"Your Highness, it was I who misspoke." Her voice was soft, and a hint of pity was outlined in her clear, watery eyes, with a few tears as she explained to him, "I didn't mean to recklessly discuss state affairs, it's just... I couldn't accept it for a moment."

"I can't understand why good people die unjustly, while those who do bad things get away with it, and even receive high positions and handsome salaries."

"Is it just because they are important court officials? And the people who died unjustly, just because they are commoners, are an insignificant speck of dust in this world, so even if they die, it won't have any impact on the country, so it doesn't matter if they die?"

"Your Highness, I'm not just indignant for my Yu family's hatred, my Yu family was also the richest in Dengzhou, and even... in the entire Da Wei, it was also one of the leading merchant families, not exactly powerful, but had some connections with prefects and governors. But even such a family, which could be considered powerful among ordinary people, had nowhere to appeal after suffering the disaster of extermination."

"So what about those even more insignificant people? The beggars on the street, the farmers who till the land, the little carpenters who make handicrafts..."

Yu Qingwu originally just wanted to soften her tone and please him to dispel Xie Jin Yan's doubts, but in the end, she couldn't help it.

In the end, she still wasn't cut out for it.

In the end, she still couldn't choose to ignore such injustice and swallow all her grievances.

The more she spoke, the more agitated she became, and by the end, her eyes were filled with disappointment.

She shook her head, smiled wryly at the man in front of her, and asked him mockingly, "Your Highness, are ordinary people's lives not worth anything?"

Hearing this, Xie Jin Yan's eyelashes trembled slightly.

Yu Qingwu's accusation reminded him of Gao Minyue's father, the fisherman who treated him like his own son but died tragically at the hands of his beloved, the man he had called Uncle Gao for many years, the upright man who only wanted his wife and children to live a better life.

Uncle Gao was also an ordinary person, an ordinary husband and father, all he wanted was to live a plain life with his wife and children. But in the end, he lost his life because of this small wish...

Just because he was an ordinary person, he blocked the path of a noble.

So, even after his death, no one investigated why he died, whether he sacrificed himself to save others, or was deliberately murdered? No one cared, and no one sought justice for him.

All the suspicion in his heart turned into guilt at this moment.

After a long time, he raised his hand, gently stroked the woman's hair, suppressed his emotions, and said to her in a low voice, "Shijie (Senior Apprentice Sister), things in this world can't be fair in everything. Sometimes, sacrificing the small self for the greater good is inevitable."

Sacrifice the small self for the greater good?

Hearing this, Yu Qingwu couldn't help but laugh, a mocking laugh, a ridicule. In that moment, she felt like she had never truly known Xie Jin Yan.

She lowered her head, chuckled softly a few times, and asked him with mockery, "Your Highness, then may I ask, what is the small self, and what is the greater good?"

"Is it the greater good to sacrifice the lives of civilians to protect those corrupt and lawless villains who treat human lives like grass?"

What right did they have?

Just because they had power, just because they had deeply rooted and intertwined interests, and moving one piece would affect the whole game?

Yu Qingwu wasn't ignorant of such principles, but understanding and accepting were two different things.

She was a victim, and she couldn't stand in the position of those in power to consider for them, including Xie Jin Yan...

For a moment, Yu Qingwu suddenly didn't want to say anything more to Xie Jin Yan.

Perhaps, they were not the same kind of people from the beginning.

She was silent for a long time, trying her best to hold back her tears, and when she looked at him again, it was as if nothing had happened. She said lightly, "I'm not in a good mood, and I've been talking nonsense. Please don't take it to heart, Your Highness."

Talking nonsense? Clearly, it was the most genuine thought in her heart.

Xie Jin Yan held her hand, his eyes filled with heartache and annoyance. He took a deep look at the woman lying on his lap and said in a deep voice, "Shijie, don't say such things in the future. It's not good for you, and it's not good for me either."

Yes, the truth is often too harsh, touching too many people's interests, so it can't be said.

A trace of sarcasm flashed across her eyes, and Yu Qingwu nodded lightly at him, returning to her usual well-behaved appearance, and replied softly, "Your Highness is right, I will keep it in mind."

Hearing this, Xie Jin Yan's expression froze, feeling a little uncomfortable.

But he didn't say anything more. Speaking at this time would only add to the conflict.

He lowered his hand and stroked the woman's thin back again and again.

However, at this moment, those warm hands made Yu Qingwu feel particularly scorching.

She slowly got up, softly leaning into his arms, but her face didn't have any expression.

In the following days, things between them seemed to have returned to the way they were before, proper and lukewarm.

They were respectful to each other, and no one could find any fault, nor could they see any trace of affection.

Even when Xie Jin Yan came to Xueyuan (Snow Courtyard) to rest, the two of them no longer had the casual jokes they used to have.

The Shen family case can be regarded as settled.

Without a salary and no official position, and with everyone avoiding them, the family ended up relying on Liang Ruowei's dowry to eat.

Liang Ruowei also took this opportunity to bring her illegitimate son with Shen Zongyuan back from outside, gave him the name of an adopted son, and officially entered the ancestral hall and the Shen residence.

Judging from this momentum, it seems that the Shen family still has the possibility of making a comeback.

On the other hand, the Qiu family, after that kind of thing happened, kept their tails between their legs and behaved themselves.

It was heard that Qiu Shiyi Niang (Eleventh Miss Qiu) sent letters to Qiu Hou (Marquis Qiu) many times, wanting Qiu Hou to take action to avenge her mother, but Qiu Hou ignored them all.

So, she set her sights on the spring banquet on the third day of the third month.

After two or three months of tossing and turning, the palace finally ushered in some joy.

On this day, Yu Qingwu entered the palace early in the morning.

As soon as she entered the palace, she first went to Fengzao Palace (Phoenix Algae Palace) to pay her respects to the Empress.

As usual, the Empress's palace was already full of concubines and noble ladies.

"Sister-in-law, here." As soon as Yu Qingwu paid her respects to the Empress, Xie Ruizhi, who was sitting on the side, waved to her with a smile.

Yu Qingwu pursed her lips and smiled softly, and walked slowly towards her.

Xie Ruizhi was wearing a very gorgeous cyan brocade robe today, and a valuable coral headdress on her head. It seemed that she wanted to outshine someone.

Yu Qingwu glanced at Qiu Shiyi Niang not far away, and quickly understood.

Xie Ruizhi also secretly glared at that Qiu Kui (Autumn Sunflower), then leaned to Yu Qingwu's ear and asked her with a smile, "Sister-in-law, when will you... test Fourth Brother Xu? I saw that you were busy and couldn't get away before, so I didn't ask. Now that everything has settled down, I think you should have time."

Xie Ruizhi's eyes were full of smiles, and while speaking, her face was slightly red, and she said shyly, "Brother Xu is also coming today, so you can see how to test him? Now Brother Xu's family is busy looking for a match for him. If we don't hurry up, I'm afraid... I will miss him."