Chapter 95 Pei Yuan's Warning: Let's Start with the Chen Family

"Again?" He Zhengxiang keenly caught the key words. "So this isn't the first time you've cursed me. No wonder you ran out of words... uh... Xiao Shen said cursing you relieves the pain."

"Speechless? You want to scold me to ease your pain..." Pei Yuan coldly crushed the plum in his hand.

"Your Highness, Li Zi isn't like Xiao Shen. Even if you don't want to eat it, don't squeeze it." He Zhengxiang looked at the plum that Pei Yuan had squeezed and crushed with a pained expression.

Pei Yuan snorted, picked up a handkerchief to wipe his hands, and took over the whole plate of plums.

"Lord He, aren't you going back to the Censorate? I won't keep you any longer."

He Zhengxiang glanced at Li Zi with a regretful expression and muttered under his breath, "Your Highness is just as stingy as Xiao Shen."

Pei Yuan lowered his eyes and stared at the round plums, then pinched one between his fingers and crushed it.

He Zhengxiang suddenly felt a chill run down his spine and silently left.

Sun Yan came in to report, "Your Highness, there is indeed a clothing shop in the south of the city that secretly sends erotic pictures to male customers who come to buy clothes."

My subordinates have also investigated, and it's true that Lord Shen did buy clothes at that clothing store this morning.

Pei Yuan frowned slightly. Could it be that his encounter with Shen Chu in the south of the city today was truly a coincidence?

He felt something was off, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

Recalling how enthusiastically Shen Chu had discussed positions with him in the carriage earlier that day, he couldn't help but let out a soft hum.

Sometimes he is as cunning as a fox, sometimes he is as indignant as an innocent child, and sometimes he is playful and shameless.

Sooner or later, he will strip away Shen Chu's disguise and see which one is the real him.

He left the study with his hands behind his back and instructed Jinbao, "Go and take that plate of plums on my desk to Master Shen's house."

Jinbao happily agreed, but when he saw the miserable state of the plums on the table, he was dumbfounded.

Is His Highness... separating the skin and flesh from the plum?

Shen Chu stared at the plate Jin Bao had brought, speechless for a long time.

I'm so angry.

The plums, which were originally round and plump, were all crushed. One half was neatly arranged with plum skin, and the other half was crushed plum flesh.

On the topmost plum skin, two characters were written in fine wolf-hair brush: Chen Chu.

What?

Is this person treating a plum like her head and squeezing it for fun?

She took a deep breath. "What does Your Highness mean by this?"

Jinbao scratched his head, "This servant doesn't know what it means either. I thought you would understand it at a glance."

I understand, it's just a warning.

Judging from his actions against the Third Prince, Zhao Dewen, and Qiu Gang, Pei Yuan is definitely a very shrewd and ambitious person.

Today, He Zhengxiang came to visit her in the hospital, and his words implied that he hoped she would side with Pei Yuan in the future.

She refused.

So, was Pei Yuan giving her a warning?

If she doesn't side with him, will he crush her head?

Ha, you're crazy. Do you think she was raised to be easily frightened?

She refused to submit to him, wanting to see what Pei Yuan could do to him.

After Jinbao left, Chen Chu ground ink and wrote a letter.

Hongxiu came in with a stack of visiting cards in her hand. "Young master, these were just delivered by the gatekeeper. Please see if there is anyone you wish to see."

A thick stack of visiting cards, all from officials of various departments in the court, all wanting to pay her a visit.

Hongxiu clicked her tongue lightly, "They're all in a panic because they see that you're going to inspect the various departments on behalf of His Majesty. They're scrambling to come and try to catch up at the last minute. Do you want to see them, young master?"

"I won't see them." Shen Chu shook her head and instructed, "Return all these visiting cards, but if anyone asks you about them, you can hint to them that I am a son of a concubine in the Marquis's household, and that I am very respectful and filial to my stepmother."

Hongxiu's eyes lit up. "Is Young Master preparing to deal with the Chen family?"

Shen Chu curled her lips into a smile. "Instead of passively waiting for the other party to make a mistake, it's better to take the initiative. The matter I asked you to investigate must be investigated as soon as possible."

"Yes, I will find out as soon as possible."

Chen Chu took out the letter she had just written and handed it to Hong Xiu, "Send this letter to Senior Brother and ask him to come to the capital as soon as possible."

Hongxiu left with the visiting card in her arms.

Shen Chu gently stroked her flat stomach.

The arrival of the child disrupted her original plans.

Regardless of whether she keeps the child or not, the things that need to be done should be expedited.

Since that's the case, let's start with the Chen family.

The officials outside the Marquis's residence who had their visiting cards rejected were initially quite dejected, but upon hearing Hongxiu's seemingly unintentional mutterings, their eyes lit up, and they felt as if they had seen hope again.

They've really lost their minds. Lord Shen is currently on His Majesty's behalf to inspect the various departments, and to avoid suspicion, he won't meet with them at this time.

But their wives can pay their respects to the wife of the Marquis of Changning.

Lady Changning is the legal mother of Lord Shen. If Lady Changning accepts the gift, it's the same as Lord Shen accepting it. Lord Shen should be lenient towards them then.

Upon returning home, the officials immediately instructed their wives to visit Madam Chen at the Marquis's residence.

Mr. Chen was overjoyed to receive so many visiting cards.

"These people must have seen that the Empress Dowager praised me and promised that Ayan would go with His Highness the Crown Prince to provide disaster relief, so they are rushing to curry favor with us."

She flipped through the visiting card and felt somewhat dissatisfied.

"Why are they all officials below the fourth rank? I was thinking of finding a good marriage for Yan'er."

"That little slut Zhao Yufang, how could she be worthy of my Yan'er? Once we return from this disaster relief mission, and Yan'er has been granted an official position, I will definitely find a way to ruin this marriage."

Although she was dissatisfied that almost none of the visiting officials came from noble families, Madam Chen still met with each of the visiting wives.

These officials' wives were sent by their husbands to curry favor with Chen, so when they met, they all used sweet words and flattery to fawn over her, practically praising her to the skies.

Since Shen Chu returned, Chen Shi's life has been unpleasant. A few days ago, her reputation was damaged because of the dragon boat race, and she stayed in the Buddhist hall in the palace for a few days. To make matters worse, the Empress gave her a serious warning not to have any open conflict with Shen Chu.

Her vexation vanished with each flattery and fawning from the officials' wives, and a smile bloomed on her face.

When she saw the gift list that the official's wife had brought out, she was even more tempted.

In an effort to salvage her reputation, she gritted her teeth and donated 500 shi of grain and a house. Just as she was feeling the pinch, the gifts these people sent made up for her loss.

She happily accepted the gifts on behalf of Shen Chu, and as for the officials' wives' suggestions that Shen Chu should be lenient during the inspection, she smiled and said that there was no problem.

If Shen Chu doesn't show leniency in the future, those officials will suffer the consequences. They will likely be dismissed or have their homes confiscated. When they become prisoners, they will naturally have no way to confront her. Instead, Shen Chu will be branded as someone who takes money but doesn't do anything.

If Shen Chu were to show leniency, he would be branded as someone who accepted bribes and deceived His Majesty.

In either case, it will be Shen Chu who suffers, and it has nothing to do with her.

The commotion on the Chen side naturally did not escape Shen Chu's notice.

She blew on the ink on the paper and handed it to Hongxiu, asking, "Were these the people who came to visit today?"

Hongxiu glanced at them and nodded. "It is these people. She is really greedy. In just one day, she has managed to meet with more than a dozen officials' wives."

Shen Chu chuckled, "The more you see, the better. Find a way to steal the gift list, make a copy, and then hint to the ladies that I'm thinking of getting married soon."

Hongxiu's eyes widened in surprise at the mention of "marriage." "Who do you want to marry?"