"The Empress Dowager returned so hastily today and didn't bring many attendants with her. Could something have happened? Or is there someone in the palace causing you trouble?"
Shi Muyuan twitched the corner of her mouth. Who on earth would be so stupid as to cause trouble for her? She had just come back to seek help.
"Father, please rest assured. I've been doing well in the palace. I came back this time to discuss something else with you."
The Duke of Shi's face gradually turned serious. He led his daughter into the study.
"What's going on?"
"I believe Father already knows what happened in the palace, right?"
The Duke of Shi was taken aback for a moment, and a guess emerged in his mind.
"Daughter, are you planning to help the Emperor?"
"Yes, Father. Now only the Shi family can help. I hope Father can do it for my sake..."
Before she could finish her words, the Duke of Shi interrupted her. "Has the Empress Dowager forgotten the purpose for which we sent you into the palace?"
Shi Muyuan was speechless. She was stunned for a moment and recalled that scene.
On the day of her wedding, the Duke of Shi held her hand and carefully exhorted her.
"Daughter, once you enter the palace, never forget what we told you. You must observe everyone's movements. If there's anything amiss, tell us."
The woman in the wedding dress wiped away her tears. "Father, please rest assured. I will never forget what Father and elder brother exhorted me."
The moment she knelt down, her future life had been decided.
The Shi family had held power for a long time. It was already a good thing that they didn't cause trouble for the young Emperor at this time. Now she actually wanted the Shi family to help the Emperor. From the very beginning, such an idea was wrong.
However, thinking of the way the little fellow threw himself into her arms when he saw her coming back, she really couldn't bear it.
This dynasty wasn't her own. She wasn't originally from this place. The original owner was gone, and she had come. Maybe it was really predestined by heaven. Then she decided to help the young Emperor stabilize his country from her own perspective.
Anyway, everyone in the Shi family centered around Shi Muyuan. She believed that if she insisted, one day, the Shi family would give up their ambition for that position.
Thinking of this, she gritted her teeth, bent her knees, and knelt down directly.
"Father, this is your daughter begging you. Please help the Emperor this time. The Emperor is just a child, but he has already paid so much to stabilize the Great Liang. Didn't our family become ministers back then to give a future to the common people and our Shi family? If we help the Emperor, he will surely remember the kindness of our Shi family in the future."
It had been a long time since his daughter had spoken to him like this. For a moment, he hesitated.
Was what he had done really wrong?
The Duke of Shi frowned and helped his daughter up from the ground.
"You don't have to do this. Since childhood, what have I not given you when you wanted it? But this time, the Shi family can't get involved."
"Father, what do you mean?"
"The Emperor wants to bring Qin Feng into the court. If so, our Shi family will have one more competitor in the court. Daughter, do you really want to see our Shi family being targeted at that time?"
"That won't happen. Qin Feng will surely help us. Father, please trust your daughter this time, okay?"
The Duke of Shi raised his eyebrows. He couldn't quite understand what she meant. Just as he was about to ask, the voice of his eldest son came from outside.
"Father, I heard that younger sister is back. I'd like to come and have a look."
Hearing this, the Duke of Shi had an idea.
His eldest son must share the same opinion as him. As long as someone helped him speak, his daughter would surely change her mind.
With this thought in mind, a smile appeared on his face.
Shi An, who was standing at the door and about to push it open, felt something was wrong when he saw his father's smiling face. By the time he turned around to leave, it was already too late.
"Son, come here quickly. Your younger sister is back. She has something to discuss with you."
Sure enough, Shi An twitched the corner of his mouth and could only step forward helplessly.
"What's going on, little sister? You came back so hastily this time and didn't bring many attendants with you. What if there's no one to take care of you?"
Shi Muyuan knew that this elder brother was a complete sister - lover and would surely speak for her, so she smiled brightly.
"Brother, I want the Shi family to help the Emperor get through this crisis."
The Duke of Shi sighed and pretended to be worried. "The Emperor is indeed in a difficult situation in the palace. But daughter, the Emperor will surely solve it on his own. You don't have to worry too much. The Shi family still needs to conserve its strength."
Shi An was silent for a moment. He finally understood what his father meant. His father wanted him to stop his little sister, but this time he was on his little sister's side.
With a slight curl of his lips, Shi An took his hand back.
"Father, I think what little sister said is right. Now the Emperor doesn't have much hostility towards the Shi family. We might as well go with the flow this time. Maybe we can even gain the Emperor's greater trust in the future."
"But... the Emperor wants Qin Feng to be the Minister of War. You should know that was the position I reserved for my protégé from the very beginning."
That's right. As soon as he received the news from Jiangnan City, he had already prepared to support his protégé to that position. If he changed his mind now, it would inevitably make his subordinates dissatisfied.
Shi An had of course considered his father's pride, so he had already made preparations.
"I've arranged for Father's protégé to work in the Ministry of Rites. Father, don't forget that the Minister of Rites is about to retire. We always have to replace him with someone we can trust."
After he said this, the Duke of Shi's complexion improved a lot.
"In that case, you two can make the arrangements this time. But remember, don't make it too easy for the Emperor."
"Understood."
Shi An led his little sister into the courtyard. He let out a chuckle. "Little sister, why are you becoming more and more impatient? Moreover, shouldn't you have discussed this matter with me? Why did you come directly to Father?"
Shi Muyuan thought he was going to go back on his word. After hearing his words, she let out a sigh of relief.
"I thought Father would follow my wishes."
"Little sister, don't forget that Father is not only our father, but also the one in charge of the entire family. In the face of family interests, we can't be careless."
Even though she was lectured by him, Shi Muyuan wasn't angry at all.
She said goodbye to Shi An with a big smile and happily returned to the palace. But as soon as she entered her bedroom, she felt that the atmosphere around was a bit strange.
She pursed her lips and tightened her grip on the handle. Could there be someone who had broken in? But that didn't seem right. She had left someone in the bedroom before she went out, so no one could have come in quietly.
As she thought, she observed. Finally, she saw a person with his back to her in front of the table.
"The Empress Dowager finally remembers to come back."