Tan Yonglin had been following Jiang Wang closely. When he saw His Majesty hesitating outside the North Garden, he wanted to say a few words of advice, but then he remembered that he had been scolded just the other day, so he reluctantly shut his mouth.

He was also puzzled. How could two people who seemed to get along so well suddenly turn against each other?

It is said that the emperor's heart is unfathomable, but no one knows for sure what is really going on.

Shen Mingzhuang stayed quietly in the North Garden for a while. When Manhuan came over to ask where she wanted to have lunch, she realized that a whole morning had already passed.

Jiang Wang didn't seem to have any intention of leaving her, or even the slightest bit of reluctance. It really was just as the saying goes, who would study after the exam? Now that she was Consort Ming, Jiang Wang was certain that she was a cooked fish that couldn't jump around.

Thinking of this, she immediately instructed Manhuan, "We won't have our meal in Beiyuan today; let's go to Dingshi Restaurant."

Dingshi is a famous restaurant in the capital city, offering both food and lodging. It is not a place that ordinary people can afford to eat, drink, and stay in. It is located on the most bustling Chang'an Street.

She used to only want to save up money and run away, and she never dared to go out and eat and drink extravagantly. Now she has plenty of money and no one is watching her. If she doesn't go out and have fun now, when will she?

Manhuan hesitated for a moment, then said, "Your Highness, Dingshi is frequented by mostly men. Is it... appropriate for us to go there?"

"What's inappropriate? We're just going out for a meal. Did His Majesty say we can't eat out? Or has His Majesty confined me to my quarters?"

Man Huan listened and reluctantly nodded, "Alright then..."

"Also, call me Miss in public, not Your Majesty."

She felt extremely annoyed whenever she heard someone call her "Your Majesty." If she weren't some kind of Imperial Concubine Ming, Jiang Wang probably wouldn't have changed his attitude so easily, thinking he had her figured out.

Thinking that the world was at peace now and she had no worries, Shen Mingzhuang chose a purple embroidered dress and wore a snow-white mink cloak over it. Just as she was about to go out, she heard that the women of the Shen family were requesting an audience.

Shen Mingzhuang was taken aback. He glanced at the time and frowned. Why did they have to come at this time? What bad timing.

But when she heard that all three wives of the Shen family had come, she couldn't very well send them all away, so she invited them in and met several of the Shen family's female relatives in the front hall.

Zhao had been to the palace several times, but this was the first time Lin had seen Shen Mingzhuang, who was now Consort Ming.

Looking at her fine leather cloak and the small section of exquisitely embroidered skirt peeking out from under it, one can't help but sigh that being a royal concubine really makes a difference. Look at her, who would have thought that she used to be a wild girl abandoned in Jiangzhou for many years without anyone to care for her?

Thinking of her own daughter, a pampered and noble legitimate daughter, while Shen Mingzhuang was born to a lowly maid, and Shen Mingzhuang became an imperial concubine, while her own daughter was beaten and carried out of the palace and still has some difficulty walking. Now, she was being forced by the old lady to come and give money to Shen Mingzhuang. She felt as if she had eaten something indescribable and felt nauseous!

It was cold. Zhao Shi was wearing a light blue padded jacket with a stand-up collar and fur trim, and sat upright in a round-backed chair. Gu Shi was as low-key as ever, wearing a padded jacket with a plain silk fabric, with only a red lotus flower inlaid with gemstones pinned to her lapel. This balanced the simplicity of her clothes without being ostentatious, and her appropriate manner made people feel comfortable.

As always, Madam Lin was flamboyant. With her family having the joyous occasion of marrying a princess, she wore a bright red embroidered stand-up collar cotton-padded jacket, large ruby ​​earrings the size of pigeon eggs, and a gleaming gold hairpin in her hair—the very attire of a wealthy woman.

Shen Mingzhuang sat in the main seat and asked the three of them with a smile if something had happened at home.

As the eldest wife of the Shen family and the matriarch of the clan, Zhao was the one who spoke first regarding the matter of paying homage to the imperial concubine. "Your Highness, we are grateful for your concern. There is nothing wrong at home. It was just that the old lady heard that you are now alone in the North Garden, so she instructed us to come and pay our respects to Your Highness."

She has been in Beiyuan for several days now. The fact that the Shen family chose this time to come and see her must not be a coincidence.

After exchanging a few polite words, Zhao looked at Lin and gestured for her to speak first.

Seeing this, Shen Mingzhuang couldn't help but feel strange. Could something have happened?

Lin felt awkward and was looked at by Zhao several times before she finally spoke: "Your Highness, when you got married in a hurry, your family did not have time to prepare a dowry for you. Now we will make up for it."

Shen Mingzhuang could tell that she had used a lot of courage and difficulty to say those words.

She must have been unwilling, but was forced into it. Old Madam Shen was a smiling tiger; there was almost nothing she couldn't do if she wanted to.

She just didn't expect them to use the excuse of replenishing her dowry to send her things.

After all, if she weren't Consort Ming, the Shen family would never have given her any dowry. They would have treated her as some kind of trouble and sent her away early. The dowry was just a way to make her closer to the Shen family.

The old lady also knew that she had no attachment to or feelings for the Shen family, and that only cooperation based on mutual benefit could last the longest.

She does indeed need the Shen family's help with some things, or rather, to help Jiang Wang win over the Shen family. As civil officials, the Shen family holds a pivotal position in the court. In addition, the Shen family is prosperous, and the younger generation, such as Shen Anqing, are almost of official age. If Shen Anqing can achieve a good ranking in next year's spring examination, it will be a great boost to the Shen family.

At this juncture, if the Shen family could have someone who wholeheartedly supports their maternal family and speaks up for them at crucial moments, the Shen family would achieve twice the results with half the effort, and their future prospects would be limitless.

During the time Shen Mingzhuang stayed at the Shen family's residence, she gained some understanding of them. The Shen family was now sending her gifts under the guise of a dowry, probably because they were afraid she would refuse. It seemed she had no choice but to accept these gifts.

However, she wasn't afraid of the Shen family's small sum of money. Accepting the money didn't mean she had to do things according to the Shen family's wishes. If the Shen family truly had outstanding children, they naturally wouldn't waste resources. If they weren't good, she would simply ignore them, and the Shen family would have to silently suffer this loss.

Madam Lin presented the dowry list that the Shen family had prepared for her. Shen Mingzhuang took it and glanced at it. The jewelry, headdresses, and other decorative items meant to be used as a cover were all gold and silver trinkets that could be readily used. It looked to be at least five thousand taels of silver.

Shen Mingzhuang remained calm and smiled at Zhao Shi, saying, "Please ask my aunt to thank my grandmother for her kindness when she goes back."

Lin was so angry her lips turned purple. She was the one who brought all these things out, and Shen Mingzhuang hadn't even said thank you?!

After Shen Mingzhuang finished speaking, he had people accept these things, and then put them into the inventory and temporarily store them in the main room.