Host, you are the only god in my heart! How can you be so talented!
Hahaha~ Keeping it low-key! Same here!
Crown Prince Yan Beichen numbly turned around and walked towards Shen Mingzhu, interrupting her mutual praise with the system. He was afraid that if he didn't stop her, his ancestors would turn in their graves!
Seeing the Crown Prince's actions, Emperor Jingyuan also felt it was time to end the court session!
He needed to educate Princess Chang Le to ease his mood.
Princess Chang Le: What does this have to do with me? I'm just a pitiful princess who lost her husband!
Now he's even taking away my only happiness!
Father Emperor has gone too far!
"The court session is over."
Accompanied by the high-pitched voice of the chief eunuch Wang Defu, the crown prince followed Shen Mingzhu out of the Golden Palace.
"Mingzhu, the Three Obediences and Four Virtues refer to obeying one's father before marriage, obeying one's husband after marriage, and obeying one's son after the husband's death; the Four Virtues refer to a woman's virtue, speech, appearance, and work, do you understand?"
Shen Mingzhu looked at him blankly.
He choked on his words, a strange feeling rising within him.
"Do you understand? After you get married, you must obey your husband and put him first in everything!"
"Ahem... You are now the Crown Princess chosen by the Emperor, so your husband is naturally me, the Crown Prince. Do you understand?"
[Guagua, listen to what he's saying! He's already trying to pressure me before we're even married! Am I being too good to him?]
[If this wasn't at the entrance to the Imperial Palace, I'd smash his head open to see if he'd been swimming in fish; it's full of utter nonsense!]
Upon hearing the heartfelt words, all the civil and military officials slowly moved their feet and listened quietly.
[Host, please forgive His Highness the Crown Prince. Look at how dashing he is now; who would have thought he wet the bed at three and was still playing with his urine at five! He's probably not quite thinking straight right now!]
Crown Prince Yan Beichen's expression froze.
Prince An, Yan Lingfeng, burst out laughing.
My goodness, what did he hear? His handsome nephew was still playing with pee at five years old, hahaha...
"Shen Mingzhu!!!"
Crown Prince Yan Beichen, his eyes red, called out through gritted teeth.
Shen Mingzhu innocently looked up at him, smiled at him, and said gently,
"Brother Crown Prince, why are you being so distant? Has Mingzhu done something wrong?"
Crown Prince Yan Beichen almost vomited blood!
But he couldn't say it, nor could he express it.
"Well, Mingzhu, you must be familiar with the Three Obediences and Four Virtues, and the Rules for Women and the Admonitions for Women. These are the rules that noble ladies of Shengjing learn from childhood."
[Guagua, what do the Three Obediences and Four Virtues that noble ladies of Shengjing learn from childhood have to do with me? I was born and raised in the countryside and was only found a couple of years ago! Blame Shen Jiaojiao's wicked mother if you want to blame someone. If I hadn't been switched at birth, I might have actually believed it!]
Shen Mingzhu feigned grievance and looked at Yan Beichen with a pitiful expression.
"Brother Crown Prince, Mingzhu grew up in the countryside and is quite uncouth. Did i embarrass you?"
[Guagua, look how well I acted! Haha, I've made the green tea bitch nowhere to go! This trick also applies to the upright and self-disciplined Crown Prince.]
Crown Prince Yan Beichen: Mingzhu praised me for my bright and clear appearance, and for my self-discipline and adherence to propriety.
The officials looked at Shen Mingzhu and thought, "Hmm, she does look quite like her!"
If we can't hear your true feelings, then we'll all believe you!
Imperial Censor Wang had a very good relationship with Shen Changyuan, and he nudged him with his elbow.
"Minister Shen, you have such a wonderful daughter? What more could you ask for from such an understanding son-in-law!"
Shen Changyuan glanced at him sideways, a smile on his face, and said,
"Mingzhu suffered a lot from a young age, so she is naturally different from the noble ladies of Shengjing, but she is unique, and that's good enough."
Many ministers looked at Shen Changyuan with envy.
Despite Shen Mingzhu's treasonous words, Emperor Jingyuan and the Crown Prince have no intention of punishing her.
If it were anyone else, their head would have been chopped off somewhere long ago.
[Host, His Highness the Crown Prince's heart is as clear as day; he is absolutely, positively in love with you!]
Yan Beichen felt a sudden panic. He felt ridiculous for arguing about such things.
"Mingzhu, nothing of the sort happened. Don't overthink it."
"Come on, I'll take you back to the Hanlin Academy."
Prince An: ...Aren't you going to the Imperial Study to discuss matters?
Soon, seeing that there was no more gossip to be had, everyone quickly left the Golden Palace. Those who needed to go to the Imperial Study went to the Imperial Study, and those who needed to report for duty went to report for duty. For a while, there was no one around.
The Hanlin Academy was unusually lively today.
Sure enough, Shen Mingzhu's four older brothers all came to the Hanlin Academy to see their sister working.
The small Hanlin Academy was bustling with activity.
After the Crown Prince and Prince An arrived at the Hanlin Academy, the academy became even more lively.
"Your Highness Prince An, Your Highness the Crown Prince."
Everyone stood up and bowed.
Before long, the largest room in the Hanlin Academy was cleared out, and tea, snacks, and fruits were served one after another.
The Crown Prince and the four young masters stared at each other blankly.
Prince An watched the show with delight.
Crown Prince VS Four Brothers-in-Law!
They had something to discuss, so Shen Mingzhu went back to her office to rest.
[Guagua, what do you think my Crown Prince and my four brothers are going to say?]
What else can they say? They will definitely make sure the Crown Prince takes good care of you from now on! You're their only sister, and the only legitimate daughter of the Marquis of Changping's household.
[Haha! That's right. Once Father kicks out those two bastards, Second Uncle and Little Aunt, our Marquis's mansion will be peaceful!]
Shen Qinghong/Shen Qinglan/Shen Qingzhan/Shen Qingbo: !!
The room was filled with fellow scholars: My goodness!
Are the second master and eldest daughter of the Marquis of Changping not biologically related?
Is it that the old lady of the Marquis's mansion, Madam Wang, has been having an affair?!
My God, what did we just hear?!
Crown Prince Yan Beichen raised an eyebrow at the four of them. Shen Qinghong spoke first.
"Fourth brother, go and talk to Mingzhu so she won't be bored."
Okay~
After saying this, he bowed to Crown Prince Yan Beichen and hurriedly went out to find Shen Mingzhu.
Little sister, little sister!
Family scandals should not be aired in public!
We can handle it discreetly!
"Young sister."
"Fourth Brother, sit down! Have some tea!"
[Guagua, my fourth brother is here? Didn't you say they are going to back me up and make sure the Crown Prince took good care of me?]
[Sigh...it's because your older brother and the others were worried you'd be bored, so they sent him to chat with you.]
[I'm not bored! I'm perfectly fine, feeling great!]
Shen Qingbo glanced at Shen Mingzhu, who was carefree and eating lychees, and sighed inwardly.
Luckily, my little sister has all sorts of treasures protecting her, otherwise they wouldn't dare let her go out.
Looking back at Chang'an, it's like a tapestry of embroidered hills, a thousand gates opening in succession atop the mountain; a rider raises dust, a concubine smiles, but no one knows it's lychees arriving.
Shen Mingzhu held a lychee in her hand and continued chatting with the system while reciting a poem.
[Guagua, this is the Concubine's Smile lychee that the Imperial Concubine loves to eat!]
After saying that, she put the lychee in her mouth.
As Shen Qingbo savoured the poem, he imagined the scene of the emperor going to great lengths, even at the cost of manpower and resources, to transport lychees at top speed just to please his concubine.
These lychees are sweet and delicious, but I just can't seem to enjoy eating them.
Crown Prince Yan Beichen: Father Emperor has done such absurd things?
His brows were furrowed, and he was clearly displeased.
I'll go to the palace later and ask my father...