Liu Yanbo had never considered divorcing Su Qiuya, nor had he ever considered divorcing her. A friend in need is a friend indeed; they had been through hard times together, and this bond was rare.

"Don't be too tired," Liu Yanbo said. "I went to class, and I can do other things when I come back."

"Yeah." Su Qiuya nodded, "I'm just worried that you're too tired."

"Not tired," Liu Yanbo said. "How could a grown man like me be tired? You work so hard to run the shop and have to do so many things. That's the hardship."

"As long as you know how hard it is for me, that's all." Su Qiuya said with a smile, "I'm just afraid that you don't know how hard it is for me and still think I'm just having fun."

"How could that be possible?" Liu Yanbo had done some things before, and he knew that opening a shop was not an easy task. This shop was Su Qiuya's dowry, and they now mainly relied on Su Qiuya to make money.

Liu Yanbo knew that the little money he earned was nothing. The capital was full of scholars, and there were also scholars who taught students. Liu Yanbo did not have much advantage in teaching. Even if others knew that Liu Yanbo was originally a bastard of the Marquis's mansion, so what?

"As for my mother, you don't need to worry about her." Liu Yanbo thought of Qing Yi Niang, who was with Liu Yuqin, and he felt a headache for this mother. This mother had no sense of propriety at all, and she didn't understand the hardship of others.

Liu Yanbo knew Su Qiuya's hard work, and he was not afraid of being called unfilial. If he did not stand on Su Qiuya's side, then Su Qiuya would have a very difficult time.

It was Su Qiuya who supported them, so if he took a concubine, it would be really unfair to Su Qiuya.

If the family depended on Liu Yanbo, then Liu Yanbo would have taken a concubine. But since he depended on Su Qiuya, he would not have taken a concubine. Later, unless he was forty years old and still childless, he might have taken a concubine.

Liu Yanbo thought that since he had never had children, he could not guarantee that he did not want children.

"We are still young and can wait." Liu Yanbo said.

"Yeah." Su Qiuya responded, "Don't regret it."

"Regret is easy for men. If I regret it, I can just take a concubine." Liu Yanbo said, "I regret it, but I don't have to pay any price. But you, you are the one who suffers."

Su Qiuya leaned in Liu Yanbo's arms. The main reason she was able to hold on was because of Liu Yanbo's good attitude.

If Liu Yanbo wholeheartedly stood on the side of Aunt Qing and Liu Yuqin, then Su Qiuya would not be able to hold on.

At the beach, Master Duan came to see Miss Duan Wu. He wanted to see what Miss Duan Wu had done. The Duan family was also worried that Miss Duan Wu would be bullied, so they asked Master Duan Er to come over.

"Nothing." Miss Duan Wu said, "It's just the beginning, so it's not that easy. But after a while, when you get used to it, it will be fine."

"Crying?" asked the second young master Duan.

"I cried, but that's nothing." Miss Duan Wu said, "Who wouldn't cry when they've been wronged?"

"Tell me, what's wronged you?" asked the second young master Duan.

"Actually, it's not that unfair. It's just that I don't understand those things." Miss Duan Wu said.

"Oh?" Second Young Master Duan raised an eyebrow. "You actually said that you were ignorant?"

"That's right." Miss Duan Wu curled her lips. "Second brother, I never said I was great, okay? I'm not Princess Rongning, I don't know everything. Even Princess Rongning doesn't know everything. She came here mainly to see the people and things here, and then try out her ideas."

"What about you? Have you come up with any solution?" asked Young Master Duan.

"..." Miss Duan Wu really wanted to roll her eyes. "I've only been here for a short time. I haven't studied it before, and I haven't read that many books. How would I understand? Nowadays, making salt is just digging the ground, bringing in seawater, and drying it."

Everyone knows about digging holes and collecting seawater. These researchers aren't here just to dig holes. If they were just to dig holes, they wouldn't be needed.

"It's okay, take your time. You've already been admitted to the research institute, so study more." Second Young Master Duan said, "The institute recruits students every year, so you should learn more. Don't wait until later and be overtaken by those behind you."

Second Young Master Duan believed that Miss Duan Wu was not from the first batch, but from the second batch. If Miss Duan Wu worked hard, she could still gain a lot.

In town, He Xiyuan was studying at home. He didn't always go out with Liu Yulian. He needed to study more in preparation for the imperial examination.

Liu Yulian did not go out today. She just found some ingredients to make pastries and lotus seed soup.

There are some lotus seeds this month, but the lotus pods have just matured, so there are not that many.

Some people in the nearby villages grow lotus seeds, but the seeds here are relatively small. This reminds Liu Yulian of the space lotus, which is large and has many seeds.

Liu Yulian checked the game system. She planned to buy some lotus roots to plant next year. Lotus roots can be planted directly, or some people use lotus seeds. Using lotus roots is faster.

Those lotus roots were larger and more unique. They were very different from the ones sold outside, and Liu Yulian was worried that others would notice. She decided to just forget it and quietly take some out sometime.

"These lotus seeds are so small." Liu Yulian served lotus seed soup to He Xiyuan. In her later life, she had peeled lotus seeds when she was very young. At first, she bit the shell with her mouth, and later she used tools.

They could put a small blade between two pieces of wood and make a recessed area, and then they could rub the lotus seeds. One at a time, the lotus seeds would roll under the blade, and people could easily peel them without having to bite the shells.

Biting the lotus seed shell with your mouth can easily cause bacteria to get into your mouth, and the lotus seed shell is also relatively cool.

Liu Yulian had long known that some things in ancient times were very backward. It was not that no one studied those things, but that the people who studied them did not have that high a status.

In ancient times, the Mohist theory of mechanical devices was very famous. At that time, hundreds of schools of thought contended with each other, and many things emerged.

In this fictional historical dynasty, there were cases of book burning and burying of scholars, as well as the exclusive promotion of Confucianism. In short, after so many years of history, it was still a feudal society, and many things had not truly developed.

"I asked someone to make something to rub lotus seeds." Liu Yulian said, "You can try it when the time comes."

"Did you peel it?" He Xiyuan looked at the lotus seed soup.

"No." Liu Yulian shook her head. "I just asked someone to make the tools and rub a few lotus seeds. Then I asked the servants to do the rest."

Liu Yulian said that she really didn't do anything herself. Even when she was making soup for He Xiyuan, she didn't start by picking lotus pods herself.

"When the time comes, we still need to prepare a potion to improve the seeds." Liu Yulian said, "If we can make the seeds better and the lotus seeds grown are bigger, then the lotus seed yield can also be increased."

"Want to study lotus seeds again?" He Xiyuan asked.

"Not really. Didn't I soak other seeds in potions before?" Liu Yulian said, "That basic potion is effective for many seeds, but not all. This time, when I saw those lotus seeds, I thought I'd give it a try."

Liu Yulian wanted to get everything in the game, but it wasn't that easy. She could come up with some recipes, but she couldn't get everything at once.

She suspected the mall was deliberately not selling so many items at once. She could see some items but couldn't buy them at the moment.

Liu Yulian has a limit on the items she can buy each year. The game system is designed to allow Liu Yulian to fully understand the items while using them. If Liu Yulian doesn't fully understand them, then the game system selling so many items will be useless.

"I can't catch up with you." He Xiyuan sighed.

"Can't catch up?" Liu Yulian was puzzled. "What are you chasing?"

"I just wanted to see if I could work with you, but I don't understand this research." He Xiyuan didn't really enjoy research, so he didn't force himself to do it. He didn't like it, and forcing himself would only make him irritated, and over time, he became increasingly annoyed.

He Xiyuan couldn't guarantee that he wouldn't dislike Liu Yulian anymore, or that he wouldn't feel like he'd sacrificed too much for her. So he didn't force himself to do those things; he just did what he liked.

"If you don't understand, then you don't understand." Liu Yulian said, "You know other things."

"That's true." He Xiyuan liked Liu Yulian very much. Liu Yulian didn't always show off her abilities. She would also say that he knew other things.

The two of them didn't do anything earth-shattering here, and not many people came to He Xiyuan to offer themselves for his bed.

In the Eastern Palace, Concubine Qin learned that the Rongning Temple in the eastern suburbs of the capital had been completed. She had not previously known about its existence. Who wanted to build this Rongning Temple? Was it the Marquis of Jingning's Mansion?

"Is the Liu family really that arrogant?" After the Crown Prince finally came to visit Concubine Qin, Concubine Qin was still criticizing the Liu family. "Now they're building a Rongning Temple, are they planning to seize the throne in the future?"

The prince looked at Concubine Qin coldly. He had long known that Concubine Qin spoke without thinking. When he heard this, he still thought that someone like Concubine Qin should not have children. If Concubine Qin had a child, she would still be stepping on others.

Who can guarantee that the son born to the concubine of the Qin Dynasty would not ascend the throne? In history, there were cases where the illegitimate son ascended the throne by coincidence, and the legitimate sons died one after another, either from illness or in battle. The illegitimate son did not fight for the throne, so the throne fell on the head of the illegitimate son.

"You are the one with a big heart." The prince stood up. He didn't want to stay with Concubine Qin any longer.

The Crown Prince had come here simply because Concubine Qin was the niece of the late Empress. But Concubine Qin was so pretentious, it made the Crown Prince think otherwise. Perhaps Concubine Qin needed to take some medicine, the kind that would prevent her from conceiving.

"Your Highness." Concubine Qin didn't expect the prince to leave so soon. The prince hadn't even had tea with her when he sat down and left.

When the Crown Prince arrived at the Crown Princess's place, he looked down upon Concubine Qin.

"Qin, don't let her go out anymore in the future," the prince said, "and don't let her people leave the Eastern Palace either."

"Yes." The Crown Princess was not surprised at all. Concubine Qin always liked to stir up trouble, so it was normal for the Crown Prince to be angry.

"Every day, I don't know what she's thinking. She thinks everyone is plotting a rebellion." The prince said, "If this gets out, what will others think? Don't let it chill their hearts."

The prince did not think that the Liu family wanted to rebel. If they wanted to rebel, there would be no need for them to give all those things to the court.

The Rongning Temple was also built with the emperor's permission.

The emperor wanted the common people to understand the royal family's tolerance and generosity. The royal family allowed people with high reputations to exist. As long as such people worked for the court, then the royal family would allow them.

"She is originally a delicate young lady, so it's natural for her to think anything she wants," said the Crown Princess.

"From my perspective, she thinks the whole world belongs to her," the prince said. "She doesn't take you seriously, nor does she take Rong Ning seriously. Is she still thinking that when Rong Ning's research fails, we can just get rid of him?"

Don’t think that the prince doesn’t know this. People all over the court think so.

The Crown Prince believed that regardless of whether Princess Rongning could research so many more things in the future, she had already developed a culture medium that allowed crops to produce high yields, which was already great. It was enough for Princess Rongning to research such a thing throughout her life, not to mention that she had also researched other things.

"She has no brains at all," the prince said. "From now on, don't let those children come near her."

The Crown Prince did not intend to let Concubine Qin give birth to a child, nor did he intend to let Concubine Qin raise a child born by another woman. If Concubine Qin were to raise a child, she was afraid that the child would be spoiled.

"Yes." The Crown Princess understood what the Crown Prince meant. "What if the Qin family wants to see Qin?"

"According to the rules, the stipulated number of times is the number of times. She is a concubine, not the principal wife. Even you don't get to see your family members all day long." The prince was very dissatisfied with the fact that Concubine Qin always met with the Qin family. Even if the Qin family's main branch was not involved, who could guarantee that the people in the Qin family's main branch did it on purpose?

For the sake of power, those people can do anything.

"Don't be unruly." The prince emphasized, "You don't have to worry about offending her. Father's health hasn't been good recently, and he doesn't want to get involved in these matters anymore."

The emperor had been resting more recently and hadn't been reading many memorials. His health wasn't great, and even with the medicine and medicated diets administered by the Imperial Hospital, he was still relatively weak.

The emperor also understood his own physical condition, so he didn't do much of that. He was old, and if he continued to do that, he might become confused one day. It would be better to let the crown prince handle it.

In the northwest, at the Zhen family, Liu Fang and Zhen Wen Ze had a quarrel. The reason was that Zhen Wen Ze's cousin had arrived. The cousin was young and beautiful, and Liu Fang wondered if the cousin wanted to be Zhen Wen Ze's concubine. She also heard that Zhen Wen Ze originally wanted to marry the cousin.

"She's just coming here to stay for a few days. She's already engaged." Zhen Wen Ze thought that he was not a popular girl, nor was he that powerful, nor was he an official. Why would his cousin come to be his concubine?

Zhen Wenzhe thought Liu Fang was thinking too much. Liu Fang was dissatisfied when she saw there was another woman in the family.

Because Liu Fang was not that nice to Old Madam Zhen, Old Madam Zhen was nicer to her niece, which made Liu Fang very unhappy.

"You said she was engaged, so she is engaged? Who knows if you are fooling me?" Liu Fang said.

"..." Zhen Wen Ze felt that his arguments were not convincing.

"Cousin, if she stays here, what will people outside think?" Liu Fang said, "You clearly don't take me seriously, and you don't take the Jingning Marquisate seriously."

Well, Liu Fang mentioned the Jingning Marquis Mansion again, and Zhen Wen Ze didn’t want to say anything about the Jingning Marquis Mansion.

"Don't say anything. She's leaving tomorrow," Zhen Wen Ze said, "to save you from making a fuss."

"I'm making a fuss? You're the one who let her in." Liu Fang was unhappy. What right did these people have to say that about her? "This is my home. You didn't tell me and just sent someone in. Don't you know how upset I am?"

"Don't get excited, you're about to give birth." Zhen Wen Ze just wanted Liu Fang to give birth safely. He didn't want anything to happen to the baby in Liu Fang's belly.

Zhen Wen Ze didn't dare to argue with Liu Fang anymore, as he was afraid that Liu Fang would give birth prematurely due to an impulsive move.

Liu Fang was unhappy recently, and another reason was because of the Rongning Shrine. She felt that people like Liu Yulian were being worshipped and even had a shrine built for them, while she, on the other hand, only received a few dozen taels of silver as a dowry from the Jingning Marquisate.

"You just think I'm not as good as Liu Yulian." Liu Fang said.

"Why are you talking about this for no reason?" Zhen Wen Ze thought that he had not said anything about Princess Rongning in front of Liu Fang.

"You are thinking about it in your heart." Liu Fang said.

"..." Zhen Wen Ze was speechless. What did he mean by "thinking in my heart"? Isn't it Liu Fang who has the final say?

"Ouch." Liu Fang was about to continue talking, but her stomach hurt. "My stomach... hurts."

Zhen Wen Ze quickly sent for the midwife, thinking Liu Fang was about to give birth. He didn't stimulate her too much, just wanting her to be quiet, but she still got stimulated.

People like Liu Fang will think too much even if no one provokes her.

Liu Fang gave birth to a daughter, not a son, after a day and a night.

When Liu Fang learned that she had given birth to a daughter, her already haggard face became even uglier.

"Why is it just a girl?" Liu Fang said with disgust.

"A baby girl is also our child." Zhen Wenzhe thought that usually men would dislike their wives giving birth to daughters, but when it came to Liu Fang, Liu Fang herself disliked her daughter.

Zhen Wenzhe couldn't help but start to worry about his daughter, fearing that his wife wouldn't be able to treat her well.

This reminded Zhen Wenze of Liu Yanqing, who was very kind to his daughter, and his wife didn't dislike her. On the contrary, it was his own family, Liu Fang, who started to dislike his daughter so quickly.

"My daughter will get married sooner or later," said Liu Fang.

"Aren't you a woman too?" Zhen Wenzhe really disliked this about Liu Fang.

"How can I be the same?" Liu Fang said, "I am the daughter of a marquis, our daughter, right?"

"..." Zhen Wen Ze was displeased. Even if his daughter was not the daughter of a marquis, she was still the apple of his eye.

It's impossible for Zhen Wenze not to love his daughter. It's not like their family is short of money, nor is it impossible for them to provide their daughter with a better environment to grow up in. Didn't you see how good Liu Yanqing is to his daughter? Liu Yanqing just wanted his daughter to be like Princess Rongning in the future.

In the capital, Aunt Chai was talking to her son about sending gifts to her daughter and grandson. "Your sister should be giving birth soon. We have to send the baby's full-month gifts. If we don't send it now, we won't be able to make it in time. If the Zhen family doesn't see the gifts, how will they view your sister then?"