The Crazy Emperor's Pampered Cousin

At that time, the world was not yet settled, and Shen Jun followed Emperor Chengyuan to fight on various battlefields. He had no time to take care of his young children at home, and the inner quarters also needed to be managed.

Through matchmakers, he married a woman of humble origins, Dou, who appeared gentle and kind, as his second wife.

Shen Jun married her solely to raise their children and manage the household affairs; he had no romantic feelings for her.

When Lady Dou first entered the mansion, she indeed put on an impeccable performance.

She treated Shen Xuan and Shen Rong as her own children, personally attending to their every need with gentleness and meticulousness.

In just a few years, even Shen Xuan, who initially harbored reservations, softened her guard through her daily "compassion" and began to call her "mother."

When Shen Jun returned home from his campaign, he was moved to see that his two children were well taken care of and the house was in good order. He gradually lowered his guard.

In the fourth year after entering the household, Dou gave birth to her first child, Shen Liang, who is also Shen Yunlan's father.

Two years later, Shen Rong, who was only six years old, accidentally fell into the lotus pond in the mansion and died.

Dou cried so hard she almost fainted, pounding her chest and stamping her feet, taking all the blame upon herself, and even banging her head against the wall in an attempt to go with Shen Rong.

After being stopped, she was diagnosed with another pregnancy.

Despite their grief over the loss of their daughter and the shock of the new life, Shen Jun and Shen Xuan could only attribute Shen Rong's untimely death to an unfortunate accident.

They felt even more pity and dependence on the "heartbroken" Dou.

Dou then gave birth to her second son, Shencheng.

Even now, in Shen Jun and Shen Xuan's eyes, Dou Shi is still the virtuous and impeccable mistress of the house.

The real rift began with Shen Xuan's marriage.

He was going to marry Xie Yu, the only daughter of Princess Zhaoyang.

For the first time, Dou Shi tore off her docile facade and tried her best to obstruct the marriage. Although it ultimately failed, it allowed Shen Xuan to glimpse the strangeness beneath her gentle exterior for the first time.

After Xie Yu married into the Shen family, Dou Shi acted like a domineering mother-in-law, making things difficult for her both openly and secretly.

Fortunately, Xie Yu was not a weak woman who could be easily manipulated; she had the support of the eldest princess behind her.

Once, the eldest princess personally visited her to "see" her. After a series of admonitions using both soft and hard tactics, Dou was completely subdued and dared not openly cause trouble for Xie Yu again.

However, after this incident, Dou seemed to have given up on pretending and openly showed favoritism towards her own son, daughter-in-law, grandson, and granddaughter, while becoming increasingly indifferent to Shen Xuan's branch of the family.

At that time, Shen Jun's old injuries flared up frequently, and he was exhausted. He also held an official position and rarely concerned himself with matters of the household.

Shen Xuan, being a son after all, tolerated Dou Shi's behavior as long as she didn't go too far, simply assuming that she was getting older and her temperament had changed.

The real cataclysmic wave began eight years ago.

While investigating a clue from an old case, Shen Xuan unexpectedly uncovered the truth behind his sister Shen Rong's drowning.

It was not an accident at all, but a premeditated murder by the Dou family!

What's even more appalling is that, digging deeper into this line of inquiry, he discovered that Dou had actually tried to harm him several times in his early years, but he was lucky enough to escape.

Beneath the mask of a "loving mother" for many years lies a greedy and venomous serpent.

When the truth came out, the Shen family was turned upside down.

The one who was most affected was Shen Jun.

His wife held his hand tightly before she passed away, her eyes filled with tears as she looked at their baby daughter in swaddling clothes, and whispered her last words.

Poor Shen Rong, she lost her mother at birth, so Shen Jun must take good care of her.

This became Shen Jun's greatest heartache and vow throughout his life.

He never imagined that by letting a wolf into his house, he would allow this vicious woman to kill his and his wife's only daughter, and even his son was nearly killed.

Enraged, Shen Jun immediately decided to divide the family property.

The title was inherited by Shen Xuan, and the family property was divided into two parts, one-tenth for Shen Liang and one-tenth for Shen Cheng.

As for the Dou family...

Shen Jun originally wanted to divorce her and kick her out of the house, but then he thought that if he really divorced her, Shen Liang and Shen Cheng would definitely take her in and support her, which would allow her to live a carefree life.

Moreover, the grandchildren are still young, and their future marriages and careers will inevitably be affected by "family scandals".

After much deliberation, Shen Jun imprisoned Dou in the most remote and dilapidated courtyard of the Dingshan Prince's Mansion, assigning guards to watch over her, treating her like a useless person.

Shortly after the family split up, Dou's second son, Shen Cheng, died "accidentally" while out.

Upon hearing the news, the imprisoned Dou Shi cursed incessantly for three days and three nights in her dilapidated courtyard, cursing Shen Jun for being heartless, Shen Xuan for being cruel, and Heaven for being unjust... Her curses eventually turned into delirious ramblings.

She's gone mad.

Shen Xuan was indeed behind Shen Cheng's death.

In his view, merely dividing the family property and imprisoning her was hardly enough to atone for the tragic death of his younger sister when she was young.

He must pay with his life.

After learning of this, Shen Jun remained silent.

Since then, he has fallen into complete seclusion, living in his own courtyard and rarely venturing out. He has almost cut off all contact with others, as if he has locked the rest of his life in repentance and sorrow for his deceased wife and daughter.

Now, eight years have passed like flowing water. Dou, who was imprisoned in a dilapidated courtyard and tormented by madness and resentment, has finally passed away.

But this incident did not affect Shen Tinghe. He was not her blood relative, nor had he ever shown her any warmth. She had no need to, and would not, go back to put on a show for such a person.

She was already fast asleep in Xie Yanzhao's arms.

I'm absolutely exhausted today.

Xie Yanzhao, however, was still awake.

He leaned against the headboard, his arm firmly around her, enjoying this quiet moment of embrace.

He knew all about the many dirty deeds that had happened in the Shen family in their early years.

However, since those private matters never really bothered Yuan Yuan, he didn't bother to care.

The reason why the Shen and Ning families have such a glorious history is not so much due to their founding achievements, but rather because of the emergence of Shen Tinghe.

Xie Yanzhao's gaze calmly settled on her brows and eyes.

One-third of the military power of the Great Zhao Dynasty was still in the hands of the Prince of Dingshan, the Grand Princess Zhaorong held a superior position in the imperial clan, and Minister Ning had many protégés among the civil officials.

The two families have been linked by marriage for generations, their roots intertwined and their branches connected.

Such a deeply entrenched power structure is a glaringly obvious threat to any future emperor.

How can I allow others to sleep soundly beside my bed?

Without Shen Tinghe, Xie Yanzhao would have ruthlessly seized power, checked and dismantled the organization, and firmly grasped everything in his hands.

But things are different now.

Because of Shen Tinghe, the person he cherishes most.

Therefore, the future empress will come from the Shen family. Therefore, he postponed the actions to reclaim the military power and influence in the court that should have been immediately taken back.

It's not that they can't, but that they're unwilling.

He had already quietly obtained the corresponding evidence and plans.

Who to keep, which leads to cut off, and when to close the net are all within his control.

This temporary compromise is not a concession, but another form of control.

He could wait a little longer for his Yuan Yuan.

If Shen Junruo weren't a fool, he would probably hand over military power voluntarily when Yuan Yuan gave birth to a child.

"Brother..." the person in his arms suddenly murmured indistinctly, unconsciously nuzzling against his chest, their voice heavy with sleepiness.

"This isn't comfortable... I need to lie down..."

Xie Yanzhao immediately pulled his arms closer and lowered his head to kiss her warm cheek: "Okay."

He helped her lie flat, then turned to pull her into his arms.

Half-asleep, Shen Tinghe raised her hand and touched his chin, her fingertips soft: "Why aren't you asleep yet?"

Xie Yanzhao took her hand and pressed it to his lips, his gaze still clearly tracing her outline even in the dim light.

"I can't bear to sleep. Yuan Yuan is so well-behaved. I can't get enough of looking at her."

Shen Tinghe smiled softly, snuggling closer into his arms and wrapping her arms around his waist.

"They're all yours now."

She murmured, sleepiness creeping in, her words becoming soft and indistinct: "There's still a lifetime... enough for brother to read slowly..."

Xie Yanzhao felt a sudden burning sensation in his chest, as if it were being completely filled by something full and scalding hot.

He pulled her closer, completely enveloping her in his own world.

Yes, for a lifetime.

No amount of political intrigue or imperial machinations could compare to her unconscious dependence.

Xie Yanzhao lowered his head and gently kissed her hair.

Thank God.

I brought you to my side.