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

Wei Ziye's carriage had spare clothes, but none for Shen Mingshu.

Shen Mingshu looked at her clothes, which were so unbearable to look at, and thought she would ask him to stop the car when they arrived at the clothing store.

Wei Ziye directly ordered, "Go buy a set of women's clothing."

"Yes!" The spirited horse galloped away.

Shen Mingshu frowned: "I have to go downstairs to change."

Wei Ziye took off his dirty clothes, revealing his half-naked body, and looked at her indifferently: "Change in the car, otherwise you'll delay the journey, and you can just wait to die."

Shen Mingshu: "..."

Wei Ziye took out a wet towel and handed it to her. Shen Mingshu glanced at the wound on his shoulder, reluctantly took it, and wiped her face with it.

Wei Ziye raised an eyebrow: "I'm asking you to wipe it for me."

Shen Mingshu was speechless: "Don't you have hands?"

"Being improperly dressed is a serious offense." Wei Ziye smirked provocatively. "Of course, I can go back and have my servant clean me up."

"..." Shen Mingshu took a deep breath and then wiped his face with a wet towel.

Wei Ziye turned his head away in disgust, "Get another one."

"..."

Wei Ziye had a strange quirk: he disliked exposing his chest and arms since childhood because he thought that fair skin lacked masculinity.

So when he practiced martial arts in the summer, while others practiced with bare arms and legs, he would stay dressed even when he was dripping with sweat, which made people wonder if he had some kind of skin disease.

Although Shen Mingshu used to like his fair skin and muscles, she also felt sorry for the physical burden his psychological quirk had on him.

So when no one was in the courtyard, they would often pull off his clothes and expose his skin to the sun.

He was lustful, and whenever Shen Mingshu ripped off his clothes in public, he took it as an invitation.

Only during those times can his skin be exposed to the sun for several hours.

Even now, when illuminated by the dim yellow light from the carriage roof, his skin appears almost glowing white.

Wei Ziye watched quietly as Shen Mingshu kept her gaze fixed on his face, not moving an inch, and raised an eyebrow with amusement.

"Where haven't you seen it before?"

Shen Mingshu wiped the dust and sweat from his face and neck, her tone calm: "Not interested."

"..."

"Your Highness, the clothes have been purchased."

A hand reached out from inside the carriage. The guard was momentarily dazzled by Wei Ziye's fair skin and quickly handed him the clothes.

Inside the car, Shen Mingshu, with her back to Wei Ziye, dawdled as she unbuckled her belt and slowly took off her clothes.

A burning gaze was fixed on her from behind. Shen Mingshu turned around, blushing and furious, glaring at him: "What are you looking at! You pervert!"

Wei Ziye held the clean clothes, neither wearing them nor putting them down, just draped them over his lap, his eyes slightly dark.

"Wear yours, and don't look back."

"You—!" Shen Mingshu glanced at his groin in embarrassment and anger, then turned her head furiously: "Are you a dog! You perverted bastard!"

Wei Ziye closed his eyes, tilted his head back, and frowned deeply: "How can you blame me?"

He suppressed his anger, choosing to ignore it.

Seeing his reaction, Shen Mingshu quickly picked up clean clothes as soon as she took them off.

Just put it on... *whoosh!*

The carriage suddenly braked sharply and lurched backward. Caught off guard, Shen Mingshu fell backward and landed heavily in Wei Ziye's arms.

A soft body fell into the darkness, its fragrance filling the air, which was like adding fuel to the fire for Wei Ziye!

With his eyes closed, his large hand gripped Shen Mingshu's waist tightly, pressing himself against her neck as he breathed heavily and asked through gritted teeth.

"What is it!"

"Your Highness, please forgive me! A beggar suddenly darted across the road. It was dark and he was moving quickly; I didn't see him clearly. Please forgive me!"

"Keep going!"

"Yes, yes, yes! Giddy up—!"

The carriage started moving quickly, and Shen Mingshu was pulled forward, her face stiff, not daring to move.

"Wei Zi! Don't disgust me! Let me go!"

Wei Ziye took a few heavy breaths, and finally, with a furrowed brow, released Shen Mingshu.

Shen Mingshu immediately scrambled to the car door, nervously watching Wei Ziye's fair skin flush red.

"W-how long have you been holding this in?!"

"Shut up!" Wei Ziqing growled, "Turn around!"

"Who wants to look like this?" Shen Mingshu snorted and turned her head, quickly tidying herself up.

She waited for a long time, and as she was about to enter the palace, she was still unsure if her face was clean.

Unable to contain himself, he urged the still-unresponsive Wei Ziye, "Are you done yet?"

The soft rustling of fabric came from behind me. "Come here."

Shen Mingshu turned around and saw that he wasn't dressed yet, so she frowned and asked, "What are you doing?"

Wei Ziye took out the medicine and gauze, acting like an old man: "Bandage me up."

"..."

……

The palace gates are usually locked at night, but tonight they were opened for a special reason. The vermilion gate was slowly pushed open a crack, making a dull and hesitant creaking sound.

The leaping firelight cast the shadows of the flying eaves and beasts onto the bluestone slabs, twisting like lurking beasts, making the palace even more solemn in the dead of night.

Wei Ziye glanced at the quiet Shen Mingshu, "Come with me to see the Emperor later."

It's really not a good idea to go straight into the harem, Shen Mingshu nodded.

This tension, ironically, made them obedient.

Wei Ziye subtly curled his lips.

"Your Highness, we've arrived."

The vermilion palace gates slowly opened inwards.

Shen Mingshu followed Wei Ziye out of the car and walked forward.

Seeing that Wei Ziye remained silent, Shen Mingshu felt uncertain and asked in a low voice, "What are you going to say later? How should I cooperate?"

Wei Ziye glanced at her sideways: "Say what you want to say."

"???" Wei Zishi was the first to step into the hall.

The hall was not filled with candlelight; only two plain candles were lit at each end of the imperial desk.

The emperor, dressed in a dark-colored robe with subtle patterns, his black hair tied up only with a jade crown, was lying on his desk piled high with memorials.

It seems they came specifically to see Wei Ziye.

"What brings you here so late?"

The palace servants were even breathing very shallowly when the emperor suddenly spoke with his head down, startling Shen Mingshu.

Wei Ziye straightened his clothes, knelt down, and bowed: "Your Majesty, I humbly beg you to punish me."

Seeing him kneel down, Shen Mingshu also knelt down.

The emperor raised his eyes and saw a woman beside him, a hint of interest appearing in his dark, deep eyes.

"Look up, let me see."

A deep, resonant voice rang out.

Shen Mingshu held her breath and lowered her head. When she suddenly heard this sentence, she looked at Wei Ziye in a daze.

The scoundrel didn't give her any hints, so she could only tentatively ask.

"This humble woman greets Your Majesty."

She bowed slightly before raising her head.

The emperor was younger than she had imagined, with slightly deep-set eyes that exuded a sense of oppression, and a sharp, strong jawline that concealed a cold, resolute determination honed over the years.

Seeing the Emperor looking at her, a moment of confusion flashed in her eyes, and she took the initiative to say, "I am Shen Mingshu, the only daughter of Shen Nian, and I have come today to beg for forgiveness."

"Shen Mingshu—" The emperor pondered the name, a clear light welling up in his eyes, yet he remained silent, lost in thought.

Silent, yet imposing.

Shen Mingshu lowered her head nervously again: "That's right. A few days ago, Shen Yangjue, the eldest daughter of the Shen family, attempted to assassinate a commoner. She was caught on the spot by Young Master Lu. However, since my eldest sister had treated the Empress Dowager, the Dali Temple has been unable to close the case for a long time."

"When I went to visit her today, she suddenly drew her sword and tried to frame me for killing her. In the end, she died during the struggle."

As she spoke, Shen Mingshu pointed at Wei Ziye and added, "The Crown Prince Wei can testify that Shen Yangjue died by his sword."

Wei Ziye: "..."

The Emperor looked at Wei Ziye: "Wei Ziye, what do you say?"