Shen Zhili’s expression was strange. She wanted to say something but closed her mouth without speaking, only watching the eunuch’s retreating figure.

The eunuch walked to the imperial seat on the east side. Everyone present held their breath and watched secretly, only to see the gilded rod in the water there bend slightly, and then the Emperor also pulled up his rod.

A small koi carp flipped its tail in the air and was likewise collected by the eunuch into the red net.

Only then did the ministers who had been holding their rods still begin to pull them up. Those who caught fish had eunuchs come over to collect them, but all using ordinary white nets.

Meng Tinghui finally understood and felt her back stiffen involuntarily.

Even though she did not know the rules of accompanying the Emperor while fishing, at this moment she understood clearly: even the ministers of the Two Departments and the Prime Minister used white nets, so how could she use the red net that only the Emperor could use to collect her fish?

But she recognized the eunuch from earlier; he was one of the Emperor’s close attendants. If this matter had not been personally approved by the Emperor, it was unlikely that he would have had the audacity to collect her fish with a red net and then collect the Emperor’s fish!

Her face grew rigid and pale. She didn’t know what kind of move he was making this time, only knowing that right now, she had become the target of all eyes in this pond garden with its fragrant lotus and green willows.

From the east came the loud voice of an attendant—

“The Emperor has an edict, rewards!”

Reward whom?

And reward what?

There was no need for further explanation.

Which of the present ministers had not spent years trying to discern the Emperor’s intentions? Now, hearing the attendant’s announcement, more than a dozen pairs of eyes again darted towards Meng Tinghui.

She raised her head calmly, meeting their gazes.

Despite the distance, she could see the darkened faces of the people from the Secretariat, as well as the expressions of the old generals from the Military Affairs Commission, who wanted to laugh but restrained themselves, showing quite playful looks. Among the rest of the officials, some were shocked, some envious, and some disdainful.

What now? Did they take her as entertainment to observe?

The old ministers of the Secretariat had ulterior motives in inviting Left Qiurong to this garden pond to accompany the Emperor, but the Emperor had openly shown great favor to Meng Tinghui in front of so many people. Though she didn’t fully understand, she still felt somewhat happy.

After all, she couldn’t control her tender emotions, and after all, she did have vanity.

Shen Zhili had been silent for a long time before seeming to come back to her senses, whispering to her, “In the past, when the Emperor went fishing with Prince Ping, they used to share a net…”

But Meng Tinghui didn’t hear her seemingly cautionary words. She just stood up and walked towards the imperial seat on the east side, stopping a few steps away and respectfully performing a deep bow, saying, “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

Looking up, she met his gaze, half brilliantly clear and half fiery hot, with a deep abyss in the depths of his eyes.

Her heart rose and fell slightly with this tide, beating wildly and uncontrollably.

The eunuch stood to one side, holding the net. In the red net, two koi carp were still twisting and struggling, their tails intertwined, intimately inseparable.

“Another reward,” he said, his gaze turning increasingly leisurely as he looked at her.

He appeared to be completely disregarding the presence of the gathered ministers and generals.

Today was his birthday, who would dare disturb his pleasure? Naturally, he could do as he pleased. The attendant’s voice announcing the edict again was piercingly loud, and the expressions of the high officials below the imperial seat changed once more.

So she respectfully bowed again to express her gratitude.

The two of them had not been this close, facing and looking at each other, for many days. Now she couldn’t look away, and she knew what his fiery gaze represented, feeling a subtle stirring in her heart.

Today she was dressed magnificently. The formal court attire he had bestowed upon her perfectly highlighted her curves, and though she was not of exceptional beauty, she was nonetheless captivating.

The prolonged silence between them and their explicit eye contact was enough to make the officials sitting nearby aware of this subtle situation, making them feel awkward and uncomfortable as if sitting on pins and needles.

So bold…

This Meng Tinghui was truly fearlessly bold!

In private, there had been rumors that she had once spent the night in the Xihua Palace, but the Emperor’s actions had their boundaries, and matters of the inner court were not for the outer court to openly question. But who could have imagined that she, Meng Tinghui, would dare to behave in such a manner with the Emperor in front of the court officials…

Did she still have any regard for the ministers?

Was she still a jinshi who had spent ten years studying the works of sages?

She didn’t have even a bit of the appearance of a subject!

Below the imperial seat, some old ministers were almost unable to restrain themselves from speaking out in rebuke, but they truly could not find a reason to open their mouths. Although everyone could see clearly, she had not engaged in any intimate or ambiguous actions with the Emperor in public, so what grounds did they have for blame?

Instead, it was Di Nian who first broke the awkwardness from another side, smiling at her and saying, “Haven’t seen you for many days, Lady Meng, you look splendid.”

Di Nian had a special status and was deeply favored by the Emperor. The court officials generally dared not offend him, so they could only watch as he casually called Meng Tinghui over.

Meng Tinghui walked over and smiled slightly, saying, “It’s been a long time, Captain Di. Is everything going well?”

Di Nian made room for her on a decorative stone beside him, his smile growing brighter, “Recently, I’ve been busy with the autumn riding and archery ceremony, and not long ago, I was also assigned the task of reorganizing the border imperial guards!”

Meng Tinghui had known since their time together in Chaozhou that he harbored lofty ambitions. Seeing his spirited appearance now, she couldn’t help but feel happy for him. However, she hadn’t heard about the task of reorganizing the border imperial guards that he mentioned, and since it belonged to the affairs of the Military Affairs Commission, she didn’t dare to ask further. She simply nodded and smiled lightly, “I was thinking about when I might have time to have a drink with Captain Di, but now that Captain Di is busy with military affairs, I fear it will be hard to find free time.”

Di Nian didn’t respond immediately but looked up towards where Shen Zhili was sitting, then said to her, “Lady Meng hasn’t heard the news? Governor Shen will return to the capital to report on her duties in a little over a month. At that time, you and I will have plenty of opportunities to gather and drink!”

She was indeed surprised for a moment, “Governor Shen is returning to the capital?” Seeing Di Nian nod with certainty, she smiled, her mind involuntarily turning to Yan Fuzhi.

She wondered what the situation was between those two now. If Shen Zhishu could bring Yan Fuzhi along when she returned to the capital, that would be good…

Di Nian paused, seemingly finding it difficult to speak, and after a long while, said, “When Yan Zhi returns to the capital this time, I… I plan to pay a visit to the Shen residence, and then submit a memorial to the Emperor, requesting the Emperor to issue an edict… an edict…”

He spoke haltingly, but Meng Tinghui understood him perfectly.

Although she knew about Di Nian’s feelings for Shen Zhili, she hadn’t thought he would want to settle this matter so quickly, and even less did she expect him to pour his heart out to her about it. She couldn’t help but ask curiously, “Has Captain Di asked Governor Shen about her intentions?”

Di Nian’s face immediately became somewhat somber, and he frowned, saying, “I… I want to ask Lady Meng to inquire on my behalf. Would Lady Meng be willing to help me with this favor?”

Meng Tinghui was speechless, only now understanding why he had been so cordial with her earlier. He was asking her to inquire with Shen Zhili, or wasn’t it more like asking her to persuade Shen Zhili?

Di Nian, as the successor to the late Duke Wu, Di Feng, and one of the few young and newly prominent generals in the imperial army with military achievements, if he wished to form a marriage alliance with the Shen family, why would he need to make a grand gesture of requesting the Emperor to issue an edict for the marriage?

He probably understood that in the end, this matter would require the Emperor’s edict.

Thinking of it this way, his request for her help seemed rather “calculating.”