Shen Xihe’s words made the seasoned Wang Zheng suddenly raise his head, his sharp eyes staring directly at her.

Only noble family descendants knew their precepts. Rather than keeping them secret, they proclaimed them to demonstrate their foundation of propriety. Children born to noble families absorbed these rules naturally from childhood, seeing them as natural, while others found them overly strict. Apart from noble children or commoners aspiring to emulate them, no one studied these precepts deeply.

How could Shen Xihe, not yet of age, know these family precepts and their serious consequences so well? How could Wang Zheng not be alarmed?

“The Princess speaks wisely. The Wang family will severely punish any child who violates clan rules,” Wang Zheng slightly bowed to Shen Xihe, smiling.

His firm attitude told Shen Xihe that even if Wang Yuwei had violated family rules, it was their private matter—any punishment would be handled behind closed doors.

This was the way of noble families. People called them pedantic and rigid, with so many rules that one could hardly breathe.

But few knew that everything had its pros and cons. The abundance of talented people from noble families wasn’t empty talk—certain excellent traditions and virtues were indeed more deeply rooted in noble houses.

Just as now, while Chen Zhong and Hu Zhengyang would blame their children, Wang Zheng protected his. Noble families taught their children to show tolerance and protection outwardly while maintaining strict discipline internally.

When Wang Zheng spoke of punishing Wang Yuwei, it wasn’t just for show or damage control after Shen Xihe’s exposure—he would have severely punished Wang Yuwei behind closed doors regardless.

However, after Shen Xihe’s words, Wang Yuwei’s punishment would be even more severe.

Having achieved her goal, Shen Xihe said no more.

After deliberating briefly, Emperor Youning said: “Marquis of Xuanping, Vice Minister Hu has failed in discipline. Forfeit one year’s salary, reflect for ten days, and submit a letter of repentance.”

He paused, then addressed Wang Zheng: “The Wang family’s daughter spoke inappropriately. I trust Minister Wang will enforce strict discipline.”

“We thank Your Majesty for your grace,” Chen Zhong and Hu Zhengyang hurriedly kowtowed.

“I will punish severely to uphold family traditions,” Wang Zheng also declared.

“National peace and prosperity is what I and all officials desire,” Emperor Youning swept his gaze across those present. “This achievement requires all officials to perform their duties. Both civil and military officials contribute to this prosperous era. I wish for you all to work together in unity for the people’s benefit.”

“Your Majesty is wise. We shall obey your imperial will,” Wang Zheng said.

The other officials repeated this in unison.

“Today is a rare leisure day, let’s speak no more of these matters,” Emperor Youning smiled at everyone. “Where is my Commander of the Imperial Guard?”

The Imperial Guard was one of the dynasty’s twelve guards, the emperor’s personal guard responsible for patrolling the capital’s curfew.

Emperor Youning had placed Bu Shulin in the Imperial Guard, appointing her to the high position of Commander.

As everyone searched but couldn’t find Bu Shulin, Princess Anling ran in with reddened eyes. Seeing so many people present, she immediately composed herself and greeted Emperor Youning.

With so many people present, Emperor Youning couldn’t ask why his daughter had been crying. Since nobody would dare bully a princess, it must be some other sorrow. Emperor Youning told the officials to continue enjoying the flowers while he took Princess Anling to a side hall.

Shen Xihe understood everything clearly. She had dealt with Hu Yingrao not only because Hu Yingrao dared not bully her but used her as an excuse to bully others, but also to create an opportunity for Bu Shulin through Hu Yingrao’s incident.

When she left the garden, she had sent word to Cui Jinbai. She drew everyone away and had the Northwest King’s palace people lead Princess Anling over.

It seemed Bu Shulin had seized the opportunity, letting Princess Anling catch her and Cui Jinbai in their “affair.”

However, Shen Xihe hadn’t expected Bu Shulin to be so wild. As she walked out of the main hall with Censor Tao, she saw Cui Jinbai approaching, with two inconspicuous teeth marks on his jaw…

Cui Jinbai’s expression was so dark it could drip water, and no one dared approach him.

“Youyou, if you dislike these occasions, let’s return,” Censor Tao, thinking of how those people had ganged up to exclude his granddaughter, grew gloomy.

As he pondered how to torment these ignorant ladies’ fathers and brothers, Censor Tao completely overlooked that his precious granddaughter hadn’t suffered at all…

“Youyou will leave first.” Shen Xihe had accomplished her goals—securing three thousand elite troops—and didn’t want to waste energy staying.

Censor Tao escorted Shen Xihe to her carriage outside the garden, watching it leave before returning to attend to the emperor.

“Did it work?” As soon as Shen Xihe entered the carriage, she saw Bu Shulin lying inside.

“When I take action, how could it not?” Bu Shulin raised an eyebrow.

“Sit up,” Shen Xihe instructed.

Bu Shulin reluctantly sat up, and Shen Xihe saw a bruise on the half of her face that had been hidden: “You… what happened?”

“Sister Xihe, you didn’t tell me that bastard Cui Jinbai would fight!” The angry Bu Shulin’s speech caused her face to hurt, making her hiss softly as she looked reproachfully at Shen Xihe.

“He knows martial arts?” Shen Xihe truly hadn’t known that Cui Jinbai, from a noble family, knew martial arts. She did know the fake one was quite skilled.

Noble sons might practice some boxing for health, but learning martial arts, especially to the point of being able to hurt Bu Shulin who had trained since childhood, was extremely rare.

“He caught me off guard,” Bu Shulin pointed at the bruise on her face. “Otherwise, how could his amateur skills hurt me?”

Bu Shulin spoke truth. Shen Xihe had paved the way, and Cui Jinbai came as agreed, thinking Bu Shulin had summoned him. Before Princess Anling arrived, Bu Shulin naturally had to detain Cui Jinbai, but unexpectedly he knew some martial arts and caught her by surprise.

She subdued him in just a few moves and pinned him down, but Cui Jinbai struggled desperately. Then Bu Shulin heard footsteps and guessed it must be Princess Anling—this was Shen Xihe’s plan, and it had to be foolproof. That’s how much she trusted Shen Xihe.

She had intended to pretend to kiss Cui Jinbai, but he struggled fiercely just then, causing her teeth to catch his jaw when she subdued him again. Princess Anling saw this exact moment.

“Despite complications, it succeeded,” Shen Xihe nodded after hearing this.

“Is Cui Jinbai truly reliable?” Bu Shulin was still somewhat worried—one slip could expose the great crime of deceiving the emperor.

“Don’t worry, you’re still useful,” Shen Xihe reassured Bu Shulin with potentially hurtful words. “I won’t harm you.”

Bu Shulin: …

While Shen Xihe was satisfied, news of what happened in Furong Garden reached Xiao Huayong shortly after she left.

After hearing everything, Xiao Huayong only summarized with one sentence: “The Chen family, Hu family, and Wang family—they bullied her.”

Tianyuan: …