A new political landscape emerges in the court, and Nianqing begins to distinguish herself.

After being promoted to Attendant Reader in the Hanlin Academy, Shen Nianqing became even more diligent in his duties. He incorporated his experiences from his border campaigns into his advice to the court, and his proposed strategies for strengthening border defenses and pacifying the people were both incisive and practical, earning him the emperor's deep appreciation. In court, he upheld the integrity passed down through generations of the Shen family, daring to speak out against injustice and remaining neither servile nor arrogant in the face of pressure from powerful figures, gradually winning the respect of many of his colleagues.

Shen Qingci watched his son speak eloquently in the palace, his eyes filled with satisfaction—the boy who once needed his parents' protection had now become capable of handling things independently, his most trusted advisor in court. However, great success breeds envy, and Shen Nianqing's rapid rise inevitably threatened the interests of certain individuals. A group of officials, led by Zhou Xian, the Vice Minister of Revenue, who had always been wary of Shen Qingci's power, now saw his son's brilliance emerging and secretly conspired to find an opportunity to suppress him and prevent him from advancing further.

During the court assembly that day, when the reform of the canal transport was being discussed, Zhou Xian suddenly stepped forward and pointed his gaze directly at Shen Nianqing: "Your Majesty, I have a matter to report! During his time supervising the war on the border, Shen Nianqing is suspected of falsely reporting his war achievements and embezzling military pay. There is already a joint testimony from veterans on the border to prove this!"

These words caused an uproar in the court. The emperor frowned slightly and looked at Shen Nianqing: "Nianqing, is this true?"

Shen Nianqing's heart skipped a beat, but his face remained calm: "Your Majesty is wise! Every merit I have achieved in the border battles is supported by the roster of soldiers and battle reports, and my military pay has been paid in full in accordance with the court's regulations. There has never been any false reporting or deduction. What Lord Zhou said is pure nonsense!"

"Your Majesty, I have a veteran's handwritten testimony, which is not baseless!" Zhou Xian said, and was about to present the so-called "evidence".

Shen Nianqing snorted coldly and said loudly, "The 'veterans' that Lord Zhou mentioned, I would like to ask—are they those who were punished by me for violating military discipline and then secretly fled back to their hometowns? They hold a grudge and fabricated testimonies to slander me, yet you treat them as treasures. I wonder if you have been deceived or if you have other plans?"

Upon hearing this, the emperor's expression grew even more solemn. He knew Shen Nianqing's character well and was also aware of the long-standing animosity between Zhou Xian and Shen Qingci. He immediately ordered the commander of the border army camp to be summoned to the palace for questioning. The commander reported the facts, stating that Shen Nianqing had maintained strict military discipline and shown compassion for his soldiers during his time at the border. He claimed that none of the reported battle achievements were fabricated, and that the distribution of military pay was open and transparent. Furthermore, he asserted that those "veterans" had indeed been expelled for violating discipline.

Zhou Xian's face turned deathly pale, but he still stubbornly argued, "Your Majesty, this must be Shen Shidu conspiring with the commander-in-chief..."

"Enough!" the emperor interrupted sternly. "To falsely accuse loyal officials without any evidence and to sow discord in the court, how can you, as a vice minister, be so unable to distinguish right from wrong! Considering your many years in office, I will pardon you today, but if you dare to frame others again without cause, I will not let you off lightly!"

Zhou Xian was unwilling, but dared not say another word, and could only retreat dejectedly. After this incident, Shen Nianqing's uprightness and integrity earned him even more trust from the emperor, and those in the court who were jealous of him dared not act rashly for the time being. Shen Nianqing also knew that the path in the court was never smooth, and only by adhering to his original aspirations and proceeding cautiously could he live up to his father's expectations and the emperor's trust.