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Chapter 101: Do You Know?
With the help of Old Lady Sheng and Madam Shen, the Earl of Yongchang happily agreed to the marriage between Molan and Liang Han.

Seeing that Molan had found a home, even though it was not satisfactory, Sheng Hong felt relieved and no longer worried too much about the children of the Sheng family in Da Zhou.

Time flies, the years are like a shuttle.

Soon, a year passed peacefully like this, and the eldest lady, Mrs. Shen, became pregnant and rested peacefully at home.

The Sheng family in Chengyuan was filled with joy, but the situation in Tokyo Prefecture outside was becoming increasingly turbulent. Just like in the original drama, more and more hostile forces were targeting Emperor Zhao Zongquan.

Emperor Zhao Zongquan's confidants were either framed or impeached, and Sheng Hong's adopted son Gu Tingye was also expelled from Tokyo Prefecture and sent to the northern border war zone to fight foreign enemies.

Because Sheng Hong has always been relatively low-key and has no military power, he was not affected at all. Sheng Hong knew that all this was a trap set by Emperor Zhao Zongquan and Gu Tingye.

Sheng Hong did not approve of this dangerous behavior at all, but he did not stop it because the one in danger was Emperor Zhao Zongquan himself.

If he really met with an accident, his son-in-law Zhao Yingce would immediately ascend the throne as emperor, his daughter Sheng Hualan would become the Queen of Da Zhou, and his grandson would become the Crown Prince of Da Zhou.

It’s not that Sheng Hong is too sinister, it’s just that Emperor Zhao Zongquan is too careless and actually puts himself in such a dangerous situation.

The prosperity of the Chengyuan Sheng family next door made the Ningyuan Hou Gu family, who lived just across the wall, envious and jealous, but they were helpless against Sheng Hong and Gu Tingye, who had changed his name to Gu Changsheng.

"My Lord, this is a golden opportunity that comes once in a lifetime!

We can’t miss this opportunity at Ningyuan Marquis Mansion again!" Xiao Qin earnestly persuaded Ningyuan Marquis Gu Yankai.

"Madam, are you crazy?

How could our Gu family possibly commit such a rebellious act? Ningyuan Marquis Gu Yankai rejected Xiao Qinshi's wishful thinking without even a second thought.

"My Lord, stop being so timid!
If Gu Tingye hadn't made the last contribution of following the dragon, how could he have been named Marquis of Changsheng by the emperor? "Little Qin was still unwilling to give up.

"Humph! You only saw the thief eating the meat, but didn't see the thief being beaten!
A successful rebellion would indeed bring great benefits, but a failure would bring ruin to the Ningyuan Marquis Gu family!" Ningyuan Marquis Gu Yankai revealed a disdainful expression.

"Haha, the Marquis is so timid!

This coup was masterminded by the Empress Dowager and Concubine Liu.

Once successful, Concubine Liu's son will become the new emperor.

Our Gu family will prosper, and Ningyuan Hou's title will be elevated to Duke!" Little Qin's eyes sparkled as she imagined the various lucrative rewards that would come with a successful coup.

"Humph! Madam, please stop talking!
As long as I, Gu Yankai, am here, I will never allow you to act so recklessly!"

"Haha, since the Marquis is so timid!

I don't think you need to be the Ningyuan Marquis anymore!" Xiao Qin suddenly said with a sneer.

"What? What do you want to do?"

Gu Yankai widened his eyes in shock, revealing an incredible expression. Only then did he realize that Xiao Qinshi's previous understanding and knowledge were all her disguises.

Looking at the indifferent Fourth and Fifth Houses beside him, Gu Yankai realized that they had already discussed and decided everything. "Fourth, Fifth, are you all crazy?"

"Brother, our sons have all been exiled to the frontier by the emperor.

If we don't take this risk, we might never see our son again in this lifetime!"

"And my son Tingwei, he just went to a brothel and drank some wine, and he was beaten like that by the Dali Temple!

I want my son to be the Duke of Da Zhou, and I want him to be a royal consort!" Xiao Qin also said with a sneer.

"Crazy! You are all crazy!

Tingyu, are you crazy too? "Gu Yankai suddenly looked at his relatives around him in horror, and then looked at his eldest son Gu Tingyu with an incredible look.

"Ahem. Father, you are already old!

My health is so poor, and I also want to be the Marquis of Ningyuan before I die.

So just go with peace of mind!"

"What? You..." Gu Yankai, filled with anger and fear, no longer had the strength he once had. He suddenly covered his chest and spat out a mouthful of blood.

“You actually poisoned me?
Tingye, my son, come and kill these traitors!"

At the last moment of his life, Gu Yankai suddenly remembered his second son Gu Tingye and roared loudly.

No one cared about Gu Yankai's roar, because they thought Gu Tingye had died long ago on the northern border. They all looked at Gu Yankai's gradually falling body with cold eyes, waiting for Gu Yankai to take his last breath.

When Gu Yankai was completely dead, Xiao Qin and the others methodically carried Gu Yankai's body into the coffin that had been prepared long ago.

The second coup in the world of "The Story of Minglan" broke out, and it was even more violent than in the original drama, because Sheng Hong had been mentally prepared and asked Gu Tingye to leave a large number of soldiers in Chengyuan and change their clothes to disguise themselves as servants of the Sheng family.

As a precaution, Sheng Hong gathered all his family members in the basement of Chengyuan Garden, where they quietly watched the changes in Tokyo Prefecture. After a day and a night of fighting, Tokyo Prefecture gradually calmed down. Then, a large number of imperial guards arrived and wiped out the neighboring Ningyuan Marquis Gu family. Sheng Hong then realized that Emperor Zhao Zongquan and Gu Tingye had won again.

Sheng Hong was immediately summoned into the palace by Emperor Zhao Zongquan. When he saw the aging Emperor Zhao Zongquan, Sheng Hong was somewhat surprised. It was the shock of that night that had ruined his body. It was really hard for Sheng Hong to understand.

"My dear, I know you don't agree with this!

But for the sake of the future stability of the Great Zhou, I have no choice but to harden my heart and make some preparations for Yingce!" Emperor Zhao Zongquan took Sheng Hong's hand and said with deep emotion.

"Your Majesty, I understand your good intentions!"

"My dear, I understand this!

I know that I don’t have much time left, so I will arrange for Yingce to succeed me as soon as possible!
In the future, Yingce will need the assistance of Lord Sheng Aiqing. Don't let him take risks like I did!" Emperor Zhao Zongquan was very satisfied with Sheng Hong's understanding, and then gave his final instructions.

"Yes! Your Majesty! I obey your command!"

"My dear, I am about to pass away, and I have always wanted to give you a gift!
At the last moment of my life, I will hand this gift to you!
I hope you like it, dear!"

Hearing that Emperor Zhao Zongquan actually called him "relative", Sheng Hong was suddenly moved, and then felt a little ashamed of his previous self-protection.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

“Ahem.” Seeing Sheng Hong’s moved face, Emperor Zhao Zongquan suddenly laughed, and then shouted to the outside of the palace, “Haha, come in!”

"My slave, please pay your respects to Your Majesty!"

"Well! Follow Lord Sheng and serve him well!"

"Yes! Your Majesty!"

Sheng Hong didn't look up at the person who came, but he still heard a hint of familiarity in the other person's voice and realized that it must be the woman he had seen before.

"Lord Sheng, I give her to you as a concubine today as a gift. I hope you like it!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for the reward!"

Although he was puzzled by Emperor Zhao Zongquan's strange behavior, Sheng Hong did not refuse. He then looked up at the "gift" given by Emperor Zhao Zongquan and was horrified to find that it was Wei Xingshou, whom he had met once before.

Only then did Sheng Hong realize that the power behind Wei Xingshou was actually Zhao Zongquan from Yuzhou.

It seems that without himself and Gu Tingye's appearance, the throne would eventually fall into Zhao Zongquan's hands. Everyone underestimated this emperor Zhao Zongquan.

Although he had a high opinion of Zhao Zongquan, he did not expect that he was the most hidden big boss. The Wei Xingshou in front of him was not a "gift" at all, but a warning from Emperor Zhao Zongquan to him!

Perhaps Emperor Zhao Zongquan thought that after his death, there would be no one to check and balance him as the father-in-law of the new emperor Zhao Yingce, and he was worried that he would affect the throne of the new emperor Zhao Yingce.

That's why he gave Wei Xingshou to himself as a concubine to warn Sheng Hong not to do anything beyond his ability.

Sheng Hong left the palace with a complicated mentality, but he only had a new concubine, Wei Xingshou, by his side.

"Huh? After knowing each other for such a long time, I still don't know your name?"

"Master, I have forgotten my real name!
Master, you can call me Wei Xiaoniang from now on!"

"Hmm? Not good!
I already have a concubine, Wei Xiaoniang!
Even though it's not a single word, it can still cause misunderstandings!"

"Master, just give this servant a name!
This servant will serve the master wholeheartedly from now on!"

"Well! Let's talk about this later!
Let’s go back to Chengyuan Sheng’s first!”

"Yes! Master!"

Before he knew it, Sheng Hong had become the most successful man in the Great Zhou. Not only did he have a successful career, he also had a young and beautiful wife and three concubines. He was definitely a winner in life.

Because of this coup, the forces behind Concubine Liu and the Queen Mother were eradicated by Emperor Zhao Zongquan, and there was no longer any hostile force left in the Great Zhou.

In order to show his benevolence and righteousness, Emperor Zhao Zongquan did not punish the empress dowager and continued to keep her in the harem.

The Ningyuan Marquis Gu family was not so lucky. Almost all of their members were executed. However, due to Gu Tingye's plea, the wife and daughter Xian Jie'er of the head of the Gu family, Gu Tingyu, and Gu Tingwei were all pardoned from the death penalty, but were demoted to commoners.

What Sheng Hong did not expect was that the Wang and Kang families could not resist the temptation of following the emperor and participated in the coup, and were then confiscated and exterminated by Emperor Zhao Zongquan.

Seeing Wang Ruofu about to be taken to the execution ground, Sheng Hong rescued Wang Ruofu and sent her back to her hometown in Youyang.

After a massacre in Tokyo Prefecture, Emperor Zhao Zongquan could no longer hold on. Before his death, he handed the throne to Prince Huan Zhao Yingce and directly named Prince Huan's wife Sheng Hualan as the queen.

In a short time, the Sheng family of Chengyuan became the top family in Da Zhou and the target of everyone's pursuit. Then, on the birthday of the old lady of the Sheng family, Chengyuan became the most lively place in Tokyo Prefecture.

(End of this chapter)