Chun Tao was stunned watching from the side, then she realized what was happening and cried even harder: "Master Su, please understand! Manager Li has long seen that I have saved some monthly allowance and wants to blackmail me!"
Under Su Jinli's questioning, Manager Li finally revealed the truth. He had long coveted Chuntao's monthly allowance and deliberately bought a fake ring to frame her, hoping to force her to hand over the money. Unexpectedly, he ran into Su Jinli, who exposed his ruse on the spot.
Su Jinli ordered the Imperial Household Department to handle the case according to the rules. They gave Li Guanshi twenty lashes and demoted him to the lowest eunuch, a sweeping eunuch, thus clearing Chuntao's name. Chuntao burst into tears of gratitude and knelt on the ground, kowtowed three times, soaking the ground with her tears.
Coming out of the Imperial Household Department, Su Jinli held her waist, feeling a little tired. Jiang Yan quickly stepped forward to support her, his tone full of heartache: "Madam, you have worked hard."
"Not bad." Su Jinli smiled. "I didn't expect this 'Imperial Defense Envoy' could actually help people. Seeing Chuntao's innocence cleared, it was all worth the effort."
As they were talking, a burst of clear laughter came from the distance. Princess Shou'an, wearing a palace dress embroidered with pink butterflies and holding a butterfly kite in her hand, ran towards them.
"Sister Su! Brother Jiang Yan!" The princess ran closer, panting, "The emperor sent me to call you. He said we're going to the Imperial Garden to fly kites!"
Su Jinli was stunned for a moment, then looked at her belly: "Can I fly a kite with this belly?"
"Yes, yes, yes!" the emperor's voice came from behind. He was dressed in casual clothes, holding a huge phoenix kite in his hands. He said with a smile, "I have someone make a particularly large kite. It has plenty of wind power. Madam, just sit and watch!"
Su Jinli, feeling both amused and helpless, followed them to the Imperial Garden. It was afternoon, the sun was shining brightly, and the flowers were in full bloom, with bees and butterflies dancing. The Emperor himself flew a phoenix kite, while Princess Shou'an clapped and cheered, her silvery laughter echoing through the garden.
Jiang Yan placed a soft couch in the pavilion next to him and covered it with thick cushions for Su Jinli to sit on comfortably. He also covered her with a thin blanket, fearing that she would catch a cold.
"Jiang Yan," the emperor said to Jiang Yan while pulling the kite string, "Your wife is truly amazing! Even better than my Imperial Censor! I've heard about what happened in the Imperial Household Department just now. Well done!"
Jiang Yan smiled and bowed, "Your Majesty, your compliments are too kind. Madam is simply kind-hearted and extremely intelligent."
Su Jinli gazed at the phoenix kite soaring in the sky, then looked at her gentle and considerate husband beside her, and the emperor and princess having fun not far away. A warm feeling welled up in her heart. Although the position of "Imperial Envoy for Defending Injustices" was a bit strange, it felt great to be able to use her abilities to help others.
Back at the Xiangfu that night, Su Jinli finished washing up and just lay down when she felt something moving in her stomach. She quickly grabbed Jiang Yan's hand, her eyes sparkling: "Look! The baby is moving!"
Jiang Yan suddenly became excited. He carefully placed his hand on her belly, feeling the faint but real fetal movement. An expression of incredible joy appeared on his face: "It's really moving! Madam, our baby is moving!"
He leaned over and put his ear to Su Jinli's belly, as if he wanted to listen to the baby's sound. Su Jinli couldn't help laughing when she saw her husband was as excited as a child.
In the darkness, Jiang Yan raised his head, his eyes twinkling: "Madam, who do you think the baby will look like?"
"Like you," Su Jinli said softly, "as smart and upright as you."
"No," Jiang Yan held her hand, placed it on his lips and kissed it gently, "I want to be like you, as kind, as brave, and as... radiant as you."
Su Jinli's heart seemed to be filled with something warm and sweet. She thought of her lonely self in her previous life, and then looked at her husband, the baby in her belly, and her family who loved her. She felt that all the grievances she had suffered in the past were no longer important.
In this life, she had a loving family, a loving husband, and a baby on the way. She wanted to make her life as sweet as honey. Moonlight streamed in through the window lattice, illuminating the room, their clasped hands, and the happy smile on Su Jinli's face. She knew their sweet life had just begun.
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