Chapter 390: Even Empress Jia Had Worries
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
Upon hearing this, Mrs. Shen was finally relieved.
She quickly nodded.
“That’s right! Shen Hongyu is too vicious!”
“He must have wanted to bring the bastard from outside into the residence for a long time. That’s why he forced my Rong’er to her death… Sob sob… Rong’er, my Rong’er is too pitiful…”
Mrs. Shen continued to dab at her tears.
Empress Jia looked at Mrs. Shen again with an expression full of conflicting emotions.
“I beg Your Royal Highness to help me seek justice. Help Rong’er seek justice…” Mrs. Shen seemed to have grabbed onto a life-saving buoy as she tugged on Empress Jia’s arm.
“Sigh…” Empress Jia let out a long breath.
She reached out and held Mrs. Shen’s hand.
Then, she spoke as Mrs. Shen looked on with an expectant gaze.
“Back then, I had already advised you to think twice before you get married. Shen Hongyu is not as simple as he appeared, but you didn’t believe me.”
She actually thought quite highly of Shen Hongyu.
Back then, she was the one who recommended him to her father.
However, she did not expect that not long after Shen Hongyu entered the Jia residence, he began having designs on her elder sister.
By the time she realized it and wanted to stop him, it was already too late.
In fact, she also knew that her elder sister did not have to marry Shen Hongyu, but she was afraid that her father and elder brothers would arrange another marriage for her.
With her future uncertain, her elder sister chose Shen Hongyu, who had placed all his attention on her at that time.
And she, under her elder sister’s insistence, chose to help her. Hence, the marriage between the Jia family and Shen Hongyu was formed.
Shen Hongyu was indeed a talent. With the help of the Jia family, he rose steadily.
Moreover, Shen Hongyu had played an indispensable role in her path to becoming the empress.
Unfortunately, such a character was not such a good person.
She had long known that Shen Hongyu had broken his promise and kept other women outside.
When she found out, she was a little angry.
However, she soon calmed down.
She thought that as long as Shen Hongyu did not make those things public and did not let her elder sister know about it, it was actually no big deal.
After all, things were different now. It was indeed a little unfair for the Prime Minister to keep bowing down to the same woman.
However, not long after that, the matter blew up.
Her elder sister found out about Shen Hongyu’s affairs and even sent someone to deal with Shen Hongyu’s lover.
Her elder sister had even caused a ruckus in the palace.
After the incident, Shen Hongyu showed a different attitude toward her elder sister for the first time.
Shen Hongyu felt no guilt towards her elder sister, only anger. As a result, he also had less respect for Empress Jia.
Empress Jia knew that if she threatened Shen Hongyu again, the effect would be counterproductive and Shen Hongyu might even turn against her.
After weighing the pros and cons, she persuaded her elder sister and told her to turn a blind eye.
As long as Shen Hongyu didn’t make things public, she would still be the only mistress of the household in the Prime Minister’s residence.
She even looked for Shen Hongyu and got him to make a promise.
As long as her elder sister was alive, he could not bring any woman or illegitimate child into the Prime Minister’s residence without her elder sister’s permission. This was to preserve her sister’s dignity.
At that time, although her elder sister was very disappointed, she still listened to Empress Jia’s advice.
Only then did the Prime Minister’s residence gain several years of peace.
However, now, something had happened again.
Mrs. Shen looked at Empress Jia in an aggrieved manner.
“But it’s too late for me to regret… Sob, sob…”
“Your Royal Highness, please seek justice for me! Sob, sob…”
Empress Jia frowned.
“Alright, stop crying first.” She reached out to wipe away Mrs. Shen’s tears.
Only then did Mrs. Shen stop crying in front of Empress Jia.
“Prime Minister Shen’s words carry weight in the Imperial Court and he is deeply trusted by the civil and military officials.
“Even I have to accord him some respect.”
As she spoke, Empress Jia sighed.
“The relationship between the current Prime Minister’s residence and our Jia family changed a long time ago.
“Besides… Cough, cough…” Empress Jia coughed violently twice.
When she saw that Mrs. Shen was about to pat her back to help soothe her, she gestured with her hand to stop Mrs. Shen.
“Moreover, over these two years, I feel that my health is getting worse. When one’s energy is lacking, though one’s heart is willing to do many things, one’s strength is not up to the task.”
Mrs. Shen’s eyes flickered, and she hurriedly called out, “Your Royal Highness…”
She thought that Empress Jia was unwilling to help.
Empress Jia raised her hand again to stop Mrs. Shen from speaking.
“This time, in Rong’er’s accident, Minister Shen is indeed to blame. But… Rong’er’s actions are too out of line.”
“But even if Rong’er did something wrong, she doesn’t deserve to die. He is Rong’er’s biological father, but he forced Rong’er to her death.
“Your Royal Highness, how can I swallow this?
“Sob, sob… My Rong’er doesn’t know anything. She was still so young… Sob, sob…”
Empress Jia frowned again and reached out to comfort Mrs. Shen.
“The Fahua Buddhist Temple incident was not entirely Minister Shen’s fault. It’s also Rong’er who couldn’t think things through…”
When she saw Mrs. Shen looking at her, Empress Jia shut her mouth.
“However, at this point, he wants to bring his illegitimate daughter into the Prime Minister’s residence and give Rong’er’s previous fiance to his illegitimate daughter. It is indeed inappropriate.”
Mrs. Shen’s expression became less unpleasant.
“How about this? I will summon Minister Shen here to see what he has to say,” Empress Jia continued.
“Thank you, Your Royal Highness!” Mrs. Shen hurriedly bowed and thanked her.
If the Empress was willing to get involved in this matter, things would be easier to handle.
Empress Jia sighed and helped Mrs. Shen up.
“I still reiterate the same view. The current Minister Shen is different from the one in the past. Even I can’t do anything rashly to him.
“Since Minister Shen has mentioned to you that he wants to bring Shen Lian into the residence, I’m afraid that it will be difficult to turn the situation around.
“I can only try my best to fight for some rights for you,” the Empress said.
Mrs. Shen was stunned for a while.
Finally, she nodded. She knew that this was the Empress’s final concession.
Empress Jia sighed again and patted the back of Mrs. Shen’s hand.
“In the future, it’s best for Elder Sister to be more patient toward Minister Shen,” she suddenly added.
Mrs. Shen’s face stiffened at once.
Empress Jia continued, “My health is getting worse by the day.
“If…”
“If one day, 1 am gone, the Jia family’s greatest reliance is Minister Shen.”
Mrs. Shen’s expression changed drastically.
“What is Your Royal Highness saying? Your royal body is fine…” she said hurriedly. However, before she could finish speaking, Empress Jia stretched out her hand to stop her.
“I know my own body well.”
“Elder Sister…” Empress Jia said as she looked at Mrs. Shen.
Mrs. Shen’s expression was grim.
“The Jia family is where it is today because of me. In the past, 1 always felt that
1 was the hero of the Jia family, allowing the Jia family to become the capital’s number one powerful family.”
“But now, I am somewhat uncertain…”
“Your Royal Highness…” Mrs. Shen’s heart inexplicably became anxious.
Empress Jia interrupted her again.
“These years, the Jia family has enjoyed boundless glory, but they have also made many enemies.
“If I am around, naturally no one would dare to touch the Jia family.
“But if 1 am gone…
“Those people from the Huangfu clan will not let the Jia clan off…”
This is especially true of Huangfu Wudi.
She did not expect that her one act of benevolence back then would actually leave behind such a huge disaster.
Now, it was almost impossible to get rid of him.
On the contrary, Empress Jia might be the one who would lose.
As the Empress, she wasn’t worried that Huangfu Wudi would take things too far with her..