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

Shen Lingyi could no longer maintain her smile. "What does Your Majesty mean by this?"

The blanket slipped from her hands and fell to the ground, revealing her delicate body, which was only wearing a thin shirt underneath. Her skin trembled as soon as it touched the cold.

Judging from the current situation, it's more likely that he was angered.

Pei Heng acted as if he hadn't seen anything, and carefully covered her with the bedding again, saying, "The vase you sent to Chaolu Palace was found to contain items belonging to the Wan family."

"When the Empress Dowager found out, she was so angry that she fainted on the spot. At that time, you were asleep, so she did not wake you up."

Shen Lingyi clenched her fists, and a few glistening tears welled up in the corners of her eyes.

"So Your Majesty believes it was me who did it?"

The girl's face was filled with sorrow, and her pale appearance made her seem as if she were about to shatter at any moment.

Pei Heng paused, "Why are you crying? Didn't I wait here until you woke up, just waiting for you to give me an explanation?"

"Your Majesty didn't believe me right away... I was even thinking of Your Majesty and wanted to sew a 'Fu' character for you, but my hands were all swollen from being pricked."

As Shen Lingyi spoke, she revealed her delicate, white fingers.

Those jade-like fingertips were indeed pierced with several tiny, bloody holes.

Pei Heng's expression, which had remained unchanged despite countless brushes with death, shifted slightly at this moment, almost prompting Fu Quan, who was waiting nearby, to kick him: "What are you standing there for, you idiot? Call the imperial physician!"

Fuquan stumbled out and ran to call the imperial physician.

We won't go into the details of the imperial physician's expression when he arrived and saw that the wound he had to treat was nothing more than a needle prick.

Pei Heng had already half-forgotten his plan to question Shen Lingyi, and instead, holding her fingers, asked, "Where is the 'Fu' character you embroidered for me?"

Shen Lingyi pulled her hand away, her eyes still misty with tears.

"Don't tell His Majesty. He didn't even explain what happened to me. Why should I entrust my life's work to His Majesty?"

"His Majesty……"

Fuquan couldn't help but interrupt, wanting to remind their emperor that there were important matters waiting.

Pei Heng ignored him, a thoughtful look flashing in his eyes before he said, "It was the palace servants of Chaolu Palace who discovered that there was a hidden weapon under the vase."

"The remnants of the Wan clan have never been eradicated. The Changchun area is where they frequently appear. I occasionally encounter assassination attempts, and the items carried by the assassins all have a mark."

The man opened her palm and drew a pattern on it.

Shen Lingyi's fingers curled up, her eyelashes fluttering with unease.

She nestled into Pei Heng's arms like a little animal, seeking comfort. "I swear on my life that Shaoyao could never have done such a thing, and I am completely innocent."

"How can I believe in your innocence?" Pei Heng raised an eyebrow as his palm touched something warm.

"This humble woman is willing to assist in the investigation of this case!"

"No, Your Majesty!" Fuquan exclaimed immediately afterward.

He didn't even dare to imagine how the ministers would react if they knew that His Majesty had been so blinded by lust.

Pei Heng glanced at him coolly, "Fuquan, you talk too much. Do I look that much like a tyrant?"

The chief eunuch, who had been by his side since childhood, dared not utter a word.

Pei Heng is actually quite indulgent towards the people around him.

That's why Fuquan dared to occasionally talk back, but there had to be a limit.

Pei Heng was not without his own considerations; he believed that this matter had nothing to do with Shen Lingyi.

After all, if Shen Lingyi could manage to deceive everyone to this extent right under his nose, he might as well give up being the emperor.

After thinking for a long time, he finally nodded slightly, "Then let's do as you say."

"Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty."

After expressing her gratitude, Shen Lingyi made two requests of him.

Many officials from the imperial palace were sent back, but Shen Lingyi not only delayed returning home, but also transferred Feng Ren away.

Feng Ren received orders to leave.

Before leaving, Madam Jiang called the man over and instructed him word by word: "After you see your young lady, remember that no matter what happens, you must protect her, even if it costs you your life."

Her tone was chilling, a stark contrast to her usual kind motherly demeanor.

"Yes."

Feng Ren answered without the slightest hesitation; the duty of a secret guard is to die for his master.

Lotus Palace.

Shen Lingyi waited for a long time before she saw Feng Ren. After he came in, the guards outside immediately closed the palace door tightly again.

Even at this critical moment, Shen Lingyi still had the mind to tease, "You've seen your young lady's current condition; calling you in is probably just to get you into trouble."

Feng Ren knelt on one knee: "...I will obey the Second Miss's orders."

"I told you to search Shen Tingjiao's room, did you?"

Shen Lingyi narrowed her eyes.

The only person who could think of such a vicious scheme to harm her is Shen Tingjiao.

Therefore, sending Feng Ren into the palace to assist was a pretense; the real purpose was to have him search Shen Tingjiao's bedroom.

After all, Shen Tingjiao's courtyard was close to the old lady's, and it was usually under strict guard, so she never had a chance to go in. Naturally, she didn't know what was hidden inside.

Feng Ren presented a dusty, gray token with both hands, saying with shame, "This is all I could find."

Shen Lingyi's eyes suddenly lit up.

She held the token in her hand, turning it over and over to examine it, muttering, "So this is the Evil Ghost Token of Wuyi Lane."

"Is this what the Second Miss is referring to?"

"Exactly, this is our chance to turn things around." Shen Lingyi tossed the token aside and then gave the order:

"Qing Le should be in the palace by now. You two should quietly go to Wuyi Lane and check if Shen Tingjiao has been there recently."

Wuyi Lane is known for its willingness to do anything as long as you have money.

Even assassinating the current emperor would not be out of the question.

If Shen Tingjiao's hidden weapon is real, it must have come from here.

Shen Lingyi murmured, "And I still have to go to the Empress Dowager's place."

After receiving the order, Shen Lingyi asked the guards outside the palace for permission to leave and visit the Empress Dowager.

The person assigned to guard her this time was also an old acquaintance.

She blinked at the composed, serious, and silent guard before her: "His Majesty has given me three days. Does Commander Xiao intend to disobey His Majesty's order?"

"What is the Second Miss going to do at the Empress Dowager's place?"

Xiao Sha remained silent for a long time before finally managing to utter this sentence.

Shen Lingyi said matter-of-factly, "Of course we're going to visit her, didn't I just say that?"

"After all, the Empress Dowager's misfortune was caused by me. I have always been grateful for her kindness, so it is only right that I go and see her now."

Seeing her self-righteous expression, Xiao Sha found it hard to believe her.

However, before he could make a decision, Rong Xin arrived.

She frowned and said to the guards outside the hall, "What are you all doing blocking this way? Making a bunch of grown men harass a young girl, I really don't know what His Majesty is thinking."

Xiao Sha broke out in a cold sweat.

He dared not accept those words from Rongxin Mama.

"Keeping people under surveillance is His Majesty's order."

"Then I have come to convey the Empress Dowager's decree," Granny Rongxin cleared her throat. "The Empress Dowager wishes to see Miss Shen, and no one dares to stop her."