Quick Transmigration: Survive to the End

Although there was no more definite news, Shen Ye still ended up owing this matter.

Not long after, news spread from the Marquis of Li's residence that the Marquis's eldest son had become completely useless and had been abandoned by the Marquis, who sent him back to his hometown.

After the eldest son of the Marquis of Li left the capital, a seemingly ordinary change in the weather led to the loss of even the youngest son who had just been born.

Everyone sighed at the unpredictable nature of life, and the Marquis of Li had been particularly unlucky recently.

However, those who sent people to keep an eye on the Shen family in the Marquis of Li's mansion learned that the Marquis of Li's mansion had quietly arranged a marriage for his second daughter.

Before the eldest daughter of the Marquis of Li was even engaged, her younger sister had already found a husband, but it was a family far away, and most likely they would never return after marriage.

Although the matter wasn't publicized, it wasn't exactly a secret. Those who knew the whole story would have their own judgment.

When the second wife of the Marquis of Li went out to socialize again, she suddenly found that she was not popular anymore. Most people with some standing ignored her, while those less influential than the Marquis of Li's family still fawned over her.

It's unclear what the royal family's intentions were, but the selection of a study companion for the princes was delayed again and again. It was only after the matter concerning the Marquis of Li's residence was resolved that the palace officially received the news.

Shen Ye muttered something about how coincidental it was, and Shen Ruyin felt that there was nothing she could say.

Even though she might not have been the one to say those words, she still held up a thick volume of historical records and said to her brother, "There are indeed many coincidences in this world, but when all the coincidences come together, can you still call it a coincidence, brother?"

"Anyway, I don't believe there are such coincidences in the capital. There are probably only those with ulterior motives."

Shen Ye thought about it and decided to trust his sister.

While not everything should be viewed through a conspiracy theory, in Beijing, it's not necessarily a bad thing to think of things in the worst possible light.

He took the book from his sister's hand: "Yinyin, where are you now? Let me continue the story for you."

As Shen Ruyin was pointing, someone came in from outside: "The palace eunuch Sun has arrived."

The brother and sister put down their books and went to their mother's place together.

After bowing, Eunuch Sun said, "Tomorrow the palace will select study companions for the princes. His Majesty is thinking that the Marquis will also be entering the palace to study soon, so he would like to get to know him. Therefore, His Majesty invites the Marquis to go with him tomorrow."

Shen Ruyin asked, "Is brother going to choose too?"

The eunuch Sun replied, "His Majesty did not give such an order. He simply has not seen the Marquis and the County Princess for a long time and misses them. He wishes to summon the two of them to the palace."

Shen Ruyin tilted her head: "Should I go with my brother too?"

Sun, the eunuch, smiled and agreed.

“I also miss my uncle and aunt,” Shen Ruyin turned her head to look at her mother and brother. “My brother and I will go, Mother, will you go?”

Of course I'll go to Jinyang. All my children are going to the palace; how could I leave her out?

After receiving permission from several people, Eunuch Sun left happily.

The next day, the Shen family got busy early in the morning, sending their masters to the palace.

Jin Yang went to Consort Shen's place, while Shen Ruyin was kept by the Emperor and taken with Shen Ye to the place where princes were selected to study together.

When Shen Ruyin and her brother came with the emperor, many of the candidates became wary. They only breathed a sigh of relief when they saw that the emperor did not intend to have Shen Ye sit at the examination table, but instead set up a seat next to him and served him tea and snacks.

Shen Ruyin glanced at them and knew that most of the people who breathed a sigh of relief would be eliminated.

After the emperor took his seat, the examination of teachers officially began. The simplest and most direct method was to have them take a test first. There weren't many questions, but they were a combination of easy and difficult questions with different focuses. As long as they weren't completely corrupt and didn't study anything, they wouldn't have to hand in a blank paper.

Shen Ruyin glanced at the blank scroll presented to the emperor, then lowered her head uninterestedly, pondering which of the many pastries was the most delicious.

With nothing else to do, the emperor teased Shen Ruyin and asked, "Does Ye'er know all the people who came today?"

Shen Ye said, "I've met most of them at the banquet, only a few I don't know."

The emperor asked which ones they were and summoned the eunuch Sun to explain in detail.

Shen Ruyin overheard a bit and realized that the people Shen Ye didn't recognize were mostly from respectable families, and ultimately not from the Shen family.

With the help of eunuch Sun by Shen Ye's side, the emperor turned his attention to Shen Ruyin.

"I've heard that you rarely go out in Fuchang?"

Shen Ruyin had only taken a bite of the lotus pastry when she heard the emperor's question. She looked up and said, "Yes, Uncle, I don't want to go out."

The emperor asked with some curiosity, "Is it because you're not used to life after returning to the capital? I remember Jinyang saying that you loved going out for spring outings when you were in your hometown."

“Back then, it was close by, so it was easy to go out, and no one would dare to bully me,” Shen Ruyin put down the lotus pastry and puffed out her cheeks. “But it’s different in the capital.”

She didn't continue, but the emperor frowned: "When you were traveling in the capital, was someone bullying you?"

“It wasn’t exactly bullying,” Shen Ruyin sniffed, not very enthusiastic. “It’s just that they looked down on me because I was young and didn’t respect me.”

"How can that not be considered bullying?" The emperor interrupted Shen Ye's conversation with Eunuch Sun and brought up Shen Ruyin's matter with Shen Ye.

Shen Ye glanced hesitantly at the people below before whispering, "Perhaps it's because of that person sent by the Marquis of Li's residence that Yin Yin is unhappy."

He then added in defense of his sister, "At that time, Yin Yin was already somewhat frightened by what happened on the football field, and the people sent by Marquis Li were not very good at speaking..."

The emperor spoke calmly: "Marquis Li? Is that what happened when his eldest son had that incident?"

"It's been so long, how come Fuchang still remembers?"

He lowered his head: "Your courage is probably only as small as a sesame seed."

Shen Ruyin feigned some defiance, but quickly backed down: "It's still a little bigger than a sesame seed."

She deliberately thought for a moment, then gestured a distance between her fingers: "It's probably about this big."

The emperor chuckled softly: "You're quite confident."

The emperor looked at her carefully: "You're frightened by things on the football field, but you're not afraid to face me?"

Shen Ruyin asked blankly, "My uncle likes me so much, why should I be afraid of him?"

The emperor patted her head: "What if your uncle treats you badly?"

“My uncle treats me very well, how could he not treat me well?” Shen Ruyin disagreed with him, her tone light.

“My uncle has been taking care of us in every way since we came to Beijing.”