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

Wei Chengrui pushed Shen Lingyi down by the pool and braced himself on either side of her.

His hand was already secretly gripping her neck; one more ruthless move and he could finally break free.

Shen Lingyi just smiled and said, "I thought about what I said that day and felt it was unfair. Everyone says that you, Wei Chengrui, have a bright future."

"Once I clear my family's name, I will become the next Prince of Zhenbei. At that time, whether I marry a noblewoman or a princess, I will rise to great heights. But as for me, because I was once engaged to you, no one dares to mess with me."

"What do you mean?" Wei Chengrui sneered. "Now that things have come to this, do you still want to renew this marriage agreement with me?"

Even so, he withdrew his hand.

Shen Lingyi could naturally sense that the murderous intent had diminished.

When training a dog, you have to give it a little treat.

She pressed Wei Chengrui's head down, tracing his thin lips inch by inch, her fingertips applying varying pressure. "I want you to belong only to me."

Wei Chengrui's pupils contracted.

The splattered blood seemed to still linger on his hands, and whether it was from the heat or not, his heart was racing uncontrollably.

Shen Lingyi was still subconsciously teasing him, her hand deftly sliding down his neck and pressing against his chest.

"I thought about it later and realized you're right. No one else has ever been this good to me except you."

Wei Chengrui paused for two seconds before remembering what she had said.

That was about five years ago.

At that time, the two families had just been preparing to finalize the marriage agreement. He went out for a run in high spirits and returned late, forgetting that it was Shen Lingyi's birthday.

Shen Lingyi was angry and refused to see him.

The fearless young prince, in a panic, went around buying things to appease her.

It took a lot of effort to coax Shen Lingyi into opening the window that day. Wei Chengrui then skewered some pastries on a gun and handed them to her. "Okay, don't be angry anymore. Look at your favorite almond cookies. I finally managed to snag them. Who else would treat you this well besides me?"

Everyone says they are a perfect match.

If Shen Lingyi doesn't marry him, who else can she marry?

"Liar." Wei Chengrui bit Shen Lingyi's lips hard.

Shen Lingyi hissed.

...Is this person perhaps born in the Year of the Dog?

If she hadn't just managed to appease him, she would have kicked him out.

Wei Chengrui only let go after biting her luscious lips until they bled, then gave her a wicked smile.

"Alright, anyway, I never intended to marry anyone else."

"You hurt me, lied to me, and owe me so much debt that you haven't paid back. Not to mention this life, you'll never be able to repay it in any lifetime. I'll haunt you as a ghost."

These are clearly extremely moving words.

But he made it sound like a curse.

After seeing the person off, Shen Lingyi breathed a sigh of relief; this hurdle was finally cleared.

The next day.

Shen Lingyi chose a coral red dress, with a fox fur coat over it. This outfit made her look incredibly noble, and her aura alone could overwhelm three people.

"Miss, didn't we agree not to wear red in front of the Empress Dowager? Won't this annoy her?" Peony hesitated.

"As long as I don't wear bright red, it'll be fine," Shen Lingyi pointed to the dressing case. "The Empress Dowager likes to see beautiful women, so this outfit will bring out my elegance. Quickly, put the hairpin in my hair."

It snowed all night last night, and the outside is covered with a thick layer of snow.

Palace servants could be seen everywhere, busy cleaning.

Shen Lingyi walked through the corridor and waited for her name to be announced before being led into the Chaolu Hall, where the Empress Dowager resided, by Rongxin Mama.

"Greetings to the Empress Dowager." Shen Lingyi bowed gracefully, her smile making her more beautiful than any flower.

The Empress Dowager's gaze fell on her, and she hesitated for a moment before offering her a seat.

"This outfit suits you quite well."

"This humble woman has no taste; she just likes bright red and purple colors. Anything too plain looks bland."

"Yes, young lady should dress smartly." The Empress Dowager smiled, as if she had just thought of something.

Seeing Shen Lingyi's confusion, Rong Xin stepped forward to explain, "Does Second Miss know Princess Duanyi? She was the late Emperor's third daughter and also the Empress Dowager's daughter. The princess loves bright colors the most, and back then, the Empress Dowager would always order the dyeing workshop to send over whatever pretty colors they had dyed."

"It's a pity... Duanyi didn't live long, she passed away in her teens." The Empress Dowager closed her eyes, hiding the sorrow in them.

Shen Lingyi quickly stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, please don't be too sad. Perhaps the princess has already passed away. Given Your Majesty's kind nature, Princess Duanyi will also have a joyful and happy life in her next life."

The Empress Dowager was a devout Buddhist and likely believed most strongly in the concept of reincarnation.

Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager's gaze softened. "Rongxin, look how quickly the Second Miss has come without a hand warmer. Go and fetch one quickly."

"Yes."

Rong Xin left quickly. The Empress Dowager was about to have Shen Lingyi sit next to her when she suddenly noticed the gold hairpin in Shen Lingyi's hair.

"This is..." The Empress Dowager hesitated.

Shen Lingyi removed the gold hairpin and said with a smile, "Your Majesty, are you referring to this? It's the prize I won when I won first place at the banquet at the Xie family's house the other day."

"You...you might allow me to take a closer look?"

The Empress Dowager's hands were trembling slightly, clearly indicating that the hairpin was of great significance.

Shen Lingyi handed it over.

The Empress Dowager took it and began to examine it closely, her face showing even greater excitement.

Just then, Rong Xin returned and was immediately surprised to see the hairpin.

"Isn't this something from the Princess of the State during the reign of Emperor Zhao? It's really rare to still see such an old item. The Princess's family must have had a deep connection with the Empress Dowager."

Shen Lingyi looked surprised; she truly didn't know this. "There's such a thing?"

The Empress Dowager shook her head and said, "Speaking of the eldest princess, I should call her aunt. Her mother was from the grasslands, and I am from that region as well."

"Looking back, I entered the palace at the age of six to serve the eldest princess. At that time, the late emperor was the only prince..."

After listening to the whole explanation, Shen Lingyi finally understood.

It seems the late emperor took advantage of Emperor Zhao's lack of offspring and became emperor by sheer luck.

However, it is quite lamentable that Emperor Zhao, who was renowned throughout his life, had such an unworthy descendant.

"Since you possess this item, it can be considered a connection between us," the Empress Dowager said softly as she returned the hairpin to her. "Keep it safe. If you encounter any trouble in the future, feel free to come to me."

The air in the Chaolu Hall was still filled with the fragrance of medicine.

The Empress Dowager was indeed still recovering from a serious illness; after chatting for a few minutes, she was visibly exhausted and asked Shen Lingyi to go back first.

Peony nestled close to Shen Lingyi, and the way she looked at the hairpin changed.

"I never imagined this hairpin had such a remarkable history, Miss! We've really struck gold this time!"

"Keep your voice down, be careful not to be overheard." Shen Lingyi carefully put the hairpin away, feeling quite pleased with herself.

Otherwise, why would she bother to win that poetry banquet?

In the original storyline, Shen Tingjiao gained the Empress Dowager's favor because of this, and subsequently narrowly escaped death several times.

...Now that this thing is in her hands, I wonder if Shen Tingjiao still has the chance to live.