Chapter 61 How despicable! They actually did it behind their backs...

Emperor Qingxi had something on his mind, so he did not summon any of his concubines to his bedchamber that night.

The night was still dark, and the sky was a thick, dark expanse where one could not see their own hand in front of their face.

The large and empty sleeping chamber was filled with shadowy figures, with only an octagonal palace lantern lit near the heavily gilded and carved dragon bed, its flame flickering in the breeze.

Emperor Qingxi, dressed in a bright yellow nightgown, his gray hair loose, rested his hands on the edge of the bed, leaning slightly forward, listening intently to Lu Sheng's report.

"Celestial beings?"

Emperor Qingxi chuckled softly, his hoarse voice like a leaky bellows, "The celestial being I've waited for most of my life, has he finally appeared?"

He started coughing as he laughed, and Lu Sheng immediately knelt on one knee on the footstool, gently patting his chest. "Your Majesty, please don't get too excited. If you harm your health, it will be my fault."

Once Emperor Qingxi stopped coughing, Lu Sheng, as if familiar with the place, found the tea that the night watch eunuch had prepared before going to bed.

The small teapot sat in the charcoal box to keep it warm, and he poured Emperor Qingxi a cup of warm jujube and goji berry tea.

Emperor Qingxi trusted Lu Sheng completely and drank the wine in one gulp from his hand.

This is his childhood friend, someone he grew up with, and the only person in the world who would never betray him.

Emperor Qingxi waved his hand, "I know my own body. Tell me quickly, how many more has that 'You Fengnian' recruited? Does he possess extraordinary skills? Can he be used by me?"

Lu Sheng pondered for a moment, then lowered his head and said, "He only said that when he came to this world, he had a system with him called 'The Copycat Master,' which contained classics from various schools of thought throughout history, as well as hundreds of examination essays that could be considered masterpieces. The reason he was able to pass the provincial examination this year was because 'The Copycat Master' had foreseen the future, predicted the questions, and had him memorize the essays in advance, which is why he won first place."

In his original world, 'You Fengnian' was just a useless, shut-in guy in his twenties with a vocational school diploma who couldn't find a job and could only stay at home playing video games and sponging off his parents.

As the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Lu Sheng had stained his hands with countless drop of blood over the years. He was a more skilled, experienced, cruel, and ruthless interrogator than Lu Xilou. 'You Fengnian' hadn't even lasted half an hour in his hands before he was already eager to extract every last detail about his entire family.

Lu Sheng also explained to Emperor Qingxi in detail what level "secondary vocational school" meant.

Emperor Qingxi had gradually lost interest from his initial excitement, and waved his hand listlessly, "I know what this means. It turns out he's not even a college graduate... What use is this 'plagiarist' other than helping him cheat on the imperial examinations?"

The old emperor sighed.

The leaping flames reflected on the old emperor's wrinkled face and illuminated his cloudy eyes. No matter how spirited the young man was, he could not escape the ravages of time.

More than 130 years have passed since the founding of the Great Ye Kingdom. He is the fourth emperor of the Xiao family.

The direct descendants of the Xiao family share a secret—the founding emperor who overthrew the previous dynasty and established this empire was a "celestial being" from another world.

Before his death, he passed this secret on to the next emperor, reminding him that if he ever encountered another extraordinary person with similar skills who was out of step with the world, he should either offer them great benefits to win them over and make them work for him.

If you cannot win them over, and they harbor rebellious intentions, you should kill them quickly.

After Emperor Taizu's death, the second emperor of Daye was Emperor Qingxi's grandfather. Shortly after his ascension to the throne, he was fortunate enough to meet a celestial being and become his confidant.

With the improvement of agricultural tools and the selection of superior seeds by the ingenious people, Daye quickly recovered from the war and prospered. Its granaries were full, and the tragic scene of starvation was no longer a thing of the past.

After his death, he was posthumously granted the title of one of the Three Dukes and was honored with a place in the Imperial Ancestral Temple, becoming a celebrated story of harmonious relations between the emperor and his minister in historical records.

"My grandfather had more than a dozen sons. The late emperor was neither the eldest son nor the heir apparent, yet he was able to surpass the eldest prince and the crown prince at the time and was later chosen as the heir apparent. This was all because when he was still a prince, he was chosen by a celestial being who regarded him as a wise ruler and vowed to serve him to the death."

Emperor Qingxi was lost in distant memories, and even though Lu Sheng had heard this story many times, he still pretended to be listening attentively as if it were his first time hearing it.

"Later, when it was our turn to become heirs to the throne, we reached an unspoken consensus—whoever was chosen by the heavens would become the next emperor."

Emperor Qingxi chuckled softly, raising the back of his aged, dry hand as if trying to look back through the spots.

"At that time, I was still the Crown Prince, born of the Empress, the rightful heir apparent. But my other brothers were still eyeing the throne covetously. They were all secretly sending people to search for the Celestial Being, thinking that they could pull me down from the position of Crown Prince."

Lu Sheng looked reluctant. "Your Majesty, it's all in the past."

He had been there for Emperor Qingxi through those difficult days, so he knew all too well the unease and fear that haunted his heart during those sleepless nights.

Emperor Qingxi shook his head, "It's all in the past, but I'll never forget it in my heart."

Of course, he also sent Lu Sheng out to investigate—if the Celestials were determined to choose a prince to assist, why couldn't it be him? He was the Crown Prince, wasn't that perfectly legitimate?

Crown Prince Qingxi lived in constant fear, as if walking on thin ice. Lu Sheng hadn't found the whereabouts of the Celestial Being, so what about his other brothers? Had one of the Celestial Beings already secretly moved into a prince's residence, plotting how to overthrow him?

"In his later years, the Emperor favored Consort Li. Her son was named Prince An at birth and was showered with affection. The Emperor took him everywhere he went. Even when summoning ministers to discuss matters, he would hold Prince An on his lap and have the ministers compose poems to praise Prince An's intelligence and talent."

Emperor Qingxi's eyes flickered slightly, and he shook his head with amusement. "If it weren't for the fact that Prince An is still young and has not yet left the palace to establish his own residence, and has been living with Consort Li all this time, I would have thought that he was chosen by the heavens at such a young age, and that Father would depose me as Crown Prince and pass the throne to him."

This feeling is like having a second boot hanging over your head, never dropping; the waiting is the most agonizing experience.

Emperor Qingxi waited and waited, until the late emperor was critically ill. On his deathbed, in front of the imperial relatives and the officials of the six ministries, he clearly announced that the crown prince would succeed him after his death. After making proper arrangements, he passed away peacefully.

It wasn't until the coronation ceremony, when Emperor Qingxi offered sacrifices at the Imperial Ancestral Temple, reverently informing Heaven, Earth, and his ancestors that he had become the fourth emperor of Daye, that he vaguely came back to his senses.

So, even if I wasn't chosen by the gods, I could still smoothly inherit the throne?

"Since I ascended the throne, I have worked diligently for decades, rising early and retiring late, never slacking off, hoping that Heaven will have mercy on me, send down divine beings to bless the people, and continue the immortal foundation of my Great Ye Kingdom."

A hint of confusion flashed in Emperor Qingxi's aged eyes as he asked Lu Sheng, "Tell me, is it because I was born without the favor of Heaven? Otherwise, why did my grandfather and the late emperor both have divine assistance, but I am the only one without?"

Lu Sheng shook his head without hesitation, “The idea of ​​destiny is pure nonsense. Even if Your Majesty doesn’t have divine assistance, your achievements over the years are undeniable. The people outside all praise you as a fair and enlightened emperor, a wise ruler.”

He paused, then added, "You can do very well even without divine assistance. In my heart, you are far more capable than the late Emperor and Emperor Gaozu."

Emperor Qingxi smiled and nodded at Lu Sheng twice, saying, "Only you would dare to say such a thing to me."

He yawned, a hint of weariness on his face.

Lu Sheng helped him lie back on the bed. Emperor Qingxi leaned against the dragon-shaped pillow and spoke softly.

“When I was still the Crown Prince, I secretly vowed that if I could find a celestial being who was willing to assist me in ascending the throne, I would bestow upon him ten thousand taels of gold and a thousand acres of fertile land.

After I ascend the throne, I swear: if I find a celestial being, I will appoint him as prime minister, above the six ministries;

In the tenth year of my reign, I swore: if a celestial being appears, I am willing to appoint him as the Imperial Preceptor, build a temple and shrine for him, and let him enjoy incense offerings forever.

In the twentieth year of my reign, the Hejian region was struck by both drought and flood. I swore: If the heavenly beings can save my people who have starved or drowned, I am willing to grant them three wishes, even if it means I have to kneel before them and submit to them..."

Emperor Qingxi gave a cold laugh, a ruthless glint flashing in the eyes of the elderly emperor.

"In the thirtieth year of my reign, I swear: if I find a celestial being, I will surely cut him into a thousand pieces and grind his bones to dust."

Was fate truly not on his side? He waited and hoped for most of his life, only to be met with a good-for-nothing like You Fengnian who knew nothing and could only copy books?

Emperor Qingxi lay down, closed his eyes, and instructed Lu Sheng: "Do as you see fit. Try to get as much information out of him as possible, make him memorize articles that we don't have here, and then kill him."

...

A few days later, late at night.

Yan Yi was fast asleep, her head resting on Pei Jingyi's arm, when a strange electrical sound suddenly rang in her mind.

Her body trembled slightly, and she opened her eyes.

The room was quiet, the bed curtains were drawn tightly, and a small three-legged gilded bronze incense burner in the shape of an animal stood on the ground not far away. The ashes still carried a faint, ethereal fragrance.

Since Yao Niang successfully entered Yun Shao Girls' School to teach, Princess Tong An has never hesitated to provide her with the best quality incense ingredients. Yao Niang is grateful for Princess Tong An and Xiao Yue Liang's recommendation, and whenever she develops a new incense, she always sends them a box.

But Pei Jingyi's favorite is still the night-blooming cereus fragrance that he "custom-made".

Whenever Yan Yi came out of the cubicle after taking a bath and smelled that familiar fragrance, he knew he wouldn't have to get up early the next morning. He would start to blush uncontrollably, his heart would race, and his back and legs would ache.

In the stillness of the night, the person beside me breathes softly and slowly, carrying the faint scent of cypress wood after a bath.

Yan Yi held her breath, hearing her own heartbeat becoming clearer and clearer.

She waited quietly for a while until the sound of electricity reappeared in her mind without warning.

[Buzz buzz buzz... Detectable romance target... Hello host, do you want to rise to the top and become a high-ranking official? As long as you agree to bind with me... Wait, why is it a woman??]

The monotonous electronic voice suddenly turned exasperated at the end, and you could tell it was the voice of a young man.

This is... what Little Moon always says is an essential cheat code for time travelers, a system?

But she already has precognitive dreams, and recently upgraded to "Instantaneous Omnipresence." Where did this system come from, and why did it suddenly approach her?

Many questions flashed through Yan Yi's mind subconsciously, and then it suddenly dawned on her—could it read her thoughts?

No, I can't let it see that something is wrong with me.

Yan Yi secretly pinched her thigh; the pain left her no time to think, and her mind went blank.

She imagined herself as a native woman of the Great Ye Kingdom, suddenly encountering this strange phenomenon of someone speaking in her head. Terrified, her face turned pale, and she trembled as she silently asked, "What are you? A ghost or a demon? Get away from me—"

The cursing male voice rang out again.

[Zzzzz... Damn it, women are useless. They can't even control someone with such extraordinary abilities like me... This trip has really gone wrong from the start. The last host was exposed, and the new host was bound to the wrong gender... So annoying!]

The previous host... could it be You Fengnian? Was this originally his system?

Yan Yi didn't understand why she could hear its "inner thoughts," but it was clear that this was definitely not what it wanted her to know, so she had no choice but to continue pretending to be scared.

"Stop making strange noises in my head. If you don't leave... I'll go ask a master to exorcise you tomorrow."

[Host, I am neither a ghost nor a demon; I am a system that can help you rise to the top.]

The electronic voice suddenly reverted to a polite and gentlemanly demeanor.

Do you aspire to achieve the highest honors in the imperial examinations, passing all three levels of the imperial examinations? I can provide you with a complete set of props for cross-dressing as a woman, as well as a selection of essays by top scholars from all dynasties. If you can memorize them thoroughly, your place in history will be within your grasp!

Yan Yi remained silent.

【Perhaps you think dressing as a man is risky? Then we can explore the "wife rises through her husband's influence" route. I've done my research; your husband entered the Ministry of War through imperial favor. Don't you want him to achieve the highest rank in the imperial examinations, and bring honor to his wife and children? Bind yourself to me, and I have everything you desire…】

It coaxed her, like a devil's whisper, tempting her to sell her soul.

"Really?"

Yan Yi tentatively asked, as if persuaded by his words, cautiously extending an antenna, "Then why did you choose me? What about your previous... master?"

The system glitched strangely for a moment before reluctantly offering an explanation.

The previous host was killed by the Embroidered Uniform Guard after failing his mission and exposing his identity.

However, I've learned my lesson, and this time we're sure to reach the pinnacle of life!

Yan Yi roughly understood what was going on. She pretended to be conflicted, both excited and hesitant, and subtly extracted more information from him.

Despite the system's constant promises, the occasional crackling of electricity betrayed a hint of her true, irritable, and impatient feelings.

A slight warmth rose in her chest—a familiar, comforting force that had once nourished her body.

Yan Yi gently curled the corners of her lips in the darkness.

She interrupted the system's incessant urging, her tone no longer weak, but calm and indifferent.

"From childhood to adulthood, what I hate most is cheating on exams, whether it's a person or a system."

The thought that this garbage system instigated You Fengnian to kidnap Sang Wenyuan, causing that lively little girl to suffer a great fright, is still unbearable.

Yan Yi mustered her courage, clenched her fist, and silently prayed, "May the Goddess Xuan Nu protect you—now you can die."

[You... *sizzle*... ah...]

A golden light seemed to flash through my mind, and the noisy sounds disappeared completely, as if a signal had been suddenly cut off.

Immediately afterwards, a warm current flowed slowly through her limbs and bones, as if transforming into some kind of nourishing energy, calming her throbbing temples, like a pair of invisible hands gently massaging her.

In a daze, Yan Yi seemed to see a tall and slender female figure, half of whom was dressed in a seven-colored celestial robe and the other half in gleaming silver armor. She nodded slightly to Yan Yi and then disappeared into the air.

She blinked hard a few times, and a faint image remained on her retina.

Was everything that just happened a dream? Was the system and the Mysterious Goddess all just figments of her imagination?

Yan Yi was lost in thought when a strong, powerful arm reached out and wrapped around her waist.

"A-Tan, why did you wake up so suddenly? Are you feeling unwell anywhere?"

The man's voice was low, husky, and languid, with a slightly drawn-out tone, clearly indicating that he was not fully awake yet.

Yan Yi rolled over, leaned against his chest, and patted him haphazardly a few times.

"I had a dream, it's nothing now, go back to sleep."

"……good."

Pei Jingyi lowered his head and kissed the top of her head, and the two fell asleep in each other's arms.

...

"You Fengnian's identity was exposed, and he was secretly executed by the Embroidered Uniform Guard? The system on his body came into your mind and made grand promises, but it was killed by your own cheat system, and it even transformed into the appearance of the Goddess Xuan Nu?"

Shen Lingyue's mouth gaped open enough to swallow a whole egg. She finally understood why Yan Yi was being so mysterious today and why she had to talk to her under the covers.

She shook her head. "There's a lot of information here... Wait a minute, let me sort it out."

Soon, Shen Lingyue summarized the most critical point for them.

"If the Imperial Guards know that You Fengnian is a time traveler, doesn't that mean the old emperor also knows?"

Shen Lingyue trembled, "You Fengnian was killed even though he had a system. If the two of us are discovered, won't we be silenced in a heartbeat?"

She began frantically recalling whether she had acted too outrageously in the past few months.

"Stay calm, things haven't gotten to the worst point yet."

Yan Yi grasped her hand, pulling Shen Lingyue back from her wandering thoughts. "We had previously speculated that the founding emperor of the Xiao family was most likely a time traveler. Now it seems that the existence of time travelers in this world is no longer a secret to the royal family, and their attitude towards time travelers should be to eliminate them completely, fearing that they might use their abilities to cause trouble and disrupt the stability of their rule."

She looked at Shen Lingyue intently, "Although we did some things after we came here, they were all traceable. We either pretended to be divine intervention or relied on the power of our family and friends. We did everything very cleanly and the old emperor wouldn't notice."

Yan Yi smiled at her and added, "We are different from You Fengnian. We are women, and we are already married. We spend our days dealing with the things that women do: social gatherings, banquets, matchmaking, having children, managing the household... These things cannot shake the rule of the court, so what is there to fear?"

Shen Lingyue gradually calmed down and nodded, "You're right. Even if the Embroidered Uniform Guard wants to investigate time travelers, they'll definitely arrest those arrogant male protagonists first. What does it have to do with us?"

She stroked her chin and sighed, "I told you, being cautious is a kind of survival wisdom!"

From now on, they should stay out of the limelight if possible; secretly plotting against people is the safest course of action. (crossed out)

“Perhaps we can take advantage of the chaos.” Yan Yi smiled. “Like this time, when the Dongxiang Marquis’s family was exposed for confusing bloodlines, everyone thought it was a long-standing feud between Grandmother and the former Dongxiang Marquis’s wife, and they were using her as a pretext for revenge. We two are just young wives fighting for our elders, how would we know about things from decades ago?”

Shen Lingyue covered her mouth and laughed. Sure enough, dragging the Grand Madam into the mess was the right move.

She clenched her fist: "From now on, our motto is: quietly enjoy the show, and don't fire a shot!"

Shen Lingyue was an optimist. Since Yan Yi said it was nothing, then it was nothing. She quickly regained her energy and vitality.

She slurped up the sweet soup made by the tea master, complaining, "You Fengnian's system is quite advanced, it can talk to people in their minds, but the 'system quality' is really not good. No wonder she and You Fengnian are birds of a feather and attracted to each other... She deserves to be killed by your cheat system."

Shen Lingyue blinked, "But Yan Yan, your cheat system is still more powerful. You destroyed the system in a flash. Doesn't that count as leveling up by fighting monsters and gaining experience? When can it communicate with you in your mind, at least give you some hints, like what conditions need to be met to see the future?"

While this feature is useful, it is indeed a bit random.

Yan Yi took it in stride, laughing and saying, "Let's leave it to fate; these things can't be forced."

...

A few days later, on a nice day, they went to visit Sang Wenyuan at the Sang family home.

Sang Wenyuan developed a high fever that very night after being sent back to the Sang family. The doctor said that she had caught a chill and was frightened, which caused her to have a cold and fever.

Enraged, Sang's mother cursed the entire You family every day, wishing they would all be reborn as pigs or dogs in their next life, and be reborn into the animal realm.

After venting her anger, she sat by her unconscious daughter's side, wiping away tears. She and Shen Ming'an were supposed to get married next year, but now this had happened, and she didn't know how to explain it to her in-laws...

But the next day, Zhao Lan brought Shen Ming'an to visit her. She held Sang's mother's hand and comforted her for a long time, without mentioning that Sang Wenyuan had been kidnapped. It was as if she had only come to visit her sick future daughter-in-law.

He even subtly hinted to Sang's mother that if the Sang family was willing, they could arrange the marriage of the unmarried couple ahead of schedule and marry Sang Wenyuan into their family as soon as possible.

This finally put Sang's mother at ease. Even though she knew that You Fengnian hadn't had time to do anything to Sang Wenyuan, the Shen family still valued her so much, which was also because they valued the marriage between the two families.

From then on, Sang's mother found Shen Ming'an more and more pleasing to the eye. The old master Sang even devoted all his free time to tutoring his grandson-in-law, forcing Shen Ming'an to study like crazy, determined to win first place in the next imperial examination and make a name for himself.

When Shen Lingyue and Yan Yi arrived at the Sang family, Sang Wenyuan had already recovered from her illness, but she was still a little weak and looked listless, unable to muster any energy.

Mother Sang knew that the two women had also contributed to rescuing Sang Wenyuan, especially her future sister-in-law, Shen Lingyue, who had ridden a fast horse for several hours to personally rescue her and avenged Sang Wenyuan. Mother Sang looked at the two women with increasing tenderness and affection, and served them various teas and snacks in a continuous stream.

“Good children, you should eat more with Wen Yuan. She’s lost weight recently. What will happen if this continues?”

Shen Lingyue teased her deliberately, "Sister-in-law, you probably wanted to look even better in your wedding dress on your wedding day. I think you look just right now, fair and tender like a peeled lychee. If you lose any more weight..."

She lowered her voice and shook her head repeatedly.

Sang Wenyuan was intrigued and pressed for an answer: "What will happen?"

Shen Lingyue grinned mischievously and whispered in her ear, "If you get any thinner, my older brother will find it uncomfortable to hold you."

Sang Wenyuan blushed, picked up a piece of red bean pastry and was about to throw it at her, but then paused, angrily stuffed it into her mouth, and took two big bites.

"Hmph, you should be glad you got married early. Otherwise, once I got to the Shen family, I'd be making you do chores for me every day. I'm your sister-in-law!"

Shen Lingyue made a face at her, "Okay, it would be great if you married me tomorrow. If you marry me, I'll go back to my parents' house every day to be my sister-in-law's little maid, serving tea and water, massaging her shoulders and back~"

"Come on, won't Young Master Pei come looking for trouble with me then?"

Sang Wenyuan was amused by her and her mood improved considerably. She even ate an extra half bowl of rice at noon.

She held Shen Lingyue and Yan Yi's hands, her expression earnest.

“Ming An told me everything. If you hadn’t guessed where You Fengnian took me and arrived in time, I’m afraid I would already be…”

These days, Sang Wenyuan repeatedly tells herself: she did nothing wrong, she is an innocent victim, she should not reflect on herself, and she should not despise herself for being "unclean".

But whenever she closes her eyes, she can't help but recall that desperate and helpless situation. You Fengnian's hideous face is like a persistent demon, appearing in her dreams whenever she has a chance.

"Wen Yuan, he's dead, dead beyond dead, he'll never have the chance to bother you again."

Shen Lingyue emphasized twice, "I'll say it again: just think of it as being bitten by a mad dog, dust yourself off, get up, and keep moving forward in life. Don't you trust my older brother?"

A sweet smile returned to Sang Wenyuan's face, and she nodded gently.

“He comes to see me every day after school, bringing me delicious food and fun little things, reading to me, and writing poems for me. You're right, I will forget that nightmare, and things will get better and better for us in the future.”

...

It was still early when they left the Sang family's residence, so the two of them weren't in a hurry to return to the Marquis's mansion and planned to wander around outside for a while longer.

"By the way, the Rouge Roast Goose we ordered at Fenglelou during the last Guanyin Dharma Assembly was so delicious, it's a pity I only got to eat three pieces."

Shen Lingyue took a slurp and urged Yan Yi, "It's just the two of us today, let's splurge and order a whole one, how about that!"

Yan Yi widened her eyes slightly. "But we just had lunch at the Sang family's house. Can you still eat?"

Shen Lingyue proudly patted her little belly, "I can do it! At worst, we can sit in Fenglelou for a while longer, watch the performance, digest our food, and then continue eating."

Yan Yi couldn't dissuade her, so she told the driver to head to Fenglelou.

"Oh, right, I have some new gossip!"

Shen Lingyue slapped her forehead, suddenly remembering something, and said mysteriously, "Qingchan found out from the kitchen that my aunt is on a diet lately. She's even stopped eating her favorite crispy pork knuckle and is having the kitchen send her cucumber, carrot, and cabbage soup every day. The food looks so gruesome; even a rabbit would run away crying if it came."

Yan Yi asked, puzzled, "But my aunt isn't fat to begin with, so why does she need to lose weight?"

Shen Lingyue chuckled: "You wouldn't understand. When someone suddenly starts dieting, there's only one possibility—"

"What?"

Shen Lingyue snapped her fingers. "That means she's going to be in a relationship!"

Yan Yi was silent for a moment before speaking with difficulty: "Really?"

"Of course you would! Haven't you noticed that my aunt has been going out more often lately, and she always dresses up beautifully and looks especially pretty?"

Yan Yi thought for a moment, "Wasn't she going out to find a partner for her cousin?"

"Hey, you know perfectly well that my cousin's marriage is a huge problem. Before, my aunt would always come back from going out grumbling and in a bad mood, and she would often take her anger out on the maids in the courtyard."

Shen Lingyue shook her head. "But it's different lately. Every time she comes home, she's all smiles and happy. Could she be arranging a marriage for her cousin? It's more like she's going out on a date by herself."

Yan Yi lifted a corner of the carriage curtain to let in some fresh air, and looked at the bustling crowd outside, saying softly, "Actually, it would be good if my aunt could remarry. My two cousins ​​are both grown up now, so she doesn't need to worry about them. Why should she have to stay alone in an empty room?"

After all, Pei Yuzhen is only in her thirties. If she can find a suitable husband, she can live a loving life for another thirty years.

"That's what I think too. Besides, once she's married, she can cause trouble for others, so she won't come looking for trouble with us every now and then, keeping our household in turmoil," Shen Lingyue said with a sigh, shaking her head.

Yan Yi pursed her lips. "I'm almost finished painting my grandmother and grandfather's wedding portraits. I'll go to Songhe Hall next time to sound her out. I wonder if she'll be willing for her daughter to remarry."

Shen Lingyue's eyes darted around. "Even if she's unwilling, I have plenty of ways to persuade her."

Yu Xiuxiu, you little old lady, I've easily found your weakness! ^_^

Fengle Tower was not far ahead. Yan Yi peeked out and suddenly exclaimed in surprise.

She pulled Shen Lingyue over to join her, "Look, that carriage in front is also from the Marquis's mansion, is it your aunt?"

As they were talking, they saw Pei Yuzhen get off the carriage. Just as Shen Lingyue had said, she was dressed up in a flamboyant manner and entered Fengle Tower with a smile on her face.

Shen Lingyue's eyes lit up. "It must be a date! Let's follow them and see which unlucky guy has been chosen by my aunt—"

...

The two entered Fenglelou, and as they looked up, they happened to see Pei Yuzhen walking around the corner of the second-floor corridor.

Shen Lingyue immediately grabbed a waiter, pointed up, and asked, "Did that lady make an appointment? In which room?"

The waiter hesitated for a moment, and Yan Yi immediately stuffed a string of copper coins into his hand.

"It's the second to last room on the right, the Peony Pavilion." Seeing that they were young, beautiful, and friendly, the waiter added a piece of information: "That lady has been coming here often lately; she's booked the Peony Pavilion for a month."

Shen Lingyue pulled Yan Yi upstairs, muttering, "I never knew my aunt was so rich. A private room at Fengle Restaurant costs a lot of money a month."

But thinking about it, it makes sense. She has lived and worked in the Marquis's mansion for the past ten years, and the Grand Madam's secret treasury must have provided her with a lot of financial support.

The two tiptoed to the outside of the Peony Pavilion private room. Shen Lingyue reached out and pushed the windows next to the door, trying several one by one. She actually found one that wasn't closed tightly and pushed it open a crack.

She leaned closer, squinted, and peered inside. "...Wow!"

Pei Yuzhen lay on the small couch opposite, her head resting on the man's lap. Her cherry lips were slightly parted as she gently bit into a green grape he fed her, laughing heartily. She reached out to push against his half-open chest, "You're so annoying~"

Shen Lingyue quickly pulled Yan Yi over to admire him together. Her eyes widened as she looked at the man's fair and handsome face, down to his collarbone, slightly bulging chest muscles, and strong, muscular thighs...

She forced out a breathy voice from her throat: "Pei Yuzhen, you're really something, Pei Yuzhen, you actually managed to eat so well behind our backs!"

No, does your cousin know that you've found a young man who's only a few years older than her?

Seeing that the room was about to head in an indescribable direction, Yan Yi's face flushed, and she quickly pulled Shen Lingyue away, returning to the room they had originally planned to stay in.

"Exciting, so exciting!" Shen Lingyue patted her wildly beating heart. "No wonder she's had two kids, she really knows how to have fun."

This Fenglelou is no inn; there are so many people coming and going... Ahhh!

Yan Yi coughed lightly, "That man looks quite young, maybe my aunt is just... having a fling with him?"

"No problem. Men with wives can still go out and have a good time. My uncle has been dead for ten years, so why can't she go out and have fun?"

Shen Lingyue nodded seriously, then said, "I don't know where my aunt found such a scumbag. Is she a professional at this? Where is her conscience? Where is her morality? Where is her address...?"

Yan Yi chuckled and interrupted her rambling, "Wake up, you have a husband."

"I'll just look, can't I just stay out of it?" Shen Lingyue winked and acted cute. "I'm very kind and loving, I just want to give all the handsome men in the world a home."

She even tried to recruit Yan Yi, saying, "Although the eldest brother is very handsome, you know, you have to change things up every now and then to keep things fresh."

Pei Jingyi, who was working at the Ministry of War, and Pei Jinghuai, who was queuing up on the street to buy limited-edition snacks, sneezed at the same time.

...

A few days later, Yan Yi finally finished painting the portraits of the Dowager and the old Marquis and took them to Songhe Hall.

"Grandmother, is there anything else that needs to be adjusted?"

When the old lady unfurled the scroll, tears welled up in her eyes. She nodded repeatedly, "Very good, just like that. There's nothing to change."

She immediately took off a thick gold bracelet from her wrist and stuffed it into Yan Yi's arms, saying, "Good child, you are the only one in this family who truly understands your grandmother's heart!"

The old lady held the scroll with great affection, and when she got home, she hung it by her bedside, using the old Marquis's handsome face from his youth to lull her to sleep every day.

"What about me? Am I not your sweetest little darling?"

Shen Lingyue nudged over and acted cute, saying, "If your sister-in-law has it, your family should have it too."

"...Here you go." The old lady was in a good mood and didn't mind her being so nagging, so she took off the gold bracelet on her other hand as well.

Pei Yuzhen happened to walk in and saw this scene. Her eyes blazed with anger. She shouted indignantly, "Fine, I've only been gone for a few days, and you've already secretly given them nice things behind my back!"

-----------------------

Author's Note: Here it comes again! Another day of writing so much I couldn't stop. When will I finally get a break? [dove][dove]

I saw some of the comments yesterday. Don't worry, there won't be a huge gathering of time travelers~ You Fengnian, that scoundrel, and the corrupt leader have both been reduced to dust. Yuezai and Yanyan will be even more cunning and treacherous in the future. [Dog head with rose in hand][Dog head with rose in hand]

[Moon Child: [Sprinkling flowers] I transmigrated into this book to become the emperor's... confidant... and greatest threat...]