The bright moon hangs high, beckoning him down from his pedestal.

Inside the Taiji Hall, Wu Tian bowed and carefully reported the outcome of the Jiaofang Palace's handling of the eldest princess and the carefree prince:

"Her Majesty the Empress has ordered that the Eldest Princess and the Prince of Xiaoyao be confined to their quarters for half a month, and ordered them to reflect on their mistakes."

Shen Wangxi paused, holding the vermilion pen, and slowly put it down. She raised her eyes, her clear, cold eyes revealing no emotion, yet they made Wu Tian lower his head even further.

"Confined for half a month..." Shen Wangxi repeated in a low voice, feeling a headache coming on.

This was the outcome for A-Yun: a mere half-month confinement, without even a proper reason or a serious explanation.

It seems that the farce in the Imperial Garden today, which was intended to ruin someone's reputation and almost caused a major disaster, was nothing more than a harmless little squabble between children.

Shen Wangxi felt a wave of exhaustion; Ayun was ultimately being spoiled too much.

However, he didn't want to deal with the Jiaofang Palace for the time being, nor did he want to delve into the thoughts behind the brother and sister.

Was it to eliminate dissidents? Or was it simply because he couldn't stand that Aruo had gained his attention?

That's all.

He would rather spend his time and energy in Qingyi Palace with his girl than investigate this matter.

Thinking of Shen Qingruo, Shen Wangxi suddenly thought, "If only Aruo could have a child."

This idea, like a spark in a wasteland, spreads rapidly once ignited.

Their children will certainly not be as spoiled and willful as Ayan, nor will they be as detached as Yinian.

He will personally teach him, watch him grow up, and present him with the best of everything in the world, so that he can grow into a truly upright and noble person in love and expectation.

Shen Wangxi stood up, no longer looking at the memorials, nor thinking about his children who had disappointed him.

His voice was calm. "Prepare the carriage and proceed to Qingyi Palace."

He's going to be with someone more important now.

As for the rest, let's put them aside for now.

-

For several days in a row, Shen Wangxi stayed with Shen Qingruo in Qingyi Palace, and all government affairs were handled in the outer palace.

Perhaps it was his guilt and companionship that worked, and the little girl's attitude gradually softened, no longer avoiding him as she had at the beginning.

Last night, she even half-heartedly allowed him to touch her body again.

Although she later cried weakly and cursed him as a bastard, her affectionate gesture finally dispelled some of the gloom that had been weighing on his heart for days.

The next morning, Shen Wangxi went to court feeling refreshed.

After the court session, an inspection tour of the camps outside Beijing was scheduled for the morning.

He changed into a moon-white robe with cloud patterns, his black hair tied up, exuding the air of a refined and noble young master, yet his long-standing position made him stand out from the crowd.

At the military camp drill ground, banners fluttered in the wind, and soldiers stood at attention.

Shen Wangxi watched the soldiers drill from the high platform for a while, then turned his gaze to the central arena, where two generals were sparring. Their powerful punches drew cheers from the audience.

He suddenly became interested, turned around, and walked directly towards the dueling platform.

Upon seeing His Majesty's arrival, the two generals on the stage hurriedly stopped their movements and knelt down, while the crowd below held their breath, wondering what His Majesty intended to do.

Shen Wangxi stepped calmly onto the dueling platform, his gaze sweeping over the sea of ​​soldiers below, his voice clear and resonant: "Who dares to challenge me?"

The audience fell silent instantly; you could hear a pin drop.

Fight His Majesty? Who dares?

Shen Wangxi seemed to have anticipated this, and said, "Those who go on stage, regardless of winning or losing, will be rewarded with one hundred taels of silver."

The crowd's eyes flickered slightly, but no one dared to move.

He continued, "If you can defeat me even in one or two moves, I will immediately bestow upon you a noble title."

A single sentence stirred up a huge wave of controversy; a noble title—that was an honor passed down through generations.

Not only did the already valiant generals' eyes turn fiery, but many young and spirited sons of military families who had come with their fathers and brothers could not contain their excitement.

Xiao Yu stood in the crowd, looking at the handsome and upright Emperor on the stage, his eyes filled with complex emotions and his mind racing.

Your Majesty's move is intended to test the soldiers' ambition; if they retreat, Your Majesty will only perceive them as cowardly.

He stepped forward from the crowd, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and said in a deep voice, "Your humble servant Xiao Yu requests Your Majesty's guidance!"

With Xiao Yu taking the lead, other young disciples who were already eager to participate, as well as several generals who were confident in their martial arts skills, also jumped onto the dueling platform one after another.

"Your Majesty, I request permission to fight!"

"This humble general humbly requests Your Majesty's guidance!"

Shen Wangxi looked at the dueling platform where seven or eight people had suddenly appeared, her expression unchanged, and simply nodded slightly: "Agreed."

As the martial arts competition began, the generals and young masters who came up on stage took turns asking Shen Wangxi for advice.

Shen Wangxi moved nimbly and did not use his internal force to overwhelm her. He relied solely on his physical strength and combat experience to handle the situation with ease.

One, two, three... the challengers who went on stage were defeated one after another.

Xiao Yu persisted the longest.

His swordsmanship was fierce and his attacks were swift, but Shen Wangxi still managed to seize an opening and strike his wrist.

Xiao Yu's longsword slipped from his hand, and he staggered back several steps, forced to admit defeat.

The battle of attrition lasted for nearly an hour.

When the last challenger, clutching his numb arm, knelt down in complete submission, the entire training ground fell silent.

Shen Wangxi slowly withdrew his stance, his breathing was unstable, but he had not yet reached his limit.

He himself was also surprised.

Even at his peak, such a high-intensity battle of attrition should have taken its toll on his stamina.

But he's already thirty-four this year. Logically, his physical strength and energy should have passed their peak. Why does he feel so energetic? It's as if he has inexhaustible strength in his body, and he gets more and more energetic the more he fights?