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

Xie Chichun thought about it and realized it made sense, so he made an appointment with Shen Lingyi to meet again at the academy.

After she climbed over the wall and left, an old woman came over and asked, "Why is the Second Miss here?"

"The young lady was knocked unconscious by the thief, so the thief must still be here and hasn't gone far."

The old woman was by the old lady's side. After hearing the news that Shen Tingjiao had fainted, she came to check on her.

That being said, it was clear that the old woman suspected Shen Lingyi, since the entire General's Mansion knew that she and Shen Tingjiao did not get along.

The old woman was calculating in her heart. If it really was Shen Lingyi, then things would be much easier. She would tie her up and bring her to the old lady, so that even if she went to the general, she would have something to say.

Once she helps the old lady turn the tables, the old lady will definitely not treat her unfairly.

Seeing the suspicion in the old woman's eyes, Shen Lingyi raised her chin: "How dare a mere servant question this young lady?"

The old woman's face was ashen: "This old servant is from the old lady's side."

Peony scoffed disdainfully, "Those around the old lady, aren't they just servants?"

How dare she talk back to her young lady? She must have a death wish!

Unfortunately, the old woman didn't have her awareness, so Shen Lingyi punished her by making her slap herself a hundred times, and she wasn't allowed to leave until she finished.

The old woman was naturally unwilling, but Shen Lingyi casually asked, "Or do you want me to tell Mother about this?"

The old woman was startled. Madam Jiang was now in charge of the household affairs. Even the ginseng and polygonatum that the old lady used for nourishing her body required Madam Jiang's approval before they could be taken. All the servants under her were even more apprehensive.

After all, there have been many conflicts between mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law in the past.

Just because Jiang wouldn't do anything to the old lady out of filial piety doesn't mean she wouldn't take action against her helpers.

"Are you waiting for me to do it myself if you don't make a move now?"

Sweat dripped from the old woman's forehead. Meeting Shen Lingyi's condescending gaze, she slapped her old face with a mixture of humiliation and suppressed resentment.

The sound of slaps echoed continuously behind her. Shen Lingyi turned and left, completely disregarding how angry the old lady would be if this matter reached her ears.

In the warm spring of March, students gradually returned to the academy, and the spring imperial examinations were about to begin.

This year's imperial examination was quite different from previous years, and the classmates were discussing it.

"It seems that because of the severe flooding, the Ministry of Works requested that the exam questions be changed this year. Instead of using the questions from previous years, they used the most serious current issues as the final exam questions," a student whispered.

"This is the first time I've missed the exam questions before it even started, but His Majesty gave his permission..."

Shen Lingyi looked away and heard Xie Chichun sighing beside her.

Her face was full of worry. She had no choice but to be worried. She had finally managed to understand what the teacher had taught her before, and now she had to take a different test.

Every year, the academy's exams were conducted in conjunction with the imperial examinations. Whatever the imperial examinations tested, the academy would also test.

Hearing the sounds around her, Shen Lingyi seemed to remember something and asked, "General Xie has been assigned to go to Yizhou to assist the Minister of Revenue?"

Xie Chichun widened her eyes slightly, leaned closer, and lowered her voice: "How did you know?"

My dad told me.

Xie Chichun choked. Well, Shen Lingyi's father was a Tiger General, whose official rank was no lower than her father's.

However, it wasn't exactly a secret anymore; her father was going to Yizhou to suppress bandits after the spring hunt.

This bandit suppression operation was to clear the area in advance so that the Minister of Revenue could focus on the construction project. General Xie also had an important responsibility to ensure the Minister's safety.

Xie Chichun added, "His Majesty has to choose between your father and my father. Since the Tiger General is in charge of the spring hunt, it can only be my father who goes to suppress the bandits."

Shen Lingyi's heart stirred slightly. Over the years, the imperial court had spent the most money on flood control, but it still couldn't be controlled. No one would believe that no one was corrupt.

Pei Heng takes this matter so seriously, he will definitely go down to see it in person. Perhaps it's time for her to make a trip to the palace.

It got dark quickly. Shen Lingyi changed her clothes and went into the palace. Lanterns were already being lit in the palace, and palace servants were carrying lanterns.

Looking up at this solemn imperial city, it resembles a sleeping dragon.

Seeing Shen Lingyi pause slightly, Shaoyao asked in a puzzled voice, "What's wrong, Miss?"

Just as Shen Lingyi came to her senses, she saw a eunuch hurrying through the night.

"Second Miss, His Majesty has been waiting for a long time." Fuquan said with a smile, flicking his whisk.

Peony wanted to follow, but a palace maid stepped forward and stopped her. Seeing her anxiety, Fuquan explained, "It's not convenient for you to go with us, Miss. Please come with us."

Peony thought about it and agreed. It would be really inconvenient for her, a mere maid, to accompany her young mistress to His Majesty's place.

Shen Lingyi had walked the road to Zichen Palace more than ten times. She could even remember the bricks under her feet after walking it so many times. The palace guards should not have stopped her.

However, upon reaching the outside of the Zichen Palace, a deputy commander of the guards stopped Shen Lingyi from proceeding further: "Second Miss, please wait. His Majesty is not in a convenient position at this moment."

"I need to speak with His Majesty. Aren't you afraid of offending him by stopping me?"

The deputy commander had a bitter face. He didn't want to either, but it was really inconvenient.

Seeing that he still wouldn't move aside, Shen Lingyi frowned and realized that something was wrong. Suddenly, the palace doors opened wide, and a woman with disheveled hair was thrown out.

The early spring air still carried a chill, and Shen Lingyi was wrapped up tightly inside and out. She, however, was only wearing a thin gauze dress, and her bare shoulders shivered in the wind. Her fair skin couldn't withstand the cold and immediately broke out in fine goosebumps.

"Your Majesty... please give this servant another chance."

"This servant has no other desires than to serve Your Majesty."

The woman wept, her face streaked with tears, her voice trembling as she pleaded.

Even the deputy commander couldn't bear to watch, but there wasn't a sound from inside the hall.

The woman was covering her face and sobbing when her peripheral vision suddenly fell on Shen Lingyi, who was standing to the side. She was stunned at first glance.

Her overly fair face resembled a snow dumpling. Despite her simple attire, her eyes held a hint of spring. The fact that even the deputy commander dared to stand behind her only further demonstrated that this person was extraordinary. She had thought that her appearance was already exceptionally beautiful, but she never expected that there was a woman who was even more beautiful than her.

Shen Lingyi's voice was like the shattering of jade in Kunshan, giving the woman a touch of warmth in the cold wind: "Look how frozen everyone is, why don't you hurry up and get them a cloak?"

These words were clearly spoken to the deputy commander standing beside him.

The deputy commander was taken aback, wondering where to find a cloak at this hour, and looking around, only he had one.

He hesitated for a moment, but still couldn't bear to see the woman shivering so pitifully in the wind. With a cold face, he took off his cloak and hung it on her.

The woman finally regained the strength to speak, and using her slender legs to support herself as she stood up, she looked at Shen Lingyi with a weak and pitiful expression: "This servant thanks you, Miss."

"No need to thank me," Shen Lingyi suddenly smiled, a smile so bright and dazzling that it stunned the woman. "The cloak was given to me by the deputy commander. He has a heart of chivalry. What does it have to do with me?"

He then turned to the deputy commander and asked, "Deputy Commander, you are a young and talented man. It's truly remarkable that you've reached this position at such a young age. May I ask if you have a family?"

The woman had a bad feeling for some reason.