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

Shen Su looked at her with a complicated expression. After a long while, he sighed and said, "Are you going to see His Majesty? Just now, I received news from the palace that I don't need to be in charge of patrolling the camp during the spring hunt."

"Father, I just don't want you to work so hard." Shen Lingyi was used to using coquetry to get by.

This trick always worked on her father.

This time was no exception. Shen Su called someone over to ask when Shen Lingyi had gained such influence with Pei Heng, feeling that what she said last time was just a joke.

Now that she's clinging to him, he's forgotten everything else, only feeling utterly helpless: "Alright, you're such a grown-up, why are you still acting like a child with your father? I'll let you off this time."

He paused, then added, "Remember, serving the emperor is like serving a tiger. Even if the Empress Dowager likes you, you must not be willful. The palace is not like home, and your father's reach cannot extend that far to protect you."

Shen Lingyi's eyes stung terribly.

Everyone envied her for being favored by the Empress Dowager, but Shen Su was worried that he couldn't protect her.

But she didn't regret using the Left Minister's weakness to get Xu Yanqing's help. Her father was old, and the situation of this spring hunt was uncertain. She didn't want him to go in the first place, so it was worth offending the Left Minister for this reason.

Many families go on the spring hunt, and although Shen Su doesn't have to patrol the camp, he still has to go along to hunt a few pelts.

As Madam Jiang helped him tidy his clothes, she said, "You're already like this, you might as well petition His Majesty to let you rest and not go hunting anymore. Your headache has only just started to get a little better."

Shen Su didn't think it was a big deal: "It's all just something that can't be helped."

Jiang was still worried. Based on past experience, Pei Heng would take several of his favorites hunting outside his territory, but the women couldn't go, and no one could go with them.

At that time, Shen Su will have to rely on himself.

However, no matter how much the Jiang family worried, it was no use. Everyone else was going off happily, and they couldn't let their family be miserable.

The wheel hub slowly rolled, and this was Shen Lingyi's first time visiting the royal hunting grounds, so she couldn't help but feel a bit of novelty.

Last year and the year before, she made mistakes and was kept at home by the old lady, who prevented her from going out, while others were able to go out to relax and show off at the hunting grounds.

Shen Lingyi could only kneel in the ancestral hall, staring blankly at the memorial tablets.

As dusk fell, carriages drove into the royal hunting grounds. The tents had already been set up, the largest of which belonged to the Empress Dowager and the Emperor.

The other tents were distributed around the main tent and could only be considered small tents.

Even a small tent can easily accommodate more than a dozen people.

On the first day of setting up camp, Shen Lingyi saw countless guards patrolling the camp as far as the eye could see. Shen Su was replaced due to illness, and Wei Chengrui took over the post temporarily.

But she hadn't seen anyone after she arrived.

As Shen Lingyi was wondering, the sound of hooves approached like drumbeats. A young man with his ponytail tied high held the reins, looked down at the approaching figure, and ordered his deputy, "Song He, investigate these people who have come."

"Yes!" Song He answered readily, without even considering whether he would offend anyone.

Shen Lingyi thought to herself, "This deputy general is quite upright."

Like master, like subordinate. Wei Chengrui had never seen him afraid of anything, so it's no wonder that this deputy general went straight to the tents where the officials were without even blinking.

"Miss Shen the Second".

While Shen Lingyi was lost in thought, she heard Wei Chengrui call her name.

He did not dismount, and the horse was obedient enough that he was held between his legs, its long tail swaying leisurely and happily, which was in stark contrast to Wei Chengrui's expression at this moment.

"You used to be afraid to mount a horse, have your horsemanship improved since then?"

This is an old almanac that's been around for many years.

Shen Lingyi was taken aback, then realized that Wei Chengrui had something to say to her: "Whether you've made progress or not is obvious at a glance."

She asked Peony to fetch her horse. There were special stables at the hunting grounds, but nobles only used their own preferred horses.

Her horse was a chestnut mare that had been with Shen Lingyi for two years.

Two years ago, it was still a young pony, but now it has grown into a beautiful young man with a glossy coat that shows how much care it has taken to maintain. Its eyes are bright and alert.

This horse is named Chasing Star.

Coincidentally, Wei Chengrui once owned a horse named Zhuiyue (Chasing the Moon).

Shen Lingyi's gaze fell on the horse he was riding, but alas, Zhuiyue was gone.

The woods were quiet, with a narrow path leading to the end, giving it a secluded and tranquil feel, and the leaves on both sides occasionally made a sound.

The dust kicked up by the horses' hooves doesn't cause much of a commotion here, but the spacious area undoubtedly allows them to compete with all their might.

If Wei Chengrui were to compete seriously, Shen Lingyi would be no match for him.

It's okay, she'll play dirty tricks.

"what!"

Wei Chengrui heard a cry and the sound of horses' hooves behind him became chaotic. He turned around and met Shen Lingyi's eyes, which were filled with fear.

A hint of tears welled up in her eyes. "Young Master, Zhuxing is disobedient!"

Looking down, Shen Lingyi's chestnut horse was indeed extremely agitated, as if it were about to kick up its hooves at any moment.

Wei Chengrui didn't have time to figure out why Zhu Xing had turned out this way.

He turned back to her side, extending his hand, a thin layer of sweat glistening on his nose. "Give me your hand, quick!"

Shen Lingyi looked up slyly.

Seeing her expression, Wei Chengrui knew she was faking it.

Sure enough, the next moment Shen Lingyi shouted, and the horse that had been running wild stopped running and started galloping normally, overtaking him in no time.

Upon reaching the finish line, Shen Lingyi flipped her hand over to him, saying, "A bet is a bet."

With a dark expression, Wei Chengrui removed the valuable black jade double fish pendant from his waist.

He gritted his teeth, "You're cheating."

"The young master didn't say it was impossible," Shen Lingyi said, taking a sip of water, her eyes sparkling. "In the end, it's just that you underestimated me."

She smiled smugly, "Your Highness, underestimating the enemy and being careless is a cardinal sin in warfare."

Wei Chengrui was rendered speechless by her sophistry.

The two rested under a tree, their horses tied to one side.

Suddenly, Wei Chengrui smelled a faint sweet fragrance in the air and thought it was some kind of flower or fruit.

It turned out that the odor emanated from Shen Lingyi.

He asked, "What did you put on your body?"

Shen Lingyi wiped her neck, the glistening sweat being wiped away with her fingertips.

Hearing the boy's words, she was still somewhat confused.

It's just ordinary perfume balm, isn't it?

Meeting Wei Chengrui's gaze, Shen Lingyi suddenly had a mischievous idea and leaned closer to him, "Where? I can't smell it."

"Why don't you smell it more carefully, Your Highness, and tell me where it is?"

Wei Chengrui's ears burned, and he abruptly took a few steps back, standing to the side with his arms crossed. "Never mind what I said."

Shen Lingyi is shameless. Saying that to a man like that is practically an invitation for him to touch her.

Is it only towards him, or is it the same for everyone?

Wei Chengrui's mind was filled with mixed feelings, and he had completely forgotten about the strange sweet fragrance he had just experienced.

After a while, he remembered the important reason he had called Shen Lingyi out, "Oh, right, I have something to tell you."

Wei Chengrui's expression turned serious.

"These next few days, try not to go out. It's best to stay in the tent. Something bad is likely to happen."