Rebirth: So what if my husband is a little crazy? He loves me.

Chapter 171 Earning a Favor

King Yi was extremely anxious. He had thought that by winning over Xu Zhiyuan, he could become one with Shuntian Prefecture, but he never expected that Xu Zhiyuan would be such a beast, and that the other party would act so quickly.

This preemptive move left him with no strategy to counter it. The best course of action was to tell his mother in the palace to whisper in his father's ear and persuade him to stop the investigation.

Although the old Minister of War was of high rank, he was getting old and would eventually have to retire. The next generation would need his father-in-law to support them, and now that he was in charge of the Ministry of Works, his future was very promising.

If the Ministry of Justice investigates further, the consequences could range from demotion to, depending on how far the Emperor intends to investigate.

The best sign so far is that the person was kept in the Ministry of Justice and not handed over to the Court of Judicial Review, indicating that the emperor is only targeting the case and does not want to implicate others on a large scale.

"Who came up with this idea?" King Yi was agitated, feeling that Gu Chang'an was definitely involved.

This move was so decisive, it went straight to the throat of Shuntian Prefecture, making it difficult for the Prefect of Shuntian Prefecture to resist.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Cheng Sheng, the Prefect of Shuntian Prefecture, was equally anxious. He had thought that Xu Zhiyuan's case would end when it reached the Ministry of Justice, but he did not expect it to be sent to the Court of Judicial Review.

Even the toughest person would vomit something if they went into the Dali Temple.

Moreover, Gu Chang'an is an expert in determining guilt in factional struggles; if he wanted to, he could be far more ruthless than the Ministry of Justice.

One day, Shen Li was having tea outside when she heard someone knocking on the door of a private room. When she opened it, a thin scholar with a mustache walked in; she could tell from his hat.

"Lord Shen, I am a clerk from the Shuntian Prefecture. I have come today only to convey my master's gratitude." The clerk bowed deeply and spoke.

"I was just casually reminding you after hearing some rumors, and I told the Prefect not to take it to heart," Shen Li said nonchalantly.

"The Prefect said it was absolutely impossible. Lord Shen's actions saved the Cheng family from dire straits. If it weren't inconvenient, my lord would certainly thank him in person."

"You're too kind. We're all colleagues, there's no need to be so formal," Shen Li said calmly.

Seeing that Shen Li didn't respond much, the clerk continued, "My master said that my Cheng family owes you a favor, sir. My master also said that he really didn't know about this matter. I hope you can investigate this matter thoroughly."

Shen Li knew that this wasn't directed at her, but at Gu Chang'an.

"The Prefect's kindness is truly rare. Go back and tell him that the Court of Judicial Review always investigates cases based on facts and never makes unfounded accusations."

When the clerk heard that Shen Li had relented, he was overjoyed and said, "Thank you, sir."

"Go ahead." Shen Li leaned back in her chair and waited until he had completely left before starting to eat sunflower seeds.

"Miss, please have some tea. This man is really ill-mannered, keeping you company for so long." Peony complained as she poured the tea.

Shen Li smiled; she had come here to wait for him.

It wasn't that she couldn't take action against Shuntian Prefecture this time, but after discussing it with Gu Chang'an, they both felt it wasn't a good idea, since there wasn't a suitable person of their own in that position.

If it's someone else, they might become someone from the King of Chess or the Crown Prince's faction, which would cause even more trouble in the future when needed.

Why not do him a favor, let him cut his losses in time, and pave the way for their future?

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

The happiest person about this was the Crown Prince. He had listened to Shen Li and made a big fuss about it, and now he could reap the benefits.

Xia Yuan's death is inevitable, and Minister Xia will also be implicated. This is like removing a thorn in our side.

He hadn't won a victory in so long, and now he was so excited to hear the good news that he almost stood up, but Zhou Qianqian pressed him down.

"Gu Chang'an's intelligence network is indeed extraordinary; he was able to uncover such a secret matter." Li Heng's expression was quite complicated as he spoke.

He admired Gu Chang'an, but he also hated Gu Chang'an the most. If Gu Chang'an hadn't been so strong, he wouldn't have married Shen Li off to him.

When Zhou Qianqian saw the Crown Prince fall into deep thought upon mentioning Gu Chang'an, she knew he was thinking of Shen Li again, and she couldn't tell whether his eyes held regret or remorse.

"Your Highness, Father sent a message to the palace today, saying that the Prince Yi's faction is in a state of decline, and it is the perfect time to submit a memorial to suppress them and establish authority." Zhou Qianqian interrupted Li Heng's thoughts with dissatisfaction.

Li Heng frowned before saying, "The Grand Secretary's methods are always good, and I have no objections."

"Then I will inform Father later." Zhou Qianqian felt somewhat relieved after hearing Li Heng praise her father, and smiled again.

"The day after tomorrow is the day my fourteenth brother will learn to paint. Early the day after tomorrow, you should push me to Fengxiang Palace to pay my respects," Li Heng thought to himself.

Shen Li did a really good job, and he must thank her in person.

Zhou Qianqian had cursed him countless times in her heart, her face turning pale with anger, but her voice remained gentle: "Yes, Your Highness."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

"This case will be concluded in a few days. Is there anything else you wish to say, Ah Li?"

That evening, the two sat on either side of the couch. Before they spoke, Gu Chang'an was handling official business, while Shen Li was painting.

When she was in a good mood, she would draw. Her drawing depicted Gu Chang'an carefully reading the memorial, and her lips were always turned up while she was drawing.

“I naturally trust my husband to do things,” Shen Li said, then asked, “What was the verdict?”

"I have consulted His Majesty, and the sentence is to be executed immediately," Gu Chang'an said casually.

Shen Li nodded: "That's how it should be. How are the mother and her two daughters doing?"

"That woman had almost cried all her tears. If it weren't for her child, she probably would have contemplated suicide as soon as the case was over." Even though Gu Chang'an's heart was already hardened, he still shook his head.

How could Xu Zhiyuan bear to betray such a devoted lover?

That's absolutely despicable.

“She can only get through this on her own, so let’s not make things difficult for her. I’ll have Lian Qiao ask her if she’d like to stay here and find a manor for her to rest and recuperate with the children for a while,” Shen Li said.

At this time, it's best not to see familiar people. An unfamiliar environment is more conducive to thinking things through, and the people in the village can also take care of you.

“Ah Li is kind-hearted, so this arrangement is good.” Gu Chang’an agreed, his eyes showing a reassuring expression.

He didn't want Ah Li to be too upset because of this.

"I'm fine." Shen Li smiled at him; she had already minimized the damage.

Gu Chang'an was relieved.

As Shen Li was drawing, something suddenly occurred to her, and she asked, "Husband, don't you have anything to ask me?"

"Huh?" Gu Chang'an looked at her, puzzled. "What?"

“The Crown Prince will surely believe that you, my husband, were the one who found out about Xu Zhiyuan’s marriage, and that only you know that’s not true.” Shen Li looked at him intently: “Aren’t you curious how I found out?”

Gu Chang'an just smiled and shook his head: "Ah Li will naturally say it when she wants to. If she doesn't say it, there must be a reason. I'm not that curious."

"Actually, it's still related to my dream." Shen Li looked at him: "In the dream, I also wronged you."