Contentment with modest wealth

Chapter 342 The Youngest Son
When Yan Song walked out of the palace gate and got into the sedan chair, his tears had already dried.

On this weathered, deeply lined face, there is only the composure and restraint accumulated over many years of trials and tribulations.

After the uproar caused by the Jin family, people in the capital already knew that something big had happened today. The news that Yan Shu and the Jin family had been dealt with separately had obviously spread after they were escorted to prison by the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Even through the thin walls of the car, the loud conversations of passersby could be heard incessantly.

He closed his eyes and exhaled a long breath.

"Send word back to the palace, tell them to stay put and not to make any rash moves. If anything happens, come to the cabinet to choose me."

……

When Shen Bo returned to the mansion, his wife and son and Shen Zhui came to greet him, while Song En and Yi Zhe followed behind with their respective colleagues.

Lu Jia glanced at Shen Bo's face and said, "Father, you've worked hard. I heard that Yan Shu has been sent to the Three Judicial Offices for punishment. It's great to see this villain finally imprisoned."

"Thanks to my father's keen judgment and timely intervention!"

"Stop flattering me." Shen Bo took off his hat. "It's not time to celebrate yet. As long as the Yan family doesn't rebel, the Emperor won't kill him over this one thing."

“That’s true.” Lu Jia then echoed, and took the tea brought by the maid and served it to the emperor himself: “The emperor still needs to rely on the cabinet officials. If things are done too hastily, it will cause trouble for the court.”

"First, imprison him, then discuss his crimes and punishments. Take it one step at a time, and it will make that old scoundrel Yan look better."

Shen Bo took a sip of tea, then remembered the paper in his pocket and suddenly looked at Shen Qingzhou: "What were you doing last night?!"

Shen Qingzhou sat on the railing with one leg bent, glancing at him sideways as she heard his question: "Which one are you referring to?"

Shen Bo stood up, his face cold as he slammed the paper in his arms onto the table: "How dare you! You actually used my name to collude with the Embroidered Uniform Guard! And you even made promises to him?"

Shen Zhui looked at the father and son in horror.

Shen Qingzhou beckoned to the person closest to the table, and he quickly picked up the paper with both hands and presented it to him with both hands!

Shen Qingzhou opened it and saw that it was written by He Ping about what happened last night. He knew that He Ping was afraid that Grand Commandant Shen would deny it.

He said calmly, "Didn't you also say that a true man shouldn't be bothered by trifles? You've already brought the youngest son back, why are you still bothered by these things?"

Shen Bo was furious.

Caught in the crossfire, Shen Zhui weakly said, "I'll eat less in the future..."

Lu Jia gave Song En a meaningful look.

Song En and Yi Zhe exchanged a smile and stepped forward to smooth things over: "He Ping is a difficult person to handle. Once he is persuaded by Yan Shu this time, who knows how much trouble will arise."

"It's better than making an enemy of this person."

Shen Bo glared at them: "You guys just keep spoiling him!"

After that, he left.

Lu Jia waved behind him: "Father, take care! I've had your favorite roast duck and your favorite Zhuyeqing tea prepared for dinner!"

Shen Zhui raised his hand: "I want one too..."

Shen Qingzhou glanced at him: "Didn't you say you'd eat less?"

Shen Zhui was speechless.

Shen Qingzhou stood up: "After you finish eating, you can continue to squat at the Yan family's house!"

After saying that, he slowly stepped down the stairs: "The Yan family won't sit idly by and wait to be destroyed. Let's find out what backup plans they've prepared."

……

Dusk comes exceptionally early on rainy days, especially since it's already autumn.

Gao Hong led his men to deliver the evening meal to the emperor.

The emperor stared at the salted duck soup in front of him: "Where did this dried Huangshan vegetables come from?"

Gao Hong bowed and said, "Your Majesty has forgotten that a few days ago, someone from Grand Secretary Yan's family returned to their ancestral home to visit relatives. They specially made a detour to Huangshan to bring Your Majesty salted duck and dried vegetables."

"I took quite a lot!" Gao Hong said, pushing the dishes forward.

The emperor slammed his chopsticks down: "Take it away!"

Gao Hong paused, then said, "Grand Secretary Yan said that Emperor Gaozu's ancestors were from Huangshan. The emperor was extremely benevolent and filial, so he loved Huangshan cuisine because of his love for the family."

"Your Majesty remembers everything the Emperor eats and uses. Your Majesty has Your Majesty in your heart!"

The emperor picked up the chicken porridge from the side and began to eat.

Gao Hong had no choice but to move the side dishes that were meant to accompany the porridge in front of him.

The emperor took a couple of sips of porridge and then turned his head to look at the rainy day outside.

"What time is it?"

Gao Hong hurriedly replied, "The hour of You (5-7 PM)."

He glanced at the emperor's expression and said, "It's getting dark. I wonder how the Grand Secretary is doing?"
"Over the years, the Grand Secretary has never failed to fulfill any promise he made to the Emperor. He previously said he would finish handing over his duties before nightfall and then atone with his death, but who knows what will happen now..."

He cut off the end of his sentence.

The emperor put down the bowl and then the chopsticks. He then got up, walked to the curtained area, and stopped.

"Since he accepted my mission, would he dare to die before he finished it?!"

Upon hearing this, Gao Hong quickly stepped forward: "His Majesty is right. Grand Secretary Yan bears heavy responsibilities. If he dares to shirk his duties without His Majesty's formal decree, that would be dereliction of duty!"

The emperor glanced at him.

Gao Hongzhi stood up and shouted, "Quickly! The Emperor has decreed that Yan Song must not die, nor can he shirk his duties!"

The person left in a hurry.

When Gao Hong returned, he gently advised, "Your Majesty, why don't you have your meal first?"

The emperor returned to the kang (heated brick bed) and sat down.

As Gao Hong served the dishes, he said, "Grand Secretary Yan has had a tough life. He has devoted his whole life to the affairs of the court, and he and the old lady only had one son, Yan Shu."

He's getting old!

"When I saw Grand Secretary Yan leave, I was truly heartbroken. More than forty years ago, when the Emperor entered the palace to take charge of the government, Grand Secretary Yan supported the Emperor wholeheartedly, no matter how far away he was. I never imagined that after a lifetime of hard work, he would end up facing the situation where he would not have a son by his side to see him off!"

The emperor stared at the bowl of salted duck soup without saying a word.

Gao Hong glanced at it twice, then slowly moved the bowl of soup into the bowl: "This Aqing, usually so clever, how can he make such a blunder?"

"Shut up!"

No sooner had this topic been mentioned than the emperor put down his bowl again. "Yan Shu must die!"

Gao Hong stepped back and knelt on the ground: "Your Majesty! I have something to say from the bottom of my heart, but I don't know if I should say it!"

The emperor gritted his teeth. "If you dare to plead for mercy, I'll take you away with me!"

"I would rather die ten thousand times than dare to do that!" Gao Hong said. "Yan Shu is guilty, and his crime is unforgivable! I only regret that I cannot personally whip him on behalf of the Emperor to vent my anger!"
"But right now, the war in the southeast is fierce, and the Yan family is a pillar of the court. If Yan Shu, the only son of the Yan family, is killed, people will definitely suspect that the emperor wants to punish the Yan family. This will cause turmoil in the court!"

"Furthermore, eight years ago, more than 20,000 soldiers lost their lives because of 300,000 taels of silver. What if this incident causes something else to go wrong in the southeast?"

The emperor looked at him and snorted coldly: "The Shen family has held up the entire Northwest. I will give Hu Yucheng whatever he wants. Can't he even hold the Southeast?"

"If he fails, I will execute him as an apology!"

Gao Hong remained silent.

The emperor glared at him sideways: "What else do you have to say?"

Gao Hong bowed and said, "I dare not say."

"speak!"