Only after the rebellion succeeded did they realize that this place was...

"The young lady's affair with another man has truly brought honor to the Sheng family!"

"Don't talk nonsense. I've heard that young man has quite a background; rumors say he's none other than His Majesty."

"You believe that? His Majesty is a man of dragon and phoenix bearing, a celestial being in appearance. The beauties of Jinling are all the most beautiful in the world. Although our eldest daughter is also intelligent and beautiful, how could it be such a coincidence that His Majesty took a liking to her at first sight?"

The servants of the Sheng family were buzzing with gossip.

After the commotion in the front hall that day, the matter could no longer be kept secret in the Sheng family mansion.

Compared to the claim that "the eldest daughter, Hua Lan, was chosen by the emperor and entered the palace to become a concubine and empress," the claim that "she had an affair with a foreign man" is clearly more believable.

In less than half a day, the news had spread far and wide.

"What nonsense are you spouting? Even actions can't shut you up."

When Madam Fang walked out of Shou'an Hall with a gloomy face, all the servants immediately shut up.

Even from this glimpse, one can still glimpse Hua Lan's current situation within the Sheng family.

Wang Ruofu was both the eldest daughter-in-law and the assistant wife.

When she was alive, no one in the inner quarters dared to gossip; but Wang Ruofu was always on her day off, and would only return to the Sheng family for a day or two at most before returning to the palace to attend to her affairs.

Since the Duchess of England and Princess Pingning also had to return to their residence to handle other matters, and no matter how important the Sheng family's affairs were, they could not be more important than the affairs of the palace, Wang Ruofu had no choice but to leave first.

However, this move undoubtedly exacerbated Hua Lan's predicament within the Sheng family once again.

Even inside the Wei Rui Xuan, where the servants dared not utter a sound, the gossips behind their backs seemed to have transformed into invisible swords.

Even without leaving Wei Rui Xuan, Hua Lan could sense the viciousness in those hearts, as if they wanted to slowly torture her to death before they were satisfied.

"Cuichan, I didn't... I really didn't..."

Inside the bedroom of Wei Rui Xuan, Hua Lan huddled up.

My mind, which had just calmed down a few days ago and was filled with joy, has now sunk back down, and my face looks rather withered.

Given the current state of affairs within the manor, Hua Lan has been unable to eat or sleep these past few days, and her complexion has naturally become increasingly gaunt.

"Young lady."

Cui Chan's eyes reddened, and her voice trembled. "Cui Chan believes you, Miss. It's all those servants outside talking nonsense. Please calm down, Miss, Cui Chan will tear their mouths apart for you."

Cui Chan gritted her teeth, making a grinding sound.

Seeing his young mistress in such a state, he immediately lost all sense of propriety and rushed outside Wei Rui Xuan, where he began to curse loudly: "How dare you speak to the eldest young lady like that? Be careful when the eldest mistress returns and the master gets angry. Just like in Yangzhou, he will beat all of you newly recruited scoundrels to death."

"Don't you even know who the real mistress of this Wei Rui Xuan is? It's the eldest mistress, the one who manages the affairs of this household."

Cui Chan launched into a tirade of insults.

The area outside Wei Rui Xuan seemed much quieter, but Hua Lan's heart found no solace.

She looked out the window and felt as if the entire Sheng family was a net that had been stretched to the sky, tightly binding her and no matter how she struggled, she could not break free.

Finally, having exhausted all his strength, he could only silently wait to die.

Gradually, Hua Lan's consciousness became hazy, and she became increasingly confused.

Cui Chan, who was still shouting outside with her hands on her hips, suddenly heard a noise coming from inside the room behind her.

Her expression tightened, and she hurried back into the room, only to find Hua Lan slumped over the bed, her face as pale as paper.

"Girl, girl."

Cui Chan panicked and shouted at the top of her lungs, "Help! Help!"

……

The Imperial Palace, Wende Hall.

Several high-ranking officials were reporting on government affairs in the hall.

"Your Majesty, in recent days, nobles from all over the capital have expressed their loyalty by donating their family fortunes to replenish the national treasury. They have also signed a contract to confiscate most of the wealth and property they had previously taken from the people."

"This is the detailed list; Your Majesty, please take a look."

Geng Jie took out a book from his bosom and handed it to the eunuch beside him.

The items were placed on the imperial desk, but Liu Hong did not examine them immediately. Instead, he continued to look at Gongsun Bai and Han Zhang in front of him.

Several days have passed, and the two should report back so that the emperor can have a deeper understanding of the current officials of the old dynasty in the capital city, as well as all the members of the royal family.

"Your Majesty, the officials of the sixth rank and above from the previous dynasty have already expressed their willingness to return to their posts based on Your Majesty's newly established national policy, demonstrating their practical abilities. If they are employed according to their talents and properly placed, they will certainly not harbor any resentment."

"I have retrieved the official records of the Ministry of Personnel, as well as past records of conduct, and will verify them thoroughly before hiring him."

After Gongsun Bai finished speaking, Liu Hong nodded.

Next, it was the turn of Right Chancellor Han Zhang.

Han Zhang had not yet stepped forward.

At that moment, outside the Wende Hall, the usually cautious and disciplined chief eunuch appeared flustered. He hurried in, passing directly in front of the three senior officials, and immediately came to Liu Hong's side.

Liu Hong frowned and looked over.

The chief eunuch leaned forward and spoke in a low voice, as if something truly terrible had happened: "Your Majesty, something terrible has happened! Miss Hualan... has fallen ill."

Upon hearing this, Liu Hong's heart skipped a beat, but his face remained expressionless. He merely glanced at the chief eunuch before turning his attention back to Gongsun Bai, Geng Jie, and Han Zhang, and asked calmly, "Minister Han, what is your report?"

How could Han Zhang not see the clues? Clearly, something important had happened.

Without hesitation, he quickly replied, "What I'm referring to is the defensive deployment around the capital city of Tokyo, as well as the backlog of projects. We've already discussed and finalized the arrangements with the Ministry of Works, and we'll submit a memorial soon."

"Please take a look, Your Majesty!"

After Han Zhang finished speaking, Liu Hong nodded to indicate that he understood, and said in a deep voice: "Have the Ministry of Works submit the memorial as soon as possible, and coordinate with the Ministry of Revenue and other ministries as quickly as possible. We must not delay matters concerning the people's livelihood."

He then waved his hand, signaling the three to leave immediately.

The efficiency of handling government affairs was suddenly several times faster than before.

"Your humble servant takes his leave."

The three of them said in unison.

……

Leaving the Wende Hall and walking along the long blue brick path again, Han Zhang frowned deeply.

Especially when he looked at the knowing smiles on Gongsun Bai and Geng Jie's faces, it seemed that they knew a little about the important matter that had just happened.

His doubts deepened.

The Emperor's will.

He and the other two knew this, but he himself knew nothing about it, which was not in line with his official conduct.

Just as Han Zhang was about to speak, Grand Commander Geng Jie preemptively spoke up, a hearty smile spreading across his face, eager to share his thoughts: "This matter is almost certainly true. His Majesty's expression just now was similar to what he showed a few times in Jinling. Though not often, it was certainly memorable, Grand Chancellor Gongsun."

"Hahahaha!!!! The Grand Commander's words are brilliant!"

Upon hearing this, Gongsun Bai couldn't help but burst into laughter as well.

His actions only piqued Han Zhang's curiosity even more.

The group had been working together for several days. Gongsun Bai was usually meticulous in his planning and kept his mind focused. For him to suddenly laugh like this, the matter must be of great importance.

Han Zhang rolled his eyes in annoyance, stopped the two of them, and asked them methodically, "What is it? Grand Commander, Grand Chancellor Gongsun, stop with the riddles."

Upon seeing this, Gongsun Bai and Geng Jie exchanged glances and burst into laughter again.

Then, the two spoke in unison, as if in perfect sync, "What else could it be? It's His Majesty's concern, of course."

"They have been exchanging letters for several years. Although she didn't start from humble beginnings, she can be considered a virtuous lady who has captured the heart of our young emperor."

"Now it seems that this virtuous lady is indeed in this city of Tokyo."

……

"...At this point, Miss Hualan's blood and qi surged to the point of collapse, causing her to faint."

"The doctor has examined her; she is fine now."

"Your Majesty, is this how it is?"

Inside the Wende Hall, the chief eunuch spoke cautiously.

As soon as he finished speaking...

The hall seemed to be shrouded in an invisible pressure, making people feel suffocated. Even he, the powerful eunuch who held real power in the palace, felt faintly suffocated several times.

The hall was completely silent; so quiet that even the sound of everyone breathing could be clearly heard.

The chief eunuch lowered his head deeply, not daring to touch Liu Hong's brow in the slightest.

But as soon as he made the slightest movement, he suddenly heard an extremely angry shout in his ear, which seemed to shake the entire palace.

"Great, absolutely great!"

"When did I not know that my new Han dynasty had only been in power in the capital city of Bianjing for a mere ten days, yet such a disgraceful act has already occurred, defaming the imperial family?"

"What a fine Sheng Hong! What a fine Vice Minister of War of mine!"

Liu Hong was truly furious at this moment.

He had given me guidance several times before.

I originally thought that although Sheng Hong had flaws in his personal morality, he was still a capable person.

But looking back now, it just seems ridiculous, like casting pearls before swine.

boom!

A very loud noise.

The imperial desk in front of him was smashed by Liu Hong's fist, and the folding tablets on it fell to the ground and piled up in a small heap.

Liu Hong's knuckles were red and swollen from the impact.

Upon seeing this, the chief eunuch was shocked and shouted repeatedly, "Medical officer, quickly find the medical officer!"

"Why are you looking for a physician!"

Liu Hong gave a sharp rebuke, his eyes bloodshot, each word dripping with murderous intent, "Go immediately! Convey my decree, order that Sheng Hong to get into the palace at top speed."

"If it's even a fraction of a second later, he'll come back with his head."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

The chief eunuch dared not hesitate for a moment, immediately responded loudly, and turned to rush out of the palace with lightning speed.

Only after he left did a palace eunuch muster up the courage to cautiously ask Liu Hong for his opinion and go to fetch a physician to treat the wound.

……

The chief eunuch sped along.

Before they even left the palace gates, they were stopped by three assistant wives.

"Your Excellency, what has happened? Why the rush?"

The eunuch didn't stop for a moment, but as he passed by, he couldn't help but look at Wang Ruofu, stamping his foot with a look of exasperation, and said, "Madam Sheng! The Sheng family has really gotten itself into a huge mess this time. A perfectly good match made in heaven has been ruined by the trouble you've caused, and no one can cover it up now."

"Ugh!"

After saying that, the chief eunuch ran even faster.

If this matter is not handled properly, he might even be implicated if he makes a careless mistake.

"Good sister, what's wrong?" The Duchess of England asked with a serious expression.

Princess Pingning also cast a puzzled look at her.

This is not right, neither morally nor logically.

The Sheng family has only recently gained power, hasn't it?

I haven't heard of Sheng Hong, the Vice Minister of War, getting into any trouble. These past few days, he's been leading three hundred guards, mediating various matters in the capital city, and he's been quite diligent in his duties.

Even the Duke of Qi's mansion had dealings with them several times because of this.

Faced with their questions, Wang Ruofu was already completely distracted, and the self-cultivation skills he had learned from the two of them over the past few days were completely ruined.

Her lips trembled, her face was deathly pale, and only one thought occupied her mind: "Hualan...it must be Hualan. I, her mother, am not home right now, and I'm afraid it's those people from that household who will bully her in some way."

"It's over... This time, it's really over!"

……

At the main gate of the Sheng family compound, people came and went in an endless stream.

Countless passersby secretly glanced toward the gate of the mansion, their expressions full of curiosity.

At this moment, the chief eunuch's cold gaze fell on Sheng Hong, his face expressionless, showing no mercy, and his tone was extremely harsh: "Lord Sheng, please!"

"Has His Majesty summoned you?"

Sheng Hong asked with a respectful expression.

The chief eunuch didn't want to say another word, and turned around coldly, saying, "Lord Sheng, you'd better hurry up. His Majesty made it clear in the Wende Hall that if Lord Sheng continues to delay like this, he will bring his head to me."

"It saves us the trouble of making this special trip again."

Upon hearing this, Sheng Hong's previously composed face instantly lost all color.

In an instant, I felt a chill in my heart, as if most of the heat in my body had frozen, and my body was so stiff that I couldn't move.

Feeling lost and confused, Sheng Hong had no other choice.

He had just finished his official duties and hadn't even had time to go home when he was caught red-handed by the chief eunuch and the imperial guards accompanying him. He was escorted all the way to the palace.

Soon, the Sheng family behind him learned of this.

"Oh no! Oh no! The lord has been captured by the palace guards!"

"And what's with the talk of bringing my head to you?"

In the blink of an eye, the already anxious Sheng family descended into complete chaos.

……

The setting sun cast its last rays, making the scene slightly dim.

With daylight gone, the majestic palace seemed even more eerie.

The grandeur of the daytime has now been replaced by emptiness and desolation. Occasionally, night guards pass by, the clanging of their armor rustling in the evening breeze, which is particularly jarring.

The gazes cast intentionally or unintentionally by the palace guards seemed to be directed at a dying man.

When he was taken to the outside of Wende Hall, Sheng Hong's body was already as limp as a lump of mud, and he could not even stand up.

The Wende Hall was completely dark, with no light anywhere, and even the candles had been removed.

Outside the hall, the chief eunuch was whispering something to the eunuch beside him.

A moment later, the chief eunuch looked enlightened and breathed a long sigh of relief, patting his chest.

then.

His cold gaze swept over Sheng Hong, who was kneeling on the ground, and he flicked his sleeves.

Immediately following, the palace guards on both sides stepped forward, and with a loud "boom," the heavy vermilion doors of the Wende Hall slammed shut.

Sheng Hong subconsciously turned around to look, but at that moment, even the slightest bit of light behind him was blocked out.

The surroundings were completely plunged into darkness, where one could not see their own hand in front of their face.

At the same time, Sheng Hong's heart sank to the bottom.

Just as he was becoming increasingly at a loss, a voice faintly came from outside the hall: "His Majesty has said that Lord Sheng should reflect on his actions in the Wende Hall."

"His Majesty will come to see Lord Sheng at this time tomorrow!"

"Your humble servant... obeys."

Sheng Hong's voice was dry and hoarse, with an uncontrollable tremor.

However, after saying this...

He couldn't help but look up at his surroundings, carefully moving his body, but all he could see was endless darkness.

Upon entering the palace, he was not subjected to the caning he had imagined. However, the boundless darkness and deathly silence he experienced at that moment filled him with more terror than any form of torture.

"Is...is anyone there...?"