Emperor Jingyuan remained calm; he had seen all sorts of grand occasions.
Zhang Qiren stood dejectedly to the side, hoping that if he covered his ears, he wouldn't hear Shen Mingzhu's innermost thoughts.
Host, there's actually some very exciting news.
Guagua, what's the news? Does this mean Mrs. Zhang has children outside the marriage?
Zhang Qiren's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets when he heard that!
Although they each do their own thing and he can have mistresses, he absolutely forbids it from his wife!
There is a fundamental difference between going out to have fun and having children from such fun.
Prince An: My God, Lady Zhang is truly the most courageous woman in the Great Yan.
Fierce!
Pei Siyan: Hahaha~~~ From now on, the title of "the most beautiful couple in the capital" will belong to him and his wife.
They are incredibly loving!
And he has only one wife, whom he truly loves!
It's just that he's a military officer and doesn't understand how civil officials can promote themselves and create momentum; otherwise, the most loving couple in Shengjing would definitely be from their family.
Snort!
See?
In the end, it didn't crash!
Crown Prince Yan Beichen: What exactly is this shocking news?
Shen Changyuan glanced at the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. Fortunately, his rank wasn't as high as his own, so it was alright.
Host, Madam Zhang has no illegitimate children.
"That's good, that's good. Otherwise, Lord Zhang would have killed someone!"
Zhang Qiren, Minister of the Court of Imperial Stud: What are you saying!
How could he kill someone!
At most, it's just "sent" far away...
However, what troubled him the most was that their public image had collapsed, and they had become a laughing stock in Shengjing.
If all else fails, he'll apply for an external transfer!
People outside don't know about his affairs.
He could bring his several beautiful concubines with him then; it doesn't seem like a bad idea.
In an instant, Zhang Qiren's mind raced with countless plans.
Guagua, what's the breaking news?
Shen Mingzhu couldn't have imagined any more explosive news.
Prince An: Speak quickly, speak quickly, I'm getting impatient!
Crown Prince Yan Beichen unknowingly stood beside Shen Mingzhu, blocking Zhang Qiren's view.
The entire court: Speak quickly, Lord Shen! We're waiting to hear it!!!
Host, the latest and most explosive news: Minister Zhang of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices and his wife share a common "lover"—it's the same person!
What?
The entire court was stunned.
Is it as they think?
The couple has the same vision!
I'm truly impressed!
The eyes of all the civil and military officials met, filled with unspoken words, as if there was an unseen understanding between them.
My God, that's amazing!
Prince An was also so shocked that he couldn't speak. This...
This...
How could this be?!
One person can be the "lover" of a couple!
Pei Siyan: What "lover"? It's clearly a married couple raising the same "little lover." Lord Shen is too subtle.
Ptooey! Ptooey! Ptooey!
This is an insult to civility!
Aren't those bookish civil officials the ones who love to talk about things that are uncivilized?
Their military officers would say something that was uncivilized if they uttered a single word.
Look, this is truly an insult to civility!
I really want to shout, "This is an insult to civility!!!"
Ahhh, it's a pity I can't shout!
Feeling frustrated...
Tian Xuezhou was completely stunned; he never expected it to be like this!
This is truly explosive.
It's estimated that after today, Lord Zhang and his wife will be completely famous!
From now on, whatever they say will probably be seen as a joke by everyone.
Crown Prince Yan Beichen scanned Zhang Qiren from head to toe and shook his head.
Sigh... it's over!
At this moment, Shen Mingzhu's inner voice came again.
This is incredible! Guagua, who is their mutual "lover"? Which hero is so alluring that he made Lord Zhang and his wife both bend over backwards?
Prince An: Yes, who is it?
This person is no simple character either.
Guagua, tell me quickly! Who is this? He can tame a man and charm women—truly a role model for us all!
Crown Prince Yan Beichen's lips twitched. His little Crown Princess's thinking was a bit off; he needed to have a good talk with her.
This kind of person is not a role model!
Host, this person is a poor scholar from a village near Shengjing. In order to afford his studies, he had no choice but to submit to Madam Zhang and then deal with Lord Zhang. He had no other option!
As soon as Shen Mingzhu finished speaking, Zhang Qiren immediately knew who it was.
It was him!
He treated him so well, but he never expected him to have an affair with his wife!
Guagua, this scholar must be very handsome, right?
Host, this poor scholar is named Zhou Kaiwen. He has younger siblings, a sick mother, and a gambling father. He is fair-skinned, refined, and has a strong scholarly air; he is a complete pretty boy.
Guagua, a sick mother, a gambling father, young siblings, and a broken heart! It's so tragic~~~
Crown Prince Yan Beichen: That's a good summary. Don't bother summarizing next time!
Prince An: A sick mother, a gambling father, young siblings, and a broken man!
They're so adorable!
He added two more words: "broken and unlucky him!"
If he had met me, I would certainly have helped him. What a pity he ran into the Zhang family...
What a pity!
Emperor Jingyuan: I never would have guessed that my younger brother would become such a philanthropist.
Prince An: Your Majesty, I have always been a great philanthropist!
I frequently do good deeds.
Host, don't pity Zhou Kaiwen. He's living a good life with his whole family now, in a big house, eating and drinking well. His father's gambling debts have been paid off, and his mother's illness has been treated by the best doctor in Shengjing, using the most expensive medicine. His younger siblings have all been sent to academies.
It's fair to say that Zhou Kaiwen single-handedly propelled his entire family to new heights!
Guagua, isn't this what we meant before: sacrificing one person for the happiness of the whole family?.
[Uh… "Host, you're right! The Zhou family changed their tragic fate entirely thanks to Zhou Kaiwen.]
Prince An: Can it be calculated like this?
He felt that Shen Mingzhu was right. That was indeed the case, but he still felt that something was not quite right.
Crown Prince Yan Beichen: I wonder if the rest of the Zhou family knows about this sacrifice.