Rebirth: So what if my husband is a little crazy? He loves me.

Chapter 18 Unexpected Changes

When Gu Chang'an returned home, it was already very late. He entered the bedroom and saw Shen Li still reading on the couch, so he asked, "Why haven't you settled in yet?"

"I've been waiting for you." Shen Li put down her book. "Have you had dinner?"

"Not yet, I'll go to the study to eat later, you go to sleep first." Seeing her sleepy appearance, Gu Chang'an's voice softened, completely losing the image of the tyrant he was outside.

"That won't do. You can eat in your room, and I'll watch you." Shen Li shook her head in a daze.

She was worried about Gu Chang'an eating alone.

Gu Chang'an hadn't seen her like this since she turned eighteen. His A-Li was still as cute as she was when she was a child.

"Alright, I'll eat right here in front of you." His smile became more indulgent as he ordered the meal to be served and then walked towards her.

Shen Li was finally satisfied.

“I’ve never seen you wear this bracelet before.” As Gu Chang’an approached her, he saw an open jewelry box on a small table on the couch, inside which was a jade bracelet.

When Shen Li saw him asking about the bracelet, she became more alert and lowered her voice: "I have never liked gold and jade objects. This was a gift from that concubine."

“No wonder. It doesn’t look like anything special. It’s not something you would like.” Gu Chang’an said as he sat down next to her.

Seeing this, Shen Li immediately moved a little closer to the edge of the bed and lay down on his lap, using him as a pillow.

She wouldn't let such a good opportunity slip by.

Compared to her, Gu Chang'an was a bit more unfamiliar. Although he didn't move this time, his expression was still not very natural. He had come over because he had something to say.

“If you’re wary of that girl, I can find an excuse to send her back or get rid of her.” Gu Chang’an noticed that she was lowering her voice, which meant she was wary of the people around her.

Actually, killing her would be the easiest thing to do, but he felt that Ah Li might not want to see blood, so he should handle her matter more gently, lest he frighten her.

"No need." Shen Li closed her eyes and muttered, "I'll leave these insignificant people to myself and deal with them as I see fit."

"Okay." Gu Chang'an looked at her and said softly, "Let me carry you to bed."

"No, I need to watch you eat," Shen Li insisted.

"It's my fault for worrying, Lao Ali. I will definitely pay more attention to the food in the future, okay?" Gu Chang'an coaxed her gently.

Shen Li ate a lot at night, so she fell asleep quickly and couldn't think of what to say for a moment.

Gu Chang'an assumed she had agreed, so he got up and picked her up. His A-Li was actually very thin, as light as a cat.

"Then I'll wait for you to come back." After lying down on the bed, Shen Li grabbed his arm: "Come to bed and sleep. I'll be angry if you sleep on the floor again."

To show how fierce she was, she even snorted.

Gu Chang'an's eyes were full of doting affection as he smiled and replied, "Okay, I'll be back in a bit."

Shen Li then let go. She wanted to wait for Gu Chang'an to come back so they could sleep together and ask about the outcome of their plan. It was her idea to have Li Heng break into the prison cart.

As a result, she didn't know whether she was really growing or eating a lot, but she slept very soundly at night and didn't even know if Gu Chang'an had come back.

When Shen Li woke up again, she found that Gu Chang'an was gone again, leaving her both amused and exasperated.

In her previous life, she was always strict with herself, never overeating, and always a thoughtful person who slept little and woke up early because she had many things on her mind.

As long as she does what she believes is right, she never cares whether she is happy or not. It seems that she has never been happy since she married Gu Chang'an. She schemes against him and feels sorry for him every day, living a life that is exhausting and torn apart.

Later on, the only paintings of hers that truly stood the test of time were those with a melancholic style.

Having been given a second chance at life, she realized that all her efforts had been in vain. Doing nothing would have made her live a more carefree and happy life. Recently, she discovered that she was full of energy and vitality, and felt that she could easily knock down two artificial hills.

Before she could even ask after getting up, Peony said, "Miss, Lord Gu left the study last night without returning to his room, saying something had happened."

"What is it?" Shen Li continued washing her face.

"It's all over the place this morning. They're saying someone hijacked the Flying Fish Guard's prison cart last night," Peony said.

As Shen Li straightened up, she glanced at Ying'er, whose face looked pale in the distance, before asking anxiously, "Was she kidnapped?"

"It was a close call. The Flying Fish Guard suffered heavy casualties. If the patrol battalion hadn't happened to be passing by, those people would have succeeded."

When Shen Li saw Ying'er looking over, she met her gaze and a look of anxiety flashed in her eyes: "So you've made a mistake?"

Ying'er nodded slightly, her face pale.

"Go downstairs," Shen Li said to Shaoyao. "Go and urge the kitchen to prepare the food for me."

"Huh? Yes." Peony didn't understand. Her young lady was never an impatient person, but she was quick to act. No matter what, the young lady always had her reasons.

This left only Shen Li and Ying'er in the inner room.

"Has His Highness sent any news?" Shen Li asked.

Ying'er shook her head: "The palace gates were sealed last night, so we probably won't get news from outside the palace until this morning. What do you think we should do?"

"Were they captured alive?"

"This servant doesn't know. Everything has been taken over by the Flying Fish Guards. Their operations are always very secretive." Ying'er's face turned even paler.

If they were captured alive, it wouldn't just be a matter of corruption and factionalism; attacking the emperor's personal guards would be tantamount to plotting a rebellion.

With this charge, no one can save the crown prince.

"How did the patrol battalion arrive? This is a huge problem." Shen Li frowned.

"Young lady, please think of a solution. The court assembly has not yet ended, and you are the only one who can take charge of the situation."

“His Majesty will surely be furious and may even personally interrogate us. This matter certainly cannot be delayed any longer.” Shen Li analyzed the situation and said, “It seems we have to take a risky step.”

Before Ying'er could ask what it was, Lian Qiao came in from outside to announce, "Miss, Consort Zhou has arrived and wants to see you."

"Please come in quickly." Shen Li didn't even bother to get dressed properly.

Zhou Qianqian quickly entered, dismissed the servants, and excused Shen Li from the formalities. She then stepped forward, grasped Shen Li's hands, and said urgently:

"Sister, His Majesty was furious at the court meeting and will likely order a joint trial by the three judicial departments. At that time, both His Highness and Uncle Shen will be in danger. What do you think we should do?"

Shen Li quickly got into character, and her words carried a hint of impatience: "We were prepared to catch the enemy off guard, so why did we fail?"

"My dear sister, let's not dwell on the blame at this crucial moment. Let's think of a solution quickly." Zhou Qianqian was also helpless; who knew the patrol battalion would be nearby?

"Are there any survivors?" Shen Li asked again.

"Don't worry about this little sister. They're all suicide squad members. If they're captured, they won't survive."

"Then I'm relieved." Shen Li's eyes flickered, and she said, "Now that things have come to this, we can't delay for even a moment. We must find a way to silence them in the imperial prison."