Upon hearing that The Eldest Princess and Princess Qinghe had arrived, Su Yourong hastily threw on some clothes and rushed out.
Before leaving, she specifically told Shen Jing to come out a little later.
Shen Jing, filled with immense resentment towards the two princesses, almost scrubbed his skin raw.
About a quarter of an hour later, Shen Jing arrived in the main hall, looking dejected.
At this moment, Madam Su and You Rong were chatting happily with the two princesses.
Seeing the smiles on the princesses' faces, Shen Jing's resentment grew even stronger.
“Oh, the hero has arrived!”
Upon seeing Shen Jing, Ye Li teased him with a mischievous look.
Shen Jing stepped forward and bowed listlessly: “Greetings to the two princesses.”
Hmm?
Ye Li immediately noticed that something was off with Shen Jing and looked at Su Yourong in confusion, “What’s wrong with him?”
Su Yourong’s face flushed, and she shot Shen Jing an annoyed glance before replying with a smile: “He rushed back all this way, so he must be too exhausted…”
“Oh! So that’s it.”
Ye Li looked at Shen Jing with sudden understanding: “I thought he didn’t welcome us!”
Nonsense!
You didn’t come early or late, but chose this exact moment to arrive. It would be strange if he welcomed you!
Shen Jing secretly grumbled in his heart, then said against his will: “When the two princesses grace my door, I am overjoyed; how could I not welcome you?”
“That’s more like it!”
Ye Li smiled contentedly, then excitedly said: “Quickly tell us, how did you destroy the city wall of Yuping Pass!”
“…”
Shen Jing was speechless, “The two princesses didn’t come here just to ask about that, did they?”
“No.”
The Eldest Princess took over the conversation and smiled: “Mr. Li from the Chongwen Academy has been ill in bed recently. Seventh Sister accompanied me to visit Mr. Li, and on the way back, we heard that you had returned to the capital, so we stopped by to pay our respects.”
Shen Jing was even more speechless upon hearing this.
This is too much of a coincidence!
“Hurry up and tell us, how did you destroy the city wall?”
Ye Li urged Shen Jing again, like a curious child.
Shen Jing had no choice but to repeat the same story he had used to deceive Pei Ji.
After listening to Shen Jing’s words, let alone the two princesses, even Madam Su and You Rong looked incredulous.
Resonance?
This was the first time they had ever heard such a claim.
Looking at the expressions of the two princesses, Shen Jing couldn’t help but secretly curl his lips.
I haven’t even figured it out myself; it would be a ghost if you could!
After a long while, Ye Li finally recovered and muttered to herself: “It was so easy to break through the city wall? Your marquisate came too…”
Before Ye Li could finish her sentence, The Eldest Princess suddenly tugged at her.
Ye Li snapped awake and quickly stopped her words.
But even so, her words still shocked Shen Jing and Madam Su and You Rong.
Marquis?
No way?
Is Emperor Zhou going to confer a marquisate upon Shen Jing?
This…
Although Shen Jing did have some merit, conferring a marquisate would be too outrageous, wouldn’t it?
“I suddenly remembered that we still have something to do, so I won’t chat with you anymore.”
Ye Li seemed afraid of being caught and questioned, so she hurriedly stood up, “We’ll take our leave now.”
“This…”
Madam Su recovered her senses, “Since the two princesses still have matters, we won’t delay you.”
“Alright, let’s chat again another day when we’re free.”
With that, Ye Li pulled The Eldest Princess and left as if fleeing.
Sitting in the carriage, The Eldest Princess couldn’t help but glare at Ye Li, “You girl, you blab everything out!”
“Didn’t I just accidentally let it slip?”
Ye Li smiled apologetically.
“You need to guard your mouth! You need to know what to say and what not to say!”
The Eldest Princess reminded her, then asked in a low voice: “Did Father Emperor really say he would confer a marquisate upon Shen Jing?”
“He didn’t say it directly.”
Ye Li whispered softly: “A few days ago, when the good news from Qu Prefecture reached the capital, Father Emperor was happy and had a few extra drinks while dining with me and Mother Consort, and he casually mentioned it…”
The Eldest Princess was surprised, then said seriously: “Since it was something Father Emperor just casually mentioned, you should even less have spoken of it! If Shen Jing and the others take it seriously, and then something changes on Father Emperor’s side, what was originally Father Emperor’s great grace will end up being Father Emperor’s fault!”
“Mhm mhm…”
Ye Li nodded repeatedly, but a faint smile played on her lips.
Big Sister underestimates Father Emperor too much!
If there truly were any changes, Father Emperor wouldn’t directly cause them. Wouldn’t it be fine if he proposed conferring a marquisate upon Shen Jing and let the officials object?
No matter what, it wouldn’t become Father Emperor’s fault!
If there were a change in Shen Jing’s marquisate, Shen Jing wouldn’t resent Father Emperor at all; he could only resent those officials who opposed Father Emperor conferring a marquisate upon him!
If Father Emperor didn’t even have this much cunning, how could he control his officials?
After seeing off the two princesses, who came and went in a hurry, Shen Jing and Madam Su and You Rong returned indoors.
“Mother, will Emperor Zhou really confer a marquisate upon Shen Jing?”
Su Yourong was somewhat disbelieving.
“Don’t hope for too much yet!”
Madam Su shook her head: “This kind of thing isn’t something we can control. Just treat it as entertainment and don’t hold out any hope!”
“Right!”
Shen Jing agreed: “Some things, if you don’t hope, you won’t be disappointed! My demands aren’t high; just a lowest-ranking baron will do!”
Conferring a marquisate, even he himself felt it was outrageous!
…
The next day, Shen Jing once again got up early to attend the morning court.
When he arrived, the palace gates were still closed, and a large number of officials waited outside.
“Shen Jing, you boy, you’ve rendered meritorious service this time!”
“Quickly tell us, how did you break through the city wall?”
“A few days ago, some people in the city were still gambling on your life, boy. I bet that you would return alive and render meritorious service to the court. This time, I earned several hundred taels of silver for free because of you!”
“Indeed, heroes emerge from the young…”
Today, Shen Jing was no longer an obscure figure; many officials actively greeted him.
Whether it was genuine or feigned.
But everyone knew that Shen Jing had rendered great service this time and would certainly be heavily rewarded.
As for official rank, Shen Jing was not old, nor had he shown his talent to Emperor Zhou, so even if he were granted an official position, it should not be high.
Being granted a sixth-rank capital official position should be the absolute maximum!
A noble title should be unavoidable.
According to Shen Jing’s merits, a baron was certainly guaranteed.
If Emperor Zhou’s grace was vast, he might even be granted a viscounty.
Whether it was a noble title or an official position, in the eyes of many ministers, such titles and positions were nothing to speak of.
But if Shen Jing could gain Emperor Zhou’s favor through this meritorious service, Shen Jing’s future prospects would be limitless!
Building a good relationship with Shen Jing in advance might be helpful for their own future.
Faced with everyone’s enthusiastic greetings, Shen Jing couldn’t act aloof, so he could only respond simply, laughing and chatting with these people against his will.
Before long, Yao Jian arrived in a sedan chair, with Yao Yu following on horseback.
Stepping out of the official sedan chair, Yao Jian immediately noticed Shen Jing.
Shen Jing, of course, also noticed Yao Jian.
Neither of them spoke, only looking at each other with cold eyes.
Vaguely, sparks seemed to ignite in the air…
