After her transformation and rebirth, she manipulates the innocent and ruthless to overthrow the wor

Upon hearing this, not only was Xiao Ran surprised, but everyone in the hall was also taken aback.

Pei Yun coughed lightly, breaking the silence in the hall and waking the stunned Wen Ming.

Wen Ming snapped out of his daze, quickly bowed and kowtowed, his voice low and respectful:

"This humble subject kowtows to express his gratitude for Your Majesty's great kindness."

The emperor waved his hand, his tone casual:

"Alright, Pei Lang. I've already given you plenty of face today. If there's nothing else, let's sit down and have a meal together."

Pei Yun bowed respectfully, his expression both courteous and distant.

"Your Majesty, I thank you for your kindness. However, there are still cases to be resolved at the Court of Judicial Review, and I need to go there immediately to deal with them. I am afraid I cannot stay here any longer."

Upon hearing this, the emperor frowned slightly, his tone carrying a hint of displeasure:

"I know you are a very busy person, but I have gone to great lengths to host this banquet, and you are disrespecting me like this. What kind of behavior is this?"

Pei Yun remained composed and respectfully replied, "Your Majesty, I dare not. It is simply my duty, and I dare not slacken in my duties."

The emperor snorted coldly, his tone tinged with mockery:

"Then sit still. Don't worry, I won't force you to marry like I did back then."

These words immediately fell silent in the hall. Everyone recalled what had happened back then.

Back then, the Pei family was a prominent clan with close ties to the emperor.

The emperor had intended to marry the princess to Pei Yun as a sign of favor. However, Pei Yun politely declined in court, stating that he was focused on politics and had no interest in starting a family.

Marriage was a trivial matter in the emperor's eyes, but Pei Yun's frankness made the situation awkward for a time.

Although he was not punished for it, it still displeased the emperor.

Moreover, Pei Yun was an upright man who always spoke frankly and offered advice whenever he went to court, without any hesitation.

Although the emperor knew of his loyalty, he could not help but feel annoyed.

However, things were finally resolved today, and the atmosphere in the hall eased considerably.

The emperor waved his hand, signaling everyone to take their seats.

Seeing this, Pei Yun had no choice but to bow respectfully and lead Wen Ming into the banquet hall.

However, before he had taken more than a few steps, he was stopped by a woman's voice.

"...Pei Shaoqing, please wait."

Pei Yun turned around upon hearing the sound and saw Shen You hurriedly chasing after him.

Her expression betrayed a hint of panic, and her tone was somewhat hurried:

"I was delighted to see Pei Shaoqing present his painting just now, and I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude... If it weren't for your painting, this peaceful and prosperous era would not be visible to everyone. I..."

She hadn't finished speaking when she realized she didn't know how to continue.

Seeing this, Xiao Ran stepped forward slowly, smiled slightly, and came to her rescue:

"Mr. Wen's painting skills are superb. Sister Shen You means that it would be a real pity if such a rare talent could not be fully utilized."

She paused, then turned her gaze to Wen Ming, her tone gentle yet meaningful:

"Sister Shen You will be getting married soon. I wonder if Mr. Wen could paint a portrait of her as a keepsake?"

Shen You's face turned pale, and she bit her lip tightly. She was waiting for Wen Ming's answer, but she didn't dare to listen.

Upon hearing this, Wen Ming's expression stiffened slightly. After a long silence, he finally whispered:

“Miss Shen… will soon become the Crown Princess. It is truly inappropriate for a commoner to paint for her.”

Xiao Ran chuckled softly, her tone composed:

"It's alright. There's a long-standing rule in this dynasty that the Crown Princess's portrait must be archived in the imperial family. Since you are a Hanlin Academy Attendant, this matter is within your duties."

Wen Ming's throat bobbed, as if a thousand words were stuck in his heart, but in the end, they all turned into one word:

"……it is good."