Chapter 24: Who Gave You the Audacity to Confront Me?

The Emperor’s gaze shifted back and forth between Leng Yichen and Nanny Zhang. After a moment, he raised his hand to halt the simmering confrontation, his expression stern as he declared:

"Let there be no more baseless entanglement in this matter. Brother, if you are unwilling to remain here, I command you to take a troop of Imperial Guards and bring Shen Ningshuang to me at once. Remember, you are to 'invite' her; do not alarm her. If she is truly innocent, I cannot allow the daughter of a meritorious official to be falsely accused."

Leng Yichen raised an eyebrow, his demeanor clearly betraying his reluctance, but the Imperial decree could not be defied. Ultimately, he accepted the order and strode out of the Imperial Study. A brief silence fell over the room as everyone secretly speculated on how the situation would unfold.

Leng Yichen traveled to the Shen residence with the utmost speed to retrieve Shen Ningshuang. On the way back to the palace, he gave his men a subtle signal to keep their mouths shut, then slipped into Shen Ningshuang’s carriage. Once inside, he gave her a rough summary of the events in the Imperial Study.

As she listened, Shen Ningshuang’s delicate brows furrowed. Leng Zhaowen had previously claimed that the actions of the men in black were all orchestrated by him and had even patted his chest, promising that all subsequent preparations were perfectly in place. Now that this nanny was accusing her on the spot, it was clear that the situation had spiraled beyond Leng Zhaowen’s control.

With time pressing, Leng Yichen could not discuss the details further and simply asked, "That convicted servant said you are not General Shen’s biological daughter—is that true or false?"

Shen Ningshuang blinked her eyes, which seemed to hold the stars, and under Leng Yichen’s gaze, she slowly nodded.

"Does your father know about this?"

Shen Ningshuang shook her head.

Leng Yichen felt as though his heart had been struck by a heavy hammer. Beyond his look of sheer shock, an ominous premonition surged within him. "Logically speaking, it would be difficult for anyone to find any trace of your secrets. If even your father does not know of your origins, how could this servant possibly know?"

Shen Ningshuang already had a few suspicions, but she could not yet be certain.

***

"Your Highness, this time, I believe I need your help."

Not long after, Leng Yichen returned in haste with Shen Ningshuang. Dressed in a simple gown and appearing composed, she stepped into the Imperial Study and curtsied gracefully: "Your subject, Shen Ningshuang, pays respects to Your Majesty. May Your Majesty be blessed with health."

The Emperor scrutinized her and said slowly, "Shen Ningshuang, Nanny Zhang has formally accused you, claiming you knew of her identity as a descendant of the former dynasty and used it to coerce her into attacking the Imperial Mausoleum in an attempt to sever the dragon vein. She further claims you are not the biological daughter of Shen Fengmo. How do you explain this?"

Shen Ningshuang raised her eyes slightly, a flicker of perfectly measured confusion appearing in her clear gaze. She looked at Nanny Zhang as if she were a complete stranger, speaking neither servile nor overbearing:

"Your Majesty is wise. I have grown up in the Shen household, cherished by my parents and close with my siblings; how could I be such a treasonous person? As for the matter of my birth that the nanny speaks of, it is utterly absurd; I have never heard of such things. As for coercing her, that is even more nonsensical. I rarely leave the house, let alone know the daily movements of a nanny—where would I find the power to coerce her? It is likely that this woman, having committed a grave crime, is attempting to drag me down with her to find a glimmer of survival."

Nanny Zhang scoffed from the side: "Fourth Miss Shen certainly has a sharp tongue! On the seventh day of the sixth month, three years ago, you went alone to a secluded corner of the Imperial Garden. I was there exchanging a list of former-dynasty remnants with an informant and was inadvertently spotted by you. You immediately threatened to expose the matter unless I worked for you. From that moment on, I fell into the mire and committed many wrongs. Can you dare say you were not in the Imperial Garden that day?"

Shen Ningshuang looked like a startled fawn, her face instantly turning pale. Her cherry lips parted slightly, and she spoke with a look of utter horror:

"You... you actually possess a list of former-dynasty remnants? Since the founding of our Ningyuan Kingdom, thanks to the painstaking efforts and diligent governance of our past sovereigns, the people have been able to live in peace and prosperity. Under Your Majesty’s current prosperous reign, the country is stable and the world is at peace. Your Majesty is benevolent and does not wish to exterminate the people of the former dynasty, yet you choose to repay kindness with enmity, forming cliques within this palace and plotting to sever our kingdom's dragon vein? You are truly audacious and unforgivable!"

Nanny Zhang had not expected her to seize upon the mention of the list, and she became somewhat flustered.

Shen Ningshuang seized the opportunity: "Your Majesty, this matter of the list is of grave importance. If these ill-intentioned people are hiding in the palace, is it not like having a hidden blade beside your pillow, threatening the imperial safety at any moment? Is it not the priority of the moment for Your Majesty to seize this list and follow the trail to root out these rebels hiding in the palace?"

Hearing these words, the Emperor felt as if struck by a bolt of lightning. A layer of cold sweat broke out on his back, and his expression turned grave.

***

"You guilty slave, where is that list? Reveal it at once!"

Nanny Zhang hung her head, looking like a frosted eggplant, yet she maintained an air of stoic defiance, clearly unwilling to hand it over.

"Guards, seal the inner palace! Search everywhere, and the Empress's palace is the top priority—do not overlook a single spot!"

"As you command!" the guards shouted in unison.

Taking advantage of the time during the search, Shen Ningshuang spoke again: "Your Majesty, Nanny Zhang said I discovered her secret on the seventh day of the sixth month, three years ago. I have thought about it—during that period, I was suffering from a severe cold and was bedridden for a long time; I never entered the palace at all. The physicians in my household can testify to this. To escape her own guilt, this woman has fabricated details so clumsily that they are full of holes."

The Emperor turned his gaze to Shen Fengmo: "Minister Shen, is this true?"

Shen Fengmo quickly replied, "Your Majesty, three years ago, my daughter was indeed seriously ill for a period of time. We invited several renowned physicians to treat her, and the prescriptions are still preserved and can be presented for your inspection at any time."

Seeing this, Nanny Zhang exclaimed urgently, "Your Majesty, this father and daughter must have colluded to forge evidence! I am not mistaken about the Imperial Garden incident; the Miss must have used some method to bribe others to provide false testimony."

At this moment, the Third Prince, Leng Zhaowen, who had remained silent, stepped forward:

"Father, this matter is full of suspicious points. Nanny Zhang insisted on a confrontation with Miss Shen, and I assumed she had some concrete evidence. I never expected her claims to be so riddled with holes. I believe we cannot convict the Fourth Miss Shen based solely on Nanny Zhang's one-sided words. I have heard that the remnants of the former dynasty have always been close to our neighbor, the Ruijin Kingdom. Could this nanny be slandering the Shen family so tirelessly because she fears the Shen family's threat at the border? Or is she trying to use these absurd tales to divert our attention and help a neighbor sow discord within our own borders?"

The Emperor listened, lost in thought. He had to admit, it made a certain amount of sense.

Seeing this, Shen Ningshuang stepped forward to add fuel to the fire: "Furthermore, Nanny Zhang claimed I coerced her into attacking the Imperial Mausoleum and insisted that I am not the daughter of the Shen family. Perhaps Nanny Zhang should explain: who exactly is this Shen Ningshuang, and for what purpose would I want to attack the Imperial Mausoleum?"