The Fierce Farm Girl Has A Secret Space

Chapter 2384: Chapter 2384: Eerie (4)

However, Yang Xiong, who was sent out, quickly returned to report that someone was watching Wang Baozhu; it was people from the Xie Family Estate.

Yang Ruxin felt relieved upon hearing this. Since Xie Tai also sensed the woman’s malicious intent, she decided not to interfere. After all, it’s best to leave the matter of protecting one’s wife to Xie Tai himself, so she withdrew her people.

New Year is a festive occasion. For the common people, celebrating the New Year means bidding farewell to winter and welcoming spring. Perhaps the coming year will be a good one, so everyone is in high spirits.

But the Shen Family became somewhat gloomy from the twenty-ninth day of the twelfth lunar month, making the Dahong lanterns hanging at the entrance seem less bright.

The reason is inexplicable; the eighty-year-old patriarch Shen Kun and the seventy-six-year-old Madam suddenly fell into a coma. Of course, when people are old, ailments are normal, and they have lived long lives. Even if they pass away now, it would be considered a joyful funeral.

The Shen Family also found a doctor to treat them, but none could diagnose the illness.

Though that may be expected, the bizarre part is that Shen Kun and his wife don’t remain unconscious; whenever someone touches them, the two elders suddenly open their eyes and start rambling about things, many of which are the Shen Family’s secrets, such as which family’s industry the Shen Family annexed during their rise, driving someone to their death, and even private matters concerning Shen Wanxing, who is currently serving as a Ministry of Revenue aide.

It surprised Shen Wanyin so much that he broke out in a cold sweat and dared not let anyone approach the two elders.

"Master, this matter is too strange. We must notify the capital," Shen Jiashi said, looking at the anxious Shen Wanyin with a frown. "Otherwise, if something happens, we’ll be blamed."

Shen Wanyin walked back and forth several times in the room, then nodded: "Send the message." Indeed, he couldn’t hold out against this matter.

In the Palace.

It’s New Year, and Emperor Xuanjing and Qi Wei have to perform ancestral and heaven worship. Originally, they were to hold a banquet for the ministers, but there’s a war in the south, and he has a son whose life or death is uncertain, so all banquets in the palace were canceled.

But even if canceled, he has to rally the ministers to foster ties, and a whole group can’t just sit idly. So they decided to find some activities to pass the time. The women’s competitions in zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting were too refined and unsuitable for the current wartime situation, so the men were to compete in archery and horseback riding, at least fostering military skills.

The first event was horse racing.

The Crown Prince has always been unwell, so he usually acts as a spectator, but this year he claimed to be much better and wished to set an example for the Princes, hence he also joined the horse racing.

The contest was simple: ride from one end to the other, grab the red ball on the pole and return; whoever’s the fastest wins.

With a bang of the gong, eight horses set off side by side, the Crown Prince leading the pack. He rushed over and was the first to grab the ball made of red silk, but on the return, a bizarre situation occurred; the horse that had been running quickly suddenly slowed and eventually kneeled down, refusing to move.

What was going on?

Seated on the viewing platform, Emperor Xuanjing frowned and signaled to Eunuch Ping beside him.

Eunuch Ping hurried over: "Crown Prince, what happened?"

The Crown Prince sighed, dismounted, and raised his voice to answer the Emperor: "Father, this horse hasn’t been fed."

"What?" Emperor Xuanjing frowned, momentarily stunned.