The protagonist committed numerous evil deeds.

Chapter 5 The Empress

The Phoenix Palace of the Jin State.

The Phoenix Palace is the largest palace in the imperial palace, and it is magnificent and resplendent. The bricks paving the floor, the tiles covering the roof, and even the decorative grass are all top-quality tributes. The palace has mountains and water, as well as a large heart-shaped lotus lake. It is said that Emperor Shen Yi personally supervised its construction, just to win a smile from the Empress.

Inside the palace, Xie Wanning was leisurely sipping her tea, while the dozen or so eunuchs and palace maids in the palace were all holding their breath and concentrating intently.

When Xie Wanning was young, she was in charge of the Xie family lineage. Even after she married a prince who was not valued, she was still able to put him on the throne.

Xie Wanning's features are exquisite and three-dimensional, yet imposing, with a cool and aloof air about her. Her lips are full and luscious, but she often purses them, and her dignified and authoritative demeanor makes people hesitant to approach her.

She's now in her forties, but looks like she's only in her early thirties.

A palace maid walked slowly in from outside. She stepped forward, clasped her hands in front of her chest, and knelt down to greet the Crown Prince, saying, "Your Highness, His Highness the Crown Prince has returned and is already waiting outside the palace."

Xie Wanning did not answer immediately after hearing this, but instead lowered her head, blew on the tea, and then took a small sip.

The palace maid was still kneeling. Xie Wanning slowly finished her cup of tea before saying, "Let him in."

Shen Yingsi, dressed in the Crown Prince's court robes, approached his mother and bowed first.

"My son has met his mother."

Xie Wanning didn't rush to wake everyone up; instead, she carefully examined her child, whom she hadn't seen for two whole months.

This child is her greatest achievement in life. She has placed high hopes on him and disciplined him strictly since he was a child. Over the years, he has never disappointed her, but in recent years he has frequently opposed her.

"How smoothly did the extermination of the sea monsters in the East Sea go?"

Shen Yingsi's voice was steady and strong: "Reporting to Mother Empress, everything went smoothly."

"Successfully! Then why did you drag out the trip, which should have taken a month, into two months?"

Bang!

Shen Yingsi lowered his head and saw the teacup and teapot suddenly fall to the ground. The tea was scalding hot, and a lot of tea splashed onto Shen Yingsi's hands and face, but he didn't utter a sound or move.

The palace maid quickly tidied up the teacups on the floor and silently placed fresh tea. After a long while, Xie Wanning calmed herself down and slowly asked, "Were you injured during this demon-hunting trip?"

"Your Majesty, I am well."

"You sit down first."

Shen Yingsi slowly got up and sat down, when he heard Xie Wanning's voice.

"This Moon Half City isn't far from Ghost Valley. Your eldest uncle and youngest uncle are both there. If your youngest uncle can help you eliminate the demons in Moon Half City this time, that would be a great achievement. It would be perfectly justifiable to transfer him back to the capital then. It's always a laughing stock for the Xie family head to be far away from the capital."

The eldest son of the Xie family was born out of wedlock, while the second son, who was seven years older than Shen Yingsi, was Xie Wanning's biological younger brother.

Shen Yingsi stood up, knelt down again, and bowed, his voice still steady: "My uncle's cultivation and talent are neither particularly outstanding. Keeping him in the capital will only lead to disaster; the death of the Zhao family's eldest daughter is a case in point—"

Before he could finish speaking, a cup of tea was smashed onto Shen Yingsi's arm.

He continued, neither humble nor arrogant, "A warning."

"Warning? What can the Zhao family do to me? If it weren't for your unilateral decision, the Zhao family would have kept their eldest son dead even if it meant the death of a mere mortal."

Seeing that Shen Yingsi hadn't moved for a long time, Xie Wanning hesitated for a moment, then slowly got up and went forward to help her child up, advising, "Si'er, the Xie family is the Empress Dowager's family, and also your right-hand man. When it comes to employing people, you have to be someone you can trust from your own family."

Seeing that he remained silent for a long time, she gently patted Shen Yingsi's shoulder and said, "I have arranged everything. In the next few days, you should go to the Xie family ancestral hall to visit your grandfather who passed away early. This house without an owner will always lack a sense of life."

Shen Yingsi took a step back, bowed, and said, "Your Majesty, then I shall take my leave."

*

As soon as Shen Yingsi stepped out of the Phoenix Palace, he encountered a middle-aged man dressed in a yellow robe.

Although the man was dressed in a yellow robe, he had no trace of the dignity and majesty of an emperor. He was carrying a birdcage and feeding the birds as he walked.

"Father."

Just as Shen Yingsi finished speaking and was about to bow, his father, the Emperor, held his arm.

"I've said it countless times, there's no need for excessive formalities between father and son."

"It's Father."

Shen Yi looked at the water stains on Shen Yingsi's shoulder and asked with concern, "Did you suffer some grievances from your mother again?"

Shen Yingsi did not answer. Shen Yi hugged him with a pained expression and comforted him, "It's alright, your father will always support you. How can you listen to your mother in everything now that you're grown up? But on the surface, your father wouldn't dare to offend your mother."

Seeing that Shen Yingsi was still expressionless, Shen Yi took the pastries from the palace servant and handed them to Shen Yingsi: "That's just how your mother is, don't be angry with her. This is your favorite hibiscus cake, which I made myself. It was originally for your mother. Now I'm giving it to you as an apology on her behalf."

Shen Yingsi took the pastries, a wide smile curving his lips, radiating the sunny and cheerful demeanor typical of a nineteen-year-old.

"Thank you, Father."

Shen Yi felt relieved when he saw him smile.

"Then your father will go to see your mother first. She's been becoming more and more dependent on me lately."

Shen Yi patted his shoulder and brushed past him. Shen Yingsi's expression turned cold in an instant, and his smile gradually disappeared.

Chirp chirp chirp...

The cries of the caged bird grew fainter and fainter. Shen Yingsi remained motionless, and the guards behind him dared not approach.

After a while, he raised his hand and patted Shen Yi's shoulder, which he had just touched, as if it had been stained with something dirty.

"Let's go."