After becoming pregnant, the cold-hearted nobles all went mad.

There are separate rooms on the ship for resting.

Shen Lingyi lay down on the hard bed, and Shaoyao followed closely behind: "Why did you act that way just now, Miss?"

"It's not convenient for His Majesty to recognize us right now."

After hearing the explanation, Peony not only didn't understand, but was even more confused.

"But didn't Miss want to climb the social ladder? Wouldn't it be better to let His Majesty know it's you?"

Shen Lingyi turned over and sat up, slowly untying the straps and taking off the cumbersome fox fur coat. "That's not necessarily true. He may not have developed real feelings for me right now."

"Revealing your identity too early will only make him think you're opportunistic. It's better to use your identity as bait to slowly entice him. The more you invest, the less willing a man will be to give up."

After explaining, she began to admire Pei Heng a little.

If it were Shen Lingyi, she certainly wouldn't dare to go on an inspection tour so soon after being assassinated, but he dared. I'm afraid the remnants of the Wan family would never have imagined that their emperor would be so bold.

The boat moved steadily and smoothly, cutting through the waves on the river.

We were only half a day away from reaching Liangzhou.

Shen Lingyi stood on the deck. The ship used by hired escorts did not have flags, unlike other escort agencies or government ships that flew bright flags. However, the people on board were quite dutiful.

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She felt a warmth on her body as Feng Ren draped a shawl over her shoulders.

The brocade shawl adorned with pearls accentuated her snow-white cheeks, making her shine like a radiant pearl.

"Miss, take care of yourself. You'll catch a cold if you keep coming up here in the wind," Feng Ren said after a pause.

Shen Lingyi raised an eyebrow in surprise, a hint of amusement in her eyes. "Feng Ren, this seems to be the first time I've heard you say so much."

Although Feng Ren was Jiang's bodyguard, he had only spoken a dozen or so words to her from childhood to adulthood, and each time it was brief and to the point.

Feng Ren opened his mouth, then remained silent for a moment before saying, "...This subordinate is speechless."

Shen Lingyi turned around, her heart almost skipping a beat.

A figure dressed in black stood not far away, looking them up and down, completely unaware of how long Pei Heng had been standing there listening.

She came out for some fresh air because she felt stuffy.

At first, Shen Lingyi didn't dare to go out casually, for fear of running into Pei Heng. She wasn't confident she could hide it from him, given his imperial cunning and the fact that they had been intimate.

So she squatted down and observed for a day, and only when she saw that Pei Heng basically didn't come out did she feel relieved enough to run up for some fresh air.

Who knew we would run into each other by such a coincidence?

"Young Master Pei is in high spirits." Shen Lingyi said with a hint of embarrassment. She was just glad that Pei Heng didn't know that he was the so-called goddess.

otherwise,

Seeing the woman he had once been intimate with chatting freely with other men, Shen Lingyi could only pray that the emperor was tolerant enough.

But then again, how could a ruler of a country lack such magnanimity? This should be Pei Heng's own fault, and I suggest he reflect on it.

Pei Heng took in the changes in her expression and said slowly, "I heard that the second young lady of the General's Mansion once said that she would not marry anyone but His Highness the Crown Prince, which has caused a lot of discussion in the capital."

He looked at Feng Ren meaningfully and said, "I never expected the Second Miss to be so benevolent; I must have been ignorant."

Shen Lingyi gave a forced smile: "Men can sleep with prostitutes, and women can too; men can have three palaces and six courtyards, and women can too."

"Men don armor and go into battle, displaying their heroic spirit through literature; women can do the same. His Majesty now enjoys the company of three palaces and six courtyards; why doesn't Young Master Pei speak up?"

Pei Heng's eyes held a deep meaning.

The guard glanced at Shen Lingyi without saying a word. Who didn't know that His Majesty's harem was empty?

"A fine woman will do," he clapped his hands twice, his smile bright. "Is it not possible to ask His Majesty for you? His Majesty's lack of interest in love isn't a recent development."

"However, I have heard that His Majesty intends to change the system for selecting female officials, and will start with Luming Academy."

"If the Second Miss truly has lofty ambitions, she might as well test her skills on the eighth day of next month."

"Thank you for informing me, young master."

Only after the person left did Shen Lingyi have time to be surprised.

Luming Academy is the premier school in the capital, open to all scholars, whether from aristocratic families or humble backgrounds.

There has never been a precedent of girls attending school. The Great Wei is not that enlightened. Many prominent families would let their daughters study, but they would only read the Analects and the Instructions for Women. Poor families would not even mention it.

However, she also remembered that there seemed to be such a scene in the original plot.

The main focus is on how Shen Tingjiao distinguishes herself after entering school, and how she resents her outstanding older sister, leading her to do many foolish things, including, but not limited to, stealing articles, pouring water into her bedding, and bullying.

Shen Lingyi became increasingly speechless as she thought about it.

The beginning was somewhat understandable, but what is written in the following part? Does she look like such a stupid person?

In a place like a college where countless eyes are watching, to wear your bad behavior on your sleeve is simply asking to be punished.

Speechless as I am, it's still necessary to go to the academy, but that was something that happened after I returned from Liangzhou.

The air was thick with heat, growing warmer the more it burned, and there was a pungent smell.

Before Shen Lingyi could react, the guards drew their swords with a swift motion.

Whoosh!

A rocket pierced through Shen Lingyi's hair, snapping her black hair in two. The stench of burning filled the air, and she extinguished the remaining sparks and hid.

On the river, a large ship appeared out of nowhere, its flag a deep black, whistling menacingly in the wind.

"They are river bandits from the Liangzhou area. Protect the young master!"

"Prepare to fire!"

Everyone on the ship sprang into action; the guards were busy repelling the pirates, and the boatmen were diligently navigating the boat.

Others carried buckets of water to extinguish the fire on the boat.

The arrows that were just shot were coated with kerosene, which is why Shen Lingyi smelled an unpleasant odor earlier.

The boats were all made of wood and couldn't withstand fire. If the boats were destroyed, they would be left with only one way out: death.

Shen Lingyi also wanted to do her best, even if it was just to carry a few buckets of water, but her wrist was grabbed forcefully.

Turning around, he saw the man frowning and staring at him, his sword-like eyes filled with frost. "Why are you running around like that? Don't you want to die?"

"Young Master Pei, it's dangerous here. They're all coming for you."

Shen Lingyi realized why she had suddenly encountered river bandits.

Given the plague outbreak in Liangzhou, the probability of bandits blocking the road was extremely low. Yet, they did come. There's only one explanation: they're here to act on behalf of Heaven.

"I don't need a little girl like you to worry about me."

The girl's concern in her eyes was so touching; her face was clearly pale, and she was terrified, yet she was still preoccupied with him.

Regardless of the reason, Pei Heng cherishes this kindness.

Therefore, he didn't want her to get hurt. He was an elder, and the other party was targeting him, so he should stand up and take responsibility.

Pei Heng picked her up horizontally and said, "Miss Shen, please forgive me."

Suddenly lifted into the air, Shen Lingyi's doe-like, wet eyes widened, and her small hands instinctively wrapped around his neck.

Pei Heng felt a feather gently brush against him; the soft touch instantly reminded him of a woman with a penchant for flirting. He immediately looked at her with a deeper, more meaningful gaze.