Shen Qinghuai had always disapproved of his sister's marriage. Pei Zhixuan was a cold and unsmiling man.

Moreover, the Duke of Dingguo was originally a hunter in the countryside, and it was only by chance that he followed the late emperor that he acquired his current fortune.

The Duchess was born into a commoner family and was known for her coarse and mean-spirited nature, which gave her a bad reputation in the capital.

Shen Qinghuai feared that his younger sister would suffer if she married into the Duke of Dingguo's mansion.

Unfortunately, his sister insisted on marrying Pei Zhixuan.

Now that scoundrel has achieved some merit, he actually doesn't take the Shen family seriously anymore?

"Brother, let's go inside and talk." Seeing his gloomy and frightening expression, Shen Yunjiao quickly invited him into the house.

Once Shen Qinghuai was seated, Shen Yunjiao asked Lin Mama to dismiss everyone else.

"Brother, I have something important to tell you."

Shen Yunjiao glanced nervously at Shen Qinghuai, "Don't be angry after I tell you."

Shen Qinghuai patiently replied, "Go ahead, I'm listening."

"I invited you here this time not only because I miss you, but also for other reasons."

Shen Qinghuai calmly took a sip of tea. "What is it?"

“I want a divorce!” Shen Yunjiao replied quickly.

"Pfft!" Shen Qinghuai almost spat out the hot tea in his mouth. He wiped his chin with his sleeve, his trembling finger pointing at Shen Yunjiao, "What...what did you say!"

"I want a divorce!" Shen Yunjiao said again with unwavering resolve.

Shen Qinghuai was so angry that his eyes turned black. "Have you forgotten how you begged Father to let you marry the Crown Prince back then?"

"You kowtowed to your father in the ancestral hall until your forehead was red and swollen before you finally persuaded him, and now you want a divorce?"

Shen Yunjiao lowered her head and pouted, saying, "I regret it."

"What's the use of regretting it now? The imperial decree cannot be changed!" Shen Qinghuai angrily flicked his sleeves, criticizing Shen Yunjiao with a look of utter disappointment: "I told you not to marry her back then, but you didn't listen to your brother. Now you know what suffering is. What am I supposed to say to you!"

But seeing Shen Yunjiao's red eyes, Shen Qinghuai's heart softened in the end. "You! Sigh, I'll go back and discuss it with my father, and ask him to beg His Majesty."

"No need, Pei Zhixuan will divorce me first in a few days!" Shen Yunjiao hurriedly shook her head and said.

"What did you say? He still dares to divorce you?" Shen Qinghuai was like a hedgehog with its feathers standing on end, having lost all his demeanor as a young master from a prominent family.

He turned and headed out to confront that man surnamed Pei! How dare he bully his own sister!

Shen Yunjiao grabbed Shen Qinghuai and said, "Brother, wait!"

"What wrong have you done that he wants to divorce you!" Shen Qinghuai shouted.

"Whether he's at fault or not, let him bring it up."

Shen Yunjiao's emotions were calm and indifferent; there was no sign of sadness at all.

Shen Qinghuai asked suspiciously, "Do you want him to divorce you first?"

Shen Yunjiao smiled at her brother: "Brother is right."

Why?

Shen Qinghuai's emotions had calmed down a bit, and he sat down to ask.

“If Father were to propose it, the Emperor might mistakenly think that Father was disrespectful and trying to manipulate His Majesty’s mind. But if the Crown Prince were to propose it, the Emperor would certainly not blame the Shen family. Father, now that you hold a high position, you must be more cautious in your actions.”

"If His Majesty asks for Father's opinion, Father should just remember—a thousand words are not as good as silence."

Shen Qinghuai was stunned. He hadn't expected his young sister to have such a clear understanding of the bigger picture.

"Little sister, why do you want to divorce Pei Zhixuan?" Shen Qinghuai asked again, worried that his sister might be acting on a whim.

“Brother, my true feelings for Pei Zhixuan have long been exhausted during this long wait.”

"Although I once loved him, I hoped that he would be devoted to me; however, he not only abandoned me, but also fell in love with another woman."

"Of course, I can't entirely blame him, since I forced him first."

"But now, I really don't want to waste the rest of my life in this Duke of Dingguo's mansion. I want to go back to the Shen family and stay with you and Father."

Fearing that Shen Qinghuai might refuse her because of the Shen family's reputation, Shen Yunjiao hesitated and said, "If you feel it's inappropriate, brother, I can look for another place!"

"How could that be! My father and I are also looking forward to your return home. Whether you are divorced or not, the Shen family will always be your biggest support," Shen Qinghuai said anxiously.

Shen Qinghuai's words stunned Shen Yunjiao. "Brother, thank you."

She could feel Shen Qinghuai's genuine care for her.

This is a warmth of family affection that I never experienced in my past life.

Thinking of the Crown Prince, Shen Yunjiao composed herself, wiped away her tears, and asked Shen Qinghuai, "Brother, is everything going well lately?"

Speaking of this, Shen Qinghuai was in high spirits, "Your elder brother has just been promoted and is now a third-rank official, serving as the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel."

"Congratulations, brother." Shen Yunjiao smiled as well. "No wonder you brought me so much delicious food."

"These lychees were found by my elder brother on the Emperor's orders for Consort Shu, so they are naturally of excellent quality."

"Your Highness, the Imperial Concubine?" Shen Yunjiao's expression changed drastically.

Could the person Shen Qinghuai is referring to be the infamous Consort Shu, the one mentioned in the novel who brought ruin to the country?

Shen Yunjiao remembered that the original text described Consort Shu as follows: "She attempted to rebel but failed and was given death by the Crown Prince."

Immediately following this, the Shen family was found to be connected with the rebel party.

The whole family was exiled, and Shen's father was even beheaded.

Because the novel focuses on the relationship between men and women, it does not devote too much writing to the conflicts between the court and the people.

Shen Yunjiao was unsure about the current relationship between the Shen family and Consort Shu. After hesitating for a moment, she asked, "Brother, do you have close ties with Consort Shu?"

"You can't say such things!" Shen Qinghuai was so frightened that he hurriedly tried to cover Shen Yunjiao's mouth. "Little sister, are you crazy! As an important official of the court, how could I have any dealings with His Majesty's harem?"

"And what about Father?"

"Father???" Shen Qinghuai looked slightly disappointed. "Father has never liked me interfering in his affairs, I didn't know either."

Shen Yunjiao sighed deeply and said solemnly, "Brother, please tell Father for me that even a slight misstep will bring disaster upon us."

"You suspect that Father is secretly contacting His Majesty's concubine?" Shen Qinghuai suddenly looked up, her voice trembling slightly.

“Brother, Consort Shu is currently enjoying the Emperor’s favor; there’s no chance she might have other ideas. I just want to make sure Father doesn’t lose his mind and get involved in these troubles.”

In the original text, Prime Minister Shen had not yet completely submitted to Consort Shu at this time.

Shen Yunjiao needs to find a way to make her father give up his idea of ​​rebellion.

"But what you're saying is a bit too outrageous. Why would Father, who is perfectly fine, be having secret dealings with Consort Shu? And how did you find out?"

Shen Yunjiao was completely baffled. She also wanted to know why Prime Minister Shen had done this, but it wasn't mentioned in the novel.

She took a deep breath and said to Shen Qinghuai:

"This matter is very complicated, and I am not in a good position to explain it right now. I hope you understand, brother."

Seeing his younger sister's conflicted expression, Shen Qinghuai guessed that she had probably overheard Pei Zhixuan's conversation with his colleague and was afraid that speaking out would implicate the young master Pei.

“Little sister, why don’t you come back to the manor with me and talk to Father in person?” Shen Qinghuai thought for a moment and suggested, “Whatever you want to do, your brother will support you.”

Shen Yunjiao sensed the affection in her brother's words, and her heart softened even more.

She nodded slightly. "Then wait for me here, brother. I'll go pack my things and go back to stay for a few days."