SWDnovel Chapter 45 Call him brother-in-law
Chapter 45 Call him brother-in-law
News of Liu Shan's lectures spread quickly throughout the Imperial Academy, and the area outside the classroom was packed with students who had never seen such a phenomenon since the start of the semester.
Before Liu Shan could answer the question, it had already circulated, and the students watching were discussing it intensely.
Without exception, they also failed to understand the reasoning behind it.
As the solution was revealed, the students watching suddenly understood the mystery of the problem.
What's even more ingenious is that this method prevents students from getting bogged down in the surface of the text, but instead encourages them to delve into the essence and analyze problems using the thinking of rationalists.
This kind of learning mindset and atmosphere was the purpose of Liu Shan's training courses.
"Your Majesty, when will you come to teach our military officers' class?"
Seeing Liu Shan in the civil service class, the military officers next door were all envious and hoped that Liu Shan could also give them a unique lesson.
It was already close to noon, lunchtime, so Liu Shan could only make an excuse to decline.
The academy provides lunch, which is free for all students.
Liu Shan was too lazy to return to the palace, so he ate in the dining hall of the academy, where he ate and drank the same food and drink as the students.
Such a down-to-earth gesture could bring Liu Shan closer to the students and had an inspiring effect on them.
After lunch, Liu Shan returned to the palace by the same route, intending to take a short rest.
Now that the Han Dynasty is progressing according to the planned schedule, I no longer need to do everything myself and can delegate it to my subordinates.
What I need to do is to grasp the overall direction.
"His Majesty."
Outside the side hall, Wang Gui knelt on the ground.
This chief eunuch had not appeared before him for some time, and Liu Shan had almost forgotten his existence.
Get up!
Liu Shan said calmly, "What happened that makes you kneel before me?"
Wang Gui remained silent, kneeling with his head pressed against the cold ground, his body trembling.
When Liu Shan saw that he did not get up, he felt that something was amiss.
He also noticed some unfamiliar palace maids around him.
"Is it the Empress Dowager who has arrived?"
Liu Shan was incredibly intelligent; he immediately guessed the reason.
This stepmother has nothing to do but force me to have sex with her every day and pressure me to have a child.
Liu Shan straightened his clothes slightly, took a deep breath, and then walked into the side hall, where he was immediately startled by the scene before him.
Empress Wu sat back, her face full of anger.
Empress Zhang knelt on the ground, dressed in plain clothes, her face without any makeup, her hair hanging down, without any headdress.
This bare-faced appearance is completely out of character for her usual empress status and makeup.
hiss~
What happened?
Why was the Empress kneeling in plain clothes?
Why was the Empress Dowager so angry?
Liu Shan's mind raced, imagining all the possible scenarios.
"Your Majesty, I am guilty and have come to beg for forgiveness."
Zhang kowtowed her head to the ground, which greatly alarmed Liu Shan.
"Why is the Empress like this? Get up, get up!"
Making such a beautiful woman kowtow to him, isn't that shortening his lifespan?
Zhang showed no intention of getting up, so Liu Shan looked at Empress Dowager Wu, seeking her help.
Empress Dowager Wu, preoccupied with drinking her tea, made no attempt to offer any assistance.
Lady Zhang lowered her head and said, "Your Majesty, I am petty and narrow-minded, and I presumptuously assumed Your Majesty's intentions, which led to my words offending Your Majesty and saying many treasonous things. I have come here to beg for forgiveness."
"Your Majesty, I will do as you see fit."
Oh, I see.
No wonder Wang Gui was kneeling outside and refused to get up; he was making things even more serious.
"Your Majesty, the Empress has already apologized. Let's stop here," Empress Dowager Wu said coldly.
Ultimately, she was on Zhang's side.
Although Zhang had offended her before, Empress Dowager Wu would definitely protect her as long as she bowed her head and admitted her mistake.
"Your Majesty, now that the misunderstanding has been cleared up, I will not pursue the matter further. Please rise."
"Your Majesty, as Empress, I have the responsibility to be a model for the nation, not a shameless woman from the marketplace. I have failed the country and Your Majesty. I beg Your Majesty to punish me."
I already said I wouldn't pursue it, why are you so stubborn?
"There are no such serious offenses. The Empress was just joking; why take it so seriously?"
"What may be a joke to Your Majesty is, in my eyes, a blasphemous act. I am willing to give up the honor of Empress and even seek death, only begging Your Majesty to spare my Zhang family in consideration of my father's years of service to the Han Dynasty."
How come the problem seems to be getting worse the more we talk about it?
Am I the kind of tyrant who would punish nine generations of his family?
"Your Majesty, you are exaggerating. This matter is ultimately a private affair between you and me. I have never heard of a husband and wife killing each other's family members during a quarrel."
Upon hearing this, Zhang's body trembled slightly. She raised her head and looked at Liu Chan with slightly reddened eyelids.
couple?
This word is both familiar and unfamiliar.
From the moment she became the Crown Princess, the closer she got to the center of imperial power, the more distant she became from her family, and she had to be careful with every step she took.
Liu Shan was too playful and rarely visited the harem; she had hardly ever seen her husband.
Then his father, Zhang Fei, was murdered by a villain, and during the mourning period, he couldn't even see him.
After the mourning period ended, she went from being the Crown Princess to the Empress, and Liu Shan became a wise and capable ruler who was extremely busy with state affairs. He often stayed overnight in the study and never came to the inner palace.
Although she knew that there were many rules to follow when marrying into the royal family, unlike the loving relationship of ordinary people, she never imagined that she would live like a concubine who had been banished to the cold palace.
If it weren't for Empress Dowager Wu's guidance, I probably would have gone mad long ago.
"Your Majesty, are you... speaking the truth?"
Zhang's eyes were clearly brimming with tears, but she still forced herself to remain calm, blinking hard a few times to force the tears back.
That pitiful expression, especially on a strong woman like Zhang, is heartbreaking.
"real……"
Liu Shan stepped forward and helped her up.
"To be honest, I was also at fault in this matter. With the country in peril, I was focused on the people and neglected you."
Zhang shook her head slightly, her lips moving slightly.
"Your Majesty is the ruler of a nation. A man's ambition should be as bright as the moon in the sky. You should prioritize the people and the country and not be swayed by personal feelings."
"Yun'er..."
Just as Liu Shan was about to fall into a trap, a servant came to report.
"General Zhang Bao wishes to enter the palace to meet His Majesty."
Zhang Bao?
My brother-in-law!
Upon hearing that her younger brother was going to enter the palace, Lady Zhang hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, Zhang Bao is impulsive and easily offends you. I will send someone to send him home immediately."
In fact, Zhang had already guessed Zhang Bao's purpose in coming; he was probably there to plead for her.
However, she knew her younger brother's temperament very well, and she was worried that her pleas might not only fail but also anger the emperor.
"It's alright. I haven't seen Xingguo in a long time. Let him in, and you two siblings can catch up."
Liu Shan remembered that Zhang Bao died young in history, but the specific time was not recorded in historical records.
Some speculate that Zhuge Liang died after falling from his horse during his two Northern Expeditions.
Zhang Bao's untimely death was also a significant sign of the talent gap in Shu Han.
A moment later, a fair-skinned, honest-looking man entered and said in a deep voice, "Your subject Zhang Bao greets Your Majesty."
Like his sister Zhang, Zhang Bao lacked the rugged temperament of his father, Zhang Fei.
"Xingguo, your father and my father were sworn brothers, and your sister is now my wife. The relationship between our two families is extraordinary. You don't need to call me Your Majesty in private."
"Call me brother-in-law or address me as brother."
What do you think?