Chapter 354: All Thanks to Zhaozhao

Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations

The empress passed away, and the entire country mourned.

What was surprising was that Emperor Jingyuan was unwilling to bury the Empress in the imperial tomb.

According to the laws of Great Jing, only the empress who was not worthy of the position could not enter the imperial tomb. Therefore, Emperor Jingyuan’s actions angered a group of radical officials led by the Su family.

Emperor Jingyuan pushed back the memorials handed over by the courtiers indifferently.

More importantly, Emperor Jingyuan’s health had improved.

This was not a good thing for some people in the imperial court.

They were already used to a muddle-headed and incompetent emperor. Now that the emperor had become diligent and loved the people, they naturally could not adapt.

Once the sovereign became a wise ruler, those officials who had been sitting around and eating could no longer sit still.

It wasn’t until Emperor Jingyuan suddenly wrote an edict for the throne that the entire imperial court erupted!

Prince Xian?

Who would have thought that Emperor Jingyuan would choose his younger brother, Prince Xian?

On the second day after receiving the imperial edict, Prince Xian gathered hundreds of thousands of troops and horses to the northwest.

The actions of these two people really stunned the ministers.

On the third day after Prince Xian left the capital, Shen Yao, a sixth-grade compiler from the Hanlin Academy, suddenly sued the current Grand Secretary Su!

Grand Secretary Su was not strict with his family. He actually tacitly allowed the Minister of Official Personnel, Su Cheng, to buy and sell official positions to secretly accumulate wealth!

What was even more infuriating was that the three walls of Grand Secretary Su’s study were actually made of gold!

Other than Grand Secretary Su, the Sun family, who was closely related to the Su family, had also been investigated!

Shen Yao was the Grand Princess Imperial’s grandson-in-law. He was the new top scholar appointed by His Majesty during the Spring Quarter Examinations this year!

No one had expected principal graduate Shen to be so stubborn. He had actually injured the Su family and the Sun family!

In the end, the evidence of the Su family and the Sun family’s crimes was verified and their homes were confiscated.

No matter how intense the storm in the sky above the capital was, Chang’an’s Grand Princess Imperial’s Residence was as peaceful as ever.

Under Immortal Crane’s strong request, Ji Zhao went through fifty days of confinement.

“I’m finally free!” Ji Zhao stretched her waist and sighed from the bottom of her heart. “Shen Yao, don’t you feel that the air outside has become much fresher?”

Shen Yao silently turned around and looked at Jade Garden, which was only four or five steps away. He nodded obediently. “Yes, it’s indeed different.” “By the way, shouldn’t we give Little Dumpling a name?” Ji Zhao looked down at the cute little baby in her arms and could not help but smile. “Little Dumpling is indeed our son. He’s very good-looking!”

His fair and tender face and long eyelashes were extremely adorable.

Ji Zhao could not help but lower her head and kiss Little Dumpling.

Her kiss shattered Little Dumpling’s beautiful dream. However, Little Dumpling was not angry and continued to sleep obediently.

Looking at him, Ji Zhao felt like her heart was about to melt.

“Sons take after their mothers, it’s all thanks to Zhaozhao that Dumpling is good-looking,” Shen Yao said calmly.

Ji Zhao smiled. “Shen Yao, I realize that you’re really getting better at talking now!”

“Then docs Zhaozhao like it?” Shen Yao suddenly leaned closer and kissed her cheek.

“Ahem.” Ji Zhao hurriedly took two steps away from him. “Be serious. We should seriously discuss Little Dumpling’s name now.”

Previously, Shen Yao had always thought that the child in her stomach was a daughter, so the names he had prepared were all for girls.

Therefore, Little Dumpling could not use any of those names.

“Zhaozhao, let me think about it.” Shen Yao smiled helplessly. “It’s difficult to think of a name that suits Little Dumpling at this moment.”

“But why do I remember that after Eldest Sister-in-law and Second Sister-in-law gave birth, you quickly took came up with names?”

Shen Tao, Shen Hao, these were the names that Shen Yao immediately thought of!

Ji Zhao looked at the man beside him suspiciously and suddenly had a guess. “Don’t tell me you’ve lost interest in giving the boy a name just because he’s a boy? Shen Yao, aren’t you a little too biased? Huh?”

Shen Yao silently looked away and said calmly, “Zhaozhao, what are you thinking? Dumpling is also my flesh and blood. I just can’t think of a suitable name at the moment.”

“Really?”

“Of course it’s true!”

After a hundred days, Shen Yao finally decided on his name.

Shen Kang.

Ji Zhao looked at the word ‘Kang’ in a daze.

“Kang, it means to be healthy. Firstly, I hope that Little Dumpling will be healthy for the rest of his life. Secondly, I pray that the Great Jing will be safe and sound.”

Shen Yao explained softly, then his gaze landed on Ji Zhao’s face. He asked carefully, “Does Zhaozhao like it?”

“It’s pretty good.” Ji Zhao immediately nodded. “This name is not bad.”

“But I have a question.”

“Yes?”

“If,” Ji Zhao looked into his eyes and smiled faintly, “I mean if. If we have a daughter in the future, will you name her Shen An?”

“No.” Shen Yao shook his head firmly. “This name is too ordinary. It’s not worthy of our daughter.”

Pfft-

Ji Zhao couldn’t help but laugh.

This man clearly favored girls over boys!

He was a proper slave to his daughter!

Prince Xian led his troops to the northwest in mid-September and did not return triumphantly until early December.

At the same time, Emperor Jingyuan’s illness acted up again.

This time, he could not get up.

When Prince Xian took off his armor and walked into the Qianqing Hall, he saw Emperor Jingyuan for the last time.

“Brother…” Prince Xian strode to his side, and his eyes instantly turned red.

“Seventh Brother…” Emperor Jingyuan looked into his eyes and smiled. “In the future, our Great Jing Empire will be left to you… I’ve done too many ridiculous things in my life. I should have gone to the underground to apologize long ago. I’m holding on to my last breath now because I want to personally apologize to you, Seventh Brother…”

In the 30th year of Jingyuan, Emperor Jingyuan passed away in the winter. He was 56 years old.

Emperor Jingyuan had been in power for twenty years, and his political achievements were average. He was not a virtuous ruler who loved the country and the people, but before he died, he gave the throne to a virtuous prince who had both military and civil merits. Therefore, the history books of Great Jing added a reputation of being a benevolent brother to him.

The following spring, Prince Xian, Zhou Yuheng ascended the throne and changed the country’s name to Jingchen.

After the Spring Quarter Examinations, the situation in the imperial court changed drastically.

Students from poor families were able to be put to use, and the power of the aristocratic families was greatly weakened.

The emperor’s most trusted close aide was the newly appointed Grand Secretary, Shen Yao, who was only 27.

Shen Manor.

Ji Zhao was going through the accounts of a few shops when she heard shouting outside.

“Third Aunt, help! My mother is about to tear my butt apart!”

“What’s going on?” Ji Zhao raised her head and asked softly.

Second Sister-in-law Shen carried the feather duster and walked into the hall angrily. “Third Sister-in-law, that brat Shen Hao actually brought Kang’er to watch a cockfight!”

“Cockfight? Kang’er?” Ji Zhao looked surprised. “Second Sister-in-law, is there a misunderstanding?”

Her little boy had yet to learn how to walk!

Now, he was only half a year old!