A middle-aged emperor, childless, was blessed with a beautiful and pregnant concubine who entered th

Madam Cen thought for a moment, "Where did that wretched child go?"

The trusted nanny was taken aback, then exclaimed in surprise, "He's just gone to see the eldest young master..."

Madam Cen broke out in a cold sweat.

"Quick, stop him!"

But it was too late.

Cen Shaoyuan was the second son and the youngest son in his family.

After Cen Fang's father passed away, Cen Fang was busy with the affairs of the Imperial Household Department and rarely paid attention to the miscellaneous matters of the household.

They naturally didn't concern themselves with the upbringing of the children.

He already has a very outstanding eldest son.

This youngest son was spoiled rotten by his wife and had a stubborn personality, so Cen Fang didn't have high expectations for him.

As long as he doesn't cause trouble or cause problems for him, that's fine.

As for the other illegitimate sons and daughters, they naturally wouldn't concern themselves with them.

But on this day, Cen Fang learned that his youngest son had asked his eldest son to use the Crown Prince's connections for the sake of a woman.

Cen Fang was furious.

"You've always spoiled that wretched child, and I've never said a word, but now he's done something like this! You! Are you trying to drive me crazy?"

Cen Fang is introverted and usually taciturn.

But Madam Cen always held her husband in some awe.

Seeing that he was angry, she was so frightened that she trembled and knelt down.

She cried as she said, "Sir, I don't know either!"

"That wretched child was perfectly fine before, then suddenly went astray..."

"It must be that young lady surnamed Zhou! It must be her! She deliberately came to our house to break off the engagement and then took the opportunity to deceive A-Yuan..."

Cen Fang really didn't know about this.

He frowned. "What did you say? Explain in detail?"

Madam Cen was helped up by her personal maid and sat down in a chair. She pressed a handkerchief to the corner of her eyes before tearfully recounting how Zhou Mingyi had come to break off the engagement.

"You mean, Zhou Yanjin's daughter came to our house in person with the marriage certificate and tokens to annul the engagement?"

Why didn't you say so sooner?

Madam Cen shuddered. "Sir, you didn't even ask!"

The marriage between their youngest son and the Zhou family's daughter will be postponed for now; this is a tacit understanding between the couple.

Cen Fang once said that the Zhou family has now declined, leaving only the brother and sister, who do not know where to go.

Madam Cen understood his implied meaning and thus postponed the marriage between her youngest son and the Zhou family's daughter.

As prospective in-laws, Madam Cen had always been very attentive to Zhou Mingyi when Zhou Yanjin and his wife were still alive.

After all, they are prospective in-laws. The two families are just waiting for their two children to come of age before they become in-laws. How could they not take it seriously?

If we don't take it seriously, our in-laws might have some reservations.

Madam Cen herself did not have a daughter, but she was a young woman herself.

Therefore, she knew better than anyone when Zhou Mingyi came of age.

Furthermore, several years ago, when the Zhou couple were still alive, Madam Cen had already decided to give Zhou Mingyi a coming-of-age gift.

It was a very luxurious ruby ​​headdress.

Even the styles are what young girls like.

The coming-of-age ceremony for a woman is extremely important, as it signifies that she has reached adulthood and is ready for marriage.

However, ever since her husband revealed this intention, Madam Cen remained "inactive" on Zhou Mingyi's birthday last year.

Cen Fang fell silent.

"Now that they've already come to break off the engagement, what's with this brat's antics?"

Madam Cen was also puzzled, "Master, you know Yuan'er's temperament, don't you?"

"He's always liked to do the opposite of what he wants since he was little. Perhaps that woman from the Zhou family saw this and deliberately manipulated him!"

That's what Madam Cen thought.

Otherwise, why would her son act like he's lost his mind?

Cen Fang pondered for a moment, "In that case, the Zhou family's daughter is quite shrewd."

"Tell me what happened."

Madam Cen then recounted the whole story.

Cen Fang frowned and pondered for a moment, "Since that's the case, we might as well go along with him. With his stubborn nature, the more you try to stop him, the more enthusiastic he becomes."

Madam Cen thought so too.

"What about Qing'er?"

"He always doted on that wretched child the most, and you know how troublesome that child can be, sir. I'm just afraid of him..."

The "Qing'er" that Madam Cen mentioned refers to Cen Shaoqing, her eldest son with Cen Fang.

Cen Shaoqing was six years older than his younger brother, Cen Shaoyuan.

He was raised by his grandfather from a young age and has always been diligent. Five years ago, he passed the imperial examination and became a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest level of the imperial examinations) and entered the Hanlin Academy.

What's even more remarkable is that he was a classmate and close friend of the Crown Prince at the Imperial Academy in his early years.

Later, relying on this relationship, he also served as the tutor of the Eastern Palace's Bureau of Classics.

It was a fifth-rank official position.

This position is half a rank higher than Cen Fang's position as Vice Director of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices.

Moreover, his son is young and has a past friendship with the Crown Prince, so his future is even more promising.

But human relationships are something that grow thinner the more you use them.

If the eldest son can't withstand the younger son's nagging and uses the Crown Prince's favors on these trivial matters, they will be furious.

Compared to the eldest son's future, the youngest son's petty thoughts were of no importance whatsoever.

Cen Fang immediately ordered his men to prepare horses. He was determined to stop that rebellious son and not allow him to do something so reckless.

……

Shen House.

Shen Kuo was unconscious, and Emperor Qianwu ordered the imperial physician to take care of him personally. The Xue family wanted to help but couldn't, and they were getting anxious and frustrated.

"Kuo'er has done a great service this time, why not take him back and take care of him?"

General Xue directly attacked Madam Xue.

In front of the imperial physician, Madam Xue lost face. "My lord, His Majesty's intention is to have the imperial physician treat Kuo'er at the Shen residence. How could I possibly disobey His Majesty's wishes?"

Madam Xue felt extremely wronged.

General Xue: "You!"

"Since you can't help, you should leave so as not to disturb the imperial physician from administering acupuncture to Kuo'er."

General Xue also felt ashamed.

Shen Kuo was the son of his loyal subordinate, who died saving him and entrusted his only son to him before his death.

However, the battle at the front was intense at the time, so he sent the child back to his residence and entrusted him to his wife.

Madam Xue was always considerate and thoughtful, so General Xue never suspected that Shen Kuo would not be doing well in his home.

It wasn't until he returned to the manor and saw Shen Kuo, who looked as wary as a wolf cub, that he realized what kind of life this child had been living in his home all these years.

In a fit of anger, General Xue took Shen Kuo to the military camp.

For Madam Xue, this further confirmed the previous rumors—that Shen Kuo, that wolf cub, was not the son of a loyal subordinate at all, but rather the result of his romantic entanglements outside.

It wasn't until Shen Kuo had spent several years training in the military camp that General Xue proposed to marry his eldest daughter to him.

Madam Xue panicked.

Although General Xue was a rough man, he could not bring himself to marry off his own children, which was against human ethics.

Madam Xue then realized that she had been wrong all these years.

Shen Kuo was indeed not General Xue's son.

If he were his son, how could Lao Xue have such an absurd idea as marrying his daughter to him?

But it was too late to regret it.

She treated Shen Kuo badly, and Shen Kuo was always wary of her.

Even after being so badly injured this time, he went straight back to the sparsely populated Shen residence instead of the Xue residence.

However, upon further reflection, Madam Xue felt indignant.

"Why did he bother saving Consort Zhen? He might as well have died with her at the bottom of the cliff."