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

For several days in a row, Shen Lingyi was summoned to the Empress Dowager's side, and everyone regarded this Princess of Pingyang as having gained more importance.

With her by her side, the Empress Dowager smiled more often.

Granny Rongxin had a good impression of Shen Lingyi, so she told her more about palace secrets and important events outside: "Princess Hening is preparing to leave the academy."

Shen Lingyi was taken aback; she had guessed it would happen, but she hadn't expected it to be so soon.

The Empress Dowager sighed.

"This child has a good nature, but unfortunately, her good temper makes her easy to be manipulated. Now it's good that she's seen through it all and can go to her mother's house to find some peace and quiet."

Rong Momo said it was because Prince Qing was unhappy with Pei Qingrong's decision to break off the engagement.

The latter, unable to bear the harassment any longer, chose to seek refuge in the countryside.

"...The problem is finding a suitable candidate for the Crown Princess."

Rong Momo poured the warm soup into the flowerpot.

This is specially designed for watering flowers, and it also emits a faint, warm fragrance.

The Empress Dowager sighed upon hearing this, then suddenly looked at Shen Lingyi, raising an eyebrow, and said, "I have heard about your affair. You like the Crown Prince?"

"I do not like him."

Shen Lingyi answered decisively, as if she was afraid that if she hesitated even a second longer, she would be designated as the Crown Princess.

Xu Yanqing stopped outside the hall.

The little eunuch beside him, seeing his ashen face, was on the verge of tears.

I wish I could rush in and cover Shen Lingyi's mouth to stop her from talking!

Unaware that Xu Yanqing was outside, Shen Lingyi gently tugged at the Empress Dowager's sleeve and shook it, as if acting coquettishly like a junior.

"Your Majesty, I beg you not to bestow my daughter upon His Highness..."

"Why?" The Empress Dowager was genuinely curious. "Aren't you deeply in love with the Crown Prince?"

Even she has heard about it, so it's probably true.

"Your Highness the Crown Prince and my sister have been on good terms. Last time during the Lantern Festival, I even saw them pouring their hearts out to each other in a restaurant. I immediately turned around and left, not daring to stay and disturb them."

"Breaking up someone's marriage is a crime punishable by death, and I do not wish to be the villain who steals my sister's husband."

Shen Lingyi's eyes were very serious; it was rare to see her like this, as she was usually so charming and silly.

The Empress Dowager then realized that she was serious and hesitated for a moment.

"You actually care about this kind of person."

On the day of the Lantern Festival, the emperor and the crown prince both left their seats in a hurry, and she didn't pay much attention to it. Now it seems that she really indulged the crown prince.

At that time, he hadn't broken off the engagement yet, but he was already entangled with other women.

But the Empress Dowager naturally wouldn't think it was Xu Yanqing's fault.

The crown prince, like the emperor, is infallible; the only ones who can be wrong are others.

Shen Lingyi noticed the Empress Dowager's changing expression and decided to stop while she was ahead.

"It's time to carefully select the Crown Princess," the Empress Dowager muttered. "This Crown Prince is so reckless. I wonder how Rong'er, with her quiet and obedient temperament, could do something like announcing her engagement in court."

"Now it seems that he was the one who forced us into this situation."

Xu Yanqing felt he couldn't let Shen Lingyi continue to smear him like this, so he pushed open the door and entered.

"Your subject greets Your Majesty the Empress Dowager."

"Your Highness, come and sit down." The Empress Dowager was indeed the Empress Dowager; she didn't even flinch when someone overheard her discussing right and wrong.

Shen Lingyi followed suit.

Since even the Empress Dowager isn't in a hurry, why should she be?

Xu Yanqing, however, did not want to let her off easily. After taking a sip of tea, he slowly looked over.

"Miss Shen Er actually went to the Lantern Festival that day. I won a lantern there. If I had known, I would have had someone send it to you."

"Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness, but please leave this good opportunity to my sister."

As the two pushed and pulled back and forth, the Empress Dowager noticed something amiss and concealed her thoughts.

They don't seem like strangers.

"Are you two very familiar with each other?"

Xu Yanqing spoke before Shen Lingyi could, his voice sharp as ice, yet utterly irritating: "Your subject has long-standing ties with General Hu Ben, and naturally, I am also familiar with his two daughters."

"I am most familiar with the Second Miss. Many of her insights have broadened my horizons."

After he finished speaking, he glanced at Shen Lingyi with a half-smile.

The Empress Dowager's deepening smile set off alarm bells in her heart, making her wish she could shut Xu Yanqing up.

This person's actions were absolutely motivated by naked revenge.

The Empress Dowager did not keep the two of them. After they left, Shen Lingyi took the initiative to cause trouble.

"What does Your Highness mean below?"

"Um?"

Xu Yanqing's tone rose slightly, and his eyebrows were raised, as if he didn't understand why she was angry.

Shen Lingyi took a deep breath, suppressing her anger. "I thought Your Highness was devoted to my sister and was doing everything he could to make way for you, but what His Highness just said clearly made me look unjust and immoral."

Xu Yanqing stared into her eyes and, realizing that Shen Lingyi was telling the truth, suddenly laughed: "Who asked you to make way for me and others?"

He stepped forward, trapping Shen Lingyi in a corner.

The lowered shadows enveloped the latter's brows and eyes, and Xu Yanqing had never looked at the person in front of him so carefully before.

But his heartbeat doesn't lie.

Before Shen Lingyi could say anything, Xu Yanqing took a few steps back with a grim expression.

"My affairs with Jiaojiao are none of your business, and you have no need to interfere in front of the Empress Dowager."

Xu Yanqing didn't wait for her reaction before turning around and leaving.

Peony watched the Crown Prince walk away and asked疑惑地问道, "Miss, what did His Highness mean?"

"It means being stubborn."

Shen Lingyi had long realized that Xu Yanqing had fallen for her.

He himself wouldn't admit it, still thinking that he liked Shen Tingjiao.

She smirked. "It doesn't matter. Just keep him hanging on. Some people just love to be pathetic. The less you like him, the more he'll remember you."

The past few days at the imperial palace have made Shen Lingyi's bones feel weak from being soaked in water.

I thought it would all pass by uneventfully, but I never expected something big would happen.

This morning, Shen Lingyi was going to deliver something to the Empress Dowager, but she had a headache. Since Shaoyao had to take care of her, she asked another palace maid to deliver it instead.

That was a vase that the Jiang family had specially brought back from Jiangnan and sent to her.

The Chaolu Palace was filled with flowers, and she figured the Empress Dowager must be someone who appreciated flowers, so she thought of catering to her tastes.

Who knew that after she took the medicine and fell asleep, she opened her eyes to find the palace surrounded by people.

Pei Heng stared intently at her, his dark eyes scrutinizing her as she woke up, his expression solemn.

"Why has Your Majesty come?" Shen Lingyi had just woken up, her voice still soft and hoarse.

She actually noticed that something was off.

That's why the most harmless way of expressing it was chosen.

As Shen Lingyi spoke, she also looked around, becoming increasingly alarmed.

"Stop looking, it's just the two of us." Pei Heng knew what she was looking at.

Shen Lingyi smiled weakly, her pale face showing signs of illness, and she hugged the blanket tightly, revealing her unease.

"Peony is getting more and more outrageous... We asked her to stay here, but she's nowhere to be found."

"She is currently in the Department of Criminal Justice."

Pei Heng's sudden remark resounded in Shen Lingyi's mind.