Your Highness, your wife has had her virginity mark applied and married someone else.

Oh no, I didn't fool you!

Shen Mingshu took off running, but two legs were no match for a four-legged carriage.

As Shen Yangjue drew closer, she steeled her resolve and ran directly toward the river not far away.

Lu Yanzhi, hiding in the shadows, was startled: "Oh no! A-Shu is about to jump into the river again! Quick, save her!"

Shen Mingshu's performance just now almost fooled him.

He still thought Shen Mingshu really had a backup plan, and he also thought Shen Yangjue was really that stupid!

No one dared to delay; they immediately lit torches and rode their horses at breakneck speed toward Shen Yangjue.

"Who's plotting murder here! Stop it all!"

With a furious shout, several spirited horses, accompanied by Shen Mingshu's exclamation and the sound of falling into the water, caused everyone present to change their expressions drastically!

"Ah Shu!"

The regret from three years ago lingered in his heart. Three years later, the same events repeated themselves. Lu Yanzhi's pupils dilated violently. Ignoring the guards' attempts to stop him, he bravely jumped into the river!

"Young Master Lu!"

"master!"

The guards turned pale with fright. Some jumped down to save him, while others immediately subdued Shen Yangjue.

"No, no!" Shen Yangjue was completely stunned. "Shen Mingshu jumped in herself; I didn't even touch her!"

The guard, his face stern, pressed down hard, "If Young Master Lu's life is endangered, the entire Shen family will be buried with him!"

Shen Yangjue's face turned pale with pain. She hadn't expected Shen Mingshu to have Lu Yanzhi as a backup plan! She also hadn't expected to be tricked by Shen Mingshu once again!

Now that she has offended the Lu family, even if Shen Mingshu dies now, even if the divine doctor steps in to protect her, she and the entire Shen family are finished!

No, no!

She can't just sit here and wait to die!

Shen Yangjue's mind was in complete chaos. She was desperately trying to think of a solution when she suddenly noticed that someone seemed to be climbing up the shore.

Shen Yangjue stared intently, her pupils suddenly shrinking to small nodules: "Shen Mingshu is there!"

"..."

Shen Mingshu jumped into the river on purpose, otherwise how could she accuse Shen Yangjue of murder for money?

I never expected that Lu Yanzhi, that idiot, who can't swim, would jump in too.

She was about to swim ashore when she heard the guards shouting, and she had to go back to rescue Lu Yanzhi in the dark.

That's what caused the delay.

After Shen Mingshu climbed ashore, the guards immediately stepped forward to help bring the unconscious Lu Yanzhi ashore.

"Quickly, go get a doctor!"

Seeing Lu Yanzhi drowning, the guards panicked. Shen Mingshu quickly stopped the guards who were about to call for a doctor.

"No need, I'll do it!"

She skillfully pried open Lu Yanzhi's mouth, and seeing that there was nothing in it, she leaned down and kissed him directly.

"hiss--"

Seeing that Shen Mingshu was taking the opportunity to flirt with Lu Yanzhi, the guards gasped.

"You, you slut! How dare you tarnish my young master's reputation! Quick! Guards! Pull her away! Wait—"

The guard's words suddenly caught in his throat.

Everyone saw that Lu Yanzhi, who had 'fainted,' raised his finger to stop them!

Now, it's hard to say who's taking advantage of whom.

Noticing that Lu Yanzhi's breathing was slightly disordered, Shen Mingshu stood up and met Lu Yanzhi's gaze, whose eyes were red. She angrily said, "You tricked me!"

Lu Yanzhi pursed her lips, her face full of innocence, "A-Shu, I don't know how to react."

Shen Mingshu: "..."

Shen Mingshu, needing someone's help, directly pointed at Shen Yangjue: "She pushed me."

"You're talking nonsense!"

Shen Yangjue was made a fool of by Shen Mingshu all night, and in her anger, she forgot all manners and started swearing.

"Shen Mingshu, you bitch! You deliberately set this up to frame me for pushing you! You can clearly swim! You did it on purpose! You just did it on purpose! No, no—"

Shen Yangjue realized something and suddenly looked at her: "You didn't drown three years ago! You're deliberately lying to Ah Ye!"

"Shen Yangjue, a brain is a good thing, it's a pity you don't have one."

Shen Mingshu said calmly, wringing the water from her sleeves, "First of all, in three years, I'm not incapable of learning how to swim."

"Secondly, three years ago I jumped into the moat, which is dangerous. I risked my life to lie to him. Why? To ruin my reputation?"

"Finally," a cold glint flashed in Shen Mingshu's eyes, "you intentionally harmed others, and according to the law, you deserve to die!"

Shen Mingshu looked at Lu Yanzhi, who was staring straight at her: "With Young Master Lu's endorsement, I should be able to see the conviction report soon, right?"

Lu Yanzhi smiled appreciatively: "Easy. Someone, send him to the Jingzhao Prefecture and let the officials there interrogate him thoroughly."

"No! You're all in cahoots!" Shen Yangjue struggled fiercely, her hair falling down, her bloodshot eyes filled with resentment and unwillingness!

"You deliberately set me up! You're the ones who ruined me!"

Shen Mingshu smiled mockingly: "Big sister, I warned you, but you didn't believe me."

"you--!"

Shen Yangjue was dragged away with her mouth covered.

Lu Yanzhi asked curiously, "How did you know I was following you?"

Shen Mingshu patted her soaked clothes and stood up, her face expressionless: "I don't know."

"You didn't know?" Lu Yanzhi frowned. "You didn't know and you still dared to jump into the river? What if—"

"My life is worthless." Shen Mingshu's eyes were tired and somewhat numb: "If I die, I'll go to join my parents; if I don't die, I'll be reborn."

Shen Mingshu's words left Lu Yanzhi speechless.

Shen Mingshu gazed at the dark, still river surface, her voice soft and ethereal: "God can't always be blind, and I can't always be blind in my heart."

Shen Mingshu had learned her lesson the hard way of always placing her hopes on others.

Thinking of the vicious words Shen Yangjue had just said, Lu Yanzhi suddenly hugged Shen Mingshu tightly, as if he had finally embraced the illusory starlight.

"Ah Shu, come and be my supervisor. You're an eighth-rank official, registered in the Ministry of Personnel's household register. I'll give you power and pave the way for you, okay?"

Prison? !

Shen Mingshu's numb heart trembled for a moment.

The abbot of Qingyun Academy is a civil official on the payroll of the imperial court, a standard eighth-rank official.

Being second only to the emperor in the academy, and having extensive access to all kinds of students and officials, it was truly a golden path to success.

"No, no way." Shen Mingshu hurriedly refused, "I am a woman. If I am discovered, it will definitely implicate you. I cannot drag you down with me."

"No, Ah Shu."

Lu Yanzhi spoke softly, yet it gave people an endless sense of security.

"The academy was founded by the Lu family. With me here, no one will dare to make you prove your identity."

Those who wield power have the right to call a deer a horse.

Lu Yanzhi is now a fourth-rank scholar in the Hanlin Academy and concurrently serves as the headmaster of the academy. His career and official position are no less than Wei Ziye's.

Someone even the Wei family has to be wary of, someone who's paving the way for her?

"Ah Shu, please give me a chance to make it up to you?"

"This time, I will not leave you to face this alone."

Please.

"..."

After a long silence, Shen Mingshu heard herself speak.

"it is good."

"But it will take another week to register."

"No one can know about this during this period."

With an official position, who would dare to make her a concubine?

Why would she need to survive on a child that doesn't exist?

Shen Mingshu's eyes flashed with a sharp killing intent—want to kill her? Then she'll deal with Old Madam Wei first!

Lu Yanzhi hugged her and said, "I'll do whatever you say."