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

Shen Lingyi went to Shou Kang Palace to pay her respects, and then, with the jade pendant given to her by the Empress Dowager, she was politely escorted home by carriage.

For some reason, when I returned home, I noticed that my parents looked rather unwell.

"Yi'er, have a heart-to-heart talk with your mother. Do you have feelings for His Majesty?" Madam Jiang pulled Shen Lingyi aside and asked, deliberately dismissing the servants.

They were afraid that if this matter got out, it would ruin Shen Lingyi's reputation.

Shen Lingyi touched her smooth earlobes and suddenly realized that she had lost both of her jade earrings. She lost one last night during her encounter with Wei Chengrui, and then lost the other one at Pei Heng's place in the middle of the night.

She lowered her hand listlessly, her gentle eyes calm and undisturbed, but she immediately noticed Jiang's unusual expression. "Mother, have you heard something from someone?"

Madam Jiang frowned and said, "It was your sister who spread the news early this morning, saying that you hadn't returned yet and that we should find a way to go to the palace to fetch you. After thinking about it carefully, what she said makes sense."

Jiang Shi secretly didn't want Shen Lingyi to come to the palace so often. It wasn't so bad that people would gossip about her, but she was afraid that His Majesty might actually have some designs on her.

"I've raised my daughter for over ten years, and I don't want to send her to the palace to suffer that kind of torment. I don't have any other demands on you, I just hope you'll be down-to-earth. Your father and I will take care of you for the rest of our lives." She sighed, her brows furrowed with unconcealed sorrow.

Shen Lingyi's heart softened instantly.

Only Madam Jiang cared about whether she was doing well or happy. Others would have been eager to send their daughters to the palace to exchange for wealth and honor, but Madam Jiang would rather give up that wealth and honor to keep her by her side.

Shen Lingyi hugged Jiang Shi and nuzzled her head against her chest, "Mother..."

"Good child, tell your mother, what are you really thinking?"

The two light pats from Madam Jiang silenced Shen Lingyi. She realized that she had been so focused on changing her fate and manipulating men that she had forgotten what her parents thought.

However, Shen Lingyi was quite certain that if they knew, they would definitely support her.

We can't let them know yet. How could Madam Jiang bear such a tragic ending, with only Shen Tingjiao left in the entire household?

Outsiders only see how fierce and cunning Jiang is, a typical calculating merchant's daughter.

Only Shen Lingyi knew that her mother was actually tough on the outside but soft on the inside.

Seeing that Shen Tingjiao has gone to such lengths, and with Jiang Shi now holding the reins of the household, has she ever cut back on her monthly allowance, clothing, or jewelry?

It's still not delivered on time and in the correct quantity.

I'm afraid Shen Tingjiao will be useless and become a laughing stock for no reason.

Knowing she couldn't let her parents know, she had to suppress her guilt and lie, saying, "I was favored by the Empress Dowager and became close to His Majesty because of Qing Le, not because of what Mother thinks."

Jiang was taken aback for a moment, then tentatively asked, "So what they said, that His Majesty is impotent, is true?"

There were always rumors about Pei Heng circulating outside, and even Jiang, a woman confined to her chambers, had heard about them.

Shen Lingyi paused, recalling that time with a meaningful look. Although it was due to the instigation of the Gu poison, Pei Heng's own potential was by no means inferior to others.

After a whole night of this, I'm practically exhausted. How can this be called inhumane?

The rumors are getting more and more outrageous.

"His Majesty is more than ten years younger than me, and he always treats me like a junior. Perhaps he thinks I am useful and can please the Empress Dowager, so he treats me better. Mother, what are you thinking?"

Jiang nodded, thinking that Shen Lingyi's words made sense. She was only a teenager, so wasn't she a junior?

No matter what, Your Majesty shouldn't lay a hand on a junior, right?

After appeasing the Jiang family, Shen Lingyi no longer needed to speak to Shen Su.

Shen Su had originally been worried, which was why he had asked Jiang Shi to come and ask. Now that he knew Pei Heng had no romantic feelings for her and only treated her as a junior, he was relieved.

After dealing with her parents, Shen Lingyi returned to her bedroom.

"Miss, quickly open it and take a look!" Peony said excitedly, pointing to the red seal peeking out from her waist.

Besides the ones Pei Heng gave her, Jiang Shi also slipped her two more when she left, so Shen Lingyi's waist is now bulging.

Shen Lingyi then remembered that there was such a thing, and immediately opened it to see how many pieces of jade were inside.

As soon as Pei Heng opened the package, he was startled by the heavy silver notes inside.

"My goodness, so many! Besides banknotes, there are also shops! Is His Majesty so generous?" Peony carefully held up a shop deed.

Shen Lingyi was also stunned by Pei Heng's unexpected move.

She was slightly annoyed that she had been busy all night and hadn't even seen anyone this morning before leaving the palace, but now, under the onslaught of money, that annoyance had vanished.

Shen Lingyi told Shaoyao to put things away, putting the contracts together with the shops she owned, and keeping the silver notes for future use.

Even when she was young, Mrs. Jiang would occasionally transfer some of her shops to her name.

To date, Shen Lingyi owns more than a dozen shops.

These shops are usually managed by Manager Liu from the Jiang family. Manager Liu was trained by the Jiang family and is capable and loyal, so she doesn't need to worry about them at all.

Therefore, Shen Lingyi didn't care much about the things she had at first.

The shop that Pei Heng gave her reminded her that she was currently struggling to find the scholar, and since she couldn't ask Pei Heng for help, she had to think of another way.

The shop is well-connected and has a lot of customers coming and going. Why can't we ask Manager Liu for help?

Shen Lingyi remembered that the scholar often wrote calligraphy or helped others restore ancient paintings to earn money because he was short of money.

"Peony, could you help me find Manager Liu and tell him I'll be going over in a couple of days?" She turned her head and said to Peony behind her.

Although she found it somewhat sudden, Peony nodded.

Two days later.

Shen Lingyi stepped into the most popular clothing store in the capital. Shaoyao said that Manager Liu would be inspecting the store today.

The shop was bustling with people, including dignitaries and ordinary folks.

The first floor is for ordinary people with limited funds, while the second floor is for noble ladies from aristocratic families to choose from.

Upon Shen Lingyi's arrival, she was led to the third floor, which was usually the most mysterious and not easily opened.

Su Yuheng, who was browsing the latest seasonal clothes on the second floor, suddenly caught a glimpse of a beautiful woman passing by. Her lightly swaying plain gauze dress would not be lost in the crowd.

She recognized her at a glance; with such stunning beauty, who else in the capital could be but Shen Lingyi?

"Su Yuheng, where are you going?" Her friend asked, puzzled, when she suddenly stopped picking out items halfway through and started to walk away.

Su Yuheng said with a hint of uncertainty in his voice, "I think I saw Shen Lingyi."

"Shen Lingyi? I don't see her. You must be mistaken."

"Impossible! I saw her go up to the third floor with my own eyes."

The man froze for a moment, then chuckled awkwardly, "You must have seen wrong. Even we can't get to the third floor, how could Shen Lingyi possibly go to a place like that?"