The carriage moved slowly, the interior filled with a faint aroma of tea, quiet and profound.

Xing Hui gently poured tea for Shen Jintang, her eyes filled with trepidation, her voice low and respectful: "Master, Shen Huaixu has come to you so humbly to beg you, are you really not going to help him?"

Shen Jintang took the teacup, and wisps of steam rose up, brushing against her face like a light veil, blurring her vision.

She gently blew out cool air, her voice calm yet cold, carrying an undeniable resolve: "Of course he's coming to beg me. He wants to preserve his reputation and let Grand Tutor Shen die with dignity. That's a good thing for him, but why should I grant his wish? Why should I let him have his way?"

She leaned against the car window, her gaze drifting through the window at the gradually blurring street scene outside, her tone tinged with sarcasm: "The reputation of the Shen family, the fate of Grand Tutor Shen, these have never been my concerns. I only care about how I walk my own path. Shen Huaixu thinks I can't live without the Shen family, but he forgets that my path, Shen Jintang's path, is one I forge step by step on my own, not one protected by the Shen family."

"What you say is true, Master." Xinghui bowed her head in agreement, then hesitated before asking, "What about the Crown Prince...?"

Shen Jintang smiled slightly, a sharp glint in her eyes, but her tone remained calm: "I have my own plans."

She gently set down her teacup, her gaze deep and thoughtful.

She would naturally not stand idly by when it came to the plight of displaced people.

On the one hand, she couldn't bear to see the people suffer, which was her true nature; on the other hand, this matter involved the Crown Prince and her grudges, so how could she let go of such a good opportunity?

However, unlike Shen Huaixu's caution, she wanted to make this matter even bigger, to the point that the Crown Prince would not rest until he was dead.

Upon returning to the Princess's residence, Shen Jintang began preparations for this matter, intending to use Gu Zhixing to facilitate everything.

However, just as she had made all the arrangements and was waiting for Gu Zhixing to enter the mansion, the eldest princess suddenly sent someone to summon her to the palace.

"Did Her Highness the Princess say what it was about?"

Shen Jintang frowned slightly, her tone carrying a hint of doubt.

She was supposed to take a day off today, which was arranged in advance with the Princess, and it was also to supervise Gu Zhixing.

Unless something major happens, the eldest princess would certainly not delay her arrangements here.

The attendant aunt shook her head, her face showing some difficulty, and remained silent.

A faint unease rose in Shen Jintang's heart, but she still composed herself and followed her aunt to the palace.

The carriage moved slowly along the palace road, its wheels making a soft sound as they rolled over the bluestone slabs.

The towering palace walls completely blocked out the sunlight, making the carriage feel even cooler.

Shen Jintang sat in the car, her fingers gently tapping her knees, a thoughtful expression on her face.

She had a vague feeling that this matter might be related to the Shen family, or even possibly to Shen Huaixu's plans.

However, Shen Huaixu has always been cautious, and he would never take any risks without her help.

However, she couldn't think of any other reason for the princess's sudden summons other than that it was related to the Shen family.

Shen Jintang followed her aunt and slowly entered the palace, passing through many palace gates before finally stopping outside the Imperial Study.

Shen Jintang felt increasingly uneasy. She took a deep breath, slowly pushed open the door, and stepped into the Imperial Study.

The atmosphere inside the hall was oppressive and suffocating; the air seemed to have frozen, making even breathing feel heavy.

Shen Jintang's gaze swept quickly across the hall, finally landing on Shen Huaixu and a young woman.

The girl was dressed in luxurious clothes and had an extraordinary demeanor, clearly not an ordinary person, but Shen Jintang had never seen her before.

Looking at the dragon throne again, the person sitting there was not the eldest princess, but a middle-aged man dressed in a dragon robe.

He was thin and coughed occasionally, appearing extremely weak.

The young woman quietly served him, offering him hot tea with concern in her eyes.

Shen Jintang's heart skipped a beat. It seemed that this young lady had given Shen Huaixu the confidence to come at such a risk. However, he did not choose to appeal to the emperor, but instead brought the matter directly to the emperor's attention.

It seems that this young lady wielded considerable power by the emperor's side, even to the point of influencing his decisions.

Then, one could see the Crown Prince and the Eldest Princess sitting on either side, both with solemn expressions.

The Crown Prince's gaze held a hint of wariness, while the Princess frowned slightly, seemingly deep in thought.

Shen Jintang's gaze finally fell on Grand Tutor Shen in the center of the Imperial Study.

The old man, who had been poisoned and suffered a stroke, was carried into the hall and sat on the ground, struggling to straighten his back.

His face was old and haggard, but his eyes were full of grief and determination, like a solitary peak standing tall in the turbulent court.

Shen Jintang indifferently withdrew his gaze and walked slowly and steadily toward the Princess.

She bowed slightly and gave a respectful greeting.

After the ceremony, she stood quietly beside the princess, her gaze calm and expressionless, as if she had everything under control.

"His Majesty!"

Grand Tutor Shen's voice, hoarse yet powerful, resonated throughout the hall like a great bell, causing the candlelight to flicker slightly: "The Yellow River floods have ravaged the land, leaving people displaced on both banks and corpses strewn across the fields! Your Majesty, I have ascertained that the Ministry of Revenue embezzled disaster relief funds, causing the dikes to fall into disrepair over the years, which led to this catastrophe! Such a crime is intolerable! Your Majesty, I implore you to conduct a thorough investigation and restore justice to the people of the land!"

After he finished speaking, the hall fell into a deathly silence. Only the emperor frowned slightly, his fingers tapping lightly on the armrest of the dragon throne, as if he were weighing the pros and cons.

The candlelight illuminated his dragon robe, making it appear even more somber.

The young woman stood to the side, a hint of worry in her eyes, and said softly, "Your Majesty, Grand Tutor Shen has dedicated his life to the country and its people. He would never be so agitated if there were no truth to it. This matter is of great importance. Your Majesty should investigate it carefully to avoid wronging a loyal minister and chilling the hearts of the people."

Her voice was gentle, yet every word she uttered was for the emperor's benefit, subtly favoring the Shen family.

Shen Huaixu stood beside Grand Tutor Shen, his expression cold and stern. His gaze swept over the Minister of Revenue like a knife, and he said in a deep voice, "What the princess says is absolutely right! The embezzlement in the Ministry of Revenue has caused the people of the world to be displaced! If Your Majesty does not thoroughly investigate, I fear the people of the world will be disheartened! Grand Tutor Shen has been honest and upright all his life, and today he risked his life to remonstrate with you. Does Your Majesty intend to turn a blind eye to this?"

These words were so radical that they caused the emperor to cough incessantly.

"Cough cough cough..."

The emperor became so emotional that he coughed up blood.

The young woman stood to one side, gently patted the emperor's back, and said softly, "Your Majesty, please calm down and do not harm your health."

Upon hearing this, the Minister of Revenue sneered and bowed to the Emperor, saying, "Your Majesty, what Grand Tutor Shen said is utter nonsense! The Ministry of Revenue has always been honest and upright; how could it commit such a heinous act?"

"Since Her Highness the Princess assumed the regency, we have been diligent in our duties, and the Ministry of Revenue has been particularly conscientious, with absolutely no instances of embezzlement. Grand Tutor Shen is old and may be easily swayed by rumors, and has been blinded by others."

The officials of the Ministry of Revenue echoed this sentiment, their words filled with sarcasm and contempt for Grand Tutor Shen.

The Crown Prince himself stood aside, his expression indifferent, as if none of this concerned him. He only occasionally glanced at the Emperor, his eyes filled with a hint of probing.