PDLP Chapter 11: Teetering on the Brink of Being Exposed
Chapter 11: Teetering on the Brink of Being Exposed
In his most helpless moment, when he encountered someone he couldn't win over, Shen Qing clutched his chest and cursed the system for the ten thousandth time, saying it was inhuman. What if he was transmigrated into the body of a prince? He could easily win over princesses, daughters of prime ministers, and young ladies from noble families.
Hmm? This strategy guide is also biased towards men?
Before I could think any further, the system's voice sounded in my mind again.
[So you like someone like Jiang Jieyu? With the binding system, your beauty style will be exclusively customized; stunning beauty is no longer a dream.]
"...Are you suffering from some serious illness? Men like women's appearance, do they want to become like that themselves?"
[Isn't that right? What did the ladyboy say?]
"..." Strangely reasonable, Shen Qing couldn't refute it.
"I have met Consort Jieyu."
On the other side, Consort Jiang gently helped Jiang Se up and said reproachfully, "I've told you so many times, no need for such formalities."
Jiang Se twitched the corner of her mouth and said helplessly, "Sister."
"Mother, Du Wei and the others are bullying Uncle again. Luckily, Sister Le'an spoke up for us." The Fifth Prince couldn't keep anything to himself and pulled on Consort Jiang's wide sleeve to complain.
Jiang Jieyu was not surprised and bowed slightly to Le'an, saying, "Thank you, County Princess, for protecting my younger brother."
Le An returned the greeting, "Let's just discuss the matter at hand."
After finishing his conversation, he didn't disturb the family's chatter, took his leave, and headed back towards the West Pavilion.
The Fifth Prince was still indignant, chattering on and on about his grievances. Consort Jiang smiled but said nothing, gently stroking her son's head with her delicate hand, though her perpetually misty eyes seemed to be tinged with sorrow.
Seeing this scene, Shen Qing felt heartbroken. She couldn't help but recall what a famous director had said when instructing actresses: a woman's expression is most captivating when she is about to cry, with tears welling up in her eyes.
If only the emperor would dote on her too!
Envy, jealousy, and hatred abound. This old man is quite lucky with women. Why do I say that? Because Emperor Yongxi is already fifty-two years old, nearly thirty years older than Jiang Qin!
"Jiang Jieyu is here to support her brother again." A voice as clear as pearls rang out behind Shen Qing, who turned around to look.
Girl, who are you?
Shen Qing smiled slightly, remaining calm in the face of all changes. Fortunately, the original owner of this body was quiet and not a talkative person. On the contrary, the girl in front of her was obviously a chatterbox and could talk on and on without needing a straight man.
"Du Shaoyu and his ilk are quite boring. They always pull this stunt every now and then. They're just taking advantage of the fact that the ruler can't interfere in the affairs of the younger generation. Do they think a few sarcastic remarks can change the gradual decline of our aristocratic families? It's no longer the Great Qian Dynasty. If we keep sticking to our old ways and don't make any changes, we'll be squeezed dry and discarded by those in power sooner or later."
Shen Qing looked at the young woman in front of him with surprise, and finally began to take her seriously. She was a knowledgeable person.
He had long felt that the aristocratic families of this world were excessively aloof, to the point of being abnormal. Even in the current state of affairs, they still couldn't see the situation clearly. If it weren't for the fact that the common people at the bottom of society had no access to education and that illiterate people couldn't become officials, why would the emperor need the aristocratic families to help govern the country?
Now that countless time travelers have arrived, the method to improve papermaking should be coming out soon. When the world is at peace, the rulers will have access to education, and the aristocratic families will no longer be able to control the officialdom. Although the rising commoners will become new powerful families, their large numbers will prevent a one-man show from forming. That is the kind of court situation that the rulers desire most.
Shen Shi, as an outsider from a powerful family, rose to the rank of first-grade official in just over a decade. Besides his own abilities, he was likely also promoted by the emperor to deal with the resident gentry of Xuandu.
It's obvious that Shen Shi belongs to the group of people who are pragmatic and know how to adapt, while Du Shaoyu and the others belong to the stubborn conservatives. If Shen Qingxi had been born into their family, they would never have let her marry Jiang Se, let alone go blind or hang themselves.
Shen Qing's insights come from standing on the shoulders of giants and referencing the five-thousand-year history of the Chinese nation. The girl in front of him, as a pure ancient person, has such insights at such a young age, which is truly impressive... Wait, she may not really be a pure ancient person!
Shen Qing was already traumatized. He mentally called out to the system, asking if it could pull up a list of photos of the girl in front of him to check her background. The world is full of tricks, and you have to do a background check before making friends.
[I am a ethical and ethical system with principles; I will never intrude on anyone's privacy without permission!]
Shen Qing felt ashamed, and then the system continued.
[Bound to the system, the newbie gift pack has a certain probability of containing hypnotic items~ Host, you can ask directly, there are no side effects, and it's guaranteed to leave no trace (￣y▽￣)~*]
"..."
Got it. Morality and such don't exist. It's true that you don't have the authority. It seems that only people who make deals with the system can have their access restored. Is this how it works?
A face suddenly loomed large before Shen Qing's eyes.
"Qingxi, you're acting really strange today~"
Shen Qing's heart tightened, and she immediately put on a frail and delicate appearance, gently touching her temples and saying weakly, "I was sick and may have depleted my energy, which is why I am so weak."
The girl was about to ask another question when she heard the master call out, "Shen Qingxi, autumn is in full swing, how long are you going to keep chatting!"
Oh my god~ the break is over, thank goodness! Shen Qing quickly walked back and made a mental note of the person.
"Autumn is in full swing" is a truly beautiful name.
The first day of school in ancient times was truly thrilling and exciting. Fortunately, there was Ding Min, that social terrorist who would slap every dog that passed by, and Qiu Yinong, that human megaphone who could basically match names to reality just by listening carefully.
After school, Shen Qing walked to the palace gate, where Fang Yu was already waiting by the carriage. Although no one paid much attention to the princes and princesses, they were nominally his companions, so they had to maintain appearances and naturally couldn't bring maids or servants with them.
So Wen Ying and Fang Yu dropped him off at the palace gate in the morning and then went back. They came to pick him up from school in the evening. Shen Qing didn't think it was a big fuss. He had more than three bodyguards when he traveled in modern times.
The return trip went smoothly, but after a whole day of hassle, I really didn't want to deal with any more unexpected incidents.
However, life is full of surprises, and when we arrived at the gate of the mansion, we were blocked again.
Shen Qing got out of the car and saw several carriages parked at the entrance, with servants going in and out carrying things inside.
Is this a gift-giving act? A bribe in broad daylight?
Well, he was overthinking it. The gift was indeed a gift, but it was a return gift that Qin brought back when she went back to her parents' home for a visit.
Shen Qing bypassed the busy crowd and entered the hall, where she saw a beautiful woman dressed in a crimson-colored dress with wide sleeves playing with a baby in swaddling clothes.
"Third sister is back." The woman carefully handed the swaddled baby in her arms to the wet nurse beside her and walked towards him.
Needless to say, this is Shen Che's wife, Qin Zhen.
She was in her early twenties, with a graceful and poised demeanor; she was a beauty, but unfortunately, Shen Qing had already used up all her heart-fluttering feelings for the day.
"Sister-in-law." Shen Qing bowed slightly in greeting.
Qin Zhen took Shen Qing's hand affectionately, "I heard that Third Sister was ill, but she is much better now."
"Thank you for your concern, sister-in-law. I am all well now."
Why does this conversation sound so familiar?