This question was too foolish—how could she not believe it? Every night, many strange people came to the courtyard, and two of them were the voices she’d heard from under the bed last time. If she hadn’t seen it with her own eyes, she truly wouldn’t have dared believe Gu Chaobei had so many things going on behind the scenes.

Originally, she’d thought he was secretly helping the Crown Prince, but that wasn’t entirely true. The Crown Prince looked like he could ascend the throne smoothly, so why were they all still so nervous?

Xu Mengdie had also been running to the North Courtyard more frequently, helping Shen Guiyan with everything. Not only did she help mediate between Han Jiangxue and Yuwen Houde, she even found many fertility remedies that Shen Guiyan wanted. Combined with Gu Chaonan’s excellent treatment of Gu Chaobei, the relationship between the South Courtyard and North Courtyard had grown much closer.

“Xue’er, these are your favorite sugar figurines.” Yuwen Houde came again, holding ten differently-shaped sugar figurines in his hands, smiling ingratiatingly at Han Jiangxue. “Which one do you want to eat?”

Han Jiangxue was embroidering something in her hands and didn’t even glance at him. Yuwen Houde turned to another angle and said pitifully, “Madam, everyone in the household is asking me where you went and when you’ll return. Those concubines keep making me angry—I’ve already sent them away. And all the salary I’ve been saving is in the makeup box in your room. Go back and see if it’s enough…”

It was rare to see a man humble himself like this. Shen Guiyan watched the spectacle from the side for quite a while.

Lady Han finally put down what she was holding and looked up at Yuwen Houde. “I can return if you want, but what if you encounter a second Han Lu next time and make the same mistake again?”

Yuwen Houde was delighted and said happily, “As long as Madam will forgive me, if I ever make the same mistake again, Madam can punish me however she wants!”

Han Jiangxue nodded. “Then let’s have Guiyan witness this. If you make the same mistake again, I’ll go straight back to my parents’ home and write the divorce letter myself!”

Having lived in Gu Fu for so long, Shen Guiyan’s friendship with Han Jiangxue had deepened. Hearing this, she naturally gave her unconditional support. “Alright.”

Yuwen Houde didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, but as long as he could coax his wife back, he couldn’t worry about much else.

Actually, during this time Shen Guiyan had observed that Han Jiangxue’s heart had long since softened. Women were actually quite easy to placate—no matter what great mistake a man made, as long as her heart still loved him, still thought of him, then as long as he showed sincerity in coaxing her, there was no one who couldn’t be won back. Yuwen Houde had, after all, recognized his errors and returned to the right path, so it was better to forgive him than to become an abandoned wife.

Moreover, those who had made mistakes carried crosses on their backs, and their attitudes in all aspects would be much softer than before—this could also be considered a form of compensation.

Yuwen Houde was now wholeheartedly devoted to Gu Chaobei. Although she didn’t know what they were doing, Shen Guiyan felt that only when family was harmonious could one have the energy to fight with outsiders.

When the Empress left the palace in plain clothes, Gu Chaobei was being dragged off to court.

Even though he was Deputy General of the East Barracks, the person he’d beaten was the newly appointed Minister of the Court of Judicial Review. When someone wanted to file charges, the authorities still had to accept the case.

In the hall, Gu Chaobei sat carelessly in a chair to one side, looking at Wu Tianying across from him, whose face had been beaten into a pig’s head. This really couldn’t be blamed on him—when he most wanted to cause trouble, this man had to go and try to force himself on Bai Hu. Bai Hu sold her art, not her body, so naturally Gu Chaobei had to play the hero and save the beauty.

It was just that his hand had been too heavy, beating the man until he was furious enough that he had to file charges.

“Officials and commoners are equal before the law. When someone commits a crime, they should be punished. He beat me until I was injured—shouldn’t I get justice?” Wu Tianying covered the wounds on his face and said angrily, “It took me several days before I could even get out of bed, otherwise I would have sued him earlier! So what if he’s Deputy General of the East Barracks? There’s still the law above him!”

For someone like this to know about the law—when he himself beat people, he probably said “I am the law,” and only remembered how to write the two characters for “law” when he was the one being beaten. Gu Chaobei laughed once, holding his tea without speaking.

The Prefect of Jingzhao was in a difficult position. With officials suing officials, how should a minor Prefect of Jingzhao judge this case?

The Empress, dressed in ordinary clothes and mixed in with the common people, came to watch. She saw that Gu Chaobei looked completely like a hoodlum. Though he was Deputy General of the East Barracks, his clothes were worn askew, his face bore the expression of a wastrel heir, and he was even shaking his leg.

“There are people above the law too. What’s wrong with me beating you?” Gu Chaobei said carelessly. “If you have the ability, hit me back. You dared to touch my woman—who else should I beat if not you?”

There was a chorus of sighs from below. The Empress heard the people beside her say, “We thought that after Fourth Young Master Gu married and became an official, he’d improved a bit. Who knew he’s still the same character, fighting with people over a courtesan. Fourth Young Madam Gu must be so heartbroken.”

“I think that normally he’s so proper precisely because he has a good wife. Once his wife stops managing him, he’s completely like mud that can’t stick to a wall! Greedy for pleasure and lazy—someone like this is just like a pig in a pigsty.”

Everyone around was criticizing Gu Chaobei. Although some people also criticized Wu Tianying, Gu Chaobei clearly attracted much more hatred.

Consort Nian had said that the palace maid of those years had connections with the Prime Minister, so she secretly left the palace and gave the child to Prime Minister Gu as his fourth son. This was also why she increasingly disliked the Prime Minister. But now, if the Crown Prince ascended the throne, it would be of no benefit to her at all. She was willing to join forces with the Empress to support this universally despised Fourth Young Master Gu to power, precisely because he would be easy to control.

She wanted the Empress to put aside their old grievances with her before she would hand over the evidence proving Gu Chaobei was of imperial blood.

The Empress didn’t trust Consort Nian. After fighting for so many years, she still hadn’t been able to eliminate that woman—Consort Nian had some weight to her. But the temptation was too great. If Gu Chaobei truly was an imperial son, then she could overthrow Ming Xun and install this much more controllable person in his place.

At that time, the beautiful empire would still be in her hands. As for Gu Chaobei, give him three thousand beauties in the harem and let him live a carefree life—that would be cheap enough for him.

Looking at him now, Consort Nian hadn’t lied either. This Gu Chaobei was absurd and incompetent, with only Shen Guiyan having some capability. But she was merely a woman. If the Empress didn’t let her have an easy time, she would have no way to help Gu Chaobei even a little bit.

After watching for a while, the Empress lost interest and turned to leave. She found her own secret agent and asked, “Have you investigated clearly the relationship between this Gu Chaobei and the Crown Prince?”

The secret agent bowed and said, “Reporting to Master, earlier this Gu Chaobei was appreciated by the Crown Prince because of his martial skills. At the Empress Dowager’s birthday banquet, it should have been coincidence that he saved His Majesty. The Crown Prince has recently distanced himself from him considerably due to the matter of Xuelian. Gu Chaobei also hasn’t gone to the Crown Prince’s residence again.”

That was even better. The Empress smiled with satisfaction. Next, it would depend on Han Lu’s abilities.

At the Crown Prince’s residence, Crown Princess Luo Youyu frowned and said to Ming Xun, “Your Highness favors that songstress too excessively—it’s not a good thing. That songstress has poor character. Even though she’s with child, she still cannot enter the halls of refinement.”

Having heard these words too much recently, the Crown Prince said impatiently, “If you’re dissatisfied with her, then you bear me a child. Wouldn’t that be fine?”

Luo Youyu froze, her heart aching. She had never been able to bear a son. Earlier the Crown Prince had said he didn’t mind, but now he finally had complaints.

It wasn’t his fault either. Which household in this world didn’t prioritize descendants? After marrying into a family, if one never bore children, even the legitimate wife might be demoted to a secondary wife.

Sighing, Lady Luo withdrew. Not long after, Han Lu came in carrying bird’s nest soup, smiling. “Your Highness, have something to eat.”

Seeing her, the Crown Prince’s expression improved somewhat. He pulled her to sit on his lap, not avoiding anything as he took out the secret letter to read. “You’ve worked hard. Pregnant yet still managing all these things—let the servants do it. You just focus on nurturing the pregnancy.”

Han Lu smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck. “How could doing things for Your Highness be considered hard work? This concubine enjoys it.”

Her gentle and soft words pleased the Crown Prince greatly. When a servant came outside to report something, Ming Xun didn’t make Han Lu leave, only went to the door himself to listen.

Han Lu glanced at the items on the table, taking note of the useful ones. When Ming Xun returned and she saw which book he tucked them into, she made a mental note to retrieve them later.

In ancient times, once a woman was with child, things became easier to manage. Han Lu had thoroughly grasped this, so carrying a belly, even if things were exposed, she would still have a way to survive.

Working for the Empress was risky, but the benefits were also enormous. The demands she’d made were almost impossible to fulfill, yet the Empress had agreed, as long as she could handle this matter well.

Her heart was full of joy, thinking only of future wealth and glory.

When Shen Guiyan went to the yamen to bring Gu Chaobei back, he nearly got into another fight with someone.

“Miss, why did you come to fetch him?” Baoshan said with a stern face. “He went in there for beating someone over another woman. You should have let him return on his own—why prepare a carriage for him!”

Shen Guiyan lowered her eyes, her expression indifferent. Regardless of the reason, she couldn’t just leave him there, could she?

Watching Gu Chaobei come out with a grin, she asked, “Everything settled?”

“It’s fine, I just have to compensate him money.” Gu Chaobei said, “Today’s trip was quite worthwhile.”

Shen Guiyan nodded, not saying much more, with no smile on her face either. Gu Chaobei glanced at her and said with a somewhat ingratiating tone, “Is my wife angry?”

“No.” Shen Guiyan said, “Husband has his own judgment and things he wants to do. This wife naturally won’t hinder husband’s actions.”

Gu Chaobei laughed dryly twice, scratched his head, not knowing how to coax her, and simply pulled her into his embrace, saying in a low voice, “Seeing other households celebrating the joy of children, shouldn’t we work harder at it?”

Her face flushed, and Shen Guiyan pressed her lips together. She had naturally been preparing recently, but with black-clothed people coming every night, where was the opportunity?

Now that Gu Chaobei had taken the initiative to mention it, she set aside the slight discomfort in her heart. If she could conceive a child, this fellow would probably settle down a bit.

“When we return, this wife will bathe and prepare,” she said.

Seeing her serious expression even as her cheeks couldn’t help but redden, Gu Chaobei felt warmth in his heart. He wanted to tease her and see how long she could maintain her composure.

“This husband will certainly not disappoint my wife.”

Outside the carriage, Baoshan’s face flushed red as she listened, inwardly cursing Fourth Young Master for being shameless, yet she couldn’t help but feel happy for her mistress.

Someone as wonderful as Miss deserved good fortune. Heaven owed her a child.