coobybook Chapter 162 The Entanglement of an Ex
Chapter 162 The Entanglement of an Ex
The next day, the newly appointed Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) entered the palace to express their gratitude. The top three candidates were appointed as Hanlin Compilers, a sixth-rank official position.
After the court assembly, the emperor's personal eunuch called Shen Li to a stop.
"Lord Shen, His Majesty says that the Empress Dowager and Empress wish to see you and grants you permission to go to the inner palace to pay your respects," the eunuch announced.
Shen Li was originally talking with her colleagues, namely the top scholar Xu Zhiyuan and the second-place scholar Zhao Wencai.
Xu Zhiyuan truly lived up to people's imagination of a top scholar: handsome, eloquent, spirited, and only twenty-five years old.
To become the top scholar at the age of twenty-five is truly a stroke of genius.
The runner-up, Zhao Wencai, was quite shrewd. At thirty-two, he had already grown a beard and interacted with Shen Li the most.
"Excuse me, gentlemen. I look forward to your guidance in the future." Shen Li bid farewell to the two men after being summoned.
"No, no, please go ahead, Lord Shen." Both of them were quite polite, returning the greeting with clasped hands.
Shen Li turned around, but the handsome features of the top scholar were still in her mind. She kept repeating that name to herself: Xu Zhiyuan, Xu Zhiyuan.
The name sounds familiar; she must have heard it in her previous life, but she couldn't remember why.
She first went to the Empress Dowager's Longevity Palace. The Empress Dowager had always liked her and praised her writing and calligraphy upon seeing her. If she hadn't been going to see the Empress, she would have insisted on having her stay for lunch.
After leaving Wanshou Palace, she entered Fengxiang Palace. She originally thought that dealing with it would be simple, but when she saw Li Heng sitting next to the couch, she knew that today would not be so simple.
Unable to withstand the pressure, the emperor lifted Li Heng's ban long before the palace examination. However, his injuries still looked severe, with his arm in a sling and the chair he was sitting on having wheels, indicating that he had been pushed there.
His cheeks were sunken and his eyes were dull, clearly showing that he had suffered greatly from the pain.
Seeing him like this made Shen Li feel much better. She decided to tell Lin Wan'er about his current situation later, so that their plan, which even involved a self-inflicted injury, wouldn't have been in vain.
Li Heng was sizing her up. She tried to appear slightly sad, but quickly looked away and faced Empress Ning: "Your subject Shen Li greets Your Majesty the Empress and His Highness the Crown Prince."
As she spoke, she glanced at Empress Ning, whose eyes were also lifeless. With the recent uproar over the deposed crown prince and his serious injuries, it was no wonder that she, as his mother, could not be at ease.
"Madam Gu... no, Lord Shen, please rise." Empress Ning was clearly still somewhat unaccustomed to Shen Li's new identity.
Li Heng felt that the scholar's robes fit Shen Li very well. He then thought of Shen Li in her official robes and suddenly realized that he had missed a lot. If he hadn't been in such a hurry to win over Gu Chang'an back then, she would be his Crown Princess now.
He truly regretted it. He originally wanted to ascend the throne himself and then take the person back, but now he began to doubt whether he could even go that far.
Shen Li liked her new identity, but she still preferred to be called Madam Gu.
She found the man through her own abilities, so it's only natural that she wants to show him off all the time.
Empress Ning praised her highly, and Li Heng chimed in. The atmosphere was harmonious until a palace maid reported signs of theft in the inner treasury. Empress Ning hurriedly left, which made her suspicious.
"Your Majesty, I shall take my leave now." Shen Li rose to her feet. "I will come to pay my respects to you another day."
"Please sit down first. I'll be right back. I've ordered lunch. Eat before you leave," Empress Ning said hurriedly before departing, taking the palace maids from her inner chamber with her.
Shen Li then shared a room with Li Heng. She didn't believe it was a coincidence. To her relief, Li Heng was now in a difficult position, so he naturally couldn't do anything physical.
Men only behave this way.
"Sister Shen, how have you been lately?" Li Heng looked at her with deep affection.
Seeing his pitiful yet sincere appearance, Shen Li had a thought struggling in her mind.
Should we hit him?
"Thanks to Your Highness's concern, I am doing well, especially in health, and my relationship with my husband is also harmonious and loving." Shen Li said, "I am also very grateful for my husband's guidance in passing the imperial examination this time."
Since we can't use our hands, let's use our words; that should be just as effective.
As expected, Li Heng's eyes widened upon hearing this. He never imagined that he would hear Shen Li speak affectionately to another man in front of him in his lifetime. The way she called him was so intimate.
"So you really... like him?" Li Heng felt stiff as he said this.
"Yes, my husband is exceptionally talented, handsome, and devoted to me. It would be a lie to say that I am not moved."
Shen Li smiled sweetly as she said this: "In the end, I have to thank Your Highness. If it weren't for Your Highness's matchmaking, where would I have found such a good husband? I will definitely take my husband to the Eastern Palace to express my gratitude another day."
Li Heng felt as if a mouthful of blood was stuck in his throat, unable to go up or down.
He had originally wanted to reminisce about their past and have Shen Li serve him in the imperial court in the future, but now he was so choked up that he couldn't utter a single word.
After struggling for a long time, he finally managed to utter, "Will Sister Shen still be of assistance to me?"