darknovel Chapter 371 Unethical
Chapter 371 Unethical
At night, Li Yuanke would take Shen Shixi's manuscript of "Journey to the West" and tell stories to the two children. The story was already written in plain language, but Li Yuanke had to convert it into spoken language so that the two children could understand it.
He returned to his bedchamber, where Shen Shixi was already asleep. He deliberately woke her up, saying, "You bastard, who was it that started all those bedtime stories? They told them for days, and now it's my turn to tell them."
"Hmm, my husband, you've worked hard!" Shen Shixi said absentmindedly, turned over, and went back to sleep.
Li Yuanke couldn't bear to bother her, but she woke him up in the middle of the night.
Her hands were acting up, gripping tightly.
Li Yuanke could no longer tolerate it.
Shen Shixi dreamt that a long spear pierced her, which startled her awake.
It was Li Yuanke! He was furious. "What's wrong with you in the middle of the night?"
"What do you think? I was sleeping soundly, and your hand... did it come to life on its own?"
Shen Shixi felt a little guilty, mainly because she had gotten used to this kind of thing.
Besides, things have already come to this point. They've already come in with their relatives, and it's really not very nice of you to kick them out.
She simply lay down.
Hmming and whining.
One minute it's this, the next it's that.
Li Yuanke was also good-tempered; he would hit wherever you pointed, and he was willing to put in the effort to send both of them flying into the sky. It was already more than half an hour later.
After washing in the hot spring, the two went back to bed and slept soundly.
The next day, after the Emperor took the two children out to play, Consort Ning requested an audience.
Shen Shixi guessed that she had come because of her third sister, so she summoned her in.
After bowing, Consort Ning said politely, "Your Majesty, I am ashamed to come, but my mother has begged me several times, and it concerns my brother and sister-in-law. I really cannot bear to ignore it, so I have come to ask Your Majesty for advice."
Shen Shixi never liked beating around the bush, so she said, "Just say what you have to say! Is it about my third sister and your brother?"
Consort Ning said, "Yes, Your Majesty, please enlighten me on what exactly happened!"
Shen Shixi knew about the events that had unfolded since her third younger sister had entered the palace several times.
Since they didn't intend to divorce and their attitude was acceptable, Shen Shixi stopped hiding her feelings. "Logically speaking, I shouldn't interfere in other people's marital affairs."
However, it's better to tear down ten temples than to break up one marriage. Since you've asked, I have to say a few words. My third sister initially wanted to marry because she knew the Marquis of Changning beforehand, and compared to an arranged marriage, at least there was some affection involved. Who knew, it was my third sister who was delusional.
Consort Ning was taken aback and terrified. "Your Majesty, what makes you say that?"
Shen Shixi quickly said, "I didn't mean to blame anyone. Although she is my sister, I will never interfere in her marriage or judge who is right or wrong."
There's a saying that goes, "Marriage is a matter of fate; priceless treasures are easy to find, but a loving husband is hard to come by." A man's genuine care is truly rare for any woman in the world.
Consort Ning didn't understand; she had no idea what the Empress was trying to say in a roundabout way.
"Your Majesty, my brother truly wants to spend his life with my sister-in-law. He has never had any other intentions. He later said that the moment he saw her, he knew she was the girl he wanted to marry."
Shen Shixi said, "I believe that, and my third sister believes it too. However, a man can marry a woman for many reasons, such as family background, appearance, talent, money, and so on."
But what does a woman hope a man will marry her for? The Shen family may be poor, but they have a respectable background. My third sister is quite beautiful, and as for talent, apart from me being a commoner, everyone else in the Shen family has some education. A woman like that is suitable for marriage and family life; it's perfectly normal for your brother to be attracted to her!
Consort Ning said, "My brother must also be in love with my sister-in-law."
Shen Shixi said, "Then the Marquis of Changning's 'affection' is far too light. This is not my third sister's opinion, but my evaluation from my own perspective."
"Since you've come to me for advice, I really don't know what to do. I won't accuse Marquis Changning of being heartless, nor will I force my third sister to compromise herself to please others. You know I can't even do that myself!"
That's true.
Consort Ning has returned.
Bai Ping was very worried about the Third Miss. "Your Majesty, I wonder if Consort Ning can understand what you're saying?"
Shen Shixi scoffed, "What are you pretending to be innocent for? Don't they know what they've done? Those two concubines are still in the manor; they can't bear to deal with them. They want both, do they think they're fools?"
Shen Shiwan went south with her third brother Shen in the second half of last year and hasn't returned for the New Year.
The Marquis of Changning's family probably wants to divorce Shen San, but they certainly wouldn't dare to bring it up themselves. Shen Shixi, on the other hand, doesn't care. When it comes to marriage, a forced marriage is never sweet, and there's no need to force it.
What Shen San does in the future is up to her.
As for Shen Shixian, perhaps seeing the problems that had arisen in her third sister's marriage, she became wiser. Before the marriage, she made an agreement with Fu Chuji that if Fu Chuji wanted to take a concubine, she would not object, but he had to agree to a divorce.
Fu Chuji didn't find the request unreasonable; in fact, she could understand it.
After all, the affair between Marquis Changning and his third sister is quite disgusting. On their wedding night, he's having an affair with a concubine. Isn't that a slap in the face to the principal wife? Not to mention that girls from a family of Shen's social standing wouldn't tolerate it, even families with a bit of sense wouldn't do such a thing.
On the sixth day of the fifth month, Shen Si Guniang married Fu Chuji. Before that, the Emperor, Empress and Empress Dowager had all given her gifts. As usual, Shen Shixi asked her third brother to give her four younger sisters an additional five hundred taels of silver as dowry.
This time, however, Shen San also added two hundred taels of silver to his fourth sister's dowry, because she had earned a lot of money with her third brother using her own dowry book.
Shen Shixian burst into tears when she counted her dowry. She was the youngest among the Shen family girls, and her dowry was the most generous after her eldest sister. Her second and third sisters doted on her, not to mention the elders.
Her third brother also secretly gave her two hundred taels of silver, telling her not to tell anyone.
She said to her maid, Danxia, "I am determined to be happy!"
In June, the Xiling delegation submitted the first draft of the regulations. However, prior to this, Shen Shixi had already instructed the cabinet's heir apparent, Song Baiyan, and Lin Xiangchuan to draft a draft of the regulations, the main points of which were roughly as follows:
First, import tariffs will be reduced on all goods that are technologically advanced and contribute to the improvement of the Zhou Dynasty's food, clothing, housing, transportation, agriculture, and handicrafts. This is ostensibly to help Xiling boost domestic demand and dump goods.
Second, Xiling merchants who can transport grain to the Thirteen Border Towns will receive the best treatment for trade in the Great Zhou Dynasty, including but not limited to reduced export taxes on some goods, such as sweaters and canned goods; and will be granted trade rights in some ports, such as Quanzhou, Guangzhou, and Mingzhou.
Third, merchants' children are allowed to study in Da Zhou, but they need to pay a certain amount of tuition fees; they can obtain the right to reside in Da Zhou for a certain period of time, which is basically temporary or long-term residence.
……
Upon hearing this clause, the various departments, including the Cabinet, the Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of Rites, and the Court of State Ceremonies, as well as Li Yuanke, were not quite understanding it. It wasn't until Shen Shixi explained it point by point that they were shocked. They couldn't believe that such a business was being conducted.
Under the guise of doing what's best for the other person, are they actually trying to ruin them?
Isn't that unethical?