Shen Que responded with a single acknowledgment, then looked at her. “If you don’t start writing now, you’ll be up late tonight.”
Gu Ningning’s face immediately fell. She pleaded earnestly,
“Your Highness, there are so many talented women in the rear courtyard. Why trouble this concubine, a good-for-nothing? Your Highness could simply go to them directly, right?”
Shen Que said,
“If you already know the rear courtyard is full of talented women, why aren’t you studying hard? Otherwise, in the future, you won’t even understand how you were harmed before you die.”
“…” Gu Ningning thought: She knew exactly how she would die—poisoned by this bastard and beaten to death by him!
Seeing her silent, Shen Que assumed she was frightened. He reached out to touch her head, intending to tell her he would protect her, but then hesitated, fearing she might rely on him and lose her drive. He restrained himself and said instead,
“If you’re afraid, then study properly. Learn more, accumulate abilities. When trouble comes, you won’t panic like that.”
It was sound advice, but Gu Ningning gave him a strange look. Such advice, coming from an imperious male lead to a cannon fodder about to die, was completely absurd.
While they spoke, the carriage had unknowingly stopped. A eunuch’s voice called,
“Your Highness, we’ve arrived.”
It was the main courtyard, but Gu Ningning still wanted to return to her Chaoyan Courtyard. She didn’t move. Shen Que understood her little mind and simply scooped her up, holding her like a child.
Her body was already 165 cm, but Shen Que was well over 185 cm. In his arms, she really did look like a child. Her face flushed slightly as she whispered,
“Your Highness, this concubine can walk on her own…”
Shen Que ignored her and carried her into the room.
This was the first time a woman had entered the main courtyard, so the maids and attendants immediately came forward to serve, but Shen Que instructed,
“None of you enter.”
Once inside, Shen Que tossed her onto the bed. His tall figure loomed over her, and Gu Ningning, thinking he had other intentions, stammered,
“No… I can’t….”
Shen Que softened his expression and stroked her head,
“If you can’t bear it, we won’t.”
Gu Ningning exhaled in relief, only to hear Shen Que continue,
“If you don’t want to do that, then get up and study.”
Gu Ningning: …
Between serving a man and copying texts, she decisively chose the latter.
Shen Que settled her at his large desk, and Eunuch Chang arranged a chair for her. While handling official business, he kept an eye on her writing.
Gu Ningning’s face showed her struggle. She propped her left cheek with her left hand, elbow on the desk, while writing with her right hand.
Shen Que glanced at her awkward posture. After a moment of hesitation, he restrained the scolding words.
Step by step, he thought to himself.
Just then, Chang Yue knocked on the door. “Your Highness, the Deputy Minister of Revenue has arrived.”
Shen Que furrowed his brow and said to Gu Ningning, “Wait here for me.”
She obediently nodded. As Shen Que turned to leave, she breathed a sigh of relief and set down her pen.
The leader had gone; now she could slack off!
But in the next moment, Shen Que suddenly turned back.
Gu Ningning, startled, immediately picked up her pen again, only to find him stopping in front of her, his phoenix-like eyes meeting her peach-blossom gaze.
“Kiss me again.”
It was an order, not a request.
She had no choice but to hook her arms around his neck and place a kiss on his lips. He patted her head in mild approval before turning and leaving.
She felt bewildered. Shen Que had seemed serious just now, yet according to the novel’s plot, the male lead would only fall for the female protagonist, never a small cannon fodder like her.
Moreover, in the book, Shen Que and Gu Qingcheng were childhood friends with deep affection—a true first love.
And Shen Que preferred intelligent and ambitious people. Someone lazy and foolish like her would be the very type he disliked most.
She admitted she had no charm to change the original story, nor to alter the male lead’s inclinations. After thinking it through, only one possibility remained…
Damn, could Shen Que really be treating her as a substitute for the heroine?
Tonight, Shen Que met with the Deputy Minister of Revenue, who came to discuss Shen Ting organizing officials to impeach Shen Que.
In recent years, His Highness the Crown Prince’s power had grown. The Emperor had become increasingly suspicious, gradually favoring other princes to dilute Shen Que’s influence.
Shen Ting was currently the Emperor’s most useful pawn. Talented and well-educated, born of the Empress like Shen Que, he was more tactful and worldly, gaining secret support from many court officials.
Shen Que’s position at court was precarious.
He responded casually, seemingly unconcerned by his predicament. The Deputy Minister of Revenue hesitated, then spoke,
“Your Highness, allow me a word.
Since your legitimate daughter from the Fu family fled marriage, Prime Minister Gu’s attitude toward Your Highness has wavered. The position of the main consort remains vacant. It might be wise to align with the Marquis of Wuan’s Residence, produce a royal grandson, and Huai’an Wang would find it much harder to contend with Your Highness.”
Shen Que listened expressionlessly, then finally said, “Hmm.”
Relieved, the Deputy Minister of Revenue prepared to bow and leave, but Shen Que suddenly spoke again,
“I’ve heard that Your Excellency’s two children are now six. The age for schooling has arrived.”
Pride briefly flashed on the Deputy Minister’s face.
“Yes. Just a few days ago, I had my eldest son take Chen Taifu as his teacher. Recently, Chen Taifu has been teaching them.”
Shen Que toyed with the jade ring on his thumb, voice dark and ambiguous,
“Only six, the age of dislike for study and love of play.”
The Deputy Minister assumed the Crown Prince wanted children and quickly replied,
“The elder is fine, but the younger is spoiled. A few days ago he refused to go to school. I punished him, then promised a treat if he studied well, and he happily went.”
He concluded, “With children, one must combine reward and discipline. Pure punishment or indulgence is ineffective.”
Shen Que waved him off, pondering his words before returning to the main courtyard.
Gu Ningning lost interest halfway, thinking: whether Shen Que considered her a substitute or not didn’t matter. It didn’t interfere with her tasks. If anything, being a substitute might even grant extra dramatic buffs, dying faster, completing missions more efficiently.
With that, she wandered around Shen Que’s room, looking for anything interesting.
Unfortunately, Shen Que was a straight man—boring, with dull things. The room was full of swords and knives, and his desk was piled with official documents.
After a while of exploring, Shen Que returned.
He pushed the door open and saw Gu Ningning, hair slightly loose, clothes a little disheveled, barefoot, curiously looking around.
Despite her alluring face and figure, her every movement had the innocence of a young girl. A red string tied around her ankle by Xiao Tao accentuated the snow-white skin, a subtle hint of seduction.
He had always struggled to resist her. His gaze darkened, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he called,
“Come here.”