"What did you say to my aunt?"

After leaving the hall, Shen Zhiyi pursed her lips, walked quite a distance, and looked back.

"You two don’t even know each other, why are you keeping secrets from me?"

"When we left just now, her eyes were red."

"Did you bully her?"

When Shen Zhiyi asked, she felt something was amiss.

Yu Tingwan might seem vicious, but she always acts with discretion.

Yu Tingwan felt a heavy weight in her heart, a sense of blockage and unease. She raised her hand to push away Shen Zhiyi’s fan, which was blocking her way right under her eyes.

"Are you asking me about matters from the previous generation of the Shen Family?"

Shen Zhiyi: ???

She pondered deeply, privately speculating on this sentence.

It seems, as a junior, she actually knew nothing about it.

Yu Tingwan moved forward, on the long official road, as if it stretched endlessly; some people came in and couldn’t get out again.

She herself wasn’t trapped inside, but being in this place felt suffocating.

"Doctor Zhao, hurry up!"

"Our Lady Li Ping is carrying a dragon seed; it’s not just vomiting severely, but she complained of a headache since morning. If there’s any delay, you couldn’t afford the consequences."

Ahead, an overbearing old maid sharply urged the imperial physician, carrying a medicine box, to hurry up along.

"Haha."

When they were far away, Shen Zhiyi scoffed: "That Li Pin keeps causing trouble every few days, complaining of discomfort here or there. Such a troublesome person. The child isn’t even born yet, and she’s already demanding much attention."

Emperor Ying is very concerned about this fetus.

Everything good is sent over there, making her even more pampered.

Seeing no one around, Shen Zhiyi leaned in closer to Yu Tingwan.

"If I were Li Pin, I’d be keeping a low profile, focusing on a healthy pregnancy. But she’s showing off, not considering whether the child will be male or female, or if it could even be safely delivered."

It’s not that she’s speaking harshly.

It’s just that, being frequently in the Imperial Palace, how many of the women in the harem are easy to deal with? Especially with the current competition between the princes, Shen Zhiyi has seen enough miscarriage situations.

Yu Tingwan withdrew her gaze, speaking with certainty: "The child will be born."

With Wei Zhaozhao safeguarding her.

Shen Zhiyi: "That’s not good news."

Yu Tingwan leaned in: "The child’s bloodline is not legitimate."

Shen Zhiyi: ??

Provocative.

She was astonished.

"How do you know?"

She doesn’t know why, but hearing it from Yu Tingwan’s mouth, she doesn’t doubt it at all.

Shen Zhiyi: "What else do you know?"

Yu Tingwan thought she was unlike herself, alarmed easily.

She casually picked a few things to mention.

Her tone was calm, yet it was enough to cause a sensation outside.

"The Second Prince Ying Zhi, after his leg injury, has been depressed for years, creating quite a stir with his concubine to vent. Over time, his vigor diminished. His father indulged in medicines, and so did he."

An expensive fan slipped from Shen Zhiyi’s hand and dropped to the ground with a smack.

She cherished it greatly but couldn’t spare a moment to pick it up.

Yu Tingwan: "Minister of Ministry of Industry, Zhou Yurou’s father. He hasn’t been attending morning court sessions for several days, claiming illness. Do you know why?"

"Don’t know?"

Who cares what happened to that lowly person’s father!

"It’s nothing much, just that he refuses to accept his age. He rose to power relying on the Yue Family’s support, afraid of being scorned by his colleagues for being ungrateful, also afraid of being joked about for being involved in illicit affairs at his age, thus never taking a concubine. However, he secretly maintains a young and beautiful mistress outside. While indulging, he strained his back."

Shen Zhiyi: ???

She seriously suspected that Yu Tingwan found out by snooping under someone’s bed.

She could mock Zhou Yurou for a lifetime over this.

Yu Tingwan thought of something: "Oh, and there’s Elder Cao."

Shen Zhiyi: "That, I know."

The matter of the Cao Family’s dual inheritance, Elder Cao’s righteous act against kin, and the public hearing about it have become widespread.

It’s become known all over Shangjing.

Yu Tingwan told what Shen Zhiyi didn’t know.

"Miss Shu once contemplated suicide because of this incident. I had counseled her. With such an incident in the family, Mr. Shu intended to resign, take his daughter, and leave far from this tainted Shangjing."

To find a place where nobody knows them and settle down anew.

Living a bit more frugally wasn’t an issue.

"But some days ago, Elder Cao secretly went to see them."

"He is willing to take responsibility for the Shu Family’s daughter..."

That is, the former sister-in-law.

"Responsibility."

"He approached the Shu Family with sincerity, asking them to give him a chance."

It’s not that he must force the Shu Family’s daughter into the Cao Family’s mess.

He clearly had thought it through deeply.

Though the matter is absurd, Elder Cao is a gentleman. But he did it anyway.

Yu Tingwan: "The Cao Family has now been thoroughly cleansed, no longer a den of wolves. If the Shu Family’s daughter nods, she will be properly entrusted with domestic matters, with no elders above and all new servants below, all obedient to her."

"Of course, it’s not about rushing the Shu Family for an immediate answer."

"He took everything into account, if the Shu Family’s daughter agrees, the gossip won’t be few."

"Although Elder Cao currently holds a position and has a say in the court, his foundation these years is in the Jiangnan area, not of the highest rank."

Do you know why the rumors won’t stop?

It’s simply because Elder Cao’s status isn’t high enough.

Do you know why people don’t dare mention King Yan a word? Why, after Ning Suxuan was betrothed to Duke Shun, they don’t dare mention her past engagement with Emperor Ying?

Because of power.

Shen Jin’s remark that as long as Yu Tingwan doesn’t blow up the Crown Prince’s coffin, she can do anything without trouble, wasn’t just offhand.

Evidently, standing so high, there’s only admiration from the world, how can they look at you sideways?

"He asked the Shu Family to give him a few years. If he succeeds, he will marry her with grandeur."

The noble ladies of the families, they’ll only have blessings to give.

Who dares mention the past?

They’ll only say it’s fate.

Therefore, Elder Cao soon approached the Fifth Prince, intending to support him, to work for him.

Then he caught Ying Fuyan’s attention.

Shen Zhiyi was utterly amazed: "How do you know again!"

Yu Tingwan: "Qing Ya."

Shen Zhiyi: ...

Alright, then there’s no problem.

She was about to say something when she saw the old maid by the Empress Dowager’s side carrying a food box approaching.

Shen Zhiyi turned her head: "Looking for you?"

Yu Tingwan frowned slightly.

The old maid hurried forward, smiling and greeting her courteously.

Probably having walked briskly, she was slightly out of breath as she spoke.

"Finally caught up, I was truly afraid that you had left the Imperial Palace, and it would be difficult to report back to Her Majesty."

"Her Majesty has been thinking about you these past days. As soon as she heard you were here, she insisted that I bring some snacks and escort you out of the palace."

Usually with a stoic face, the concubines in the harem all needed to give her a respectful nod, the old maid, now was amiable and gentle. She chatted along the way, easing any awkward silence.

Once they exited the palace gates.

Yu Tingwan spoke to each situation appropriately: "I came in a rush today, and should have paid respects to the Empress Dowager, but I feared disturbing Her Majesty’s peace. The old maid, you’ve taken the trouble. Thank you for this trip."

Shen Zhiyi: ...

She didn’t believe it.

Old maid: ...

Neither did she believe it.