After the emperor read her mind, the salted fish concubine effortlessly won the title of empress.

Chapter 449 Extra Chapter: The Struggle for the Throne 7

After finishing his business in the palace, Li Yuanke arrived at the Shen family's residence without taking a break.

He didn't order anyone to inform him in advance, but came as he always did, traveling light. As he passed through the peach grove, Shen Shixi was still sitting on a branch, the same branch she had sat on when she was a child.

She grew up, and the peach tree grew with her every year, becoming quite thick and strong.

"Brother Yuan Ke!"

Li Yuanke spotted the little girl on the tree branch at a glance. She was wearing a peach-colored dress, with two little buns on her head, and the golden ginkgo beaded flower he had once bought for her. She looked at him as always, making Li Yuanke feel as if the three years on the frontier had never existed.

It seemed as if he had never left the capital or her side for even a single day.

Li Yuanke came over, stretched out his arms, and only when he saw the little girl's face, which no longer had baby fat, did he realize that the little peach blossom spirit had grown up.

Shen Shixi, however, had already thrown herself into his arms without a care, giggling, "Brother Yuan Ke, what were you thinking just now? Did you think you had mistaken me for someone else?"

"No!" Li Yuanke felt his heart overflow with joy, holding her tightly. "How could I possibly mistake you for someone else!"

I just never imagined you'd grow up!

You'll grow up too!

He was overjoyed, yet also felt a deep sense of regret.

Shen Shixi only stayed in his arms for a moment before struggling to get down to the ground. "Brother Yuan Ke, do you have any time lately?"

"Yes!" He didn't even ask her what was wrong.

He didn't let go, but held her hand as they walked from the peach grove to the study. They shared a desk, and Shen Shixi leaned on it to watch him.

"Brother Yuan Ke, did you come to see me or to see Grandfather? Grandfather is currently in the palace teaching the young princes..."

Before she could finish speaking, her father shouted from outside, "Shen Shixi, get out here right now!"

Li Yuanke was so startled that he stood up abruptly, while Shen Shixi calmly turned her head away. Her father had already entered, holding half of the "Women's Analects" in his hand. With a shake, the charred yellow pages of the book fell to the ground.

"You...you...you unfilial daughter, how dare you burn books! You...I'll teach you a lesson today!"

Shen Xianzhang was also furious and did not notice that there was another person in the study.

Shen Shixi said slowly and deliberately, "Dad, what kind of nonsense is written on that thing? Why should I read it? Also, why should I be inferior to others after I get married? Why should I watch others eat while others sit while I stand?"

The person who wrote this book is brain-dead, their fingers are filthy. If she were a woman, she would be the enemy of all women throughout history. If I met her, I would slap her twice!

Shen Xianzhang was trembling with rage, his blood pressure easily exceeding two hundred. He pointed at Shen Shixi, "You...you...you...oh dear, what will happen if someone hears you saying that..."

Then he saw the Eighth Prince standing beside him, and he was immediately dumbfounded.

What a coincidence!

"Your subject pays respects to Your Highness, Prince Wu! Please forgive my poor eyesight; I did not see Your Highness just now. I was very rude!" Shen Xianzhang hurriedly said. "Your subject is young and must have heard such nonsense from somewhere. It is not to be taken seriously. Your Highness, please do not take it to heart."

Li Yuanke also knew the gravity of the situation. If these words were to spread, Shen Shixi might not even be able to leave the house in the future.

He laughed and said, "Xi'er didn't say anything, and I didn't hear anything either, so please rest assured, Lord Shen."

"Brother Yuan Ke, let's go! Take me somewhere!" Shen Shixi took his hand and was about to leave.

Shen Xianzhang's eyes nearly popped out of his head when he saw this, and he coughed violently. Li Yuanke had no choice but to withdraw his hand, his face slightly flushed. "Don't you want to go back and change your clothes?"

Shen Shixi glanced at herself. "I'm fine, I don't need it!"

She didn't mention holding his hand again.

They traveled by carriage from the Prince of Wu's residence, while Li Yuanke rode a horse. Once they left the city, Li Yuanke boarded the carriage, and the two shared a compartment.

Shen Shixi was almost asleep from being shaken, her little head nodding. He hesitated for a moment, then turned her little head over and placed it on his lap.

Shen Shixi looked at his face from bottom to top, and touched his lips with her fingertips. "Brother Yuan Ke, your face is so handsome, and your lips are beautiful too."

She unceremoniously touched his stomach, "Do you have abs? Let me see!"

Li Yuanke froze. Shen Shixi was no longer a three or five-year-old little girl; she was already eight or nine years old!

Seven years old is a watershed moment. The Book of Rites says: "At the age of seven, one should not sit at the same table."

Shen Shixi didn't hold back at all, reaching out to touch them, and even wanting to pinch them. "Brother Yuan Ke, it really is! You really have abs! Let me see!"

Then she reached out to take off his outer robe. Li Yuanke was terrified. He grabbed her hand and covered her mouth. If someone heard this, would they still be alive?

Li Yuanke slapped her on the back and scolded, "You think you can see just anything?"

"I only look at yours, I didn't say I wanted to look at anyone else's." Shen Shixi was also a little annoyed. "You're so stingy. What's wrong with looking at abs? It's not like you'll lose a piece of flesh. Besides, we're not in any other relationship."

Shen Shixi was by no means a brainless person. She had no sense of belonging to this place, so she never thought about abiding by the public order and good customs here, as well as the cannibalistic feudal dregs.

She had always wanted to find a chance to go back. She didn't want to stay here. In the future, she would have to go back one day. She did all this because the Shen family had raised her and treated her well, so she couldn't just sit idly by.

She invested in Li Yuanke, and in the future, Li Yuanke will protect this group of simpletons from the Shen family.

Li Yuanke found it amusing. "Then tell me, what is our relationship? If you answer correctly, I'll show you."

Shen Shixi squinted her beautiful peach blossom eyes at him, "I am your strategist, and you are my lord!"

that is it.

Li Yuanke laughed in anger, "In this world, from ancient times to the present, has there ever been a strategist who would readily undress his lord? A strategist who would dare to act so brazenly on his lord? You're so clever, tell me, who is this person?"

"Hmph, you stingy little thing!"

Shen Shixi turned her face away and refused to look at him.

She heard that there was a Taoist temple on the mountain outside that had some wonders, so she wanted to go and see it. She originally wanted her brothers to take her, but they all refused. Every time she went out, she would wander around outside and refused to go home.

She also made friends with all sorts of shady characters, for which her brothers often took the blame and were beaten by Shen's father.

Shen's father always acted fiercely, but in the end, it was always others who got beaten up. He had never been able to bring himself to hit Shen Shixi.

After climbing for a while, Shen Shixi couldn't climb anymore. Li Yuanke squatted down in front of her, and she lay down on him. She felt that his shoulders and back were much broader than before.

After walking for a while, Shen Shixi fell asleep. When she woke up, Li Yuanke was resting halfway up the mountain, and she was lying across his lap, the sunlight shining through the branches and leaves onto her face.

She narrowed her eyes. "Oh, so I've seen a lord in this world who'd kneel before his advisors!"

Li Yuanke laughed, placing his hand on her waist and pulling her back slightly as she was about to fall. "Do you still have that lousy mouth of yours?"

Enough with the nonsense, Shen Shixi sat up and moved further inside. "Brother Yuan Ke, last winter, the Emperor fell ill. I heard that his health has been poor ever since, and he only goes to Consort Yin's palace when he goes to the inner palace."

"Right now, among the princes, only you and Li Yuanzhi remain. If we want the Emperor to make a decision as soon as possible, we need to give him a push."

How to fuel the flames?

Shen Shixi said, "There is a flood in Jiangnan. The Emperor will definitely send a minister to provide disaster relief. Let's use this game to decide our fate. Don't try to seize this opportunity. Leave it to Li Yuanzhi."

Xu Chengzong, the military governor of Binzhou in Jiangnan Circuit, is a member of the Pei family, but he was marginalized by the Pei family for his improper conduct at Empress Wenzhen's funeral. If we make good use of this man, we can succeed.”