Chapter 42
The Emperor asked, and Shen Nian repeated his request once more. His expression was somewhat dejected, his voice listless, his whole demeanor drooping as if he had suffered a great shock.
Qi Junmu pondered the scene before him for a moment—it seemed to overlap with the previous life.
Back then, Shen Nian had also returned the military tally and petitioned to have his title stripped. His complexion had been terrible, with a strange, half-smiling expression that gave off an air of utter despair.
Qi Junmu had always assumed that Shen Nian's departure from the capital in the previous life had something to do with his own attitude toward him. Shen Nian was perceptive enough to read his feelings, and he was not the type to overstay his welcome. Returning the tally and withdrawing from the capital to take a step back was only reasonable under the circumstances.
Revoking the title of a high-ranking minister was not exactly a favorable move for an emperor. Still, back then, in order to secure control of the North Frontier's military power, he had gone through the motions of urging Shen Nian to stay twice before finally acquiescing to his insistence.
But in this life, he had shown Shen Nian such great regard—Shen Nian must have been fully aware of that. Qi Junmu had long since been convinced that this matter would never come up again. Barring any unforeseen events, Shen Nian should have remained in the capital for the rest of his life, serving as Marquis Zhenbei until his dying day.
Yet things had taken such an unexpected turn. At the very moment when Qi Junmu was least prepared, Shen Nian had raised the very same request again.
That meant the issue did not lie with him, the Emperor—it lay with Shen Nian himself, or perhaps with someone in the Shen family.
After a moment of careful consideration, Qi Junmu paid no heed to the water stains on his robes or the imperial desk. He rose, walked over to Shen Nian, helped him to his feet, and placed the military tally back into Shen Nian's hands. Then, fixing his gaze on the man before him, he asked, "What exactly has happened?"
Shen Nian's eyes flickered. He looked away and said, "Your Majesty, this humble subject... this humble subject is not suited to remain in the capital. Your Majesty need not worry—I will publicly resign before the court. I will not put Your Majesty in a difficult position."
"Is this about putting me in a difficult position?" Qi Junmu's voice turned slightly cold. "Even if you resign publicly, I will not approve it."
Shen Nian's pupils shifted, a trace of humiliation flickering in his eyes. In the end, he pressed his lips together and said nothing more.
Seeing him in such a state, Qi Junmu knew that whatever had happened in the Shen family must have been extraordinary. He said, "If you won't tell me, I can always send people to find out. But I don't want to do that—I want to hear it from you."
"You don't have to speak now if you're not ready. I won't force you. Tell me when you're willing. Since you're in low spirits today, rest here in my place. Don't miss your duties tomorrow."
Shen Nian's face flickered with hesitation, inner turmoil, and unease. At last, he merely said, "Thank you, Your Majesty."
Qi Junmu acknowledged this with a grunt but did not send him back to the Imperial Guard Office.
That place was crowded with prying eyes, and not everyone there was fully convinced of Shen Nian's authority. Moreover, Yang Jinglei was currently being kept in limbo by the Emperor, left in an awkward position with no clear standing. Many people were uncertain of the situation, and harsh words were bound to be spoken.
Since he wanted Shen Nian to rest properly, Qi Junmu naturally intended to provide him with a truly peaceful place.
The quietest spot in the palace was his own Qianhua Hall, so Shen Nian's resting place ended up being the side hall of Qianhua Hall.
The last time Shen Nian had entered the palace on his day off, Qi Junmu had taken him in. That had been in the evening—not too late, not too early. Today, however, the sky was still bright and open. If Shen Nian stayed in Qianhua Hall, it would inevitably invite gossip.
Qi Junmu could not have cared less about such talk. As far as he was concerned, no matter what others thought, they would never dare to speak ill within his hearing.
As for Shen Nian—in the past, mindful of the Emperor's reputation, he would never have been willing to stay overnight in Qianhua Hall in broad daylight. At the very least, he would have forced himself to wander around the palace until dusk. But today, he simply had neither the mood nor the energy for such things. All he wanted now was to lie down on a proper bed—even if he could not fall asleep.
After expressing his gratitude, Shen Nian followed Ruan Jiqing out.
Qi Junmu watched his shoulders slump and felt a strange pang in his chest. In his memory, Shen Nian had always been bold and sharp-witted. Now, it was as if an invisible mountain had pressed down upon him, bending his once-straight spine.
The Emperor did not like seeing Marquis Zhenbei like this. He summoned one of the other eunuchs standing outside the hall and said, "Go tell Ruan Jiqing to light a stick of calming incense in the side hall."
The calming incense used by the Emperor was naturally the finest—refreshing in scent, with a light, pleasant fragrance that was never cloying.
This incense was specially prepared by the Imperial Hospital, made with precious ingredients that would not cause dependency. Fortunately, there were few masters in the palace now, so the incense was ample, and the Emperor's own supply was more than sufficient.
When Qi Junmu had first returned from his previous life, there were times when he could not tell where he truly was. On nights when sleep eluded him, he would light a stick of calming incense. The scent would help him drift off for at least a short while.
After some time, he no longer needed it.
Of course, before using it in this life, he had made every imperial physician thoroughly examine the incense to ensure there was nothing wrong with it. Only after receiving confirmation did he begin using it.
The main reason was that in his previous life, his health had steadily declined. At a young age, he had begun experiencing tightness in his chest and a persistent lack of energy. At first, he had not paid it much attention, and Wen Wan had told him he was simply overworked.
Bai Feng had long since left the Imperial Hospital due to a family bereavement, so the physician who took his pulse was He Qing, recommended by Wen Wan. It was only later, when his chest pains worsened and he ordered a thorough investigation, that he discovered the people around him had been adding other substances to his incense burner. That was what had led to his stroke after Wen Wan's final provocation.
At the time, he had just uncovered the tampering in the incense burner when Wen Wan got wind of it—and then provoked him to that state.
That was also why, upon waking in this life, he had immediately ordered the eunuch in question to be beaten to death. Whether or not that man had yet committed such deeds, he would not allow such a person to remain.
Thinking back on the events of his past life, Qi Junmu half-closed his eyes and tapped his fingers lightly on the desk.
He would not touch the snakes and rats in the Imperial Hospital for now. In this life, he wanted to see exactly who stood behind them.
Ruan Jiqing returned after settling Shen Nian and saw the Emperor's face filled with murderous intent. His heart tightened—he had no idea who the Emperor was thinking of to provoke such a grim expression.
Hearing footsteps, Qi Junmu opened his eyes and asked, "How is he?"
Ruan Jiqing quickly offered a smile and said, "This servant followed Your Majesty's instructions and lit the calming incense. The Marquis has already fallen asleep."
"Asleep?" Qi Junmu had not expected that and looked slightly surprised.
Ruan Jiqing's smile deepened. "The Marquis must have been truly exhausted. Besides, with Your Majesty's own calming incense and your gracious words, of course the Marquis felt at ease enough to rest properly."
Ruan Jiqing's skill with pleasing words was unmatched—not because his flattery was particularly subtle, but because he always knew exactly what to say and when to say it.
Take this moment, for instance. His flattery was so obvious that Qi Junmu could not pretend not to notice—yet he did not feel the least bit annoyed.
Qi Junmu said, "Make sure no one disturbs him."
Ruan Jiqing knew the Emperor was in good spirits and replied, "Rest assured, Your Majesty. This servant has arranged everything."
Qi Junmu nodded in satisfaction and waved him away.
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