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

study.

Zhou Yuansheng looked at Shen Mingshu with excitement and gratitude.

"The method proposed by the abbot today has truly enlightened me. If this method can really awaken their sense of direction, then I have truly failed to live up to the Emperor's trust over the past three years."

"Sir, there's no need to be so self-deprecating. What you've given is far more than you realize."

Shen Mingshu took out a booklet, her eyes shining: "Especially your old article 'A Good Strategy for Securing the Borders,' the fact that the Emperor appreciated your views on settling the country and bringing peace to the people shows how profound your writing skills are."

"You flatter me, it's just a coincidence."

Zhou Yuansheng didn't notice the unusual expression on Shen Mingshu's face, but shook his head with some regret: "Actually, this is not the first time I've put forward the idea of ​​'stabilizing the upper and lower classes'."

"Before the exam, I read a tattered and rare manuscript. It contained the most sensitive and loyal words during the time of quelling the turmoil: 'When ministers are divided, the country and the world are not at peace. If the war only arises from the emperor's power, then the emperor can stabilize the country and the people, and the country can be secure.'"

"It's just that times are different. If this gentleman were born today, his loyalty and integrity would surely earn him even greater favor from the emperor."

Shen Mingshu's breathing quickened with tension: "Do you know who he is?"

Zhou Yuansheng shook his head: "The signature has been crossed out and the scroll is tattered. It seems that it has touched the interests of some powerful families and has backfired to this extent."

"To this day, his fate remains unknown."

"..."

Shen Mingshu felt a dull pain in her chest. She lowered her head, her voice hoarse.

"Is this copy still available?"

……

A tattered scroll, burned by fire, trampled underfoot, and stained with mud, still retains its unyielding spirit.

When imperial power is supreme, the people are at peace, and the nation is at peace.

In times of turmoil, heroes vie for supremacy, and outstanding individuals emerge from all walks of life. Heroes are no longer rare, but popular support is.

During the chaotic period, imperial power was fragmented. Some people took advantage of the situation, while others cared about the people and believed that establishing a stable and secure government was the right path.

But they are all at the pinnacle of power, and with such a mindset, who can respectfully relinquish power and be content with their place?

Shen Mingshu gently stroked the words on the tattered book, her eyes welling up with tears, and belatedly realized why her father had left behind the shadow guards.

Throughout his military career, he willingly dedicated everything to the world without reservation.

But he overlooked the fact that people's hearts are treacherous, which prevented him from ever returning home.

"Master of the prison——"

An old-fashioned handkerchief appeared before her eyes. Shen Mingshu quickly wiped away her tears, afraid of soiling the already fragile and incomplete book.

"Thanks."

Shen Mingshu took the handkerchief and looked awkwardly at Chunxue. "Please return it to me and tell Yanzhi about today's travel plans."

Chunxue hesitated for a moment, glancing at the sorrow on her face, and asked softly, "Was this scroll written by General Shen Nian?"

Shen Mingshu was silent for a moment, then slowly nodded: "After the confiscation of our property, Father didn't keep many things. Today, when you mentioned Mr. Zhou's policy essays, they seemed familiar, so I tentatively asked about them, but I didn't expect—"

Shen Mingshu looked at the tattered scroll with relief: "Fortunately, this theory has been passed down. If Father knew of Mr. Zhou's character, he would surely be happy."

Chunxue lowered her eyes in contemplation, asked no further questions, carefully put away the tattered scroll, and turned to leave.

Shen Mingshu watched Chunxue's departing figure, her fingertips lightly stroking the white jade pendant, her eyes dimming.

……

"Young Master, General Shen Nian's magnanimity touched upon a wide range of interests, which led to his downfall. The Supervisor had long suspected this, and the one who commanded the most troops back then... was Wei Congyu."

Chunxue hadn't expected that she would have completed her mission in just twelve hours by Shen Mingshu's side.

Shen Mingshu truly didn't hide anything from her.

Or rather...

Chunxue's face stiffened, and she looked at Lu Yanzhi in shock: "Young Master, the Supervisor—"

Seeing Lu Yanzhi's calm expression, Chunxue belatedly realized that her so-called dormancy was nothing more than a blatant test between the two of them.

But isn't Lu Yanzhi afraid that Shen Mingshu will be unhappy?

"Chunxue, what kind of person do you think A-Shu is?"

Lu Yanzhi leaned back in his chair, gazing at the exquisite and intricate carvings on the roof beams, his thoughts both complex and empty.

Seeing his reaction, Chunxue pursed her lips and said carefully, "If you suspect that the Supervisor might take revenge for a favor, as the Crown Prince Wei said, I think the Supervisor might have such a plan, but he might not actually do it."

"..." Lu Yanzhi's eyes paused, and he looked at her seriously: "What do you mean?"

Chunxue pondered for a moment and said, "There is some affection between General Wei and General Shen Nian, and there is no enmity between the Supervisor and the Heir Apparent of Wei. In the end, the Wei family's kindness outweighs their enmity towards her."

"The abbot is a smart woman. She will not be complacent and allow herself to become trapped in hatred. On the contrary, she is tenacious in her survival and has never thought of giving up on herself."

"If that's the case, why did she go to such lengths, with such a pointless scheme that does more harm than good?"

"..."

Lu Yanzhi's eyes held a hidden undercurrent as he frowned and pondered her words seriously.

A balance between civil and military affairs was a grand ambition that the emperor had already demonstrated when he ascended the throne.

The balance he sought was the flourishing of literature, but in the eyes of those with ulterior motives, it became the suppression of martial arts.

Shen Nian wanted to set an example by handing over the Shadow Guards to prove to everyone that achievements and prosperity were still there.

However, they failed to understand people's hearts and suffered this calamity.

However, despite both families being "greedy for merit and reckless in their pursuit of success, resulting in heavy losses," the emperor's attitude towards the Shen and Wei families was completely different.

Although both sides confiscated property and hid the family, the Wei family was spared the wrath of the emperor because Wei Ziye was a newcomer who achieved a miracle on his first battlefield experience, thus making his merits outweigh his faults.

In contrast, apart from the shadow guards that Shen Nian voluntarily offered up, the Emperor only symbolically accepted the nominal property of Shen Nian's family.

The private property left to Shen Mingshu and her daughter remained untouched, and the money belonging to the first and second wives was also left untouched.

As for the careers of the other two wives, it was all due to their undermining of the third wife and their lack of virtue.

Even if Shen Mingshu was too young to see through the current situation, after four years in the Wei family, how could she not see through the emperor's unique suppression of the Wei family?

If that's the case, why did she get involved and ruin her own life?

Lu Yanzhi felt a little relieved. "Actually, whether A-Shu did it or not, we outsiders can't really criticize her for anything."

"After all, the suffering she and her mother endured is an undeniable reality."

"That's enough—"

Lu Yanzhi sighed deeply: "In the end, it's all in the past. Even if you can't let go, it's all set in stone. Why bother yourself with unnecessary troubles?"

"From now on, you can stay with Ah Shu and don't come back unless necessary."

Chunxue paused, then asked, "Shouldn't you, young master, go and apologize to the abbot?"

"..."