wields great power. Although you have the means to act swiftly, they will surely be as clear as day. The fact that Your Excellency is fearless and determined to thoroughly investigate the cause of Jin Huai's death today is enough to show the justice in Your Excellency's heart."

"My Shen family doesn't know how to weigh the pros and cons. We only know that the net of heaven is vast and its meshes are wide, yet nothing escapes it. If my father had harbored even the slightest selfishness back then, let alone protecting our territory, our dynasty would probably have already fallen into the hands of bandits."

“My father said that now that someone has stood up for these 20,000-plus heroic souls, then that person is also a comrade of the Shen family and a benefactor of the Shen family.”

"No matter when in the future, the Shen family will always remember this kindness and righteousness."

After saying this, he bowed deeply.

He Ping stared at him, holding his breath. After a moment, he finally took a deep breath and turned his head away.