Later on, Shen Yulou couldn't even cry anymore.

Afterwards, Chi Yuan embraced his beloved husband and son, and they drifted off to sleep happily.

No one noticed the triumphant smile that appeared on his lips after he closed his eyes.

In the middle of the night, Shen Yulou slowly woke up, put on a red robe, and quietly got off the bed without disturbing anyone.

She opened the dressing case and took out the red jade inside, examining it carefully under the candlelight.

The pitch-black environment and the flickering candlelight accentuated her alluring profile, while the eerie look in her upturned eyebrows made the scene incredibly strange and unsettling.

[Ding! Host has discovered a key item for the hidden plot: Red Jade. Reward: 3000 Merit Points. We hope the host will continue their efforts.]

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The day before the Ghost Festival

The people in the palace began to set off for the imperial mausoleum.

Shen Yulou leaned back on the soft couch of the carriage and closed his eyes to rest.

The fox cub nestled against Shen Yulou's waist, sleeping like a little nut.

Chi Yuan sat on the edge of the soft couch, fanning the two of them.

Shen Yulou didn't even want to open his eyes. These past two days, he had truly experienced the saying, "There are no lands that are ruined, only oxen that die from exhaustion."

Because people need to cultivate their character during the ancestral worship period, the pond has been like a wolf or a tiger these past two days.

Shen, the beautiful woman, is suffering from morning till night.

"How's the case you had Shen Bijue and An Youping investigate going?"

Shen Yulou closed his eyes, thinking that a week had passed since the incident, and then checked to see if there had been any progress.

“There’s been some progress, just as we thought.” Chi Yuan put down his palm-leaf fan, peeled a grape, and fed it to Shen Yulou.

"When Shen Bijue and An Youping were searching the salt merchant's house again, they found a hidden compartment in the shrine on the wall."

"After cracking the code, we found a pill inside that had been gnawed by a rodent."

"They guessed that the jade with the totem was a token of their trade; the salt merchants supplied them with salt, and they provided the salt merchants with this secret medicine."

"What secret medicine could possibly be worth this salt merchant betraying his country?" Shen Yulou asked, intrigued.

"The effects are still unclear. They tried this pill on death row inmates and rats once, but there was no reaction."

"Shen Bijue and An Youping sent their men to disguise themselves and infiltrate the Jiangnan area to see if they could conduct long-term transactions with that group of people."

Shen Yulou lightly tapped the quilt with her fingers.

The two discussed this topic intermittently throughout the journey.

"Those are..." Shen Yulou saw the unfamiliar crowd beside him as he got off the carriage with the fox cub in his arms.

“The Marquis of Dingyuan’s family, they come with us every year to pay homage to my mother.”

Chi Yuan explained.

"Is there only this many people?" Shen Yulou looked closely and realized that there seemed to be only two or three people in the house.

"Yes, Marquis Dingyuan only had two children, one was my mother, and the other died shortly after birth."

“They moved away from the capital after my mother passed away and rarely came back.”

No wonder Chi Yuan looks so indifferent.

Shen Yulou narrowed his eyes.

"The ancestral worship ceremony is tomorrow. How do you plan to explain the fox cub?"

Shen Yulou pointed to the little fox in his arms, who was stretching after waking up, wanting to see what plan Chi Yuan had prepared.

Chi Yuan smiled and took out an imperial edict.

The above roughly means

The ancestor was moved by the deep affection between him and Shen Yulou and could not bear to separate them. However, for the sake of the Qi Dynasty's longevity, he sent a son to him in a dream the night before the sacrifice.

In gratitude for the generosity of our ancestors, we proclaim their merits to the world.

Shen Yulou: "..."

You're incredibly foolish yet appear wise! Now there's truly no way to prove it. Do your father and mother know how cunning you are?

"Didn't I tell you? The fox cub won't grow up now; he can't inherit your throne." Shen Yulou smiled.

Chi Yuan paused for a moment, then waved his hand dismissively.

“It’s alright. Chi Chang has children, so let his children inherit the position. It’s also a good opportunity to arrange a Grand Tutor position for Shen Bijue and An Youping.”